Fatal Reckoning (Fatal #14)(98)
Conklin took a minute to pull himself together. “Santoro was waiting for him. When he was leaving that day, Santoro pulled out ahead of him and then started darting in and out of traffic and generally causing chaos. Skip did exactly what they expected him to, by turning on his lights and giving chase.”
“Why that part of G Street?”
“It’s mostly deserted after GAO lets out for the day.”
“What else is there? What else have you been hiding while pretending to serve as a decorated police officer?”
“Nothing! There’s nothing else.”
“That’s good, because I’ve heard more than enough.” Hill pushed a yellow pad across the table. “Write it all down and sign it.”
Bagley cleared his throat. “I assume my client will be treated with leniency due to his cooperation.”
Sam wanted to punch him too.
“Your client will get exactly what he deserves.” Hill stood and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
After a minute, when Hill didn’t enter the observation room, Sam went looking for him and found him in the hallway, leaning against a wall, his head down. Everything about his posture expressed his dismay at having to extract that information from a fellow law enforcement officer.
“You did a great job,” Sam said.
“I’m sorry you had to hear all that. I can’t imagine how painful it had to be for you.”
“At least now I know.”
“I imagine that’s a small comfort.”
“It’s better than not knowing. What happens now?”
Hill straightened out of his slouch. “Now we arrest Gallagher, Ryan and Santoro, blow the lid off their entire operation and throw their asses in jail for the rest of their miserable lives.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ALL THREE MEN were arrested by the FBI at the exact same time, so they couldn’t tip each other off. The operation went off with surgical precision, overseen by Hill. Gallagher was hauled out of a meeting at City Hall, his arrest chronicled for all to see by the media that stalked the building. Ryan was found at one of the restaurants the three men owned, and Santoro was pulled naked from his bed in a penthouse apartment in Georgetown. A woman who’d been in bed with him raised such a fuss that she was arrested too.
Charged only with the murder of Metro PD Deputy Chief Skip Holland initially, each of the men proclaimed their innocence. However, as she watched the news coverage of the bombshell arrests on the conference room TV, Sam saw the fear in their eyes. They knew what they’d done and that they were screwed, glued and tattooed every which way to next Tuesday.
Her phone rang nonstop with calls from Darren Tabor and other reporters, but she didn’t take any of the calls.
A hollow feeling gnawed at her. For the longest time, she’d imagined what this moment would be like, to have the answers that had eluded her and the others who’d loved Skip and Steven for so many years. But the reality was just…empty.
Her dad was still dead. Steven was still dead.
Yes, she was glad to see the people responsible dragged out of their comfy lives, fully aware that they were going to do hard time for what they’d done to two honest, hardworking, dedicated police officers—and their families.
Normally, Sam would hate being relegated to the sidelines, but in this case, it was for the best. She would’ve been tempted to shoot them in their necks, so they’d have to live the same way her father had, trapped in a useless body while their minds remained as sharp as ever. That would be the least of what they deserved.
She ought to call Celia and her sisters but couldn’t bring herself to do it. She hadn’t been allowed to call them or anyone before the operation went down. They would hear the news soon enough, if they hadn’t already.
Sam had no idea how long she’d stood there staring at the TV when she heard the door to the conference room open and close. She was about to turn to see who it was when arms slid around her waist and the fragrance of home filled her senses. He’d come. Of course he’d come.
She sagged into Nick’s embrace. “How did you hear?”
“Freddie called me. He thought I’d want to be here for you.”
Thank God for the two of them. What would she ever do without them? She hoped she’d never have to find out.
“I don’t know whether to say congratulations or I’m sorry or I love you.”
“All of that works.”
“I can’t begin to imagine what you must be feeling.”
“I’m numb.”
“The whole thing is simply unbelievable for me, but for you it has to be such a massive betrayal.”
She nodded because she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“Samantha.” He tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck.
Safe in the arms of her love, Sam finally broke down.
Nick turned her to face him and gathered her into him, his fingers in her hair, his arms tight around her as she shook with sobs that she’d held off until now, until she finally knew why her father had been taken from them far too soon.
“Let it all out, sweetheart.” He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. “You’ve been so strong for everyone when your own heart was breaking.”