True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3))

by Kelley, Morgan

  Bobby Lee stared at his boss, he might have to shut his mouth, but he didn’t have to like the idea of working with the Indian FBI man.

  “They should be here by this afternoon, and I need you to cooperate.” Sheriff Duffy pointed specifically at Bobby Lee, and not the other deputy. “Bobby Lee, I want you to head out to the site and relieve Julian off his shift.”

  “Fine,” he said, dropping his hat on his head and leaving the office.

  “This is going to be a mess,” he said to the remaining deputy. “I certainly hope that Special Agent Callen Whitefox has really thick skin. If not, he might be bailing on this assignment before he even gets started.”

  Callen Whitefox leaned against the Denali and watched the woman cross the parking garage. She carried a field kit and a tote bag, and wasn’t smiling at all. It was like this was going to be torture, and he didn’t understand why. At first the three of them thought she was chilly because of Elizabeth Blackhawk, but she still had the same look on her face, and Elizabeth was nowhere to be found. Despite her iciness, there was something appealing behind the craziness of her apparel. He was looking forward to this assignment even if she wasn’t. Being trapped in a car for three hours, he at least hoped she’d talk a little and maybe he could get to the bottom of the issue towards half of the Blackhawks.

  “Let me get that for you, Doctor Adare.” He took the bag and kit and placed them on the back seat of the Denali.

  “Thanks, Special Agent Whitefox,” she answered, hopping up into the passenger seat. “I talked to Christina; they’re heading out in an hour or so. They just need to load up the trucks and get the supplies we’ll need for a night retrieval.”

  “Thanks,” he said, politely. “Want to input your home address into the GPS? We can swing by your house and you can grab some things, and then be on our way.”

  “Okay,” she answered, doing what he asked.

  “Elizabeth told me to make sure you brought weather appropriate gear, so I pulled a parka and boots for you,” he added. “They’re in the cargo.”

  Doctor Adare tensed. “Thank you, Agent,” she said finally. It never occurred to her that maybe her boss disliked her attire on the job. Maybe that was her hint on the point of contention between them.

  Whitefox pulled out of the garage. He could feel the tension.

  “It’s going to be great working with you Doctor Adare,” he said, amicably. His brother had pulled him aside and asked him to break the ice before they arrived. Both men suspected the issue was with Elizabeth, and they needed to head that off before she arrived in the field.

  “Thank you, Agent Whitefox.”

  He needed a new approach, or they were going to polite this to death. “You can call me Callen,” he offered and noticed she relaxed slightly. “Since we’ll be working together on this. Unless you aren’t comfortable with using my first name.”

  Doctor Adare thought about it. “Okay, Callen.” There was no doubt that the he could hear the pounding in her chest. “You can call me Desdemona.”

  Callen Whitefox grinned at her. “Othello?”

  He caught her off guard, and he earned a smile. “Yes, as a matter of fact.”

  “I think it’s a pretty name,” he offered, trying to get her to relax. He noticed they were heading towards his brother’s house.

  “My mom loved Shakespeare,” she added. “Most people don’t know it’s from that play, but think it’s some Goth-y name I made up.”

  “I not only know it’s from ‘Othello’, but I also know she was his traitorous wife who broke his heart.” He grinned at her when she relaxed completely. “It’s one of my all-time favorites.” Apparently, literature was a safe topic for future reference.

  “I’m impressed, Callen.”

  Part of him didn’t want to push her on the problem at hand, but it was time to get to the bottom of the reason she was so tense. “You’re going to have to forgive me for asking this, Desdemona, but what seems to be the problem between you and Director Blackhawk,” he asked, and tried to watch her face. Immediately, the shuttered look was back, and Desdemona Adare was hiding again.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she answered. “I have the utmost respect for the director.”

  “Well, it can’t be that we’re Native, because you don’t seem to have a problem with Ethan, and you were just smiling at me. Then there’s the fact that Elizabeth isn't of our heritage. What is it about Elizabeth that has you this stressed out?” he asked evenly, trying to inflect calm into his voice to ease her tension.

