“You didn’t call us in here to dazzle us with nothing, Christina, did you?” questioned Elizabeth.
“No Ma’am,” she said, saluting. “I have feather related information. The first being the one that came from the Mr. Littlemoon’s father,” she paused. “My condolences, Sir,” she said, softly.
Julian simply nodded, and Tori pulled him back to rest between her legs as she sat on the counter.
“It’s the real deal. The feather you submitted is from a genuine eagle. I can also tell you it’s relatively old. At first I believed the coloring to just be different, but in actuality the white of the feather was altered due to aging.”
Elizabeth typed information into her tablet. “I’m still not impressed, Christina. I know you’re holding something back. You have the same look on your face Chris and Tony get when they have something big.”
She nodded. “I think I can narrow down your suspect pool with the feather found on the sheriff.”
Now she had their attention.
“That’s my girl,” stated Blackhawk grinning. There was a reason she was the head tech and his go to lab girl.
Christina grinned. “There was a substance found on the faux plumage. When I swabbed with a chemical,” she paused, “do you want the technical stuff?”
“No, just the basics.” Elizabeth knew once the woman went all chemical-ese on her, they were lost.
“So, anyway… I swabbed and found ammonia.”
Blackhawk stared at her. “That’s it? Ammonia is one of the most common substances known to man.”
“It absolutely is, and if that was as far as I dug, we’d be out of luck. BUT I work for the Blackhawks, and I know better to stop digging before I find something big.”
“Christina let us have it. I’m getting cranky,” warned Elizabeth pointing at the baby bump. “The child makes me hormonal, and I snap easily.”
“It’s a cleaning solution.”
“Again, common.”
She grinned. “It’s our cleaning solution. The one we carry to spray off the tables after autopsy. It’s from a specific manufacturer, can only be ordered by us, and isn’t commercially available.”
Everyone stared at her.
“Before you insult me, asking if there is any way that we cross contaminated the sample, the answer is an emphatic NO! Chris was in the middle of conducting the autopsy before I started the testing. I had no contact with the solution or the body and neither did the feather. It was resealed before he finished and only I touched it.”
Tori was confused. “Okay and all this means?”
Elizabeth knew and it didn’t make her happy. “The killer had somehow gotten the solution on his hand and then touched the feather before placing it with Duffy’s corpse.”
“Which means he was in the lab,” stated Callen. “Whoever touched the feather had previously had his hand on the autopsy tables after they were cleaned.”
Blackhawk stood and began pacing. It was rare for him to get this edgy. He was Mr. Cool of the three. “We have a serious problem.”
Elizabeth stared at Christina and hopped down off the ledge. “Everything you told me in the ladies room, did he have contact with the feather accidentally?”
She shook her head and then paused, “I don’t think so.”
“I want that report locked down and if you printed it out, I want it shredded, burned or eaten. It doesn’t get left around. Right now we’re the only ones that know that the killer is in house.
Christina ripped up the report and stuck it in her pocket in little confetti like pieces. “I’ll passcode the results with our standard password.”
Ethan stood. “Who’s been down here?”
She answered easily. “The chief of police was here as was his staff, Mr. Tallman and Chief Soaring Eagle.”
“I want the lab locked down from everyone that isn’t FBI,” demanded Blackhawk. “I’ll pass that on to the doctors. We can’t risk that the killer gets in here and contaminates any chain of evidence. It’ll blow any court case apart.”
Christina understood what he was asking. They were going paperless from here on out. The only way to view any of the information would be on one of their devices, and the killer would need the password.
“I think we need to discuss the possibilities that have come up,” Elizabeth said, starting for the door. “If our killer is involved in this investigation, we need to isolate and handle it.”
Everyone walked out of the lab, following Elizabeth back upstairs. When they were halfway to the office, Rick Longtree was waiting for them.
“Do we have any new developments?”
She shook her head. “We’re going to have a meeting that’s FBI related. Ethan and I have a conference call regarding business back home.” Elizabeth covered with a lie easily. Anything they were going to discuss from here on out was essentially classified from the police. “Where’s your officers?” she inquired.
“Officer Yazzie is out on patrol. I believe Kane is at his desk doing reports, and Officer Freeman is due in shortly. Why? Do you need any help?”
Blackhawk took over. “Yeah, we want them to start going through some data. Is there any way you can give them the files to research on homicides prior to twenty five years ago? We’re looking specifically at male victims.”
Elizabeth turned and winked at him. Her husband was sending the officers on a wild goose chase. It would keep them busy and not focused on the assignment.
“That’s going to take time. We have to dig out the files and then go through them one by one. We don’t have them indexed on the computer.”
Ethan thought about it. “Wow, I wish we had some spare people to lend you. It may break this wide open.”
Longtree shrugged. “I can help them.”
Blackhawk grinned, getting exactly what he wanted. All four of the cops were tied up. “I appreciate that, Rick.”
He nodded and walked away to get to work.
Inside the office, once the door was closed, Elizabeth offered him a fist bump. “You’re slick, Cowboy.”
