Did she punch anyone?
No.
Did she steal a car?
No.
Did she harass anyone in the workplace?
Nope.
Honestly, she was clueless to what this ‘meeting’ was going to be about. It had to be about getting a new partner, and that was almost worse than an ass chewing.
Partners sucked.
She would know. She had plenty over the last few months. Now it was time to put on that veneer and pretend she was calm or ‘the dragon slayer’ would really ride her tail.
Heading into his office, she plopped down on his big leather couch.
“Uh, you know you can knock, right?” he asked, as he glanced up from the stack of paperwork he was signing.
Gabe couldn’t wait until he was director one day. He was going to pass this bullshit off to his deputy director. It was a rite of passage.
“You called me here on my day off for some ‘meeting’ so you don’t get courtesy. Instead, you get tired, cranky, ‘I’ve worked back to back cases’, Elizabeth. She’s not good at the whole friendly thing on her only day off in over two weeks.”
He stared at her.
She looked…troubled.
“Could you close the door at least?” he asked. “I’d like to have a private conversation with you.”
Well, that she could do.
Getting up, she kicked it shut with a flourish and her cowboy boot. Dragging her in there bugged Elizabeth, so she was obligated to make him cranky too. She wore them in the office as much as possible to irritate him.
He was getting red, and that was always a win for her.
Sue her.
It was their thing, and it was done in good, ‘sisterly’ fun.
Elizabeth had learned everything she knew from this man. He’d trained her, he’d taken her under his wing, and he became family to her.
Family busted ass.
It was what it was.
“Wow! Boots. I didn’t see that one coming.”
“I’m from the South. You’d have to be blind not to see that one coming. What’s up, Gabe? I could be home in bed doing anything but this.”
Yeah, like Chris.
She could be doing him.
“I called you here to give you a choice.”
Well, that didn’t sound good to her.
A choice?
Christ.
What now?
“In what?” she asked, trying to stay calm as she was leaning back in her seat. “If it’s to be off or working today, I pick the former.”
He stared at her.
There were rumors going around that she was in a relationship with her ME. While he didn’t really care, he needed to make sure that stayed quiet. That was why he’d begun sending the ME off on different cases with different agents.
When you became complacent, you got sloppy. If she wanted to work with Christopher Leonard, they both had to prove they could keep it OUTSIDE the workplace.
So far, they had.
And…he was protecting her.
Elizabeth had taken a lot of slack over ‘The Butcher’ case, and he felt personally responsible for her. She was like that irritating kid sister, only she could kick his ass and be vicious.
“There’s a case.”
She sighed.
“Really?”
“No, I decided to deal with your shitty attitude this early in the morning because I have NOTHING better to do with my time. I love calling you in when you’re having a day off so I can ruin my day off from you too.”
She snorted.
Ah, she was feeling the love.
Elizabeth switched it up.
“How’s Amy?” she asked.
Immediately, he smiled. If you wanted to defuse a Gabe situation, you talked babies. The man was smitten with being a daddy.
“She’s great. Today, she began crawling. You should come over and see her. I think you’ll be amazed at how fast she’s growing.”
Oh, she was sure she would.
Kids were like weeds.
Literally.
They sprouted up out of nowhere.
That’s why she stayed on her birth control—RELIGIOUSLY.
“I will take you up on that. Tell Livy she can even make me dinner.”
Elizabeth would be glad to do it, and when Chris was out of town next so she wouldn’t have to sit home alone.
It sucked.
“It’ll be fun. Amy likes your hair.”
“She needs to take a number on that. The men like it too,” she teased.
Then Gabe realized what she did.
“You’re a pain in my ass!”
She blew him a kiss.
“I learned from the master,” she said, grinning at him. “You taught me how to distract. You should be proud that you took that fledgling agent and made her into this.”
He stared at her.
“Don’t put this crazy on me, LaRue. That’s all you,” Gabe stated. “Anyway, about the cases that came up.”
Well, here she went again.
So much for some downtime with Chris.
Elizabeth didn’t even give Gabe a chance to speak.
“I’ll take the harder one.”
“Uh, you might want to hear about it first.”
“Nope. I’ll take the harder one.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he prayed for patience with this one. She was a one-way ticket to ‘Risk-her-life-Ville’.
He continued, “There are two things that have come up, and I only have two agents left. My choices are you or Alex.”
“Well, since that jackwagon bailed on me, give him the shitty one.”
He laughed.
Well, that sounded more like one of his agents. They were always trying to pass the garbage cases off on her.
And she took them and turned them into gold.
“Yeah, well, I was going to let you pick first since you are both off, but I should have saved myself the aggravation and let him go first.”
She knew what that meant.
She wasn’t going to like either prospect. It was time for her to get serious.
“What do you have?” she asked.
“Well, we have a serial killer in Boston. It’s mimicking the ‘Boston Strangler’. Actually, that’s what the media has been calling him.”
