“It attacked me out of nowhere. One minute, I was walking to the car, and the next, I was flat on my ass. Or I guess it was my hip. Figures I couldn’t have landed on all that cushion I’ve got back there.”

He gently patted her bottom. “We wouldn’t want anything to mar this national treasure.”

She laughed. “Have you had it officially designated as such?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to talk to Terry about an executive order.”

“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled about that.” The silliness with him helped to take the sting out of another difficult day at work. She took the arm he offered and let him lead her slowly into the bathroom. “I’m like a ninety-year-old.”

“Nah, you’re like a thirtysomething who fell on ice. Let me see.”

When he got a better look at the red mark on her hip in brighter light, he gasped. “Holy shit, babe. That looks bad. Are you sure we shouldn’t get you checked out?”

Sam twisted to see the huge red spot on her hip that would no doubt turn colorful by the morning. “I’m sure I can’t be bothered with a trip to the ER.”

“Let me get Harry up here. We do have a medical unit at our disposal, you know.”

“Not tonight. I’ll deal with it in the morning if it’s not better.

“If it’s still bad tomorrow, we’re doing something about it.”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“In this case, I am,” he said, dropping pain pills into her hand and giving her a glass of water.

“Thank you.”

With his help, she managed to get in the tub and ease into the heated water. But she had tears in her eyes by the time she got settled.

“I hate when you get hurt,” he said, running a finger over the stitches in her arm from the bullet that recently grazed her.

“I do, too, especially when it’s my own fault.”

He sat on the mat next to the tub. “The blame for this one belongs firmly on the ice.”

“Bastard.”

As he chuckled, his BlackBerry chimed with a text. “Scotty is looking for me.” He typed a reply. “I’m telling him you’re home, and we’ll be ready for dinner in about half an hour.”

She closed her eyes and gave in to the pleasure of the bath. “That sounds good, and this feels wonderful. Thank you.”

“Always a pleasure to tend to my lovely wife.”

“This week is going to be a little more complicated than we hoped.”

“Because of the fall?”

“That and a case we caught today.” She opened her eyes and turned to him. “A twenty-four-year-old woman raped and murdered in Rock Creek Park.”

“Oh no.”

“I had to tell her live-in boyfriend of five years.”

“That had to be rough.”