Chapter Fourteen
“We’ve arranged a safe house for Josh until we figure out the next steps in the investigation,” Malone said after Nick went upstairs.
Sam would deal with her husband and his habit of staking his claim on her in front of Hill after everyone left. “Who’s going to see the director’s wife?”
“I will,” Hill said.
“We’re coming with you,” Farnsworth said of himself and Malone.
“That’s fine,” Hill replied. “I need to speak to my deputy director and make him aware of what’s happened. He’ll assume command of the bureau until a permanent director can be named, so he needs to know what’s going on.”
“Make the call,” Farnsworth said, “but let him know the MPD is leading the investigation into Hamilton’s death and will keep the bureau apprised as a courtesy.”
Sam loved the way the chief cut through the shit to establish jurisdiction. The Feds would want in on it, but that wasn’t happening. She also loved the way Avery’s golden eyes flashed with anger that he wisely kept under wraps.
“I’m well aware that it would be a conflict for the bureau to investigate the murder of our director,” he said with a testy edge to his normally honeyed accent. “That’s why I called the lieutenant when I found him rather than my own people.”
“Excellent,” Farnsworth said. “Glad we’re all on the same page.”
Sam almost laughed at that, but thankfully managed to control herself, knowing Hill would not appreciate it.
“In the morning, I’m going to jump all over the Rollings case and any connection Hamilton might’ve had to Tennessee during that era.
” She would’ve already done that if her husband and son hadn’t been sick all weekend.
“I can tell you what connection he had,” Hill said. “He was the agent in charge of the Knoxville Field Office back in the day.”
Sam felt like she’d been sucker punched. “Jesus.”
“I… I know it’ll sound like I’m defending him,” Hill said, “but in my wildest dreams I can’t conceive of Hamilton kidnapping someone’s child and raising him as his own.”
“If I’ve learned one thing in more than thirty years in this business,” Farnsworth said, “it’s that people are capable of anything under the right circumstances.
” His words echoed hers from earlier. They’d both seen a lot during their careers and had learned to keep their minds wide open to all possibilities.
“What circumstances could’ve led him to kidnapping someone else’s child?” Hill asked, becoming more flustered by the second.
“Until we know we have a match on the DNA, the kidnapping should take a back seat to the homicide investigation,” Sam said.
“How can they not be related?” Malone asked. “The timing can’t be coincidental.”
“Agreed,” Sam said. “But our priority right now needs to be notifying Hamilton’s wife and working the homicide.
We’ll know more about the kidnapping and whether the DNA is match tomorrow or the next day.
” She handed the address Josh had given her for his grandmother to Hill.
“That’s where you’ll find Mrs. Hamilton. ”
He took it from her without comment.
Sam asked for a moment with Malone and brought him up to speed on Gonzo’s whereabouts.
“Good to know he’s getting some sleep,” Malone said.
“That’s what I thought, too. Christina’s concerned about whether she did the right thing. I’d like to put her mind at rest…”
“Yes, tell her I agree with you, and we’ll see him when he feels up to returning to duty.”
“I will, thank you, Captain.”
“I can’t say I understand what he’s going through because I’ve never had a partner gunned down right next to me.”
“Same. I hope I never do.”
Speaking of her partner, the agent working the front door admitted Freddie Cruz, and Sam’s heart ached at the thought of losing him the way Gonzo had lost Arnold. She couldn’t go there, not even for a second.
“We’re all set, Detective?” Farnsworth asked.
“Yes, sir,” Freddie said. “I spoke with the Patrol commander and they’ll be providing overnight security at the house.”
“Very good, thank you.” To Josh, Farnsworth said, “Mr. Hamilton, Detective Cruz will escort you to a safe house that’s managed by the MPD. You’ll be under the protection of the department until we know more about what happened to your father and whether there’s a connection to the Rollings family.”
“It’s the same place we kept Selina during the Lightfeather investigation,” Freddie said to Sam.
She nodded. “Good. Thanks. Did you get anything from the canvass of Hamilton’s neighborhood?”
“One neighbor reported seeing someone running from the house at around three thirty. Carlucci and Dominguez are taking the statement at HQ.”
“Do we have any cameras in that neighborhood?”
“Archie’s on that,” he said of Lt. Archelotta, who headed the department’s IT division.
Sam’s cell phone rang, and she retrieved it from her pocket, scowling at the sight of Darren’s name on the caller ID. He was becoming a regular pest. “What?”