“Yeah I am,” he answered. “It’s the suit, and I believe I just justified the money spent on them.”
“I’ve seen the bill, don’t bet on that, Darlin’,” she teased.
Callen laughed and then talked shop. “I think this just gives us one more detail in the column for two killers. The chief of police and his officers are all relatively young- early thirties and late twenties.”
“Exactly,” stated Elizabeth. “I think we need to break this in half. We might be making this harder than it is. What if the obvious is the answer? Look at the first three killings. Two council members are killed and the cop that is investigating. Why?”
“Corruption?” tossed out Tori. “They had something the killer wanted?”
Blackhawk nodded. “The killer in that half of the assignment was arrogant. Look at the killings. They weren’t random, but people around him.”
“When you kill, you do it for a specific reason. Women will kill for money or love.”
Ethan continued, “Men kill for power.”
Julian could feel the anger building in his body. “So you think my dad was offed because…?”
Elizabeth crossed her arms. “He was the competition. If you can’t beat the man, kill the man.”
Blackhawk thought about it. “Do you know anything about that election?”
Julian shook his head. “Not really. I only know what my mother has told me, but then again, she told us it was a hunting accident too. Validity is questionable.”
“Can I call her?” inquired Elizabeth. “She might be more forthcoming with me.”
He nodded as he reached for his phone, dialing Clarissa’s number and handed it to Elizabeth.
On the third ring she answered. “Yes Honey?” asked Julian’s mother.
“I’m sorry Ma’am, but this is Elizabeth. Julian’s letting me use his phone.” She placed it on speaker.
“Oh, is he okay?”
&n
bsp; The nerves were present in her voice and Elizabeth knew she was worried. “He is, but I have a few questions regarding Blake.”
There was a pause.
“Okay.”
Elizabeth was going to go easy on her, not for the woman but for the son. “Tell me about the election.”
The woman seemed to relax. “Absolutely! Blake was slotted to win and become chief. He was running on the platform that some integration of outsiders would be good for our reservation. He wanted the children on the Rez to be bussed to the local school and attend with the Red River kids.”
“So, he was going to allow the kids to integrate together?”
Clarissa was proud of her husband even now. “Blake believed that the quality of education off the reservation would outweigh the negative influence of the outsiders. He wanted his kids to get the best experience in school as possible.”
“Was he going to win the vote?”
“Yes, he’d been campaigning and meeting with the council members privately. There were only a couple that disagreed. They weren’t enough to stop his win though, so he wasn’t worried. Blake was a tough man.”
Julian wished he remembered more of his father and hoped he was like him. Every son wants their father to be proud.
“You wouldn’t happen to know the names of the members that were against the integration do you? It was a long shot, but maybe Blake told his wife.
“Yes, I actually do,” she paused. “Ben and Louis.”
Elizabeth didn’t know who they were, but she could cross check the names off the list. “I appreciate your help, Ma’am.”
“You’ll unbury the secrets and get my husband justice, won’t you?” her voice wavered. “For my kids?”
Julian sat there, hands fisted at his side, as Elizabeth finally spoke. “I absolutely will find the killer, Clarissa. I promise.”
“Thank you,” she replied, hanging up.
Blackhawk pulled out the paper that Rick had given them on the council members all the way back twenty five years. Glancing at it, he handed it to his wife. “Wait until you see it.”
She scanned the paper. “Surprise surprise. It looks like Chief Soaring Eagle’s name is Benjamin and Shaman Tallman’s is Louis.”
“I’ll kill them,” stated Julian, standing.
Tori stared at him mouth open. Never had she heard that degree of hate in his voice.
“No, you won’t Julian,” stated Elizabeth. “First we have no proof. We have speculation. What we’re going to do is rattle the council’s cage, isolate and scare them.”
“I’m going with you.”
Blackhawk shook his head. “No, you’re not. We need to do this by the book to get your father justice. We can’t have you beating the hell out of an older man based on conjecture. Let us do it the right way.” He was thinking back to the last assignment where Julian took the gun from Elizabeth’s hand to kill the man that took Tori. He was a loose cannon and more so than his wife. That was saying a lot.
His teeth gritted in frustration and anger.
“Tori, take him home. We’ll call you and keep you advised. I’m sorry Julian, but you’re ready to explode, and that’s not going to help us on this one.” Elizabeth hated that she had to say those words to him. If it was her father she’d want to be there too.
He simply nodded and strode out the door.
“I’m sorry,” replied Tori, before chasing after him.
When he was gone, Callen finally spoke. “What’s our game plan?”
“We’re going to head to the council and shake the arrogant tree to see what falls out.” Elizabeth headed out of the room they were using and to where Rick’s office was located.
He was behind the desk flipping through files. “Hey, do you need me?” Longtree inquired, hopefully.
“Is council in session on Sundays?” she questioned.
He shook his head. “No, they break at noon on Saturday and completely off on Sunday. It’s a big hunting day.”
Elizabeth contemplated it. It was still early. “Can you get me the address of Chief Soaring Eagle and Shaman Tallman? We’ll drive by.”
