Consumed by Wrath: An FBI/Romance Thriller (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 8)

by Kelley, Morgan

  “I’m great Chris. It’s good seeing you again.”

  Elizabeth pointed at Callen. “He’s my partner, and Ethan’s brother,” she added.

  “Yeah, Martha warned me that you’re shacking up with two men. I’d like to say that I’m surprised, but I’m not. You get bonus points for it being brothers, though. I wouldn’t have seen that one coming.”

  The men laughed.

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to bust your balls, just because I need to play nice with the locals, but as soon as this is over, payback is a bitch.”

  Chris grinned. There was his old boss in all her glory. He actually missed her.

  Go figure.

  “No, it seems that a little birdy has told me that you’re here because of Doc going missing.”

  “Birdy huh? Martha still has a big mouth,” she said, but wasn’t surprised. How long did they really expect to keep it quiet? Doc was like an icon in the town. People were bound to figure it out and start talking.

  It was going to get ugly.

  “Yeah she certainly does, but this time it wasn’t her. I actually got a call from Tony that you found more remains today.”

  She nodded.

  “And that you called in your whole team to handle it.”

  Again, she just nodded.

  “I do believe that proper protocol says that you ask the entity in charge of the town and get their approval first. Technically, our sheriff’s department is equipped to run it. The council made sure of it, after you left.”

  This was a dance she’d done many, many times and she wasn’t really surprised that it was once again time to strap on the tap shoes.

  “Yeah, well do you have a spare ME lying around to do any exams that come up?”

  “No.”

  “How about a resident anthropologist who has been praised in the bone journals, quite a few times, for exemplary findings?”

  “Not the last time that I looked.”

  “Do you have a sheriff that can detect his way out of a brown paper bag? I have to say, Chris, as much as I love Tony, he’s not cut out for leadership.”

  The man leaned back in his chair. “You make a very valid point, but you still have to pack up and leave.”

  She stared at him and tapped her fingers on her crossed arms.

  He burst into laughter, knowing that she wasn’t going to fall for it. “I never could pull one over on you, boss lady. I’m glad you’re here. I hope that you find Doc and wrap this up. As far as I’m concerned, you have my support in this matter, and I’ll pass that on to anyone on the council.”

  Both men relaxed beside her.

  “What can I do to help?” he asked.

  “I need leeway to do this my way. If you had a competent investigator, I would play nice, but let’s face it. Tony is more or less a figure head.”

  “Agreed, but just stay off his toes and try not to burn the damn town down in the process.”

  Callen couldn’t help it. He began to laugh.

  When everyone looked at him, he wasn’t the least bit apologetic. “What? Like there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of Lyzee playing nice with the locals. We’ve all seen her in action. If anyone here believes that there won’t be an altercation, I have a lake to sell you in the middle of the Sahara. It comes with a yacht.”

  Chris had seen her in action many times and that was exactly why he warned her. “As mayor, I’m going to ask you to leave the town standing. Can we at least go with that option then?”

  She pushed up from her chair and offered him her hand. “I can’t make that promise, but because we go way back, I’ll try.”

  He held out his hand and shook hers. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I appreciate you handling this while you’re on vacation.”

  “It’s the least I can do. I love Doc, and Salem is still a part of me.”

  “Be safe, boss. If you need anything, call me.”

  They headed out of the office and took a business card from the woman at the desk and left theirs. Outside, Ethan dropped his sunglasses on his face. “Well, that was nothing like the last time we were in that office.”

  “Hell yeah. I didn't get to chew anyone up. I’m a little disappointed. That was the highlight planned for my day.”

  Callen shook his head. “I wouldn’t worry. You’re forgetting one thing.”

  She glanced over. “What?”

  “You still have to talk to Tony. I’m betting he says something stupid and you get your opportunity.”

  Elizabeth worked with him a whole year. She knew better than to even go there. That was one bet she knew that she would lose.

  Tony and jackassery went hand in hand.

  * * *

  Once inside the sheriff’s station, Elizabeth began doing what she did best.

  Taking control and running things for the FBI.

  Both men had to admit that it was one of the best things about being her field partner. If you didn't mind the paperwork, then you could pretty much let her lead the charge, and handle the people in your way.

  One of those people in question was going to be the sheriff.

  It was obvious to see that Elizabeth had affection for the man, since she didn't storm the castle and slay the dragon. Instead, she told him what they needed and didn't give him a way to not hand it over.

  Standing in front of Tony, she worked on getting him to concede to her demands. They had to have a conference room, and she needed to run this her way.

  Tony was more than willing to give up the space, but the last demand nearly started an argument.

  “I’ve already talked to your boss, Tony. He’s cleared it for me. I’m running this dog and pony show. I need you to just let me take care of business. I’ve done this enough to be able to do it in my sleep.”

  He walked over to his office door and gave it a slam.

  That was the first sign that something bad was starting to brew between them. “I get the feeling that you really believe that I’m incompetent. I’ll have you know that I worked under you and learned a great deal.”

  Blackhawk and Whitefox stared at each other. Obviously, the man didn't learn enough. He just asked the devil to dinner, and he was on the menu.

