“Wow, did it really take you a full minute to come up with that two-word answer?”

“No, it didn’t.”

“I’d like to remind you that if you suspect something nefarious happened at Camp David, that makes this a federal investigation.”

“Duly noted.”

“Did something nefarious happen at Camp David, Sam?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” That wasn’t exactly a lie. She believed the pills were acquired locally and transported to Camp David, where they’d been ingested. The jurisdictional lines were murky, but she still felt justified handling the investigation based on what she knew so far. And that another person in her city might’ve died the same way Spencer did was information she wasn’t compelled to share with him.

“I could help, you know.”

“I do know, and I appreciate that. But I don’t need help. If I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Then I’ll just say this… If you’re running an investigation that would be better handled by people not related to the deceased, you might be jeopardizing a future prosecution.”

“I appreciate the lecture on law enforcement and how it works, as I was previously unaware before you came in and mansplained it to me.”

“That’s not what I’m doing, Sam.”

“No? Then what’s this about? Proving you have bigger balls than I do?”

He released an exasperated sigh. “Not at all.”

“Your balls will always be bigger than mine since you’re a guy and a Fed, but I know what I’m doing when I’m inside this building. I don’t need anyone to tell me how it works here. Everywhere else besides here? If you have a road map on how to deal with that, I’m all ears.”

“I don’t have any road maps.”

“Then I think our work here is finished, Agent Hill. I need to get home and see to my sister and my family.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Terrible.”

“I can’t stop thinking about her and the kids.”

“Same.” She glanced up at him. “I’ve been meaning to ask if you’ve got any news about my revolting mother-in-law. You’d mentioned a while back that you were on to something, but I haven’t heard any more.”

“We’re still digging into a few things there, but I’m not ready to report to you yet.”

“I keep waiting for her to rear her ugly head again, especially now that Nick is president.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as I have anything solid.”

“Have a good night, Avery.”

“You do the same.”

She waited until he walked away and then locked her office and made for the morgue exit, eager to get out of there while she could.

Avery left Sam’s office feeling more concerned than he’d been going in. A perfectly healthy thirtysomething man didn’t just die in his sleep. He knew he ought to leave it alone, but he’d been doing this too long not to sound alarms when he saw a friend wading into risky waters. Sam would be pissed with him, but he still made his way to the chief’s suite to ask Helen if he could have a minute with Joe Farnsworth.