Page 58 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

“We need to talk.”

Her stomach began to ache at the way he said that. “Okay…”

“I have to go. They’ve got the Iranian president on the line.”

“When will I see you?”

“No idea. I’ll call you when I can.”

The line went dead before she could reply. Again, he hadn’t said goodbye or told her he loved her or asked her to be careful. “Shit, fuck, damn, hell.”

Gonzo approached her. “That was exceptionally well done, Sam.”

“Thanks, but apparently, I’m in big trouble for leaving without a detail.” Knowing Nick was pissed with her ruined the high that came from successfully resolving the hostage situation. “Go on home to your wife and do the paperwork tomorrow.”

He flashed her a dirty grin. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Sam got back in her car and took a call from Captain Malone on Bluetooth.

“What’s going on in Fairfax?”

Sam updated him on the resolution of the situation with Ezra Smith.

“Well, that’s a relief. Your husband is looking for you.”

“I got that memo. I just talked to him.”

“He’s very upset that you left home without a detail.”

“I didn’t have time for them to figure that out when I had Gigi’s ex holding her family hostage. This is exactly why I can’t be expected to have a detail when I’m working. Who has the time for it?”

“He told me there’s a meeting to discuss your work situation on Tuesday. I heard something else that’ll interest you.”

“What’s that?”

“The mayor called the chief to request a meeting with you.”

“What? With me? What the hell does she want?”

“She wouldn’t say. Just asked him to make you available to her in the next couple of days.”

“Like I don’t have enough going on.”

“She said she understands you’re very busy, but she’d like to see you nonetheless, and since you technically work for the woman, I’d see to that sooner rather than later. I emailed you the info about who you need to call to set it up.”

“I’ll get right on that,” Sam said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“See that you do. The chief wants her taken care of so she’s not up in his grill.”

“I hear you. I’ll do it, even if I don’t want to.”

“Such is life, Lieutenant. Full of things we don’t want to do but have to do.”

“You’re actually telling me that after what’s just happened to me?”

His ringing laughter pissed her off even more than she already was. Why in the hell was the mayor asking for a meeting with her? “The mayor isn’t going to ask for my badge, is she? Because she’ll have to fight me for it.”

“I don’t think that’s it. She was vague with the chief, but she didn’t say anything about asking for your badge or you no longer working for the District.”

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