JOE AND MARTI FARNSWORTH lived in a modest home in the city’s Kingman Park neighborhood, known for its brick-fronted townhouses and social activism. The chief believed in living among the people he served, and they had resided in the same house for more than thirty years. Sam and her sisters had been frequent guests there, for holidays, barbecues and even an occasional sleepover.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Marti had been like family to the Holland girls, which is why Sam didn’t think twice about going to the chief’s home on a Sunday afternoon. Marti answered the door, her face lighting up with pleasure at the sight of Sam. They’d last seen each other at Nick’s inauguration.

Sam returned Marti’s warm embrace.

“What a lovely surprise! Joe and I were talking about you and Nick last night. We heard he was in the hospital! Is he all right?”

“He’s much better. He and Scotty have been laid low by the flu.”

“Aww, the poor guys.”

“The good news is I finally have definitive proof that Nick is not superhuman.”

Marti laughed as she linked her arm through Sam’s to lead her into the family room where Joe was face-first in the Redskins game. “Earth to honey, we have a visitor.”

Joe tore his gaze off the TV and did a double take when he saw Sam with Marti.

“Sorry to bother you at home, sir.”

“Oh, stop that, Sam,” Marti said. “He’s Uncle Joe here.”

“He’s always sir to me now, ma’am.”

Though Marti scowled, her eyes glimmered with amusement.

“If I have to be called ma’am in my own house, so do you,” Sam added.

“Fair enough,” Marti said with a laugh. “I assume this isn’t a social call, so I’ll leave you to talk to your uncle Joe. I’m off to the grocery store.” She gave Sam a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t be a stranger around here, okay?”

“I won’t. Sorry it’s been so long since I stopped by.”

She swept away Sam’s apology with the wave of her hand. “No apologies needed. You’re the second-busiest lady in America these days, and I’d venture to guess Gloria Nelson’s schedule hasn’t got anything on yours.”

“Your words, not mine.”

Marti laughed. “Spoken like the wife of a politician. You take care.”

“You too, Aunt Marti.”

Marti kissed her husband before she left through the kitchen.

“You two are still honeymooning, huh?” Sam asked as she took a seat, propping her elbows on her knees. Her family had always teased the Farnsworths about their adorable PDA habit.

He eyed her shrewdly and muted the game. “Is that why you’re here? To tease me about kissing my wife?”

“No,” she said with a sigh. “We have a situation.”

“How’s it possible that you have a situation when you’re suspended?”