Nick’s entire disposition changed when he heard he’d be able to accompany them. “I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.”

“We’ll have two other cars with us, so just give me one minute to make that happen.”

“Thanks, Brant.” To Elin he said, “Sorry to hold you up.”

“It’s okay. I’d be freaking out by myself. It helps to be with you guys.”

Sam hugged her. “It’s going to be okay. He’s young and strong and...” Her voice faltered when she thought about the possibility that he might not be fine.

Nick’s hands landed on her shoulders, providing the support she needed to comfort Elin.

“He’s going to be fine,” Sam said firmly as if that would make it so. “I know it.” Any other alternative was not worth considering.

It took ten minutes, but Brant worked his magic and had them on the way to the ER in a smaller-than-usual motorcade.

“You have to go through this to go anywhere?” Elin asked.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Nick said in the irritated tone that had become more familiar to Sam since he took the new job.

“That kind of sucks,” Elin said.

Nick laughed. “It sucks balls.”

“It beats the alternative of someone deciding to harm him simply because of the office he holds,” Sam said.

“That’s true.” Elin stared out the window, her big blue eyes shiny with unshed tears. “Should I call Freddie’s parents?”

“Probably,” Sam said. “They’d want to know.”

“Would it be better to wait until we know what’s wrong with him?”

“That might be best,” Nick said.

“I don’t know how to handle this,” Elin said, her eyes filling again. “When he got shot last year, we had just started seeing each other. But now we’re engaged and...”

“Everything is different now,” Sam said, “and you’re handling it the way he’d want you to. You’re staying calm and thinking things through. You’ll be an excellent cop’s wife.”

“You think so? Really?”

“I do.”

“That means so much to me coming from you. Freddie... He thinks the world of you.”

“The feeling is entirely mutual,” Sam said. “I love him.” Before the incident with Stahl she wouldn’t have said such a thing out loud. But now she refused to hold back. After Stahl took her hostage, and after Arnold was gunned down, she knew life could be taken in an instant, and she wanted the people she loved to know how she felt. She reached for Nick’s hand, linked their fingers and held on tight to the love of her life. He and Scotty were everything to her, and having him right there next to her made whatever she had to face with Freddie more bearable.

Of course he knew that, which is why he’d insisted on coming.

She smiled up at him, hoping he knew how much she appreciated his support.