Ethan opened the file and searched. “The file shows he was at school that day. Gym class.”
“Then isn’t that his alibi?” asked Julian.
Elizabeth could feel the hopes sinking.
Blackhawk continued. “They were doing a cross country run that day. Their old house is three blocks from the school. In fact, the file says he was running and smelled the smoke and saw it in the sky and ran home.”
“Bullshit,” grinned Elizabeth. “He lit the fire and made sure his mother didn’t get out of the building.”
Elizabeth started for the door. “We need to get over to that house,” she said, grinning in the elevator. “Let’s go get suited up and over there as fast as we can. I want to stick this asshole behind bars and then spend New Year’s cuddled up with some Indians.”
“Yay!” said Julian, and then he started laughing when both men stared at him.
“Let me rephrase,” Elizabeth said snickering. “I want to spend New Year’s with all the Indians in the room that have knocked me up.”
“Damn it,” grinned Julian, trying to be jovial. “Hey, I had to try.”
Elizabeth clipped on her gun and badge and watched as the men brought out her Kevlar. “Oh, come on already. He’s a firebug. I think I can stay out of his way if he starts threatening me with a Bic lighter,” she muttered, as Callen dropped the body armor over her shoulders.
“Not happening. You’re suiting up.”
Elizabeth noticed her phone was blinking. Picking it up she read the messages. “Oh bloody hell! I’m going to fire her ass,” she blurted, running for the door.
“Wait! What’s wrong?” yelled Blackhawk.
“Tori remembered something from last night,” she said, racing for the elevator with three men chasing.
“That’s good, right?” asked Callen.
“She’s on her way over there, or was twenty minutes ago.”
Julian was now officially sick to his stomach and close to being out of his mind. “You won’t have to fire or kill her. I’m going to do it for you!”
* * *
Tori kept her eyes closed and tested the bindings holding her arms behind her back, and to the wood of the chair. Trent Wells had tied her up really well.
This was a really bad thing.
Peeking at the clock on the wall, she noticed she’d been out for less than ten minutes. When she heard his footsteps coming, she forced her body to go slack and closed her eyes once again.
“I know you’re awake by now. You only hit your head. I’m actually very bright. I take after my mother, not him,” Trent said, slapping her hard across the face, splitting open her lip again.
Tori sucked in a sharp breath, as the tears filled her eyes from the sting. “Why are you doing this Trent?”
He started laughing. “I like hurting women.”
Well at least he didn’t sugar coat it.
“Can you at least humor me and tell me why before you kill me?” she inquired.
Trent sat across from her on another chair. “Where to begin? Well I guess you can say my whore of a mother started me down this path. She was this rich bitch, but the irony was she slept with just about every man she met. I caught her in the act, and she abused me as a way to keep me from spilling the truth.”
Tori didn’t say a word.
“My dad was a naïve fool. He believed in love and all that shit that people fall for, but it’s all just that. Shit.”
Tori kept working at the bindings.
“So you’re killing women because your mom slept around? That seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?”
He started laughing. “You’re funny and very sexy. Before I kill you I plan on fucking your brains out. But I promise you’ll enjoy it. Well, I will anyway.”
There was no way in hell; she’d fight him to the death. In order to rape her, he’d have to untie her. That’s when she’d attack. The man was about her size, and she could take him if her hands were free. “So you killed your mom, huh?” she stated out of the blue, catching him off guard.
“Yeah I did. I’m surprised someone figured that out. I’ve been living with that for the last five years.” Trent grinned.
“What’s your dad going to think when he finds out that his son is a killer and also murdered his wife?”
Now Trent was laughing like a maniac. “Oh, he knows sexy FBI lady. I confessed to my father.”
She lifted a brow.
“Oh, no he wasn’t happy. That’s why he’s dead. Right now he’s in the basement. I smashed his skull in with a baseball bat. He told me he was going to the police, and I really couldn’t have that, so he’s gone from this world. I had hoped to frame him for all this, but I guess I need a new plan.”
