He stood and came over to Sam. “I’m here for you and her and all of you. I hope you know that.”

Sam hugged him. “Thank you. I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know.” She walked slowly through the winding corridors that led to the morgue exit, the ache in her hip making its presence known after the long day. Normally, she’d stop in the morgue to say good night to Lindsey, but right now, all she wanted was home.

She emerged into the gloomy late-afternoon winter darkness and paid careful attention to every step, as she couldn’t afford another fall right when she was finally off the cane and getting back to normal after the hip catastrophe.

Vernon saw her coming and jumped out of the SUV to get the door for her. “How’d it go today?”

“Not great, but I guess that’s to be expected.”

“You went back too soon.”

“I have stuff to do.”

“It’s too soon.”

Sam loved that he felt free to speak his mind to her. “Yeah, I suppose.”

When she was settled, he closed the door and got into the driver’s seat.

She stared out the window, not seeing anything as they took the familiar ride home. “Freddie wants to start a GoFundMe for Angela and the kids. How do you think that’ll play in Peoria?”

“People are pretty used to that sort of thing these days,” Vernon said. “I don’t think anyone would be surprised.”

“But a GoFundMe for the first lady’s sister?”

“Are you guys able to care for your sister and her three children indefinitely?”

“I mean, we have money, but I’m not sure Angela would take it from us—or if she’ll take it from others.”

“She’s going to need it, and when she emerges from the fog of early grief, she’ll appreciate it, no matter where it comes from.”

“I suppose so. I’ll run it up the flagpole at La Casa Blanca before I do anything.”

“That’s always a good plan.”

“I had the idea to move them to Ninth Street. That’s something we can do right now.”

“That’s a great idea,” Jimmy said.

“That house is sitting empty, so it would make sense for us to have someone there anyway.”

“You’re doing all the right things for her,” Vernon said.

“It feels so inadequate.”

He glanced at her in the mirror. “It won’t always be this bad. Remember that.”

She nodded. He was right. She’d found that out after her dad died and life had gone on, even if she’d expected the world to stop turning without him in her daily life.

When they arrived at the White House, they were waved through the checkpoint. Vernon helped her out of the SUV.

“Thank you for everything today.”

“Wish it could be more.”

Sam gave him a small smile. “It’s more than enough.”

“Have a nice evening.”

“You do the same.”

It occurred to her that she knew next to nothing about the two men who protected her, and soon she would have to rectify that. But for now, she wanted time with Nick and the kids and to check on her sister, nephew and niece. As she headed up the red-carpeted stairs to the residence, she moved slowly in deference to the stupid hip that had kept her off stairs for weeks now.