Maybe a cupcake and tea would be a good thing. Mrs. Feinstein might be able to cheer her up. As she padded across the hallway in a pair of shorts, tank top and barefoot, she tried to focus on life and the living.
Hopefully that would get her through the rest of the day.
* * *
Blackhawk advised Gabe of the details as he watched the remains being placed back into the coffin. It was time to head home, but he felt like he needed to do one last thing. There was something he wanted to say to Charlie LaRue. He dismissed the techs and touched the casket. “Mr. LaRue, it’s Ethan Blackhawk again. I just want to let you know that I’m in love with your daughter. If you were alive now, we’d be having this conversation face to face, but since we can’t, I hope wherever your spirit is that you hear me. I’m so crazy in love with her that I’m going to ask her to marry me. If I ever get up the nerve, that is. I just wanted to ask your permission to have your daughter’s hand in marriage. I promise I won’t ever let her go, I can’t. She owns my heart. I’m going to find who killed you and give her justice, and then I’m going to give her a future. I promise.”
Ethan Blackhawk stepped away from the casket, and headed home to keep his promise to the woman he loved.
Elizabeth laughed as she sat on a bright blue sofa, eating a cupcake with Mrs. Feinstein. This older woman was completely amazing. The stories she had were funny and just the energy from her was completely uplifting. There was so much to learn about her, that the time together flew by. She even forgot that she was supposed to be upset.
“Now, Elizabeth, why are you having a bad day?” she asked, sipping her tea. “Want to talk about it?”
“We found out my father was murdered, and I had to come here to have him exhumed.”
“Dear lord, sweetheart, that’s not a bad day, that’s a horrible day! What can I do for you?”
“You already cheered me up. I’ll get through this.” Elizabeth didn’t know if she would or not, and took another bite of the sugary treat to cover her sadness.
“I hope it gets better, sweetheart,” she patted her leg, reassuringly.
“I have to admit, I had fun spending time with you and eating cupcakes.”
Mrs. Feinstein got quiet. Now she was unsure if she should bring up the last woman. Before it seemed like a good idea, but now that she knew Elizabeth was struggling, it didn't seem right.
“You look like you want to say something, Mrs. Feinstein. I’m a big girl, go ahead.”
“You’re nothing like the last girlfriend. She was so rude and didn’t see anyone but herself. She used to walk around oblivious to anyone beneath her.” She bit into her cupcake. “That woman was horrible to our Ethan. He never smiled and just stood there quietly as she berated him. The poor boy was never good enough in anything he did for her. If he took her out to dinner, she’d complain about the food. If he wanted to go to the movies, she’d bitch about that too. That woman was an ungrateful spoiled brat, and I’m glad she’s gone.”
Elizabeth was getting angry. “Did they date long?”
“Oh, let me see. Maybe less than a year, but towards the end it started getting ugly. I could hear the fights through the walls. She had a wicked temper, and one time she screamed horrible things at him in the hall.”
Already she hated the woman and swore she’d hurt her if she ever saw her. “She berated at him?”
Mrs. Feinstein leaned forward. “She used derogatory terms for his heritage and called him a pathetic tattooed freak. At one point she told him he was cold, heartless, and horrible in bed and no one would ever love him. Ethan just stood there taking it. The look on his face was just so heartbreaking. It was like he gave up. Oh, the horrible things she said to him, they were the ugliest things I have ever heard about his heritage and body.”
Elizabeth was outraged, none of it was true. She had never met a warmer man, and as for the sex, it was beyond amazing. As for no one loving him, she was dead wrong there too. Elizabeth found herself wanting to beat the hell out of something, preferably the flight attendant.
“Well, that just pisses me off,” she snapped, angrily.
It explained why he was so worried about when she saw his body, and why he was so determined to cover up his tattoos so no one in her family would see them. He was damaged by that woman and her words.
