All the King's Henchmen

by Morgan Kelley

  He laughed.

  “Bitch.”

  “Toad.”

  He snorted.

  “Do you want this information, or not?” he asked, pulling through the checkpoint and hitting the street.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “It was over a woman, as I’ve stated, and not just any woman. It seems that a senator was here that morning, and the First Lady walked in on them.”

  “As in?”

  “He was working her over. Panties around the ankles, bent over the desk, and her begging him to stop. Needless to say, he didn’t. The man finished up, the woman left, and the missus lost her shit on him and called him a rapist.”

  Well, that was…something.

  “You know,” she began, “there are times when I’m full of shit and messing with people, but I can honestly say that I hope Damian Dean is burning in the fiery pits of Hell. He was a filthy, freaking animal, and he deserved what he got.”

  They knew she meant it.

  In all of their time with her, she’d never said that, and she never would.

  “He deserved it. Now I see why someone totally bashed his face in. I would have done it.”

  They didn’t doubt that either.

  “Yep. Apparently, he liked taking what he wanted, and he didn’t care if you said no. He wasn’t afraid to use force.”

  That made her ill.

  That made her curious.

  “His wife said he couldn’t get it up for her. So, we know he was popping sextasy.”

  Callen stopped her.

  “What?”

  “You know. Viagra the happy sex pill that gets you to ecstasy. I’m shortening it to sextasy. Actually, that’s a street name. I didn’t make that one up.”

  “Your mind is fascinating,” Callen stated. “I am always amazed.”

  She snorted.

  “Anyway,” she said, continuing, “he couldn’t get it up, he had to pop the little blue pills, and he then took any woman he could for a ride on the rape train. Yeah, that would be enough to get him killed by someone.”

  They agreed.

  “Who was the senator?” she asked.

  “My Marine buddy said it was Senator Hilda Forbes. She’s that young first-term senator from Nebraska. He called her to his office to work on a bill.”

  “Yeah, that must be his code name for his dick.”

  Ivan didn’t doubt.

  “Anyway, the wife walked in, he ordered her out, he finished up, and then there was a fight.”

  Funny, no one mentioned this to her.

  Gee, she wondered why?

  “And no one tried to help her?” Elizabeth asked.

  Ivan shook his head.

  “Here’s an interesting fact. The president kept the Marines outside and out of earshot. The only people allowed outside the Oval Office were the Secret Service.”

  And there it was.

  His henchmen.

  If they turned a deaf ear toward a woman being raped, she’d nail all of their asses to the wall.

  ALL.

  OF.

  THEM.

  They knew she was pissed. In fact, they were too. Anyone who didn’t help a woman who was being harmed was an asshole—even if it was the president.

  “I think we should call the senator’s office, and ask to speak to her,” Callen stated.

  “Yeah, we should. If it was rape…,” she said only going there because Callen had a few wild fantasies where he took her against his will. From an outside perspective, she was sure it looked like he was raping her.

  Perspective mattered.

  Did she think the president violated the senator?

  Hell, yes.

  Did she have to check?

  Yes.

  “Do it, Cal. I’ll task you with that. Get me in to see that senator.”

  He could do that.

  Callen pulled out his phone and began searching for her number to get what Elizabeth needed done.

  “Anything else?” she asked Ivan.

  “The usual,” he stated. “No one liked him, he treated the Marines serving in the White House like the hired help, and he was a douchebag.”

  She laughed.

  “Yes, yes, he was.”

  Before she could say anything else, her phone rang. She tapped the navigational screen and Ethan’s voice came over the speakers.

  “Baby?”

  “You’re on speaker.”

  “Oh, well, then I won’t tell you how smoking hot your ass looked in those jeans this morning,” he teased, trying to stir Ivan up. “That would be totally inappropriate.”

  “Christ,” the man muttered. “Talk about Viagra moments.”

  Ethan paused.

  “Did he just accuse me of taking Viagra?” he asked.

  Callen found that funny.

  “We told him about your erectile dysfunction.”

  Now Ethan knew he was busting his ass. When it came to their bed, their sex lives, and erections, there were no problems—well, not enough time.

  Elizabeth found them both amusing.

  “Focus, husbands. Ethan, I know you didn’t call me while I’m working to flirt. Although, it is the highlight of my day. What do you need?”

  “A meeting.”

  “A private meeting with just you and me?” she purred.

  Ivan gagged.

  “Now who’s flirting?” he asked. “Actually, that’s your normal behavior. Carry on.”

  Oh, she would.

  “Yes, I need a meeting.”

  “Just me?” she asked.

  “No, I need both you and Callen. It’s case related. I need an update, and I also need to share some intel that’s been dropped in my lap regarding this mess. I couldn’t put it in an email.”

  Yeah, it was definitely case related.

  “I can head in.”

  “Thank you, baby. It’s really important, or I wouldn’t bother you.”

  “Maybe you can make it up to me.”

  Oh, he was down with that.

  “You know what I like, Ethan. I need you to give it to me,” she purred.

  Ivan was horrified.

  “A profile on your killer, huh?”

