Chapter Four
Sam’s flip phone rang with a call from Darren Tabor, her reporter “friend” from the Washington Star.
“Yes?”
“I’m calling about Forrester. What do we know?”
“Not much yet.”
“I’m hearing it might be tied to Bryant and that you and your team met with him. Any truth in that?”
“Early days, Darren. Early days.”
“You got anything for me? The murder of a U.S. Attorney is big news.”
“I’m aware.”
“So that’s a no?”
“That’s a ‘nothing yet.’ We’re working the case and doing what we do. As soon as I have more, I’ll let you know.”
“Like, you’ll let me know and no one else?”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t tease me, Sam. It hurts me too much later when you disappoint me.”
Damn if he didn’t make her laugh. “I’ll try not to disappoint you.”
“What are you hearing from Stahl’s house?”
“I’m sure you’ve received the latest update.”
“Is it true there’s a storage unit?”
“Yes.”
“What’s happening there?”
“We’re working on tracking down the new owner.”
“Is that on the record?”
“Not officially. Everything on that one is coming from the chief. Don’t get me in trouble.”
“Would I do that to you?”
“Gotta run, Darren.”
“I’ll check in later.”
Sam slapped the phone closed just as the BlackBerry buzzed with a text from Nick. Here’s a number to call.
Thank you. Nice to have friends in high places.
You can thank me properly later.
I’ll look forward to that.
Back at HQ, she went into her office, closed the door and made the call.
“Reginald Cox.”
Wow, Sam thought. That’s impressive.
“This is Lieutenant Holland with the Metro PD. I wondered if you might be available for a brief interview.”
“I assume this is in reference to U.S. Attorney Forrester?”
“You assume correctly.”
“I’ve asked the FBI to work on that investigation.”
“That’s not how this goes. He was murdered in the District, which means we have jurisdiction.”
“I’m sure you understand that we prefer to investigate the murder of one of our own.”
“And I’m sure you understand that’s not going to happen.” She held her breath, waiting for him to reply while praying this wouldn’t get ugly. “General Cox, I have a job to do. I’m asking for your assistance. I assume we have the same goal here—to quickly determine who killed U.S. Attorney Forrester.”
“You assume correctly.”
“Are you available today?”
“I’m at home.” He gave her the address of his Georgetown condo. “You’ll encounter my security in the lobby. I’ll let them know you’re coming.”
“Thank you very much. We’ll be there shortly.”
A knock on the door preceded Freddie poking his head in. “Archie is looking for you.”
“Tell him to come in. We’re heading out in five minutes.”
“Where to?”
“To interview the AG.”
“As in the AG?”
“As in the one and only.”
“Wow.”
Sam understood his amazement. An interview with the country’s top law enforcement officer certainly wasn’t an everyday occurrence. She wondered if she ever would have gotten access to Cox without being married to his boss. Probably not, but whatever. She wasn’t about to look a proverbial gift horse in the mouth.
Freddie left and returned with Archie.
“Got some film to show you. Can you come to the conference room?”
“Yep.”
She took a seat at the table as Archie pressed play to start a video on a wall-mounted screen.
“This is from one of our cameras on Constitution Ave.” Archie stepped closer to the screen to point. “Watch this jogger as they approach the parked car.” Sam kept her gaze fixed on the figure dressed in dark clothing as they ran along the sidewalk. She held her breath as the person got closer to the car.
“He—I’m assuming it’s a man—barely pauses as he goes by the car, but I was able to zoom in to where he shot Tom.” Archie played that part of the film next.
She could clearly see the window shatter and the person inside the car slump forward.
How often did they catch a homicide on film, let alone one as high-profile as this?
Of course the film was of little use to them without a face to go with the body. But they now had a description of a compact but muscular person, who was most likely male.
“Tell me we got this from multiple other angles,” Sam said.
“I wish I could.” Archie sighed as he sat across from her. “We have one camera that’s out for repair on that block and another that’s been giving us fits for a while now.”
She glanced at Gonzo and Freddie. “Did our witness report anything that would help?”
“He didn’t see the actual shooting,” Gonzo said. “Only the aftermath.”
“Of course he didn’t see it.”
“We’ll be looking for pings in the area to figure out who was nearby, but if this was a professional hit, the person wouldn’t have been stupid enough to carry a phone. I’ve got the text chains printing now if you want to come up and grab them in a few minutes.” Archie stood and headed for the door. “We’re looking at numerous other cameras in the area, hoping to get a look at our shooter from a different angle. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Why can’t we ever get lucky enough to catch a killer red-handed, arrest them and call it a day?” Freddie asked.
