True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3))

by Kelley, Morgan

  “Bye Callen,” she answered, feeling better now that she talked to him. Now she could focus on her day. When she disconnected she realized she forgot something. Banging out another text, she put her phone away and got ready for her day.

  It was time to get her job done, despite where her mind was at that moment.

  Callen Whitefox had just put his phone back into his pocket when it beeped again, pulling it out he read the words and his heart skipped a beat.

  There was no doubt in his mind he loved her too.

  ~ Chapter Fifteen ~

  Friday morning

  Ethan Blackhawk and his wife were on edge, and as they sat in the conference room at the sheriff’s station it wasn’t looking like it was going to let up until Whitefox and Doctor Adare were back among the team. Elizabeth worked the white board, and prepared for the arrival if Christina Hart from downstairs. She needed more information to add to the white board.

  Blackhawk was emailing Gabe, informing him of the unfortunate incident with the Denali, and hoping he took it better than he thought he would. The stalker wasn’t really the FBI’s issue, but the destruction of Federal property was going to piss him off and now officially make it FBI related. Even if Elizabeth finagled their boss to their side with the whole favor thing, it was a matter of time before it would have worn thin on Gabe and he pulled the plug on FBI funds and assistance. Now he really couldn’t, if they could prove the stalker was the one that blew up Federal property.

  Christina came to the door and knocked. Tentatively she entered the room, and waited until both Blackhawks were focused on her. She didn’t want to bother them if they were working on case related work.

  “Hey, Christina,” said Blackhawk, not even looking up from his email. “Elizabeth needed to see you, and thanks for making time for us this morning. I’m sure you’re busy with the trace evidence.”

  Even though she spoke to Ethan, she looked directly at Elizabeth. “It’s no problem Director Blackhawk; I was packing up some things for transport to FBI West.”

  “Are you transporting?” he asked.

  “Yes, I can leave and be back in a few hours. I don’t feel secure leaving the bodies in the cooler downstairs. If Doctor Adare were here she would want them transported along with any trace. It’s secure at home and really downstairs is just a basement,” she said, watching the tone of her voice. She had a bad case of boss lust for him, and his wife was well aware of it. On a good day she wasn’t willing to poke the tigress by drooling over her husband, but pregnant, uh no. That was suicide and all the female techs knew it.

  “Send another tech to handle it. What about Derek? I need you here. We think we have some leads and may be processing some evidence. Today we’re interviewing suspects.”

  “Oh, okay. Derek is on duty later. I can load up the van and have him take it tonight. He’ll be back before dawn in case we need the equipment again. Hopefully another body doesn’t show up, but in case one does, we’ll be ready,” she said, pleasantly.

  “Christina,” Elizabeth drew her attention to her and off her husband. She was well aware the woman was wary of her, and that was fine by her. They’d discussed it and drew boundaries. As of now, there were no issues and Elizabeth was glad. In fact, she liked the woman a lot, but she let her think she was dangerous. It was just entertaining. When her husband kicked her foot under the table she almost laughed.

  “Yes, Director Blackhawk?” she asked. “What can I do for you?”

  Elizabeth patted the seat beside her. “I need to pick your brain. Since Doctor Adare isn't here right now, you’re the next smartest person in the room.”

  Ethan Blackhawk doubted that statement. His wife had an Ivy League education and few people were aware of it, because she preferred it that way. It made everyone underestimate her, and that’s how she tripped them up.

  “Okay,” she said, sitting. “Pick away.”

  Elizabeth gave her credit; she was keeping the nerves under control. “We know the killer is using Ethylene Glycol as the method of drugging and incapacitating the victims, and I know that it’s in anti-freeze, but I need to know what other substances contain it. I could just Google it, but you’re the best at the chemical-ese stuff, and I need the best.”

  Ethan was proud of his wife, she actually was being friendly, and he patted her leg. When they had been working the serial killing on the reservation, they’d had a disagreement over how friendly to be with the techs. Christina Hart was one of his techs, and had been for over five years, and when he had to watch how friendly she was with the doctors that she hired, it bothered him. Blackhawk was still wary of Doctor Leonard and Magnus, and Elizabeth wasn’t thrilled with Christina. So for now they both agreed to be themselves, but cognizant of the boundaries.

