“Fair enough.”

“What’s the latest with the case?”

“Numerous people expiring before their time in the last few weeks, which leads us to believe we’ve got a dealer selling laced drugs. Unfortunately, finding that person will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“You’ll find him—or her. You always do.”

“Gonzo says it’ll be tough because they go to great lengths to stay below the radar. He’s working his channels, but nothing is happening as fast as we need it to.”

“What is it you always tell me? Slow and steady wins the race?”

“That’s not one of mine. I’m all about fast and reckless, not slow and steady.”

His low rumble of laughter along with the unmistakable scent of home soothed her after a difficult day.

“I wish we could have a night in our loft,” she said, “but it’s too close to Angela’s room.”

“We can re-create the magic right here. Meet me back here after dinner and family time?”

“I’ll be here.”

Sam went first to check on Angela, who was sitting on her bed with Ella sleeping in her arms and Jack curled up to her as he watched Iron Man. Her sister looked exhausted and overwhelmed.

“Let me take her,” Sam whispered, reaching for Ella.

Angela kissed the top of her daughter’s head and released her hold on her so Sam could carry her to bed in the portable crib they’d put in the room’s walk-in closet. As she laid Ella down, Sam ached for the loss the little girl was too young now to process but that would mark the rest of her life. There would always be someone important missing, someone she wouldn’t remember, but would love anyway.

The wallop of emotion caught Sam off guard. Though she hadn’t felt particularly close to Spencer, she was to Angela and her kids. Their pain was her pain, which meant she was too close to the victim to conduct an impartial investigation. She would rely on Gonzo and the rest of her team to bring the objectivity, because there was no way she was taking a step back from it.

She left the closet door propped open when she returned to the bedroom.

“Did you catch any bad guys today, Sam?” Jack asked.

“Not today, Jack in the Box, but we’re after a few of them.”

“You’ll catch them, Sammy Wammy. You always do.”

Smiling, Sam cuddled up to him and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, buddy. That means a lot. How was school?”

“Fine,” Jack said. “The other kids said they were sorry about my daddy.”

“That’s nice of them.” To Angela, she said, “How are you?”

Angela shrugged. “I’m still waiting for him to come breezing in and tell me it was all a big mistake.”

“Daddy would come if he could, Mommy. He’d never want us to be sad.”

“No, he wouldn’t, baby.”

“Did you get some ice cream tonight, Jack Frost?”

Giggling at the name, he said, “Not yet.”

“Why don’t you go find Uncle Nick and tell him you need some?”