“I agree. Good one, Callen.”
At that exact moment, the two agents entered the room.
“We were looking for you, boss,” stated Johanna Madden. “We did your searches.”
“Spill it,” she stated as Callen got ready to take notes.
“We found the bar where Kaylee Bain was prone to hang out. It’s right between Devil’s Lake and the reservation. We have a dry Rez, so a lot of Natives head off the land to party there. When we pulled the police records, she wasn’t the only one who was arrested there. We have a few of the local indigenous people who were cited.”
“Like?”
“Bruno Whitefeather was one, and one of the tribe’s officers, a Brian Brewster.”
Elizabeth grinned at Callen. “So, that also gives us one of the men who dug up the bodies and a Native cop. That’s curious,” she stated.
“I see some scalping in their future,” Zane stated.
“Good one, Doctor. You get bonus points as do my two agents. In fact, they get shiny gold stars. I love when my team is so self-sufficient that all I have to do is ask what they found. It makes me so damn happy.”
“We aim to please, ma’am.”
Elizabeth pulled out her phone to search for a number. When she found it, she dialed. “I’d like to order twenty pizzas,” she stated, giving them the information. “Please deliver it to the morgue.”
There was a pause. “Do I sound like a freaking idiot? Of course I said that. Do I have to spell it? I said M.O.R.G.U.E. You know, that place where they keep dead bodies?”
Again, she waited.
“Head to the back door. I’ll have someone waiting there for you.”
Hanging up, she glanced at the team. “Dinner is on us, since you’ll all be working late. Share, play nice, and thank you for a good job,” she stated. When she whistled all the techs stopped moving. “You, come here,” she said, pointing at one male tech.
“Yes, ma’am?” Pulling out cash for a tip, she handed it to him. “Sign the slip for the pizzas. I paid by credit card, so make sure you save it for me. Tip the scared driver, and if you jump out and manage to scare him, I’ll make it worth your while.”
He grabbed the money and grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
Her team started laughing. Yes, their boss was sadistic, but in a good way.
“Now, get finished for the day and head out after you eat. Be ready for a long day tomorrow. The techs will be searching all four victims’ homes, and I’ll be out in the field with my partner. If you get or find anything, call me. I’d rather know than walk into some mess later.”
“When is Director Blackhawk arriving?” Zane inquired offhandedly.
“Got me. Do I look like his keeper?”
“Yes,” they all said together.
“I love my team. I may request this exact group every time I go out in the field.”
Now, they groaned.
“So much better,” she said, laughing on her way out the door.
“I’ll be right back,” Tony said, to the team. “I need to talk to the boss.”
“I’ll get back to the bodies and beetles,” Jax said, focused on the work ahead. Soon, the team wouldn’t be the only ones dining.
The beetles were going to the body buffet.
Outside, Tony finally caught up to them. “Can I talk to you a minute?” he asked, touching Elizabeth on the arm.
She stopped in the grass behind the building. “You know you always can. What’s up?”
He swallowed. “This is personal, and I’m coming to you as a friend, not an employee.”
Already, she and Callen knew where this was headed. It was rare any of her doctors were off balance. She had a team so damn good, it made Gabe’s look faulty. They handpicked each and every one for that exact reason.
“What’s up, Tony? You know that we’re always here for you.”
Callen dropped his arm over her shoulders since they were taking a duty break.
“I’m in over my head.”
Elizabeth leaned against Callen. “How so?”
“I’m out of my element with this woman. I’ve never felt this way before, and it’s got me all tied up in knots. I’m usually okay with the opposite sex. They’re there for when I need to,” he began, pausing before he dared to continue, “God, this is mortifying.”
She started laughing. “Hey, I get it. You’ve been with women, but just in the biblical sense.”
He let out the breath he was holding. “If Chris was here, I’d ask him. When he called, he wasn’t exactly sure what to do himself. I need some advice on how to progress with this. I have to be gentle, because she’s got some issues.”
That made her pause.
He pointed. “No, you said you were my friend, not my boss. Anything I say here is between Lyzee, Callen, and Tony, not two directors and a doctor.”
He had her there. “I do need to know what kind of issues. Is she into freaky sex or…”
Tony was mortified further. “Elizabeth!”
Callen laughed.
“Spill it, and we’ll do what we can,” she reassured.
Like a dam, he broke under the pressure, sharing everything he knew. From the bodies, the stress, her not sure if this was the job for her, and what he said to her that morning which made her mad. It all came gushing out in a wave of truth.
Elizabeth listened, taking it all in.
When he finally finished, Elizabeth and Callen looked at each other.
“It’s not going to be easy, Tony. You’re new at this girl thing, and she’s skittish.”
“How do I fix it?”
Callen took this one. “I’m an expert at difficult women,” he began, earning an elbow to the ribs, “and I wouldn’t trade that in for all the money in the world,” he corrected.
Tony laughed.
“You need to remember that she’s not just a doctor. Jaxon is a woman. Every female on the planet, no matter how tough on the outside, still has the same fundamental needs on the inside.”
“And that would be?”
