“We know better than that, Doc. We opened it, and then we closed it right up.” Callen reassured.
“Right now, we want you to give us a baseline on this. Can you look at the victim and tell us if the cuts were the same? We know he was skinned, but you should be able to determine if it was by the same knife and man, correct?” inquired Blackhawk.
“I can give you all that once I get him back to the lab and look at his body in a bright light. It’s dark down there and guessing and giving you the wrong information isn’t helpful to either of us.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Can you tell us if you have a feather down there with him? Or could the plumage be a figment of your imagination and you don’t want to rule out a flock of pigeons molting in a root cellar? Would you like to bring it back to the lab to run extensive tests on it to be sure it’s not some crazy plant life indigenous to canning supplies?” she asked, sarcastically.
Chris looked up laughing. “You know, when you act like a bitch, people start to believe it.”
Both the men in her life laughed.
She offered him a fist bump before he made the decent down the rickety steps.
“Give me a few minutes to root around down there, and I’ll get your answer for you, Boss.”
Blackhawk grinned at his wife. “Had I known he responded better to sarcasm, I would have led in with that instead of a serious question.”
“For the record,” he called up from the cellar, “I generally only respond well to her sarcasm.”
She grinned. “I was his first.”
Both Callen and Ethan looked over at her, quizzical expressions plastered across their faces. The implications of her words weren’t lost on them.
Doctor Leonard laughed from beside the body. “If you get me killed, I can’t give you answers,” he added, snickering. “Relax scary Native men. She was my first Agent. I drew working with her on my first day on duty for the FBI.”
Blackhawk laughed. “Ruined your entire career, huh?”
Elizabeth sucker punched him in the gut. “Any feather, Doc?” she nagged, needing that little bit of information.
Chris gently rolled the skinless man to his side and searched beneath him. That’s when he found it stuck to his body. “Yep. It’s stuck to his muscle tissue on his back.” He peeled it away from the sticky adipose and dropped it into an evidence bag a tech was holding.
“That’s what I needed to see. Thanks Doc!” Elizabeth was about to continue, until Julian tapped her on the arm.
“Can I bother you for a moment?” he asked, keeping his voice low. “It’s important.”
She followed Julian off to the side. “What’s up?” The look on the man’s face pretty much told the story. Something wasn’t right in relationship-land for Tori and Julian.
“I need to head back to the cabin for the night. Do you need me anymore today? I have some personal issues to handle before tomorrow.” Julian didn’t want to tell her what he was planning. He’d noticed that Tori and Elizabeth had formed a budding friendship. Not that he didn’t trust the woman if he asked her to remain quiet, but he didn’t want to tip Tori off before he confronted her. Julian didn’t want to give her time to form a lie.
Confrontation needed to be hard and cold and without warning.
“Whatever’s going on, Julian, you can tell me. I can see something is damaging you. Tori’s missing, and you look like you lost your best friend. We’re here for you if you need us.”
He nodded. Julian may take her up on her offer after he cut the woman free. Even thinking those words were gnawing away at his heart. He believed he finally found the one, and he was just glad this time he didn’t miss the signs and fall for it again.
“You can cut out. Tomorrow we’ll meet up at the lab. We’ll have the autopsy findings in and tox back.”
Julian shrugged. “I may back out of this assignment. I don’t need the paycheck.”
Now Elizabeth knew she was right. This was a bad sign if he was willing to run from the FBI and Tori.
“If that’s what you think is best for you,” she simply stated, staying out of it until she couldn’t watch from the sidelines anymore. Elizabeth did something she tried to refrain from on the crime scenes. She hugged the man. “Good luck, Julian.”
He accepted the embrace willingly, and began his trek through the trees.
“Do you want a ride home, Julian?” she called after him, unsure how she felt watching him walk away alone.
“I grew up here, Elizabeth. I know these woods like the back of my hand.” With that, he walked into the trees, never looking back.
Ethan and Callen moved to her side, having watched the entire scene play out.
“What’s going on,” asked Blackhawk. “Where’s Julian going?”
She shook her head. “Something bad is coming. He told me he may be leaving this assignment and doesn’t want the money.”
“Oh boy,” muttered Callen. “That’s a bad sign. Someone’s about to get their heart handed to them emotionally.”
“I know. First Tori texts me she needs today back in Damascus, and now he’s walking away, literally and figuratively. I get the feeling bad blood is brewing boys.”
Blackhawk dropped his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll be here to help pick up the pieces when it’s all done,” he reassured.
Yeah, for two badly broken hearts.
Thursday evening
When Tori pulled up in front of the cabin, she was so excited to finally be home. In her stomach there were butterflies over what was planned. Part of her couldn’t wait to see Julian’s face when she told him all about it. Tori was finally ready to walk away from the FBI and make a life with Julian, if he still wanted her by his side.
She’d taken the comments and subtle hints and stored them all away. He’d ask about her going back to the FBI, and then get that wistful look when she didn’t have an answer. Well tonight, she had an answer to the entire thing, and it was all in the envelope in her back pocket. All the paperwork was done and she’d even begun to work on getting her private investigator certification.
