Chapter Two #2
Sam wanted to kill someone for putting Brooke through such an ordeal when she was only beginning to truly recover from being drugged and gang-raped at a party last winter. Whoever ordered this operation would live to regret it by the time Sam was finished with them.
Over the next half hour, the door opened repeatedly as the rest of the family arrived.
Sam’s dad, Skip, used his one working index finger to roll his wheelchair into the room with his wife, Celia, by his side.
Tracy’s husband, Mike, and their younger children, Abby and Ethan.
Nick’s father, Leo, his wife, Stacy, and their six-year-old twin boys.
The last to arrive were Nick’s adopted parents, retired Senator Graham O’Connor and his wife, Laine, both of whom were rattled and undone by the ordeal.
The agents produced toys and games for the kids, who went to check out the offerings while the adults speculated as to what might’ve happened to result in them being plucked out of their lives and brought to this underground bunker.
“Whatever it is,” Skip said, “it must be huge to warrant something like this.”
Her father’s comment didn’t help to calm Sam’s out-of-control nerves. The only person missing from this family reunion was the one she most needed to see, to touch, to ensure he was okay. Until she knew for certain that he hadn’t been harmed, she wouldn’t be able to function normally.
The lack of information was the worst part. They were completely sealed off from the outside world with no earthly idea what had prompted the Secret Service to gather up people who weren’t even under their protection.
Tracy came over to Sam, who stood by herself, trying to think it through as a detective and coming up empty.
“Are you okay?” Tracy asked. At some point she’d removed the foils from her hair, which was sticking up at awkward angles that would’ve made Sam laugh under normal circumstances.
“I’m freaking out and have a million questions. Where’s Nick? Is he okay? Why won’t they tell me anything? Who ordered that everyone be brought here? What is this place?”
“I know it’s hard not to go to worst-case scenario, but if something had happened to him, surely it would’ve made the news before the dragnet swooped in, right?”
“I suppose, but who knows for sure with him in freaking Iran? Well, they know, but they’re not telling me anything!
” She intentionally raised her voice so the agents huddled together at the far end of the huge room would hear her.
Not that they gave a shit. In a quieter tone, she said, “I’m losing my mind, Trace. ”
Tracy put her arm around Sam and led her to one of the sofas, where they sat together, Sam leaning her head on her older sister’s shoulder the way she had all her life when she needed comfort. Tracy was always there for her, and now was no different.
With baby Ella in her arms, Angela joined them, sitting on the other side of Sam. “I hope they thought to get diapers, because they didn’t give me time to get anything, and this little girl is going to need a change before too much longer.”
“What did they say when they came to your house?” Sam asked.
“That they were with the Secret Service, that there was a ‘situation’ and the children and I needed to come with them.”
“A situation,” Sam said. “That’s more info than I’ve been given.”
“What about Spencer?” Angela asked about her husband. “He’s in Philadelphia today for work.”
“I’m sure they’re aware of his whereabouts, but I’ll ask when I get the chance,” Sam said.
“I’m worried about Gonzo and Christina not being able to reach me when they want to pick up Alex,” Angela said. “Someone needs to tell them what’s going on.”
“Someone needs to tell us what’s going on.” She stood and marched over to the group of agents. “I want to be briefed. Right now.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cooley said, surprising her with his easy capitulation. “Right this way.”
Sam took a tentative look over her shoulder, caught Tracy’s eye and nodded toward Scotty, asking her sister to keep an eye on her son. He’d been unusually quiet as they waited to find out what was happening.
Tracy nodded in understanding and slipped an arm around Scotty’s shoulders.
The last thing Sam saw before she entered an adjoining room with the agents was Scotty smiling at whatever Tracy had said to him.
Sam’s stomach knotted in fear, and her hands were suddenly sweaty. What would they tell her, and how would it change her life? Please…whatever it is, please let Nick be okay. Sam could handle anything they had to say as long as her beloved husband hadn’t been harmed.
When they were seated around a large conference table, Cooley began by offering Sam something to drink.
“Water would be good.”
Cooley brought her a plastic cup filled with cold water.
As she took a drink, she realized how dry her mouth and throat were. Fear did that to a person.
“On behalf of the United States Secret Service, I apologize for the inconvenience to you, your son and your family members,” Cooley said. “At eleven twenty this morning, the Secret Service was provided with information that specified a credible threat against the vice president and his family.”
