He took a seat. It was hard not to be proud of himself. “Thank you. Now, what’s the plan for today?” he asked, as they all began to eat.
“I think we need to stop at the morgue, get the team ready to head out, and then visit the car dealership,” she stated.
That worked for Ethan. “How’s the head tech doing?”
They both laughed.
“Is it that bad?”
She shook her head. “Merry is amazing. She can think on her own and do her damn job without me directing her. It’s like we have a clone of Christina, just in a different body.”
“Seriously? We found a good one?”
Callen snorted. “We? Uh, I hired her. You picked the last five nightmares,” he reminded them.
Ethan sipped his coffee. “Well, since you’re so proud of yourself, Callen, it looks like you are getting a raise after all. You get to be the liaison to HR. You’re going to be the one who makes all the hiring decisions.”
“Hey! Wait! I didn't mean I wanted to do this every day. The odds aren’t in my favor.”
Elizabeth started laughing. “When will you learn?”
He grinned, opting to tease her back. “Are there perks with this new duty?”
“Yeah, you get to sleep with the bosses as much as you want.”
“Sold.”
Elizabeth shoved the last of her food into her mouth before mumbling. “Let’s get a move on.”
They both followed suit. When the boss said jump, they knew better than not to listen.
* * *
At the police station, they hopped out of the vehicle. It was time for the shift change, and there were deputies carousing in the parking lot.
Yeah, Devil’s Lake must not have any crime.
“We should introduce you to the sheriff, since he’s bound to ask where we picked you up,” she said, pointing at his suit. “You’re a little overdressed, aren’t you?”
His hand went to his tie. “You’re going to be a little underdressed in the back of the rental if you don’t behave,” he stated.
Callen snorted.
“Yeah, yeah. Wait until I win that bet. We’ll see who’s laughing then, Cowboy and sidekick.”
Crossing the lot, they stopped at the older man who was just climbing out of his truck. “Hey there, sweetheart. Don’t you look all pretty and sunshine-y today,” he said, grinning at her.
Ethan waited for the explosion, and when it didn't happen, he was shocked. What the hell was going on?
“Good morning, Sheriff. I just wanted to introduce you to the third member of our team,” she began, motioning toward herself and Callen. “This is Director Ethan Blackhawk. He’s my boss.”
The sheriff lifted a brow but offered his hand. “So, you’re the one who is mean to this sweet little thing. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Callen had to cover the laughter with a cough. His brother’s face was priceless. It was clear to see he was struggling to put it all together and failing miserably.
“Pardon?”
The man shook his head. “When she told us that her boss was a yeller and often mean to her, we were appalled. How can anyone so gentle and sweet be treated like that.”
Ethan glanced over at his wife. “Her?”
The sheriff patted Elizabeth on the shoulder. “You should be nice to this fine young girl. She’s an asset to your team. If she was on ours, I’d spend hours just staring at her. She’s like the cherry on top of my sundae.”
Ethan was first shocked that Elizabeth was letting the man talk about her like she was a possession. Then, he was befuddled as to why he was tagged the mean one. From the tears of laughter in his brother’s eyes, he was assuming that he had something to do with this.
“It’s okay, Sheriff. Director Blackhawk means well.” Elizabeth could barely get it out without snickering. The funniest part was that both of them had the same last name, and the man didn't even pick up on that. It was probably a good thing the town was crime free.
The sheriff wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
“If he picks on you, come get me, sweetheart. We’ll keep you nice and safe.”
As the man walked away, she grinned wickedly.
“When I get you alone, I’m going to show you mean,” he warned, slapping her on the ass.
Callen couldn’t help it. He started laughing. “Can I watch?” he teased.
Heading in, Ethan glanced over at him. “No. I’m going to lock the door.”
“Hey!” Callen protested. “See! She was right, you are mean!”
Inside, the team was already at work. When Ethan walked through the door, there was a cheer.
Elizabeth stared at them. “You realize you’re going to be alone with me again, right?”
They saluted.
“Suck ups,” she stated.
“Hello, team. I’ve missed you,” Ethan said, grinning at them. “Now, tell me what we have. Meredith, is there any DNA?” he asked, taking over his normal job.
“Sir, we’re still running it. We came up with something weird, and we want to be sure it’s not some fluke. I know that perfection is expected.”
He was good with that.
Elizabeth hopped up on a counter to watch Ethan run this part of the job. She didn't mind in the least. The techs responded better to him. It was probably because most of them were women, and they were picturing him naked.
Hey, if it got results, she was good with it.
“I saw the reports, and while I’m pleased with the work, I need to be sure we’ve caught everything. Where are we with searching the victims’ homes?”
Meredith spoke again, “Sir, we’re done with the searches, but we’re still logging and checking everything. There were four houses, and that’s a lot of trace. We’ll need a little more time.”
Ethan glanced at his watch. “Well, I have bad news. Some of you are going out to do a search of the Native land. We were going to wait because of rain, but as you can see, it’s a sunny day. So, half of you suit up and head out. I want a grid pattern in the forest. If you find more bodies, call us in. The rest of you need to work on that sweep evidence. You’ll have Doctors Magnus, Armstrong, and Legend to help you.”
