Yeah, she liked sex herself, thus the Blackhawk bun in her oven. “When’s the last time you saw him?”
Toni Michelle thought about it. “It was about a month ago. He came in here late at night. It was right before I got ready to close up. He cornered me in the back by the rubber penises and handcuffs.”
There was a sentence which normal people didn't hear in their everyday conversation. When Elizabeth glanced up, Ethan and Callen had their handcuffs dangling from one finger. They were so lucky the woman was facing her and not them.
“What did you do?”
“Well, he said he was looking for some masturbatory aids. Apparently, he was having a dry spell with the ladies and needed a little something to get his mojo back in gear.”
Yeah, that was good to know. She loved hearing all about a dead man’s lack of sex life. Maybe he should have been the one to keep his tongue and have his dick removed.
Toni Michelle continued, “I got his hand off my ass and directed him to that section. It was easy to do. You know how much men like touching it. That’s why God didn't give them boobs. They’d play with them all day.”
“Yeah, here I thought they’d just look off balance with knockers,” she stated, laughing. The men were holding up sexy gear and grinning wickedly.
“No! It’s true. When’s the last time you masturbated?” she asked, turning around to face Ethan and Callen.
The looks on their faces were priceless. It was moments like these which Elizabeth lived for. Only, this time it wasn’t her who said something crass.
“Yeah, when was the last time?” Elizabeth asked, getting even with them for their tomfoolery.
Callen was caught off guard. “Uh, over two years?” he stated.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t and I don’t recall when,” he offered.
“Never?” Toni Michelle moved closer. “Really?”
While Blackhawk picked up a little leather bikini he glanced at Elizabeth. “I’m blessed with a wife who really enjoys sex,” he stated.
Of course Callen chimed in next.
“Mine’s a nympho.”
Elizabeth knew the entire interview was out of control. What did she think was going to happen when she brought them into that shop? “Well, if your wives find out that you’re discussing jerking off with a strange woman, you’re both going to be needing those masturbatory aids,” she declared.
As if on cue, Toni Michelle grabbed two cards off her counter. “Here you go! These are coupons for twenty five percent off all getting off equipment.”
Elizabeth liked the woman. She was obviously good at business. It almost made her want to forgive her for hitting on Callen.
Almost.
“How about church? You wouldn’t happen to attend one, would you?” she asked Toni Michelle.
She started laughing. “Hell no! I like to spend my Sundays being worshiped. I mean, I was going to be a nun and all since it was my mother’s dying wish. Then one day, I had a dalliance with a man, and I decided to just go into sex instead.”
All three of them said it at the same time, “A nun?”
She looked at them. “Yeah, why?”
“You went from getting the calling to making a killing in sex?” asked Elizabeth.
“Yeah, so?”
It was just odd.
“You know, maybe you should loosen up and be more like their wives. You’re a bit frigid.”
She shook her head as the men grinned.
“Yeah, I'm one big ice cube.”
~ Chapter Thirteen ~
Saint Mary’s
Pulling up to the cemetery, Doctors Magnus and Armstrong flashed their IDs before driving past the deputies standing guard. Once inside the cemetery, they noticed that the grounds crew was working on opening a plot for a funeral.
“It looks like the Blackhawks cleared them to use the cemetery again,” stated Jax, glancing over.
Tony nodded. All morning, Jaxon had been relatively quiet, and it was making him nervous. “Yeah, they did,” he answered, and then blurted, “Are you okay? I mean…are we okay?”
She turned her head suddenly. “Of course we are! Why do you ask?”
He put the Denali in park. “You feel distant, and I’m worried that maybe last night wasn’t all you were hoping for.”
That astounded her. How could he possibly think that?
Jaxon took his face in her hands. “It was amazing, Tony. I’ve never experienced anything quite so wonderful in all my life. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I’m just one of those people who gets wrapped up in things. When I’m focused on work, I’m trying to solve a problem.”
Immediately, he was relieved. Last night was amazing for him, but he’d never been one to ask a date her opinion after the fact. Jaxon was the first and only woman who ever mattered enough.
“So, I did everything right?” he asked.
She leaned in to kiss him. It was sweet, soft, and gentle. Pulling away, she stared into his aqua eyes. “It was beyond right. It was perfect.”
His heart skipped in his chest. As he tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear, he wanted to tell her what he’d discovered. Buried deep in his soul, he found something which had been lost for so many years.
Tony Magnus was in love.
While he’d never experienced it before in his life, he made the leap of faith that it was indeed what he was feeling. Jaxon brought it out in him. With her, it flourished.
Instead of his growing emotions, he refocused them on the task at hand. After all, she wanted to come to the cemetery for a specific reason. He thought he’d tease her a little bit. “I’ve never made out with a woman in a graveyard.”
It made her laugh.
“That’s funny, Tony, since I’ve never made out with a woman in one either,” she joked back.
