“Probably.” While he went to talk to the agents on duty in the residence, she made the call to her mother.
“Any news?” Brenda asked when she answered.
“Nothing yet. I’m going into work, and Nick is coming with me. Do you think you can handle the morning with the kids?”
“Of course. Anything I need to know?”
“I usually make an egg sandwich for Scotty and pancakes or French toast for the twins. Sometimes they just want regular toast with peanut butter. You have to make sure the twins brush their teeth, and…” Her voice caught as she thought of Ethan and how he wouldn’t be home with his family in the morning.
“This is awful,” her mom said. “I can’t bear it for Tracy and Mike and the girls. And the rest of us.”
“It’s unbearable. I’ve got to go do something to at least try to help.”
“I’m glad you’re working on it. That brings me comfort, and I’m sure it does for Tracy and Mike, too. I’ll take good care of your babies. Go find Ethan.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Love you, Sam. Be safe.”
“Love you, too.”
Those words from her mother meant everything to her. As she headed to the shower, she was filled with gratitude to have her mom back in her life—and her children’s lives—after long years of estrangement following her parents’ divorce. Sam had been firmly on Team Dad, but she’d later learned there were two sides to every story and that no one knew what went on inside a marriage besides the two people in it. Now that she understood more about her mother’s perspective, she had a deeper appreciation for what she’d endured at the end of the marriage, and that had led to reconciliation.
She raced through the shower, put her wet hair up in a clip and prepared for a long day by getting dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, sweater and running shoes. This time of year, the mornings were chilly, and the afternoons were warm, not that she cared about any of that as she made a mental list of things she wanted to do when she got to HQ.
As soon as possible, she wanted to see Dr. Anthony Trulo, the department psychiatrist, to get his take on incel culture. The FBI would be briefing them, and Jesse Best would be there to help, too. Knowing the marshals would be assisting made her feel slightly better.
But nothing could dissolve the hard knot of fear in her stomach that would be there until Ethan was found safe.
She had unlocked the drawer in the bedside table where she kept her service weapon and cuffs when Nick came into the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a Dewey Beach sweatshirt.
“Ready when you are.”
“Thank you for coming with me. I know you had to jump through some hoops.”
“Not as many as usual on a Sunday. Besides, I always want to be wherever you are, especially at a time like this.”
She took hold of the hand he held out to her as they left their suite and went downstairs to meet the agents who waited for them in the foyer. With their regular teams off duty until the morning, they were met by agents Sam didn’t know, but Nick did. He greeted them by name and thanked them for arranging transport.
“Right this way, Mr. President, ma’am.”
“It’s weird to be going somewhere without Brant or Vernon,” Sam said when they were in the back seat of The Beast on the way to HQ.
“I know. I was thinking the same thing.”
“What’re you missing today to come with me?”
“A couple of meetings that Gretchen will take for me. Nothing to worry about.”
“I’m sure it’s far more complicated for you to call out of work, even on a weekend, than you’re making it sound.”
“Our nephew is missing. I’m where I need to be.”
Sam closed her eyes against an instant flood of tears. “I feel like I’m spinning in a thousand directions as the fear multiplies with every minute that goes by with no news.”
“I know, babe. It’s horrible to not know where he is.”
Sam’s phone rang with a call from the landline at Celia’s. “Hey.”
