Everyone stared back and forth, knowing a battle was brewing.
“Why will I be doing that?” he asked.
“I’ll tell you why. It’s because over the last fifteen years of marriage, I’ve not asked for one thing. You told me to retire, I did. You laid down the law, and I listened. Now this mess is in our back yard—literally—and I ran from it once. I’m not dumping this on Elizabeth again. She carried it alone, and for that we were very wrong.”
He stared at his wife. “You haven’t fired a gun in fifteen years, Livy. You don’t know how dangerous being in the field is, especially when you’ve been out of the loop.”
“Actually, I do know how dangerous it is, and I also know how to fire a gun. When you think I’ve just been sitting here looking pretty, I’ve actually been to the firing range on a regular basis. We have guns in the house, and I may have to use one to protect my family.”
He stared at her.
“No way.”
“Do you really want to have a battle over this, Gabriel? Do you really want me to put my foot down in front of everyone and make you look bad?”
Gabe wanted to challenge her, but he knew his wife was a wildcard. It was one of the reasons he married her. She was impetuous, crazy, and lived on the edge.
He knew when he wasn’t going to win, so instead, he did the next best thing. Glancing over at Elizabeth, he left it up to her. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but you’re the lead investigator. You make the call.”
She didn't say a word.
The last place she wanted to be was between two people she cared about this much. “Uh, this isn’t really my call or my job,” Elizabeth stated. “I think you two need to make this decision as a couple.”
Gabe wasn’t surprised.
He didn't blame Elizabeth.
“Fine. I will. Olivia, when this case is over, you will be going back into retirement, right?” he asked his wife.
“Maybe.”
Gabe made some strangled sound. “What? Wait!”
Ethan stepped between them. “I’ll make the decision. I would hate to see a divorce over this.”
Elizabeth started laughing. “That’s okay, Ethan. I’ll take one for the team. They can’t divorce me. I say she’s in. We can use her to find this asshole. If she retires, that’s up to her and Gabe, but for now she’s on the team.”
He stared at Elizabeth. “For a while there, I actually forgot that you’ve always had her back when it related to us.”
“Come on, Gabe. This should be fun—just like old times.”
Gabe growled. “Old times weren’t good. You two made my life hell. In fact, it’s you three,” he said, pointing at Ethan, “who made me work for it.”
Blackhawk knew they were going to need everyone on this one. “I guess now that the team is in order, we can move on to the more important things. Chris?”
He knew he was up.
“Merry, let’s pull trace in the lab. Help me get him into the bag. The snow is picking up, and we don’t need contaminated evidence.”
Elizabeth crossed to Merry’s kit and grabbed two pairs of gloves. “I’ve got your back, Doc,” she said, helping him roll the man’s mutilated flesh back toward the body.
Ethan joined her.
Then Livy.
When they were finished, the men carried the ex-director toward a van waiting in the driveway, leaving the women alone. Before Elizabeth could follow, Livy touched her arm.
“Lyzee?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“For?”
“Everything I did to hurt you. I never realized that Gabe and I eloping would damage you like it did. That wasn’t my intention,” she admitted.
She wasn’t going to pull any punches, because friends shouldn’t have to.
“It did hurt. You made a promise, and you walked away from it. You were the closest thing I had to a sister. In that moment, you stole that and my brother from me.”
She didn't realize that she’d hurt her so much.
“You can stop looking upset, Livy. It’s been fifteen years. We both know I don’t hold a grudge. I let it go, Livy, so don’t worry about it.”
“I have to worry about it. I broke the code.”
She faced her friend. So much had changed in both of them. It wasn’t just about time. It was about life.
“I forgave you a long time ago because I love you.”
Livy wanted to cry.
“What you did for me…I don’t know what to say. You knew I needed him dead, and you did it.”
“Yeah, and look what it got me. Don’t put my choice on a pedestal, Livy. I fucked up.”
“You did it out of love.”
Yeah, she had.
“Now look what it got us.”
She shook her head. “You once told me something that I’ve carried all my life.”
“What?”
“We aren’t judged by our choices, but our actions. This speaks louder than what you chose to do. We’ll fix this and make it right. I just need a promise.”
“What?”
“If Chris Leonard confirms that Seamus O’Brien was the killer, you need to let it go. He was punished for his crimes. You simply saved the taxpayers money.”
She didn't like the stain it left on her life. Elizabeth hated that she still saw it in her dreams. It was something she couldn’t let go. The whole thing was out of her control, and she knew it.
“We move forward this time. Together.”
“You know that when Gabe gets you alone, he’s going to put you over his knee and spank you, right?”
She laughed. “I certainly hope so. You’re not the only one who likes a little kink in their life.”
Elizabeth fake gagged. “He’s like my brother. I don’t want to picture kink and Gabe in the same sentence.”
She laughed.
It looked like all was forgiven.
“Noted. Should we start investigating?”
