On the way back to Nick’s house, Sam arranged for security at the O’Connor home and participated in a conference call with other HQ detectives to map out a plan for coverage of the funeral in the morning. If Patricia or Thomas showed up at the cathedral, they were prepared to snag them going in. Sam planned to wear a wire so she could communicate from the inside if need be. Because she knew Nick needed her support, she hoped she could get through the service without her job interfering, but she knew he’d understand if she had to leave. He wanted John’s killer caught as much as she did.

As she followed Nick into his house, she glanced at the front shrubs, recalling once again the sensation of being hurled through the air by the force of the bomb. She shuddered.

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“Nothing,” she said, trying to shake off feelings that were magnified by a serious lack of sleep.

“It’s going to take a while before we can walk in here and not think of it.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, amazed once again by how tuned into her he was. “I just need a little more computer time.”

He hung their coats in the front hall closet and then stepped behind her to massage her shoulders. “What you need is sleep.”

“But—”

“No buts.” He steered her up the stairs to his bedroom.

Sam wished she had the energy to fight him as he undressed her and tucked her into bed.

“What about you?” she asked, smothering a yawn.

“I’m going to grab a shower. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“’K,” she said, her eyes burning shut.

While she waited for him, Sam’s mind wandered through everything that had happened during that long night, replaying each crime scene as she tried to hold off on sleep until Nick joined her. All at once, she snapped out of the languor to discover that nearly half an hour had passed since he’d left her to take a shower.

She got up and went into a bathroom awash in steam. Opening the shower door, she found him leaning against the wall, lost in thought. Quietly, she slipped in behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He startled and then relaxed into her embrace. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“Can’t sleep without you. You’ve ruined me.” She pressed a series of kisses to the warm skin on his back. “Come on.”

He shut off the water.

Sam grabbed his towel and dried them both. Taking his hand, she led him to bed. Wrapped in his arms, she was finally able to sleep.

Walking into the National Cathedral for the first time in her life the next morning, Sam gazed up at the soaring spires like an awestruck tourist from Peoria.