The man didn't know what to say. One minute he was sending a victim home, and the next he was being booted from his job. “I have a spare room next to the chiller.”
Chris thanked him. “We can use it for the lab staff, Director, and to lock up the evidence. I can work out of the autopsy suite. I don’t take much space. I only need a chair and enough room to do the paperwork.”
The man just stood there overwhelmed. “I guess that’s fine.”
“Okay, where’s the victim?” inquired Chris, pulling out his bag and opening it up. “I’ll need to recheck everything and make sure we have it all.”
The man pointed at the cooler door. “We don’t have a huge facility. We don’t get many deaths here that aren’t old age, auto related and an occasional drowning in the summer.”
Chris was easy to please. “As long as it keeps the victims cold, then size doesn’t matter.”
Blackhawk put down his bag as his team started entering. The techs were out with Elizabeth, but the morgue rats were finally there. They’d help Chris get the body ready. “I’ll sit over here and be unobtrusive,” he offered, hopping up on a stainless steel counter to let the team get to work.
“If you don’t mind,” Doctor Parrish stated as he headed for the door, “I’m going to go talk to the police chief to make sure this is indeed all okay with her.”
Blackhawk was well aware. “See you later.”
Chris laughed when he was gone. “You are almost just as bad as your wife,” he stated. “She is at least blatantly in your face. You have this smooth veneer of politeness covering the ‘kiss my ass’ attitude.”
Blackhawk grinned. “Yeah, I know. It took years to perfect.”
The morgue techs slid the body out and carried it to the exam table.
“If we get more than three bodies, we’re screwed,” Chris admitted. “We won’t have any place to store them unless we double them up.”
Blackhawk already considered it. “If need be, we can transport them back to FBI West. It’s only two hours one way.” He thought back to the time where he sent out one of his lab techs to do just that, and he never came back alive. “If that happens, we do double duty on the moving. I don’t want anyone alone on the drive.”
Chris had worked with the man who had been killed. Derek was a decent lab tech and was missed. “No problem, Director.”
Ethan sighed. “In honor of the friendship thing, you can use my name.”
That had his attention. “Seriously?” he started to laugh. “I can’t say I ever saw this day coming.”
Blackhawk was amused. “Yeah, that makes two of us.”
Chris laughed even more and even a few of the techs joined in. “Ready to open the bag?” he asked, staring at the two people working beside him. When they nodded, he unzipped and stared inside. To say that he was shocked was an understatement.
“Well shit! We have a problem.”
That immediately had Ethan’s attention. “What?” There wasn’t a worse phrase to be used when he was just opening the bag. That meant that there was something horribly wrong with the victim.
“I don’t have words to describe it.”
He crossed the room to look inside. He had seen hundreds of victims in his life, but this indeed, had to be a first.
Chris Leonard was appalled. “He didn't even open her up. There is no Y-incision,” he stated. “If Elizabeth gets wind of this, that man is dead.”
Blackhawk laughed. “Well, at least he can rest assured that he’ll have the proper autopsy when that happens.”
Chris stared at first and then started laughing, “You have a very valid point.”
* * *
Monday afternoon
Walking the perimeter of the crime scene, Elizabeth first wanted to take it all in. The location that the killer had picked was relatively abandoned. It wasn’t just the woods, but what seemed to be an old mining camp. There were dilapidated buildings behind them.
“I want the buildings swept too,” she stated, making sure her head tech heard her. “Get me everything, Christina and let’s do it right the first time.”
The tech grinned at her boss. “Yes, ma’am!” After saluting, Christina couldn’t help but laugh, because her boss also snickered. Over time, she’d realized all their first impressions of the woman were dead wrong. When Ethan Blackhawk met her in Salem and ran off to marry her, there was the rumor that it wasn’t love.
Boy, had they all been wrong.
Then, when they found out about his brother being tossed into the mix, that threw them for a loop too. Now, it was like it didn't even exist to the team. They were accustomed to the threesome being together. Where it used to feel odd, it was now a common thing and part of their work lives.
Plus, the techs liked that it mellowed Elizabeth out and seemed to have the same effect on Ethan. Callen was just laid back to begin with, so he was always fun. The machine was running well and in harmony, and a happy set of bosses meant an exuberant team who worked under them.
Then it hit her. Christina’s stomach sunk. She knew that soon she would be confessing something big to her bosses, and that knowledge was making it painful. Pushing it out of her mind, Christina went back to work.
God, she was going to miss them all.
Elizabeth watched her head tech scramble away to do her job. When they saluted her, she found it highly amusing. One day, she was going to catch them all off guard and teach them a lesson in sarcasm. For now, she was biding her time.
“Cal,” Elizabeth said to her shadow. “What do you see?”
The man scanned the area to take in everything that was in front of the team. “I see an abandoned building and plenty of room to get a car up here if they used that access road. I see that he lit a fire near the altar, possibly for additional light. If he was out here at night sacrificing that woman, he’d need more than a few candles for visual ability.”
She had to agree.
“He did the ritual over there on that tree stump.”
