Page 50 of State of Retribution

“I may take you up on that.Things are much more interesting out here where the action is.”

“He says that now,” Freddie said.“Wait until we encounter somerealaction.”

“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” Vernon said so sternly they all laughed.

“I keep meaning to ask if Celia decided about renting her house,” Freddie said.“I don’t want to bug her about it, but we have to decide what we’re doing soon.Our lease is up in June.”

“Oh shit, I meant to tell you yesterday that Celia texted me that she’s in favor as long as it’s you living there.”

“Really?That’s amazing.Tell her we’ll take very good care of it.Did she say how much?”

“Whatever you’re paying now is fine with her.I’m sorry I forgot to tell you this.”

“That’s not enough, and don’t be sorry.You’ve been a little preoccupied.”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to rent, Detective,” Trulo said.

“I don’t want to take advantage.”

“You’re not,” Sam said.“She’s glad to know someone we love will be living there and looking after the place.”

“That’s amazing.I can’t wait to tell Elin this news.She’ll be so excited.”

“I’m glad you guys are happy about it.”

“We’re thrilled.”

“We’ll do something about the ramps before you and Gonzo move over there.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“It’s time.”Sam saw Freddie exchange glances with Trulo.“I’m okay with it.Don’t worry.”

“It breaks my heart to even think about that,” Freddie said.

“Mine, too, but he’s not coming back, and we don’t need the ramps anymore.Maybe we can donate them to another family who could use them.He’d like that.”

“I’ll put out some feelers, if that would help,” Trulo said.

“It would.Thank you.”

“I’ll get back to you about it.”

“I appreciate it.Thinking about helping other families in need makes it a bit easier to take them down.”

“It’ll never be easy to take them down,” Dr.Trulo said, “but I hope that when you do, you’ll remember how you and your family made it possible for your dad to have some freedom he wouldn’t have had without them.”

“That’s true.I used to love how he’d come wheeling into our place for a visit.”She teared up.“I sure do wish he could do that now.He’d be all over the White House.”

“He’s right there with you guys.”Freddie looked a little misty, too.He’d loved Skip almost as much as Sam had.“He’d never want to miss out on that.Plus, he probably still thinks he’s the boss of you from the great beyond and needs to keep an eye on things.”

Sam accepted the tissue Dr.Trulo handed her, dabbing her eyes even as she laughed at the reminder of her father’s supervisory skills, which never waned even after his terrible injury.“No doubt.He loved being the boss of me.”

“His favorite thing,” Freddie said.“That and helping on our cases.I miss his input.He always gave us ideas we wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

“Remember how he was the one to tell us to look at Peter on the car bomb?”

“Yes!We hadn’t even thought of him yet.”

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