Elizabeth jumped in. “I like romance. When Ethan or Callen try to do something sweet, it turns me to mush. I also have moments where I like to feel safe and protected.”
He stared at her. “You need to be protected?” he asked, shocked. “You’re bad ass Lyzee Blackhawk.”
Callen answered, “Yes, but she’s a woman. My suggestion is that you need to spend some time alone with Jaxon. Take her out to dinner and be romantic. If the spark is there, it’ll set flame. If it’s not, you’ll know.”
“How do you feel about her?” Elizabeth asked.
“I feel confused, tripped up, and like I want to lock her in a box to keep her safe. When Jaxon was leaning against Doctor Legend, I wanted to beat him senseless. That’s not like me. I’m so very laid back that a nuclear holocaust couldn’t stress me out.”
“Sounds like you’ve found the woman for you,” Callen stated. “When I first met Elizabeth, I felt the same. Only, I had a bigger problem. She was married to my brother. I didn't think I’d ever be happy.”
“Is that why you proposed to Desdemona?”
Callen’s heart lurched at her name. Even though he was tied to her for the rest of his life, through the child she tried to hide, he still had emotions linked to her.
Anger.
Sympathy.
Hate.
It all lived in him for that woman.
“I wanted what my brother had so badly, that I was willing to settle for someone else. We all know how that ended. My suggestion is take it slow, be sure, and go for it when your heart tells you it’s time. Don’t listen to your brain on this one. Love is all about here,” he said, patting the man over his heart.
“I agree,” stated Elizabeth.
“Okay, so where do I take her?”
“Have you never done this before?” Elizabeth asked, lifting a brow.
“No. Whenever I’ve been with a woman, it was to satisfy the basic needs we all have. I’m no
t a dater. I’m a one night stand kind of man. I don’t build lasting attachments. I don’t know if I even can.”
The way he said it was so funny, yet it was clear he never meant it to be. Her doctor was very analytical and didn't really see outside the box.
“That’s not true, Tony. You’ve built a family here. Look at you and Chris. He’s like a brother to you. Then, you have me. We’ve seen some scary shit over the years. You’re my family too.”
For a second, he had peace. “Thank you for that.”
“Okay,” stated Callen, trying to give the man a starting out point. “There has to be a nice place in town or even close by. Tell her you want to take her to dinner. Buy her a few drinks, maybe give her flowers, and go from there. The way to a woman’s heart is to show you care and want to be with her. Hang in there and get ready for a fight.”
“Tony, she’s going back to Quantico when this is over. Are you prepared for that?” Elizabeth asked, believing that a warning was necessary in this case.
“I know. I’m screwed, aren’t I?” Already, he could see heartache on the horizon. “I’m going to get my ass handed to me on this one.” Tony fully expected to get hurt, yet he couldn’t stay away from the flame. He was like a moth drawn to it.
Elizabeth wouldn’t tell him that, but odds weren’t on his side. “I’ll do whatever I can to help stack the deck in your favor. You just need to do your part.”
He appreciated it so much. “I don’t know how to say thank you enough,” he stated.
Elizabeth hugged him. Doctor Tony Magnus was a good man. He was the keeper of her secrets before she found the men who did that job now. When she had been shot and her partner died, this man and Chris Leonard had sat by her bedside to cheer her up. That was family at its finest.
“You don’t have to thank me, darlin’. You just try and get the girl. Cupid has your back.”
He kissed her on the cheek before rushing away.
“What are you going to do?” Callen asked, as they headed to the Navigator.
“I have no freaking clue. This one’s going to be tough.”
“How tough?” he asked.
“Three alarm fire, boot camp in full gear through the mud, and heartbreak looming in the background, tough.”
“Oh, boy.”
Yeah, he could say that again.
* * *
He got bored looking for a place to bury his next victim. For now, he wanted to just take him and let the chips fall where they may.
While he was enacting his revenge, then he’d figure it all out. Maybe this one would be left in a crypt in the cemetery. After all, he knew where there were some available ones.
They’d been built and bought, but never to be used. They were close to where he did his secret work. The more and more he thought about it, he decided to really switch it up. While the FBI looked on the Native lands, he’d take it to a place they’d never think to search.
Yeah, that’s what he’d do.
Sitting in the dark, he watched the man who needed to suffer for what he’d done.
God had told him he was the one.
Now, it was all about taking him.
Every night, he’d take that dog for a walk. If anything, it was laughable. His girlfriend owned that joke of a pooch, but the poor guy was saddled with it. Oh well, he wasn’t afraid of it in the least. In fact, he’d kick the little rat across the grass.
Then, it hit him.
On second thought, the dog could join him.
Waiting in the trees, where he’d hidden the tarp to use for transport, he noticed the man moving closer. When the next sinner was just past the location, he jumped out, using the hammer to knock him out. The crunch of bones filled the air as the sick thud called to him on some level.
This was God’s enactment of punishment.
There would be no mercy.
Not now. Not ever.
By morning, this sinner would be in his place, and no one would be any wiser. Glancing down at the yapping dog, he grabbed it and violently twisted its neck. The popping of bones told the tale, just as the barking ended.