  Elizabeth contemplated his words and took everything that he had just said as an open invitation.

  “Here we go,” muttered Ethan. Both men took a seat out of the way. Here was the chewing up part, and they had a front row seat.

  “You did work under me, but for the life of me, I don’t recall calendars with half naked women, light up beach balls, or sports magazines. Last time I looked, when I called this home, it was about working. This looks like a bachelor pad that spun out of control.”

  He glared at her. “Not everyone works the way you do. Maybe this environment is more conducive to my productivity.”

  She shook her head. “Okay, maybe it is. Where’s the ME report that you’re supposed to get copies of on Fridays for review? You know, the ones that assure that the medical examiner’s office and sheriff’s department are on the same page, if something were to go to trial? Or was that some pesky little detail you didn't care to worry about?” Elizabeth was betting he didn't even bother.

  “I told Doc to only send the ones that needed investigation from our end. I’m cutting down on paper waste. See? I’m saving the environment.”

  She pointed at the computer on the desk. “They were never on paper, Tony. Doc emailed them. I printed them out if I needed them.”

  He glared at her. “What’s your point?”

  “Simply that you’re not capable of running this investigation. You picked up keys off the ground with your bare hands. You didn't notice a back windshield that was busted in. Maybe, had you been focused on your damn job, you would have noticed last night that Doc was gone. That cost valuable time, and in our line of work, time isn’t money but possibly a life.”

  That pissed him off enough that he actually lunged for her. Fortunately for him, Ethan was up and grabbed him, be
cause Elizabeth would have kicked his balls up into his throat and schooled him for touching a woman.

  “Plus, now you almost assaulted a Fed.”

  Ethan hissed in his ear. “Cool it, son. If you put your hands on my pregnant wife, I will make sure you’re in that river too.”

  Callen stood glaring at the man. He prayed that he’d do something stupid, because now Tony had just ventured into their area.

  Enforcement.

  When Tony was reminded that she was expecting a child, he immediately calmed down. “I get it, Elizabeth. I’m not you, but I’m good at my job. I say hello to everyone. I know their names, and I’m the face of this department, just like your father was.”

  Oh no, he didn't just throw down the deceased father card, did he? If the man even thought that comparing himself to Charlie LaRue was a good idea, he was out of his damn mind.

  Both men cringed at what was coming.

  “You’re saying that you’re running this place exactly like my father did?” she reiterated.

  “Yeah, he was a people person. Maybe you just weren’t. Let’s face it, you don’t exactly have a sunny disposition and people hate your guts.”

  She stared down at her boots and began to laugh.

  Whitefox and Blackhawk had heard that tone in her voice before, and she wasn’t getting her giggle on.

  This was a full blown scary laugh.

  Suddenly, the hilarity stopped, and she lifted her head and stared into his eyes. “Your right, Tony. You are running this office just like Charlie LaRue. He was a great man, who loved the people of this town, but do me a favor if you don’t mind. Fill out your own toe tag and save the ME’s office some time, since we know how his reign here ended.”

  No one expected her to throw that one out.

  Elizabeth glared at him. If he thought, for one instant, that she wasn’t strong enough to talk about her dead father, or that it would make her back down, he didn't have a freaking clue.

  “You're supposed to be the backbone that holds this place up. I loved my dad, but he wasn’t the best at seeing things coming, or his son and ex-wife wouldn’t have been able to kill him. He got sloppy and complacent and it cost him his life and seeing his grandchildren being born.”

  “I do my job!” he objected.

  “This is a free for all. Wake up, Tony! Doc is missing and you couldn’t look at the dismembered pieces that we pulled up. What if that’s him? Can you walk into the morgue and face that?”

  He blanched.

  “I can, because I am the job. I’m not here to put you down, but I will run you over if you get in my damn way. I’m going to find Doc, dead or alive, and solve this. When I go home, you need to think if you’re ready for this, if it ever happens again. I’m bailing you out, and I can’t do that anymore. You’re an equal when you wear that badge. Act it.”

  He clenched his teeth. “What do you need me to do?”

  “I need a list of missing person reports. I’m assuming that you still keep track of them? Hopefully, someone has noticed people are missing and reported it.”

  “We don’t have many.”

  “You shouldn’t have any. The minute bones showed up, you should have hand delivered them to the ME for comparison. Doc would have used them to check and work on identifying the victims. It’s called interdepartmental cooperation. Would you like me to write it down on a piece of paper for you? Hey, how about I scribble it across the boobs on your girly calendar. You know, so you can remember to look at it every day!”

  Tony was turning red.

  She handed him a business card. “Email them to me. I also need to get a timeline of Doc’s day. Call his staff and set up appointments tomorrow. If you want the interviews, you can have them. If you don’t think you can pull it off, I’ll put it on my list and take care of it.”

  The look on his face said it all.

  Turning, she started out. “Tomorrow, we’ll be using the conference room. If you want in on this, and plan to help out, lose this jackassery and tomfoolery in here. It makes you look like a pubescent kid, not the sheriff of the town. Inflatable anything, and half-naked women, aren’t for the workplace. In fact, they’re questionable anywhere but a frat house.”

