“Did you hear what you said?” he asked. “Let’s deal with one issue at a time, Olivia.”
She sighed. “I may have hinted that you skipped lunch and had dessert. I was probably the dessert in question.”
His mouth hung open.
“Anyway, back to the other issue. It’s more important.”
“My head is going to explode,” he muttered, trying to keep calm. Livy wasn’t even officially back, and it was already starting. He was screwed.
“Did you hear what your assistant said? Carol Spade is out sick.”
“So?”
“Did she call in?”
He glanced down at the paper. “No. She was a no show.”
“She works in the lab, she hates Elizabeth and Chris, and she’s a blonde.”
He stared at her.
“Yeah, she is.”
“We need to tell Elizabeth we added one more person to her suspect pool.”
“Yeah, she’s either going to love us, or hate us.”
Livy was already well aware. They were adding weight to her already overloaded shoulders.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
The Leonard Residence
Cyra had just gotten her daughter down for a nap when she recalled the garbage. The truck would be coming for pickup any minute, and she wanted to make sure it didn't sit in the garage. There was nothing worse than stinky trash where she kept Bethe’s stroller.
Hustling out, she opened the door and wheeled the can down the driveway. As she was heading back up, she heard footsteps.
She jumped.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Leonard. I didn't mean to scare you.”
Cyra was wary.
“Elizabeth Blackhawk sent me,” she said, pulling out her badge.
She relaxed.
“Why? Is my husband okay? They just left a little while ago.”
“He’s fine, ma’am. I was sent to keep an eye on you. There’s a killer on the loose, and she didn't want you in danger. She wants to protect your husband.”
Cyra smiled. She’d told Chris she’d be safe, but he must have asked Elizabeth to post an agent anyway. It was just like her sweet husband to be worried about her wellbeing.
“Okay, thank you. Would you like some coffee? I just put our daughter down, and I could use a cup. It’ll be nice to have some company.”
She smiled. “I’d love some.”
Cyra led her into the garage and hit the button to close it. When the door was shut, she punched in the alarm code.
“Just to be safe,” she said. “Not that you can’t do your job, Agent, but I have a child to think about.”
The agent laughed. “Yeah, you never know who’s out there just waiting to strike. I’ve found people are more like lambs. They follow the pack, right to slaughter.”
Cyra found the comment to be odd.
When she turned around, the woman struck, slamming Cyra’s face repeatedly off the wall.
It did the job.
As she crumpled to the ground, Cyra moaned in pain.
“I swear, Mrs. Leonard. You were an agent. How stupid could you get? You should be ashamed of yourself.”
With that, she hit her again, knocking her out. She was going to enjoy this.
In the end, she’d revel in watching her bleed. Until that moment, it was time to get to work.
Chris Leonard had helped that bitch evade justice, and now they’d both pay. When he hated Elizabeth Blackhawk, well, that would be one more crushing blow to her.
And she deserved it.
Christopher Leonard was about to lose his wife and daughter in a horrible blaze.
Covering things up didn't pay.
They only got you burned.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
FBI West
Her first stop was her office. She wanted to check in with Ginny, making sure the place wasn’t falling apart. Okay, she wasn’t really concerned about it. That was more Ethan’s thing, but she was worried.
She felt like shit.
No, that wasn’t the word for it. She was running a fever and to make it worse, she believed she was having a slow amniotic leak. She was too early along for that to be happening, and she knew she should go to the hospital.
Only, she had this case to close.
They were close, and honestly, she didn't think the killer would take a few weeks off for her to recover.
Yeah, it wouldn’t happen.
So, there was no stopping.
With the bills, she knew that they had a good shot at taking this bitch down.
For the life of her, she didn't know who could be dogging her. As she was googling ‘leak’, her phone rang.
“Blackhawk.”
“Hey! It’s us. We have something,” offered Livy enthusiastically.
Elizabeth was all ears. “What?”
“We just found out that since you tore Carol Spade a new one, she hasn’t been in.”
“For days?” Elizabeth thought about it. “She’s blonde, and not a real one, either.”
“She hates your guts. Think back to when you rode her over Chris. All those years, you made her life hell.”
Yeah, she actually did.
“Where is she?”
Gabe laughed. “Her cell is off, and we can’t find her. We aren’t sure it’s her, but we wanted to give you a heads up. If you see her lurking around, you may want to protect yourself. I didn't send her out to you.”
She appreciated the heads up. “Thanks. Can you keep calling and tracking her? If she pops up on the radar, let me know where.”
“We can do that.”
“Did you find anything else?”
“I’m still running everyone who was murdered. I’m trying to find someone who crosses with one of our dead victims.”
“That’s great. Uh, Livy, can you take me off speaker?” she asked.
“Why?” Gabe asked. “What’s wrong?”
“I was going to ask your wife about a woman’s vagina and childbirth issue, and I didn’t really want you thinking about my girly bits.”
