Elizabeth flicked on the lights above the island and turned on the teakettle. As she ran her hand over the baby bump, she was concerned for her friend.
“What did you do?”
“I told Livy to go back to the FBI.”
“Did you hit your head?” she asked. “Do you have a fever?”
He was well aware. “Yeah, I think I did.”
Elizabeth got down a cup. “Whiskey?” she asked, pointing at the cup.
“Want some?”
“I wish. That’s just a little too redneck, even for me.”
He pointed at the bottle. “If you dump some in your tea, I won’t tell a soul. It might help you sleep. Livy did it a few times with Amelia, and she’s no worse for the wear.”
She laughed. “If you tell Callen, I’ll kill you.”
He closed his eyes and smiled. “What I don’t see I can’t comment on.”
That’s how it always was with them. They were close. Sitting there, she was reminded of that.
“So why did you do it?” Elizabeth asked.
“Because I love her.”
She got it.
This whole case was centered on love, hate, anger, and destruction.
Fate was a bitch.
If Elizabeth could, she’d kick her ass.
“She needs to come back. I couldn’t leave. Livy is pretty damn strong. Look at what she’s overcome.”
“Yeah, I know. There’s still one chance left. I can always hope she fails qualifications. Then it’s out of my hands.”
They both knew Livy wouldn’t.
She was in excellent shape.
“What about you? Why are you up?”
Elizabeth told him about what she did. When she was finished, he stared at her.
“That was incredibly unselfish of you. I know how much he means to you.”
“I didn't want to do it. I wanted to tell him he was making a huge ass mistake and beg him to stay. I wanted to slap the stupid out of his wife, but that’s not my job. If Chris wants this, he has to stand up to her. Wife or not, she should know better.”
“He would have stayed had you asked.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s the issue. He needed to do what his wife wanted. Cyra already dislikes me for some reason. I don’t need to add fuel to that fire.”
“She’ll get over it. You and Chris are close. You’ve always been that way. At the beginning, I swore you’d sleep with him.”
She laughed. “I did sleep with him, but just not sex. We had a bond like you and I do.”
“Had?”
“I know he won’t ever see me again. I know he’s going to make sure we don’t cross paths. I knew when I sent him home it was the last time I was going to see him. This path has come to an end.”
“Why?”
“Memories.”
He got it.
They haunted him too.
They both knew Christopher Leonard wouldn’t be strong enough to see what he gave up every day and face it down. There would always be that lure to come back.
That meant he’d walk away to cut off the addiction.
The FBI was like crack.
Unfortunately, she was part of that addiction. Elizabeth was the FBI. She bled blue and gold.
“We’re old, Gabe.”
He laughed, clinking his whiskey glass against her tea mug. “Amen, honey, amen.”
“What happened to us?”
“Time, and like Fate, she sucks too. At least you’re only forty-one. I’m heading into fifty in the next few months. Let me tell you, it’s not fun. I have this irrational need to dye my hair and get a sports car.”
She snorted. “Do it. I want to see Livy’s face.”
He snorted.
“Where did time go?”
“I wish I knew. I used to see the world differently. Then I became the director of the FBI. It was all I ever wanted, and now…I think it was a huge mistake. The weight is crushing. It’s going to be the death of me, especially now that I told Livy to go back.”
“Yeah, I’m feeling some of that weight. Director-hood sucks the big one.”
They sat in silence sipping their drinks.
“What do you need to do, Elizabeth?”
He knew his friend. She was an open book to him. Gone was the wild youth, and in its place was a woman who fought hard for justice.
She’d grown a lot.
“I need a damn vacation.”
“Me too. Let’s take one. When this is over, let’s pack up the family and head somewhere. You still have that house in Fire Bay.”
Only that was Oracle’s new house.
“Yeah, we can’t go there.”
“Why?”
“The less you know, the better.”
He sipped more whiskey. “Yeah, you’re right. Don’t tell me shit. I have enough on my shoulders. Did you know the president got caught in the limo with his assistant by his wife?”
She laughed. “Shit. That sucks for him.”
“Yeah, the media had no clue. As he was pulling up to the Whitehouse, he was getting one hell of a blowjob. When his wife opened the door, his pants were down.”
She snickered. “How do you know?”
“I was wearing a secret service earpiece and talking to the head guy. The chatter has already started.”
Elizabeth sipped her tea. The warmth helped her.
“I wouldn’t want to be you, Gabe. Bless you for taking on this clusterfuck we call the FBI.”
“Tell me about it. I have a few years left and then I’m retiring.”
“Lucky you.”
“What do you miss most?” he asked.
“You and Livy. I wish I was back here. I feel so isolated out there. Even being back here now, I feel like this is home. Damascus never felt like it was where I should be. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that it’s Ethan and Callen’s home, but it’s not me. I’ve never been a woodsy kind of girl. Even when Charlie moved us south, I always missed DC.”