He glanced over at his doctors, and they all acknowledged his instructions.
“Are there any questions?”
When no one answered, he assumed they were good. “Okay then. How about you all get to work? No one leaves tonight until we have everything processed and done. It looks like it’s going to be a long one.”
Elizabeth hopped down and grinned wickedly. “So, are you still all happy to see him?” she teased.
They began mumbling as they prepared to head out.
“Oh, if it does rain, he’s not going to let you come in, either. How’s that make you feel.”
Blackhawk laughed. “We better go before they string up all three of us up.”
Callen grinned. “I love an early morning lynching, followed up by a trip to a used car dealership. Nothing gets the blood pumping.”
“You’re out of control,” she stated.
Callen couldn’t help it. Today was going to be a damn good day. Their unit was strong, and they were together.
Nothing could change that.
As they pulled into the auto dealership, they noticed a few things. First off, it was dead. Secondly, it matched the visual they’d created in their heads. Where they expected it to be some cheesy cartoony car dealership, it didn't disappoint.
All it was missing was the man in the plaid suit and overly white smile.
Wait, they had him. He was in their morgue, missing the polyester and his tongue.
Walking in, they were met with a Native woman sitting behind the counter.
“Can I help you?” she asked, getting up.
“Yeah, we’re here about Allen Payne. Maybe you can help us?” Elizabeth asked. It wasn’t lost on her that the woman was focused more on Callen and Ethan. She nudged her husband, giving him the signal. They
’d done this a few times before.
It looked like he was up to bat.
“My name is Director Ethan Blackhawk,” he began. “These are my partners,” he rattled off their names, noticing that she stared from him to Callen.
“What can I do for you?” Tiva asked, moving closer.
“Did you file a missing person report for your boss?” he asked, pulling up the file on his tablet.
“Yes, I did. When he didn't show up for work, I thought something was wrong. Is he okay?”
Well, it was good to know that the sheriff’s department didn't have any leaks. Obviously, word hadn’t gotten out yet.
“He’s dead.”
The woman didn't look surprised. “I see. So, we’re not getting paid for this week, are we?”
Elizabeth lifted a brow. “You’ve just been told your boss is dead, and that’s your first response?” she stated.
It was like the woman finally noticed she was there. “Well, princess, I have to work to survive. I can’t bring him back, so what’s the difference?”
Wow! No love lost there. Elizabeth didn't know if she was more appalled by being called princess or this woman’s callous emotions.
“Did you like your employer, Miss…?” He waited for the introduction.
“It’s Tiva Maine, and no, not particularly. He was lecherous, creepy, and would screw his mother over for a dime.”
Callen spoke up, “Then why did you work for him?”
Tiva looked at him like he was crazy. “Uh, I’m an Indian. Job prospects on the Rez, unless you’re artistic and can sell your goods to a tourist, suck. I had to find a job to support myself. It’s survival of the fittest for us. You know that. While princess here probably wouldn’t get that, I assumed you would.”
Elizabeth went to open her mouth, only to be cut off.
Ethan defended his wife. “Actually, princess is my wife, and she works very hard. So, how about we drop the outsider hate and get to the facts?”
Tiva shrugged. “Whatever.”
Callen stepped in to be the mediator. “Did anyone have a problem with Allen Payne?” he asked.
She started laughing as she headed over to her desk. Pulling out a stack of files, she pointed. “There you go. That’s just this year’s complaints.”
Oh, their agents were going to hate them. That was a shitload of paperwork to comb through.
Elizabeth grabbed the files to begin flipping through them. “These are mostly complaints about the vehicles he’d sold. Was there any issue with him personally?”
Tiva contemplated it. “Well, two weeks ago, he came into work on Monday in a tizzy. While he was at church,” she stated, pausing to laugh, “you know, to save his soul, someone rammed into his car over and over again.”
“Did he say who?” Ethan asked.
“No, but he was pretty pissed that he’d been followed to church by someone who purchased one of his cars. He called him a stalker and wackjob. Personally, he sold him a lemon and knew it. Allen had it coming.”
They couldn’t believe how easy this was. Generally, they had to get through a weeping mess to get any details. This woman was a fount of useful information.
“What church?” Callen asked.
She thought about it. “I don’t know the name,” Tiva stated, “but it’s the one out by the Rez. You can’t miss it. It’s the ornate Catholic one with mega cemetery and all those crypts.”
Yeah, they definitely knew the one. In fact, it kept popping up over and over again.
Saint Mary’s of the Sacred Heart was turning out to be a mecca of trouble.
“Thank you for your help, Ms. Maine,” Callen stated.
“I’m locking up. Here’s my number if you need me,” she said, smiling at him. “I’ve got to find another job. I wish someone would have told me he was dead. I wasted three days here.”
Callen took the card as she walked away. Yeah, he wouldn’t even go there if he was single. That woman was stone cold inside.
Outside, they watched her lock the door and head to her car.
“Well, where to now?” Ethan asked, shaking his head.
“It appears that we have a church to visit.”
Great.
