“I’m sure the commissioner…”
She cut him off. “This is FBI territory now. Congrats. You don’t have to worry about it. I’ll call in a team to do the paperwork. You get the body, and we get the accounting.”
He was good with that.
Tori went with the bright side of the whole thing. “Well, you know that he killed himself yesterday,” Tori offered.
She shook her head. “We can’t be sure without the autopsy. If this was the killer, this might be to slow us down. Tori, you know better than to assume. Who taught you?”
She laughed.
“Uh, you did.”
“Shame on me. I should be sent to bed without any dessert for failing that one,” she teased. Elizabeth knew that the FBI and private investigation were nothing alike. They had science to back them up. Tori and Julian had limited resources.
“Did she really train you?” Arsen asked. “I didn’t know the FBI had room for psychics.”
Tori shushed him. “Don’t make me hurt you,” she muttered.
Elizabeth was amused. “We do have a division, or should I say we did.” She left it at that. Oracle was alive, and so was her team. No one could ever figure that one out.
Ever.
Elizabeth continued, “Until the autopsy, we don’t know if he offed himself or if someone set this up,” Elizabeth said. “Was he in here alone? Did he kick out his own chair? Or…?”
Yeah, that was going to be the big question.
Elizabeth stared at the desk. “Give me a hand up,” she stated.
“What?” the detective asked. “Are you insane?”
She stared at him. “You’re the one waiting on your ME. That’s insanity. I want to look at his neck.”
Tori held out her hand.
Arsen whistled and everyone left the room.
Elizabeth laughed. “Handy trick. I wish I could do that,” she teased.
Tori snorted. “Yeah, you whistle and people RUN.”
It was a gift.
She hopped up on the desk as Tori helped her. While she moved close to the dead man, she was careful not to come in contact with him. She even stood on two sheets of paper so she didn’t leave footprints.
“Look at his neck,” Elizabeth offered.
They both looked up to see what she saw—only there was nothing.
And that was the point.
There were no scratches.
“He didn’t try to save himself,” Elizabeth offered.
“Is that odd?” Arsen asked.
“Yeah, it is. With every scene that I’ve ever been to, the person generally begins to die and thinks ‘shit!’. They usually try to save themselves. He didn’t. Why?”
Yeah, that was a very good question, and it only had two answers.
He was either out cold or he was really resigned to die.
Again, the coroner would be the one who gave them that. Maybe he did commit suicide, but still…
It felt off.
“It feels ill-timed to me,” Arsen stated.
“Yeah, it does,” Elizabeth said, hopping down from the desk.
Arsen didn’t like this.
“Well, Detective?” Elizabeth asked.
“Well what?” he asked.
“What do you plan to do about the curveball?” she asked. “I’m here to make sure the cops play fair, and I was told to trust you. That’s a lot to ask in this situation, but I’m willing to be nice…to you—not that douchebag partner of yours.”
“I have to work this like any other crime scene. We start with notification of family.”
She snorted. “Uh, your partner notified the whole area with his wildly flapping yapper.”
She had a point.
“Well, then next, I’m going to search his place. Want to join me?” he asked.
That was exactly what she’d want to do in this situation. Elizabeth was about to tell him that when his cell phone went off.
“Detective Woods,” he answered.
Elizabeth’s cell chime went off, too, and she knew it was from Callen. He must have something.
She quickly read it.
Then she showed Tori.
Arsen hung up. “It seems your husbands may have found another body. I’ll have to send a team to do the search of his home. I’m going to be really busy today.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Two-fer. Maybe you should get your ME working. At his rate, you won’t be getting autopsy results until Christmas.”
He was aware.
This also changed everything, and he knew it. Two bodies found by two Feds twenty minutes after one of them read them the riot act.
Yeah, bad things were coming.
He was on damage control.
“Well, you can’t tag along. I need you to head out and don’t come back. I’ve got to work this one alone.”
Tori went to protest.
“The shit is about to hit the fan, and that will NOT help your brother one bit.”
That shut her up.
“Once our ME gets done, I’ll give you the update—on the DL, of course.”
Elizabeth was good with that. They could head back to the office and see what else had been found. By the time this detective did his search, hopefully. they’d already be two steps ahead of the local police.
“See you later, Detective. Play nice with the big Native man. Trust me. He hits hard. I’ve seen him do some major damage,” she warned, as he walked away.
They stayed back for a reason.
Tori, as soon as the detective was gone, pointed toward the desk. It was time to do what needed to be done.
“Oh, look, Elizabeth. Fredrick Raymond’s cell. I hope it doesn’t disappear,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Is that a big eagle tap dancing in the window?” she asked.
Elizabeth laughed and turned her back. “I am so damn glad you don’t work for me. I hate paperwork.”
She was amused as Tori pocketed it.
“The bird must have flown the coop. Maybe we should follow suit. I think we should head out,” Elizabeth stated, heading toward the door.
Did she feel bad about turning her back when Tori ‘borrowed’ the cell?
