With Vernon and Jimmy escorting them, they headed for the stairs as someone called out to Sam.

She turned to see Alice Coyne Fitzgerald waving to her.

Sam waited for Alice to catch up and then hugged her. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here.”

“I won’t miss a second of seeing the men who killed my Steven—and Skip—brought to justice.” Skip’s first partner and close friend had been shot on the job decades ago, and his killer had remained at large until Sam and her team tied his shooting to Skip’s.

“Alice, this is my sister Tracy.”

“I remember you as a little girl,” Alice said, smiling at Tracy.

Tracy shook the woman’s hand. “I remember you, too. It’s nice to see you, although the circumstances suck.”

“They do, but I’ve waited a long time for justice for Steven. I’m ready for this.”

Sam wasn’t sure she was ready to see the three men who’d been charged with killing her father, even if it had taken four years as a quadriplegic before he’d succumbed.

“It’s surreal,” she whispered to Tracy as reporters gathered outside the courthouse called to her, looking for a comment.

“What is?”

“That we’re actually going to court to confront the men who shot Dad. For a long time, I thought that might never happen.”

“It’s thanks to you that it finally did.”

“Me and a lot of others.”

“But mostly you.”

“Did you get to talk to Brooke?”

“I did, and I think this might be something significant with Nate.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. We all loved him when he worked at the house.”

“That matters to me—and I’m sure to her. She said to tell you thanks for the invite to Camp David, but she’s going to stay in Charlottesville next weekend.”

“Any particular reason?”

“He’s coming to visit.”

“Ohhhh. Well, I don’t blame her for blowing us off, then.”

“I’m trying to keep my cool about this, but really… I’m so relieved that she’s taking a chance on him after everything…”

“I know,” Sam said. “Me, too. And he’s a really good guy.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted for her—someone who could see how great she is and be patient with her.”

Sam linked her arm through her sister’s. “I can’t wait to see where this goes.”

“I know. Me, too. But we have to play it cool, or she’ll cut us out of it.”

“I can be cool. Can you?”

“I’m working on it.”