Longtree didn’t even have to look them up. “Here you go,” he answered, handing it to her. “Do you need me to come with you?”
Blackhawk shook his head, standing behind her. “No, we have a few questions that only they can answer about twenty five years ago on council. We’re trying to get a frame of mind, that’s all.”
Rick nodded. “Good luck.”
They all smiled and headed to the Denali. Outside, Elizabeth dropped her voice. “Does anyone feel guilty for lying to him?”
“Nope,” stated Blackhawk.
Callen shrugged. “Not really.”
She slipped on her sunglasses. “Good, neither do I.”
Christina was reading a tech report on her tablet as she walked down the hallway. Her mind was on the details and not her surroundings. When she passed an open door, she was grabbed and dragged inside with the door closing behind her. At first there was panic and fear, and then the scent of cologne gave him away.
“Kane?” she whispered, as his mouth found hers in a scorching kiss. What was she to do? Christina allowed herself to enjoy it.
Soon it would end. All really good things did.
As he broke away his breath tickled her ear as he spoke. “I missed you, Chrissy. It’s been hard to concentrate today.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “Kane, we need to talk,” she began and found her mouth being met with his again. Unable to resist, she fell into the kiss and rode it out. His hands wandered her body, and she shivered at his touch.
Then she remembered what they just discovered and Christina pulled away. “We need to talk.”
That didn’t sound good. “About?” part of him expected her to tell him it was all a mistake and that she wasn’t doing it again.
“Someone told my boss that we went back to the hotel together. She confronted me today. I can’t do this.”
He was right. “I see.” Immediately, he took a step back.
The energy in the space changed. “I can’t carry on a relationship with someone I’m working with on an assignment.”
He said nothing.
This wasn’t going well. “Can we pick up when we’re both done? You’re distracting me from my work, and that’s a huge since generally a nuclear bomb couldn’t do that.”
Kane paused, mulling over her words. She wasn’t telling him to take a hike, simply that they had to be off the assignment. “So no more tequila until then?” he asked, laughter in his voice.
She giggled. “No more tequila period. I have a headache.”
In the dim light of the little space, he could see her face. When she laughed, she was breathtaking. “Okay, I won’t accost you until it’s over.”
Christina went up on her toes, kissing him gently on the lips. Her whole body rested against his and her heart began pounding. The man was a HUGE distraction. Briefly, she stared into his dark eyes and saw the flash of something. “Are you okay?” Christina questioned.
“Yeah, I am,” he answered, breaking away and opening the door. “I have work. Bye Chrissy.”
She watched him walk away and her heart sunk. He was hiding something. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he’d just lied to her.
* * *
Julian pulled into their driveway and sat there staring out the windshield. It took everything in him to not hunt down the man he believed killed his father and enact retribution. The only reason he didn’t was the woman sitting beside him. They were starting their lives together, and jail didn’t seem like a good way to begin it.
“What can I do for you,” she asked, touching the hand he rested on his knee. “Let me help you.”
“Come for a ride.”
Tori would have shaved her head bald for him. “Okay.” Once out of the vehicle, she started towards the horses.
Julian stopped her. “No, on the motorcycle.”
This
was a new thing. They both rode and as of yet, they’d not gone out together. “Okay, I’ll get my keys.”
He shook his head. “Want to ride with me?”
She didn’t mind either way. The prospect of being wrapped around the back of Julian wasn’t exactly a disappointing thing. “Sure thing, Jules.”
Rolling his bike out of the garage, he slipped into his leather jacket and handed Tori hers. “Do you want a helmet?” Julian asked.
Obviously he wasn’t planning on wearing his. “Are we going far?”
“No.”
“Then I’m good.” Tori watched him swing his leg over the bike and slide forward. When she was on, he started it up. She wrapped her arms around his waist and left a few kisses on the back of his neck.
Julian enjoyed the feeling of her pressed against his body. Why they hadn’t done this sooner, he’d never know. Reassuringly, he ran his hand up and down her leg before they pulled out.
It was turning into a gorgeous day. The sun was out, the birds were flying in the sky and the air was losing its chill. Tori would have had a better time if she wasn’t completely worried about Julian. He was brooding and moody. Something had to give soon; she only hoped it wouldn’t be him losing his mind.
He knew right where he wanted to take her. Pulling up to a large hill, he parked his bike at the bottom and shut it off. “We’re here.”
Tori dismounted.
“Take a walk with me?” he asked, holding out his hand. Right now he felt the need to take her to see his father’s grave, and share that part of him with her.
After all, she was going to be his wife.
“I come here when I need to think, or I want to talk to my dad. I know it’s crazy, but sometimes I need to feel that connection again.”
Tori tucked a strand of his brown hair behind his ear and squeezed his hand. “It’s not weird. It’s normal. I’ve done the same thing, Julian. It offers peace, and that I understand completely.”
They climbed the hill to the crest that overlooked the burial grounds. It sat nestled between trees and some rocky cliffs.
Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6) Page 48
