Sam pulled up to the hotel and parked next to the bell stand.

One of the bellmen ran after her. “Hey, lady, you can’t leave that there!”

Sam flashed her badge without slowing down. “That’s lieutenant lady to you, and those are my colleagues.” She pointed to the car Jeannie had parked right behind hers. “Touch those cars, and I’ll toss your ass in jail.”

The young man stopped in his tracks.

“Ballbuster,” Hill said under his breath.

“Literally,” Sam said with a cheeky grin, still high off the damage she’d done to Stahl.

“Wince.”

Inside the hotel, a security guy tried to stop them from proceeding but was given the badge treatment.

“Out of the way,” Sam said.

“What do you want here?”

“Nothing to do with you or your hotel.”

“You’ll need to speak to the manager before you enter.”

“No, I don’t. Get out of our way, or I’ll happily arrest you for obstructing a homicide investigation.” As she spoke, Sam pushed by him and headed for the escalator that led to the mezzanine. With Hill, McBride, Tyrone and four patrol officers in tow, Sam followed the music to the ballroom.

Two huge, stupid-looking guys in ill-fitting suits stood watch outside the main doors. Both were bald with muscles on top of their muscles.

Sam pointed to them, and Jeannie nodded.

“Over here,” Jeannie said to Tyrone and the patrolmen.

Confident that her people had the bodyguards managed, Sam and Hill entered the ballroom, which was filled with glitterati. Women in flashy gowns circulated with men in tuxedos as waiters passed champagne and fancy hors d’oeuvres. On the stage at the far end of the room, a swing band played a familiar tune with big brass sounds.

A woman in a slinky black gown approached them. “May I help you?” she asked, taking a perusing glance at Agent Hill.

“We’re all set,” Hill said, shutting her down as he fired off a text.

“The dress code is formal,” the woman said as she looked down her nose at Sam’s jeans.

“We’re not here for the fundraiser,” Sam said.

“They’re in the front at a table,” Hill said, heading in that direction.

Sam took off after him, yelling over the obnoxiously loud music, “How’d you know that?”

“I told you. I’ve got eyes on them.”

She hated when he turned out to be so useful. “There,” she said, grabbing his arm to halt his progress. She pointed to Ray and Elle sitting at a table, surrounded by people.

“Let me get Ray out of the way,” Hill said.

Sam nodded, and stood back to watch him go over to the table and excuse his way toward Ray, who looked up at him, seeming surprised to see his old friend.

Hill tilted his head to ask Ray to join him away from the group.