Page 74 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“You can’t let me be photographed in that chair.”

“I told them to clear the area.”

“My hero,” she said tearfully as she kissed him.

“Don’t worry about anything. Let’s just rule out a fracture, and then you can go about your business making everyone’s day.”

“That’s my specialty, especially when they’re murdering scumbags.”

Chapter Fourteen

Gary, one of the ushers, was waiting in their sitting room when Nick walked her out.

“What about the kids?”

“I told Eli we’re leaving for a bit and that he’s on duty for when the twins wake up. Scotty will sleep for hours yet.”

“Sorry to hear you’re feeling poorly, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Gary,” Sam said as Nick placed a pillow on the seat and then helped her into it.

Sam gasped when her backside contacted the pillow. She wanted to cry from the pain as much as the inconvenience of being injured.

Nick insisted on being the one to push her to the elevator and then to the South Portico, where the Secret Service had positioned SUVs to block the view of the door. They smoothly delivered her to the back seat and shut the door before anyone noticed them.

“I never thought I’d be thankful to a blizzard,” Sam said when they were on their way in a five-car motorcade, which was small in comparison to the usual production. “Otherwise, we never would’ve gotten away with you pushing me out the door in a wheelchair.”

“Very true. The media scrum is taking a snow day.” He looked out the window as they made their way slowly to the White House gates.

It seemed that would be the theme of her day—slowly. She wanted to scream with aggravation, but when the car hit a bump, she wanted to scream from the pain. There wasn’t another car to be found on 17th Street, which was piled high with snow on either side. After flipping open her phone, she called Malone.

“Morning,” he said gruffly.

“Hey, so I fell in the parking lot last night, and now I’m on the way to GW for X-rays of my hip.”

“Oh shit. It must be bad if you’re going in willingly.”

“I’m going in under significant duress.”

His grunt of laughter made her smile for the first time that day. “Tell Nick we’re all sorry for him.”

“I’ll do that. Listen, Carlucci and Dominguez have connected our perp from the Olsen murder to two unsolved sexual assaults. We’re looking at a serial offender and need to put out the word.”

“Yes, she mentioned that. I’ll review the reports and get with public affairs on that. I assume you’ll be out today?”

“I’m coming in right after this.”

“I guess we’ll see about that.”

“No, I’m definitely coming.”

“You’re on vacation, Holland.”

“I want to work on Olsen. I never got a chance to talk to Gonzo about seeing Stahl. You want to do that?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I’ll see you shortly.”

---