To her credit, Shelby didn’t react to Sam’s harsh tone. She knew by now how much Freddie meant to her and how panicked she had to be at the thought of him in grave danger.

“Sorry to drag you out in the cold for no reason, Shelby,” Nick said. “I didn’t think we’d be home so soon.”

“I don’t mind at all. It’s good to see you up and around again. You gave us a heck of a fright.”

“Sorry about that.”

“I’ll make some coffee.”

Sam resumed her pacing, stopping only to grab her phone off the table.

Wearing pajama pants and a sweatshirt, Elin came running in a few minutes later, going directly to Sam, who hugged her as she sobbed. “It’s okay,” Sam said even though she had no idea if it was. It just seemed like the right thing to comfort her.

“I can’t lose him, Sam.”

“We’re not going to lose him,” Sam snapped, immediately regretting her sharp tone. “Any minute now we’re going to hear that he’s fine.” She only hoped that was true.

Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

AVERY STOOD WITH MALONE, Conklin, Farnsworth and Roback while the SWAT commander, Captain Nickleson, quickly briefed them on the plan for gaining access to a freestanding home on First Street Southwest, located just off Potomac Avenue between the Anacostia River and the Washington Channel. Standing outside the house, Avery stared at the windows, wondering what they’d find when they went in. Was Cruz dead? Was Josh?

Upon hearing Nickleson’s plan, the chief nodded in approval. “Do it.”

“Green light,” Nickleson said into his radio.

Dressed all in black, SWAT commandos appeared out of the darkness to batter their way into the house through windows and doors. The sound of glass shattering preceded cries of surprise from people inside the house.

Over the radio, Avery heard one officer after another say “Clear” as they went through the place room by room.

“I’ve got something in the basement” were among the best words he’d ever heard. He wasn’t prone to praying, but he sent up a request to the Almighty that Freddie Cruz and Josh Hamilton would be found unharmed. He couldn’t imagine Sam without Freddie, and he didn’t want to. And if Josh was Taylor Rollings...

“I’ve got Cruz. No sign of Hamilton. Get the paramedics in here.”

Avery was cautiously relieved. If they were calling for EMS and not the ME, Cruz wasn’t dead.

As the paramedics, who’d been on standby, rushed into the house, SWAT team members brought three men out in handcuffs.

“Someone needs to call Sam,” Avery said.

“I’m on it,” Malone said.

Avery heard him telling Sam that they had Cruz, that he was injured and on his way to the GW ER.