He laughed. “Well, now I am, and I want to be sick over it. Thanks for that.”
She snorted. “Livy?”
Her friend did what she asked.
“What’s up?”
“I think I’m leaking.”
“What?”
“I think I have a slow leak. You know. Fluid.”
She thought about it. “I had that happen in week thirty seven with our son. It took forever to go into labor. It just wouldn’t break. Once my water fully broke, labor was fast.”
She relaxed. “So I have time, right?”
“You should see a doctor, but yeah, you should be fine. I’ve done this a few times.”
She ignored the fever. “Thanks.”
“Take a break today, don’t get stressed, and try to keep from exerting yourself. You might be having this baby sooner than later,” she warned.
She laughed. “Yeah, in the middle of a murder investigation, that seems highly likely. I’m sure that will happen. This kid has to hold on, and stick with me until I have a free moment.”
Yeah, if only that was possible.
“Elizabeth.”
“I have to get down to autopsy. Call me later if you find anything. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Elizabeth hung up.
She didn't have time to slow down. She could feel this person breathing down her neck. Only, she didn't get why Carol would do it.
She rode her.
Yes.
But to research all her cases over the last five years and then come at her? It didn't seem to fit.
Elizabeth pondered it.
Then again, maybe she was off her game. It was possible. This case was a mess.
All she could hope now was that something would pop.
They needed a break.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
The Leonard
This was well worth the wait. While it wasn’t Elizabeth, it was still going to be rewarding. As she sat there, watching Cyra Leonard begin to wake up, she couldn’t wait.
This was going to be fun.
“Good morning, sleepyhead. Rise and shine,” she said, moving to stand over the bound woman. Cyra’s hands were above her head, tied to the leg of the large couch, and her feet were bound to the piano.
Cyra couldn’t move.
Still, she struggled.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, tears filling her eyes. Why did Elizabeth send someone to hurt her? Chris said she’d die for her, not kill her.
“Oh, this is a long time coming. How did you meet your husband?” she asked.
“On a case.”
“There were dying strippers and hookers, right?”
“Yes.”
Cyra recalled it.
The killer was burning the women alive. She glanced around the room and there was a can of gasoline.
“Please don’t do this. There’s a baby upstairs. She’s innocent, and so am I. I don’t work for the FBI anymore. I gave it up to be a mother.”
She laughed. “Yes, that’s true. Only, your husband isn’t so free from blame. Did you know that fifteen years ago, he covered up a crime for Elizabeth? Did you know she murdered someone in cold blood?”
Cyra looked shocked. “He wouldn’t!”
“He did. When I found out, I was sick about it. He covered for his girlfriend back then, and he’s covering for her now. Did he tell you that’s what this case is about?”
Cyra shook her head.
“She called, and of course lover boy went running. He’s always been in love with her.”
Tears filled Cyra’s eyes.
“He helped her evade justice, and now it’s time he pays for it. His love for Elizabeth is your death.”
She couldn’t believe this. “How do you know any of this is true? If it was, wouldn’t she be in jail?”
The intruder laughed. “All it took was digging, and I found it all. It was all there. Only, he destroyed most of the evidence. He took the bullet that killed the victim. I had to torture the ME who did the autopsy, and he couldn’t give me enough to end her career!” she screamed.
Cyra wept.
“Chris wouldn’t do that. He believes in justice. He’d never break the law.”
The killer laughed as she crouched beside her. “Do you really believe that? Where is he now? Is he with her?”
Cyra nodded.
“Are you that stupid? He’s in love with her. He’s always been smitten with her. Can’t you tell?”
It was clearly on Cyra’s face, and she knew it.
“So, I’m making them pay.”
“Why me?” she whispered. She had to stall. Maybe someone would come over. Maybe her brother would show up.
God!
Maybe Morganna would pop in with Igor.
Anyone…
It was her last chance to save herself and Bethe.
“You’re his wife. I’ll hurt you, and that will break him. He’s going to hate Elizabeth, and that will break her. She can’t bear to lose him. They’re close, or that’s what everyone I’ve hurt has said. I’m going to destroy her world. She cost me everything!”
Cyra begged for mercy.
“It’s never going to happen. You’re married to a man who lied to cover a crime. That’s so wrong. He took an oath, and Elizabeth used her body to get her way, again. She’s never going to change, and I need to stop her.”
That was Cyra’s biggest fear, until now. Now she feared dying in a house fire. She feared losing Bethe.
God!
What had her life become?
“Blame her. It’s all one big circle. I’m just about done with revenge. You and your daughter are five and six of seven. Christopher Leonard is so dirty that he deserves to lose two people in his life.”
“Please.”
“If he’s a good man, he’ll see that he could have stopped this. If he has any soul left and doesn’t love her, he’ll take the evidence in and she’ll go to jail. What do you think the chances of that happening are?”
Cyra knew the truth. “It won’t.”
She smiled. “At least you see it now.”