Elizabeth thought about the tattoos on his shoulders and ribs, if anything that just got her all warm and excited. He was her warrior in more than one way. His poor abused heart had battle scars from women who didn’t see the real him.
“Me too,” she said, finishing her tea. “I noticed that he does have quite a few tattoos.”
Elizabeth didn’t know what to say.
“How do you feel about them?”
“I think they are sexier than hell, and when he’s undressed I want to climb all over him. Between us girls, I repeatedly do, and if it were up to me I would the rest of our lives.”
Mrs. Feinstein laughed. “You’re a good woman, Elizabeth. I think our Ethan found a gem.”
Elizabeth smiled at the tiny woman, and couldn’t help but love her and how she defended Ethan fiercely. “Want more tea, Mrs. Feinstein?” asked Elizabeth, getting up from the couch.
“Yes and please dear, call me Kay.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Okay, Kay. My friends call my Lyzee.”
“Then Lyzee it is.”
* * *
Tony sat at the desk in Elizabeth’s office, and continued to pour through all the data that both teams had compiled. There were pages and pages of deep searches on everyone, from the sheriff herself, to the minister of the Baptist church. The FBI, if anything, was completely thorough. The techs had been working in the great room on makeshift tables.
Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes watching his every move. He pushed back from the desk and wandered to the window overlooking the yard. All seemed quiet as dusk was coming, and yet he couldn’t get the hair to stop standing on the back of his neck.
With a shake of his head, he went back to the monotony of the facts. He wanted to prove his worth and find something to redeem himself to the sheriff and Agent Blackhawk.
* * *
Hours had passed and the sky was turning dark. Finally Blackhawk parked his car and walked up his stairs. All he wanted was Elizabeth and dinner. As he was about to knock on his door, he noticed it wasn’t quite closed all the way. He pushed it open with his foot. Instinctually, his hand went to the butt of his gun.
Something was wrong.
He had left her on the couch, and now the door was open and the alarm was off.
Blackhawk went into full FBI mode, as he walked down his hall, scanning the kitchen and finding nothing out of place. Next was the living room and it was the same. When he reached his bedroom, his heart stopped.
On the floor were her running clothes, shoes, and cell phone. The alert flashed and he noticed it was due to all four of his missed calls. When she didn’t answer her phone, he assumed she was sleeping. His heart started pounding at all the possibilities of what could have happened to her. He found a damp towel by the shower and no sign of her.
Elizabeth was meticulously neat, and this wasn’t like her to leave things on the floor.
Fear filled him, as all the horrific scenarios began flashing through his mind as he started to panic.
Blackhawk charged through the brownstone back to the hallway, banging on Mrs. Feinstein’s door. Now he was drowning in the panic. Maybe by some chance she had seen or had an idea of where Elizabeth had disappeared to and could help reassure him that his fears were unfounded.
The little old woman opened the door, and could see the flustered look on his face. “Dear, what’s wrong? Are you having a bad day too?” she asked, immediately.
“Excuse me?”
“Your girlfriend, she came back from running and she looked miserable. I invited her in for cupcakes and tea,” she stepped back, allowing him access to her home. “Would you like to join us?”
She looked over at him, surprised. “What did I do now?”
He rushed over and pulled her face to his in a kiss, he was so grateful she was perfectly safe.
“What did you do?” he laughed in exasperation. “How about my door wasn’t closed all the way, no alarm was set, and you left clothing all over the floor like someone abducted you naked!”
Elizabeth giggled. “I’m so sorry, Ethan. I was having tea and cupcakes with Mrs. Feinstein. I mean Kay. I just didn’t think to leave you a note.”
He looked up at Mrs. Feinstein and shook his head. Eight years he had lived next to her, and he never knew her name. One day, and she did. “Next time, bring your cell phone, baby.”
“I will, Ethan, I promise.” She winked at the woman. “Did you know Kay has six children?”
Blackhawk grinned. “I knew she was tough.”