She didn’t bat an eye.
“Okay, and?”
“We have a deputy coming from Damascus. We’re contemplating a building out there, and we want to see if we can cross-train a few of the locals until we can finalize the plans.”
“Okay, and?”
“He’s Native.”
“And?” she didn’t get it.
“He needs a friendly mentor FBI agent for a few days while he’s taking the seminars.”
She began laughing.
That was funny.
“You have to be fucking kidding me, Gabe. You have me and Alex in the hopper, and you’re even considering giving me a trainee? Did you hit your head when you got out of that limo this morning?”
He only wished.
“The case has some issues, and you may not want to wade into that mess—being a woman.”
She lifted a brow.
Not him too.
What was it about the FBI and her tits? Was there some secret memo going around that women were going to be less of an agent because they had knockers?
“BEING A WOMAN?” she repeated.
What could possibly be wrong with that case that it would make her want to play tour guide to some native deputy around the office?
Unless the case was in the middle of hell, and it was to find the Devil, she would rather take it.
Hell!
She’d take devil chasing over tour guide any day, and he knew it.
No, this Native could sashay himself around the place all on his own.
She wasn’t a hostess.
She was a Fed.
“Just hear me out,” Gabe began, trying t
o defuse the situation. He was aware that the men in his office weren’t accustomed to women being excellent at their jobs, being in top physical shape, or being super smart.
LaRue had it all.
It confused the hell out of some of them, and the rest of them were emasculated.
“I can’t wait to hear this,” she stated.
“The mob keeps interfering with any case we touch in Boston. Michael O’Banion has a hard on over keeping us out of his domain. We have people in there undercover all over the place, but the police are struggling with this case. I didn’t want to send anyone in, but I have no choice.”
“He’s interfering or he’s involved?” she asked. “That’s a different ballgame and you know it.”
“As far as the intel says, he’s just getting in the way using the same old techniques. We’re building a case against him, but we haven’t been able to lock it down. Yet.”
“And you’re afraid for me, or afraid I’ll blow the case you’re building?” she asked.
“For you. We all know how good you are at your job. You don’t blow cases. If he sees you,” he said, pointing at her breasts, “he’s going to take an interest. Since his wife died, he’s been lecherous at best.”
She didn’t give a shit if he was God. If he was going to stick his dick in her case, she was going to neuter him. When she was on a case, that came first.
“I’ll take it.”
He stared at her.
“Do you even hear me? MICHAEL ‘we can’t make anything stick to him’ O’BANION is jacking with the case. He’s a killer.”
“Oh, and I chase them. What a coinkydink. I take option one. It looks like I’m taking a jet to Boston. Mmmmm…crab season. I’ll bring you some home.”
It was official.
He was getting her a mental evaluation. She was on a suicide mission.
He’d only offered this up so she’d take the easier one for a change. That’s why he waited until she was off back to back cases where she would be tired, and her ME was in town.
Maybe the rumors were false. She was willing to head out alone—again.
“Lyzee, you don’t have a partner. I’d be sending you in with your ass on the line. As your friend, and someone who loves you, I gave you the options so you could take the Native. TAKE THE NATIVE, ELIZABETH!”
She stared at him.
Did he know her at all?
She didn’t need a partner. What she needed was for her boss to stop throwing her the shitty girl cases to keep her busy. She was smart. She could solve a case, handle a mob man, and paint her nails at the same time.
She was wicked smart like that.
“You’re right, Gabe.”
He relaxed.
“I’ll take the mob man for two hundred, Alex,” she stated, catching him off guard. “Do you want chowder, too, with those crabs? Hey! Will Livy get mad if I give you crabs?” she asked, snickering.
He closed his eyes.
“You are going to be the death of me. Take the freaking easier case.”
“N.O. I don’t do pussy cases, Gabe. I may have ovaries, but I can’t, in good conscience, have one single agent out there look at me and think that you played favorites or made it easy for me. I take the hard shit, I solve it, and I earn my own accolades.”
“I love you, but you’re going to die early with that kind of thinking. It’s okay to regroup and take an easy one once in a while.”
“Then I guess it’s a damn good thing that I’m not married and I’m not a mom. I’ll take the hard case. Besides, if you send Alex, Mr. ‘I Quit’, he’s going to get lost in the morgue. The boy is easily distracted. How the hell did he pass any testing?” she asked.
He pointed up.
She got it.
The higher ups wanted him.
They DID NOT want her, and that was just one more reason why she had to take the harder case.
“Well, he can give tours to some Native deputy. He will be happier with Alex. I’m not personable. You don’t want me being the cover girl for the FBI.”
Normally, no.
But when her ass was on the line, he’d be willing to deal with the HR fallout.
The sad part was, he didn’t like sending anyone out alone. The only one he had, as of late, was her.
Why?
She could hold her own.