“Please, I didn't do anything. My child didn't. Don’t commit this crime. Don’t be like Elizabeth Blackhawk. I’ll go to the authorities. I’ll turn her in myself. Just have mercy!”
The woman hesitated. “You’re right. I should have mercy. You were innocent in all this. I’m sorry.”
That’s when she picked up the candlestick off the piano and slammed it into her head.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The blood and bone splattered all over the place. At least with the fire, it wouldn’t leave a trace. She knew how to hide a crime. She was good at her job—once.
“Goodbye, Cyra. At least you’re dead. You won’t feel this. That little child named after that bitch will. She’s going to roast like a little suckling pig, and for that, I’m happy.”
She picked up the gasoline and doused her.
“You’re a fool. She killed you. Not me.”
As she lit the match, she laughed.
“Here you go, Elizabeth. Deal with this, you stupid bitch. I hope you don’t sleep ever again.”
Then she dropped it, and Cyra went up in flames.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
FBI West
Morgue
When she got down to autopsy, they were all gathered around the newest victim—Dean Quinlan. As they worked on pulling trace, Callen remained as far away as possible.
She couldn’t blame him.
She didn't want to be there either, and he’d never touched her. Still, she showed up to do her job.
“What do we have, Merry?” she asked, wanting the trace reports. “Did we find anything at my old brownstone?”
She shook her head. “No, ma’am. We didn't. Mrs. Feinstein had some blonde hairs on her, and that was it. We compared them to the ones found on Director Donnelly and Agent Case. They appear to be the same. We have color treated blonde hair.”
That wasn’t going to be enough, and she knew it.
“Ma’am?”
“Yes?”
“Can I make a speculation?” she asked. Both doctors glanced over at her. They hated that kind of thing, and Chris ran the lab with an iron fist.
“Yes.”
“Whoever is doing this knows our job.”
She laughed. “It’s funny you should say that,” she stated. “Just before I came in here, Livy Rothschild told me that their head tech, Carol Spade had gone MIA.”
Chris gasped. “Seriously? You think it’s her?”
She didn't know what she thought.
“Here’s what I do know. We have a female, blonde, stalking my life. Dean Quinlan had a personal tie to us.”
Callen spoke up. “Most of you know that I was abused sexually. He’s the man who did it when I was a child, and now he’s dead.”
“I’m glad he’s dead,” Merry said.
Then she covered her mouth.
Elizabeth crossed to her and kissed Merry in the middle of her forehead. “Thank you for saying what I couldn’t.”
She grinned.
“Anyway, he was Callen’s abuser. Look at how he died.”
Chris studied him, looking beyond the wounds to the clues left behind. “The feather rings a bell.”
“It should. I believe that’s a nod at ‘The Skinwalker’ case.”
He got it. “Yeah! That’s right! On the reservation, outside Red River, there was the killer who took flesh and left a white feather behind.”
“What else?” she asked, waiting for them to pick up on it. She knew her team was smart.
Chris got this one too. He hadn’t worked the case, Desdemona did. “We had a tech have his penis removed when the one killer was reconstructing he
r true love. I wasn’t the ME on duty, but I reviewed the file.”
“Yes. There you go.”
Zane Legend spoke up. “We found proof that he was penetrated with an object, too. We just noticed it.”
“Again, that’s to make it personal.”
The team glanced over at Callen when they realized that the man had been sodomized, but he didn't flinch.
Ethan spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “The first three deceased were killed the way ‘The Butcher’ took out his victims. That was the first case Elizabeth had where she didn't close it. She was a newbie.”
“You didn't close a case?” Zane asked.
No one spoke.
“Yeah, he’s the one who got away.”
Ethan pushed on. “This has been about some sort of revenge too. Gabriel Rothschild was friends with the first victim. The second was his wife’s first partner. Kay Feinstein was like a mother to me. This piece of dirt was Callen’s abuser. This killer is taking our past cases, and trying to tell us something.”
“We’re being stalked, and we’re not quite sure why. All we do know is that this is a hot mess. All we have is a cell phone that goes on to tell us where the next victim is going to be found, and a few blonde hairs. Merry could be right. We could be dealing with someone who knows how we work.”
“Are you the final victim?” Merry asked. “We have the notes with one of seven all the way through four of seven. Are you her target?”
Both Ethan and Callen were sickened to hear it out loud. The last thing they wanted was for their woman to be a target.
“Well, that’s probably the plan. I’m not at risk yet. While we were on the Black Mountain Reservation, the killer took a shot at me. It was too high over my head.”
Yeah, they were grateful.
“If I was meant to die, I would have. I think it was meant to tell me something. This happened to me once before. It was the case where I met Ethan. My half-brother took a warning shot at me.”
“Was that put into a report?” Callen asked.
“Yes. I put it in there,” Ethan answered. “Everything that’s turned up on these victims has been in a report. The only thing that didn't was the medallion found on the victims.”
Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) Page 45