Page 183 of State of Retribution

“What a fucking relief,” Nick said when she closed her phone.

“Is the Secret Service standing down?”

“Somewhat.They’re concerned about copycats after something like this.”

That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.“I need to call Archie, and then I’m all yours for date night.”

Sam’s mom was coming to spend the night and hang out with the kids while they were at the Ninth Street house.Due to the ongoing situation with Offenbach, Scotty had been asked to sit out the sleepover at Jonah’s that weekend, with promises that the agents would make it happen when things returned to normal.

He’d been disappointed but had understood in light of current events.

Technically, he was old enough to hang at home with the twins for an evening, surrounded as they were by security, but Sam had still asked her mom to come since her nerves were raw from the last few days.

Sam made the call to Archie, hoping he’d talk to her after everything that’d happened.

“Hey,” he said after the fourth ring.

“You heard the news?”

“Yeah.”

“Fucking relief.”

“Yep.”

“How’s Harlowe?”

“Much better today.Moving around without as much pain.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.And what about you?”

“It’s gonna take me a minute to process this.”

“I’m so very sorry someone you care about was hurt because we did our jobs.”

“I am, too.It’s got me rethinking my life choices.”

“We need you on the job, Archie.There’s no one like you.”

“Sure there is.There’re plenty of people on my team who could step up.”

“I don’t want them.I want you.You’re the best of the best, and we all think so.”

“This has shaken me, Sam.That someone was watching me, and I had no idea.That someone I worked with could do what was done to her…”

Sam sighed.“I know, but take some time and talk to Dr.Trulo, and… well, talk to me, your friends, the people who care.There’re way more of us than there are of them.You know that.”

“We’d like to think so, but I’m beginning to wonder if that’s true.”

“It is.Of course it is.”

“Thanks for calling, Sam, and for all the support this week.Means a lot.”

“Call me if you need to talk.Promise.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“I’ll check on you tomorrow.Tell Harlowe I’m so glad to hear she’s feeling better.”

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