“Because what fun would that be if they made it too easy for us?”
Her partner gave her a sour look.
Gonzo grunted out a laugh. “What’s our next move, boss?”
“Freddie and I are going to see the AG. Can you work on the text traffic?” Sam checked her watch and saw it was getting close to five thirty. “Let’s give it two more hours, and then we’ll pick it up in the AM.”
“Should we have someone work overnight to keep the Feds from taking over?” Gonzo asked.
Sam sighed as she decided he was probably right. “Good point. Call in Dani and Gigi to take over from where we leave off.”
“Cam and Gigi were away for the weekend,” Gonzo said, “but they should be back by now. I’ll get Gigi and Dani up to speed.”
“Thanks.” She gestured for Freddie to come with her.
“I can’t believe we get to interview the actual AG,” he said after they’d grabbed their coats to head for the morgue entrance.
“He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like you do.”
“Okay, then. So we’re not allowed to be impressed by the AG.”
Sam shrugged. “Whatever. He’s just another witness to me.” She gave Vernon the address for Cox’s Georgetown building.
“I’m sure you’re not just another cop to him.”
“I really hope that’s how he treats me.”
“Do you think it could become a thing if the media catches wind of you interviewing him as part of a case?”
“So what if it does? I’m just doing my job.”
“Uh, okay.”
“What is it you want to say, my grasshopper?”
“There’s nothing at all routine about the first lady, in her capacity as a homicide detective, interviewing the U.S. Attorney General as a potential witness in the murder of a U.S. Attorney.”
Vernon let out a low whistle. “What he said.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side at all times.”
Vernon glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “I am, except for when I’m on his.”
Freddie chuckled.
Sam glared at him. “That’s not funny.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I also agree with him that once the media catches wind of this interview, there’ll be intense interest,” Vernon said. “Jimmy is calling in some reinforcements to meet us in Georgetown.”
Sam couldn’t believe he thought that was necessary. “Seriously?”
Vernon met her gaze in the mirror. “Dead seriously.”
The needfor extra security annoyed her. She knew they were just doing their jobs, but she wished she could simply do hers, the way she used to. As soon as she had that thought, she felt guilty because the reason she couldn’t do her job the way she used to was because her beloved husband had become president under the craziest of circumstances. Even months later, surrounded by a Secret Service detail, Sam had to constantly remind herself that she was putting up with the inconvenience because he’d asked her to.
Sam was incredibly proud of Nick, but his “promotion” had also changed everything for her, and not always in a good way.
As they approached Georgetown, traffic slowed nearly to a stop, which only added to her frustration. She leaned forward to see what was causing the delay and was shocked to see media trucks lining the street. “Motherfucker.”
“They probably figured you’d get here eventually,” Vernon said.
“Is there a way to get me in there without it turning into a complete spectacle?”
“Let me see what we can do.” Vernon took a right turn and pulled onto a side street off M, the main drag through Georgetown.
While he made a call and explained the situation, she forced herself to be patient, to allow the agents to do their jobs so she could do hers.
Remember how much you love Nick, how you’d do anything for him, even when his job interferes with yours.
While she waited, she put her head back against the seat and closed her eyes so she could revisit some of the better parts of their recent vacation, such as when they’d exchanged the perfect gifts. He’d given her a gorgeous platinum watch, engraved with his thanks for the best two years of his life. She’d given him a T-shirt that said I love you more. The end. I win.
As she ran her fingers over the watch, she smiled, recalling that day and the others they’d spent alone at the beach. Being with him made her happier than anything ever had, and it had gotten even better when their kids joined them for the final weekend. After years of painful infertility struggles, she now had three kids to call her own, as well as a bonus son in Eli and now his wife, too. They had the family of their dreams, even if none of it had happened the conventional way.
What did convention matter when their White House was full of love?
And what did she care about a few delays on the job when she had him and their children to go home to at the end of every hard day on the job? So what if “home” these days was the freaking White House? Her dad used to tell Sam and her sisters to enjoy the moment, because all things, even the best of things, were temporary.
She hated to acknowledge that was true, which was why she tried to live every day to the fullest, to make sure the people she loved knew she loved them and to do her best in all things.
Her ringing phone interrupted the philosophical direction her thoughts had taken. She sat up a little straighter when she saw Chief Farnsworth’s name on her caller ID.
“Hello, sir.”
“What’s the latest on the Forrester investigation, Lieutenant?”