He got it.
“So come back.”
She stared at him. “I can’t. There’s that little place called FBI West. That’s Ethan’s baby. I’m just his partner.”
“He would have a job here. I don’t have a Deputy Director. He could come back and fill that slot. We both know who I'm tagging to replace me one day.”
She thought about it.
“I’d miss Tony, and my team.”
“Bring them. You could have your title and work in the field all you want. You know that’s what you live for anyway. Putting you behind a desk was a way to keep you safe for your husband. You’ve gone out anyway, risking your neck. That plan failed from day one.”
She snorted. “You know me. Don’t try to make me do anything. I’m going to go the other way.”
“Duly noted.”
“But you’re right. I hate being in an office. It sucks.”
“I might just have a partner for you. Well, you and Callen, if he makes it back.”
She thought about it. There was something appealing about coming home. She was born here. She raised hell here as a Fed. It called to her.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she asked.
“Is it about sex? I don’t know if I can handle it. Hearing about you three weirds me out. You bouncing on two men at once is a hard pill to swallow. You used to be a good girl.”
She snorted. “Oh, they tell me I’m very good.”
He picked up the whiskey bottle and chugged from it.
Elizabeth found that amusing and started to laugh. “Take it easy, boss man. It’s actually about Callen.”
“What?”
“He likes spanking me.”
“Jesus, Elizabeth! Come on!”
She snorted. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’ll be serious now.”
“Right.” Somehow, he didn't believe that tall tale. “What about him?”
“He wrote a book, and a publisher wants it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.�
�
“Wow, things are changing in both of our worlds.”
She was aware.
“Are you serious about me coming back?”
“Yes.”
“Could you guarantee Ethan gets Deputy Director?”
“Yes, and it’s a pay raise too. It would make up for Callen losing his position if he opted to be a writer and stay home. You know I’d always cover for you.”
She mulled it over.
“I miss you, Lyzee. Despite it all, you’re my family. That’s what matters most.”
She was well aware.
“Think about it. You could have your family back. You’d see the kids, your children would have ‘cousins’, and you’d have us. You’d stop being alone, Lyzee.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“My heart is broken so damn bad, Gabe. Chris Leonard took a chunk of it when he walked away.”
He knew it. “Come here.”
Gabe opened his arms and waited until she hugged him. “If you come back, I’ll keep you safe. We all will.”
He knew the truth. Elizabeth was tough on the outside, but she was on the verge of breaking down. She couldn’t take much more. Your heart could only be kicked around so much before you couldn’t put it back together again.
“Take your time and think about it. You can bring your entire team. You can give them the option of leaving and coming back. Most of them started out here anyway. Tony and Jaxon Magnus were both here first. We have head techs you can take if Merry won’t leave. Think about it.”
She would.
She had to. Elizabeth didn't like change, and this was a huge step.
“Talk to the men. Let them help you decide. This has to be about all of you. If the time is right, you’ll know it’s the right choice. You’re coming back eventually. When Ethan is handed the keys to the kingdom, you would have to return anyway.”
He had a point.
What was the difference?
Then or now?
Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Gabe. You’re a good egg.”
He grinned. “I’m scrambled to let you and my wife back into the same building together. Who are we kidding?”
She was well aware.
“I swear we’d be good.”
He laughed. “Bullshit.”
Elizabeth yawned. “Thanks for the tea and the talk, Gabe. I appreciate it.”
“You’re on the right path, Elizabeth. Fear not. I believe in you. This killer is screwed.”
She hoped he was right.
There was so much riding on this right now.
All Elizabeth could do is put it all on the line, use her brain, and pray that in the end, she’d be faster.
Smarter.
Quicker.
That’s all that stood between them and a disaster.
No pressure.
At all…
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
Oh, she was making the rounds.
There was no doubt that Elizabeth was checking out everything she could to find the answers. It was fun to watch her backtrack all over town, interviewing family members.
Oh, what a waste.
It wouldn’t give her answers.
She was looking in the wrong place. While she thought she was smart, this was making it look like the exact opposite. Elizabeth was so self-absorbed that she was missing the point.
Well, not with the next one.
That was for sure.
This game was about her, but it wasn’t about what she thought. Payback was coming, and the next couple of blows would be the most brutal.
There was one more death in DC, and the rest would be closer to home. There would be clues.
If she couldn’t figure it out, she was a fool.
It was time to make the next move.
This one should be cake.
Make that a cupcake.
It was time to see if she figured it out, before death made its way to her doorstep.
CHAPTER NINE
Wednesday Morning
That morning when they got up, they found a note from Gabe and Livy stating that they had to head in early. While they’d hoped to get a warrant, Gabe had failed.
No judge in DC wanted to touch it with a ten-foot pole. They were too worried about being tried in the court of public opinion.
So, they weren’t searching James O’Brien’s house.