“Are you sure I can’t change your mind? Are you sure you won’t take the easy one? It will be between you and me. You can stay here in DC.”
He waved that option at her, waiting to see if she’d take it. If she did, he’d know she and her ME had something going on.
She shook her head.
“I got this. I need to see the file, get my gear, and hit the airport.”
And there it was.
The rumors had to be false. He was glad. When people worked with someone they were dating—or sleeping with—bad shit happened.
He didn’t want Elizabeth to tank her career over a man and some sleazy bed hop—especially with Doctor Death.
Gabe slid the file across the desk, and she checked it out. It contained the three victims, all women. The killer snuck into their homes while they slept, sexually assaulted them, strangled them with cord, and left nothing behind.
Absolutely.
Nothing.
Well, she liked a challenge.
“I’ll take this with me. I’ll likely only get half the details from the cops running it. You know how the locals are when they see a Fed coming their way.”
Hopefully, he could help.
“I have an excellent working relationship with Levi McAllister. He’s the commissioner, and he’s already told his cops that the FBI is taking over.”
“And how did they take that little punch to the gut?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“They are not amused by it at all. This won’t be easy, Elizabeth.”
She laughed.
Like he had to tell her that.
“Uh, it never is.”
“Doctor Leonard is off duty. He just came in today. You need to pick a new ME—or use what they have there.”
He saw it on her face.
It was brief, but it was there.
Maybe the rumors were right after all. He was pretty sure his agent was swimming in the ME pool behind his back.
Interesting.
“Well, then, in that case, pick for me. I don’t care who you give me, but…”
“But what?” he asked.
“Can I at least take Tony?” she asked. “Or does Boston have a bone expert too?”
“They don’t, and as for an ME. You get the one there.”
Great.
Local cops with a hate on, and some city ME who likely can’t tell a body from a floor.
She almost wanted to take that easier job.
Almost.
Maybe playing tour guide would be a better choice. If she went in alone, she was really alone. If she stayed here, at least she’d see Chris.
Well, shit.
She was turning into a girl.
Christ Almighty!
“Okay, I’m good with the city ME. It won’t be the first jackwagon I’ve had to break in on the fly. As long as they can find the body on the table, I should be good.”
How bad could it be?
She didn’t want to know.
“Okay, Elizabeth. The jet leaves in ninety minutes. Grab your gear from home, and I’ll notify Doctor Magnus that he’s going on a field trip to help you. If you need anything, you let me know, okay?”
She could do that.
And she would.
“Thanks for looking out for me, Gabe. Despite it all, I know you’ve always had my back. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re family, Lyzee. I’ll take care of you the best I can, but don’t piss off all of Boston. Your shiny gold file can go to shit faster than you think.”
She got the warning.
She had to get this done now that she’d taken it on as her case.
“I
hear you.”
“Oh, can the deputy ride your desk while you’re out of town?” he asked. “You’re territorial to a fault, but I need to put him somewhere.”
“As long as he doesn’t rearrange it, or fart in my chair, he can use it.”
“Elizabeth.”
She loved frustrating the hell out of him. It gave her a perverse joy.
“OKAY! GOD! He can fart all he wants. I’ll swap out chairs with Alex when he’s not looking.”
Gabe sighed as she saluted him and headed toward the door.
“HEY!”
She turned at the door.
“What now, Mom?”
Gabe pointed at her.
“Wear your Kevlar. Michael O’Banion plays dirty. The second he sees you,” he said, giving her the look, “he’s going to think he has an advantage.”
She laughed.
Oh, he wouldn’t be the first or the last.
“I’m smarter than I look, and I’m as mean as a rattlesnake, Gabe. You know that.”
He shook his head.
That wasn’t what he meant. Gabe was aware she could fight her way out of anything—or shoot.
God help Boston.
“No, he collects pretty girls. You’re his type. Skinny, pretty, and endowed. Just don’t do anything stupid and fall for a bad guy.”
“I’m telling HR you pointed at my breasts.”
He went red.
“ELIZABETH!”
“Okay, I won’t tell HR. Just Livy!”
She laughed and headed out, leaving him fuming and frustrated in his office.
Well, that worked out good.
As for her being attracted to Michael O’Banion or falling for him…?
Yeah, it was too damn late. She’d fallen for the worst person for her, and he wasn’t a mob man.
Nope.
It was her best friend—the man who knew everything about her.
He knew how to break her heart, and he likely would too.
* * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *
Across
The
Country
He was nervous as hell.
Callen Whitefox hadn’t really spent much time off the Rez, and here he was, going to leave the familiarity of the place he hated to get lost in a crowd.
A six-foot-six Native man.
Yeah, this was going to suck.
“You might have a good time,” Timothy said, as he watched his grandson pack. The boy was stressed, and there were lines around his mouth. “Think of this as some grand adventure that you can write about one day.”
Dawn of Evil_FBI Flashback Page 5
