“I can’t wait to tell the Rez that the Blackhawk boys are screwing the same woman once again.”
Elizabeth looked over at the little woman. Finally, Kaya Cheek had appeared, and she seemed to be aiming for the most damage possible.
It was beginning to piss her off.
Blackhawk’s cheek twitched. “Wondered when you’d be making an appearance Kaya,” said Ethan. He began unwrapping his burger, nonchalantly. “Bad things always turn up sooner or later.”
Inside he was seething that this woman was even this close to his wife and brother. All he could hope was he could keep his cool and not make a scene.
“I heard you were back, Ethan. Came crawling home and married to an outsider. It must have been hard to find a Native that didn’t mind your tainted blood. She’s the best you could do.”
“Yeah, married and sex with a hot woman. Poor Ethan,” Whitefox said, snickering. “We should all have such horrible luck.”
Kaya went directly after the woman to get some satisfaction.
“You must be the wife.” There was so much hostility in her voice and pure unadulterated jealousy.
Blackhawk tensed immediately, and his wife placed her hand on his thigh and rubbed it reassuringly. Kaya Cheek was setting herself up for trouble.
“That’s what the paper I signed says.” Finally, she looked up at the woman, giving her all her attention. “I guess that and the shiny wedding band on my ring finger.”
“I expected you to drop in and say hi,” she sneered. “S you could meet the woman he was with before he left.”
Elizabeth felt her husband tense again and this time she looked at him, caressing his cheek and lower lip with the pad of her thumb.
This woman was nothing, and she didn’t care if she watched the intimate display between them. “That’s funny that you bring it up. Just yesterday, I said to Ethan, let’s talk about the failed relationships and mistakes we both made in our past. Guess what? Your name was top of his list.”
The woman looked pissed.
Elizabeth continued, “And since I’m not really interested in my husband’s old hookups, Kaya, I won’t be stopping in to chat. Since I’m the one he married and not you, I have no reason to have any girl talk with you. But I did hear how you tried to trick him into marrying you, and then when that didn’t work you went after Callen,” she paused. “How’d that end for you?” Elizabeth ate a french fry. “Come to think of it, Ethan asked me to marry him and I didn’t have to trick him. Odd how that worked out… Go figure.”
“You have a pretty smart mouth for an outsider.”
“Yeah, I graduated from Cornell with a Bachelor’s degree in smart mouth. Want to see my diploma? I keep it in my box of fuck you. Let me pull it out for you.”
Both brothers laughed. They couldn’t help it. Elizabeth Blackhawk was entertaining when she was angry. It was only a matter of time; the southern was on its way to the surface, and someone was going to be in for a world of hurt.
It just enraged Kaya to have both men laughing at her.
“Hey Callen, thought you were going to come home with me the other night from the bar. I was surprised you changed your mind.” She spit out venomously. “You two brothers are notoriously easy to get into the sack, especially you Callen.”
Elizabeth came to her brother-in-law’s defense. “Like you have any clue what ‘notoriously’ means.”
Kaya Cheek’s face grew red. “Why don’t you tell them the truth, Cal? Tell them you came looking for me this time to get laid.”
Whitefox’s body went taut, and he stared across the table at his sister-in-law, hoping she’d keep his secret. When he felt her leg brush and rest against his under the table reassuringly, he relaxed at the contact.
“I do declare boys, you didn’t tell me she was an egomaniac with delusions of grandeur,” Elizabeth drawled, covering for Callen. “If I were you I’d be careful, Ms. Cheek. The first indicator that you have a serious affliction is you actually believe that either of these men want you. But don’t worry there’s an antidote. It’s me handing you an ass kicking. Sometimes, the cure if far worse than the ailment.”
Ethan nearly choked on his soda.
Kaya Cheek looked ready to punch the woman, but before she could say anything more Elizabeth continued.