Elizabeth dropped her arm over Livy’s shoulders, much like she used to do. “Well then, partner, let’s saddle up one last time. We have a killer to catch.”
Livy placed her arm over Elizabeth’s hip. “Yeah, we absolutely do. I missed you, Lyzee.”
She grinned. “Fifty bucks says that Gabe blows his top before we even finish the autopsy.”
She snorted. “I say by breakfast tomorrow.”
“Deal. Let’s go.”
Together, they crossed the yard. This killer didn't know what was coming. This case wasn’t going to break them. It was going to make them all stronger.
Or at least that’s what Elizabeth hoped.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
The plan was going exactly as intended.
The second Elizabeth Blackhawk landed in DC the game began. It didn't start with bleeding the other director, or placing the body on Gabriel Rothschild’s lawn.
No, it began with Elizabeth.
She was the reason this all had to happen.
In the end, she’d pay for everything she’d done, and it would be poetic justice.
As she chased her tail, the next victim was already planned. There would be so many victims that she wouldn’t know what to do with herself.
It was perfect.
So far, it was executed without a flaw, and that was the most important part. There was no doubt that the woman being hunted was smart, and she couldn’t be given the slightest clue. If that happened, the game would end.
No, that couldn’t happen.
How seamlessly this was working was proof that this was meant to be. All those years, watching, waiting, and getting ready had paid off.
Justice was coming, and in the end, the jury would sentence her to death.
Only, it would be a jury of one.
This was a long time coming.
“Oh, Elizabeth LaRue Blackhawk, you have no idea what you’re up against, but you will. Only then, it will be too late.”
&
nbsp; With that, it was time to set the next scene. This game was afoot, and the players needed to be kept busy.
More blood was coming.
It was only a matter of time.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
FBI Building
Washington, DC
Going back to the building where it all started was always a little odd. This place created both of them, and their paths never once crossed.
Neither understood how that could happen.
Then again, Fate had a plan, and Ethan and Elizabeth were at her mercy. As they strolled in, people stared.
It wasn’t shocking in the least.
How could they not be a spectacle at this three-ring freak show?
The media had plastered her face all over the screens. There were far and few who didn't know who she was or the men at her side.
That was fine with her.
They would use it to their advantage. When life handed you lemons, you made lemonade. Then you poisoned it and force-fed it to the people who made your life hell.
That was her plan. The media had made their lives a mess, and she would get even for it. One day, when they least expected it, she’d win this fight.
But for now…
The attention made them powerful, and that gave them leverage. Their jobs, for the most part, were all about politics. It was who you knew that gave you the foot up, and in their case, Gabriel Rothschild was a powerful ally.
As they walked in, he was greeted by every single agent who was trying to get their face recognized by the boss man.
Then something stuck her.
It was amusing too.
Gabe wasn’t the only ass they were kissing. Ethan was going to have plenty of lip marks on that sexy derrière of his too. Apparently, her husband was just as big a force to be reckoned with on the East coast. Just as many people knew his name, his face, and the way he ran his building.
It made her proud.
Yes, they were partners, but truth be told, he was definitely the boss. Elizabeth…she was more a figurehead—like the queen of England.
No, Ethan had the power, and he wielded it too.
In his finery, he oozed power, and there was no doubt that one day, if this didn't tank their careers, that he would be running this office.
At one point, he’d be the boss, and she’d be…his wife.
She laughed.
Everyone glanced over at her.
“Should I be worried?” Ethan asked, grinning wickedly at her. “Whenever you randomly burst into giggles, it usually means you’ve plotted someone’s demise.”
Oh, she was plotting all right.
At that moment, she wanted to jump him. The way his blue-black eyes sparkled, and the sweep of his hair on his shoulders turned her right on.
Yeah, she loved him very much.
The men in her life definitely grounded her. There was no way she could do any of this without them.
“You know me, darlin’. Do you really want me saying what’s going on in my mind out loud and for everyone to hear?”
“Yes,” stated Callen and Livy at the same time.
“Hell no!” objected Blackhawk.
Even Gabe agreed. They knew her too well. Who knew what she’d say?
Elizabeth simply laughed.
As the elevator doors opened, Gabe stepped out into his kingdom. As they rolled through the offices, he stopped at his new secretary’s desk.
One thing was sure.
She was a looker. If you liked fake boobs and overly coifed blonde hair.
“Paulina,” Gabe said, making the introductions, “if any of these folks show up here, you give them whatever they want. Am I clear?”
She nodded. “Yes, Director.”
Elizabeth was a little shocked that Gabe had taken on a new secretary, especially one so young. Then again, he probably needed someone to help hold down the fort.
Then she noticed Livy was eyeing up the woman as if she was potential competition.
Oh, this was going to be entertaining. Elizabeth could see it now.
Livy cleared her voice. “Gabe, Can I get my badge?” she asked, reminding him that she wasn’t just there to enjoy the scenery.
