She bit back the guilt. “I want to dig into that lead you gave me yesterday, and I need to get to some other research that’s easier to do at my dad’s than at HQ. Plus I want to bounce a few things off him.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” He kissed her and got up. “Graham told me yesterday that Julian’s funeral is Saturday in Cambridge. He’s chartering a plane to take the family. He asked if we’d like to join them. I told him I’d check with you.”

“That’d be good. If we haven’t closed the case by then, I’ll need to go to the funeral anyway.”

“And if you have?”

“Then I’ll go to be there for you.” She studied his fine naked form. “I wish you didn’t have to go to work.”

He emerged from the closet with a suit and dress shirt. “Why?” he asked with a salacious grin. “What would you do with me if you had me to yourself all day?”

“It sure would be nice to find out. We haven’t had a whole day off since we’ve been together.”

Leaning over to kiss her once more, he said, “We’ll have to fix that. Soon. But today, I have two hundred Girl Scouts coming from Norfolk to tour the Capitol and have lunch with me.”

“I’m jealous,” she said with a pout.

“Don’t be. You’re the only girl I love.” He left her with a smile and went to take a shower.

Only Nick could’ve made her forget, even for a few minutes, that she’d been suspended from her job and faced a possible reduction in rank. Even one level would be a bitter pill to swallow. But two. Ugh, I can’t even think about it. She reached for her cell phone to call Gonzo. “Hey,” she said when he answered. “How are you?”

“Better question is how are you? I heard about the suspension.”

“Could’ve been worse. Between us, I’m working from my dad’s today. Can you put out the word that I’m looking for help with Sinclair?”

“Sure, no problem. The press is clamoring for info on the investigation. Rumor has it the chief is on the warpath. Wants an arrest and wants it now.”

“Well, let’s get him one. Do me a favor—do a run on a Tony Sanducci. He’s a big-time abortion protestor. Meet me at my dad’s around ten?”

“You got it. I’ll round up the cavalry.”

“Keep it on the down low.” They both knew she’d be royally screwed if she got caught conducting department business while on suspension.

“Will do.”

An hour later, Nick was signing a stack of letters to constituents when Christina came in bearing coffee. He noticed she looked tired. “Late night?”

“Sort of. Tommy was in rare form last night.”