“On second thought, Kaya, I did want to talk to you. It seems we’re having a big wedding on the Rez. I need a bridesmaid. I figured you might be up for the job, you know since they have that saying, ‘Always a bridesmaid and never a bride’. Care to help us Blackhawks out? I reckon you owe us, since you caused the boys so much grief in their pasts.” Elizabeth purposely included her brother-in-law in the family name.
If looks could kill, Elizabeth would be dead.
“Bitch,” she muttered.
“Kaya, stay away from my husband and my new best friend.” As if to emphasize, Elizabeth stood and towered over the woman, and she placed her hand on her hip showing her the badge and gun, “or I’m going to come looking for you, and you don’t want me to go shit wild on you. Because while I may look civilized, and I may have a degree from Cornell, let me assure you that I’m the bitch that defined crazy. I will defend my family,” Elizabeth paused. “And these two men are my family.”
“You can have them!” Kaya Cheek stood her ground.
Elizabeth took a step forward, lifted her sunglasses and stared into the eyes of the woman, giving her the very scariest look she had in her arsenal. “One, they aren’t yours to hand out. They belong to me, and I am very protective of the people I love. And two, if you make a play for either or think of trying any shit that will put them in a compromising position, you will find me on your doorstep without my gun and badge. I’ll teach you what happens when you touch what’s mine. I don’t share, Kaya. Bet on it and know they are both off limits. Consider this your official warning.” She took another step forward until the woman was forced to step backwards. “You, plus we three Blackhawks, equals some serious hospital time. Remember it.”
Elizabeth watched her turn and walk away in a huff.
Blackhawk looked over at his brother and smiled. “That’s why I married her,” he said to his brother. “Watching her get all territorial just gets me all hot and bothered.”
“Yeah, I’m betting that’s why,” he laughed, drinking his soda and winking at his sister-in-law. He was pretty sure the outer package is what got him hooked first, but now he was feeling all warm himself.
“Now, where were we?” she asked, crossing her legs, placing the napkin back on her lap and returning back to her burger.
“Thanks baby for keeping the bloodshed to a minimum,” he said, leaning over to kiss her and laughed. “For the record, I didn’t care what she said.”
“Me either,” added Whitefox lying. He thought for sure the truth was going to come out. He was still touched he was included in her protection and love. “Sorry, Ethan, but this show deserves a kiss.” He stood and kissed her lightly on the lips, grateful she was in his life. “Thank you, Lyzee.” When his brother didn’t move, he let out the breath he was holding.
Elizabeth looked at both men. “I cared. I thought we discussed this, Cowboy. After the flight attendant, no one treats you like that, or they deal with me. Now, he’s added into that too,” she pointed at Callen. “I promised granddad to keep you both safe.”
“Flight attendant?” Whitefox perked up immediately.
Blackhawk shrugged. “She was my ex-girlfriend before Elizabeth.”
“Still have her number?” He teased half-heartedly, knowing he’d already lost his heart to a certain woman.
Elizabeth laughed and choked on a French fry, and had her husband patting on her back, as her eyes filled with tears from the laughter. “Yeah, call her up. I need to have a talk with her yet too.”
“Before we kill my wife, how about you finish telling us about the vet?”
Whitefox broke it all down, describing the conversation, and how their father was working there carv
ing a totem.
“Wyler’s too old for the profile. I feel pretty secure removing him,” added Elizabeth. Plus she saw his face as he was leaving the office, he wasn’t a killer.
“Why the change of heart?”
“Something about the cards and the totem animals, it just doesn’t fit for me. Now he gets the card about only one brother surviving. I really think it’s about you two.”
“Us?”
“I keep thinking through the evidence, Ethan, and no matter how I look at it, play it, and set it up this all feels super personal to me.”
He thought about it.
“We’ve played it from quite a few angles, but honestly this is about you both. If we go by the literal meaning on the cards, then only one of you will remain.”
“Maybe we should talk to Wyler. If the killer is now leaving him cards and stealing his arrows then it feels like he’s targeted too. Why else would he take his arrows?”
“Wyler makes his own arrows. I’ve seen him do it. They have black and white feathers on them.”
