“Go ahead. We’re doing our job, and that’s what matters. Trust me. Your daughter doesn’t care about her flesh being removed by beetles. She’s looking down and wants justice. So zip it.”
He gasped.
Mitzi hid a smile.
Now it was time for the second strike. “If you were to call the governor, president, or the pope, I would have to share with them something that you won’t be too happy with.”
He glared at her. “What’s that? What could you actually have that might cause me a problem? I didn't hurt my daughter!”
“I know you didn't kill Magdalene. What you’re guilty of is just as bad. You were having sex with young girls, and by that, I don’t mean the one sitting beside you. There were others.”
Mitzi wasn’t smiling now.
In fact, neither was he. Immediately, Wilfred Monroe began stuttering.
“Oh please! Enlighten us,” Mitzi stated. “You have nothing on my husband.”
While her words defended him, her body language spoke volumes. Already, she was leaning away from him.
He quickly jumped in, trying to save his ass. “It wasn’t forced. It was consensual.”
Mitzi stared at him in horror.
“Was Jacey your soul mate?”
He still said nothing.
Ethan didn't know why he put it past his wife to pull this one off. He should have known that she was going to take the man down one way or another. Since the girl in question was dead, they had no proof.
Mitzi didn't look like she needed it.
“What the fuck is she talking about?” she demanded, jumping from the couch in anger.
He followed, trying to pacify her.
Elizabeth dug the hole deeper. “Yeah, didn't you know, Mitzi, that he was dipping his rich stick in another girl.”
It enraged her. “We were in school together.”
“Yeah, he started when she was fifteen.”
She gasped as if struck.
“Us too! You cheated on me with her? You better explain, Willie!”
His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Yet, no words came out.
Blackhawk watched it all unfold.
It was funny as hell.
“You were screwing her and me at the same time?”
He tried to calm her down, but it wasn’t working.
“Yeah, he would drive her to the ‘Twist and Shout’ and swap copious amounts of saliva with her. I bet they did it in his car too, right, Mr. Monroe?” Elizabeth provoked.
Mitzi’s mouth dropped open. “OH.MY.GOD.”
“Did she turn you down, Willie?” Elizabeth asked, using his wife’s nickname for him. “Is that why you killed her?”
Ethan lifted a brow.
“I bet you hooked up with Mitzi afterwards.” She stared right at the woman. “Oh, no,” she said, feigning mock pity. “You were Jacey’s sloppy seconds.”
It took all Ethan had not to roar with laugher.
Mitzi went red.
Willie realized that he was screwed. He pointed at the door. “Get out! You can’t talk to me like this! I’m calling my attorney!”
Her work there was done.
“Yeah, Mitzi, honey, you better call one too. I hope you didn't sign a prenuptial.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I didn't.”
Heading toward the door, Elizabeth was supremely pleased with what she had accomplished. Outside, Ethan placed his hand on her arm.
“You never wanted to question him, did you?”
She laughed. “Hell no. I wanted to have his wife interrogate him. That’s poetic justice, my friend. You dip your stick where it doesn’t belong, it should be the wife to remove it, not the FBI.”
He laughed. “You’re sadistic, evil, and wicked. I think I love you.”
Now it was her turn to snicker. “I hope so, or I’ll throw you under the marriage bus next.”
He wasn’t worried.
Ethan didn't cheat, and he never would. This was his woman, and he loved her.
“Hell hath no fury like a wife scorned.”
“Lyzee, baby, I’m well aware.”
Something was rubbing him the wrong way.
Callen kept staring at the whiteboard and his tablet. The data wasn’t matching up for him.
It felt like they were missing something.
All morning, he’d been tracing the money trail. Russell Beston was a thug. He’d often collected a fee for his services from Wilfred Monroe. It looked like he’d been hired three or four times a year for ‘jobs’.
Yet, none had been as large as the fee for his job eighteen months ago.
The man was dirty, but he wasn’t sure the way they wanted him to be.
Instead, that little nagging voice appeared in his head, pushing him to dig more.
In his opinion, they were missing someone who was a viable suspect. Maybe it was because he was quiet, blended in, and didn't stand out, but Donald Hooper should be on that board.
Crossing to it, he added his name. While he knew his woman was territorial with her whiteboard, he didn't think she’d care.
After all, she told him to find something.
Elizabeth had put it in his hands, and now he was going to take care of it.
Sitting down, he pulled the file he had. The first thing he started with was the DNA. Merry’s tech had sent over the file, and low and behold, there was no report for Donald Hooper.
After calling, he found out that the man must not have submitted a sample. Was that an oversight?
Curious.
To Callen, that was damn suspicious. Their team wouldn’t call it a coincidence since they didn't believe in them.
Continuing to dig, he found things that were more fascinating.
Like the man’s father—he was dead.
As was the killer’s.
Donald’s mother was MIA.
As was the killer’s.
Callen dug through the information that Agent Madden had compiled. She’d done a very thorough job of finding whatever she could on their student.