That piqued her interest. “What does that tell you?” she asked, hoping by now he’d picked up some of the instinct needed in the field. For a while, Callen was green, but over a year into it, he was earning his stripes and coming into his own.
“It says to me that he was familiar with this place. He had to know there was a tree stump big enough to accommodate the woman’s body and act as an altar.”
She agreed once more. “Or he checked out some locations until he found the right one.”
“So, it’s likely that he’s from around here.”
She would go that way too. “I would say yes.”
“Directors Blackhawk and Whitefox,” called Christina, from across the area. “I have something you need to see!”
Both of them hustled to her location and crouched down beside her.
Christina was using a pair of tongs to remove some garments from the fire. “It looks like our killer burned something, but it didn't all go up in smoke like he planned. They may have been wet when he tossed them in, and it protected them from the flames.”
With her gloved fingers, Elizabeth touched the material. “It’s pretty well preserved. The fire didn't get to this corner. What do you think we can get from it?”
Christina pulled out an evidence bag. “Well, if there’s sweat and the heat didn't compromise it, I may be able to pull DNA. I think I see some blood splatter over here,” she added as she turned the bag. “It may be our victim’s or possibly from the killer.”
“From what I’ve seen in the report, Scarlet Red didn't have any defensive wounds. So, I’m not sure if she drew blood, but work your magic and try to pull something.”
Christina would do everything she could to get them the answers that they needed. Word had traveled through the staff that the killer specifically called out Elizabeth. They all respected their bosses enough that they’d give ten thousand percent to keep her safe.
“What’s next, Lyzee?” Callen asked, offering her a hand as he pulled
her up from her position.
“I think we should grab Agent Austin and let the probee lead the questioning. She needs to get used to running the show if she ever hopes to be a senior agent.”
Callen whistled and everyone froze.
Elizabeth started laughing at their reaction. “Back to work,” she said. When Cyra stared at her, she motioned to her. “We need you for now.”
The woman gratefully escaped her partner once more and crossed towards her boss. If the woman had asked for a pedicure, at this point, she would have done it for her.
“Distract her partner,” she whispered to Callen. “I need you to run interference.”
Callen didn't like the idea of leaving her on her own, but she would be with a trained agent that had over eight years’ experience as a cop. It wasn’t like she was a schlub when it came to staying safe.
“I’ll be right over there,” he pointed in the direction of Agent Rickard. “Thomas, we need to supervise the sweep of the abandoned shacks. You get the right, and I’ll take the left.”
Elizabeth winked at him. She could always count on Callen to pull off anything that she requested.
“Thank you,” whispered Cyra Austin, as her partner wandered out of ear shot. “I really appreciate this.”
“I see that he found you again,” Elizabeth said, leading her towards the cops. “If it’s unbearable, send me a text and I’ll step in and reprimand him.”
“Will you write me up if I kiss you?”
She laughed. It seemed like she was always making out with one of her female staff on jobs. “That depends on where and how long you kiss me.”
Cyra laughed and relaxed around her boss. “Where are we headed?”
Elizabeth broke it down, “First on the scene was a local cop. He found the body and identified the victim. I just need to know how he wandered all the way up here, and then just happened to know our dead woman. That just seems off to me.”
“I have to agree with you on that one.”
“You’re up. Show me what you’ve learned the last few months,” stated Elizabeth.
Cyra laughed at that. “Uh, not much. Everything in my arsenal is from my detective days. I don’t get to do much as an agent,” she stated, alluding to the Rickard issue. “So, keep that in mind when you’re grading my performance.”
Elizabeth nodded and understood what she was saying.
“Gentlemen,” Cyra began as she pointed at the two cops standing by the tree. “It’s been brought to my attention that one of you found the body?”
One man raised his hand.
“How about you?” she pointed at the other.
“No, I’m just here because my boss told me to keep an eye on things and to follow up with her if need be, ma’am.”
“What’s your name?” Cyra questioned for future reference.
“I’m Officer Marsh.” He shook her hand enthusiastically. “Can I help with something?”
Cyra noticed Elizabeth had no intention of speaking at all. She wasn’t kidding when she wanted to see what Cyra could do. “Yeah, you can see if the techs need help loading up the evidence.”
He hustled away pretty fast, as if he wanted to be as far away from them as possible.
“What’s your name, Officer?” she asked the witness.
“I’m Larry Murphy, ma’am.”
Elizabeth watched the man closely for any signs that he was scared, nervous, or hiding anything. So far, he seemed personable, but then again they had yet to accuse him of having anything to do with all of this. Once that happened, it was anyone’s game.
“You found our victim?” The cop was back, and Cyra ran with it. It was familiar and she fell back into the groove without it being awkward at all. It was great not dealing with her partner. Who knew that working beside Elizabeth would actually be easier?
“Yes, ma’am. I was sitting at the coffee shop in town on break. When I came outside, there was a note on my car.”
Both Feds looked up from their tablets.
“What?” Cyra asked, turning towards Elizabeth. “Did you know that there was another note?” She’d studied the file on the way up and the only note that was mentioned was the one where the killer called out Elizabeth.
