“He can say whatever he wants. The evidence led directly to him.”
“Exactly. Apparently, he hired Charles Bagley to represent him.”
Sam groaned at that news. “Only the biggest blowhard in town.”
“The way I see it, if he’s got nothing to hide, why hire a prominent defense attorney?”
“A very good question.”
“People here are saying this could bring down the chief.”
“How so? It’s not like he knew that his deputy was hiding evidence.”
“The theory is he won’t survive the scandal, if it turns out to be a scandal.”
“I can’t worry about that on top of everything else right now. I just wish there was something I could do. I’m losing it playing on the sidelines.”
“Keep working the tip line. There may be other stuff there that’ll be useful to us.”
“True. I’ll give that some time tomorrow.”
“We’re closer to answers than we’ve ever been. Keep reminding yourself of that.”
“I’m afraid I’m not going to like the answers.”
“I know. I can’t believe where it’s led so far. We’ll hit it hard again tomorrow, and Dominguez and Carlucci are on it tonight.”
“Thanks for the update.”
“No problem. Try to get some sleep.”
“I will. You too.”
“See you in the morning.”
Sam closed her phone and leaned against the counter, thinking about what they’d discovered so far and where it might lead. Other than the obvious desire to be promoted, what possible reason would Conklin have had for covering up leads in her father’s case? He’d never struck her as someone so ambitious that he’d stoop to attempted murder to get ahead, but how well did she actually know him and what motivated him?
Not that well actually. While he’d always been a close friend of her father’s, Sam didn’t know him the way she knew Farnsworth and Malone. She would rectify that tomorrow by talking to people who’d known him longer than she had, beginning with her mother and Alice Coyne Fitzgerald, both of whom had known Conklin for decades.
Technically, she wasn’t doing anything wrong by seeking deeper background for her own information. If she uncovered anything relevant to the investigation, she’d immediately turn it over to Avery so there could be no conflict of interest claims. The last thing she wanted to do, in light of recent developments, was anything that could compromise the case they were building that might finally lead to the answers they’d needed for four years. But there was no way she could stand by and do nothing.
Nick came into the kitchen. “What’s up?”
“That was Freddie checking in.”
“Anything new?”
“Other than Deputy Chief Conklin being arrested for lying about his whereabouts on the day of my father’s shooting?”
Nick released a gasp. “Seriously?”
“Yep. We’ve got a paramedic who can put him on G Street and says he gave Conklin my dad’s messenger bag that day to return to the family. We never received it.”
“Holy shit. Samantha... You must be reeling.”
“I am. All this time, we’ve been looking for answers that were right in our own ranks. It’s hard to believe. And PS I’m not supposed to be telling even you about this.”
“No worries. I’d never repeat it to anyone. Why do you have that calculating look about you?” He refilled his glass with a small amount of whiskey, which sometimes helped him sleep. Nothing worked consistently to overcome his insomnia.
“They’re keeping me far away from this for obvious reasons, so I’m thinking of ways I can assist in the investigation without actually assisting in the investigation.”
“Ah, and for some reason, that makes perfect sense to me.”
“Because you speak me. You get it.”
“Yes, I do, and I know how hard it has to be for you to take a backseat right when things are heating up.”
“It’s excruciating.”
“But necessary. You know that, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. Doesn’t mean I like it, though.”
“I know, babe.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and brought her head to rest on his chest.
“Freddie said people are talking about how Conklin’s involvement in my dad’s case could bring down the chief.”
“How so?”
“He’s responsible for whatever happens on his watch. The fact that his top deputy withheld this info for four years isn’t going to reflect well on him.”
“It’s not like he knew about it. Skip was one of his closest friends. He would’ve been all over it if he’d known.”
“In the court of public opinion, good intentions often don’t matter.”
“Well, that would truly suck if Joe lost his job because of this.”