  “Yep. I want to cut this crazy off at the pass. Oh, and Ivan is a pervert. His mind is always in the gutter. You know what they say about men who are always thinking about sex,” she teased.

  “Yeah, their women are on cases out of town,” Ivan added. “Because their boss is a bitch.”

  Ethan laughed.

  He knew how it felt to be away from his wife, and it was shitty.

  “I’ll let that go since you got me intel.”

  “What did you find?”

  She told him everything from the interview to the Viagra, and the rape.

  Ethan whistled.

  “Wow, that’s…are we sure it’s not like Callen’s sexy games he likes to play?” Ethan asked.

  Callen flushed red as he was making his call to get them in to see the senator.

  “You know…where he ties you up and…”

  Ivan rolled down his window.

  “I swear to God, I’m going to puke. I had Fruit Loops this morning. They will be a mess.”

  She laughed.

  Callen didn’t. He was thinking about that particular fantasy. It had been a while.

  “We’re heading back to the Hoover Building. I’ll meet you in your office.”

  “I’m heading into a budgetary meeting. I can’t miss it. Gabe is putting out fires that are coming up, and I’m on deck. Can you maybe hit autopsy first?”

  She glanced at the clock.

  “Yeah, Chris won’t be done yet, but I do love tormenting the hell out of him by asking questions while he works. Plus, the newbie needs breaking in.”

  “Be nice. She’s new, and she’s actually not afraid to work with your team. If you break her, you could get a Wilcox-y version.”

  She laughed.

  “Uh, speaking of broken down versions, why do I only have Ivan today?
I thought you were dumping Saint on us.”

  “Oh, he’s around.”

  Ivan looked in the rearview mirror. He couldn’t see hide nor hair of the man.

  “Really? Where is he? On the roof?”

  “He’s making sure you’re good, and he’s checking in nonstop in case you go missing again. You’ve got your protection. He’s a ghost.”

  Clearly.

  “I love you, Ethan Blackhawk. You’re my favorite deputy director in the whole world.”

  “Elizabeth, you own my heart. Just remember one thing for me,” he stated.

  “What?”

  “Don’t kill the messenger.”

  With that, he was gone.

  “What the hell did he mean about that?” she asked, and even Ivan was confused.

  “Got me. He’s your husband. It’s not my job to understand him. That’s your gig.”

  “Well, that can’t be good,” she admitted. “I hate when he goes all FBI director cryptic on me,” she admitted.

  He could see why.

  Callen hung up the phone.

  “We have our interview?” she asked.

  “Well, we have one, but it’s not today,” he admitted. “It seems that the senator is out sick. Her office said that we can interview her tomorrow, IF she’s back.”

  “A missing senator a few days after she’s sexually assaulted in the president’s office, and then he’s dead that same weekend? Well, that’s inopportune timing on her very unlucky behalf,” she stated.

  “Yep. It is.”

  “Well, let’s grab some late breakfast for Chris, and head in. By breakfast, I mean a fruit salad and yogurt. We have to eat our bagels before he sees us.”

  Callen laughed.

  “Thank you. I’m sick of fruit.”

  “I’m sick of nuts.”

  He laughed.

  Callen was pretty sure she was talking about the people they’d encountered in this case.

  Then again…

  * * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *

  Agent Melina Bowling’s

  House

  When they pulled up to the woman’s home, it was nicer than some of the ones in DC. Obviously, this woman was doing well with her career.

  She was living far better than Alex.

  “My place doesn’t look like this,” Alex stated. “In fact, my place doesn’t look like anything but a shitbox,” he stated. “Someone is way above my paygrade.”

  Noah laughed.

  “I own my home, so I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he stated. “I like a fast car. I know where I spent my money. Besides, working beneath Elizabeth means my longevity is questionable.”

  Noah got that.

  “Live fast, die hard,” he stated.

  Alex realized how his blasé attitude must have sounded. He didn’t want his partner thinking he didn’t value life—especially when Noah was staring down a death sentence.

  “How have you been feeling?” he asked.

  “Well, I’m good. Every day is a new day.”

  “Can I ask you something?” he asked.

  “Sure.”

  “Are you scared?”

  “Of?” Noah asked, unbuckling his seatbelt to get ready to do the interview.

  “Of dying.”

  He laughed.

  “Yes. Aren’t you?”

  “Not really. It’s part of life,” he stated. “We’re Feds. We have a short expiry anyway, right?”

  “Want to trade?” he asked. “You can have the HIV, and I’ll take your attitude.”

  “I’m sorry,” he stated. “I don’t want you to think I’m being a dick about it. This has to be hard for you.”

  “It is, but that’s okay,” Noah said, shrugging. “I just worry every day. I worry about getting someone else sick, I worry about making sure I take my meds and avoid germs, and I worry that when I’m gone, if I go early, no one will remember me.”

  “I will.”

  Noah smiled. “Thanks.”

  “How’s the boy toy doing?”

  “Sexy as ever. We’re both doing good, and thank you for asking, Alex. I missed having you as my partner. I really did. You were always my friend, even after I came out, and then even when my HIV was revealed.”

