Aubrey sobbed as she clung to Sam.
Scotty rubbed Alden’s back as the boy hugged Nick.Their fourteen-year-old wore a tense expression, which meant he’d heard rumblings about what’d happened—and whatcould’vehappened.
Sam reached out her hand to him, and he took it, giving it a squeeze.
“Everything is all right, guys,” Nick said.
The door opened again, admitting the twins’ older brother, Elijah, and his wife, Candace, Sam’s sisters and their children.
Sam scooped Aubrey into her arms as she stood to greet the others on legs that were still wobbly from the shock.
Her sisters hugged her and Aubrey.
“That was fun,” Tracy said with her trademark sarcasm.
“I’m so sorry, everyone,” Nick said.“I hate that our good time was interrupted by nonsense.”
“It’s okay, Uncle Nick,” their niece, Abby, said.“I got to keep my eggs, so it was still fun.”
“I’m glad to hear that, sweetie,” Nick said, forcing a smile for the child’s sake.
Eli took Aubrey from Sam, who’d begun to realize how heavy the little girl had gotten since the last time she’d lifted her.Their Littles were growing up fast, a thought that depressed her.She wanted to keep them young and innocent forever, so they’d never understand words likeassassinationorterrorist attack.
Sam turned to Scotty and hugged him tightly.“Are you all right?”
“As long as you guys are, I’m good.”
“Did you see my dad’s family anywhere?”Nick asked Tracy and Sam’s other sister, Angela.
“They were escorted to their car and allowed to leave the grounds, along with most of the other guests,” Angela said.
“That’s good,” Nick said, sounding relieved.
Brant came over to him.“Mr.President, you’re needed in the Situation Room.The others are free to return to the residence, but we’re asking the first family to remain indoors for now.”
“I have to go to work,” Sam said.
“That’s not going to be possible today, ma’am,” Brant said.“We need all available resources here until we have more information about what happened.”
Sam didn’t like being told she couldn’t do something, but she wasn’t about to make their jobs any more difficult than they already were.Besides, after the shock of the day’s events, she wanted—and needed—to be with her kids.
“I’m sorry.”Nick kissed her cheek.“I’ll find you guys as soon as I can.”
“We’re fine.Do what you need to.”
After Nick departed for the Situation Room, the agents escorted Sam and the others to the second-floor residence via the elevator that opened into the hallway where they lived.They trooped off the elevator like survivors of the apocalypse, a thought that would’ve made Sam laugh at her own theatrics under other circumstances.
Nothing about this was funny.
They ended up in the third-floor conservatory, their favorite place to gather.The twins climbed onto Sam’s lap, and she wrapped her arms around them while Scotty sat next to her.That they wanted to be close to her made her thankful she’d been unable to leave for work.She was still somewhat new to this motherhood gig and to realizing there was nowhere else she should be than with her children after what had occurred today.
She felt ashamed for even wanting to go to work, but the impulse was hardwired into her at this point.When her phone rang, she worked around the twins to dig it out of her jacket pocket.She wasn’t surprised to see the name of her partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, on the screen.
“Hey.”
“Hey yourself.Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better.What’re you hearing?”
