Fatal Justice by Marie Force

introduced her to Julian, who held her hand between both of his. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Sam. I’ve read all about you in the paper.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Oh joy.”
    “What did today’s article say? ‘Not since Jack and Jackie has Washington been so riveted by a political couple’?”
    “Thanks, Julian.” Nick shook hands with him. “She really needed to hear that again.”
    Julian laughed. “You’re looking good, Senator. Power becomes you.”
    Sam was amused by Nick’s befuddled reaction to the compliment. Julian was shorter than he appeared on television, his forehead barely reaching Nick’s shoulder. He had smooth skin, silver hair and a warm smile. Erudite was the word that came to mind as she watched him interact with the others. Classy, elegant and right at home with Nick and the O’Connors—so at home, in fact, that Sam felt like an outsider looking in at a family reunion.
    In the kitchen, Graham opened a bottle of merlot. “It’s so great to have you in town for a while, Julian.”
    “I was so sorry I couldn’t be here for John’s service,” Julian said. “I was in Sacramento for a wedding the day before the funeral. If I hadn’t been the best man, I’d have been on the first plane.”
    “We got your lovely note.” Laine patted his arm. “And the flowers, too. You were there in spirit.”
    “What’s the latest with Thomas’s case?” Julian asked as he accepted a glass of wine from Graham and followed the others into the living room.
    Sam opened a bottle of pinot grigio and poured herself a glass before she joined them.
    “They’re exploring an insanity plea,” Graham said.
    “Not a bad idea,” Julian said.
    Graham’s face tightened with grief. “It was my fault for keeping Patricia and Thomas hidden away for all those years. I forced John to live a double life and to lie to them. When Thomas found out there’d been other women in his father’s life, he just snapped.”
    “You did what you thought was right, Graham,” Julian said. “Those were different times. You would’ve taken a hard political hit if people found out that your teenaged son had fathered a child—not to mention what it would’ve done to John’s future.”
    “Did you know?” Nick asked Julian. “About Thomas?”
    Julian glanced at Graham. “I did.”
    Expelling a long deep breath, Nick sat back against the sofa.
    Sam knew Nick was still dealing with leftover shock and disbelief that John had kept his son hidden from even his closest friend and most trusted aide.
    “He was one of the few,” Graham said quickly, tuning into Nick’s dismay. “I didn’t know what to do, so I asked a couple of close friends for their advice.”
    “I agreed with what you did, so that makes me partly culpable, I suppose,” Julian said, swirling the wine around in his glass, a rueful expression on his face.
    “There’s no point in second guessing,” Laine said, sending the message to the others that she had heard enough about the circumstances of her youngest child’s death.
    “You’re absolutely right, Laine,” Julian said, turning his attention to Sam. “So you’re a detective.”
    “And a recently promoted lieutenant,” Nick added with a proud smile.
    “Congratulations,” Julian said. “A wonderful accomplishment.”
    “Thank you.”
    “How’s the new job, Sam?” Laine asked with what appeared to be genuine interest.
    “Chaotic.”
    “She did a first-class job on John’s case,” Graham said. “First class.”
    With a small smile to acknowledge the compliment, she said, “Thanks.”
    “So your sister-in-law is getting as many headlines as you are lately,” Laine said to Julian.
    “Indeed,” Julian replied with a chagrinned expression. “She does have her opinions.”
    “I never knew she was so hateful,” Graham said. “To say what she does about homosexuals, Jews and African Americans, and on television, no less. I heard they’re giving her a prime-time show. A