Fatal Reckoning (Fatal #14)(21)
The crimes of the Nelsons’ son still hung heavily over the relationship between the first and second couples. Sam glanced at Nick to gauge his reaction.
“Completely up to you,” he said.
“I have no objection if no one else does,” Sam said, deferring to Celia.
“Your dad would be astounded and honored to have the president and first lady at his funeral,” Celia said.
“I’ll let them know,” Lilia said.
“If I can assist in any way,” Officer Charles said, handing business cards to each of them, “I am at your service. And again, please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of an extraordinary man.”
Celia sniffled and dabbed at raw, red eyes with a tissue. “Thank you so much for everything.”
“It is the very least we can do in light of his ultimate sacrifice.” She glanced at the chief, who nodded. “I’ll be on my way, but please call if you need anything.”
When she stood, Sam stepped forward to shake her hand. “Thank you for a job very well done, Officer.”
She shook Sam’s hand and then Nick’s. “It’s an honor, Lieutenant, Mr. Vice President.”
When she had departed, Celia said, “She’s an impressive young woman.”
“Indeed, she is,” Joe said. “I have very high hopes for her career in the department.”
Gonzo came rushing into the kitchen and walked right up to Sam to hug her. “I’m so, so sorry. I got here as fast as I could after I heard the news. Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.” She smiled at her friend and colleague, who looked more like himself than he had since before his partner’s tragic murder. “Did you bust out?”
“Just about.”
“Means a lot that you’re here.”
“I couldn’t imagine not being here.”
At the table, Joe put an arm around Celia. “Is there anything else we can do for you?”
“I can’t think of anything. Skip would be so very pleased with the show of support from the department.”
“He was one of us. He will always be one of us.”
“That meant everything to him.”
“We’ll give him a send-off fit for a king,” Joe said, his voice gruff and filled with emotion. “And we’ll remember him always.”
* * *
OVER THE NEXT two days, Sam, Nick, Scotty and the rest of the family went through the steps of public mourning, including the candlelight vigil attended by thousands outside HQ and the hours of greeting strangers and friends alike who came to pay their respects to Skip at City Hall. The outpouring of sympathy, respect and adoration for Skip and his family was so great as to be completely overwhelming.
Sam’s heart swelled with emotion at the pageantry of the MPD motorcycles that led each procession with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing. In dress uniforms of every shade of blue, thousands of law enforcement officers and honor guards from across the country—led by Chief Farnsworth and her colleagues from the MPD—marched through the city, accompanying Skip to his funeral. Along the route, the streets were lined with citizens ten-deep waving flags and applauding as the hearse went by.
Again because of Scotty and her desire to remain close to him throughout the proceedings, Sam rode with her family in the Secret Service vehicle that followed the hearse rather than marching with her MPD colleagues. In a gesture of goodwill and generosity to the family of a fellow law enforcement officer, the Secret Service provided a motorcade for the entire extended family.
Sam took it all in with a sense of pride and a surreal feeling of loss that had only begun to permeate the numbness. But it was the bagpipes outside church that broke her composure with their distinctive wail of mourning. That sound… It brought back a lifetime of memories: police events, parades and sadder times, such as Arnold’s funeral. The wound of his loss was still raw as she fought to contend with this latest blow. Aware that the eyes of the city, the country and the world were on her, Sam battled her way through the emotions, determined to do her grieving in private.
Her squad—Cruz, Gonzales, McBride, Green, Dominguez and Carlucci—each of them in full dress uniform, white gloves and badges shrouded by black bands of mourning, served as personal escorts to the Holland family. Sam was also in uniform in honor of her father. The last time she’d worn her uniform had been for Arnold’s funeral.
On this day, she suspended all her usual rules against public displays of affection while in uniform and was thankful for the arm Nick kept firmly around her shoulders as they walked into the church. Celia was escorted by Scotty. Tracy, Mike, Angela, Spencer and their families followed with Sam and Nick bringing up the rear of the family procession. As each guest came into the church, they received a printed program from Tracy’s children Abby and Ethan. On the cover of the program was one of Sam’s favorite photos of Skip smiling in his deputy chief’s uniform. He’d been so damned proud of that last promotion.
Halfway up the long aisle, Celia stopped to embrace Sam’s mother, Brenda.
Sam watched as the two women who’d loved Skip Holland exchanged a few words and dabbed at tears before Celia continued to the front of the church. As she went by her mother, Sam reached out a hand to her.
Brenda squeezed Sam’s hand. “Love you.”