Dawn of Evil_FBI Flashback

by Morgan Kelley

  She was glad.

  He was hers, too, and she owed him one. Plus, Elizabeth always paid her debts, no matter how much time had passed.

  She was only as good as her word.

  “Levi, good luck in Boston. The FBI will help clean it up, but I’m going home. I deal with serial killers. My job here is done.”

  She shook his hand, and then, she headed down the stairs. She preferred to remember Max as he was—not going into the ground for his final resting place.

  In her car, she pulled out her phone.

  “Hey, Daddy, it’s me,” she said when he answered on the second ring.

  “Sugar! You miss me?”

  She laughed.

  Did she?

  More than he’d ever know.

  “Yeah, I really do. I know you’re busy, but I have a couple days off. I just wrapped a case. Want to meet me halfway? It’s almost the weekend, and I’m not due back until Sunday night.”

  “Where?”

  “Our favorite place.”

  “I know it well. Will you be bringing your boyfriend?” he asked. “I’d like to meet him all over again—so I can scare him shitless.”

  That amused her.

  It was a good thing Chris had gone home.

  “Maybe next time, Daddy. I just want to see you. I miss you.”

  He heard it in her voice.

  “Sugar, I’ll meet you anytime. I’ll see you in Norfolk.”

  She was so glad.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  “Sugar, I love you too. Drive safe. Pick up some crabs in Maryland. We’ll have a feast under the stars like we used to do when you were five.”

  And to her, that was the best damn idea she’d ever heard.

  After this case, she needed it.

  Epilogue

  Three Days

  Later

  S he stopped at the office since she wanted to check in. She was tan, she was smiling, and it was back to work in the morning.

  The entire time she was away, she was thinking about Chris, their relationship, and her life.

  And she’d made a decision.

  She was happy.

  While she had been worried at first, she talked to her father, and he was genuinely excited for her and this new journey she was on. He’d helped her see that she could be an agent and have someone in her life.

  She didn’t have to be alone.

  Love healed all the wounds to her soul, and Chris was a good, decent man for the job.

  Besides, Charlie liked Chris.

  She’d been right. She knew he would.

  So, she was going to move on and move ahead with her career, and a really good guy. Every day she was with her dad, Chris called in the morning, sent texts all day, and called her at night.

  He genuinely missed her.

  And she missed him.

  He was sent out on a body pickup, but he’d be home later, and she couldn’t wait to see him.

  The time with her father was amazing, and she was grateful to have it with him. She’d promised to bring Chris next time, and she would.

  Life was good.

  Inside the building, she headed toward Gabe’s office. He wasn’t in, but his secretary told her she’d tell him she was looking for him.

  So, she stopped in at her desk to make sure the person squatting there hadn’t made a mess.

  As she sat down, everything looked good.

  “LaRue! Do you have a tan?” Alex asked. “What the hell? How did you manage that?”

  Oh, she knew.

  The beach had been nice.

  “Yeah, Alex, I do. You know how it is. You solve a case, and you get a trip. Isn’t that how it works for you?”

  He wished.

  “Uh, I helped, and all I got was another case.”

  Yeah, she was well aware.

  “Sucks to be you, my friend. Maybe you shouldn’t have flipped partners. I went to the beach.”

  He grumbled and walked away.

  She loved busting his ass.

  It made her day, each and every time, and she couldn’t help it.

  As she opened her desk, she saw that her notes were gone, and she hoped it made the person who had been sitting there laughed.

  And be a little afraid.

  In the place of hers was one folded piece of paper, and she was curious.

  Opening it, she caught the beads that fell out. They were pretty, Native, and made her smile.

  Focusing on the note, she read it.

  ‘I don’t know you, but I’ve sat at your desk a whole day now, and I think I’ve learned a lot about you. You’re tough, strong, and fighting the good fight. Today, I was ready to give up. I had lost that desire to do good things, but after ‘meeting’ you, that changed. So, I want to thank you for giving me perspective, some entertainment, and a breath of fresh air. Whoever you are, don’t change. You’re doing a good job. I wish you peace. Here’s a good luck charm, but I don’t think you’d believe in them. That doesn’t seem like your style, so here’s a thank you instead.

  Be safe out there.

  C.W.’

  She ran the beads through her fingers, and she was reminded of the gold cross she’d placed in the envelope for Max’s son.

  Life was funny.

  She’d just passed her necklace off and received one in exchange. That certified that her choice was right.

  This was the new path, and she liked it. Elizabeth didn’t know where it would lead in ten years, or twenty, but she was going to enjoy the ride.

  Dropping the necklace over her head, she heard wind chimes and looked around.

  Nothing.

  She could have sworn…

  It must have been her imagination. There were no wind chimes anywhere near her in the office.

  Yeah, she’d really needed those days off with her father. Maybe she needed some more.

