quickly as possible, Sam put through the call to Freddie.
He answered on the third ring. “What?”
“Did you mean, ‘What, Lieutenant’?”
“Yeah, that. What?”
“I was checking to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. You? How was the grief group?”
“It went really well. People seemed relieved to have a place to talk it out.”
“That’s great. I love that.”
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t like when shit like that happens.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Neither do I, but I handled it.”
“Thank you for not getting shot or killed or any other dreadful thing.”
“I do what I can for the people.”
“Trademarked.”
“Oh right, sorry. Anything new with the case?”
“Green might have something implicating the daughter in the scheme.”
“No shit?”
“No shit.” She told him about the trips to the Cayman Island.
“How did the Feds not find that?”
“I don’t think they investigated Ginny’s kids. Just her and Ken. Green dug into a private Instagram account, something called Finsta?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of that. Wow, that’s a bombshell.”
“Yeah, and now we can’t find her or her brother. We’ve got people looking for them, including the U.S. Marshals.”
“You think the kids had something to do with her murder?”
“I really don’t know yet, but I’d say at least the daughter had a hand in the scam.”
“Why don’t we use Ken Sr. to lure them in?”
“What’re you thinking?”
“He contacts them, tells them he needs to see them, that it’s urgent, etc.”
“That might work. I’ll tell Carlucci to get with him and set it up. Good thinking. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Call me if anything pops overnight.”
“Will do.” Sam ended that call and put through another to Carlucci.
“Hey, LT. I was just going to call you. I heard from Jesse Best that the marshals apprehended Mandi and Ken McLeod Jr. at BWI, about to hop a flight to the Bahamas.”
“Were they now? Well, that’s excellent news.”
“Best’s team is bringing them in, and I was going to put them on ice until you’re here in the morning, unless you’d like us to handle it some other way. I was also planning to run their financials to get the lowdown on when they bought tonight’s plane tickets.”
“Sounds like a plan. They’ll probably lawyer up anyway.”
“No doubt.”
“Good call on the financials. I’ll see you in the morning. Call me if anything new pops.”
“Will do, see you then.”
Sam called Freddie back.
“What now?”
“What now, Lieutenant.”
“Yeah, yeah, what’s going on?”
“Best’s team got them at BWI, preparing to board a plane to the Bahamas.”
“Is that right?”
“They’ll be waiting for us in our cooler in the a.m.”
“That gives us something to look forward to.”
“Right. See you at six thirty?”
“Ugh, do we hafta?”
“Let’s get this wrapped up before the holiday, when everything comes to a screeching halt and makes our lives twenty times more complicated.”
“Fine. See you then.”
“You bring the coffee.” Sam ended the call before he could object to her order, which made for a rather satisfying end to a seemingly endless day. She went upstairs, checked on the sleeping twins, kissed them both good night and covered them up. Then she crossed the hall to knock on Scotty’s door.
“Enter.”
“Are you all set?” she asked, noting he had papers spread out on his bed and the Caps game on TV.
“Define ‘all set.’ I still have a tiny bit of math homework to do.”
“Define ‘tiny bit.’”
“Thirty, maybe forty minutes of pure hell.”
“Do I need to send Dad in?”
“Nah, I think I got it, but I’ll send out an emergency text if needed.”
Sam went to him and leaned in to hug him. “In case I forget to tell you every day, you’re my favorite thirteen-year-old boy named Scotty.”
“Gee, thanks.”
She kissed the top of his head. “Love you.”
“Love you too. Thanks for letting me go with you tonight.”
“If there’s ever something I’m doing and you want to go, just say the word. If there’s no chance of anyone shooting at me, you’re more than welcome wherever I am.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t stay up too late.”
“Night.”
Sam went into her room and shut the door, leaning back against it to release a deep breath. “This was one long-ass, mo-fo day.”
Nick was already in bed, scanning briefing books, his sexy-as-fuck chest on full display.
Inspired by that chest, she started pulling off clothes right where she stood and dropping them on the floor.
He glanced up, saw what she was doing and did a double take. “What is happening?”
“Only good things.”
“I love good things.” He tossed the briefing book on the floor and held out his arms to her when she sashayed across the room, naked as the day she was born, to join