  She headed out, the men in her life behind her. Outside, she started for the morgue.

  “Sometimes, you need to dish out tough love,” Callen reassured, knowing that she hated every second of what she had just done.

  Elizabeth despised being mean to Tony. She had a soft spot for him in her heart, but he needed to man up and take care of the business that was tied to the badge.

  “Yeah, I know,” she answered.

  “He’ll thank you one day.”

  Oddly, Elizabeth didn't give a rat’s ass one way or the other. She didn't picture him in law enforcement all that long, especially with what they believed was coming.

  Bad shit was brewing. She could smell the stench a mile away.

  Inside the morgue lab, the tech team was making itself at home and doing what it did best. They were beginning to analyze the bones and strip off the remaining flesh found on the last retrieval. It was a gross job, but their team wasn’t afraid of a little ick factor.

  In fact, they thrived on it.

  The tempo was upbeat and everyone was handling exactly what they were supposed to be doing.

  At least that could offer Elizabeth a little reassurance. She could trust her team to take care of business and not need a full time babysitter. If there was an issue, Elizabeth could have faith in the man who was in charge of them. Doctor Leonard was a professional, and that she appreciated.

  Once they were noticed standing there, Chris, who was working with Doc’s assistant, motioned for them to head his way. The files that he was going through were still in process, but he could give them a little update.

  “What do you have, Doctor Leonard?” Ethan asked, as he was working on something on his phone.

  “Well, there’s nothing on any of the ME’s files yet. I asked for Harry’s help, and he has been invaluable to the process.”

  “Okay,” Elizabeth said, shifting her focus from her ME to the man beside him. “Did Sheriff Morell schedule an appointment with you to talk about Doc?” she asked.

  The man nodded. “It’s set up for eight tomorrow morning at the station.”

  Elizabeth thought about it, and that wasn’t good enough for her. “How about you give us what you know now? Then when you sit with Tony tomorrow, it may rattle anything free that may be cloudy.”

  He was good with that. “Sure thing, Director. I’ll do anything I can to help out. Doc is a great guy, and we want to see him come home.”

  Yeah, she was well aware. The man who helped raise her was indeed, a very special person.

  Callen took over, trying to offer her a moment to regroup. This had to be tripping her up. His woman was tough, but not when it came to matters of the heart. Then, she was a puddle of mush.

  “Tell us about the night before. Who was the last person to see him?”

  Harry thought about it. “I guess that was me. I was working late to clean up all the tools and get everything set up. We had just worked on a body, and he was looking a little tired and worn down. I asked him if he was feeling okay, and he said he was just getting old and time was taking its toll.”

  Callen made notes in his tablet, so Elizabeth could remain focused on his words. From the look on her face, he could see that even talking about Doc was hard on her. Obviously, she suspected the worst.

  “He was working at the table on a couple of files. I’m guessing they were the ones with just the bones. He was all stirred up over them. Mostly, Doc was pretty laid back, but if you wanted to see him get frazzled, throw him a mystery that he couldn’t solve. It became an obsession for him. I don’t think he even ate lunch.”

  Elizabeth listened to what the man was saying, and at the same time, she was taking in the tech in front of her. He reminded her of some goth college kid. The guy had more holes in his e
ars than anyone she had ever met before in her life. As for tattoos, he made Ethan’s twenty four and Callen’s ten look paltry. If she had to stereotype the person who she thought would work in the morgue, Harry would definitely fit the visual bouncing around in her brain. It was exact, right down to his coffin ring and vampire like shoes.

  “Did he say anything?” she asked.

  “He mumbled a lot and had his magnifying glass in his hand. He was studying those bones for hours a day. I wish I could tell you what he saw, but he wouldn’t talk to anyone about it. All I know is that he called the sheriff and was freaked out.”

  Yeah, if there was any doubt before, Elizabeth was ready to let it go. Those bones had to have something to do with Doc going missing. The man was sharp as a whip and never let anything slip by him. For now, they needed to focus on what they knew. The truth was hidden in those remains.

  “When I was leaving, I offered to run over to the new café and grab him some dinner. I was worried about him. He reminds me of my grandpa, only much cooler. Doc was precise when it came to his schedule, until those remains were brought in. Since that day, he was stirred up like a hive of wasps being poked with a pitchfork.”

  “What did he say when you offered to get him dinner?”

  “He wasn’t interested. Doc said he was going home to do some online research on the bones, and he promised to grab something to eat later. It’s just that…”

  “What?” she asked, needing everything that she could get to help find Doc.

  “He didn't sound right. I’m telling you that it was a cross between bewilderment and horror.”

  Ethan picked up, “What about the sheriff? Did he get to talk to him?” He wanted to corroborate Tony’s statement. Not that he thought that he hurt the man, but all the bases had to be covered when you were running an investigation.

  “Doc called Tony a few times the day before he disappeared. Again, it was all because of those bones. I think he wanted the missing person reports, and was getting angry that Tony wasn’t in contact with him.”

  Chris interjected, “I found notations in his files that suggested he was investigating the victims as his next step in finding their identity.”