  Tucking the note into her pocket, she closed up her desk and decided to grab some cupcakes before heading home.

  Chris would be home in two hours, and she had one hell of a surprise for him.

  Maybe being a Fed wasn’t too bad.

  She’d kicked ass.

  She made someone’s day.

  And she felt damn good.

  Yeah, Elizabeth was on the right path, and she couldn’t wait to get to the destination.

  Life was a journey, and she was going to enjoy the ride.

  * * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *

  Elizabeth’s Brownstone

  Two Hours

  Later

  When he got her message, he was on his way back to DC with a body onboard. He was officially off duty now that he had dropped the victim off and signed the paperwork.

  His girl was waiting for him at home, and he was going to enjoy the last night they had before she was sent out to do God only knew what.

  Hopefully, he’d be by her side.

  As he parked his ride in the rain, he saw her waiting for him on her front steps.

  She was smiling, and it took his breath away.

  Next week, they’d start moving their things around and living together.

  They were going to share two places to accommodate their jobs and life.

  Honestly, he couldn’t wait.

  In fewer than two weeks, he’d gotten the girl, talked her into moving in with him, and found someone he could call his own.

  It was a beautiful thing, and he’d never take it for granted.

  Never.

  As he got out of his Mercedes, his medical bag in his hand, she raced down the stairs, through the puddles, and met him at the streetlight.

  She jumped into his arms and he caught her.

  “God! I missed you,” he whispered before they kissed in the falling rain.

  They must have been a sight to anyone watching. It was pouring rain, they were making out, and neither of them gave a damn.

  It was perfect.

  It was romantic.

  When she set his mouth free, she was still smi
ling as she got soaked.

  “My daddy sends his regards. Next trip, you have to come.”

  “I would have come this time, but you said you needed to be alone.”

  Yeah, she did, and now she had to explain. Elizabeth could hear it in his voice.

  Chris was worried.

  “I needed that little trip.”

  “To?”

  “To be away from you to see if it’s right between us, or if we should slow down.”

  He didn’t like that, but he’d give her that choice. He’d then pester the hell out of her with roses, cookies, and love until she caved again.

  Chris knew he wanted to be with her. While they’d never get married, they had something more valuable.

  Each other.

  “Well, I have a surprise for you. Carry me in, Doctor Leonard.”

  He did, as she stayed plastered to the front of his body, teasing his ear with her teeth.

  “I’m going to drop you.”

  “No, you never will. I’m happy.”

  He stopped on the steps as they were getting even wetter.

  “Are we staying a couple?” he asked.

  He needed to know.

  “Absolutely, and thus my present for you.”

  He relaxed.

  Chris knew it was done. She’d had her moment with her dad, she’d made up her mind, and he was golden. He could trust her with his heart.

  He carried her inside and dropped his bag before putting her down on her feet.

  Immediately, he pulled off his wet jacket to hang up, and that’s when he saw it.

  On the table, there was a goldfish bowl and a note.

  ‘Cats leave fur. I got us fish. We are pet parents. The reckless one is Bethe, and the smart one is Orion.’

  He laughed.

  It was the story of their life, and so damn sweet.

  “You named the fish after us! That’s funny as hell,” he said, turning around to find her standing at the bottom of the stairs in nothing but his red silk tie and a pair of panties to match.

  “Jesus.”

  “I hope you didn’t think the fish were the gift,” she stated, giving him one hell of a fantasy. “Friends get goldfish. Boyfriends get the works.”

  “Uh, what fish?” he asked, as his whole body reacted to the sight of his sexy girlfriend playing out his even sexier fantasy.

  Morgue sex.

  Now this.

  “This is only the beginning, Doctor Leonard. Later, we get to play out my fantasy.”

  He swallowed as he fought to focus on her face and not her beautiful naked breasts.

  “And that is?”

  “Bad doctor in handcuffs.”

  His heart thumped.

  Holy shit!

  “Want to go upstairs, Doctor? It seems your girl has missed you while she was away.”

  “Come to the very bad doctor,” he said.

  Elizabeth jumped into his arms, and he carried her all the way upstairs.

  To celebrate coming home.

  To love.

  Outside, her home, he was as confused as hell. Gabe had been told by his secretary that Elizabeth had stopped in, and he wanted to make sure she was okay.

  Her phone was off, so he drove by her place after work before heading home to check in on her. He knew she was taking the death of the homicide cop hard, and he wanted to ensure she was okay to come back to work.

  Only, while he’d been pulling into a parking space, he saw something so insane that he didn’t know what the hell to do with it.

  Elizabeth LaRue definitely had a man.

  The doctor.

  The way she was kissing him, it was crystal clear that this had been going on for a while. That wasn’t a friendly kiss on the lips or cheek.

  That was tonsil hockey in its truest sense of the words.