You win some. You lose some.
Instead, they switched gears, hoping to find another way.
On the counter were bagels and a pot of coffee.
As they sat down to eat, both men knew she was thinking. Elizabeth, while not a morning person when pregnant, would still participate in banter.
This morning…not so much.
She was staring at her bagel as if it was the enemy. There was a deep scowl on her face. Someone was lost in thought.
“Okay, spill it, baby,” Ethan said, picking up his coffee cup. “I know you crawled out of bed around three this morning. Where did you go, and what stirred you up?”
Callen pressed on, “Yeah, you leaving us alone in bed should be illegal, since my shoulder was then against his chest. I have brother cooties,” he offered, trying to cheer her up.
Elizabeth glanced up. “I had somethings to think about, and I needed space.”
“Like?” Ethan asked.
“I’m thinking about leaving Damascus and coming back here.”
The cup paused halfway to Ethan’s mouth.
Callen stared openmouthed.
“Pardon?” they asked together.
Elizabeth dropped her bagel. “I think I want to move. I want to pack up the house, leave the West, and come home.”
Callen glanced back and forth between the two people he loved. He wasn’t quite sure where this one was going. While they both loved Damascus, they knew that the one major thing holding them there was FBI West.
Wyler would leave.
Callen didn't mind.
Elizabeth was from here.
This was all going to be on Ethan.
“We have jobs out there. Pray tell what will we do here?” Blackhawk asked, finally getting the coffee to his mouth. “We do have to work, unless one of you won the lottery and forgot to tell me.”
Callen figured if this was what Elizabeth wanted, then he’d help her get it. To him, he’d live in a cardboard box to be close to his family.
“I actually just came into some money as of late,” Callen offered.
Elizabeth glanced over, knowing what he was talking about. Apparently, he was ready to fill his brother in on what was going on in his private life.
“I was going to surprise you, but we might as well talk about it now.”
Ethan didn't understand.
“What are you talking about, Callen?” he asked.
“I told Elizabeth the other day, and now I’m showing you.” He slid his phone across the counter. Ethan picked it up and began reading it.
“You sold a book?”
“Yes. That’s my royalty check. I just made in one book what I normally make all year.”
Ethan glanced up. “I’m so proud of you,” he said, moving toward his brother. He grabbed him in a hug and squeezed. “Callen, that’s awesome. I mean the book, not the money.”
He laughed.
“I was going to give you a copy of the book for your birthday, but now you just won’t be surprised.”
Ethan grinned. “This is awesome. Your dreams of writing came true.”
“They did because of you both. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m willing to give up my job in the FBI to move if it’s what Elizabeth needs. I can write anywhere.”
“You’re still coming back to work,” he insisted. “You’re not done in the FBI quite yet.”
He grinned. “Whatever Fate has in mind, so be it. For now, I’m willing to pack it all in.”
Ethan sat.
“Well?”
“What will I do?” he as
ked. A part of him wanted to do it, but a part didn’t. He’d grown FBI West to be the hub it was. Giving it up was hard.
Damn hard.
It was his baby.
“Gabe said there’s a position for you here. I think he said, Deputy Director.”
The coffee sloshed over the rim.
“What?”
She laughed at the look on his face. There were days she truly enjoyed catching him off guard. It was rare to be able to do it. “Yeah, it would be a promotion. We all know you’re his heir apparent to run the FBI. It’s a matter of time. You’ll be the big boss one day, and we’ll have to return anyway.”
That didn't sound bad at all. Ethan always had that need to be the boss. It’s why he pushed so hard all those years to erase his heritage. He believed that it held him back.
Who saw this coming?
Certainly not him.
“Wait! Gabe said all that?”
She nodded.
“And you?”
“Well, I have to take a demotion. I would be titled, but I’d be out in the field.”
They stared at her.
“Livy is coming back to the FBI.”
The men stared at each other. Could they deal with their wife out there alone? Was that something they wanted to live each and every day?
“Anyway, think about it. I’ll leave it up to you both because you’re the ones leaving your home. You both grew up there, and there are homes on the Rez that you own. I can handle staying. Can you handle leaving?”
They did need to think about it.
A piece of Ethan wanted this.
But their father…
“We need to talk to dad. He’s the deciding vote. He’s never spent a day off the Rez other than our house. If he’s willing, I say do it.”
Elizabeth glanced over at Callen to get his vote in the matter. “My love?”
“I want our woman to be happy. I say go for it. I don’t mind moving, again.”
She grinned. “I love you both.”
“And our team?” Ethan asked. “We asked most of them to move to Damascus—Tony, Jaxon, etc.”
She was well aware. “I’ll talk to them when we get home. I know Tony. He loved it here. When he worked out of the Hoover building, he was in his glory. As for Jaxon, well, she still has her apartment here. She still works for the universities out here when they need a dig rat.”
Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) Page 26