He grinned because he was so grateful she had a sense of humor. In their line of work, if you couldn’t laugh, you burned out.
“What are we looking for?” he asked, reluctantly pulling away.
“When we were here, I felt off balance. We walked through some of the crypts, and I got that feeling like I was missing something.”
“So, you want to go crypt spelunking?” he asked, taking her hand in his. It wasn’t often he got to do something like that.
She stared down at their joined fingers. “Nothing like a happy couple exploring a place where dead bodies are left,” she said, laughing.
Once more, his heart flipped.
Happy couple.
It was music to his ears.
“Where do you want to start?” he asked.
Jaxon scanned the area. “We should probably hit up the crypts over there, so the work crews can get the grave done,” she offered. “We can do those later.”
“Am I looking for some creep hiding out in them?” he teased.
She shoved him and laughed. “We were in a bunch of tombs, right?”
“Yeah, we must have wandered them all. Why?”
“There was one which had me curious.”
He wasn’t getting it. Maybe he’d been in the lab too long and was losing his bone digging edge. “I need more, Jax, honey.”
“This one crypt had the place for the coffin built into the earth. All the other ones were on top of the ground. Why do you build a mausoleum, only to put the marble container in the ground?”
He was looking at her like she was a little shy of crazy.
“You think I’m nuts, don’t you?”
Tony stopped her. “No, I’m just not sure what to say. I didn't even notice that little detail.”
“Thank you,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Maybe we should split up. We can cover more area that way,” Jaxon suggested.
Yeah, that didn't sit well with him.
“For the record, we have more male victims than female. I should be worried about letting you out of my sight.”
There was this proprietary sense welling up in him. Yet, it scared him to go with it. What they we
re building was tenuous at best. Already, he had a strike against them. He was almost a decade older than her, and he didn't want to come across like her father.
Then, he laughed.
“What?” she asked. It was her turn to stare at him.
“You don’t feel like calling me daddy, do you?”
Jaxon wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not. The comment was so out of the blue. Yes, there was an age difference, but not one which was that big. He had to be busting her ass. “If I say no, can I reserve my right to still use it in bed?” she teased right back.
His heart fluttered. Yep, he was in love.
The woman before him got his sense of humor.
“We better get going,” he said, blushing. “If you need me, scream really loud or run really fast.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
He snorted as he walked away. When this was all over, he absolutely had to get her to stay with him. Jaxon Armstrong was perfect for him.
Absolutely perfect.
* * *
When he saw them skulking around in his cemetery, he couldn’t believe it. They were so close to his secret place that it was causing him anxiety.
Before now, he didn't believe they’d ever find him, and he felt safe.
Now, that wasn’t the case.
In fact, he was beginning to get that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Taking a moment, he began praying. God would know what to do. All he needed to do was ask and allow his Lord to lead the way.
Keeping his eyes open, he opted to follow the Fed who was heading right to his personal space. She had to be led by evil. It was the only way she would know the truth.
He knew then that he needed to stop her. Once she arrived at in his domain, he’d have to take matters into his own hands.
There was no remorse for having to handle her. Granted, he didn't know what was going on in her life, or if she was filled with sin, but God put him on the path. Now, it was a matter of following it and doing what was right.
Heading after the Fed, he attempted to blend in. How hard could it be? After all, there were people milling around everywhere.
There appeared to be a new plan. It looked like he was about to get another victim before the day was done.
He began planning his attack.
It was all about timing it just right…
* * *
Jax was beginning to think that maybe she had made a mistake. So far, she’d checked almost all the crypts, and nothing was standing out.
Maybe Tony was having a better time. Pulling out her cell, she remembered that she’d never gotten his number. Well, Jaxon would just have to keep going. Eventually, he’d wander her way to find her.
Rooting among the rows, she found something which looked familiar. It was an angel holding a scale, balancing justice.
Glancing around, she examined the crypt. It looked familiar. There was no name on it, but that was what had bothered her before.
Heading into the relatively small space, she dropped her phone and purse on the ledge by the one stained glass window. With gentle fingers, she traced the pattern. Hidden in the artwork were even more angels and scales.
She’d seen something like it before on a dig. There was something hidden here. In the ancient glass, the artist was leaving a message. It was all about finding the truth, and Jaxon was up for the job.
Her eyes swept the room. This was the perfect place to judge someone. The angels, the cold marble slab, and the scales of justice weren’t coincidence.
Well, it was now or never.
Going down to her knees, Jaxon ran her fingers around the edge of the flat stone slab. It sat on the floor, unlike any other tomb in the cemetery.
With nimble fingers, accustomed to finding the simplest crack in the tiniest bone, she felt along the edges. There was a draft. A slight one, but it was there.
When she couldn’t make it move, she began believing it was her imagination. Maybe she had read one too many Nancy Drew books as a kid. That was a distinct possibility.