  The rumors were true.

  She was having sex with one of the ME’s, and the only one she’d work with on a case.

  What’s he supposed to do with all of this? Was he supposed to freak out?

  Ignore it?

  Be a boss?

  Be a friend?

  Gabe was so shocked, he didn’t think Livy was going to believe him when he told her. The doctor was definitely not the type of man he’d ever see her with.

  He didn’t work out.

  He wasn’t tough and badass.

  Yeah, he never saw this one coming.

  Who would?

  Elizabeth LaRue was settling down with Doctor Death, and now, he was aware of it.

  Did he break their team up?

  Or leave it alone?

  It looked like time would tell.

  * * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *

  Three months later

  Boston

  It was a good day to be king of the world. He’d made more money, cemented his position in Boston, and was taking on the world by storm.

  Now that the FBI had left his town, he was able to move on and have some fun. He was going to go after Elizabeth LaRue, and take it to her in DC.

  Or maybe he’d lure her back again.

  All he did know was that Carl and Joey were up shit creek. They were tracked down, strung out, and he didn’t even try to help them. When the cops came and arrested them, he didn’t even try to bail them out.

  Killing Carl’s son in prison had sent a clear sign to both men. He could reach them even in prison.

  If they spilled the beans…

  Well, snitches got stitches.

  So now he was on the move, searching for a new sidekick. Maybe Elizabeth LaRue would love the job. After all, she’d proved herself in Boston.

  He’d have to work on that.

  Outside the bank, he headed for his ride.

  He didn’t recognize the limo driver, but that wasn’t abnormal. The company must have sent a new one.

  “To my house,” he ordered as the man closed the door behind him.

  The man headed back to the driver’s seat and O’Banion enjoyed his ride.

  Boston was his.

  It was good to be at the top of the food chain.

  As the limo rounded the corner, it wasn’t long before the entire city was rocked by the sound of the explosion.

  It was horrible.

  It was a fiery ball of flames.

  It was the end of an era in Boston.

  Later that day, newspapers would tell the tale.

  Michael O’Banion was dead.

  The king had lost his throne, his life, and everything that went with it.

  He would be nothing more than a memory.

  Why?

  Because the Dead are Forgotten.

  * * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *

  Washington DC

  The Next Day

  Chris was quickly having breakfast as his girlfriend finished up with blow drying her hair. They were heading out in an hour to work a case in Florida. The jet would be leaving, and they would be chasing one more crazy in their hopefully long, illustrious careers.

  Normally, he’d read the paper while he had his cereal, but the news would be faster. Clicking on the TV in the other room, he listened to it as he continued to eat.

  Then he heard it.

  For a second, he swore he had heard it wrong.

  Going into the living room, he stood there watching the footage of the burning limo with his mouth hanging open.

  It wasn’t long before his girl joined him.

  “What are you doing?” Elizabeth asked as she came down dressed and ready. Chris wasn’t big on television to begin with unless it was when they were cuddling on the couch. Then it always ended up in pre-bed sex.

  “Look.”

  She joined him to see what he was pointing at.

  “What is that?”

  “That was a limo. It appears that Michael O’Banion was just blown to smithereens in the middle of Boston.”

  She started laughing.

  So did Chris.

  It was wrong of them, but they couldn’t
help it. If you played dirty, you died dirty.

  Honestly, it couldn’t have happened to a more filthy, vile, and disgusting asshole.

  Karma had been served.

  She grabbed her coffee cup off the counter and clinked it off his.

  “To Max Bronson on the other side,” Elizabeth stated. “You just got your justice, my friend. When you kill a cop, you get your one-way ticket to Hell in your flaming chariot.”

  Chris sipped his.

  His girl was now safe.

  And that was all that mattered.

  “Let’s go chase some crazies,” she said, as she went into his arms.

  “I wish I had time to chase you,” he admitted. “Maybe we can christen Florida.”

  She was good with that.

  They were moving their way around the country with their jobs, and instead of buying a coffee mug as momentous, they had sex.

  It was their thing.

  The last three months had been perfect. Yes, they had crazy lives, but after the job, there was them.

  And that’s made it all worth it.

  * * * E l i z a b e t h L a R u e * * *

  Newly Opened

  Guantanamo Bay

  Prison

  Cuba

  Michael O’Banion officially hated the FBI.

  He loathed them with every fiber of his being, and with good reason.

  When he finally figured out what was going on, he realized he’d been set up.

  They were making him disappear.

  Before the limo blew, he’d been yanked out of the vehicle by his driver and two armed men. They’d taken him, drugged him, and sent him to a cell somewhere.

  Gone were all of his money, power, and prestige. He was being put in the witness protection program, and if he ever came out, he’d be dead.

  His death and then reappearance would make him look like he’d ratted on the other mob, and that would mark him for life.