“No, I wasn’t.” For now, she’d remain calm. It was possible that it was sitting back in evidence unlogged. It was time to give the Circle Rock cops the benefit of the doubt.
“Yeah, it was on my windshield. I opened it and it said, ‘I left something at the mining camp. Blessed be’.”
Cyra needed that note. “Okay, where did you put it?”
The man had to think about it. “Well, I was parked next to a garbage can. I may have tossed it in there. It wasn’t too full, so I doubt it blew away.”
Elizabeth was ready to explode. THIS was why she hated working with local law. It was the lackadaisical attitude that pissed her off every time.
Obviously, Cyra was just as irritated.
“So, you got a note to drive all the way up here into the woods and decided to toss it in the trash?” she restated incredulously.
The cop shrugged. “I didn't know there would be a body.” He didn't get the Feds and why their undies were in a bunch.
“Did you go back to retrieve it?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t left here. I was told by my boss to remain on site and preserve the scene.”
Oh God, what Elizabeth would give to be able to run this interview. She’d be chewing the man up and spitting him out. It was taking all she had to not say a single word.
“Wow, so again, you found a note, and that led you to a body, but you tossed it in the trash and not once had you ever thought that it may be evidence?”
“Want me to go get it?”
Cyra stared at him. Was he for real? “Yeah, I want you to go find it, and on top of that, you’re going to get finger printed and offer a sample of your DNA too.”
“Why?”
If she slapped the man, she wondered what Elizabeth would do. “Uh, maybe because you handled evidence with your glazed donut fingers, and we need to compare it,” Cyra retorted sarcastically.
“I don’t like the glazed ones. I’m more of a jelly filled kind of man. They are so much better than a plain donut.”
Elizabeth finally lost her composure. How she managed to keep it that long was a small miracle. “Christina,” she called, motioning to the woman. “When this interview is over, our friend Larry here needs the full work up. Then, I need you to send a male tech with him down to the town for a garbage can. Bring the entire damn thing.”
“It was bolted to the ground,” the officer warned.
“Bring a blow torch,” she added.
“The mayor’s going to be pissed if you do that,” he stated unequivocally.
Elizabeth was ready to kill him. “I really don’t give two flying fu…”
Cyra quickly jumped back to the interview, stopping Elizabeth from a full blown outburst. “You also knew the victim before we got here, how?”
Larry shrugged and answered calmly, “She worked in a little shop in town. I would see her just about every day. One day, I gave her a ticket for jaywalking. She had one of those weird names, so it stayed in my mind. Who names their kid Scarlet Red? That’s color overkill.”
Well, at least he had a logical excuse on that one. The name would have stuck for her too.
“I’ll get a tech to handle it, boss.”
It was the man’s turn to snort. “So, you’re the boss huh?” The sentence wasn’t exactly complimentary. “You’re too pretty to be an FBI boss. You sure you’re not a lingerie model?”
Elizabeth was ready to feed him his teeth, when Cyra stepped in to handle it. “Hey Director Whitefox,” she called, getting his attention.
“Yeah?” He quickly exited the dilapidated structure.
“Officer Murphy here just said something about the boss lady and her unmentionables.”
Callen saw red as he crossed the opening to get to her side. “I
hope you’re not serious.”
Cyra turned back to the officer. “That’s her partner, and I don’t mean just in the field. If I were you, I’d go lock yourself in your squad car until we get a tech to go with you. The big scary Native is pretty protective of his lingerie model.”
The man hesitated at first, and then the look on the man’s face made him change his mind. He opted to take her advice and raced for his vehicle.
When Callen reached her side, he didn't look pleased. “What did that asshole do?” he stared at the man through his windshield of his cruiser. He would put his hands right through it to strangle him.
Elizabeth started laughing as Cyra told him. “You know, you rocked that interview, except I would have beaten the crap out of him personally, instead of calling for Callen. I’m deducting points for that one, due to lack of creativity.”
Cyra found that entertaining. “Well, I just had a manicure, and I’d like to keep it more than two days. Besides, Callen’s on vacation. I can get fired for beating down a witness. With him, it’s kind of a technicality.”
“Good one,” retracted Elizabeth. “Way to think outside the box on that one. I’m adding those points back on for that.” She offered the woman a fist bump.
Callen watched the lab tech knocking on the squad car window. The man looked nervous. When he pointed, the tech started laughing.
No one there doubted that it was a bad idea to provoke either man when it came to Elizabeth.
“I’m not done with him,” Callen muttered. “I’ll get my back up and hunt him down later.”
Elizabeth patted his arm. “He only called me a lingerie model. He didn't ask to see me in it.”
Cyra actually snorted, like that mattered.
“If he spoke it, then he was thinking it. Ethan’s going to lose his mind, and I don’t blame him.”
Elizabeth ran her hand down his back reassuringly. “You can calm down, Cal. While you’re here, let’s all go inspect the altar. The techs are done checking it for trace. I want to see it before they bag everything on it up.”
Devil Hath Come (an FBI/Romance Thriller ~book 7) Page 9
