Page 160 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

“Yep. Remember how we talked about you using your platform to make this a national project? Here’s our opportunity to make that happen. If you’re game, that is. Of course, they only want me if you’re there too.”

Sam scowled at that. “You’d be fine without me.”

“Perhaps, but you bring the star power, my dear.”

“Ugh. Whatever.”

Chuckling, he said, “I’d love to do it if I can convince you to appear with me. If nothing else, my girls will be impressed to see me on Today, and they’re a tough crowd. I need all the help I can get to look cool with them.”

“If it’ll make you look cool to them, I’ll be happy to do it—but only if we can do it from here. I’m not going to New York for this. Too much else going on right now.”

He stood to leave. “I’ll see what we can work out and let you know.”

“You should probably clear it with the chief too.”

“Already did. He’s all for it.”

“Of course he is.”

“The department could use the good press.”

“That’s for sure.”

Faith Miller appeared at her door, dressed to the nines as always.

“I’ll let you get back to work,” Trulo said, nodding to Faith as he left.

“Come in,” Sam said. “Cruz! Where’s the captain?”

“Right here,” Malone said as he came in.

“Close the door.”

When all the players were in the room, Sam said, “I’ve spent the day on the Worthington case, and I think I know who killed Calvin.”

“You already know that?” Faith asked. “Didn’t you just reopen that case?”

“Yes, and I found that Detective Stahl failed to do even the most basic investigation while reporting that he could find no leads to pursue.”

Faith grimaced and blew out a breath. “Damn it.” She shook her head and met Sam’s gaze with the fiery determination that made her so good at her job. “What’ve you got?”

Sam laid out the details of the case she’d put together over the course of that day.

“So you’re saying that Javier Lopez killed Calvin after he embarrassed him at school,” Faith said.

“That’s my theory.”

“How do you plan to get him to cop to that?”

“I want to offer him a deal on the Carter murder in exchange for information about what happened to Calvin.”

“Why would he suddenly confess to a fifteen-year-old murder?”

“I was thinking I might try to convince him that I’ve spoken to associates of his who are willing to testify that he’s the one who killed Calvin.”

“It’s a risk. If he calls your bluff and doesn’t give you anything on Calvin, he’s off the hook on Carter’s murder.”

“No info on Calvin, no deal on Carter. We’ll still charge him with participating in the gang rape of Shanice Williams, and we’ve got him nailed with DNA there, so there’s no chance of him walking away. We’ve got four other defendants facing felony murder for Carter, so there’s justice for him as well.”

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