“Paulina, I need paperwork for temporary agent status.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, typing something into her computer. Immediately, the paperwork slid out of her printer. She grabbed it, made some markings on it, before she handed her boss a pink fluffy pen.
Elizabeth snorted. “I knew you liked pink.”
“Elizabeth,” he warned. “Don’t do it.”
Ethan laughed. There were few people on the planet who could keep Elizabeth from going off the rails. He and Gabe might be the only two.
“What? I was simply admiring her pen. You should tuck it in your pocket. Your black suit needs that punch of color. You’ll look all fancy-schmancy.”
He signed his name on the bottom.
“Put this through ASAP,” he stated. “I need it in the next thirty minutes. There’s no time to wait on it.”
“It must be important,” Paulina stated.
“It is. The badge is for my wife.”
The woman stared at Livy. “Are you serious? You’re requisitioning a badge for your wife? Are you sure, sir?”
Livy leaned over the desk. “Newsflash, honey. I was an agent before I was his wife, and I’ve given him six babies. You don’t get tougher than that. He’s sure I can handle it.”
The men all knew better than to say a word. Instead, they headed into the office to avoid being pulled into the mêlée.
“Yes, Mrs. Rothschild.”
The women followed. Immediately, the door was closed. Gabe dropped down in his chair and closed his eyes. “I have a really bad feeling about this. If I was doubtful before, I’m pretty sure I’m going to regret this.”
“I can handle having a badge,” Livy stated.
“I’m more worried that you’re going to slap the stupid out of people with it. I already have one person, who shall remain nameless, doing that.”
Elizabeth and Livy grinned.
Ethan shook his head. “I’m with you. Livy’s got that look on her face. Elizabeth gets it too. It’s usually before I have to fill out paperwork, or profusely apologize to someone.”
“Great,” he muttered.
Callen knew they better get working. “How about we get this started? The sooner we find this killer, the sooner we can get home.”
Elizabeth moved around Gabe’s desk and pulled open his drawer.
“Hey! Boundaries, Elizabeth!”
She laughed as she found his secret stash of candy. “I’m starving, and I have a second person to feed. Boundaries disappear when you try and stand between me and food.”
She sat on the corner of his desk as she unwrapped the absconded candy bar.
“I can see that. By all means, help yourself and sit on your boss’s desk. He doesn’t mind.”
She grinned as she bit into the chocolate. “Callen’s right. We need to get to work. I suggest we split up.”
The men in the room started laughing.
The women—not so much.
“I’m being serious. We need someone to do the research. We have searches to run on the director, his phone, and his financials. Then we have autopsy to watch, and someone has to search his house. If this is a copycat killer, he’s going to move fast, just like the original.”
“How fast is fast?” Callen asked. He was the only one who wasn’t around fifteen years ago for this.
“The last time we had roughly one a day. He dropped the first three in three days, and then took a day off.”
“Shit! That’s insane! How do you keep up with that?” Callen asked.
Yeah, you didn’t.
Instead, you buckled up and prayed that you made it out alive. They were likely going to have another body by morning.
“I’ll handle the searches,” Callen offered. “I’ll be the paperwork monkey
on this pleasure cruise.”
They all glanced over.
No one expected that.
“Let’s face it. In the field, I’m not going to be as strong as the rest of you. I can protect what’s ours, but she’ll be worried and focused on me. I don’t want Elizabeth distracted. I’m not the best choice for bodyguard.”
Elizabeth couldn’t love him more than she did in that moment. Callen got that she didn't need the distraction. She didn't even have to fight.
This proved it.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, angel, but stick close to Ethan, please? I don’t want you worrying, but I know I’m going to be a freaked out mess.”
“I promise I’ll be safe,” she reassured.
“I’ll keep her protected, Cal,” Ethan promised. “I won’t let anything happen to your child or our woman. I swear on my life.”
He believed his brother. Ethan was just as fiercely protective as he was, and there was no doubt he’d sacrifice his life for the woman they loved.
“You can use my office and my administrative assistant. She’s incredibly helpful and always willing to do anything you ask,” Gabe offered.
Livy crossed her arms and gave him one hell of a look. It wasn’t pretty. “Gabriel! Really?”
The tone said it all.
“What? Wait! I didn’t mean that, Livy. You can’t possibly think that I would…that I meant…hell!”
Elizabeth snorted. “Oh, Gabe, give up while you can still use your appendages.”
“I’m serious. She’s not my type.”
Livy didn't have to say a word.
He knew he was screwed if he kept digging.
Instead, he knew they needed to get working. “I need coffee,” Gabe said, buzzing his secretary. “Does anyone need some caffeine?”
They all raised their hands.
“Elizabeth gets decaf,” Callen stated.
She gave him a look.
Gabe finished ordering the coffees, and then he got down to business. “Well, Elizabeth? What’s first? This is your show. Lead it.”
She could do that.
“Ethan and I are going to head to the deceased director’s house. You and Livy get autopsy.”
Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) Page 10
