Fatal Identity Read Free Page A

lives down the street. My husband installed the ramp so he can visit.”
    â€œOh, that’s cool. Sorry about your dad, though.”
    â€œThanks.”
    Nick’s lead agent, John Brantley Jr., met her at the door. “Lieutenant.”
    â€œBrant. What’s he doing home so early?”
    â€œThe vice president isn’t feeling well.”
    â€œSay what?”
    He gave her a “you heard me” look that nearly made her laugh, except she was too concerned about Nick to laugh. Her invincible husband didn’t get sick the way other mortals did. In all the time they’d been together, she’d never known him to have so much as a cold.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with him?”
    â€œHe didn’t say, and I didn’t ask.”
    She used her thumb to point to her guest. “This is Josh—he’s with me.”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    She hated the way the agents insisted on calling her ma’am , as if she were seventy years old or something, but she’d chosen not to fight that battle. She wanted to say, if you can call me ma’am why can’t you call me Sam ? Close enough, wasn’t it? But Nick had asked her not to make an issue of it, so she didn’t. But she wanted to.
    â€œHave a seat.” She directed Josh to the sofa while she tossed her coat over the back of it. “I’ll be right back.”
    â€œOkay.”
    Sam dashed upstairs to their bedroom, anxious to see what was wrong with Nick, who’d been fine earlier. She found him in bed, curled into the fetal position, and was instantly concerned. Leaning over the bed, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, which was on fire. “Babe.”
    â€œMmm.”
    â€œHey, what’s wrong?”
    â€œDon’t know. Was fine and then I wasn’t.”
    â€œYou’re burning up. Did you take something?”
    â€œCouldn’t. Stomach.”
    â€œI’m calling Harry.”
    â€œNo, I’m fine.”
    â€œYou’re not fine, and I’m calling Harry.”
    He mumbled something that sounded like “don’t bother him,” but to hell with that. She was bothering him. Withdrawing her cell phone from her pocket, she found the number for one of their closest friends, who happened to be a doctor, and made the call.
    â€œMadame Vice President,” Harry said. “To what do I owe the honor?”
    â€œNick is sick. Can you come over?”
    â€œSick with what?”
    â€œI don’t know. He said it came on out of nowhere, and now he’s burning up and says his stomach hurts too bad to take anything.”
    â€œSounds like the flu. Keep your distance.”
    â€œWay too late for that warning.” Sam winced when she thought of the sex they’d had last night and again this morning. Not getting too close to her husband was usually the last thing she wanted to do.
    â€œFigures with you two,” Harry said with a huff of laughter. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Can you clear me through security?”
    â€œYeah, I’ll let them know.”
    â€œTry not to worry. He’s an ox. He’ll be fine.”
    Sam usually took Harry’s assurances to heart, but she was worried. She’d never seen Nick this way and had no idea what to do to make him feel better. She hated feeling powerless. Then she remembered Josh was downstairs waiting for her to figure out what to do about his suspicions.
    So much for a nice, peaceful few days “off.”
    Sam ran her fingers through Nick’s hair, which was sweaty from the fever. “Babe, I have to go downstairs and take care of something. I’ll be right back up, okay?”
    He had gone back to sleep and didn’t respond.
    Sam bent over to kiss his cheek, trying not to notice that he already felt hotter than he had a few minutes ago. She ran back downstairs to where Josh was waiting right where she’d left him. His leg bounced as he bit his