Tori was about ready to explode in excitement.
Hopping out of the SUV, she grabbed the bottle of champagne and raced into the house. At first she wasn’t sure if he’d be home or still with the Blackhawks. When he finally answered her text messages, he told her he’d meet her at his cabin.
Tori found that odd, but maybe he was simply busy at the time. Walking into their living room, she found him sitting on the couch, a beer open on the table and his arms crossed over his chest.
A wave of unease washed through her, as something felt out of place. The room was filled with energy she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“Hey Julian,” she cheerfully called, trying to stay positive, despite her early warning system going off. Dropping her purse and walking towards him, she leaned down to give him a kiss, but he pulled his head away. Tori could see the look on his face, and knew something had happened. “What’s wrong?” she asked softly, before sitting down beside him. Again, he moved away from her touch, and it slashed at her heart.
What had she done to be rejected twice?
“We need to talk,” he finally said, pulling out his phone. “Where did you go today, Tori?” he inquired, no emotion present in his voice. This was her one chance to come up with a damn good explanation.
“I left you a note,” she replied, wondering if this was what he was mad about. “I had to run back to Damascus to take care of a personal matter.”
He dropped the phone into her hand. “Check out the pictures.”
Tori felt sick to her stomach as she scrolled through the pictures of her and Mark. “Julian, I can explain,” she began, feeling her own temper rising that he’d had her followed. Then she’d recognized the cell number they were sent from and she was angrier. Julian had his twin tail her. The lack of trust appalled her and crushed her soul.
“Explain?” He finally exploded. Standing, he began pacing the room
like an angry tiger. “I told you how I feel about cheating, about lying, and women that use me.”
Her heart took another strike as he accused her of the ultimate betrayal, but worse was the accusation that she’d been using him. “Julian, you have this all wrong!”
He threw the beer bottle across the room and it shattered against the stone fireplace. “I don’t have anything wrong, Tori. I have it all right. You get a call, you slip away the next day and you meet a man for a quick little rendezvous. Where did you go after the coffee shop?” Julian demanded.
Tori’s mouth opened and she was horrified he’d eavesdropped on her call too. It was getting worse and worse. “You think I went to Damascus to screw someone behind your back?” Of all the things she’d ever been guilty of in her life, cheating wasn’t one of them. Did he really think that little of her that he’d assume she was capable of doing that to him?
Tori’s heart ached at the reality of it all. The man didn't believe in her or them.
“Yes! You knew I found my last girlfriend in bed, my own bed, with another man and you still disappeared to meet up with this guy. I gave you a place to stay, a chance at peace and you threw it back in my face. Talk about ungrateful,” he shouted, the rage bubbling up in his body and spewing out viciously.
“Is that how it was? I see. I should be grateful to you for all your kindness to a broken wounded soul?”
“Don’t turn this around. You betrayed me!”
He stalked towards her, and she stepped back from him, worried that he was going to lose his temper further and do something they’d both regret. If he put his hands on her, she’d be forced to break something on his body, like he’d broken her heart.
“How could you do this to me? To us? I thought we had a decent relationship! You were the one. I wanted to marry you.”
The finality hung between them, as he damaged them further. The past tense of the word said it all.
Enough was enough. Tori wasn’t this man’s emotional doormat, and she wasn’t taking his blows like a verbal punching bag.
Tori simply pulled the envelope from her back pocket. “Here’s where I was today,” she offered, softly. Her heart breaking apart in her chest at everything he threw at her.
Julian grabbed it from her hand and ripped it open. Staring inside he didn’t know what to say. “What is this?” he demanded, holding the check for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. It was made out to him, not her.
“I met with my attorney today. That’s the man in the pictures. Today was my closing. I sold my house to buy into half of your business. I was planning on quitting my job to be your partner in your new office,” she answered, eyes filling with tears. “I was starting my life today and coming home to celebrate with you. The man you saw is Mark Holden. If you don’t believe me, look in my phone. All the texts and calls were regarding the papers I needed to sign.” She stood there barely able to hold back the tears. “He was our family attorney and was acting for me in the sale of my house and nothing more.” Tori picked up the bottle of champagne before the first tear fell. “I wanted to surprise you and tell you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, and that I wanted to marry you. I was going to propose to you tonight. I guess it’s a good thing you didn't let the cheating whore make a fool of herself.”
Julian’s breath caught in his chest. “Tori,” he started, moving towards her at the use of the ‘M’ word.
She stepped back again. “I see that while you tell me you love me, you don’t trust me and you believe I’ve used you. You don’t know me at all,” she whispered, another tear falling. “I’m not the woman that betrayed you, Julian, but you’re the man that betrayed me. Never once have I not trusted you with everything in me.”
“Oh God! Victoria, I’m so sorry!” Julian couldn’t believe he let his past ruin his future. Everything he just tossed at her viciously. Julian couldn’t imagine how she felt inside to be assaulted by his angry barbs after doing something out of love for him.
She backed away from him again and walked towards the room they once shared. Going inside, she knew he was following her. Tori grabbed her bag and started packing her things as quickly as she could.
