“No, I wasn’t, because we have jurisdiction over this case, and everywhere we go, you guys show up, acting as if it’s actually your case. How do you know about Jacoby?”

“Because he put out the word to the Bureau that he’s in need of assistance at his getaway, where he’s been on a hunting trip since the weekend.”

“And you buy that shit? You buy that the deputy director of the FBI would go completely off the grid without telling anyone he’s doing that? Really?”

“There’s probably a perfectly good explanation.”

“How about the fact that the thugs who took Cruz and Josh told us Jacoby hired them?”

“And you’re taking their word for it?”

“How would they have his private cell phone number if he hadn’t hired them?”

“Sam,” Nick said, taking her hand. “Don’t get worked up.”

“Look,” Sam said in a calmer tone, “I know you don’t want to believe that men you looked up to were involved in something so sinister, but all the evidence is pointing in their direction.”

“Granted, but you and I both know that doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk.”

“Never said it was.”

They existed in uneasy silence the rest of the way into the city, where they dropped Avery off at home.

“Thanks for the lift.”

“Avery.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for what you did for me yesterday,” Sam said. “I appreciated it.”

“As did I,” Nick said.

Avery’s face was expressionless when he said, “Sure. No problem.”

The door closed and the Secret Service agent who’d gotten out to open it got back in the front seat.

Sam waited until the car was moving again to ask the question she’d been dying to ask since they landed. “So what happened between you two while I was out cold on the plane?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“WHAT MAKES YOU think anything happened?”

Sam shot him a look. “Because I know you. Spill the beans.”

“We talked about you.”

“Um, you’re going to need to elaborate on that.”

He took her hand and kissed the back of it before turning it to press his lips to her palm. “We talked about how amazing you are, how strong and loyal and supportive of your friends and colleagues, how you’re tireless in your efforts to get justice for victims of the most violent of crimes, how you’re the most incredible wife and mother.”

Stupefied, Sam stared at him. “You did not talk to him about that stuff.”

“Actually, I did talk to him about that and how much I love you and how nothing and no one will ever come between us. I was pretty adamant about that last part.”

“Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m dead serious, Samantha. We had a man-to-man conversation, and I think we understand each other a lot better than we did before.”

“What did he say?”