No.
Why?
Elizabeth didn’t doubt the cops were about to screw them over and big time. Oh, they were going to get Beau off, and that meant playing the game a little differently.
Truthfully, she wasn’t the law.
While she carried a badge, she wasn’t a Fed. That had died in her. Now, she was just a friend, doing what she did best.
Chase the dead.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Xavier Lake’s
Home
When the two detectives arrived on the scene, the tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. They both knew that the commissioner was heading there.
Callen didn’t doubt the guy was going to lose his nut over this one.
It was going to be damn ugly, and he knew it.
As the detectives’ vehicle came to a stop, the two Native men were sitting there and waiting for the show to start. All they could hope was the violence would be kept to a minimum.
Yeah, right.
“What the hell?” Detective Bender stated.
Callen held up his big hand. “Slow your roll, Detective. We didn’t call it in,” he offered. “We weren’t sure if you wanted a media free-for-all or not,” Callen admitted.
That was the last thing they needed.
“Thanks for that,” Arsen said, pulling on gloves. “We already have a mess brewing.”
Detective Bender wasn’t so magnanimous with his attitude toward the two men.
“Don’t go anywhere. You two Indians are going in for questioning.”
Callen and Julian laughed.
“What part of that did you find amusing?” Detective Bender asked, moving closer to Julian.
“Back off, Detective,” Callen warned. “I’ve kicked the shit out of a couple cops who got a little too close t
o people I love and respect. You won’t even be a smear on the concrete if you touch either of us.”
“I really hate Indians,” he muttered.
Yeah, that was why they were laughing. The Indians really hated him too.
“I dare you to say that word in front of Elizabeth,” Callen stated.
“I don’t think this is funny. You’re both going in for questioning.”
Callen stood up, and he towered over both men. He had a way of puffing out his chest to give the impression of being larger, deadlier, and meaner. It generally worked, and he didn’t have to get violent.
“First of all, let’s get a few things straight, Detective Bender. I’m a Fed. I do questionings. I don’t get invited in to be the subject of one. Second of all, do you know who the hell my brother and boss is?” he asked. “If you even come near me with cuffs, I’m going to fight you every second of the way, and IF you do get me subdued, I won’t be held because I’ll pull the family card.”
Callen turned his cell phone around, and on the wall paper was a picture of him and his brother flashing their badges. It was a joke for Elizabeth before the big meltdown. Now he kept it there to remember a man he loved.
The detective bit his tongue to stay quiet. He was well aware.
He stepped back.
“Good choice,” Callen stated.
Arsen knew he really needed to reel this one in. The Fed didn’t call the media, and he didn’t call it in. That helped them out. There was no chaos on the scene.
For that, he’d play nice.
“What do you have?” Arsen asked.
“When we arrived to ask him some questions, he didn’t come to the door.”
“Yeah, we know that,” Bender stated.
“Well, had you done your job and peeked inside the windows, you would see that there are blowflies all over the inside of the house. When you see blowflies, you generally have a body.”
The man muttered something, but Callen ignored him.
“So, after seeing the flies, I climbed the trellis, entered through a window that was slightly open, and I found the body. I then let my partner inside.”
Callen was making sure to take all the blame and not Julian. They couldn’t toss him in jail, but they could make the man’s life hell. Julian had enough on his plate.
Arsen made notes.
“That’s it, Detectives.”
It worked for Arsen.
“Jamie, call the ME. Tell him he has to get here now. I know he’s not big on being forced, but we have a pile up going on, and he’s needed. I want this victim handled first. Maybe the media will die down on the other one.”
Callen didn’t ask. Honestly, it didn’t matter to him what the man did. He was just there to chase a killer for Julian, and that was what he was going to do.
“On it,” Jamie said.
“By any chance did you find a suicide note?” Detective Woods asked.
His partner was appalled.
“Why are you asking them?” Jamie asked, his phone pausing midway to his ear. “You’re playing a little too nice with the enemy.”
Arsen glanced over. “I don’t want to get fired or end up on some watch list. He’s a Fed, so I’m betting he knows how to work a crime scene. Besides, I’m the lead detective, and I’m not going to be confrontational. We have a big enough mess.”
Callen stepped in.
“We both know how to run a crime scene,” Callen offered. “I deal with serial cuckoos every single day and nut jobs in general. Oh look…,” he stated, staring right at the belligerent detective. “There’s another.”
The man didn’t get it, but Arsen did. He had to cover a laugh with a cough.
“I’m going to go make that call,” Jamie stated. “Don’t let them take over!”
Arsen shook his head as his partner walked away. “Let’s go inside and look around.”
That worked for them.
Inside the house, they were inundated with the smell of dead body and swarms of blowflies.
This was the worst part of the job.
Arsen checked out the bloated mess that was supposedly Xavier Lake. That was one ID he was glad he didn’t have to do.
“When did you try to interview him?” Callen asked.