  He patted him on the shoulder.

  “If you EVER need anything, Noah, just call. I’m here. I’m glad I got to be your partner again.”

  “Even when I’m checking out your ass?” he teased.

  “It is a damn fine derrière,” he admitted. “Who could blame you?”

  They both laughed.

  “Let’s go find an agent,” Noah stated. “Elizabeth will chew us up and spit us out if we don’t get our asses moving.”

  Oh, he was aware.

  At the door, they knocked, and it didn’t take her long to answer it. It was clear she wasn’t surprised they’d showed up at her place. She was sweaty and in workout gear.

  They knew what she was doing.

  “Agent Melina Bowling?” Alex asked.

  “Yes? Who are you?”

  They flipped out their badges as if on cue, and it earned them both an eye roll.

  And a sigh.

  “Well, I knew this was coming. Come on in. Would you like some coffee? I just finished working out, and I was going to have some.”

  “Sure.”

  They followed her into her home—right to the kitchen where she poured three cups of coffee from her fancy coffee machine.

  Yeah, someone was living the good life.

  “Have a seat,” she said, pulling out the creamer and sugar for them.

  They all made their coffees, and she finally sat.

  “I suppose you’re here to ask why I was fucking the president.”

  Alex choked on his coffee, and Noah patted him on the back. It was clear this woman…she was upfront.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, staring at him.

  “Yeah, I just didn’t expect you to come out and say that. I figured we’d question you, you’d evade, and we’d have to beat a confession out of you. I didn’t think you’d lead with that.”

  She laughed.

  “I don’t have time in my day to lie. I was sleeping with him, and I didn’t pretend.”

  Both men were confused as hell. Here she was, pretty, young, and letting some older man use her as his sex toy.

  “Why?” Noah asked. “No offense, but…”

  She smiled.

  “He was the president. That’s why. Damian took good care of me. I had job security and no worries.”

  They assumed she meant financial.

  That made her a hooker if she was being paid off. Yeah, great. The Secret Service was employing a gun-toting call girl, of sorts.

  This case was weird.

  It appeared the president got away with anything he wanted.

  Here was this young, pretty agent. She was in excellent shape, she worked out, and she likely could have a plentiful dating life, but she was playing bedmate for the president.

  Crazy.

  “And you’re willing to admit that after he was killed?”

  “Yeah, I WAS on his duty roster. Now I’m going to be reassigned. Do you know how long it took me to get a presidential assignment?”

  Uh, no, they didn’t, but this was an interesting interview. Normally, they’d have to pressure someone. This woman was an open book.

  Scarily.

  “I started with the Secret Service a few years ago, and I had to work damn hard to get the assignment. I was stuck in line behind Harmony Wells. The day she headed to the marshals, I got lucky.”

  She laughed.

  “Really lucky, I guess you could say. Now someone killed him, and I’m stuck,” she said, going serious. “This whole thing sucks. How am I going to afford this place?”

  This was crazy.

  “Why were you sleeping with him?”

  She laughed.

  “To move up. Period.
He was a lousy lay—honestly, and he didn’t last more than three minutes. The man got winded halfway through, I think I came once, and I had to get myself off.”

  Noah tried not to laugh.

  His partner was flustered.

  Man.

  He was so damn glad he was gay.

  “Anyway, now I’m out of a position. The vice president already has a security detail, and he doesn’t sleep with anyone but his wife. Boring.”

  “Yeah, that must be irritating when there’s a whole lot of fidelity involved,” Alex stated.

  “The president and his wife didn’t sleep together. She hated being in the same room with him. How she got pregnant, ever, is beyond me. Then again, she had the golden egg. She is the mother of his child. That’s how it works, right? Catch the man by getting knocked up.”

  Uh, yeah, Noah was damn glad he was gay and nowhere near that piranha-filled dating pool.

  “Can you tell us who you think would be willing to kill the man?” he asked.

  “Well, not me. I got screwed, and not in a good way. The president would pass me cash with each time. That’s how I bought this place. I only have one more year left on the mortgage. I timed it to be paid off when he left office. Now what?”

  Yeah, they couldn’t help her there.

  “Maybe we can focus on the dead man and who may have killed him?” Alex asked.

  She sipped her coffee and thought about it.

  “Well, last week, my boss was in his face. Normally, people laid off since he could be a dick—not actually use his.”

  “Let’s stop talking about his dick. That’s nasty,” Alex stated.

  Oddly, since Noah had seen it post removal, he tended to agree.

  “Which boss?” he asked.

  “Well, not Tiegan. She’s blind to anything but the job. Alfie was pissed. She was in a meeting, yelling at them.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Because, apparently, Tiegan didn’t know there were agents helping him get laid. She hadn’t a clue. She dragged the woman into the Oval Office, and it was bad.”

  Well, that added someone to their list.

  “Like yelling or YELLING?” he asked.

  “The latter. Alfie was tearing both of them three new ones. I felt bad for Tiegan. She was taking it like a subordinate has to, but she clearly was in a bad mood the rest of the day. The president told her to shut up, or she was out of a job.”