The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1))

by Kelley, Morgan

  “Are you serious or yanking our chains?” asked Tony, his voice held a great deal of animosity.

  “Dead serious. I married Ethan yesterday.”

  “You went off and married him! Are you insane?” raged Tony, angrily. “No rational person does that kind of thing!”

  The other three looked at him like he’d lost his mind to talk to her like that.

  Elizabeth pointed at her other three deputies. “Do any of you think that me getting married has anything to do with my ability to do my job, be your boss, or kick your ass?”

  “No, ma’am,” they all said looking her right in the eyes and meaning it.

  “Then you three are dismissed for now. Go clean up that mess out there.”

  Sara came around the desk and hugged her boss. “I’m so happy for you,” she whispered in her ear, “and completely jealous, because he’s smokin’ hot!”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Thank you, Sara,” she stood, and accepted hugs from Tyrell and Christopher.

  “We didn’t get to have the bachelor party,” they said, laughing.

  “Out, we’ll discuss it later.” When they were gone, she faced Tony. His arms were crossed, and he looked angry. “Spill it, this is going to be your one chance, and then from here on out it’s not going to be talked about or discussed ever again.”

  “You barely know him! You go to exhume your father, and then you marry him. Obviously in a moment of weakness, and now what are you going to do?” Tony paced back and forth.

  “Have some kids, live my life, and then get old with him?” she said. “That was my plan, should I rethink it?” she asked, sarcastically.

  “One week and you marry him! You are letting this death of your father thing cloud your judgment.”

  Elizabeth leaned over her desk, and pointed at him, angrily, “Let’s get this perfectly straight and clear. The murder of my father, or any of the women had nothing to do with me marrying that man. Don’t you dare cheapen it! I married him because I love him, and he’s a good guy, who is kind and generous. In fact, the man you're dissing is the same man that saved your job, and your ass. Show some respect, Tony.”

  “Screw my job! I don’t care about it. I care about you and you’ve lost your mind and gone crazy.”

  “And you're being insubordinate and dangerously close to crossing a line, Tony. Don’t push your luck by insulting my husband.”

  “I don’t care if I insult your husband. I’m your friend or I was at one time.”

  Elizabeth stood perfectly straight, the line was just drawn. “That’s priceless, because you aren’t acting like one now. You’re acting like a jealous high school boy that didn’t get the girl. Since you don’t care if you insult my husband let me just say this, you were my friend. As far as I’m concerned now, that can be over.” Elizabeth watched the anger and surprise wash across his face.

  “You’d choose a man you’ve know a week over one you’ve known for twenty six years?”

  “You’re asking me to choose between you or Ethan, so I choose my husband.”

  “That’s low.”

  “Sometimes the truth hurts. Now, if you don’t mind, get out of our home and go calm the hell down. I don’t want to talk to you right now. I have a killer to find and don’t need this petty bullshit from one of my team and someone who was supposed to be my friend.”

  Tony stormed out of the office, slamming the door open, and then slamming the front door closed.

  Elizabeth sat at her desk and started clearing it off. As she was tossing water bottles in the trash and putting her pens away, the awareness of him watching overcame her. When she glanced up, her sexy husband was indeed standing in the doorway.

  “So, how did that go?” he asked, no emotion on his face. He had heard almost every word, since it was screaming. Come to think of it, everyone in the house heard it too.

  “You want a recap or did you hear enough?”

  Blackhawk closed the door and sat down.

  “Well, here are the highlights. Sara is thrilled, and by the way, she said she’s jealous because apparently you're smokin’ hot. This really isn’t news, because I was already aware of that myself. No big surprise there.”

  He laughed.

  “Tyrell and Christopher are pissed because they missed out on a perfectly good bachelor party opportunity. Which I can throw one of those later, and they meant for me, not you,” she grinned. “Booze, no strippers, I promise.”

  “Nice to know my wife won’t have strippers at her bachelor party,” he stated, laughing. Only his Lyzee would be this angry at her friend, and still be trying to soothe his feelings over what he overheard.