“Oh you silly boy. Having kids is the easy part. Worrying about them the rest of your life is the challenge.” She patted his arm. “Now run off and have fun.”
“Thank you for keeping me company, Kay. I’ll stop in and see you before I go back home.” She hugged the woman, appreciative for the company she offered her, and how she had looked after Blackhawk for all these years. In her eyes, Ethan was like one of her children.
“You be safe dear, and you remember, you can always come here if you need a cheer up.” Kay kissed her cheek.
“I’ll go clean up my mess,” she laughed shaking her head, as she walked across the hall.
“Young man!” She stepped in front of him, blocking his exit, and pointed at his chest.
“Yes, Mrs. Feinstein?” Oh boy. Blackhawk smelled a lecture coming his way.
“You better marry that girl and soon before some other man comes along and steals her away! If you can’t see what a good woman she is then you need your head examined, and not to mention glasses. Can you not see how she is an improvement from all the other riff raff you brought home? Elizabeth is a prize. You need to make an honest woman of her!”
He laughed and couldn’t help but wonder why he had to explain to everyone that it might be Elizabeth who said no to marriage, not him. “I’m well aware of how big of a prize she is, and I plan on marrying her and soon. I just hope she doesn’t turn me down.”
“Oh, she won’t. She and I discussed that skinny bitch you were dating- the blonde one. She better never show up, or Elizabeth will knock her on her ass too. The way she punched that woman out today, that’s love, my boy! Trust me, I was married forty years and nothing makes a woman more violent than love for a man.”
“I’m going to ask her tonight, and if she says no you’re going to have to talk her into it for me.”
Mrs. Feinstein smiled. “For you, Ethan, I would. Now, go get the girl.”
~ Chapter Thirteen ~
Tuesday Night
So, the sheriff was back in Washington DC with the FBI agent, shacking up. It was a pity, she was raised by good people and yet she still turned out to be a bad girl.
That was okay.
He would get her back home and fast. All it would take was one more victim. There was the perfect one at her house. It was just a matter of time, until he grabbed her and killed two birds with one stone.
First would be the cleansing, and then the punishment for Elizabeth LaRue.
He watched all the FBI agents milling around her property, and he knew it was only a matter of time until he made his move. Maybe he could take care of the Indian FBI agent too. He found himself laughing, as he looked through the binoculars. He would go wait and listen to the voice.
The voice wouldn’t lead him astray and always knew best.
* * *
Elizabeth cleaned up her clothing and placed her cell phone back on the bed stand. Sitting on Ethan’s large bed, she waited for him, knowing he was probably getting all the details from Mrs. Feinstein. The entire situation was funny and her heart swelled with love over his protectiveness. When Blackhawk strode into the bedroom, Elizabeth could feel the testosterone flowing and she burst out laughing, borderline hysterically.
“I’m glad you think it’s funny.” Ethan stared at her, unsure what he was going to do with this woman. Elizabeth was going to be the death of him yet. He had to admit it was mildly amusing now that he knew she was safe and just with an elderly woman eating cupcakes. But when it happened, Blackhawk had felt nothing but terror and fear. He worried the killer had followed them to DC, stealing her from his home. He hopped up onto his bed and pulled her against his body for reassurance.
“Well, Cowboy, it is kind of entertaining if you think about it.” Elizabeth then remembered where he was, and the somberness found its way back. It began slowly seeping back into her mind and making her lose the little sparks of happiness she had found after the exhumation.
“No! You’re not going to get sad again. We’re going to go make dinner, eat it together, get naked, and then play some sex games that are illegal in most states, including DC.”
Elizabeth snorted at him, and then curled against him on the bed. “Okay, but I do have to ask, because he is my father. How bad was it?”
Blackhawk stroked her cheek and stared into her eyes before answering, “You wouldn’t have wanted to be there baby, and let’s leave it at that, just because I can’t make you think about it. I don’t want to ruin our last night here together by putting that in your head.”
