Chuckling, he released her. “Hurry home, and be careful out there, Samantha. Whoever decided to kill the FBI director won’t think twice about killing again.”

“I’m always careful. Don’t worry.”

“Right. You may as well tell me not to breathe.”

“Don’t do that. I need you alive and well when I get home so I can make it up to you.”

“It’s not fair. You’re suspended and you still have to work. I was sort of looking forward to having you all to myself for a few days. Should’ve known it was too much to hope for. But you’ll pay. Yes, you will. When you get home and when we get to Bora Bora at the end of the month. You will pay.”

Smiling, she kissed him again. “Can’t wait.”

“Me either.” He stole another kiss from her. “Love you so much. Please be careful.”

“I will. I promise. Hold down the fort, and keep an eye on our guest.” She patted his chest one last time and left the kitchen, deciding in that moment to keep the news about Troy from Josh until she knew more. They’d keep it on lockdown so there was no way he’d hear it online or anywhere else until they were ready to release the news.

In the living room, Scotty and Josh were playing a driving game on the Xbox, racing through winding mountain roads.

“I have to go out for a while,” Sam said as she put on her coat. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

“Bye, Mom,” Scotty said without taking his eyes off the screen.

Josh glanced up at her. “Thanks again for letting me stay here.”

“Sure, no problem.” Sam had spent most of her career dealing with murderers, and if Josh had murdered his father, he was being awfully calm in the aftermath. Most of the time, a regular person who was driven to kill would be agitated, nervous, afraid of being caught. She’d seen none of that behavior in Josh. If he’d had anything to do with his father’s murder, he was doing a hell of a job hiding it.

On the way down the ramp, she took a call from Freddie.

“We just got called to a homicide in Northwest.”

“I know. I’m on my way.”

“I thought you were suspended.”

“I am.”

“Ahhh,” he said with a chuckle. “I see.”

“This is big, Freddie. It’s Hamilton.”

Gasping, he said, “Josh?”

“No, Troy.”

“Holy smokes.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of holy fucking shit myself.”

“Yeah, that too. You don’t think...Josh...”

“I don’t know, but Nick mentioned that possibility. He showed up disheveled earlier and said he’d fallen in Rock Creek Park. I didn’t see anything on him that looked like blood, and a murder like this would’ve been messy. But he certainly had motive.”