deputy chief of staff,” Freddie said.
“Bring her in.”
“Ms. Billings,” Sam said, gesturing the pretty, petite blonde to a seat across the conference room table. Sam always felt like an Amazon next to tiny women like her. “Let me begin by saying how sorry we are for your loss.”
The sympathy brought tears to Christina’s blue eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Can you tell us where you were the night of the senator’s murder?”
“I was here. With the vote the next day we had so much to do to get ready for the aftermath—press conferences, appearances on talk shows, interviews… We were doing everything we could to ensure the senator got the attention he deserved.” Her shoulders sagged, almost as if life had lost its purpose. “He’d worked so hard.”
Intrigued by the gamut of emotions emanating from Christina, Sam said, “You were here in the office the entire night?”
“Except for when I left to get food for everyone.”
“What time?” Freddie asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe around eleven or eleven-thirty?”
Freddie and Sam exchanged glances.
“Where did you get the food?”
She named a Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill, and Sam made a note to check it out later. “Did you go anywhere else?”
“No. I picked up the food and came right back. Everyone was hungry.”
“Do you have a key to the senator’s apartment?” Freddie asked.
Nodding, she said, “He gave it to me some time ago so I could pick up his mail and water the plants when he was in Richmond or Leesburg.”
“When was the last time you used it?”
Christina thought about that. “Maybe three months ago. He’s been in town for most of the session working on gathering the votes needed for the immigration bill.”
“What do you know about his personal life?” Freddie asked. “Was he dating anyone?”
Her expression immediately changed from grief-stricken to hostile. “I have no idea. I didn’t discuss his love life with him. He was my boss.”
Something in the tone, in the flash of the blue eyes, set off Sam’s radar. “Ms. Billings, were you romantically involved with the senator?”
Christina pushed back the chair and stood up. “I’m done.”
“The hell you are,” Sam snapped. “Sit down.”
Trembling with rage, her lips tight, Christina turned and met Sam’s steely stare with one of her own. “Or what?”
“Or we’ll do this downtown. Your choice.”
With great reluctance, Christina returned to her seat, her body rigid, and her hands clasped together.
“Before we continue, I’ll advise you of your right to have counsel present during this interview.”
Christina gasped. “Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this time, but you may request an attorney at any point. Do you wish to continue without counsel?”
Christina’s nod was small and uncertain. Her posture had lost some of its rigidity at the mention of lawyers.
“I’ll ask you again,” Sam said. “Were you romantically involved with the senator?”
“No,” Christina said softly.
“Did you have feelings of a romantic nature for him?”
Christina’s eyes flooded. “Yes.”
“And these feelings were unrequited?”
“I have no idea. We never discussed it.”
“How did you feel about him dating other women?” Freddie asked.
“How do you think I felt?” Christina shot back at him. “I loved him, but he didn’t see me that way. To him I was a trusted aide and a friend he could count on to pick up his mail.”
“What were your specific duties as his deputy chief of staff?” Sam asked.
“I oversaw his daily schedule, kept his appointment calendar, supervised the administrative assistants, and basically managed his time.”
“So you worked closely with him?” Freddie asked.
“Yes.”
“More closely than Mr. Cappuano?”
“On many days. Yes.”
“And in all this time you spent with him, he had no idea how you felt about him?” Sam asked.
“I went to great lengths to hide it from him and
“Bring her in.”
“Ms. Billings,” Sam said, gesturing the pretty, petite blonde to a seat across the conference room table. Sam always felt like an Amazon next to tiny women like her. “Let me begin by saying how sorry we are for your loss.”
The sympathy brought tears to Christina’s blue eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Can you tell us where you were the night of the senator’s murder?”
“I was here. With the vote the next day we had so much to do to get ready for the aftermath—press conferences, appearances on talk shows, interviews… We were doing everything we could to ensure the senator got the attention he deserved.” Her shoulders sagged, almost as if life had lost its purpose. “He’d worked so hard.”
Intrigued by the gamut of emotions emanating from Christina, Sam said, “You were here in the office the entire night?”
“Except for when I left to get food for everyone.”
“What time?” Freddie asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe around eleven or eleven-thirty?”
Freddie and Sam exchanged glances.
“Where did you get the food?”
She named a Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill, and Sam made a note to check it out later. “Did you go anywhere else?”
“No. I picked up the food and came right back. Everyone was hungry.”
“Do you have a key to the senator’s apartment?” Freddie asked.
Nodding, she said, “He gave it to me some time ago so I could pick up his mail and water the plants when he was in Richmond or Leesburg.”
“When was the last time you used it?”
Christina thought about that. “Maybe three months ago. He’s been in town for most of the session working on gathering the votes needed for the immigration bill.”
“What do you know about his personal life?” Freddie asked. “Was he dating anyone?”
Her expression immediately changed from grief-stricken to hostile. “I have no idea. I didn’t discuss his love life with him. He was my boss.”
Something in the tone, in the flash of the blue eyes, set off Sam’s radar. “Ms. Billings, were you romantically involved with the senator?”
Christina pushed back the chair and stood up. “I’m done.”
“The hell you are,” Sam snapped. “Sit down.”
Trembling with rage, her lips tight, Christina turned and met Sam’s steely stare with one of her own. “Or what?”
“Or we’ll do this downtown. Your choice.”
With great reluctance, Christina returned to her seat, her body rigid, and her hands clasped together.
“Before we continue, I’ll advise you of your right to have counsel present during this interview.”
Christina gasped. “Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this time, but you may request an attorney at any point. Do you wish to continue without counsel?”
Christina’s nod was small and uncertain. Her posture had lost some of its rigidity at the mention of lawyers.
“I’ll ask you again,” Sam said. “Were you romantically involved with the senator?”
“No,” Christina said softly.
“Did you have feelings of a romantic nature for him?”
Christina’s eyes flooded. “Yes.”
“And these feelings were unrequited?”
“I have no idea. We never discussed it.”
“How did you feel about him dating other women?” Freddie asked.
“How do you think I felt?” Christina shot back at him. “I loved him, but he didn’t see me that way. To him I was a trusted aide and a friend he could count on to pick up his mail.”
“What were your specific duties as his deputy chief of staff?” Sam asked.
“I oversaw his daily schedule, kept his appointment calendar, supervised the administrative assistants, and basically managed his time.”
“So you worked closely with him?” Freddie asked.
“Yes.”
“More closely than Mr. Cappuano?”
“On many days. Yes.”
“And in all this time you spent with him, he had no idea how you felt about him?” Sam asked.
“I went to great lengths to hide it from him and
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