Fatal Series 01 - Fatal Affair

Laine, of course. “I was right here with my wife. We had friends over, played some bridge and went to bed around eleven or so.”
    She seemed satisfied with his answer and turned next to Terry. “Mr. O’Connor?”
    “I was…ah…with a friend.”
    Terry’s womanizing had gotten completely out of hand since a DUI derailed his political aspirations weeks before he was supposed to declare his candidacy for the Senate. It made Graham sick that Terry was no closer to settling down and having a family at forty-two than he had been at twenty-two.
    “I’ll need a name and number,” the detective said.
    Terry’s cheeks turned bright red, and Graham knew what was coming next. “I…ah…”
    “He doesn’t know her name,” Graham said, casting a disgusted look at his son.
    “I can find out,” Terry said quickly.
    “That’d be a good idea,” the detective said.
    “It’s not a coincidence, is it, that this happened on the eve of the vote?” Graham said.
    “We’re not ruling anything out,” the detective said.
    “Check Minority Leader Stenhouse,” Graham said. “He hates my guts and would begrudge my son any kind of success.”
    “Why does he hate you?” she asked.
    “They were bitter rivals for decades,” Nick told her. “Stenhouse has done everything he could to block the immigration bill, but it was going to pass anyway.”
    “Take a good look at him,” Graham said, his chest tight with rage and his voice breaking. “He’s capable of anything. Taking my son from me would give him great joy.”
    “Can you think of anyone else?” she asked. “Anyone who might’ve tangled with your son, either on a personal or professional level?”
    Graham shook his head. “Everyone loved John, but I’ll think about it and let you know if anyone comes to mind.”
    Nick stepped forward to embrace him.
    Graham wrapped his arms around the young man he loved like a son. “Find out who did this, Nick. Find out.”
    “I will. I promise.”
    As Nick and Sam walked away, Graham noted the hunched shoulders of his son’s closest friend and trusted aide. To Terry he said, “Get the name of your bimbo, and get it now. Don’t show your face around here again until you do.”
    “Yes, sir.”

    On the way back to Washington, Nick checked his BlackBerry and read through the statement his office had drafted.
    With tremendous sorrow we announce that our colleague and friend, Senator John Thomas O’Connor, Democrat of Virginia, was found murdered in his Washington home this morning. After Senator O’Connor failed to arrive for work, his chief of staff, Nicholas Cappuano, went to the senator’s home to check on him. Mr. Cappuano found the senator dead. At the request of the Metropolitan Police, we’ll have no further statement on the details of the senator’s death other than to say we will do everything within our power to assist in the investigation. Subsequent information on the investigation will come from the police.
    We will make it our mission to ensure passage of the landmark immigration legislation Senator O’Connor worked so hard to bring to the Senate floor and to continue his work on behalf of children, families and the aged.
    Our hearts and prayers are with the senator’s parents, Senator and Mrs. Graham O’Connor, his brother Terry, sister Lizbeth, brother-in-law Royce, niece Emma and nephew Adam. Funeral arrangements are incomplete but will be announced in the next few days. We ask that you respect the privacy of the O’Connor family at this difficult time.
    Nick nodded with approval and read it again before he turned to Sam. “Can I run this by you?”
    “Sure.” She listened intently as he read the statement to her. “Sounds like they covered every base.”
    “The part about the investigation was okay?”
    “Yes, it’s fine.”
    Nick placed a call to Christina. “Hey, green light on the statement. Go ahead and get it out.”
    Christina replied with a deep, pained sigh. “This’ll make it official.”
    “Tell Trevor to just read it and get out of there. No questions.”
    “Got it.”
    “You guys did a great job. Thank you.”
    “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” she said, her voice hoarse.
    “I’m sure.”
    “So, um, how’d it go with his parents?”
    “Horrible.”
    “Same thing with the staff. People are taking it really hard.”
    “I’m on my way back. I’ll be in soon.”
    “We’ll be here.”
    Nick ended the call.
    “Are you all right?” Sam