I’m a big believer in trusting my gut.”
“Me too,” Sam said.
“There’s something to this,” Josh said. “I know there is. I don’t know if I’m this missing kid, Taylor, or not, but when I saw the picture? I felt like I’d been struck by lightning.”
“You should listen to that feeling,” Shelby said.
“I agree,” Sam said. “Maybe there’s a way we can test the DNA without getting the parents involved until we know there’s a match.” She flipped open her phone and scrolled through her contacts to find Dr. Lindsey McNamara’s number.
“Hey, Sam,” Lindsey said. “Heard you were off for a few days.”
“Is that how it’s being played?”
“Well, actually I heard you were suspended for punching Ramsey.”
“I still say he had it coming.”
“You won’t hear any argument from me. So what’s up?”
“I need an off-the-books favor. I have a friend who needs a DNA test done. Do you think you could come by my house and take care of that for him?”
“Um, sure. I’m leaving for lunch shortly. Could I do it then?”
“That’d be perfect. And if you could keep this between us, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course. No problem.”
“I’ll clear you through security.”
“See you soon.”
“Hey, Brant,” Sam said when she ended the call with Lindsey. “Would you please let them know outside that Drs. Harry Flynn and Lindsey McNamara will be coming over shortly?”
“Sure, thing, Mrs. Cappuano. No problem.”
“Thanks.”
“Who was that you called?” Josh asked.
“The District’s Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Lindsey McNamara. She’s a friend and a colleague. I trust her to be discreet.”
“I thought medical examiners worked on dead people.”
“Usually they do, but she’s also a medical doctor and handles DNA testing for us.” She glanced at the stairs. “I need to check on my husband. He’s not feeling well. I’ll be right back down.”
Sam went upstairs to the bedroom, where Nick was exactly where she’d left him. She placed her head on his face and was stunned by how hot he felt. Running back downstairs, she called Harry again and got his voicemail. “Harry, it’s Sam again. He’s scary hot. I’m worried. Let me know if you think I should take him to the ER.”
Sam’s phone rang, and she pounced on it, hoping it was Harry. “Mrs. Cappuano, this is Mrs. Perry at Eliot-Hine. The school nurse asked me to call to let you know Scotty’s not feeling well. He has a fever of one hundred point two. Is it okay if we send him home with his detail?”
Sam’s heart sank at the news that Scotty was sick too. While she’d rather pick him up herself, the agents could get him home faster. “Yes, please. Send him home.”
SCOTTY NARROWLY MISSED throwing up on Sam when she met him on the sidewalk in front of the house. Fortunately, she saw what was happening and jumped out of the way in time for him to puke on the street rather than on her. She patted his back and took tissues from Darcy, one of his agents, to wipe his mouth when he was done.
“Sorry,” he muttered. His face was so pale he barely resembled her robustly healthy son.
“Don’t be sorry. You can’t help it, buddy. You okay for now?”
“I think so.”
Sam wrapped her arm around him to lead him inside. “How long have you felt lousy?”
“About an hour. I was fine and then my head was spinning and my ears were buzzing. Then my stomach started hurting, and I felt really hot.”
“Whatever it is, your dad has it too, and Harry’s on his way.”
Scotty closed his eyes and leaned his head against her. “Okay.”
“Oh my goodness,” Shelby said when Sam brought him inside.
“You need to get out of here while the getting is still good,” Sam said. “Whatever they’ve got is the last thing you need.”
“I can’t leave you to deal with this by yourself.”
“Yes, you can. Go, Tinker Bell. That’s an order.”
“If you’re sure,” Shelby said tearfully. Everything made her cry these days.
“I’m very sure this is no place for a pregnant woman.”
“All right, I’m going. I’ll check in after a while.”
In a low voice only Shelby could hear, Sam added, “Please don’t say anything to anyone, even Avery, about what Josh told you.” Sam wanted to say especially Avery, but she showed some restraint. The last thing she needed was Shelby’s FBI agent fiancé catching wind of possible accusations against his boss. Shelby hadn’t put Hamilton plus Hamilton together to get Troy Hamilton, but Avery was apt to.
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Um, should I go too?” Josh asked, eyeing Scotty warily.
“No, you stay. I’ll be back down as soon as I can.” With her arm still around Scotty’s shoulders, she guided him to the stairs. “Come on, pal. You gotta help me out here.”
“Sorry.” He climbed the stairs in slow steps. By the time they reached the top, he’d broken into a sweat.
Sam wrangled him into his room, helped him out of his coat and sweater. “Do you want to do the jeans?”
“You can,” he said in the smallest voice she’d ever heard from him.
That her thirteen-year-old wanted help with his pants said a lot about how sick he really was. A pang of fear struck her heart. Where the hell was Harry?
She got Scotty out of the jeans and into a pair of flannel pajama pants that had the Batman logo all over them. He was asleep before she finished dressing him.
Sam pulled the comforter up and over him, tucking him in. She’d no sooner gotten him settled when she heard retching noises from her own room. She ran for the hallway.
“Is he okay?” Darcy asked from her post outside Scotty’s door.
“I don’t know. Doc is on his way.”
Sam went in to help Nick, who’d fortunately made