Scanning through the university’s documents, he found a copy of the man’s birth certificate. It showed no name in place for the mother.
That was suspicious too.
What also caught Callen’s attention was that when he pulled up the man’s information in their system, he didn't show. Yes, he had a driver’s license, but no record of birth.
It was looking bad for the man. He was steadily moving up the suspect list.
Callen decided to do a deep search on the man. One way or another, he’d get to the bottom of it.
He had to.
Elizabeth would expect the best.
* * *
The team was ready to go when they arrived. That made it easier to get them all mobilized and to the dig site.
Ethan wanted his head tech to run this one, since it was her opinion that Magdalene had gone into the water not far from there.
As they arrived, the dig team was sitting around doing absolutely nothing.
Well, that was going to change. They were going to make sure of that. If they wanted work, then they’d get it.
Entering the tent, Doctor Bridget Seston was waiting for Doctor Magnus. Before he could brace for it, she began her verbal barrage of angry words.
“YOU! I want to file a report against her!” she said, pointing at Jaxon.
Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. “For?”
“Striking me! That bitch hit me!”
Jaxon paled.
Tony wasn’t too far behind. He thought he’d handled it, but apparently, he was wrong. It appeared that this nightmare was never going to end.
Well, shit!
Elizabeth had about enough of her drama. She’d taken a few face shots in her time, and this was a little too much bitching. Doctor Armstrong wasn’t that big. It wasn’t like she could do serious damage.
“Not going to happen, sugar. See, you put your hands on my anthropologist. As far as I’m co
ncerned, as his boss, and a woman who would beat down someone trying to poach her man, you’re lucky to be alive. I would have beat your ass into the ground.”
“I’ll bury her career.”
She could see this was going nowhere. “Okay, I’ll punish her. You’ve earned yourself a week off, Doctor,” she said, pointing at Jaxon.”
The woman’s lower lip quivered.
Tony looked like he was ready to lose it.
“Are you happy, Doctor Seston?”
“Yes, I am.”
Elizabeth faced her anthropologists. “I suggest you schedule that week for your honeymoon. Just give me two weeks’ notice.”
Tony nearly laughed. He shouldn’t have doubted his friend.
Doctor Bridget Seston looked like she was going to chew nails.
“I’m also going to handle the situation where you touched someone who didn't ask for it.”
She began protesting.
“You’re fired, Doctor. Sashay your ass off this dig site, Ms. Seston. I don’t want you near my anthro, our bodies, or me. I may be forced to hurt you if I see your face again. When I say hurt, what I mean is this; I’m going to reach into that man poaching skanky ass of yours, pull out your spleen and tap dance on it. Then, I’m going to shove it back in, using that hole of yours that seems to keep getting you in trouble.”
She looked horrified.
Elizabeth turned, facing down Jaxon. “Now, do you see the correct way to hurt someone? Fists are not needed. Words can suffice.”
Tony began laughing.
The woman stormed away, flipping Elizabeth off as she left.
“Oh look,” stated Chris Leonard. “Someone gave you the finger. That’s new. I’ve only seen that a million times in the last twelve years.”
Everyone started laughing.
“Yeah, if I had a dollar for each time that happened…”
Ethan waited for the joviality to end. When it did, he kicked into boss mode. “We’re going to break up into three groups. The techs will remain here to collect anything we find.”
Yeah, and to watch their backs.
“Elizabeth and I will be heading in with Valerie.”
The woman looked worried when Elizabeth simply pointed at her.
“Tony and Jaxon will go in with Donald.”
They paired up.
“And last, but not least, Chris and Merry will take Jeffery with them.”
They headed outside. Meredith mapped out the locations, giving them specific grids to work. “We found the trampled area not far from here. I think we should spread out and work with that as the epicenter.”
“What are we looking for?” Donald asked. “I hope not the killer.”
Blackhawk checked his sidearm. “Yes, that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
The man looked ill at that thought.
“Okay, let’s head in,” Elizabeth said, pointing at her doctors. “Use those weapons if you need to.”
That was mostly directed at Tony. She was aware that he was skittish about pulling his gun.
They nodded and headed in.
This was going to be interesting. Now she only hoped no one got shot…
She really hated paperwork.
* * *
They sat on the couch watching the surveillance video. When their boss said it was day after day of mindless footage, she wasn’t kidding. This was borderline torture.
“This sucks.”
He didn't agree. Mostly, because he was enjoying how Johanna felt beside him. He could pick up the faint trace of her perfume, and it was intoxicating.
“What’s worse is that this is creepy. Look at how Lenny is watching her. He sits there, tracking her with his eyes.”
He was confused. He was seeing something totally different. The man was admiring a woman.
It was exactly what he found himself doing when she was around. All he wanted to do was watch Johanna.
See her.
Taste her.
Be near her.
“Why is it creepy?” he asked.
