NY Times Bestselling Author
Marie Force
Denial:
refusing to admit the truth or reality
of something unpleasant…
His mother has been arrested, his government is under new threat, the relentless media is driving him mad, and denial becomes the word of the day for President Nick Cappuano.
Meanwhile, his wife, DC Metro Police Lt. Sam Holland Cappuano has caught a big new case with suspects everywhere she looks. Watch for her partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, to take center stage in this investigation when a variety of personal situations keep Sam off the job.
With the countdown on to their second anniversary, the first couple is keeping their heads down and their eyes on the prize of a week away from the capital city. But with threats circling all around them, will they be able to make it happen?
The fifth First Family book picks up right where State of Shock left off, with Sam and her family continuing to absorb the loss of a beloved family member as she and her team work to clean up the mess former Lt. Stahl has left behind.
At the end of the last book, Sam and Nick find out Nick’s mother has been indicted. As this book opens, we see that arrest and how Nicoletta Bernadino tries to use the fact her son is the president to get out of being arrested. That doesn’t work very well for her.
Nick knows he can’t do anything and doesn’t try, his team issues yet another statement of how he has no relationship with her and has no comment on her arrest. For Sam and Nick, the plan is their Anniversary trip to Bora Bora, and possibly Sam accompanying him on a European trip.
In the meantime, Sam and her team are going over every single case Stahl investigated looking for what is fact and what is fiction. Captain Malone is now looking into the IT department for the time frame since the senior officers have been cleared.
Vernon and Jimmy drive her to HQ and she doesn’t even get to her office. Freddie meets her in the corridor with the news they have bodies, plural. A family of six found when the father didn’t show for work. Sam grabs everyone on day shift to help with this one. The grandmother had shown up and Freddie and Sam take back to HQ while the investigation continues at her son’s home.
With the intensity of this new case Chief Farnsworth tells Sam if she needs some time off, she should take it.
Sam is going through the usual motions from speaking with the grandmother, to friends and coworkers when she realizes something is off. Dr Trulo had set up a mandatory meeting with her team at the end of shift and it’s then she realizes that maybe she really does need some time off. Captain Malone approves of the time off and Freddie is put in charge of the investigation under Gonzo’s supervision.
Nick and Sam have dinner with their kids and Shelby and Noah since Avery is out of town. Avery texts Shelby he may be staying overnight in Ohio, and she assures him she’s fine and to do what he has to do. He’s in Ohio to question Nick’s mother on the federal charges and waiting for her and her attorney to join him in the interrogation room. It’s not long after the text he gets a call from Shelby saying she thinks there’s someone in the house. Then sounds of a struggle and Noah’s cry. Avery calls his deputy who gets right on it as Avery runs from the police station to get to the airport.
The FBI and MPD Special Response teams were on it and Avery also had dispatch call Sam. She tells Nick what’s going on and heads out, Freddie would meet her there. The situation was tense, but they got it under control. She forgot her BlackBerry so she had to call the switchboard who wouldn’t put her through. Frustrated she gave her the message to give to Nick and to have him call her regular number.
Nick was relieved and was about to call her when Brant tells him Commander Rodriguez wished to speak with him urgently. Juan Rodriguez was in street clothes which surprised Nick and when he asks what’s going on, Juan requests they speak in the Situation room.
This is a favorite scene.
Nick, Juan and Brant took the elevator down to the basement room that was the most secure space in the building. Brant keyed them into the room and gestured for Nick and Juan to go in while he waited outside. As soon as the door closed, sealing the two of them into the room, Juan turned to Nick.
“I heard something, and I don’t know if it’s true.”
“Okay…”
“Wilson is planning something.”
Nick had inherited Army General Michael Wilson as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from former President Nelson. The Joint Chiefs were made up of the top officers in all the services, and they served as the principal military advisers to the president. “What do you mean?”
“That’s the thing. I’m not sure. A friend at the Pentagon told me that Wilson has been holding high-level meetings all week, but no one knows what’s on the agenda. He said there’s talk—and this is the part that could get me court-martialed in any number of ways, so you didn’t hear it from me…”
“I would never give you up,” Nick said, his stomach churning as he waited for the other shoe to fall.
“People are saying he’s trying to organize a military coup.”
His stomach went from churning to free fall.
“From what my friend has heard, Wilson and other members of the Joint Chiefs are concerned about taking orders from an unelected president who could declare war on behalf of the United States without a mandate.”
Nick took his customary seat at the head of the table. The president’s seat. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I thought it was my duty to inform you.”
“I’ll never forget that you’ve taken a great personal risk to warn me, Juan.”
“I couldn’t let them do this to you without at least warning you.”
“What should I do?” As the commander in chief, that he was asking a Navy commander for that kind of advice was humbling to say the least. But Juan had become a friend in the last couple of months, and Nick trusted him, especially now that he’d taken a considerable risk to warn him.
“Get your inner circle together and fire the Joint Chiefs. You’ll also want to convene a military tribunal to try them for numerous charges, including possibly treason.”
“Jesus.” Nick was wholly unprepared to deal with something like this, which of course the Joint Chiefs knew. He picked up the receiver on the conference room table and pressed a button that connected him to the staffer who remained on duty in the West Wing twenty-four hours a day. His team took turns taking the overnight shifts.