“The day after Shelby Christensen turned up dead. We pulled her phone and got his ID. He didn’t come to the door.”
“And you didn’t pursue it?” Julian asked.
“My partner was supposed to follow up, but that was before I realized they wanted Beau’s head on a silver platter, and nothing more,” he whispered, in case his partner was near.
They got it.
“Well, Xavier’s been dead a while,” Callen stated.
“Yeah, I can see that,” Arsen stated.
They stopped talking as Jamie approached.
“I called the ME. He basically laughed at me, and said he’d see us when he saw us,” Jamie said, as he caught up with the men. Then he whistled when he saw the victim.
Yeah, that’s what they were all thinking.
“He has needles in his arm, and he’s sitting in that chair. I’m going to postulate, and I’m not an ME, but that man was shooting up drugs,” Julian stated.
Detective Bender went to say something snarky, but Arsen stopped him.
“Make this easier, not harder,” he suggested.
He took a deep breath and nearly swallowed a fly.
Callen covered his amusement by looking away.
“Maybe you should wait outside for the team,” Arsen offered, swatting away a horde of blowflies.
“Works for me. I don’t like dead bodies,” he muttered, heading out.
“Which is all kinds of ironic since he’s a homicide detective,” Callen stated.
“Tell me about it,” Arsen added.
“If I were going to guess, I’d say this is self-inflicted jackassery,” Callen offered.
“I’m with you there,” Julian stated.
Arsen had to agree, but he was still thinking about the other crime scene. Two bodies tied to a blackmail case, and they’re found on the same day?
That was odd.
“Yeah, only something is bothering me.”
“What?” Callen asked.
“Your wife found a body too.”
Callen laughed. “She’s a bullet and corpse magnet. Don’t be shocked. There will likely be more.”
“Yeah, well, the attorney was laid out like he offed himself.”
“And you don’t buy it?” Julian asked.
“I’m not sure,” Detective Woods stated.
“That makes everything look suspicious,” Callen admitted. “Your ME will have to do the autopsies and let us know.”
He laughed.
“What?”
“You should have them by next month. Doctor Banks isn’t exactly stealthy and speedy, as I was telling Elizabeth.”
At the use of her name, Callen lifted a brow. “Elizabeth, huh?”
“That’s her name, isn’t it?” he replied. “Let’s get out of here. The stench is killing me.”
Julian was curious.
“Where was my wife during all of this?” Julian asked. “Like Elizabeth, she’s a bullet and dead magnet, but just not for bodies.”
Callen was glad he didn’t have to deal with that. Not that he wouldn’t love his wife anyway, but three was company and twenty was one hell of a ghostly crowd.
“I can answer that,” Whitefox offered. Callen had a text from his wife. “They are heading back to the office. We’ll meet them there. I think she wants to head out to grab lunch.”
The cop stared at them. “Cutting out for the day?”
Callen laughed. “Are you kidding? We’re going to a bar. That’s an interview. My wife doesn’t cut out in an investigation. Not even if she’s bleeding.”
“I hear that about her. In fact, I hear a lot about her—as of late,” he offered.
Callen stopped laughing. “Don’t believe it all. The media jackals are a bu
nch of assholes and they lie to sell stories.”
“So, she isn’t gorgeous and smart?” he asked, trying to ease the man’s irritation. Yes, he’d heard other things, but he didn’t buy into gossip.
“Okay, you can believe that.”
He laughed. “Keep me updated if you find anything. I’m going to be tied up all day and likely into tomorrow. I hope no more bodies show up.”
On that, they could agree.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Littlemoon Investigations
When they headed into the office, Nyx was sitting there, and so was Beau. They were working on two different things. Beau was trying to find out who had killed his mother, and Nyx was trying to control the demon she’d let loose in the building.
It wasn’t going well on either of their ends.
It was clear by the look on their faces.
“What do you have?” Elizabeth asked, dropping down onto a chair. She shook out her arm, trying to get the tingling to stop. Pins and needles were the worst.
“Not much. We pulled all of the financials,” Roman said, heading their way. “By the way, your tablet rocks.”
She laughed. “Yeah, it’s a techie’s wet dream. We roll like that in the FBI.”
Tori snorted. “Ah, I see HR still hasn’t broken you.”
“It’ll never happen, and apparently, I’m too valuable to let go,” she stated, holding up her casted arm.
Tori knew the truth. Elizabeth was one hell of an asset to any investigation. Now that she was heading the violent crimes unit, that said it all.
The whole FBI had faith in her.
“Tell me about the dead attorney,” Elizabeth asked, dropping her booted heels onto the corner of the conference room table.
Roman took a seat across from her, and his wife sat on the arm of his chair.
Elizabeth couldn’t help but notice how ‘cute’ they were together.
“You’re newlyweds, right?”
Mattie and Roman both grinned.
“Yes. How did you know?” he asked.
She smiled. “I was like that once. Here’s my unsolicited advice. Always stay like this. Right here, in this moment, always stay there,” she offered.
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