“Why do you think I say things that’ll cause the bickering?”
He rested his head against hers.“So you had a big morning with the Littles, huh?”
“Yep.They had questions.I had answers.I think it’s all good.”
“So freaking cute that Alden said it was too many letters to write on his papers.”
“I almost died laughing over that.I told him he could abbreviate, and then I had to explain what that means.”
“I love them so much.I’m so excited to officially adopt them.”
“How soon do you think it’ll be?”
“We’re getting close to a court date.”
“That’ll be a three-ring circus.”
“Whatever it takes to make them ours forever.”
A knock sounded at the door.Julie had been told to wait for him to reply whenever Sam was with him.“Come in.”
“Mr.President, Director Pierce and his team are here to see you.”
“Send them in.”
As Nick stood to welcome his guests, he hoped this meeting wouldn’t become contentious as they fought for what was important to them.
After hearingfrom Nick that he’d laid down the law with Pierce, Sam was a little more relaxed than she’d been earlier, even if she was under no illusions about what the Secret Service director and his team would have to say.
“We’ve reviewed the film from yesterday’s incident,” Pierce said after they’d exchanged pleasantries.He sat on the sofa while Brant, Vernon and Debra stood behind him.“It’s quite disturbing, to say the least.We believe you were either followed or someone was waiting for you to show up there.Either way, this presents a significant safety issue going forward.”
“I believe someone may be targeting me in an attempt to intimidate my husband and possibly drive him from office—or to run me out of the department.”
Pierce tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard her correctly.“What do you mean?”
“Think about it.People have been in an uproar over an unelected vice president ascending to the top job.He’s had defections from his secretary of State, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the AG.It’s been a rough six months, but he’s put his head down and persevered, doing the job despite the bullshit.What if someone decided to take more drastic measures to get his attention by targeting me to get to him?What if the drones and the recent spate of murders are all about getting to him through me?Or what if someone wants me out of the department badly enough to go to extreme measures that’ll have my husband and the Secret Service pulling me off the job?”
The director’s expression was unreadable.
Sam had left out the part about the theory being Vernon’s first.
“That… That’s quite a stretch, ma’am.”
“I realize that, and we’re in the earliest stages of investigating this possibility, which is what I’d be doing right now if I wasn’t here.”
The director’s expression indicated he didn’t appreciate her candor, but whatever.She had a job to do, and he was keeping her from it.“I’ll be heading into work after this meeting.”
“Have you no regard for the danger that puts your agents in, ma’am?”
She made no attempt to hide her ire.“I have all the regard in the world for Vernon, Jimmy and every other agent who protects me and my family.That you’d question my regard for them as a fellow law enforcement officer is insulting.”
“I apologize, ma’am.But as the director of this agency, it’s my job to assess the risk to my team as well as the people we’re charged with protecting and make recommendations accordingly.”
“I appreciate and respect your position, but I intend to continue to do my job with a detail or without one.If Vernon and the others feel it’s too dangerous to protect me, I’ll respect their wishes.I don’t expect anyone to take unreasonable risks to protect me.”
Ambrose held Sam’s unblinking gaze when he said, “Agent Rogers.”
“Yes, sir?”