  “Well Boss, Ethylene Glycol is everywhere in polymers and products.”

  “I think we need liquid form. We believe the killer is using coffee as the vessel for the poison. Or at least that’s what we think.” She slid the stomach contents report to the woman. “Are we correct to assume that?” she asked.

  Christina read the output data from the content and scanned the information. “It’s the only thing they all have in common, Elizabeth,” and then she realized she used her name. “I’m sorry, Director.”

  “In house use our names, it’s okay,” she reassured her.

  “Okay, Elizabeth.” She thought about it. “I can give you a few off the top of my head, the rest I’ll need to run a list for you because it’s that extensive.”

  “I’m ready,” she pulled out paper. “Shoot.”

  “Anti-freeze is the most logical medium. It’s relatively easy to find. Any grocery store that has windshield fluid usually carries anti-freeze right beside it”

  “What else?” asked Blackhawk.

  “Without getting too complex with the description of the chemical, Ethylene Glycol is part of a family of chemicals. Off the top of my head, some stains for wood contain it, as does those products to fix flat tires, chemicals to develop pictures, herbicides, some adhesive products. Then you have paint products, caulk, and most ink and toner cartridges contain it too.”

  “So basically it’s everywhere.”

  “Yeah, but in anti-freeze it’s your most likely culprit. Ethylene Glycol is sweet and can be hidden in things.”

  “Thank you, Christina. I appreciate you helping us,” said Elizabeth. Something was bugging her about that list. She had that little nagging feeling again in the back of her mind. Now she just needed to think, and she blocked everything out to do just that.

  Ethan realized his wife was gone. She was deep in thought, and was done with the tech. “Let me know when you’re sending Derek with the van.”

  “Sure thing, Boss,” she said standing, and leaving the room, but right before she left she couldn’t help one last look at him. Yeah, now she had her Blackhawk fix for the day. Now it was time to get the vans inventoried, loaded and ready to leave. Since Derek would be delivering to FBI West she might as well have him pick up anything they needed.

  Blackhawk tapped his wife on the shoulder. “Want to share with those of us not in your head?” he laughed. “You have the look on your face.”

  “Photo developing solution.”

  “Okay,” he said, still not quite there yet.

  Elizabeth pulled up the list of suspects on her tablet and pointed at the three women. “This one,” she pointed at Carly Kester’s name, “she had contact with one victim, and then she slept with another. Then we have Courtney Brewer, she owns a photo shop and gift shop.”

  “Oh, photo developing solution.”

  “Yeah, and then we have Wilma May who had contact with the deputy, he lived here and certainly stopped in ‘Cup of Joe’, and then waited on the same victim that Carly identified.”

  “Okay so that’s three suspects. All three could be the one, or involved.”

  “We have four. Then there’s Sheila who has a violent temper, as we found out, knew the deputy, and she has
access to supplies for the station. I’m betting ink and toner are hers to regulate and hand out.”

  Blackhawk didn’t think about her. “So basically we have four women, all of which could have done it. And finding out what drugged them and was used to lure them in hasn’t made it easier, but harder.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Now, if we could appropriate ourselves some DNA evidence, we could run it against the blonde hairs we found, and then we can eliminate suspects.”

  “Oh and how will we be doing that, Elizabeth?” he asked. “We do have to follow the law, so you can’t go yank hairs from their heads in a fight. Plus if it’s one of them, and you match the DNA then it’s going to be sketchy in court.”

  “If we can match one of them, then we can stake them out, follow them and see if she leads us to her next victim.”

  “Okay, I’ll agree with you there, but again how? You still can’t start a fight and pull out their hair.”

  “Yeah, too bad because I’d like to yank Carly Kester bald,” she muttered, and then the look on his face made her laugh. He knew as well as she did, that if she had to slap some women around for DNA she’d do it in a heartbeat.

