“All Points Bulletin” request, and usually led to apprehension when the suspects were located.
“We’re on it,” Dominguez said.
“Let me know if anything breaks overnight. I’ll be here for the next hour or two and at home after that.”
“Will do.”
Though she wanted to stick around and work the case, she had other obligations tonight. “Let’s head upstairs to the lieutenants’ lounge.”
“I’ll be right up,” Gonzo said, ducking into his cubicle.
“Lieutenants have their own lounge?” Scotty asked as they walked toward the stairs. “That’s sick.”
“So sick I’ve only been in there, like, twice.”
“How come?”
“Who has time to lounge around in lounges? Not me.” Sam wanted to groan when she saw the one person she’d hoped would be long gone for the day by then.
Sergeant Ramsey was coming out of the SVU offices as they went by.
It was too much to hope that he’d let them pass without comment. “Hey, Holland, I know you had something to do with the bullshit that came through interoffice mail, but don’t think I’m going to take that lying down. I’m coming for you.”
With her hand on Scotty’s back, Sam compelled him to keep moving, but her son glanced at her in alarm.
“Do you hear me, Holland? You’d better watch your back.”
Roni spun around. “Shut up, you moron. That’s her kid with her. Why don’t you just move along?”
Ramsey shot a filthy look at Roni but took her advice, to Sam’s great relief.
Sam glanced at her. “Just so you know… Never again in our entire friendship will I ever love you more than I do right now.”
“I usually hate to peak early, but in this case, it was worth it.”
Sam laughed. “You have no idea how much I enjoyed hearing you call him a moron.”
“I think I probably get it. I’ll confess to having read about your past run-ins with him. I recognize him from the coverage.”
“Yeah, he’s a problem.”
“Do I need to worry about him making good on those threats?” Scotty asked.
“Nah, he’s a windbag.”
“Is he the one you ‘accidentally’ pushed down the stairs that time?”
“Maybe?”
“Good,” Scotty said. “Looks like he deserved it.”
Sam hated that she had to set him straight, but she had to be the parent once in a while. “So, buddy, the thing is, I never should’ve let that happen. He said a crappy thing to me, but he didn’t deserve to be injured over it.” She was such a liar, but thankfully, Scotty couldn’t see that. Or at least she hoped he couldn’t. “And for the record, I only punched him. He fell down the stairs all by himself. But I absolutely should not have punched him.” She had no regrets, but her son didn’t need to know that.
“I get you. Dad always says that we can’t solve problems by creating more problems.”
“Dad is very wise.”
“Someone’s got to be.” Scotty snorted under his breath and held the door to the lieutenants’ lounge for her and Roni to go in ahead of him.
“I love your kid,” Roni said to Sam.
“I do too.”
Sam was pleased to find a large turnout for the grief group. She recognized several faces from past cases, including Lenore Worthington, and a few surprises, such as her old friend Roberto and his girlfriend, Angel. Roberto rolled his wheelchair toward Sam.
“If it’s not the most fly detective in all the land,” Roberto said, smiling up at her. He had short dark hair and friendly brown eyes.
Sam bent to hug him and then stood upright to hug Angel, who also had dark hair and eyes. “Good to see you guys.”
“You too,” Angel said. “We saw something on Facebook about the group and decided to check it out.”
They’d both been victims of violent crime in the past and were perfect for the group. “I’m so happy to have you here. This is my son, Scotty, and my friend Roni.” After she introduced them all, she looked around but didn’t see Dr. Trulo. Uh-oh. “Excuse me for one second. I need to make a quick call.” Sam walked away, flipped open her phone and put through a call to Dr. Trulo, who answered on the second ring. “Please tell me you’re in the building.”
“I’m about fifteen minutes out. I just got Hattie Townsend checked into a residential facility in Bethesda, and traffic is a bitch, as usual.”
“Uh, what am I supposed to do with the group?”
“Get them organized in a circle and start by telling them a little about why we formed the group, what we hope to accomplish and then let everyone introduce