“This is speculation. You know there’s no science to this. She’s simply guessing at what she thinks the face would look like. How am I supposed to give that to Director Blackhawk?”
Tony moved toward his friend in disbelief. Whenever he’d needed someone to support his choices, he’d been there. Now, he was simply asking for the man to cut Jaxon a break.
“I know what you can do when it comes to the director. How about you try shutting your mouth? Maybe you should let Doctor Armstrong’s work speak for itself,” stated Tony.
He could feel his blood pressure rising.
“I’m in charge here.”
Tony wasn’t having it. “For years, I’ve let you play boss in this lab. I may not have a medical degree like you do, but I’ve muddled along just fine while you were away on your month long honeymoon. Life went on here, and we survived. You’re in charge because you dig in bodies, not because you’re better than anyone else, so let’s get that straight.”
All the techs around them stopped moving. Immediately, Meredith motioned for them to all leave the room. It was about to get ugly, and no one wanted to be in the crossfire when the shit hit the fan. She genuinely liked both men, but as history had shown them, war was about to be raged, and over a woman.
They were just lucky Elizabeth wasn’t around.
She’d boot them both home—in a heartbeat.
“You’re not thinking with the right head,” Chris stated, and then he pointed down.
Jaxon gasped, knowing Tony was going to lose it. She could tell by the look on his face.
Rage filled him.
“That’s priceless coming from you. You wandered around like a bumbling idiot for a full year before you finally figured out how to get Cyra even to go on a date with you. Who the fuck do you think covered for you? Me! I made sure your tools were put away. I made sure the files were sent to Elizabeth. I covered your ass because you were my friend. Now, I’m asking for you to do the same thing, and you’re on your pedestal preaching down your nose.”
Chris flushed red.
Had he really been that bad?
“I’m not doing that. All I’m saying is that she’s not using science. I’m not the only one who thinks that. Forensic reconstruction is an art, and nothing more.”
“Please stop,” Jaxon said softly.
They ignored her.
“I’m pointing out a cold hard fact, Tony. That’s my damn job. Whether you like it or not, this is MY lab. MY name is on the door back at FBI West, and I am fully responsible for what goes on here. It won’t be your ass on the line if something gets screwed up. It’ll be mine.”
Jaxon hated watching this happen.
This was all over her.
She knew that Tony loved Chris Leonard.
“I really wish you would both stop,” she said, trying once more.
Again, they ignored her like she wasn’t even in the room. It was incredibly frustrating.
“I can’t believe how narrow minded you are,” stated Tony Magnus. “No, wait! I do believe it. You have that jacked up rich kid mentality. You’re the brightest, best, and it’s your way or the highway.”
Tony’s well-aimed words hit their mark. He knew that Chris didn't give a shit about a dime he had. He was all about his wife, his unborn child, and this job.
So, he retaliated the only way he knew how. Deep down, he knew it was petty and childish. Still, he was wounded over the man’s disregard for Jaxon.
Chris crossed his arms over his chest and glared at him. “I can’t believe how you’ve given up on the principles of science. Oh, wait, yes I do. It’s all because you’re getting laid. That’s a great reason. There’s you, a slope, and it’s mighty slippery, my friend.”
Jaxon stood.
This was ridiculous. She couldn’t believe they were fighting over her. Now, she really wished that she didn't volunteer to do the skull.
She felt like it was her fault.
Leaving the room and skull behind, she had to get some fresh air. Pushing past the techs, who were standing in the hallway, she opened the door and tried not to be sick.
Immediately, Merry was at her side. “Want to take a ride? We can head out and get some decent coffee,” she offered. “I saw a place.”
Jaxon couldn’t speak, so she simply nodded, grateful to get away from the petty fighting.
Leading her to the vehicle, Merry drove them out of there. Sympathy filled her eyes as she patted the woman’s arm.
“I’m beyond humiliated,” she muttered, fighting not to break down.
“Hey, brush it off. You have to get used to being around all that testosterone. If you don’t cry once in our lab, you’re the oddity.”
“I don’t know what to do with them.”
“Men. You can’t live with them, and if you kill them, you go to jail.”
Jaxon laughed, and then promptly burst into tears.
She was well aware.
* * *
Pulling up to the small run down house, they could tell that there was definitely someone home. Being a small rural town, Belleville had a lot of poverty.
It wasn’t like Ethan and Callen weren’t accustomed to that, since that’s where they came from.
Poor was one thing.
Poverty stricken was entirely another.
That was just the norm when you were raised on the Rez. Despite the easy luxury they lived now, thanks to three directors’ salaries, neither man forgot where they came from.
The old cars.
The burned out buildings.
The filthy kids that peeked at you from behind rickety old walls.
It was all there, living in them.
Hopping out, they were met by a man on the front porch, and he didn't look friendly or want them there.
What gave it away?
The shotgun in his hand.
Blackhawk went on alert, stepping in front of Callen. He didn't want his brother getting shot. “Sir, we’re only here to talk to you about Ruth.”