  Desdemona was surprised that in five minutes he’d managed to read her so successfully. She licked her lips as they pulled into the development where she recently purchased her home.

  “If we’re going to be partners in the field, we need to have trust. I can’t work without it,” he bluffed, pushing her for an answer. If she refused, she refused. There wasn’t anything he could do about it.

  “She makes me nervous.” Finally, she just spilled it. He was right, they were going to be partners for this assignment, and he seemed like a decent guy, even though he was rolling right over her and taking control.

  “Why?”

  “The tech staff said she’s tough, ballsy, and she can kick anyone’s ass,” she added. “And she just makes me anxious.” It was hard to believe she trusted him with this, and obviously she was an idiot. The man was just cuddling up with Elizabeth Blackhawk on the way down to her lab, and they had to have some sort of personal relationship.

  “I’ve worked with her when I was Police Chief of the Reservation, and I’ll be honest with you, Desdemona. She’s no-nonsense when it comes to the job, but you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”

  “Great,” she muttered. Which part of the ‘everything’ should she believe then?

  “Elizabeth is really great, but you should just relax and not be so stressed. She can smell fear a mile away,” he laughed, trying to get her to relax, as he parked in front of her house.

  “You sound like an expert on her,” she added, skeptically. “I think I just need to keep my distance from her, and then everything will work out better for both of us.”

  “I am an expert on her,” he paused. “Elizabeth is my sister-in-law, and Ethan’s my brother. As for keeping your distance from her, that’s going to be almost impossible,” he added, grinning. Now he was entertained.

  Well that explained the kiss and Ethan Blackhawk not minding. Now that she thought about it, there was a similarity between the men. Something in her relaxed marginally with this new found knowledge. “Why can’t I keep my distance,” she asked. “Is it because of the assignment?”

  He hopped out of the Denali and looked over at her. “Well, you can try, but you see that big house right behind yours? The one with the big white fence you can’t see over that surrounds the property?”

  She looked towards the general location.

  “The really big stone one,” he added.

  “Yeah, I know what one you mean.” And she did. She stared at it from her bedroom window every night before she closed the blinds on the window.

  “I’m assuming you haven’t met your new neighbors,” he added, trying to not break into laughter, but the entire thing was seriously funny.

  “No why?”

  “Ethan and Elizabeth Blackhawk own the house right behind you.”

  Desdemona felt sick to her stomach.

  “Welcome to the neighborhood.” Now he did start to laugh.

  Aw hell.

  No double hell.

  ~ Chapter three ~

  Monday Mid-morning

  Elizabeth sat in her office, her boots up on the corner of her desk, as she rubbed her belly with her hand. She was absently staring out the window and didn’t hear her husband enter her office. Thoughts were plaguing her mind, and the predominant one was regarding her brother-in-law and his safety.

  Blackhawk just sat and watched his wife massaging their child as it grew protected in her body. She’d told him th
at when the baby started getting bouncy, rubbing her belly helped soothe him. It still amazed and captivated Ethan that she was pregnant and by summer they’d have a little one of their own.

  Elizabeth felt him near and looked over. “Hi handsome, were you there long?” she asked.

  “Baby all hyper?” he asked, as he closed her door and walked over to her. “I haven’t been staring at you long,” he winked.

  “Good to know I haven’t lost my instincts,” she answered. “Baby Blackhawk is really hyper today. I think he knows we’re heading into the field and is all excited.”

  Blackhawk kneeled beside his wife on her chair and pulled up her shirt and gave the bump kisses. “Daddy loves you,” he whispered to her belly.

  Elizabeth’s heart went all mushy, that her tough Indian warrior was kissing her belly and talking to their child. There would never be anyone she could love more than this man.

  “We need to figure out a name for you,” he whispered to her growing belly. “Or your momma will seriously call you ‘Baby Blackhawk’ all your life.”