  “You have a plan don’t you?”

  Elizabeth grinned. “I have a plan for each one of them, but I’m pretty damn sure you’re going to hate each one of my ingenious schemes.”

  Now Blackhawk looked nervous. “Oh crap, if you’re calling them schemes they’re going to be shady.”

  “Remember, it’s this or your pregnant wife has to have four fistfights.”

  “Shit. Okay, what do I have to do?”

  “You’re going to start smoking again, baby.”

  “What?” Blackhawk hadn’t smoked in almost ten years, and he really didn’t want to start up again. They had a kid coming and didn’t want lung cancer.

  “You’re going to go out on a smoke break with Sheila, and have a smoke. When she’s done smoking, and leaves you grab her butt,” she pointed at him. “By butt, I mean cigarette butt, not her ass, or you have a whole other issue to worry about than smoking that will kill you faster than lung cancer.”

  “You know this is crazy, right?” he said, not believing that they were going to go there.

  “Hey, you want me out there smoking with her or yanking hair out of her head?” She pointed at the baby.

  “Why me?” he asked rhetorically, rubbing his forehead and already knowing the answer.

  “She hates the women on this team, remember? It’s you or Callen, and he isn't here. But I guess you can’t handle it, so I’ll just do it,” she offered, baiting him.

  “I am absolutely not having my pregnant wife lighting up on a nicotine break!” Blackhawk started laughing. “This may just work, and that makes me think you’re either insane or some evil genius.”

  She thought about it, and it made him laugh even more. “I think I’m going to go with evil genius on this one and possibly plead the fifth for the last three. Although…”

  “I love you,” he said laughing.

  Elizabeth sat back in her chair. “Wait until you hear what you have to do to get the DNA from the other three. Since you’re not mad at me yet, I’ll say I love you too now. In case it’s the last time you want me to ever say it again.” Elizabeth kept a straight face and had to fight to not laugh.

  “Elizabeth!” Blackhawk suddenly didn’t find it funny, because he didn’t think she was joking.

  “What?” she asked, innocently.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to do this.”

  “Me either. I figured you’d make Callen do it,” she said, dropping her boots on the corner of the desk, laughing. “You know, haze the newbie.”

  Blackhawk looked down at his watch. He’d never make it back in time.

  Damn it!

  Whitefox wouldn’t let her go back to her house; it just wasn’t going to be safe. Instead he sent Special Agent Christensen. Asking her for a favor wasn’t too bad, the woman seemed to understand that the situation had just upgraded from stalking to something more dire. Blowing up a Federal vehicle was a big offense, and when the lunatic was found, it was going to be more than just stalking. Now they were dealing with Federal jail time.

  Desdemona didn’t protest when he said she wasn’t leaving his sight. She seemed willing to stick close to him, and that was a good thing. Right now he didn’t need to have to chase the woman all over the country trying to get her back to his side. He wasn’t above handcuffs and trumped up FBI charges to drag her back. Now they just needed to wrap up the personal aspect of their time on the Rez, and then head back to Red River to get to work.

  “We don’t have to do this,” he said, more for her than for himself. He could handle his grandfather, but she shouldn’t have to deal with his family’s personal baggage. He’d seen more than a few women break down under Timothy’s gaze.

  “Callen, it’s okay. I know what I’m heading into, and I’ll be fine. What’s the worst he can say? You can’t marry me and have kids with me?” she paused, realizing what she said. “We’re going to live together; you aren’t committing to me forever, or giving me children.”

  Whitefox looked over at her. The only reason he didn’t ask her to marry him was he thought she’d run, well that and he planned on just forcing her to marry him by wearing her down eventually. “Would you marry me if I asked you?” he needed to know.

  “Callen we just met. I think we’re rushing it, so no.”

  “I’d like to point out my brother married Elizabeth on day four and they are perfectly happy.”