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I’m going to reach for my badge. I’m Director Ethan Blackhawk, and I work for the FBI.”
He waited until the man nodded.
When his hand cleared his hip, showing the shiny gold badge, the gun was lowered.
Finally, in that one intense moment, Ethan could breathe. It looked like for now, they wouldn’t be shot.
“Did you find her?” asked a woman, sticking her head out from behind the man.
“We don’t know, ma’am, but we’re actively searching for her. That’s why we’re here,” Ethan offered. “This is Director Callen Whitefox, my partner. We’ve been assigned to work on your daughter’s case, and we were hoping to ask you some questions.”
The man relaxed. “I’m sorry about the gun, but we’re nervous out here. Our daughter has gone missing and the backwoods are a dangerous place. You never know who is friend or foe.”
He was well aware, since they had a gun pointed at them. Ethan could have also brought up that they’d just broken the law.
A serious one.
Instead, he cut them a break. If one of his children had gone missing, he would have done the same thing too.
“Come in,” the woman offered. “I’m Mira, and this is my husband Leo.”
They followed them into the simply decorated home. Once inside, they could tell that a close family lived there. On the walls, there were pictures. Each chair was decorated with hand stitched pillows, which spoke of love.
“Can I get you some coffee?” she offered.
“No, ma’am, we’re good. If you could tell us what happened, we’ll start working on this right away.”
He hated that he couldn’t tell them that he suspected they had their child in the morgue. It just wasn’t the time yet. They needed confirmation.
“Ruthie worked as a housekeeper. She was going to put herself through college. She was saving up every penny and was about to apply to the university. All she ever wanted to be
was a teacher. She was going to get out of Belleville,” Leo stated.
Callen remained quiet, taking notes. He was letting his brother run this one.
“Was Ruthie seeing anyone?” Blackhawk asked, using the woman’s nickname. It gave him a connection to the family, offering them a way to relax as he pried into their lives.
“No. Her only focus was getting out of here. Who could blame her? In Belleville you’re either rich and own a vacation home here, or you’re poor and work for the wealthy. If you haven’t noticed, we’re the latter.”
Callen offered the man reassurance. “We grew up on a reservation out west. Our home was very much like this. I can tell by looking around that you’ve filled it with good memories and love. That’s all that really matters in the end.”
The woman nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Thank you for that.”
Ethan was proud of his brother. He was damn good at his job.
“We just want to find her,” Mira stated. “Please, help us bring her home. In our hearts, we already know that she’d dead. I gave her life, and I can feel her spirit around us. Ruthie isn't in her body anymore, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to bring her home. We don’t have a lot, but we want our child back.”
Ethan couldn’t imagine how much they hurt. If he ever lost one of his kids, he’d die. From the look on his brother’s face, he was thinking the same thing.
“We want to bury her.”
Oh, if they only knew.
Their sweet child had been buried—by a maniac.
“Is there any way we can have a picture of her? I promise that it’ll get back to you. I just need to make copies and pass them around.”
The woman eagerly picked one, commenting on how she looked so sweet in that one photograph.
Blackhawk took it from her. “No matter what happens, you need to remember her this way,” he offered. “This is how you need to see her for the rest of your life.”
His heart ached. He had a daughter on the way.
Then, Ethan wanted to be sick. His unborn child was somewhere, along with his wife.
The emotion overwhelmed him.
Callen needed to know one thing. “Was anyone bothering Ruthie?” he asked. “Harassing, calling, or tormenting her?” Callen added.
“No. Everyone loved our Ruth. She was a good, sweet girl. You have to find her, Mr. Blackhawk. Please bring her home. No one seems to care because she wasn’t important to anyone else, but she mattered to us. ”
Leo pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes. “Find our girl for us, sir. Please.”
There were days Ethan hated his job. This was one of them. Despite what they believed, he dreaded telling them the truth.
Ruth Hildebrant was coming home.
And their lives would never be the same again.
* * *
Wednesday Afternoon
She’d gotten the okay to head out.
It was time to go.
It took everything in her to not vault the couch and run from the house. Elizabeth was one step closer to getting some time with her husbands, and she couldn’t be happier.
Soon, she would be miles away from the creepiness and in the arms of the men she loved.
Thank God!
Before leaving, she needed to pull Jagger aside. When they were alone, she issued the warning. “You need to keep your eyes on her. She’s tricky. Don’t let her wander too much, set the alarm at night, and watch your back.”
He grinned. “I’m a Marine. I think I can handle this.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Lose the cockiness. She’s more than twenty Marines can handle, and for Christ’s sake, don’t ask her questions. It’ll mess with your mind.”
Jagger Armstrong wasn’t worried.
“Do you want me to tell your sister anything?” she offered.
His face softened. “Give her a kiss for me, and tell that old man she’s shacked up with that we will be having a talk.”