“I’m about to interview the AG at his home in Georgetown.”
“As in the actual Attorney General of the United States?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m under tremendous pressure to bring the Feds into this investigation.”
“As am I, sir.”
“I’m assigning several other detectives to your team for the time being. Please use them to move this along as quickly as possible.”
Sam wanted to plead with him not to do that, but she knew better than to question him. “Who’s coming to Homicide?”
“Detectives Lucas and Harper from SVU and Coheeny from Explosives. I’ve asked them to report to your pit at zero seven hundred. Deputy Chief McBride has also made herself available as needed to assist.”
“We appreciate the help. I’ve got O’Brien and Charles chasing down the new owner of Stahl’s storage unit. I’m planning to let them see that through since they’re close.”
“That’s fine. We’ve got a matter of days, Lieutenant, if that, before the Feds take over. Let’s make them count.”
“Yes, sir. If I could ask… How are you?” He’d been under enormous stress since the latest news about Stahl had come to light, and Sam was worried about her beloved uncle.
“Having the time of my life.”
Sam smiled at the expected reply. “I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”
“Marti is seeing to that. She’s hovering over me like a mother hen.”
“Good.”
“Hope you got to relax a little on the vacation.”
“We did, despite everything.”
“I was so sorry to hear about the shooting at Fort Liberty. What a tragedy that was.”
“Indeed.”
“Will you be traveling there this week?”
“Not right away. There was some pushback to a visit at this moment.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“We understand the rationale.” The shooter had reportedly objected to being offered a dishonorable discharge for his refusal to serve under an unelected president. As such, the brass at Fort Liberty had thought this might not be the time for the unelected president and first lady to make a condolence visit.
“I’ll let you get to interviewing the AG, of all people. Let me know how that goes.”
“Will do.”
“Have a good evening.”
“You do the same.”
“How is he?” Freddie asked after she’d slapped the phone closed.
“He said he’s having the time of his life.”
“I’ll bet. Stahl is a nightmare for the entire department. Everywhere I go, people ask me if I knew him and if I had any idea what he was really doing, as if I wouldn’t have done something about it had I known.”
“No kidding. I hate when the shit that other people do bounces back on the rest of us. In other news, the chief is assigning three more detectives to our squad for this case and making Jeannie available to us as well.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I have mixed feelings. More people makes for more complications.”
Vernon turned to her. “We’ve found another way into the building, but we’re going on foot. Is that all right?”
“Whatever it takes.” Sam wanted to get this done and go home. “How far is it?”
“Just a couple of blocks, and it’s clear.”
“Then let’s do it.”
They emerged from the SUV and headed toward the corner, with Vernon leading the way and Jimmy bringing up the rear. At times like this, Sam found the constraints of having a detail almost comical. Here they were, highly trained police officers, being escorted through Georgetown by federal agents as if they couldn’t get themselves to their destination safely.
Nick had offered to resign the presidency if she couldn’t bear to have a detail. Since she couldn’t let him do that, she’d agreed to the added security. It had turned out to be not so bad, thanks to Vernon and Jimmy. They were great about rolling with her and were fun to be with. It was only at times like this, being escorted by them as if she couldn’t take care of herself, that the new realities rankled.
“I hope no one else on the job sees us,” Sam muttered to Freddie.
“I knew you were thinking that very thing.”
“If you laugh, I’ll smack you.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“But you want to.”
“You said that, not me.”
Sam hoped the scowl she directed his way would shut down the conversation.
His lips quivered with amusement that made her want to punch him.
“Don’t punch me. I’ll file charges.”
When had he started reading her mind on top of everything else? “Whatever.”
Thankfully, the walk was a short one, and as Vernon held open the back door to Cox’s building, he scanned their surroundings with a sharp-eyed gaze attuned to trouble. “All clear.”
“Thank you, Vernon.”
It certainly wasn’t his fault—or Jimmy’s—that Sam felt confined by the security they provided. It was a fact of her life now, she knew, as she learned to live with it. But as much as she liked Vernon and Jimmy, she yearned for the days when she could run around the city more or less under the radar to do her job.
But every time she chafed, she also tried to remember that the only reason she had security was because Nick Cappuano was her husband. The security was a small price to pay for everything else that came with him.
An FBI agent met them inside the back door. He was tall and fit with close-cropped dark hair. He wore a suit, an earpiece and a serious don’t-fuck-with-me expression. “Right this way.”
He led them to an elevator that required a keycard and pressed the only button inside the car. “On the way up,” he said into a radio.
