“Thanks for letting me know.”

“I’m sorry to say you were right about this.”

“Hell of a thing to be right about.”

“Judging from his appearance, he’s been dead a while.”

“Where do we even begin to get to the bottom of this one?” Hill asked, his tone weary.

“I haven’t the first clue, but we’ll get it done. We always do.”

* * *

Gonzo arrived at the apartment he shared with his fiancée, Christina Billings, and his young son. Alex crawled to the door when he heard Gonzo come in. The crawling was new, and while keeping track of the baby had become more complicated since he’d figured out how to get around on his own, Gonzo loved watching his son grow and thrive.

“Dada,” Alex said, raising his chubby arms.

Gonzo’s heart melted as he scooped up the dark-haired little boy who looked just like him and spun him around.

“Careful,” Christina said, emerging from their bedroom in one of the sharp, sexy suits she wore to work as Nick’s chief of staff. Her blond hair was tamed into a sophisticated twist that Gonzo loved to mess up when she got home from a long day on Capitol Hill or on the campaign trail. “He’s got a belly full of oatmeal that won’t look good all over you.”

“Ohhh,” Gonzo said to Alex, “Mama saves the day.” Rather than swing the little guy around, Gonzo tickled his belly, drawing a deep chortle from Alex. “I love that laugh.”

“And you go to astonishing lengths to make him do it,” Christina said, sliding into sky-high heels as she smiled at them.

“Want me to take him to Ang?” Gonzo asked. Sam’s sister Angela watched Alex for them during the day.

“It’s on my way. I don’t mind dropping him off.” She came over to him, caressed Gonzo’s scruffy jaw and kissed him.

Alex made a kissy face that made them both laugh.

“Long night, huh?” Christina said.

“Very long and not over yet.” Because he trusted her with his life as well as his son, he told her about Willie.

“Oh my God, you’re kidding.”

“Wish I was.”

“God,” she said again. “What’s wrong with this world?”

“Too many things to list when you’ve got somewhere to be.”

Her wistful expression had him wondering what she was thinking, but Alex yanked on his hair, wanting his attention. Gonzo kissed his son’s neck until he was giggling madly. “You need to go see Ang and the kids, buddy.”

“Jack,” Alex said. Angela’s son’s name had been the boy’s first word, which had been an endless source of hilarity to all of them. No mama or dada for his boy. Nope, he was already out making friends.