  Elizabeth snorted. “I will not! Stop lying to the child already!”

  “Want to tell me what you were worried about? I’m going to guess it’s not about what to name our child. That only leaves a few more possibilities.”

  “No, I already have my choice for baby names. It’s a done deal for me. I’m just waiting on your choice so we can figure it out.”

  Blackhawk rubbed her belly and felt his child moving again. “I have a few thoughts on that, but I’m not one hundred percent sure yet.” He looked up at his wife. “What has you worried, baby?”

  “I’m worried about Callen.”

  Ethan Blackhawk would like to be surprised, but he knew the two of them had a special bond. “What specifically?”

  “We just sent him there alone until we get there, and that has me wondering if it was a good idea.”

  Blackhawk laughed and stood. The love he felt for this woman was immeasurable, that she’d be worried about his brother this much. “Don’t worry momma bird; the baby bird is ready to fly the nest, and he’s been trained to keep himself safe. As for Doctor Adare, Callen’s a man and his natural instinct will kick in fast.”

  “Oh, so are you saying a man can protect a woman better than a woman can protect a man?” Elizabeth crossed her arms and rested them on the bump, daring him to pursue that line of thought. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to make that sound as chauvinistic as it sounded, Ethan.”

  Blackhawk laughed and leaned down to kiss his wife on the lips.

  “No answer and kissy-face. I guess that’s my answer.”

  “I’m simply saying that my brother is a smart man, he’s been trained, and he’ll do the job. Have faith in him, Elizabeth.”

  Standing she tucked her shirt in and looked him in the eye. “My faith in your brother isn't at question here. I happen to believe the Blackhawk men are a superior set of individuals. What has me worried is a killer that is taking pieces of men.”

  “Callen will be perfectly fine. I know my brother,” he said, pulling her against his body. “Come here, Mrs. Blackhawk,” he whispered, before he kissed her long and slow. Her mothering instincts were out in full force, and she was even more protective than usual. She was a miracle to the men in that family normally, but now she was over-the-top protective. It was ironic, because that was usually his job. The role of control freak and worrier was generally all his.

  When the baby began kicking like crazy, she broke the kiss. “Even he says no kissy-face in the office, and I think he’s offended that you’re kissing his mommy,” she grinned, wickedly. “Baby Blackhawk doesn’t like to share.”

  “Funny. I see it’s now two against one, and he’s going to have to share because you were mine first.” He was about to comment more when her office phone rang. “Don’t think you’re getting away from me yet, Elizabeth,” he winked lecherously.

  “Blackhawk,” she replied, answering the phone.

  “Elizabeth, hey it’s Gabe.”

  She put it on speakerphone. “Hi Gabe, what’s up?”

  “The files have been sent, and I handled the accommodations for you both, the doctor and Agent Whitefox. The tech team will be staying in a different location.”

  “Okay, thanks Gabe.” Elizabeth was suspicious. “You didn’t roach coach us,” she asked him. “did you?”

  Blackhawk started laughing. Gabriel Rothschild was notorious for torturing his employees with really horrific accommodations. It was like a game to him, and they all knew it.

  “If you did, I’m telling your wife that you’re torturing a pregnant woman.”

  Gabe began laughing. Elizabeth Blackhawk and his wife were best friends, and there was no doubt that his wife would give him hell for pulling that stunt. “For the record, I go by the allotment that the Bureau allows me.”

  “Right,” muttered Blackhawk, not buying that line for a second. He too was in charge of finding his people accommodations, and Gabe was just sadistic.

  “I heard that and I am still your boss, Special Agent Blackhawk.”

  Elizabeth laughed at how he dropped the ‘Director’ portion of her husband’s title when it suited the moment. “Where did you put us, Gabe?” If they were going to be in a roach coach, hopefully it wouldn’t be too bad. She’d stayed in some scary places while working under Gabe.

  “Because it’s a small town, they only had one hotel. I appropriated the remaining rooms for the tech team. I managed to finagle a private dwelling for the three investigators and the ME. ONLY because it’s owned by a friend of the Sheriff, and he’s desperate for our help. He pulled strings to get it into budget.”

