“I expect you and your team to follow my orders, regardless of who we are to each other.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you just saying that to appease me?”

“No, sir. I take your orders seriously, as does Detective McBride. I hope you can empathize with the position she was in, having already done a considerable amount of work toward finding this missing person when the order came down.”

“I do empathize, and I’m not a monster, Lieutenant. I intended the pause on examining Stahl’s cold cases to be temporary, until we get past whatever fresh hell is coming our way in the FBI report.”

“Maybe it won’t be that bad.”

“I’m under no illusions. And while I have you, I should let you know the union is pushing back hard against Sergeant Ramsey’s firing and intends to appeal it in court unless he receives due process.”

Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “They honestly think they have a case when he was caught vandalizing my office?”

“He says he didn’t do it.”

“They have his prints!”

“He says that could’ve happened during the regular course of business as the two of you work together.”

“Anyone who knows either of us is aware that we do not work together.”

“I wanted you to be aware that he may be back on the job while we dot the i’s and cross the t’s.”

“Thanks for the great news.”

“Try not to worry about it. We have other ways of getting rid of troublemakers, and I intend to do whatever it takes to permanently rid us of him as soon as I can.”

“But you’re planning to keep me and McBride around?” Sam asked, hoping for a moment of levity before they ended the call.

“For the moment, but as usual, you’re both skating on the thinnest of ice.”

“We like to live dangerously.”

“Keep me in the loop with Best and the marshals. I’ll let Jake know that I spoke to you and gave the go-ahead.”

“Thank you for everything. I don’t care what anyone else says about you, you’re the best.”

“I do what I can for the people.”

Sam’s mouth fell open in shock. “That is one hundred percent trademarked.”

“Did you or did you not allow one of your officers to defy a direct order from yours truly?”

“You should feel free to use that line to your heart’s content, sir.”

“Somehow, I thought you might say that. How’s Camp David? Is it as cool as it seems?”

“It is. Since you’re on vacation this week, too, you and Marti ought to take a ride up one day and check it out for yourselves.”

“Seriously?”

Nick nodded in agreement.

“Of course. Our camp is your camp. Let me know when you’d like to come.”