“That’s all it was—a hiccup. Thanks to your statement, the story of my involvement never got any traction.”

“Well, it was the least I could do for getting you into that mess in the first place. I feel terrible that you lost so much money, though. I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

“Don’t give it another thought. I’ve still got more than half of what John left me, and I was hardly a pauper before John made me his beneficiary.”

“True.” Graham straightened Nick’s tie and brushed some lint off his suit coat. “He’d be so proud of you, the best friend he ever had. He’d love this.”

“I just wish he hadn’t had to die to make it possible.”

“He’d tell us both to quit fretting over him and enjoy the moment. He was good at that—living in the moment.”

“Yes, he was.” Maybe a little too good, Nick thought, but he kept that to himself out of respect for his late friend and his late friend’s father. “I had an interesting conversation with Nelson on the plane the other night.”

“Interesting how?”

“You gotta keep this between us.”

“Of course.”

Nick told him about the vice president’s diagnosis and his plans to resign after the election.

“Oh God. That’s awful.” Graham suddenly looked up at Nick, gasping. “He asked you to replace Gooding, didn’t he?”

“Maybe.”

Graham’s eyes bugged. “You gotta be shitting me! That’s amazing!”

“Before you get too excited, I’m going to turn him down.”

“No...”

“Yes.”

“Why? It would make you the absolute heir apparent in four years!”

“I know.”

“So then why the heck are you saying no?”

Nick glanced at the open door, through which he could see Sam sitting with Scotty, their heads close together as they conversed. Her hair was long and curly tonight, the way he liked it best. She’d chosen a black silk dress that somehow managed to be both sexy and demure at the same time. The diamond key he’d given her as a wedding gift was nestled just above her full breasts, and her engagement ring sparkled as she ran a hand over Scotty’s hair to straighten it.

Nick looked over at his friend and mentor, who had followed his gaze to Sam and Scotty. “I can’t ask her to give up her career to support mine, Graham, and she can’t be the vice president’s wife and still chase down murderers. That’s who she is. Asking her to be anyone else would be like asking her not to breathe. I can’t do it.”

“Surely some arrangement could be made.”

“What kind of arrangement?” Nick asked with a smile.

“I don’t know. Some kind.” Graham looked like he might burst into tears at any second.