“I can’t imagine the department without him at the helm. He’s the best chief we’ve ever had. Most everyone thinks so. Not to mention I’d be completely screwed without him to run interference for me.” Sam couldn’t bear to think about that unsettling scenario.
“Try not to go there until you have to. Nothing will happen overnight.”
“I can’t help thinking about the fallout if Conklin was involved with my dad’s shooting in some way. It’ll be ugly for the department, for Uncle Joe, for me. Hell, it may even be ugly for you.”
“Don’t worry about me. You’ve got enough to think about without taking that on.”
“I’ve already caused you enough trouble by taking in the twins. I don’t want to cause you any more heartburn.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I love your kind of heartburn.”
Sam laughed. “You’re not right.”
“If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right.”
“Now you sound like a corny country song.” She glanced at him. “But you made me laugh, and I needed that, so thanks.”
“That’s what I’m here for. Let’s get these kiddos in bed and spend some time in the loft. I think we both need a getaway.”
“I’m all for that.”
More than an hour later, they’d overseen baths and bedtime stories for the twins and tucked Scotty in with orders to shut off his light within thirty minutes.
“I need a shower and then I’ll be up.”
Nick kissed her cheek. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
With anticipation of time alone with her sexy husband driving her, Sam rushed through the shower and applied the lavender-and-vanilla-scented lotion he loved so much. Wearing a robe, she stepped into the hallway and was relieved to find that the agent who normally stood watch outside Scotty’s door was not there. Nick probably told him to take a break because Sam hated the agents knowing that they were stealing away to their private oasis upstairs. Best husband ever.
She took the stairs two at a time, reaching the top to find Nick sitting on the end of the double lounge chair waiting for her, naked as a jaybird and fully aroused. Laughing, she shed her robe and dropped to her knees between his spread legs. “Excellent presentation.”
“I thought you might appreciate that. I really hoped it was you coming up the stairs.”
She laughed again. “I appreciate you.”
“Mmm.” He leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. “I appreciate you and the scented lotion that turns me on. We can’t ever run out of that.”
“We should buy stock in the company.”
“I’ll do that tomorrow.”
“Only you could make me laugh and forget about the madness swirling around me.”
He combed his fingers through her hair. “I like to hear you laugh. It’s one of my favorite things, especially when I know you don’t have much to laugh about at the moment.”
“I still have a lot to be thankful for, especially a husband who understands me better than anyone ever has.” She leaned in to kiss his chest and breathe him in. “And who smells so good he makes me want to do wicked things to him.”
“Don’t let me stop you.”
Smiling at his witty reply, she kissed a path down his chest to the abdomen that rippled with tight muscles. Her hair slid over the rigid length of his cock.
“Samantha...”
“Hmm?”
“Quit torturing me.”
“And do what?”
He made a sound that was a cross between a groan and a grunt.
Smiling, she skimmed her lips over the steely length of his erection, drawing a hissing sound from him as he palmed the back of her head, encouraging without pressuring. Always the consummate gentleman, even in the throes of desire. Sam decided to take mercy on him, wrapping her lips around the wide head and sucking.
His fingers tangled into her hair, his hips lifting in a silent plea for more, which she gave him, lashing him with her tongue and taking him as far as she could, letting her throat close around him the way she only ever had for him. Before him, this act had been about obligation and fair play. With him, it was about trying to give him a fraction of the pleasure he gave her.
“Sam...” He gave her hair a gentle tug. “Babe... Let’s do this together.”
She took her sweet time releasing him from her mouth and then looked up to find him watching her with a fierce, sexy expression. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe all that was for her. Then he reached for her, brought her into his embrace and fell back on the double lounge chair, bringing her with him.
He smoothed the hair back from her face. “Hi there.”
“Hi yourself.”
“You sure know how to drive me crazy.”
“I speak Nick.”
“Fluently.”
She laughed and gazed at him greedily, taking in every detail of the olive-toned skin, hazel eyes, thick eyelashes and sexy lips.
“What?”