Fatal Consequences (31 page)

Taking a quick look around, she didn’t see any of the shattered glass that had marked the area surrounding the bombing the last time. What the hell was going on? And most important of all, where was Nick?

Battling his way through rush hour traffic, Nick was riveted by the news on the radio about the arrests of Senator Cook, Speaker Daniels, Mitch Sanborn and Jack Bartholomew. Washington’s political machine was on fire, and Nick was enjoying every minute of it. Even though his party had taken a hard hit, he had no patience for people who took advantage of powerful positions and the public’s trust.

He’d been forced to shut off his phone, which had been ringing incessantly for hours as the news ripped through the city. He needed to talk to Sam before he discussed the situation with other members of his party or with the reporters who were clamoring for a statement from the senator whose fiancée had arrested some of the heaviest hitters in town.

All at once it occurred to him that if Cook was forced to resign—and Nick couldn’t see how the older man would be able to hold on to his office after helping to run a prostitution ring for twelve years—then Nick would become the senior senator from Virginia, just fifty days after he took office. The thought made Nick’s head spin, as it had since the day he’d found John O’Connor dead in his apartment.

Pulling on to Ninth Street, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of flashing lights and emergency vehicles lined up outside his house—again. Sam…Peter… “
No
,” he whispered as he bolted from the car. “
Samantha!
” He’d closed half the distance before he saw her talking to another cop, her hands dancing in the air as she gestured to the ruined front stairs. Right in that moment, he realized she hadn’t gotten his message about using the back door, and she’d thought Peter had struck again.

They’d probably laugh about this. Someday…

“Samantha!”

She looked up, and the expression of sheer relief on her face reminded him once again that she loved him more than anyone ever had. Since she seemed frozen in place, he ran to her and swept her up. Right there, in front of no fewer than ten other police officers, the gorgeous cop who despised public displays of affection kissed him square on the lips.

“There you are,” she whispered, clinging to him.

“Here I am.”

“I was so scared. Peter…he said…”

A jolt of shock zipped through Nick. “You
saw
him?
Already
?”

She nodded. “He made it sound like he’d done something to you. He…I was so scared. I couldn’t find you.”

Nick tightened his hold on her, surprised to feel dampness on her cheeks. “I’m fine, babe. I asked the contractor to put in a ramp so we can have your dad over. He got called away before he could finish. It was supposed to be a surprise. I’m sorry you were scared.”

She drew back from him, eyes wide with surprise and emotion. “You’re putting in a ramp?”

“I thought he’d like to see our place.”

Hugging him again, she said, “Love you so much.”

“Love you too, babe.”

“Not feeling so good,” she said, her eyes closing. “Need to talk to you.”

He scooped her up and carried her home.

Nick stood at the white split rail fence with Graham O’Connor and watched Graham’s daughter Lizbeth lead Scotty around the training ring on a gentle mare. The handsome boy’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he adapted to the horse’s cadence.

“He’s a natural,” Graham said. “What an adorable kid.”

“He had us laughing all the way from Richmond.” They had needed the laughter after the loss they were still struggling to absorb. “I’m totally smitten.”

“What’re you going to do about that?” Graham asked.

Nick returned Scotty’s wave and his big smile. “Haven’t decided yet.”

“Sure, you have,” Graham said. “You’ve decided you’ll do
something
.”

“I suppose I will—when the time is right.” He kept his eyes on Scotty, riveted by the boy’s laughter. “I once knew a kid like him who was lost and lonely until a boisterous family took him into their home and their hearts and changed his life forever.”

Graham cleared his throat and rested a hand on Nick’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “And now you want to do the same for another lost and lonely kid.”

That he and Sam might be able to have children of their own after all was still settling with him. He watched the boy who rode the horse with such unbridled and infectious joy, and thought again about the many ways he could improve Scotty’s circumstances. “There’s something about him.”

“I know that feeling,” Graham said. “There once was a lost and lonely eighteen-year-old who came to spend a weekend in my home and touched me in exactly the same way.”

Nick turned to the man who’d been a father to him in every possible way except biology. “I wondered if I could ask a favor.”

“Anything, anytime. You know that.”

“Would you be my best man?”

Graham’s eyes filled, and for a moment he seemed too shocked to speak. “I’d be honored,” he said gruffly, “to stand in my late son’s place beside the man I love like a son.”

Nick hugged him, grateful that he understood exactly why Nick had asked him. “Thank you.”

Sam walked up to them. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Hey, babe,” Nick held out a hand to her, pleased to see some color returning to cheeks.

“There’s the woman who’s been single-handedly cleaning house in Washington,” Graham said, his smile matching the teasing tone. “What’s the tally now? Speaker, senator, VP’s chief of staff, DNC chair, EPA administrator, deputy secretary of defense, too many lobbyists to count…”

“The divorce attorneys are sending me engraved thank-you notes,” Sam said with a cheeky grin of her own.

Graham barked out a ringing laugh.

“It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it,” she added. “I still can’t believe all the other women who came forward claiming Bartholomew and Sanborn had attacked them too. I doubt either of them will ever see the light of day again.”

“You think you know people,” Graham said, his expression turning pensive. “It’s so shocking.”

“I imagine it must be. I was sent out to tell you your presence is requested in the kitchen to carve the turkey.”

“Ah, duty calls. Give me about fifteen minutes, and then round up the troops.”

“We will,” Nick said. As Graham walked away, Nick slipped an arm around Sam and returned his attention to Scotty. “He’s having a ball.”

“He’s such a sweetheart.”

“I’m glad you think so.” He kissed her forehead. “How’re you feeling?”

“Still tired and a little achy, but better than yesterday.” They’d spent most of the day before curled up to each other, absorbing the loss and sharing the grief. It hadn’t exactly been the day off they’d dreamed about.

“Did you talk to Freddie again?”

“Not since this morning. He called to let me know all the reports are done and filed.”

“It was good of him to go in and take care of that for you yesterday.”

“After Elin didn’t show Friday night, he all but begged me for something to do.”

“Poor guy.”

“He’ll recover. In time.”

Nick framed her face with his hands and brushed a soft kiss over her lips. “Will you?”

“In time.”

Nick held her close for several minutes before he signaled Lizbeth and Scotty to let them know it was dinnertime.

After Lizbeth helped him off the horse, Scotty darted out of the corral and caught up to Sam and Nick, who kept one arm tight around the love of his life.

“That was the coolest thing—
ever
,” Scotty said, his eyes dancing with excitement and his cheeks rosy from the cool air. “Can I ride some more after dinner?”

“I don’t see why not.” Nick held out his free hand to the boy.

“You looked good out there, buddy,” Sam said.

“Thanks, Sam. Will you show me your gun and cuffs after dinner?”

She laughed, and Nick felt his heart settle and lighten. She was going to be okay.
They
were going to be okay.

“It’s a date,” she said.

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