  “Thank you, Gabe,” she said sweetly, winking at her husband.

  “I’ve transmitted the information and you should have it by now. Forward it to Whitefox and the ME so they’re prepared before they arrive in Red River.”

  “We’re swinging home for clothes and heading out shortly,” said Blackhawk, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife. Maybe he could even convince his wife for a pit stop in their bedroom.

  When Elizabeth laughed, Gabe became suspicious. “What’s so funny?”

  “Ethan wants to have sex,” she said laughing, and then she laughed harder when her husband flushed red and looked embarrassed.

  “Elizabeth!” He couldn’t believe that she actually said that to their boss.

  “Blackhawk, this is exactly how I ended up with six kids and had to trade in my sports car for an SUV,” he said laughing, as he hung up the phone.

  “I’m never trading in my Mustang,” he replied, and then looked at his wife. “Am I?” Now he felt sick to his stomach. He loved his car.

  Elizabeth laughed and patted his cheek. “I’ll take one for the team and get the SUV. I don’t want to face your midlife crisis fifteen years from now, as you blame me for the loss of your beloved Mustang Mistress.” She’d started referring to his car as the Mistress, when she caught him waxing her and talking to her like she was a real person.

  “If he’s trying to deter me from having a brood, it’s not going to work. There’s nothing wrong with six kids and you driving an SUV,” he said, laughing and then offered his wife his hand. “Shall we head home and then out into the field, Mrs. Blackhawk?”

  Elizabeth took his hand and grinned. “Absolutely, Cowboy. Look out Red River, here come the Blackhawks!”

  Ethan dropped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “I’m sure the place won’t ever be the same again.”

  Whitefox sat on the couch and waited for the woman upstairs, as she finished packing. He definitely liked her house, and he couldn’t help but want to wander around and look at all the memorabilia. When curiosity finally won out, he meandered to the book shelf, and checked out the pictures and little trinkets. One of his secret pleasures in life was books, and whenever he saw copious amounts of them, he was immediately drawn to them.

  First thing that caught his eye was the picture. It was of her standing with
another woman. They looked to be the same age, but the other woman was taller and looked aloof, where Desdemona looked approachable and friendly. They were standing by what looked like a swamp and both women were wearing bikini tops and cut offs.

  Whitefox was curious since it was the only picture there. He thought about his own table beside the bed with quite a few pictures of him and his family, then of Elizabeth’s bookshelves covered in photos. To him it seemed sad and lonely.

  Whitefox was charmed by the collection of miniature coffins and macabre items on her shelves. There were some skulls housed in plexi-glass boxes and even some antique doctor’s kits that looked more like torture devices than ones to heal. Doctor Desdemona Adare had a very eclectic taste in collectables.

  “I like unusual things,” she stated, carrying her travel bag and suitcase down from the second floor. Her first instinct was to defend her collection, like she always had to with strangers. Just one more thing that made her ‘odd’ and a spectacle.

  “I really like this one,” he commented, feeling the tension in her voice. “It’s odd but truly beautiful,” he said, pointing to one small box.

  Desdemona moved closer to see which piece he was discussing. “That’s a Cyanide box.” She informed him. “Doctors were sometimes quacks, and they prescribed treatment with the stuff.” She stood beside him. “I like to collect all the different medical items I can find, and the more unusual the item the better. I find it fascinating to see where we once were as doctors, and how we progressed as technology also evolved.”

  Whitefox grinned at her. If he closed his eyes she sounded much older than she looked. Doctor Adare was indeed very smart.

  “Do you collect anything?” she asked, wondering more about the man.

  “I collect books,” he answered, offering up the information.

  “Then you’d like my reading room,” she answered, laughing. “I seem to like them too. Growing up I had to hike miles to the local library, and when I was able to start acquiring books, I seemed to lose total and complete control of my ability to stop. ”