“You think?” muttered Tori.
“I hear Mexico is a nice place to live. Do they extradite?” he asked, and waited for her to answer.
“Yeah, they do.” Tori was close to getting one knot out of the ones behind her.
“Oh well, then Nicaragua then.”
“You should try Switzerland, they love criminals,” she stated sarcastically, praying to buy as much time as possible. Today was a bad day to not be wearing the protection medallion Julian gave her.
A really bad freaking day.
“I transferred money from my trust fund while you were out cold. I have enough cash to get me to a safe haven and then to another safe place. There I’ll get me a place and find me more women to ‘enjoy’.”
Tori wanted to vomit for so many reasons.
“So enough about me. I’m going to have my way with you, and then burn the house down. You want to be dead or alive when I drop the match.”
“Gee thanks for the choice.”
“If you fight me, I’ll make sure you live until you burn alive. If you just struggle enough to get me off, I’ll strangle you and then you won’t feel the flames. It’s all going to be your choice.”
Tori survived two tours in the Middle East, she wasn’t going out this way. There was no way she was wandering the next life with skeleton Quinn saying ‘I told you so’.
Trent moved towards her and lifted her chin. “If you bite me, I’ll knock you out and fuck you up really bad,” he said before forcing a kiss against her will.
Tori tried to remain calm and buy her time. She needed him to untie her. Then she’d snap his neck.
“Good girl,” he said, breaking the kiss. Then he slapped her hard again, and began laughing. As blood began dripping from her nose.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the lights. “FBI’s here, asshole. Your game’s over. I called them before I got here,” she said, looking up into his face.
Immediately he grinned. “I’m ready. See they won’t kill me if I walk out there, but I will stand in front of the door long enough to get the house to burn and you with it, bitch.” He grabbed a can of gasoline and began tossing it on everything in the room and on his way out the door.
“Bye Miss FBI. Hope you like cooking alive.” Trent struck a match and tossed it into the room.
The flames erupted and started consuming everything around her. Tori didn’t have much of a chance. With the heels of her boots she pushed the chair away from the flames and out of the line of the fire. Already the air had become acrid.
Well, now she knew how her life was going to end. It wasn’t lost on her that the fire expert was going out in a fire.
Plain and simple- irony sucked.
Trent walked outside the house, Tori’s back up piece in his hand. “I see you caught me,” he replied smiling. “I’m guilty as sin, and I plan on standing here for a while, so call for your back up,” he said, cockily.
“Get on the ground,” Ethan stated with his gun pointed at the boy’s chest.
Elizabeth had her gun trained on him too, as did Callen. The kid wasn’t getting past them.
“By the time you subdue me, the woman I have tied up in there won’t be alive. I know you won’t kill me. I didn’t get to finish my fun with her. I only
just started. I see that I had time, since you’re a bunch of wusses.”
Julian heard the words and lost it. He grabbed the gun from Elizabeth’s hand and pulled the trigger multiple times.
The boy staggered the look of surprise on his face as Tori’s clutch piece fell from his fingers. His body hit the ground in a thud.
“Now you don’t have to worry about it!” he shouted as he ran towards the house, screaming her name. Inside the living room there was a wall of flames, and he could see Tori on the other side.
Skirting the wall he found the only safe place to cross and he did, racing to her and pulling out his pocket knife. She was already out cold.
“Come on, honey. You’re getting out of here,” he said, lifting her into his arms after cutting the ropes. His eyes went to the windows and he juggled the unconscious woman, sliding it open and popping out the screen.
Immediately on the other side was Elizabeth and Callen.
“Take her,” he said, slipping her through the opening. The smoke was beginning to blind him. When she was clear, he went out after her. Pulling her into his arms, he carried her across the yard and held onto her.
