“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.

  Chapter Five

  Sam held her tongue until they were in their conference room at HQ with the door closed. Not that she didn’t fully trust Vernon and Jimmy to be discreet, but she wasn’t about to go off on the AG in front of them. “Was that the biggest sack of bullshit we’ve ever been fed or what?”

  “The biggest sack for sure,” Freddie said. “Not to mention he was smug and patronizing.”

  “All of that. This makes me more determined than ever to keep the Feds far away from this investigation. He’s hiding something, and I want to know what.”

  “I hate to point out that could get sticky in light of your domestic situation.”

  “My domestic situation.” Sam snorted out a laugh. “Do you mean because my husband, the president, is his boss?”

  “Something like that.”

  “You’d think the AG would be extra helpful in light of that detail.”

  “You’d be wrong about that. Will you tell Nick how he treated us?”

  Sam pondered the question for a second. “Probably not. He’d want to do something about it, which he absolutely shouldn’t do.”

  “That’s true. So what now?”

  “I need to think about that.”

  She took a call from Archie. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Are you in the building?”

  “In our conference room.”

  “Be right down.”

  She closed her phone. “Archie’s coming down. Let’s hope he’s found us a thread to pull.”

  Archie came in a few minutes later. “I have good news and bad news. What do you want first?”

  “Give me the bad,” Sam said.

  “Forrester’s work phone is encrypted. I can’t get anything off it.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Had a feeling you might say that.” He placed an evidence bag containing the phone on the table. “The Feds might be able to get in.”

  “What’s the good news?”

  “On the personal phone, I found an ongoing dispute between Forrester and his neighbor that’d escalated in recent months.”

  “What kind of dispute?”

  “The neighbor raises Dobermans. Apparently, they’ve escaped at times and ended up in Forrester’s yard. One of them tangled with Forrester’s Cavapoo. The dog required surgery that cost thousands of dollars. Forrester was suing the neighbor and had complained about the guy to Animal Control numerous times. The neighbor recently countersued.” Archie placed a stack of pages on the table. “I printed the two suits for you.”

  “What the hell is a Cavapoo?” Sam asked.

  “I knew you’d ask that.” Archie put a photo of a white fluffy dog on the table. “A cross between a poodle and a Cavalier King Charles spaniel.”

  Sam winced. “Poor little thing wouldn’t stand a chance against a Doberman.”

  “Exactly. The vet bill to save the dog was more than five grand.”

  “Holy shit,” Freddie said.

  “I wonder why Leslie Forrester didn’t mention this when we spoke to her,” Sam said.

  “Probably because that’s the least of her concerns at the moment,” Freddie replied.

  “I suppose so. Thanks, Archie. This gives us a thread anyway.”

  “You got it. We’re still working on texts and emails, as well as film in the area where Tom’s body was found. More to come.”

  After Archie left, Freddie stood to stretch. “Do you really think the neighbor would be stupid enough to off a U.S. Attorney over a dog dispute?”

  “We’ve seen dumber things, but I’m not getting a buzz over this angle. How could his murder not be related to his work and Bryant holding his family hostage?”

  “It has to be related to that,” Freddie said.

  “I want to look into the history between Cox and Forrester. Something about the way Cox acted earlier was off. I want to know why.”

  “I’ll take a dive into that from home tonight.”

  Sam glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost seven thirty. “Go ahead home. Let’s pick this up at zero seven hundred.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “Put out a note to our squad, as well as Lucas, Harper and Coheeny, to be here by seven.”

  “Will do.”

  “Thanks for working on Sunday.”

  “No problem.”

  “Sure it was, but I appreciate it anyway.”

  “It’s good to have you back. Not as much fun without you.”

  “Aw, thanks, grasshopper. I missed you, too.”

  Carlucci and Dominguez were arriving as she prepared to leave. Sam took the detectives into the conference room to bring them up to speed.

  “Archie is working the digital footprint, and here are the texts from Forrester’s personal phone that you can wade through. I want financials on all the key players, including Cox.”

  “The AG?” Dominguez asked.

  “Yep, as well as Forrester and Bryant.”

  “We have Bryant’s financials already,” Carlucci said. “I’ll go through them again.”

  “Thanks for coming in.”

  “No problem.”

  Before she left HQ, Sam texted Avery. Are you guys still up? I could use a couple of min when I get home and would love to see Shelby & baby if this is a good time.

  We’re up. Will be for a while. Our little girl is a night owl.

  Haha. See you soon.

  Sam took the evidence bag containing Forrester’s work phone with her when she headed to her office to get her coat. She would deliver the phone to Avery at home.

  Asking the Feds for help was always a last resort, but in situations like this, it was foolish to pretend the FBI didn’t have capabilities that were simply not available to her and her team.

  She texted Vernon that she was on her way out and headed for the morgue exit.

  Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lindsey McNamara was coming out as Sam approached the automatic doors for the morgue. “I sent the autopsy report to your email a few minutes ago. It was a pretty straightforward case of a nine-millimeter bullet to the head. I’ve sent the bullet to the lab for further analysis. The tox screen will take a while longer, but there were no other significant findings.”

  “Thanks for the quick work. How’re you feeling?”

  “After an earlier burst of energy, I’m dragging. Whatever it is, I can’t seem to shake it.”

  “Hate to hear that. Anything I can do?”

  “Nah, I’ll be fine.

  Sam couldn’t help but notice that her friend was much paler than usual. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  “I will, thanks. It’s good to have you back.”

  “I wish I could say it’s good to be back…”

  Lindsey offered a small smile. “Believe me. I get it.”

  “And I’m always so thankful for that.”

  “Are you still borrowing my morgue for a dress fitting tomorrow?”

  Sam cringed when she recalled asking Lindsey to use her office. “That’s the plan.”

  “That’ll be a first,” Lindsey said with a smile.

  “Appreciate the help at keeping it on the DL.”

  “My morgue is your morgue.”

  “See you in the morning.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  When Sam stepped out into the late winter chill, Vernon opened the door and waited for her to get settled.

  “Thank you, Vernon.”

  “My pleasure.”

  The interior of the SUV was warm and toasty as Sam settled in for the ride home.

  “How’s it going?”

  Sam met Vernon’s gaze in the mirror. “Slow.”

  “Are you thinking it’s tied to Bryant?”

  “How can it not be?”

  “That’s what we were saying, too.”

  “While that seems the most obvious, I’ve learned to look beyond the obvious.” After a pause, she added, “The case that brought the twins into our lives is a good example. Their billionaire father was embroiled in a dispute with his former business partner, which had sent him and his family into exile with new identities. After the parents were killed in a home invasion and fire, we looked hard at the partner, but we couldn’t make a case. Turned out a traffic altercation involving the wife led to murder.”

  “I remember that case. Jameson and Cleo Armstrong, right?”

  “That’s the one. At the beginning of that investigation, if you’d asked me to bet my life the partner wasn’t involved, I’d be dead.”

  “We’re all glad you’re not dead, ma’am,” Jimmy said.

  “Haha, thanks. My point is we have to look at everything, not just the most obvious things.”

  “Agreed,” Vernon said. “Especially in a situation like this one where you’ll be under enormous pressure to get answers quickly.”

  “Yes, exactly. Thankfully, Captain Malone took care of updating the media earlier, so I didn’t have to do that today. I’ll be in the hot seat before long, though.”