“Like the black and white feathers on our porch, Callen? I really think someone is messing with us. The profile is being screwed with and it looks like the killer is trying to point us at your father.”
“Same feathers,” answered Whitefox. “I have a few arrows he made me a while ago.”
“Okay, let’s swing by his house,” Blackhawk sighed, it was the last place he wanted to go.
Elizabeth patted him on the knee. “Yeah, we can’t. I’m sorry Ethan, but on the way out of FBI West, I told him to go stay at your grandfather’s or lay low.”
His body went rigid at the idea his wife was talking to his father behind his back when he specifically said no contact. “I see my statement about him nowhere near you wasn’t clear enough, Elizabeth.”
“Please don’t get mad at me and start a fight, Ethan. I did it for you.”
“You did it for me?” He wasn’t even sure how to comprehend that statement. How could talking to his father behind his back be helpful to him?
“I understand why she did it, Ethan,” said his brother, jumping in to defend his sister-in-law. “If the killer went after him and killed him, you’d feel guilty that you didn’t save him or at least warn him. Even though you’re pissed at him, it would still cut you just a bit to know you let your father get killed without a word.”
“I don’t know that it would,” Ethan lied. There was no doubt in his mind he would have bled a little over it, especially since he didn’t even think to warn him.
“Yeah it would, because I would hurt too, and I’m less emotionally tied to him. You look like him, you have the last name. You’re the only Blackhawk son.”
“Wait,” Elizabeth put her hand on Whitefox’s hand. “Say that again.”
“He’s the son, the actual son. He carries the name. I’m not a Blackhawk, I’m a Whitefox,” he paused, “Ethan may be the half-breed, but I’m the bastard child.”
Elizabeth began thinking.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to go see your grandfather!” She grabbed her wrappers and left the table quickly. Her mind already preoccupied.
“Hey wait up!” Blackhawk shrugged, and chased after his wife. “See you at Granddad’s house.” He barely had time to get into the vehicle, before she was buckled in and pulling out.
“What do you have?” he knew the look on his wife’s face meant she was close, real close to putting all the pieces together.
“I need to see if your father dated anyone after you both were born. Not necessarily procreated with but dated. I hope your grandfather can remember.”
“You think he had another child?”
“I need you to call Christina, get me a report on the trace on that card. I may need to call in a favor too. I have a suspicion.”
“Care to share?”
“I think all he wants is to be a Blackhawk and replace the only Blackhawk son. That’s why he’s aiming for you, and Callen is just a side note. You’re the Blackhawk.”
“It’s not like there’s a fortune attached to the name.” Blackhawk almost laughed.
“Sometimes it’s not about the money, Ethan. Sometimes it’s about the recognition. To the killer, the name means everything, and you're the only one with the name. Look at Callen. You can see it wounds him that he wasn’t born with the name. He always feels like he’s illegitimate.”
Blackhawk never thought about it, but part of him hurt for his brother. “If I could make him Callen Blackhawk I would, Lyzee.”
Elizabeth just nodded. If he could do it, she knew he’d find a way.
Elizabeth parked the Denali in the driveway. She walked over to the totem and ran her hands down each animal, inspecting them. Most predominantly were the raven, her husband, then the fox, Callen Whitefox, and lastly the bear, Timothy Blackhawk. As she walked around the back of the totem and stared at the fur of the bear she saw it. There was a little tiny bull, etched into the fur of the bear towards the bottom.
“What?”
“Look at the bear,” she said, pointing to the fur and the tiny bull. It was right over the signature of Wyler Blackhawk, carved into the totem.
“Son of a bitch! I never noticed that,” he said softly, as he moved aside for his brother to see it. “Callen, have you ever seen that?”
“Never.”
Elizabeth stood. “The killer has seen this. I think the tattoo is in reference to this totem and the family. Wyler is a bull, and he signed this totem.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples as a wave of dizziness crashed over her.
“You okay?”
“Headache, that’s all,” she lied to keep him calm. If he knew she was dizzy, he’d be carrying her back to the Denali and to the closest emergency room. “Every picture he’s drawn is attached to this totem, Ethan.”