“He’s practically leering at her. I can see him undressing her with his eyes.”
Yeah, he was guilty of that too.
“I do the same thing. I watch you the same way. Does that make me creepy?” He was trying not to get offended.
It wasn’t easy.
Why he thought this would be anything but damn difficult was shocking to him. Johanna Madden was going to be a hard nut to crack.
“No, because you’re not a potential serial killer. You’re just going through some weird partner faze. It’ll pass. I just have to ride it out.”
God! She hoped it ended soon. This was killing her.
Was that what she thought?
Instead of arguing, he opened his mouth and it betrayed him, “I’m in love with you, Joey. This isn't going to pass.”
It was like the world stopped spinning on its axis. Her head whipped around so fast that she got dizzy.
“What did you just say?”
“You heard me. I know you don’t feel the same, and that’s okay. I just needed you to know the truth. I wanted to share what lives in my heart.”
She was horrified.
Johanna knew this was bad because she felt the same about him. Only, she couldn’t do it. They couldn’t be together.
“Say something.”
“Brody, we can’t. We’re partners.”
He didn't give a shit. “So? I’ll volunteer to be reassigned. I’ll head to the vice section of our division. I want to pursue what’s between us.”
She stared at him.
“I’d rather be your partner in life than at work.”
This was horrifying. She didn't want to hurt him, and her lack of words had to be damaging him.
Yet, her tongue was tied in knots.
“Just think about it,” he finally said, giving up. He needed to focus on the job right now. This would have to wait until they were home. Then, he’d show up at her place and convince her.
“Brody.”
“Not now, Joey. It’s going to have to wait. We have plenty of time to discuss it.”
God, she wanted to cry.
He didn't know how wrong he was.
* * *
River
This was a bitch.
It was hot, there were mosquitos, and tempers were on edge. There was nothing like wandering through what amounted to be more marshes than river side.
“You’re getting that cranky face,” Ethan said, trying not to make her more miserable.
“Yeah, I miss Callen. I want to be off my feet, and for the first time, I feel like I’m carrying a ton of baby bricks.”
“He’s fine. He’s probably thinking about how to get you naked.”
She snickered.
Valerie looked on in curiosity.
When the sexy Native man took the female Fed’s hand in his, to kiss her knuckles below the wedding ring, she couldn’t not ask. “Are you married to him or the other man?” she asked.
“Why do you want to know?” Elizabeth asked, moving through the dirt and weeds.
“You told me to keep my hands off the other one. So, was that to just scare me away? Is he free?”
Elizabeth stopped.
Ethan knew what was coming.
“He’s my husband, as is THIS ONE. If I see you near either, or refer to them as a something instead of a someone, I will break you into little bitty pieces and feed you to my pack of wild dogs at home.”
That made Ethan grin. Their dogs were wild all right…wild about his leather shoes.
The woman shut her mouth.
Blackhawk looked around. Despite being distracted, they seemed to have found something. “Lyzee, baby, look.”
It got her attention.
She stared at the ground. There was a broken tooth. “Didn’t Magdalene have a tooth missing?” she asked.
He nodded. “This is likely where she went into the water.”
Elizabeth turned toward t
he woman. “Thank you for asking that stupid ass question. We would have missed this if you weren’t nosy.”
The woman wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or insult.
“Text the team. We’re going to tear this riverbed apart until we find something.”
Blackhawk did just that.
Finally, they were getting a break.
Tony wandered with Jaxon at his side. The entire time, he held her hand firmly, not willing to let her out of his sight. This all reminded him of the reservation and getting shot. Lately, guns and lots of trees were nerve-wracking to him.
“So, Doctor Magnus, why did you settle on the FBI?” Donald asked, walking behind them.
He glanced back. “I wanted to help people, so I dedicated my life to doing just that.”
Jaxon squeezed his hand in reassurance.
“I lost my mother when I was twelve,” he stated, not mentioning that his mother was found in that pit. The wound was still too raw, and he couldn’t even bring himself to say it out loud.
“I hear ya. Mine bailed when I was six.”
Yeah, and Jaxon’s was killed. They were a sad group.
Tony hoped the man let it go. He really didn't want to talk about it. Just then, if ordained from a higher power, his phone went off. Pulling it out of his pocket, he read the message.
‘Head to the following coordinates. I think we found ground zero for where Magdalene was killed.’
“Elizabeth?” she asked.
He nodded. “They know where the killer dumped the body. We have to head there.”
Donald looked wary. “Is that a good idea? This is a killer. He’s dangerous. What if he’s watching the spot?”
They didn't have to worry. If they pissed off the boss, a killer would be the least of their problems.
Merry and her team got there first. Before the directors could even say anything, she began snapping pictures.
“This is it,” she stated, as Elizabeth bagged the tooth.
“Yeah, we thought so.”
Elizabeth looked around. “He didn't carry her in from the road. Look at all that bramble and thorns. She had to have been brought in the way we came.”
Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) Page 52
