Page 70 of State of Retribution

“Nick said the same thing.”

“He must be losing it.”

“He is.I feel terrible about that when he’s already dealing with so much crap.Just another thing.”

“You’re hardly just another thing to him, and you know it.”

“I do, but thanks for the reminder.”

“Do you have another shirt to change into?”

Sam glanced down at her blood-covered top, which she’d somehow failed to notice before Lindsey mentioned it.“Nope.”

“I’ve got one you can borrow.”

Sam followed Lindsey into a back room where staff kept personal items.Lindsey got a T-shirt out of a locker.“Best I can do.”

“That’ll work.”Sam took off the soiled top and put on the T-shirt.

Sam hugged her friend.“Thanks for the shirt.Gotta get back to some semblance of work.Today’s been a mess.”

“Any progress?”

“A very little.”

“Let me know if I can help.”

“Will do.Thanks, Doc.”

Sam and Vernon continued on to the pit, where everything came to a stop when she walked in.

“Sam,” Detective Charles said on a long exhale.“It’s so good to see you.”

“Good to be seen.”

“How’s Jimmy?”Detective Green asked.

“He’s expected to survive with a gunshot wound to the arm, a broken rib and a collapsed lung.”

Cam winced.“Ouch.”

“Thank God for the vest that saved his life.”She paused before she added, “Look, I know we’re all rattled by the day’s events, especially after what happened yesterday, but it would help me to keep the focus on the case, so let’s meet in the conference room in five to regroup.Okay?”

They nodded and murmured their agreement.

Sam went into her office, removed her jacket and sat for a second behind the desk to catch her breath.

She took a call from Freddie.“How’s it going?”

“We walked the full distance to Harlowe’s extended-stay hotel and nothing stood out, but we’ve identified all the cameras in the area and are working on figuring out who owns the ones that aren’t ours and how to get access to the footage.”

“Good work.Thank you for carrying on.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask how Jimmy is.”

Sam gave him the same update she’d given the others.

“Well, that’s a freaking relief.”

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