That was funny as hell. Elizabeth couldn’t wait to see the look on Tony’s face when she relayed that message. “I can do that.”
“We’ll be okay, Director. I promise.”
“If you feel off or she warns you, get the hell out of here. I’ll be in Bellville. You can always head there. I’ll work on a backup location in the meantime.”
He nodded. “Got it.”
“I’ll return as soon as the case is over. My team needs my help, and then I’ll rush back here.”
“Take your time, boss lady. I’ll watch some TV with her, pump her for some information, and then play the ponies to retire.”
“Jagger, don’t be a dick.”
He laughed, a little shocked at her bluntness. “Don’t worry. I know the protocol. I have Gabe’s number in my phone. There’s an exit plan in case something goes bad. Once you’re through that gate, I’ll lock this place down. You just go focus on your team. I’ll do my job.”
“I’ll check in,” she said, grabbing her gear. On the way out in the hall, she ran right into the woman she was dying to get away from.
“Remember what I said,” Avalon offered, taking Jagger’s arm as he led her away.
Yeah, someone was going to kill one of the brothers. How the hell could she forget that?
It was all she was worried about.
Now she hoped that she wasn’t too damn late.
For now she’d get to the hotel and wait. In the morning, Elizabeth was back on duty, and there was definitely not going to be any funerals on her watch.
Not now.
Not ever.
* * *
Tony paced like a wild animal. Jaxon had managed to slip out in the middle of his and Chris’s fight. What he wanted to do was beat the hell out of his friend for being an asshole, but he was mature enough not to do it.
Or at least he hoped that was the case.
When he’d interrogated the team, and yes—that was an accurate word—they informed him that Jaxon had gone off with Meredith.
Well, at least she wasn’t alone.
That was progress. At one time, she would have bolted to God only knew where.
It now appeared that she only needed a break from the men in the lab.
Who could blame her?
When the morgue door swung open, both men glanced over. There stood the head tech and she didn't look happy.
“Where’s…?” Tony began, only to be cut off by the smaller woman. Gone were the innocent violet eyes, and in their place were ones filled with anger.
“Listen up. This is a lab. Whether you like it or not, we all have to work here. Each person brings something to the team. We can’t all be scientists, but that doesn’t mean we’re not valuable.” She pointed at Chris. “When you were gone, we figured it out. While I appreciate you wanting to run this by the letter of the law, you have to think how people feel before you let bullshit roll of your tongue.”
Chris Leonard went to speak.
“No. You screwed up, so you’re going to listen. Doctor Armstrong is working on something important. Our jobs are to find justice for the dead. How we get there isn't as important as getting the job done. So, while you may not agree, keep it zipped.”
Chris stared openmouthed.
Then, she turned toward the other man. “You have to leave your personal life out of here. This is a lab, not a dating lounge. You have to let Jaxon defend herself. She isn't a baby. What she is, is a damn good doctor. Stop playing babysitter and try being her co-worker on the clock, and her fiancé off it.”
Tony didn't know what to say. He stared at the woman like she’d grown two more heads.
Grabbing the skull and tools, she headed toward the door. “She wants to work in peace, so she can do her job. I’ll watch her and insure that the skull is safe. Leave her alone or I’ll kick both your asses. You’re both lucky that Elizabeth isn't here to see this nonsense. She’d boot you both for jackassery.”
The men were left to watch her storm out.
Yet, they didn'
t speak.
Chris stared at the man who was his friend, afraid the bridge to that past was already burned.
Tony wouldn’t look at him.
While Meredith may be right, he was still pissed.
He was very aware that words couldn’t be bottled back up, and he knew they both crossed a line.
It was now a gaping hole sitting between them.
* * *
En route in their vehicle, the directors received another call from the agents. This time, they had information on the girl who worked at the ‘Twist and Shout’.
Ethan was glad, since they had to find some thread to tie this all together, and soon.
Pulling up to the ice cream stand, they found the owner inside. Freddy Bonaparte was in his forties and looked frazzled. When they knocked on the glass, he rushed over.
“What can I do for you?”
Ethan opted to let Callen run this one. Elizabeth said he was field ready, and he wanted to see it for himself.
Taking out his badge, he showed the man. “You’ll need to come out and talk to us, sir.”
“I can’t. We’re short staffed. I need to work back here.”
Callen didn't give him an option. “I can shut you down, force you to send your one employee home, and make your life a living hell. Do you really want me to go there?”
The man shook his head.
“Good one, Cal,” Ethan muttered as the man rushed out from behind the locked door.
“Make this fast.”
“Tell us about Jacey Durante.”
He looked surprised. “Why?”
“We heard from your girlfriend at the diner that she stopped showing up for work a while ago.”
“She did,” he offered. “Then again, lots of kids do. They don’t really take this job seriously. Along comes Saturday night, they’re scheduled to work, and instead they bail. It’s the norm.”
“How old is she?” Callen continued, making sure to use the correct tense. He didn't want to give anything away.
Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) Page 14
