“I can’t imagine.”
“Thank you for your support.”
“Of course.”
While Vernon drove her to HQ, she called Freddie. “What’s the latest?”
“Parents are processed and being held separately in lockup. We’re working on getting public defenders over here since they claim they can’t afford private legal representation. Interestingly, neither of them asked any questions about why we’d arrested them or what they’re being charged with.”
“Very interesting indeed. I’m on my way back.”
“Is everything okay at home?”
“It is very not okay, but there’s nothing I can do to help at the moment. Be there in a few.”
“See you then. Oh, and by the way, Ruiz was looking for you. I told her you were at an appointment and would be back later.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s that about?”
“She wants to discuss my insubordination during Ethan’s case.”
“For real?”
“Yep.”
“Is she going to make a big thing of it?” he asked with trepidation.
“No, because the brass won’t let her, but I’m sure she wishes she could.”
“What did she expect you to do when your nephew was missing?”
“Apparently, she expected me to do what I was told and stay out of the way.”
“Like she would’ve done that if it’d been her family member who was missing.”
“Who knows what she would’ve done, but I have zero regrets about what I did. I’ll listen to what she has to say and go on with my life, thankful every day that Ethan is safe and sad we weren’t able to save Luna.”
“That’s the only thing you can do.”
“Thanks for listening. Have you gotten to introduce Amara to Lindsey yet?”
“That was next on my list.”
“I’ll take care of it. I’ll be right there.”
She closed her phone, thankful for her best friend and partner, who always had her back even when she stepped out of line. Usually, he followed her, sometimes at his own peril. They did what it took to get an impossible job done, to bring airtight cases against murderers and to get what justice they could for victims and their families, which was never, ever enough. Nothing they did could bring back loved ones senselessly lost to murder.
Since she had a few minutes, she called Lilia Van Nostrand, her amazing chief of staff in the Office of the First Lady. Not that the first lady spent much time there…
“Good morning, Sam,” Lilia said.
“Am I catching you at a bad time?”
“Not at all. What can I do for you today?”
“I heard we need to choose the theme for the Christmas decorations. Gideon said there’s a list of options?”