  It irritated Desdemona that he was using Elizabeth and Ethan as his standard. She wasn’t Elizabeth and knew she’d never be her. “Not until this stalker mess is over. I don’t like risking you now; I won’t risk my husband to a nut job. That’s just sticking a big red bull’s-eye on you. Screw that,” she adamantly objected, burying her feelings. “It’s not happening. I’m sick about living together, and putting your life at risk. I’m hoping to talk you out of it at some point.”

  “Biding your time are you?” he laughed, taking her hand in his. “I’m stubborn, so it’s not going to happen.” Part of him was thrilled that she would marry him if there wasn’t a nutjob harassing her. At least she acknowledged it was going to happen after all this was over.

  Desdemona sighed. “You are exasperating, do you know that?” Staring down at their joined hands, still there were no twined fingers. It lacked intimacy and still irritated her.

  “You wouldn’t be the only woman to tell me that,” he paused. “Well the only difference is the other women didn’t use such large words. Most the women before you weren’t exactly doctors with their fancy vernaculars.” Now he was teasing her, as he parked the replacement Denali in front of his grandfather’s. It still impressed him that a simple Native man managed to get a doctor to fall in love with him. Whitefox wondered if this was what his brother felt like when he managed to catch Elizabeth.

  She rolled her eyes and then punched him in the arm.

  He looked at the totem, and the new addition his grandfather had commissioned. Wyler had carved another raven and placed it at the very top, wings spread as if scaring off danger. It was completely Elizabeth and her addition to the family, and it suited the entire pole. Wyler even gave the black raven icy blue eyes, so there’d be no doubt that she was the protective raven looking over them all. “You can still change your mind,” he said, softly.

  “Let’s just face him, and go from there.” Deep down she hoped he didn’t see how scared she was that he was going to be talked out of being with her. “Just stay calm, Callen. We can figure it out.” Desdemona leaned over and kissed him. “I promise.”

  When he looked over, he saw his grandfather waiting. “Let the show begin,” he muttered. “I apologize in advance.”

  She gave his hand a squeeze and then bravely hopped down from the side of the Denali, making her way to the man standing with his arms crossed on the porch. Yeah, he was intimidating as hell, but she wasn�
�t going to let him see her afraid.

  “Hello, Mr. Blackhawk, I’m Desdemona Adare.” Holding out her hand, she stared into his brown eyes, and understood why he was the patriarch. He was bad ass like Elizabeth. Even at eighty-eight years old, but she was ready.

  “Hello, Doctor Adare. Welcome to my home.” Timothy stepped backwards and held the door for her.

  “Thank you, Mr. Blackhawk. I appreciate you having me over for lunch.”

  Timothy hugged his boy, and patted his back. There was nerves and worry written all over his face. It hurt his old heart that he was the cause of it. His grand daughter-in-law was right. It was time to trust his boys. After all, Ethan had found Elizabeth and that was better than if he had done it himself.

  “Before we continue, let’s stop the false pleasantries, if you don’t mind and get down to the reason we are all here today and then have lunch. Please have a seat.” It was a direct order as he pointed to the couch and nodded at his grandson too. Now his boy looked wound so tight, he was going to spring apart at any second.

  “Certainly.” She sat, and squeezed Callen’s hand. They would survive anything he said to them.

  “I spoke to Elizabeth, and she told me I’m a control freak who needs to trust my boys and let them make their own choices in life. I have decided to listen to her and butt out of this one. I trust Elizabeth to guarantee that Callen’s choice is quality.”

  Whitefox looked surprised.

  “She told me you’re a lovely woman, and that you wouldn’t do anything to hurt Callen. I believe her and have decided to forgo any of this judging you based on your heritage, and let Callen decide what is best for him. Who am I to interfere?”

  Now Whitefox’s mouth hung open. As soon as he got to Red River, he was going to kiss his sister-in-law. She managed to get him something he never thought he’d have. Freedom of choice to love anyone he wanted. Yeah, he loved her to death.

  “Son, are you happy?” He looked over at his youngest grandson.

  “Yes, I am.” He squeezed her hand and felt the pressure release from his chest. This was the last step in his plan.