  “Oh and yeah, Tony thinks I’ve lost my mind and only married you because I’m distraught, and still mourning the loss of my father.”

  “Did you tell him you only married me for the wild heathen sex and my sleek car?” Blackhawk tried to make her laugh and take his turn soothing her soul.

  “Damn it, I should have led in with that.” She stood and laughed. “Next person that comments on my marriage, I’m whipping that one out.”

  “Go with it next time, and it should go more smoothly,” he grinned. “Do I get to kiss my wife in this office?”

  “Since it’s technically our home office, I’m okay with that, as long as the door is closed when our minions are milling about.”

  He kissed her softly. “I love you, Mrs. Blackhawk. I have to say, I didn’t even think about you changing your name until we pulled in, but it is very sexy,” he said, smiling. “Very sexy, indeed.”

  Elizabeth was confused. “Why didn’t you think I’d change my name? Isn't that what people do?”

  Blackhawk shrugged. “You just seem like the independent, strong willed, ‘don’t need a man- kind of woman’, who’d want to keep her name.”

  Looking up into his eyes, she caressed his cheek lovingly. “In my world, when you marry someone you take their name. So, you can put that foolishness aside. I’m not Elizabeth LaRue, or Elizabeth LaRue-Blackhawk. I am simply, Elizabeth Blackhawk, and I am very happy to be her.”

  Ethan was touched and fell even more in love with the woman. Her taking his name was a declaration of love, and it meant everything to him. He pulled her into his arms again, and gave her a gentle kiss. When they broke apart, he patted her on the behind.

  “Hey now, Cowboy. I said a kiss, not a rousing game of grab ass in the office.” She laughed, starting to walk away, then figured screw it; she was going to teach her new husband a lesson. She walked right back over to him, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled his mouth to hers. It would be a kiss he would remember all day. Elizabeth kissed him hard, long and deep, until he groaned and she could feel how excited he was pressed against her. When she broke away breathlessly, she enjoyed the dazed look in his eyes. “You're right, taking your name was very sexy,” she grinned wickedly, running her tongue across her lips, “and so is my husband.” Elizabeth reciprocated for the ass pat with one of her own, because she could. “Now, come on, we have to swing by my office and then go bug the minister.”

  Blackhawk just stood there, watching her walk away, the sway in her walk, the gun at her hip, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her when they came home. It was something about her swagger, when it came to being the sheriff that he found incredibly alluring. It was going to be a very distracting day, now that she kissed him like that. He refocused as she whistled for him.

  “Cowboy, saddle up. We have a bad guy to find, and we don’t have all day.” Elizabeth blew him a kiss, as she was perfectly aware what was distracting him, and that she had caused it.

  Ethan tracked her with his eyes, as she headed out the door. She was right. It was time to catch the killer. Then he was going to spend more time focusing on his wife and her very wicked mouth.

  Elizabeth drove into town and pulled into her parking space. “You want to wait here or come in, Ethan?” she asked, taking off her sunglasses.

  “I’m coming in, just in case s
omeone else tries to talk you out of being married today. I can’t wait to see what more fun waits for us once the word travels that you married the FBI guy.”

  “Don’t let it offend you, Ethan. Tony has ulterior reasons why he doesn’t like the idea we’re married.”

  “I’m not offended. I’m more irritated that he thinks he could talk you out of a marriage.”

  “Well, he can’t. I’m married now. I’ll just have to suffer the rest of my life by sleeping with you, forcing you to serve my ever sexual whim, and climbing all over you. It’s my cross to bear, Mr. Blackhawk.”

  He laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “Poor you.”

  “Come on, Agent Blackhawk,” she walked towards her office. Out behind the tree stepped Henry Forbes. “Really Forbes? I just got back into town. I don’t want to deal with you now too.” She stopped, hoping the man had the good sense to not touch her, or he would be a dead man. Blackhawk was vibrating with tension as he stood beside her. Even she could feel it.