There was nothing more to say to him.
Julian Littlemoon said it all.
“Please forgive me,” he begged, unable to breathe. He literally destroyed everything between them in a matter of seconds with irrational jealousy. “I didn’t know.”
Tori ignored him, clutching her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. As she tried to walk past him, he grabbed her hand.
“I made a mistake,” he whispered. “Please don’t leave me. Tori, I don’t want you to go.” Why hadn’t he listened to his brother and just calmly talk to her? Why didn't he trust her?
She touched his cheek. “Keep the money, Julian. Now we both know I didn’t use you and your kindness. I paid my tab in full.” Tori dropped a kiss on his cheek. “Goodbye Jules and good luck with your business,” she whispered in his ear, as more tears fell. Walking to the table, she grabbed her keys and purse.
“Victoria! Don’t! I beg you!”
She refused to turn around. The man didn’t trust her. He had her followed and accused her of cheating on him. Obviously, what they had didn’t matter to him. Her breaking point was being accused of using him.
Tori would die before ever hurting him.
Outside she tossed her things in the SUV and ran around the side of the house to say goodbye to the horses she’d come to love. Weeko stood there and nudged her. “Thank you for healing me. I won’t ever forget you.” Whistling loudly, Wakanda came running to her call. “Be good girls. I love you both.” Tori dropped kisses on each of their noses and hugged each one, grateful that in their own way she’d gotten her soul back through them.
Reaching around her neck, she pulled off the necklace Julian gave her to wear for protection. Dropping it on the table beside the paddock, it was now a clean break. He couldn’t accuse her of keeping anything that was rightfully his.
She was back on her own and maybe it was for the best.
Julian stood there watching her and the last part of his heart was dying. It killed him that it was no one’s fault but his own. He did this with his mistrust. In his anger, believing that he’d been betrayed, he’d gone one step further and destroyed her.
“Tori, stay please. Don’t leave me!” Julian watched her walk away, knowing if she got to her car, she’d be gone forever.
Hoping into her SUV, she backed out of the driveway.
He chased after her, banging on the window. The last thing he saw was her lip quivering and then the taillights as she sped out of his life.
“Victoria,” he whispered, even after she was completely gone from his sight. “I love you. I’m sorry.” Julian had never felt this kind of pain, except the time he drove away from her at FBI West. For weeks he suffered and mourned, promising if he got her back, he’d do everything right.
This was quite possibly the worst thing he’d ever done in his life. Pulling out his phone he dialed the person that always had his back.
“Yo what’s up, Bro.”
Julian swallowed. “I confronted her,” he said softly. “I was wrong about everything. She was with a lawyer and selling her house to live with me and buy into my investigator business.”
“Oh man, Jules.” Justin didn’t know what to say. He knew Tori wouldn’t cheat on him. Just staring at them together you could tell. The woman was crazy in love with his brother.
“She handed me a check for two hundred fifty grand, Justin,” he said, his own eyes filling with tears. “I said horrible things to her, and she left the money and took off.”
“Julian.”
“I’ve lost her. I lost the only thing in my life that gave me happiness.”
Justin hated to hear the pain in his voice. It reminded him of when he’d returned not too long ago after walking away from her.
“How do I fix this? How do I get her back and heal what I d
id to her? I’m the worst human being alive. I accused her of using me all these weeks.”
“Julian! Oh shit, you didn’t!”
“I did. When she walked into the cabin, I whipped out everything that was bouncing around in my brain, and I don’t know what to do.”
Justin pulled on his jeans. “I’ll be right over. Hang in there, okay Jules? We’ll fix this and get it working again.”
Julian wanted to die inside. “What if I can’t get her back tonight?” he needed to know and Justin wouldn’t lie to him.
“Then you follow her around and fix your shit until she comes back home, and for Christ’s sake you crawl until she takes you back and you marry her as fast as you can!”
“I screwed up big time.”
Justin pulled no punches. “Yeah you did.”
Tori drove around for a while, getting a cup of coffee. Part of her wanted to carry this alone, but the rest knew it was too heavy for her heart to bear. What she needed was a friend. Pulling out her cell phone she sent a text to Elizabeth, hoping she would let her come to the house and get this off her chest.
Immediately, the address appeared on the screen with a promise of dinner. Tori input the address into her GPS and headed there, hoping she’d be able to get the story out before she broke down.
Nothing in her life had ever made her feel this empty. Losing Julian again might just kill her.
Elizabeth picked up her phone, staring at the message; she quickly typed up a reply and stood from the spot on the couch. “Let’s get dinner cooking, boys, we have company coming,” she stated, knowing if her agent was messaging her, it had to be bad.
“Julian or Tori?” asked Ethan joining his wife.
Elizabeth held her hand out to Callen, inviting him to join them. “Tori.”
Callen shook his head. “Looks like the shit hit the fan.”
There was nothing worse than seeing a friend in pain. Elizabeth sighed, wishing they’d been spared from the hurt love sometimes would bring.
Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6) Page 20