Sam had so many questions about how they ran the AG’s security, but she’d decided she was better off not knowing the details. She’d probably be terrified of the many extreme situations federal agents were trained to handle when it came to her family and other high-ranking officials like Cox.
The elevator opened into an elegant foyer. An arrangement of fresh flowers sat on a circular table.
“Right this way.” The agent led them into a wide-open living space. To her left, she could see the Potomac River through massive windows.
They were taken to an office that was as distinguished as the man with graying blond hair who sat behind the large desk. He stood to greet them, revealing the muscular build of a former football player. “Reggie Cox.” He extended a hand across the desk to Sam and Freddie.
Sam didn’t bother to introduce herself. “This is my partner, Detective Cruz.”
“Nice to meet you.” A smile lit up his blue eyes. “I’ve heard such great things about you both.”
“Thank you,” Freddie said.
Sam could tell her partner was a bit starstruck to be meeting the AG. This was a first for both of them.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to two upholstered chairs in front of his desk. “May I offer you anything?”
“We’re fine, thank you,” Sam said. “We appreciate you taking the time to see us on a Sunday.”
“I’m devastated by Tom Forrester’s murder. I’ll do whatever I can to assist your investigation. I’ve offered the full resources of the FBI and the Justice Department to your chief.”
“We appreciate that, and we’ll call on them as needed. As part of a previous investigation, we learned that you’d asked U.S. Attorney Forrester to personally investigate Congressman Bryant’s campaign finance irregularities.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Can you tell us why you took that unusual step?”
“As you might imagine, investigating a sitting congressman can make for a sticky situation, especially when you aren’t sure the potential accusation has merit. After the matter was brought to my attention, I wanted it handled quietly by someone I had complete faith in, thus I asked Tom to look into it.”
“How did the irregularities come to your attention in the first place?”
“We received an anonymous tip through our online portal.”
“And that tip made it all the way to you?”
“Bryant is a sitting congressman. Yes, it came to me.”
“Can you tell us what Tom uncovered?”
“I’m afraid I can’t discuss an active investigation. I’m sure you understand.”
Since she had a dead U.S. Attorney in her morgue, Sam decided to press him. “I understand the delicate balance needed for such an investigation. However, I’m sure you agree that the murder of a U.S. Attorney requires us to step outside the usual confines in our quest for justice on his behalf.”
“I want justice for Tom Forrester as much as or more than anyone. However, Tom wouldn’t want me to compromise a complex investigation, especially one he devoted countless hours to personally.”
“According to his team, there’s no paper trail for that investigation.”
“He reported directly to me verbally.”
“That seems highly unusual.”
“It was, but so is an investigation of a ten-term congressman with powerful committee assignments.”
Sam wanted to scream with frustration as she realized this meeting was pointless. He would stonewall her, no matter what she asked. “During your tenure as AG, how many times have you instigated investigations in which a U.S. Attorney reported directly to you verbally?”
Cox gave her a steely look that probably made other people wilt. It had no effect on her. “This was the first time.”
“You’ve been in this business a long time,” Sam said. “Like me, you’ve seen it all, right?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“Then you’ll forgive me when I tell you that all my Spidey senses are on alert to a much bigger story here than what I’m being told.”
Was it her imagination, or did the Attorney General of the United States squirm ever so slightly? No, not her imagination. That was definitely a squirm.
“I’m afraid I’ve told you everything I can without jeopardizing a very important investigation.” He stood. “Now, if there’s nothing else, I have a lot of work to finish today.”
Sam put her business card on his desk. “If you think of anything relevant to the murder of one of your U.S. Attorneys, please give me a call.”
He held her gaze. “I’ll do that.”
Sam didn’t say a word to Freddie, Vernon or Jimmy as they left Cox’s place and walked back to the SUV, where other agents were dealing with the media.
“Wait here,” Vernon said as he went ahead to help remove the swarm of reporters while she and Freddie stayed with Jimmy.
Sam seethed with outrage at the way the AG had treated her. He’d done that on purpose, probably because he wanted the FBI, which was under his command, on the case and not her. Too bad. She had jurisdiction, and he could kiss her ass with his bullshit. So much for the brother- and sisterhood of law enforcement having one another’s backs and working together for the common good.
Something stank to high heaven with this case, and she would figure out what it was, to hell with the almighty AG.
It took ten minutes to clear the way for Sam and Freddie to get back in the car as reporters shouted questions at them about Tom Forrester, the AG and whether she’d needed her husband’s permission to meet with Cox.
This case was pissing her off, and it had only just begun.