  “Go everywhere with your bodyguard,” he quipped, sarcastically.

  “What do you want, Forbes?”

  “I’ll share information with you, if you give me a scoop for the paper.”

  “You want me to trust you with sensitive information regarding the investigation of an ongoing case? Do you think I’ve lost my mind?”

  “I found out an interesting tidbit that may give you the killer.”

  Blackhawk stepped forward. “Then you are under obligation to share that information.”

  “I’ll willingly give her the information, if she hands me something just as juicy that the public has yet to hear.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Deal, you go first.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes, I’ll tell you something no one knows, and you will be the first to have it. So spill it, you're wasting my time.”

  Blackhawk looked at her like she’d lost her mind. Maybe the pressure was getting to her. She was going to deal with the weasel.

  “Dansforth’s son had a relationship with the first girl that was killed. He dated her in high school,” he said, with a smarmy grin, knowing that he showed the sheriff up, and the agent too.

  Elizabeth looked over at Blackhawk. Ethan lifted a brow, as they shared a message that this would be helpful, especially since they were heading there next.

  “You're turn,” he snickered, the smug grin plastered across his face.

  Elizabeth was going to wipe it right off with one well-placed sentence. “Okay, so you wanted a scoop, something juicy that no one knows?”

  “You promised,” he pulled out his recorder and pushed record.

  She took Blackhawk’s hand in hers and grinned at him. “Yesterday, I married Agent Blackhawk.” She started walking away, his hand firmly in hers, as a couple. “He isn’t my bodyguard, now he’s my sexy husband.”

  “I meant about the case,” he yelled after her.

  “Then specify before you deal!” she yelled back.

  Blackhawk chuckled all the way to the door, and couldn’t have been prouder of his wife. “You played him so well that I almost want to bow to you here and now.”

  “Save it for later, when we’re home,” she teased, as they walked into the building.

  Martha stood and gave her a big hug. “Is it true, did you get married?”

  Word traveled super-fast, and now that Martha knew, and Forbes, she was pretty sure it would be in the paper by morning. “I did marry Ethan.” They held out their hands and showed her the rings.

  “I am so happy for you,” she kissed her boss, and then kissed the agent. “Welcome to the dysfunctional family, Agent!”

  “Well, it seems like the majority are happy,” she said taking her messages off Martha’s desk. “Anything I should be aware of today?”

  “Your step-mother called a few times, and she was concerned that you weren’t around. I just told her you had to travel to Quantico with the evidence and would be back soon.”

  “Thanks for keeping it under wraps. She wasn’t married to Charlie when he was killed, so it’s really not any of her business what I do. I didn’t tell George, and I’m going to get flak for that I’m sure.”

  “Doc’s been looking for you too,” she said.

  “He’s on my list to call back.” Elizabeth strolled towards her office. “Hey, Martha!” She pointed at the door. “Get this fixed today, please. Sheriff Blackhawk has a nice ring to it.”

  “On it, boss.”

  Ethan sat across from her grinning. She was taking his name and plastering it on her office door. Yeah, it was a good day. “Want to hit Doc first, or the minister?”

  “I think in light of the information we just traded, we should go to church. I feel like slapping around some righteous folks.”

  Blackhawk couldn’t help but be entertained by his very feisty wife. “My team is pulling out of the house by tonight and coming back here. I’m sorry they were rough on the place, it’ll be cleaned up.”

  “Ethan, really there is nothing to worry about. Besides, it’s our house, and now you are obligated to finish what they don’t,” she laughed. “Welcome to maid duty, Cowboy.”

  “Hey!” Blackhawk started to laugh, since he deserved that.

  Elizabeth searched through the messages, looking for anything that was vital. When she glanced up he was staring at her and tense. “That’s your concerned look. What’s up? You were just fine a minute ago. I was kidding about the maid duty.”

  “I know I shouldn’t be worried, but I want to put it out there. I had my team do a deep search on you and your team.”

