door.
Sam let an uncomfortable minute pass before she ventured a glance at Henry. The guy looked awful. Under most circumstances, Sam had sympathy for someone who’d lost a loved one in a violent manner. In this case, however, she was having trouble working up the usual level of sympathy.
“I, um, I know this is a difficult time for you, Senator, but I wondered if you might be willing to answer a few more questions.”
Sighing, he gestured for her to go ahead.
Sam sat in a high-backed chair facing him. “How well did you know Maria?”
“I’d met her a few times. When Regina and I took a break from our relationship, Maria cleaned my office. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt them. They were hard-working women who only wanted to better themselves and their families. What could anyone have against them?”
“I don’t know yet, but we’re going to find out. What was Maria’s immigration status?”
“It was similar to Regina’s. She’d been denied permanent residency, and we’d appealed it.”
“Did Regina ask you to do that?”
He nodded. “Once again, I had to be careful not to get too involved because neither of them was my constituent. However, I did make a few calls to see if there was anything that could be done. Last I heard, both applications were under review. We were hopeful for a positive outcome.”
“I know you told your wife you weren’t involved with Maria.” She cleared her throat. “Too. Is that the truth?”
Henry gaped at her. “Yes! I swear to God, it was only Regina.”
“Have you assisted any of Regina’s other friends with their immigration status?”
He shook his head. “Just Maria.”
“Did Maria have any friends, boyfriends, anyone in the city she was close to that you know of?”
“I think it was just Regina. They relied on each other, kept to themselves for the most part.”
Having gotten what she came for, Sam stood. “I appreciate the additional information. I have to remind you to stay put until we close the case.”
“The media’s caught wind of the affair. Believe me, I’m not going anywhere.” He walked Sam to the door. “I know what you must think of me, Lieutenant.”
Sam turned to him. “What I think of you has no bearing on the fact that I’m going to do my job and get justice for two women who were killed in my city.”
“I’m not a bad person. I just made a bad mistake.”
“So you’ve decided that falling in love with Regina was a mistake?” For some reason, Sam took perverse pleasure in picking at the scab. “That’s not what you said last night.”
He glanced over his shoulder, as if to gauge whether his wife might be able to hear him. “I loved her,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “And I don’t regret that. I do regret the pain my mistake in judgment is causing my wife and family. I deeply regret that.”
“I’m sure you do,” Sam said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter 10
Sam arrived at home just as Nick’s driver was dropping him off. From inside her car, she watched him emerge from the Town Car, still wearing the tuxedo from the fundraiser. He leaned into the car to say something to the driver, and as he closed the door, he glanced over to find her watching him. A smile lit up his face.
Sam got out of her car and met him on the sidewalk.
He was carrying his overcoat, a garment bag and briefcase but still managed to slide an arm around her and kiss her forehead.
Sam leaned into his embrace, breathing in the clean fresh scent of home.
“Long day, huh?” he asked.
“For both of us.”
He guided her into the house and hung their coats in the closet. Tugging off the bow tie and releasing the top button on his shirt, he went into the kitchen. “How about a glass of wine?”
Sam sat on the sofa and put her feet up on the coffee table. “Yes, please.”
“Coming right up.” He returned a few minutes later with two glasses of pinot grigio and put them on the table. “First things
Sam let an uncomfortable minute pass before she ventured a glance at Henry. The guy looked awful. Under most circumstances, Sam had sympathy for someone who’d lost a loved one in a violent manner. In this case, however, she was having trouble working up the usual level of sympathy.
“I, um, I know this is a difficult time for you, Senator, but I wondered if you might be willing to answer a few more questions.”
Sighing, he gestured for her to go ahead.
Sam sat in a high-backed chair facing him. “How well did you know Maria?”
“I’d met her a few times. When Regina and I took a break from our relationship, Maria cleaned my office. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt them. They were hard-working women who only wanted to better themselves and their families. What could anyone have against them?”
“I don’t know yet, but we’re going to find out. What was Maria’s immigration status?”
“It was similar to Regina’s. She’d been denied permanent residency, and we’d appealed it.”
“Did Regina ask you to do that?”
He nodded. “Once again, I had to be careful not to get too involved because neither of them was my constituent. However, I did make a few calls to see if there was anything that could be done. Last I heard, both applications were under review. We were hopeful for a positive outcome.”
“I know you told your wife you weren’t involved with Maria.” She cleared her throat. “Too. Is that the truth?”
Henry gaped at her. “Yes! I swear to God, it was only Regina.”
“Have you assisted any of Regina’s other friends with their immigration status?”
He shook his head. “Just Maria.”
“Did Maria have any friends, boyfriends, anyone in the city she was close to that you know of?”
“I think it was just Regina. They relied on each other, kept to themselves for the most part.”
Having gotten what she came for, Sam stood. “I appreciate the additional information. I have to remind you to stay put until we close the case.”
“The media’s caught wind of the affair. Believe me, I’m not going anywhere.” He walked Sam to the door. “I know what you must think of me, Lieutenant.”
Sam turned to him. “What I think of you has no bearing on the fact that I’m going to do my job and get justice for two women who were killed in my city.”
“I’m not a bad person. I just made a bad mistake.”
“So you’ve decided that falling in love with Regina was a mistake?” For some reason, Sam took perverse pleasure in picking at the scab. “That’s not what you said last night.”
He glanced over his shoulder, as if to gauge whether his wife might be able to hear him. “I loved her,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “And I don’t regret that. I do regret the pain my mistake in judgment is causing my wife and family. I deeply regret that.”
“I’m sure you do,” Sam said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter 10
Sam arrived at home just as Nick’s driver was dropping him off. From inside her car, she watched him emerge from the Town Car, still wearing the tuxedo from the fundraiser. He leaned into the car to say something to the driver, and as he closed the door, he glanced over to find her watching him. A smile lit up his face.
Sam got out of her car and met him on the sidewalk.
He was carrying his overcoat, a garment bag and briefcase but still managed to slide an arm around her and kiss her forehead.
Sam leaned into his embrace, breathing in the clean fresh scent of home.
“Long day, huh?” he asked.
“For both of us.”
He guided her into the house and hung their coats in the closet. Tugging off the bow tie and releasing the top button on his shirt, he went into the kitchen. “How about a glass of wine?”
Sam sat on the sofa and put her feet up on the coffee table. “Yes, please.”
“Coming right up.” He returned a few minutes later with two glasses of pinot grigio and put them on the table. “First things
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