Nick reminded himself of Sam’s promise to call him the minute she could to let him know it wasn’t her. He retrieved his cell phone from his coat pocket and checked for missed calls. None. Staring at the phone, he willed it to ring.

“What’s that?” Reese asked, bending to look out the back window.

“Sounds like a chopper.”

“What the fuck? Are they following us? How do they even know?”

As he grew more agitated, Sam could think only of Nick and the conversation they’d had the night before. If he knew what was going on—and he probably did by now—he was waiting to hear from her. She ached when she remembered how upset he’d been after the shooting, and now this. Two days in a row, and this time she was actually in danger. No way would he stick around after this. The thought made her unbearably sad.

“They’re following us!” He threw the phone at her. “Call them. Tell them to back off.”

Her hands shaking, Sam reached for the phone and flipped it open. With only a moment’s hesitation, she called Nick.

“Sam!” He sounded as if he had pounced on the phone. “Are you okay?”

Gauging Reese through the mirror, she worked at keeping the hysteria out of her voice. “He wants you to call off the chopper.”

“I’ll tell Malone. I came over to HQ as soon as I heard the news. He’s right here. Do you want to talk to him?”

“Yes.” Then, realizing she might never get to talk to Nick again, she said, “Wait. No. You.”

“Babe,” he said, the single word full of agony. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“Me, too.”

Reese grabbed the phone from her hand and closed it.

Sam wanted to weep. She had so many other things she needed to say to Nick. If she had a lifetime, she’d never get to say them all.

“What the hell is taking so long?” Reese roared, his eyes fixed on the chopper.

Sam startled at his loud tone. “It could be the press.”

“Motherfucker,” he muttered.

In the mirror, Sam watched his eyes dart from one side of Massachusetts Avenue to the other.

“There.” He pointed with the gun. “Pull in there.”

Using the signal to alert the unmarked car behind them, she turned into the parking lot in front of a diner.

“Nice and slow,” Reese growled. “Get out and come to the back door.” He gripped the clip holding her hair.

Sam winced as he pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear.

“One wrong move and you’re dead. You got me?”

“Yeah.”

“Hurry up.”