The fury rat lay dead now too.
Finally, it was time to wrap them up. As he prepared to roll them up, the man moaned in pain.
This wouldn’t do.
With repetitive swings of the hammer, his victim was bludgeoned over and over again.
The anger was there.
The hate was evident.
There was no compassion or mercy.
With one more strike, done in the haze of violence, he went too far and ended his life.
“Oh, well,” the killer muttered, wrapping him up. “It saves me a step later.”
Dragging him to his truck, he hefted the man up. Closing the gate, he went off to do the Lord’s work.
One sin at a time.
~ Chapter Seven ~
Tuesday Late Afternoon
They pulled into the parking spot in front of the meeting house. Granted, Elizabeth’s mood was much brighter now than after talking to Wade Dixon, but Callen was still worried.
Oh, not that she would still be feeling guilty.
But that she would bury him in a Native mess.
When it came to people, the woman he loved was an enigma. Often, she was taken for face value and judged solely on that. Yet there was so much more to Elizabeth. It was only a matter of getting to know her.
“I can feel your tension from here,” she stated, patting him on the arm. “You need to chill out. I’ll behave.”
“Lyzee, I’m sorry,” he began, but she cut him off.
“Cal, I get it. You work hard at your job. I won’t stir up the Natives. We have enough on our plate, but I do need personal interviews with the two men who were caught with Kaylee Bain. If you can get me those, I’ll be more than happy.”
He ran his fingers down her cheek. “If you promise to be a good girl, maybe there will be a surprise for you when we get back to the cabin.”
Leaning over, she stopped with her lips almost touching his before she spoke, “What kind of surprise, love monkey?”
“One that will get you all hot and bothered, right before it gets you in the mood for sex,” he promised, hoping his brother arrived in time. While she’d crawl all over him at the drop of a hat, Callen actually missed his brother. When they had sex, it was a million times hotter.
“I’m going to be very good, just to get my prize,” she whispered, running her fingers up his white button down shirt and to his neck. Once there, she pulled him closer to share a kiss.
Heat flooded him as her mouth expertly worked over his. His woman knew the exact way to stir him up and make him run hot. Just as he was falling into the mating of mouths, she began to pull away with his lip between her teeth.
“Lyzee,” he muttered, his heart pounding and his body as tight as the string on a bow. “You’re wicked.”
Her laughter filled the vehicle. “You bring it out in me, Callen,” she stated, staring into his eyes. “Don’t forget to arrange those interviews, if you don’t mind.”
It took everything he had to focus on her words. She was so close to him that he could smell her perfume and taste her on his lips.
“Yes, ma’am,” he stated, as she hopped out of the Navigator. His eyes tracked her until she stopped in front of the vehicle. Yeah, he couldn’t wait to get her out of those jeans. Ethan better come though.
Joining her, he headed into the building.
Once inside, Elizabeth looked around. It was decorated in traditional Native colors. There were murals on the walls, depicting some battles that the tribe’s ancestors had survived against the pillaging white man.
Waiting for them was the chief and beside him stood another man.
“We were just finishing up,” he said, shaking Callen’s hand. “This is the head of the council, Red Darkeagle. He insisted on meeting with you, Director Whitefox.”
Callen shook his hand and pointed at his woman who was checking out the giant mural. “
This is my partner, Director Elizabeth Blackhawk.”
She immediately turned, offering them her hand in greeting. “That’s absolutely stunning,” she offered. “In fact, it’s fantastic.”
Red Darkeagle spoke, “It’s not often an outsider can appreciate our art. It was done by one of our local painters. His work can be found in the village shops if you want to take some home with you. Everyone should have a little piece of Native culture with them. After all, we started it all.”
She glanced back over at him. “Our home has plenty of Native homage in it. I happen to own a beautiful warbonnet.”
The men stared at her.
Callen stepped in before assumptions were made. “Elizabeth is my partner in and out of the field. My very Native grandfather was a shaman and loved her very much. When he passed on, he gifted it to her.”
The men softened.
“She’s also the mother of our little Natives and carrying another of our children.”
Elizabeth went to Callen’s side to wrap her arm around his hips. “I also speak the tribe’s language. Does that get me into this interview?”
Chief Molala began laughing. “Yes, it absolutely does, Elizabeth.”
She let it go that he dropped the director title. This was for Callen. Today, she was going to play nice with the Natives. If it worked on the sheriff and his men, it just might have merit in this situation too.
Inside the room, they all took their seats.
“What have you found?” Red Darkeagle asked. “We would like resolution to this, and soon,” he stated.
Elizabeth normally would have jumped in, but true to her word, she left it up to Callen. This was more field testing at its finest. She knew what was coming, Native or not.
They weren’t going to be happy at all.
“All four victims are from the local town. We’re currently trying to figure out why your land was used for these murders. Once we do, we’ll be able to tell you more.”
“Do you think this person has desecrated more of our reservation?” he asked, staring at Elizabeth.
“We don’t know, sir, but we’d like to find out.”
Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) Page 18