“Tori, come on honey. Wake up for me,” he said, looking up as Ethan came towards them.
“Ambulance is on its way for her. He’s dead.”
Julian ran his fingers across her face. He’d obviously abused her before he lit the fire. Tori’s cheek was swelling, her eye was going to be black, and her lip was split. Everything in him tightened. “I’ll take the repercussions for shooting him,” he said without emotion.
“You need to be seen by the ambulance too, Julian. You’re obviously delirious. I shot him,” said Elizabeth. “It was my gun and I took him down. There were three shots to his head and chest.”
“That’s what I saw,” said Ethan. “He shouldn’t have lifted that gun and threaten the FBI.
“It’s what I saw too,” stated Callen. “But wow, Elizabeth, you better get to the firing range. Those were three very sloppy shots.”
Elizabeth started laughing. “Yeah, I know. It must be this child I’m carrying.”
“Thank you,” Julian said, holding onto Tori as if she was his last chance in life. “I won’t ever forget what you just did.”
“It was a matter of time before Tex took him out anyway,” acknowledged Ethan, grinning. They loved teasing her with the nickname both men gave her. “She’s got the temper.”
Blackhawk placed his hand on Julian’s shoulder. “Here comes the ambulance. Ride with her, Julian. Call us if you need anything or transport back to FBI West.”
Elizabeth and the two men in her life watched as the ambulance took them away. The fire trucks had arrived along with Captain Gilman.
After explaining the situation and telling them everything they knew, they handed the assignment back over to him. “We found your serial killer and arsonist. Now he’s dead. We’ll fax you all we have and you can wrap it up for the governor. Once this hits the media, someone needs to handle this.”
Captain Gilman shook their hands. “I’ll deal with the papers and TV, you did your job.” Captain Gilman paused. “Did he say what happened to his father?”
Elizabeth looked over at the blaze. “If I were a gambling woman, I’d say he’s in there somewhere. From all the evidence, it was pointing to Patrick. I’d bet the son was trying to frame him. If he killed his own mother, I don’t doubt that he took his father’s life too.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Directors.”
The three of them walked towards their Denali. “Now what?” asked Callen, taking her hand and twining their fingers.
Elizabeth did the same to Ethan’s hand. “I say we go back to FBI West, file this one and then head home. Tomorrow’s Friday and we all have vacation time. What do you say we blow off work and lie around with our child doing nothing? Dad can take the day off and go hang out with Bly.”
“That sounds perfect,” grinned Whitefox.
Ethan began laughing. “You know what’s nice?” he said, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.
“What?” she asked, suspiciously.
“This is the first time in the two years I’ve had the pleasure to work with you that you weren’t risking your life and almost killed.”
Elizabeth laughed. “No worries, Cowboy, there’s always next time.”
Ethan stared at her with his mouth open that she just threw that out there to him. “Seriously, Elizabeth!”
Callen released her hand to give her a fist bump.
Blackhawk decided to ignore them both. “Let’s go file the paperwork and head home. It’s almost the new year.”
She grinned wickedly. “Great! It’s time for a new start at making you both insane.”
“Is that your resolution, Tex?” inquired Ethan picking her up and tossing her to his brother.
“Hell yeah it is boys. Just wait and see what this year brings. I can’t wait until the next field assignment. They keep getting better and better.”
Neither man laughed, unsure if she was joking. Each one was more and more dangerous and she knew it.
“You’re kidding right?” Callen stared into her eyes, as he waited for her reply.
All she could do was just laugh. “Come on my fine Native partners. It’s time we ride off into the sunset.”
Both men shook their heads and just did what any smart husband did.
They followed Tex’s lead.
Julian waited patiently at the hospital as Tori was examined. When she promised him that she wasn’t sexually assaulted, he calmed down marginally. Something just wasn’t right with her, because she had no spark of life behind her eyes.
Julian texted Ethan, and as promised they had transport back to FBI West.