Timothy Blackhawk heard their voices and came out to the porch and watched them together. His grandson had his hand on his wife’s shoulder, and she was staring at the totem in deep thought.
“I wasn’t expecting you all today. It’s a very pleasant surprise.” Timothy walked towards them. “Is something wrong?”
“Granddad, after Wyler got my mom pregnant did he knock up anyone else?” asked Whitefox, crassly.
“I don’t know my boy. No woman came here saying he did,” he answered, watching Elizabeth. “Come, let’s go in and sit down,” he nodded, taking her hand. She didn’t look well, and she was very pale. A silent look was passed to his grandsons.
“Let’s get out of the sun.” Blackhawk followed his wife and grandfather into his house. Immediately he rushed to get her some water. “Drink this, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth wasn’t listening. Her thoughts were all focused on the totem and the pictures of the animals. “Granddad, you told me that each animal has traits or characteristics. That Wyler was definitely a bull.”
“I did and he is.”
Elizabeth thought back to the bull carved into the bear. “Did you know Wyler had a bull on the totem?”
“Yes, he told me once he signed all his works with his name and his spirit guide, as a way to thank the bull for giving him another work of art and the stubbornness to complete it. I used to believe he put it there to be part of our family. Wyler is the invisible member of our unit.”
Elizabeth started processing the older Blackhawk’s words. “Tell me about the raven, fox, and bear.”
“The raven signifies courage and magic. He is the harbinger and messenger. He brings news from the spirit world,” he pointed at his eldest grandson. “The fox is cunning and likes games. He can hide in plain sight and never be caught,” he pointed at his other grandson.
“And the bear?”
“The bear is the watcher. He sees all. He is also the healer and most often taken animal for shaman. The bear is the power of the totem.”
“What are you thinking, Elizabeth?” asked her husband.
It was right there. The entire thing was almost put together in he
r mind. “I think he’s connecting all the players in the game. He has something to do with this family. At first, I thought he was talking about each person, the raven and the fox. But I think we need to look at the characteristics instead. Look at the traits: Magic, courage, cunning, hiding in plain sight, shamanism, healing and a watcher. Then the bull he drew on the woman,” Elizabeth paused and her stomach rolled with the possibility. “Oh my God, fertility.”
“Elizabeth, are you okay?” The three men watched her closely.
“I really need to make this call,” she said, pulling out her phone and dialing the lab. “Chris it’s, Lyzee. I need your help.” She put her phone on speaker.
“Hey, what do you need, sunshine?”
“The two Native American women that had flesh, what were the states of the fetuses? Enough for DNA?”
“Yeah, we ran DNA on them.”
“Did we compare them?”
Doctor Leonard sounded confused. “To each other?”
“Yeah, a side by side comparison to each other. I need to know if they match genetically.”
“Let me pull the reports and call you right back, and I’ll tell you,” he disconnected.
Blackhawk sat beside his wife. “You think the killer impregnated the women and then killed them all.”
“Yeah, I think he did. The bull is fertility.”
“But why?” asked Whitefox. “Why get them pregnant and then kill them?”
Elizabeth looked over at her husband. “I don’t do the psychological part of the puzzle. That’s you Ethan.”
Ethan Blackhawk considered what she was laying out for them. “If he’s impregnating them, then it may be about control. He may have had a childhood where he was completely controlled by someone, and now he is acting out and taking back the control. Playing God, if you will.”
“Like a female figure?”
“Exactly like that. If he’s killing the women, it may be because of his past and his mother relationship. As for why he’s killing his own progeny, if he’s the third son then it’s possible he feels the need to control the order of Blackhawks being born. He may be impregnating women in order to find the perfect wife, to give him the perfect child. Keep in mind there aren’t any children born from any of the sons yet.” Blackhawk pulled his wife against his side. This is why her pregnancy had to remain hidden. “If he knew you were having a baby, you’d be his target.”
Sacred Burial Grounds (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 2)) Page 41