“This is President Cappuano. Please contact Vice President Henderson, Secretary of State Sanford, Attorney General Cox, Defense Secretary Jennings, Mr. O’Connor and Mr. Kavanaugh and ask them to meet me in the Situation Room immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
He put down the phone, his mind spinning with potential implications. With the exceptions of Cox, who had a reputation as an honest, decent man, and Jennings, who’d already earned Nick’s respect, he’d invited only the people he’d appointed—those who were loyal to him.
The headlines would be brutal, even more so than the coverage of his mother and her crimes.
“You should go, Juan. I don’t want you caught up in this.” Nick stood to shake his hand. “Thank you.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President.”
“Juan…”
“Yes, sir?”
“Please be careful. It’s possible you’re being watched.”
“I understand, sir.”
After Juan left the room, the phone on the conference room table rang with a call from the switchboard.
Nick picked it up. “Yes?”
“Mr. President, the first lady called again to tell you she’s on her way to George Washington Hospital with Mrs. Hill and her son now.”
“Thank you.”
“She also asked that you call her on her regular cell number.”
“Can you please make that call for me? I’ll give you the number.” The Situation Room had no cell service.
“Yes, sir.”
“Did she ask to speak to me when she called?”
“Yes, sir, she did, but we get calls every day from people claiming to be her and asking to speak with you. Our policy is to put none of them through.”
“We’ll need to establish a code or something she can use to get through when needed.”
“I will speak to my supervisor about that, Mr. President.”
“Thank you.”
“Please hold for your call.”
Nick was treated to a recording about White House tours. He learned that the forty-five-minute tours were on a first-come, first-served basis and were arranged through congressional representatives and senators. He recalled fielding requests for White House tours through John O’Connor’s office when he’d been John’s chief of staff. That seemed like a hundred years ago now, when it was just over two years.
He needed to call Graham to come in, too. He would know how to handle this situation.
Nick put the phone on speaker so he’d hear Sam if she picked up the call and went to the doorway to speak to Brant. “Please send someone to pick up Senator O’Connor in Leesburg. Get him here as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Nick?” That was all it took to calm him—one word from Sam. No matter what fresh hell was about to descend upon him, he would always have her. That gave him the kind of comfort he’d never had before he had her.
“How are they?”
“Shelby is badly shaken, and Noah is sleeping through it all. I’m staying with them until Avery arrives in about an hour.”
“Is the baby okay?”
“They’ve got her on a fetal monitor, and the doctor said everything seems okay.”
“That’s a relief. Do you know who the people were?”
“Not yet. We’re waiting for more info about them, but they were asking for Avery.”
“Give Shelby and Noah all my love when you can.”
“I will. How are things there?”
“I’m in the Situation Room.”
“Ugh. That says it all, right?”
“You know it. Not sure how long I’ll be, but I’ll be up as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Love you, babe. So glad our Shelby and Noah are safe.”
“Yes, thank God. Love you, too.”
Nick called the switchboard and asked them to notify Senator O’Connor that he’d sent a car for him.
“Yes, sir.”
As he put down the phone and sat back in his chair to wait for his team to arrive, his heart went out to Avery Hill. Once upon a time, Nick wouldn’t have imagined the day would come when he’d feel for the guy who’d once fancied himself in love with Sam. But once Avery had gotten past that nonsense, Nick and Avery had settled into friendship in support of Shelby, whom they both loved.
The threat to Avery Hill’s family was a threat to all of them, and Nick would do whatever he could to ensure the safety of their friends.
Thinking about supporting them was better than dealing with the shitstorm that was about to unfold in his fledgling administration.
Force, Marie. State of Denial (First Family Series Book 5). Kindle Locations (1375-1435). HTJB, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
After ordering Vice President Henderson, Secretary of State Sanford, Attorney General Cox, Defense Secretary Jennings, Mr. O’Connor and Mr. Kavanaugh to join him in the situation room, Nick places the call to Sam. Much relieved that Shelby and Noah are okay, and that Sam would be staying with her until Avery arrives. Now all he has to do is prevent a possible military coup against his administration. It would be a long night.
Sam arrives home just in time to see the FBI vehicles leaving and no seemed to know why they were there. Nick joined her briefly to let her know what happened before addressing the press. Sam immediately decides to be at his side as he addresses the nation, showing her support in light of this huge betrayal.
We see more of Freddie and Elin as they deal with her miscarriage and more of Cam and Gigi as they come to terms with her shooting his ex.
Of course, Nicoletta is still griping over being in prison and how it’s all her daughter-in-law’s fault.
Freddie has many threads to pull on what at first glance looked like a murder/suicide but as he speaks with those who knew the family it doesn’t feel right. If it isn’t then what is the motive for this heinous crime.
So much happens in this book and Sam’s leave of absence is the shortest one ever. I love the way all these characters are growing within this series. Sam and Nick’s love overcomes all the challenges facing them every time. Of course, we also have an WTH ending that has me already reading the next book.
5 Contented Purrs for Marie!
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Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 100 contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance novels. Her series include Fatal, First Family, Gansett Island, Butler Vermont, Quantum, Treading Water, Miami Nights and Wild Widows. She has also written 11 single titles, with more coming.
Her books have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Spiegel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to spend as much time as possible with her young adult children, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
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