“But I caused another one for the department.”

“We’ll get through it. Try not to worry and instead celebrate the enormous accomplishment. You trusted your gut and followed your heart. Missing kids will be reunited with heartbroken parents. I don’t care what anyone else says, there’s no downside here.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so, and I’m the boss. I’ll gladly take any hit that comes our way for this outcome.”

“Thank you for always having our backs,” Jeannie said, sounding emotional and exhausted.

“That’s my job. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“See you then.”

Sam closed the phone.

“How is she?” Nick asked.

“Devastated and worried about the fallout.”

“I have to believe that when the dust settles, the MPD will be seen as heroic for cracking this case.”

“That may be true, but first they’re going to drag us through the mud asking why it took so fucking long for us to care about a missing Black girl. It’s been a lot lately… I just keep wondering what’s going to send the mayor and the city council over the top, and they start demanding the chief’s resignation.”

“You need to advocate for him every chance you get. Use your first lady bully pulpit to talk about what a great chief he is and how much he’s done for the department.”

“I’ll do whatever I can for him, but I’m worried. If this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, it leads right back to me and Jeannie. This is exactly the kind of thing he was hoping to avoid.”

“But Jeannie rescued nine little kids and Carisma from hell on earth. I have to believe that’s going to take precedence over the rest.”

“It won’t, Nick. She’s been missing eleven years, and this is the first time the department made a sincere effort to find her. This is going to blow back on us big-time.”

The phone rang on the bedside table.

He let out a deep sigh as he got up to answer it. “Yes?” After a long period of silence, he said, “I’ll be right there.” After he put down the phone, he said, “I have to go over to Laurel for a briefing. North Korea is at it again. They’ve fired yet another missile test.”

Sam looked up at him, offering a wan smile. “We suck at vacation.”

“We sure do.”

“Maybe we can salvage the second half.”

“I sure hope so.”

Chapter Eight

They left Camp David aboard Marine One at eleven. The plan was for the helicopter to land on the South Lawn long enough for Sam to disembark before lifting off again to return Nick to Camp David.