Both men pictured Elizabeth running amuck in a Catholic church. This should get them all struck with lightening.
Hopefully today, God had a sense of humor or a hell of a lot of patience.
One of his creations was about to raise some major hell.
* * *
At the morgue, Jaxon sat very close to Tony as he showed her how to process evidence. Apparently, when you worked in the FBI, you had to know how to do it all.
That freaked her out.
In all honesty, she wasn’t really a lab rat. Her love in life was being out in the dirt. Jaxon never realized how hard her job at the FBI was going to be.
Already, she was regretting it.
Then, she glanced over at the man beside her. Well, not all of it. She had to say, he smelled amazing. Despite being trapped in a sterilized room, wrought with the smell of cleaning fluid, she was able to hone in on his scent.
Maybe it was instinctual.
Shit!
She’d gotten mad at him for thinking that, and here she was, saying the same thing.
Well, damn it!
This was a problem. Being an anthropologist, she understood the need for species to come together, procreate, and form little cohesive units. She just didn't expect it to be like this. Jaxon didn't expect to wander into the FBI and find him.
It just seemed all too crazy.
Yet, here he sat.
Tony could feel her watching him, and his heart pounded in his chest. “Are you okay?” he asked, placing his hand over Jaxon’s in her lap.
Just that light brush of skin to skin made her shiver. No, she’d never be alright again, and she knew it. This man was going to make her life difficult.
“Yeah, I just need a little break. My neck is killing me from staring down.”
“Want me to rub it?” he offered, knowing that was so very unprofessional, but he’d seen Chris’s wife do it for him.
“No, but I’m going to run to the coffee shop. Would you like some?”
He was good. “No thank you, but be careful,” he said, and then decided to be a gentleman. “Do you want me to go with you?”
She flipped her hand in her lap to squeeze his fingers. “No, I’ll be good.”
Tony watched her leave. As she stopped at Zane’s workspace, once more that feeling of jealousy roared to life in his body. The only way to make it subside was to think of that morning in bed. He’d kissed her like he’d wanted to, and she didn't push him away.
It had to be as sign, right?
As she walked out, he forced his attention back onto the trace reports in front of him. Tonight was their date, and in all honesty, he couldn’t wait.
Now, if he could only make it through the rest of the day without doing anything stupid, irresponsible, or idiotic.
Yeah, slim chance there.
Tony knew the absolute truth.
When it came to Jaxon Armstrong, he was totally screwed.
Outside, Jaxon headed to the coffee shop. When her phone rang, she recognized the tone and her heart thudded. Quickly, she rushed to answer it, afraid to miss it.
“Hey, Jax! How’s my baby sister doing?” asked Jagger Armstrong.
The laughter bubbled up at the sound of his voice. It was so amazing to hear from him. At that moment, he was stationed somewhere in the world.
God, she missed him.
“I’m lonely without you, Jagger. When are you coming home?” she asked, hoping it was soon.
“Not for a while, Jax. I wish it was tomorrow, but I’m neck deep in something. Why do you sound upset?”
When it came to her brother, Jaxon didn't pull any punches. They were all they had left in the world, and the bond between them was tight. “I met someone.”
“Did he hurt you? I’ll get my ass home a
nd kick his all the way to the deepest pit of hell.”
She laughed outrageously. Her brother was a Marine to the core. “No, Jagger! He’s sweet, gentle, and perfect.”
“Okay, then why are you sad? You should be happy and giddy with girly-dom. What’s wrong with him?”
She took a deep breath. “He works for the FBI. I met him on this assignment, but already I think I’ve made a huge mistake when it comes to the job. It’s nothing like I thought it would be.”
Ahhhh, he understood now.
His burial rat sister was second guessing her skills. “Well, let’s handle one thing at a time. Tell me about this mystery man. Does he like you?”
She thought back to the kiss. Inadvertently, her fingers went to her lips. “Yes, he does.”
“Then, you need to see where it goes. If he likes you enough, he won’t care if you leave the FBI and go back to playing in the dirt. Hopefully, he can get past the bugs and bones. If that doesn’t creep him out, nothing will.”
“He’s an anthropologist too. In fact, he’s one of the best in our field.”
“Well hell! He’ll get it then. All you bone doctors are the same- completely freaky.”
Ah, if only it were that easy.
“He’s older than me and loves his job. What if I start something, and end up walking away?” She really needed his advice.
“How much older? Are we talking like old man in a wheelchair old, or possibly approaching Medicare?” he teased.
Jaxon snorted. “Hardly. He’s forty one.”
Jagger scoffed. “That’s nothing. If he really cares about you, then he’ll understand and make it work. If it’s not meant to be, you’ll at least know you tried. Isn't it better to give it a shot than to crawl away like a coward?” Jagger knew his sister. Her instinct would be to run, but she’d regret it. “When the going gets tough…”
“The Armstrongs get going. I know. You’re right.”
“Am I going to meet the crypt keeper?” he teased.
She started laughing. “Not if you keep talking like that, Jagger. You’re going to be embarrassed when I kick your ass in front of him. Some scary Marine you’ll be.”
Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) Page 22