“What’re you guys doing up at the FBI director’s house?”
“How would I know? I’m suspended.”
“You were seen there earlier.”
“No idea what you’re talking about, Darren. I’m not allowed to conduct MPD business as you and everyone in the city knows thanks to your reporting.”
“Who’s covering for you while you’re out?”
“Malone.”
“Where’s Gonzo?”
“Gotta go, Darren. Nice to catch up.” She slapped the phone closed. “He’s going to call you,” she said to Malone, whose phone rang. He ignored it. “He’s digging into what’s going on at Hamilton’s house. We’re on borrowed time to notify the family before the press gets the story.”
“Let’s go.” Hill headed for the door, with Malone and Farnsworth following.
“I’ll call you in the morning,” Malone said to Sam over his shoulder.
She wanted to go with them so badly she could taste it.
This was the kind of case she lived for, but thanks to fucking Ramsey and his big fucking mouth, she was relegated to the cheap seats while the others got to work the case.
There was still a lot she could do from the cheap seats, but there was nothing like the front lines when it came to a homicide investigation.
Resigned to her fate for the time being, she turned her attention to Freddie and Josh, who was putting on his coat.
“Thanks for letting me come here,” Josh said. “Sorry for any trouble I caused.”
“You were no trouble. Hopefully we’ll have some answers for you in the next day or two.”
“I don’t know what to hope for anymore—that I’m Taylor or that I’m not. It’s all very confusing.”
“I’m sure it is. Let me ask you… Did your father ever talk about the time he spent in Tennessee as the field office director in Knoxville?”
Josh’s brows knitted in confusion. “He didn’t live in Tennessee.”
“Special Agent Hill confirmed that he was the agent in charge of the Knoxville field office.”
“I don’t think that’s right. I’ve never heard him talk about living in Tennessee, and he talked about everything when it came to his career.”
“Well, maybe Agent Hill was mistaken.”
“Must’ve been.”
“Let’s get you out of here and settled for the night,” Freddie said. To Sam he added, “I’ll call you.”
She waved him over before he went through the door. “Christina called Nick. She said Gonzo was sleeping for the first time since Arnold was killed and she let him sleep rather than telling him work had called.”
Freddie shuddered. “Remember when Elin did that to me and I ended up getting shot?”
“A. Elin did it because she wanted a booty call. B. You got shot because you were stupid. Two very different situations.”
“Gee, thanks, Lieutenant. Appreciate the reminder of my stupidity.”
“I’m always here for you, Detective. Now get out of my house. My husband wants a booty call.”
“Ugh.”
Sam cracked up laughing at the face he made at her.
“Unnecessary.”
“It’s very necessary. Call me in the morning. I want to be kept in the loop on every aspect of this investigation. Let the others know, too.”
“Okay.”
To Josh she said, “We’ll be in touch as soon as we know anything about the DNA.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’m sorry to have dragged you into this.”
“I’m glad you came to me, and I’ll see it through to whatever conclusion it leads to. I promise.”
Nodding, he preceded Freddie out the door.
“Are you expecting other visitors, Mrs. Cappuano?” the agent asked.
“Not tonight.”
“Very good. Have a nice evening.”
“You, too.” She shut off the lights in the kitchen and living room and went upstairs to the bedroom, expecting to find Nick already in bed.
But he wasn’t there or in the adjoining bathroom.
Sam smiled when she realized where she would find her husband.
Though she was still concerned about his health, she knew by now how convincing he could be when he wanted her.
So she took a quick shower, shaved her legs and applied the vanilla-and-lavender-scented lotion that drove him wild, not that she needed any help when it came to driving him wild.
He was easily driven where she was concerned, which was one of many reasons she loved him so much.
Her brain spun through the events of the day. This was one hell of a time to be hit with a case of this magnitude, with her on suspension, Gonzo spiraling and the Homicide unit already short-handed due to the loss of Arnold. Those worries had her placing a call to Malone.
“Didn’t I just see you?”
“I’m thinking…”
“Always a dangerous pastime for you, Lieutenant.”
“Haha.”
“What’s on your mind?”
“This huge case falling into our laps at a time when we’re ill-prepared to cope with it.”
“Your thoughts match mine.”
She realized he was choosing his words carefully because he was in the car with Hill. “The chief could lift my suspension, and I could serve out the rest after we close this case.”
“Again, your thought process and mine are aligned. I’ll discuss it with him and get back to you in the morning.”