Page 47 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“I knew for hours that Nick was going to be president, and I didn’t tell anyone except Celia. You think it was easy to sit on that bombshell? I know lots of stuff that I never tell anyone.”

“Like, super-secret stuff?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yes, I would.”

“Dream on and stuff another doughnut into your piehole. While you’re at it, do a run on the financials of Monique and Robert Lawson and Leslie and Chad Dennis in California.”

Freddie popped the last doughnut in his mouth and got busy working on his smart phone.

“And speaking of discretion, don’t tell anyone I had you do that while we were on the clock.”

“We’re riding in the car, and I’m looking at my phone while we go. No rule against that.”

“Thanks, Freddie.”

“Sorry about the sugar dust.”

“You’re gonna clean it up.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The traffic finally let up a bit as they crossed the 14th Street Bridge, but came to a dead stop on George Washington Parkway. “We shouldn’t have done this first thing.”

“I tried to tell you that.”

“When did you try to tell me that?”

“When I got in the car and said traffic is going to be a bear at this hour.”

“You didn’t say that.”

“Yes, I did, and besides, you already knew that. You’ve lived here all your life.”

“Stop talking sense to me. It’s irritating.”

His low snort of laughter had her holding back a smile. Sparring with him made their dreadful jobs and long days together so much more fun than they would’ve been otherwise. In the back of her mind, she knew she was too close to him on a personal level and probably should switch up their team to make him someone else’s partner, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“How do you think Gonzo’s doing?” she asked, eager to change the subject of her own thoughts.

“So much better than he was.”

“Yeah, but with the trial looming, do we need to be worried?” Sid Androzzi, also known as Giuseppe Besozzi, would be tried for the murder of Gonzo’s former partner, Detective AJ Arnold. As the only witness to the shooting that had ended Arnold’s life, Sergeant Tommy Gonzales was the U.S. Attorney’s star witness.

“I think his recovery is solid, and he’s stronger than he’s been since it all happened.”

“Hard to believe it’ll be a year next month.”

“I know. In some ways, it feels like five minutes, and in other ways, it’s like we haven’t seen Arnold in years.” He glanced over at her. “Tommy asked Elin to help him organize the road race he wants to do in Arnold’s memory. They’re targeting the spring to hold the first one, hoping it’ll be an annual event with the goal of raising money for after-school programs for middle and high school students.”

“Yes, I heard about that. Sign me up to help.”

“In your copious spare time?”

“I’ll make time for that and lend my, you know, platform to help make it huge.”

“You say ‘platform’ like it’s a dirty word.”

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