  She sat back, putting her boots up on her desk, her eyes never leaving his. “And did you find anything suspicious? Did Christina find any skeletons in my closet?”

  “No, I was just giving you the courtesy of knowing.”

  “Okay.” Elizabeth stood. It didn’t make her happy that he ran her, but she would have done the same thing too.

  “Not mad at me?” Blackhawk joined her on the walk out.

  “I would have run you too,” Elizabeth said as she tossed him the keys. He was in charge, and he could drive their Jeep.

  “Did you ask for information on me from Gabe?”

  “Nope, I didn’t ask for your dossier. I like to find out my info the hard way.”

  “The hard way?”

  “Though rigorous interrogation or arduous sex.”

  Blackhawk laughed, understanding what she meant since he’d been a victim of the sex part a couple of times.

  “Do I hear any complaints,” Elizabeth grinned back.

  “Not in this lifetime.” Blackhawk patted her knee, as he started up the Jeep. “I think we need to let me go at the minister and his family. They don’t like me, and I think I can catch them completely off guard.”

  Everything in her screamed that letting him even try to rationalize with those bigots was going to be a horrible idea that backfired.

  “Are you okay with me taking them on, Elizabeth?” he watched her face, and it stayed completely blank.

  “Okay Ethan, this is your assignment and your choice.” Something inside her ached, since she knew right where the minister was going to take it, and she only hoped that level heads would prevail.

  Yeah, she was screwed.

  Elizabeth Blackhawk was very protective of her husband and had a very short temper for assholes.

  ~ Chapter Fifteen ~

  Wednesday Afternoon

  Ethan Blackhawk was an imposing man. He was tall and the mysteriousness worked for him, but it also had times where it worked against him. Bigots lived in the world, and he was now standing face to face with a very large one. The Dansforths didn’t like him, solely based on the fact he wasn’t racially pure. His father was full blooded Native American and his mother was Caucasian. Some of his features favored his mother, but his coloring of his skin, sharp angles of his facial features, and his straight hair were dead giveaways of his ethnicity. Then there was the peculiar color of his
irises. It was a mix of both his mother’s blue and his father’s black colorless eyes.

  As he stood before the man, trying to question him in regards to why they lied about knowing the first victim, he was becoming frustrated. It was one thing to know you were disliked, but it was another to have it slap at you with every question asked.

  His wife stood beside him, saying nothing, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. He could feel the anger reverberating through her body with every derogatory comment made by Minister Dansforth. Yet, she remained stone cold, and that worried him, it wasn’t like her to have to swallow her anger. It’s what made them opposites; he was calm under fire, Elizabeth was a burning flame. Now they both faced the bigots, and Ethan was feeling like there was a wall being built between them.

  He just had no idea why.

  “Mr. Dansforth for the last time, we need to speak to your son. If you’re purposely blocking us, we will have to arrest you,” said Blackhawk. “It’s called obstruction of justice.”

  “I already told you. I don’t know where he is, boy. Are you hard of hearing, son?”

  “I’m neither your son, nor your boy. What I am, is a special agent in the FBI, here to question James.”

  Mrs. Dansforth stepped forward interjecting, “Stop bothering law abiding citizens, and go back to where you came from.”

  “I guess we’ll have to put a BOLO out for him, and have him picked up and slapped in cuffs,” he wasn’t kidding. At this point in the game he would do it in a heartbeat.

  Elizabeth picked up her cell and dialed Martha. “I need a BOLO for James Dansforth; he’s twenty one, approximately six feet tall, one hundred and eighty pounds. He’s to be picked up and transported to my office in cuffs. If he resists, have him placed in holding until we have time to interrogate him, in house.” She purposely used the word ‘interrogate’ instead of interview hoping it would make the Dansforths talk to Blackhawk.

  Her heart was aching as he struggled through the interview, as they kept insulting him. Part of her wanted to cry, the other part of her wanted to kick both their asses.