“I almost forgot that I had to go back,” she replied, kissing him. Then Elizabeth changed the subject, because she didn’t want to be sad again. “What’s for dinner?”
“I am going to make you my specialty.”
“Reservations?”
He growled and rolled over onto her, pinning her to the bed. “You will see, oh naysayer. Then you will fall madly in love with me, simply for my culinary skills.”
Elizabeth bit him on the ear lobe and whispered. “I’m already madly in love with you.”
“Oh well, then I guess we can get fast food and just have sex.”
She laughed and accepted his kiss. It was deep and full of passion. When Blackhawk finally broke away, they were both flushed and breathless. “And this is how we get into trouble. One kiss and we end up naked and no one gets dinner.”
Blackhawk slid off her and grinned. “You’re right. This part of the plan can wait until after we eat. I’m going to start making you Italian for dinner. Are you interested in helping or are you going to be a lump?” Ethan walked from the room towards the kitchen, whistling. His carefully orchestrated plan to seduce Elizabeth into marrying him was about to begin.
She followed, pulling her hair up on top of her head. Some of the curls escaped and hung around her neck and face. “What do you want me to do?” she asked, giggling as he put on an apron. “You’re dead serious about this dinner thing, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he smiled. “Now, do you know what Basil looks like?”
“Yes I do, thank you very much. I’m familiar with a kitchen, and could out cook you any day, Ethan.”
Blackhawk loved a challenge. “Out on the porch is a large pot. Clip some Basil and bring it back, without getting abducted. That is you first assignment.”
She slapped him on the ass as she walked past him. “That’s for being sarcastic.”
He laughed as he watched her walk away. Ethan promptly went back to his cabinet and pulled down two mason jars of the crushed tomatoes Mrs. Feinstein had given him from their shared garden. He began chopping garlic and boiling water. He was going to make her the best pasta she had ever had, and then he was going to ask her to marry him. It was time and he was ready.
Now he was letting the old Ethan Blackhawk lead the way. The reserved man was gone and impulsiveness was back once more.
Elizabeth returned with the basil and watched him pop the seal on the crushed tomatoes. “Oh man,
you’re going hardcore, you're making homemade sauce, no less.”
“So you recognize greatness in the kitchen.”
“Do you cook for all the women, Mr. Blackhawk?” she teased. “Because I have to tell you, it’s very sexy.”
He looked over at her, a dead serious expression on his face. “I never have.”
Elizabeth felt her heart pound in her chest.
“I’ll let you in on another not so well known fact about me, Elizabeth. I’ve only said ‘I love you’ to one other woman in my lifetime. My mother, and that’s it. In thirty seven years, I have never spoken that sentence to another person other than her and now you. I happen to take it very serious. To me, it’s not just words I toss around. You’re the only woman alive that’s ever heard them from me and when I say only, I mean only.”
Now her heart was going super-fast.
“I never cooked for anyone I dated or slept with, and I never let them drive my car. I kept them all out because in my heart I was waiting for you.”
Elizabeth didn’t know what to say. What he just said was huge and she felt this incredible hope beginning to unfurl in her heart. Maybe, just maybe he would stick around after the assignment.
“Do you like Italian?” Blackhawk changed the subject fast, after he saw the look on her face. He wasn’t sure what he expected back, but she just stood there, no response. It didn’t matter to him. Everything was going on as planned. He was going to ask her to marry him, and it was already in his strategy for the night.
“I happen to love Italian, and have some Italian in me, thus the dark hair,” she stated, moving to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She hoped she didn’t hurt his feelings by not replying. Nothing she could come up with could top what he had said to her.
“Your hair happens to be one of my favorite things about you. I love it, especially this curl,” he said, running his finger down her neck, making her shiver. Satisfactorily he grinned, leaning over to kiss her. “Now, you're on garlic bread.”
The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) Page 31