“Are you okay?” he asked, for probably the tenth time.
Tori was far from alright. She knew what she had to do as soon as they got back to FBI West. It was tearing her heart apart at the mere idea of hurting the man beside her. He’d rushed into a fire to save her. Julian was a very kind, sweet, amazing man, and she had to break his heart to protect his life.
He saved her, and now give him a chance at living. Anything from here on out with Tori wouldn’t be good for him. Julian was sexy and full of peace. He’d replace her in time and move on to someone that deserved him. “Yeah, I’m just thinking.”
That didn’t bode well.
As the car dropped them off at FBI West in the garage next to his car, Julian took her hand in his.
“Come with me.” He already knew she was planning on hurting him. It was clearly in her eyes. “Come back to Red River with me. Move in with me and ride horses with me every day.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t Julian. I’m leaving for the VA hospital in a day or so.”
“I love you Tori. Come be with me, and I’ll do everything in my power to fix you.”
A choked sob escaped her lips. When he tried to hug her, she stepped back. “I can’t.” What she wanted to do was jump on him and tell him yes. All her heart wanted was to be with his. She loved him so much.
“Do you feel anything for me at all, Tori?” he asked, his eyes watching her face for any sign. One little flicker, and he’d crawl for her. It was all it would take.
“No,” Tori lied and prayed for forgiveness one day.
The word hung between them.
“I see.” Julian released her hand. His heart shattered into a million pieces with that vicious strike to his soul.
That one syllable that changed their path and divided them.
“Keep the necklace and think about me, Tori,” he said, backing away from her. If she didn’t love him, he couldn’t force her. He’d done everything in his powers to make her love him.
Tori couldn’t move. She’d used the lie as a weapon to protect them. With one word she did what she planned. She destroyed any chance at a future. The tears threatened to fall as she stepped back, giving him space to drive away.
Julian never looked back.
He couldn’t or he’d beg and plead. All he knew was he’d love her forever. No one had ever touched his heart quite like she did. He’d found his soul mate, and had to let her go.
“Good bye Special Agent Victoria Christensen,” he said, still not looking at her. He climbed into his car, dropped his sunglasses on his face and backed out. Pulling away he watched her in the mirror, swearing if she made one move to signal him, he’d stop. When she watched him drive away motionless his heart crushed more.
So this was how losing half your heart felt?
Julian blamed himself. He knew what baggage ended up getting you.
Dead inside.
Tori rode in the elevator silently. Up at her desk she packed her things and walked towards Elizabeth’s office. Inside she could hear laughter, and it only made her pain feel more real. Why couldn’t she feel happiness and peace?
Knocking on the door, all three looked over.
Elizabeth knew immediately just by the empty look in her eyes. “Tori, come in.”
She entered, dropping her bag by the office door. “I’m here to turn this in,” she said, placing her gun and badge on the desk. “I’m ready for the hospital.”
“Everything settled here?” Ethan asked. If she looked this miserable and Julian was nowhere to be found, there was a good reason.
“All the loose ends are tied up. I can go home and pack. I need to get help, and I appreciate you doing this for me.” There was nothing to come home to anymore.
Elizabeth stood and crossed to her. “You know you can talk to us. We’re more than your bosses.”
She nodded. “I hope you’ll keep my job open in case I get out.” Tori knew the truth. She’d given up. There was no getting free from the VA. What was the point?
Ethan touched her arm. “Hey, your job will be here as long as it takes. You’re on medical leave.”
She nodded.
Elizabeth watched her with her own eyes filling with tears. “I have the name of the medical facility. Go home and pack. We’ll have Jimmy our driver come and get you. He’ll drive you there, unless you want me to go with you.”
Tori smiled. “No thank you, Elizabeth. Go home and spend the New Year with your family.” She did something she normally wouldn’t do. Tori hugged the woman in front of her. A single tear slid down her cheek, as she clung to her new friend. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) Page 56