“Lift your shirt from the waist of your pants and turn around.”
Sin did as requested, making sure the agent got a good look at her six-pack abs. “Would you like to see my underwear as well or are we done?” she said.
The guard snickered and waved her through.
“Good thing,” Sin said as she passed, “I’m not wearing any.”
“Do you always have to have the last word,” Frank said as they were chaperoned toward the West Wing.
As they stood in line at another security point, Sin whispered in Frank’s ear. “I need your weapon.”
Frank didn’t respond and waited to be waved through. Entering the West Wing, he grabbed his thigh and fell to the ground. The Secret Service agents went for their weapons, but he waved them off. “It’s just a cramp. Give me a second. Agent O’Malley can you help me up?”
Sin squatted in front of him.
“It’s better if you lift me from behind,” Frank said.
Sin squatted behind Frank, her body up against his. She felt his backup weapon under his suit coat and with a well-hidden motion lifted it from his belt and tucked it into her own under her shirt. “Are you ready, Director?”
Frank nodded. Sin reached under his arms and helped lift him from the floor.
“Are you okay to continue?” an agent asked.
“I’m good,” Frank said. “It’s as if a weight has been lifted.”
Sin grinned, internally.
The three of them entered the lobby of the West Wing ten minutes early for their appointment with Lancaster. He made them wait thirty. When they were finally given permission to enter the Oval Office, they were escorted by the two agents plus one more, Smitty.
Inside, Lancaster was seated behind the Resolute Desk. Sin couldn’t help but notice the smug expression on his face. He stood and addressed Carmelita.
“Ms. Rosales, I speak for my entire staff when I say that I’m glad to see you unharmed. Your daughter, Maria, has been a delight. Her presence has been a god-send in helping Becca recover from her ordeal.”
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Carmelita said. “I’m anxious to see Maria.”
Lancaster depressed an intercom button on his desk and asked that Maria be brought to the Oval Office. A few minutes later, the door opened, and Maria practically ran over the president’s secretary.
“Momma,” she cried, running into Carmelita’s arms. Sin watched with pure joy as mother and daughter were reacquainted.
Agent Sawyer stood just inside the door as Becca entered and went straight to Sin and wrapped her arms around her. She didn’t say anything for the longest time, she just held her. Sin hugged her back as Becca started to cry. Her cry turned to gut-wrenching wails until after what seemed like an eternity subsided into silent huffing.
“Everything is going to be alright,” Sin whispered. “I promise you.”
Becca nodded, wiping her tears. “I know, I was just worried about you.”
“Thank you,” Sin mouthed.
“I spoke to Pia,” Becca said. “She sounded good. We both told each other what we remembered, trying to piece together those days. In the end, we decided to try and forget about them.”
Sin cupped Becca’s face in her hands, looked in her the eyes, and wiped her tears with her thumbs. “Don’t try and repress what happened. It’s okay to talk about it, especially with Pia. It’s good for both of you.”
Becca nodded. “We talked about going back to Dartmouth. The administration agreed to let us finish this semester online and return to campus in the fall. So, we’ll be skyping with each other every day.”
Sin hugged her tight. “That sounds like a great idea. With your father’s permission, why don’t you and Maria give Carmelita an insider’s tour of the White House.”
Becca looked at her dad, who nodded. “I think that would be a great idea,” he said. “Director Graham, Agent O’Malley, and I have some business to take care of. I’m sure it would be boring to the three of you. Go on and have fun.”
Lancaster pointed to Smitty and asked him to wait outside the Oval Office. He then leaned back against the desk and crossed his arms. “I heard word, not from the director of the Bureau whom I should have, that there was quite a gunfight down in Florida ten days ago. My people tell me it was between the FBI and a street gang. I’m told all the gang members were killed. Every. Single. One. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you, O’Malley?”
“Can’t say that I do, Mr. President.”
“It seems there were a couple of witnesses, a mother and daughter, who described a woman who sounded a lot like you. A woman who saved their lives.”
“I have one of those faces. People seem to see someone who looks like me in a lot of places I never was.”
“Frank,” Lancaster said, “do you have anything to add to what Agent O’Malley said?”
“No sir, I don’t. I told Sin that the case she was on was closed after she had rescued and saved the lives of your daughter and her roommate. She agreed.”
“Would either of you care to tell me how Carmelita was rescued? When I left the Keys, she was missing, presumed taken by the Black 6 gang. The same gang in the event I just described,” Lancaster’s tone and twang increased as he spoke.
“I was told by my agent,” Frank pointed to Sin, “that a ransom drop had been arranged.”
“O’Malley,” Lancaster said.
“Sir?”
“Cut the bullshit and tell me what happened.”
“Director Graham is correct. A drop was arranged. I took the money to the drop site and was able to retrieve Carmelita Rosales.”
The corner of Lancaster’s lips rose in a quiver. “Where exactly did this exchange take place?”
“West Palm Beach.”
Lancaster smirked and retook his seat behind the Resolute Desk. “I don’t know what shit you two are spinning, but frankly, I don’t give a damn. O’Malley, I assume you’ve brought me the papers