“W-what kind of threat?”
“We’re still in the early stages of our investigation. We hope to know more in the next few hours.”
“Where’s my husband?”
“He’s on his way home and due to land at Andrews at twenty hundred hours.”
Sam checked her watch. Six hours. He’d be home in six hours. Thank you, God. “When can I see him?”
“He’ll be brought here as soon as his plane lands.”
“What is this place?”
“It’s one of several secure sites kept by the Secret Service throughout the metropolitan DC area for instances such as this when we receive a credible threat against the president, the vice president or a member of their immediate family.”
“How long do we have to stay here?”
“We don’t know that yet.”
“Are we talking a day, a week, a month?”
“That I don’t know.”
She threw up her hands in outrage. “You can’t hold us here against our will!”
“I’m afraid we can.”
“On whose order?”
“The vice president’s, ma’am.”
“Nick approved the plan for you to pick us all up?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So he knows what the threat was?”
“He does, ma’am.”
Sam tried to process that information, but her brain was unable to wrap itself around what kind of threat must’ve been levied against their family for Nick to order such dramatic measures be taken to protect them. “My brother-in-law Spencer—”
“Is en route from Philadelphia as we speak, ma’am.”
Angela would be glad to hear that. “My sister watches my colleague’s child. The boy was with her when you brought them in. The parents need to be notified as to the whereabouts of their child.”
“We can take care of that for you if you give us the contact info.”
“Could he be returned to his parents? He’s not a member of our immediate family.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible. Everyone who’s here is required to stay for the time being.”
“Why? What possible reason could you have for keeping my colleague’s child here? There’s been no threat made against him.”
“We’re under orders, ma’am. I’m sure you understand the position we’re in.”
As a law enforcement officer herself, Sam was able to connect the dots with what he wasn’t saying.
She blew out a deep breath, imagining Gonzo and Christina getting word that Alex was being held in a secure facility along with the entire Cappuano and Holland families.
At least they’d know he was safe and well cared for with them, for as much comfort as that would provide.
She wrote Gonzo’s name and cell phone number on the pad they provided and pushed it across the table.
“We’ll take care of that for you, ma’am.”
“You can stop calling me ma’am.”
“My apologies, Mrs. Cappuano.”
“What can I tell my family?”
“Exactly what we’ve told you.”
“We have jobs and obligations and places we need to be.”
“No one will be leaving until we’ve neutralized the threat or until we are authorized by the vice president.”
“You can’t hold us here against our will.” Sam gave him her trademark death stare, the one that made seasoned criminals tremble like babies in the interrogation room. Unfortunately, it had no impact whatsoever on Secret Service Agent Daniel Cooley.
“I’m afraid we can.”
“What’s being done to neutralize the threat?”
“Everything possible.”
That was, Sam realized, as much as he was going to tell her until Nick arrived to fill in the blanks. She got up and headed toward the closed door that sealed her off from almost everyone she loved. “Let me out.”
The door slid open soundlessly, admitting her to the big room where the others were scattered about on sofas and chairs, waiting. They sat up a little taller when they saw Sam come in.
Scotty rushed over to her, his distress obvious. “What’d they say, Mom?”
She put an arm around him, hating the worry she saw in his expression. “Dad is fine. He’s on his way home from Iran and due to land at Andrews around eight. He’ll be brought right here when he arrives.”
“Did they say why they rounded us up like cattle?” Skip asked, nudging his wheelchair closer to her.
“All they would say is that they received a credible threat against the vice president and his family. Apparently, Nick authorized them to round us up out of an abundance of caution. Anyone who might be watching us knows what you guys mean to us and what it would do to us if something happened to any of you.”
“What about Spence?” Angela said, sounding as fearful as Sam had felt before she knew where Nick was.
“He’s on his way here with a Secret Service detail.”
“Oh, good,” Angela said on a long exhale. “That’s good.”
“They’re also notifying Gonzo as to where Alex is.”
“One thing I’ll add,” Graham O’Connor said, “is that whatever this is, it scared the hell out of them or we wouldn’t be here. I used to sit on the committee that oversees the Secret Service, and they don’t do anything without a damned good reason.”
Celia ran her hands up and down her arms as if chilled. “What’re we supposed to do in the meantime?”
“We wait,” Sam said. “That’s all we can do.”