Chapter Thirty-Four #2
“Are you accusing us of a crime?” Trisha asked.
“Not at the moment. Did you commit a crime?”
“No! I’m a wife and a mother, not a criminal.”
“Then you should have nothing to worry about. We’ll show ourselves out.”
When they were outside, Anthony said, “That was well done, Detective.”
That he sounded surprised should’ve been no surprise to her, but it smarted just the same. “Thank you.”
“You think they were involved.”
“We’re almost sure they hired it done.”
“Wow. What’s the next step?”
“Would it be possible to have your IT people take a look at the phones?”
“Sure, we can do that. I’ll set you up with one of our detectives.”
“Great, thanks. In the meantime, I think we should have eyes on them.”
“I agree. I’ll keep our Patrol officers on them. Follow me to our house, and we’ll get those phones processed.”
“Excellent, thanks again.”
Sam was at the rink watching Scotty patiently assist the twins on the ice when she received an update from Neveah.
After seeing Trisha and her sister, I’m more convinced they were involved. I’m working with a Spokane IT detective to dump the phones now while their Patrol officers watch the house. I’ll keep you posted.
Excellent work, Sam replied.
“Sam!” Alden called to her as he went by, pushing an orange cone around on the ice. “Look at me! I’m doing it. I’m skating!”
“You sure are.”
“Me, too, Sam,” Aubrey said as she followed her brother.
Scotty skated circles around them, showing off and making them laugh as they scooted around.
Using Scotty’s phone, she took the ton of pictures Nick had requested when he’d heard their plans for the day.
“Ten more minutes, and then it’s time for lunch,” she told them.
Before they’d left the White House, they’d made a full itinerary for their day, which would include pizza before a visit with Tracy, Angela and the kids at Tracy’s. Her sister had assured her that Ethan wanted to see them and that Abby couldn’t wait for cousin time.
“They’re doing great,” Vernon said when he joined her at the boards.
“They really are.”
“Scotty is so patient with them.”
“He’s thrilled to be a big brother.”
“Are we ready to move to pizza?”
“Just about.”
Sam and Scotty helped the twins change out of their skates and back into sneakers.
Their cheeks were red from the cold, which made her wonder if she’d been wise to let them get heated up in the cold after being sick.
That hadn’t even occurred to her until it was too late.
Oh well. She would never be Mother of the Year, that was for sure.
The Secret Service moved them from one thing to the next with a minimum of fuss and only three SUVs in the motorcade, which wasn’t bad considering four members of the first family were in the middle vehicle.
Sam loved being in the car with them, taking them to do fun things on a school day and hearing their adorable conversations about why Scotty was such a good skater and why they weren’t.
“It took me years to get this good. You guys will get there, too. And you’re old enough to play hockey this fall if you want to.”
“I want to!” Aubrey said. “Can girls play?”
“Girls can do anything boys can do,” Scotty told her. “And often far better than we can.”
“That’s right.” Sam gave Aubrey a fist bump. “Girl power.”
Her little giggle was so, so cute.
“Guys, can I tell you something?” Sam asked.
“You don’t have to ask,” Scotty said with teenager disdain. “You’re the mom.”
“Gee, thank you, son.”
He gave a snort of laughter. “Well, it’s true.”
With a smile for him, she said, “I just want you to know that I wish I could spend every day like this with you guys.”
“No one is making you send us to school,” Scotty said with that devilish little grin that reminded her so much of Nick. “That’s a personal choice.”
“Wait,” Aubrey said. “We don’t have to go to school?”
“Yes, you do,” Sam said with a mom look for Scotty. “That’s how you grow up to be smart, educated, productive citizens of the world.”
“I don’t want to live in the whole world,” Alden said.
“You don’t have to,” Sam said, continuously amused by their literal interpretations. “But we’re all citizens of the world and hopefully making contributions that make things better for others.”
“Like how you catch bad guys,” Aubrey said.
“Just like that. But as I was saying, I wish we could hang out like this every day. It makes me so sad that you guys were sick this weekend and I couldn’t be there.”
“It’s okay, Sam,” Alden said. “We know you have an important job.”
“That’s nice of you to say, buddy, but I hope you know that nothing is more important to me than you are, and even if I’m not there with you, you’re always the most important people to me.”
Aubrey, who was seated in a booster seat next to Sam, reached for her hand. “Don’t be sad, Sam. We’re not. Well… we are sometimes because we miss our mommy and daddy, and Scotty misses his mom and grandpa, but most of the time, we’re happy. And we love our family and having another big brother.”
“The kids at school think we’re cool,” Alden said, “because our new dad is the president, and our new mom is the first lady and a detective who chases bad guys.”
Hearing them refer to her and Nick as their new dad and new mom made Sam teary-eyed.
“Uh-oh,” Scotty said. “Now you’ve done it. She’s gonna cry.”
“No, I’m not,” Sam said. “Hush your mouth.” They giggled at the face she made at Scotty. “I love you guys. So, so much.”
“We love you, too, Sam,” Aubrey said.
“Don’t worry about us,” Scotty said. “We’re all good. Keep doing what you gotta do and making us proud.”
The twins nodded.
“Thanks, guys,” Sam said, incredibly moved by their kindness and love.
“Pizza!” Alden said as the car came to a stop outside the restaurant they’d turn into a circus with their presence.