Something in the tone, in the flash of the blue eyes, set off Sam’s radar. “Ms. Billings, were you romantically involved with the senator?”

Christina pushed back the chair and stood up. “I’m done.”

“The hell you are,” Sam snapped. “Sit down.”

Trembling with rage, her lips tight, Christina turned and met Sam’s steely stare with one of her own. “Or what?”

“Or we’ll do this downtown. Your choice.”

With great reluctance, Christina returned to her seat, her body rigid, and her hands clasped together.

“Before we continue, I’ll advise you of your right to have counsel present during this interview.”

Christina gasped. “Am I under arrest?”

“Not at this time, but you may request an attorney at any point. Do you wish to continue without counsel?”

Christina’s nod was small and uncertain. Her posture had lost some of its rigidity at the mention of lawyers.

“I’ll ask you again,” Sam said. “Were you romantically involved with the senator?”

“No,” Christina said softly.

“Did you have feelings of a romantic nature for him?”

Christina’s eyes flooded. “Yes.”

“And these feelings were unrequited?”

“I have no idea. We never discussed it.”

“How did you feel about him dating other women?” Freddie asked.

“How do you think I felt?” Christina shot back at him. “I loved him, but he didn’t see me that way. To him I was a trusted aide and a friend he could count on to pick up his mail.”

“What were your specific duties as his deputy chief of staff?” Sam asked.

“I oversaw his daily schedule, kept his appointment calendar, supervised the administrative assistants, and basically managed his time.”

“So you worked closely with him?” Freddie asked.

“Yes.”

“More closely than Mr. Cappuano?”

“On many days. Yes.”

“And in all this time you spent with him, he had no idea how you felt about him?” Sam asked.

“I went to great lengths to hide it from him and everyone else. He was my boss. I felt like a bad cliché.”

“So no one else knew?”

“Nick had figured it out, but I didn’t know that until after the senator was…killed,” she said, her voice trailing off.

“Why didn’t you leave?” Sam asked, working hard to contain her fury at Nick for keeping this from her.

“Because he needed me. He said he’d be lost without me.” Christina shrugged. “I know that sounds so pathetic, but it was better than nothing.”

“Was it?” Sam asked.

“If you’re implying I killed him because he didn’t notice me as a woman, you’re way off.”

“People have killed for less.”

“I didn’t. I loved him. Receiving that phone call from Nick was the single most devastating moment of my life.” After a long moment of silence, Christina started to push back her chair. “May I go?”