Fatal Series 00 - Fatal Destiny

didn’t recognize. “Come on, come on, pick up.” When she reached his voicemail, Sam handed the phone back to the paramedic. “Call again. Please.”
    Frowning at her, the paramedic redialed.
    “Come on, Nick. Pick up.”
     
    Nick spent the morning in meetings with his campaign team, but couldn’t concentrate on work as he thought about the previous evening. Whatever Sam dreamed about had frightened her deeply, and that had rattled him.
    And when he thought about that freak Gardner and what he’d done to that poor girl… He shuddered remembering those photos. Asking Sam not to pursue the case against Gardner wasn’t something he’d done lightly. He also knew it wasn’t something he could do again any time soon.
    All morning he’d had a bad feeling nagging at him. She’d promised she wouldn’t go after Gardner for the rape of that girl. On the way into the office it had dawned on him that he’d failed to include investigating what role Gardner might’ve played in her father’s shooting in his wedding week moratorium.
    “Senator?”
    Startled, he looked up at Christina, his chief of staff. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
    “We’re talking about your latest numbers in southern Virginia. We need to spend more time in Norfolk, Newport News and Virginia Beach after your vacation.”
    Nick’s BlackBerry buzzed in his pocket. “Excuse me.” He checked the caller ID, didn’t recognize the number and returned the phone to his pocket. “What’s the issue in that area?”
    “Heavy concentration of military,” the head pollster said. “Because you’ve never served—”
    The phone buzzed again. “Sorry,” Nick mumbled. “Crazy week.” Normally, he’d never bother with his phone during a meeting, but there was that feeling he just couldn’t shake. He glanced at the caller ID, saw the same number as before and took the call.
    “Nick Cappuano.”
    “Oh thank goodness you answered.”
    “Samantha?”
    “Something happened, but I’m fine.”
    Nick sat up straighter in his seat. “What happened?”
    “Freddie and I got shot at, and I smacked my head. They’re taking me in to get it checked.” He heard her ask someone which hospital they were taking her to.
    “Going to GW,” she said to Nick. “It’s no biggie. Coupla stitches maybe. Won’t show on Saturday.”
    “Who shot at you?” Nick asked, taking in the stunned expressions on his staffers’ faces. Why couldn’t he have fallen for an accountant?
    “We went to talk to Gardner about my father’s shooting, and he was not happy to see us. The good news is now we’ve got him on charges that’ll stick. Even he can’t wiggle out of shooting at cops.”
    Nick watched as Christina signaled to the others to step out of the office. When the door shut behind them, he said, “I thought you were going to stay away from him.”
    “I never mentioned the rape.”
    “Well, that’s good of you. You stuck to the letter of our agreement. I appreciate that.”
    “You’re pissed.”
    “You knew I would be.”
    He heard her release a deep sigh. “I needed to ask him about my father’s shooting.”
    “And look at where that got you—yet another trip to the ER, the week of our wedding, no less.”
    “The last time wasn’t my fault. You’ll recall that the gang members were gunning for us.”
    “I don’t appreciate you making light of this, Samantha.”
    “I’m not making light. I have to go. We’re almost there. I’ll see you at home.”
    “I’m coming to get you. Don’t move from that hospital until I get there.” He ended the call before she could put up an argument.
    For a long time he sat there, riveted by overwhelming anger and impotence. There wasn’t a goddamned thing he could do to keep her safe. He thought he’d accepted that new fact of his life, but apparently he hadn’t. Not if the fury he was experiencing at the moment was any indication. The last thing they needed the week of their wedding was a big, fat fight, but as he left the Capitol and headed for the GW Emergency Room, he feared that’s exactly what was going to happen.
     
    Freddie leaned in for a closer look at the cut on Sam’s head and winced. “I feel so bad. I never noticed the rock.”
    “Since you probably saved both our lives, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
    “I saw the gun move and just reacted.”
    “You did good. I heard you were like a superhero out there.”
    “Nah,” he said, brushing off the compliment. “Nick’s