Jaxon stared at the stone tile flooring in frustration. Something was wrong. Either the floor was crooked, or the lid to the crypt was. The angles were all wrong. The marble tiles didn't line up. If someone was going to build something this pricy, why wouldn’t it be perfect?
Sitting, she began pushing with the muscles in her legs by bracing her back against the wall. When there was a little give, she got back on her knees to try and get her fingers under the lip. With all her might, she tried to make it budge.
It wasn’t working.
Looking up, she caught the reflection of someone moving behind her in the stained glass. Thinking it was Tony, she began talking, “I think this is it! I’m willing to bet that this crypt leads somewhere!”
As she moved to turn her head, the blinding pain tore through her. Suddenly, she was falling until she could feel the kiss of cold marble beneath her.
Jaxon struggled to open her eyes as her body felt light as a feather, floating in the air. Then, the pain hit as she tumbled down what felt like a mountain of stone. When she finally came to a stop, there was the sound of gears closing and stone scraping.
No matter how much she tried to make her mouth work, the gray was closing in. As she tried to scream, the last thing she recalled was the scent of Christmas.
Then, there was nothing but darkness.
* * *
Tony couldn’t find anything that Jaxon had described. Each crypt he entered was exactly the same.
Inside, he would find a few slabs of marble, a large sarcophagus made of stone, and nothing more. Out of all the ones he searched, none resembled anything like what she had seen.
After checking the last one, he decided to find her and see if she had any better luck. As he headed toward the cluster of mausoleums, which he saw her enter, he was stopped by a groundskeeper.
“Do you need any help finding anything?” Miles Copeland asked, brushing the dirt from his pants. “We’re just about done digging the grave.”
Tony described what they were looking for in hopes the man could point him in the right direction.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen any built into the ground. Why not just go in a hole then? Most of the mausoleums we have are for the rich families who didn't want to be with the bugs and dirt. I totally don’t get that since death is death,” he said, laughing.
Tony could see the man was a dead end. Thanking him, he headed on his way. Maybe Jaxon was confused. As he approached the cluster of buildings, a few things caught his attention. There was one smaller one with angels on it.
What really piqued his interest was that there was no name above the door.
That was odd.
Most of these older structures were paid for and named. While they may not be used for years, they were always claimed by a family. Even in death, the wealthy liked to stake their claim. It had been like that for centuries. Look at the Egyptian pyramids.
Examining it closer, it could possibly be a small chapel for praying. Calling for Jaxon, he waited to hear her reply. The digging from the grounds crew was making it hard to hear over the noise.
Giving up, he opted to head inside. Once there, he saw it.
There was blood on the marble slab.
Rushing over, he touched it with his fingers. It was still wet. As Tony looked around, he saw something that made his heart pound.
Jaxon’s purse and cell phone were abandoned inside. He knew women well enough that they’d never do that.
Wherever she was, she was out of contact.
Suddenly, the screams of her name burst from his mouth in desperation.
“Jax! Honey! Where are you?”
He waited, trying to hear her.
Nothing.
“Sweetheart! Can you hear me?” he yelled, staring out into the cemetery.
Yeah, this was very bad.
Pulling out his phone, he did the only thing he could do. He called Elizabeth to let her know he’d lost one of the team.
Shit! He lost his girl.
* * *
When she received the call, Elizabeth could barely understand a word he was saying. In fact, Tony was borderline hysterical and that didn't bode well. After calming him down, the story finally came out.
It sent chills down her spine.
And she wasn’t alone.
Both men beside her had the same telltale look on their faces. There was a good chance that the killer was escalating or striking out at the Feds. They had expected it, just not quite yet. It looked like the game was changing.
Racing to the cemetery, Elizabeth began plotting out her contingency plan as Ethan drove like a maniac through the streets of Devil’s Lake.
When they pulled up to the gate, they noticed that the police were still there, doing their job.
Driving through, they easily found Tony’s location. He was the only one screaming and running from tomb to tomb like a madman.
As they jumped out, he rushed toward them. “She’s nowhere to be found. Her purse and phone are inside,” he blurted, grabbing onto Elizabeth’s arm to drag her into the crypt.
“Did you touch anything?” she asked, scanning the interior of the cramped crypt.
“Just the blood on the marble slab. I wasn’t sure what it was. I was hoping it wasn’t wet, but it is.”
Elizabeth wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “Okay, I need you to calm down and breath. We’ll find her,” she promised. Only, Elizabeth hoped it wasn’t after she was already dead. From the way her calm, cool, collected anthropologist was behaving, he was obviously crazy about the doctor.
Ethan touched her arm. “This would be the perfect place for the killer. Look at the windows. Each one is blood red and depicts some sort of meaning. The one over here,” he said, pointing to the purse and phone, “has the scale of justice and one angel. The one across from it has an altar with blood on it and two swords.”
“He’s going to kill her,” Tony whispered in horror. “Oh God! You have to do that thing you do and find her!”
Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) Page 33
