He almost told him how he didn’t like him because he was leering at Desdemona, but then he decided that probably wasn’t the kind of assessment he wanted. “I think he’s pretty laid back, and he’s genuinely trying to be accommodating. His staff, that’s another story.”
“What happened?” he asked.
“In the first five minutes the secretary was abrasive and insulting, and then the Native Deputy, Julian Littlemoon gave me a heads up about the other deputy, Bobby Lee Tills. Apparently, he isn't fond of anyone not of his ethnic origin-specifically we ‘Indians’.”
“Well, I’m not surprised. We tend to run into a great deal of bias. Elizabeth had to correct the sheriff when he dropped the Indian word.”
“That’s funny,” he said, snickering. “Did she use it in the very next sentence to taunt him?”
Now Ethan was laughing. “No but I’m sure it’s in her game plan shortly. It isn't like her to not do it at some point. She actually sounded insulted.”
“Nice. Deputy Littlemoon alluded that the town would be similar,” he added, and looked back over his shoulder at the doorway. “So I’m sure Elizabeth will get plenty of opportunity to practice her PC skills.”
“Or crack together a few skulls in the process.” He waited for a reply, but Whitefox was staring at the doorway again. It wasn’t lost on Blackhawk that his brother was in protection mode. He knew he was super protective of Elizabeth, since she was abducted, but he suspected this went further than just that. May be it was all about his wife. She was just leaning against his brother, and that meant something had to have happened. Elizabeth didn’t get cozy at crime scenes.
“Ethan, I think we need to watch our backs,” he said, shifting his focus back to his brother.
“That sounds like a good plan to me.” If anything, he wanted his wife, brother and unborn child safe. “Here comes the sheriff,” he said, under his breath.
Both men stopped talking shop as the man strolled on over to them.
“How’s it going, gentlemen?” he asked, stopping just short of the building holding the bodies.
“We’ll be packed up and out of the elements in the hour,” answered Blackhawk.
He nodded. “Works for me, I don’t like freezing my nuts off out here.”
“Sheriff Duffy, we may need an office space in your building. You know, to work out of while Doctor Adare is working on the autopsies tomorrow.” Whitefox wasn’t leaving her alone in that building.
Blackhawk lifted a brow, and analyzed his brother’s request. They planned on working out of the private home as much as possible. It was just a safer option. He wasn’t sure why he was asking for space.
“On top of the space for the ME?” He tried to figure out where to place them.
“Yes, I’ll be working there when the doctor is conducting the autopsies.” He met his brother’s eyes, and the message was passed. Desdemona was not staying there alone.
“Anything you can provide would be appreciated, Sheriff,” added Blackhawk, covering for his brother’s request.
The man nodded. “Let me figure it out, and let you know tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” Callen said, walking back to where they left the women. Hell would have to freeze over first for him to leave Desdemona anywhere near Sheriff Duffy. That was like leaving the lamb to the wolves.
As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t nearly cold enough outside.
Elizabeth watched as the last body had been zipped into the body bag, and she surveyed the scene. The tech team was collecting samples and stripping the entire place of any trace evidence. When she saw Christina, she motioned her over to her.
“Christina, here’s the name of the place you’re staying.” Elizabeth handed her the GPS coordinates and an envelope. “There’s only one hotel in town, so make the best of it, and try and be positive.” That made her laugh. Christina Hart was always positive, bubbly and optimistic.
“Yes ma’am,” she answered, smiling. “You have an entire floor, and I’m putting you in charge of the situation. Same old rules apply. Keep it to a minimum, make no disruptions in the lives of the locals and don’t do anything that will embarrass the FBI,” she paused. “Or I will come over there and drop kick some techs off a cliff. Am I clear?”
Christina knew she wasn’t kidding. “Clear as crystal, Director Blackhawk.”
“Oh and Christina?”
“Yeah boss?”
“Good job on clearing the scene as quickly as you did. I appreciate not having to fill out paperwork on techs that were eaten by mountain lions,” Elizabeth grinned and offered her a fist bump.
Christina laughed and took the fist bump willingly. Elizabeth didn’t hand them out to just anyone. Usually it was something she reserved for her inner circle or closest friends. Getting one was paramount to getting a shiny star. The other option was an ass chewing, and they never ended well.
“Dismissed.” When the woman saluted she nearly snickered, until she saw the ME watching her with the eerie cat eyes. “Get out of here,” she said, nodding towards the tech vans.
“Thanks Elizabeth,” she said, trotting off to the warmth of the van.
“Doctor Adare, you ready to roll and get out of the elements?”
“Yes, Director. I can keep an eye on the tech team at the hotel if you want,” she offered. Yeah, Elizabeth Blackhawk was scary, and she couldn’t wait until she was far enough away from her and could relax. The entire time she stood over her, she felt like she was going to fracture from the tension in her body. The woman made her incredibly nervous and envious at the same time.
“Not going to be possible. You’re bunking across town.” She pulled out her phone and messaged her husband that they were about ready to head out.
“I am?” She felt a little panicky. Staying alone in a strange town while the stalker could have followed her didn’t sound like something that appealed to her common sense. Maybe she could find a tech to swap with and bunk where the team was going to be.
Whitefox strolled back in, and was relieved to see that they women were just fine. In fact he was happy to see that they were talking and getting to know each other.
“You’re staying with us,” she stated simply. The look of horror on the woman’s face would have been funny if it didn’t perplex her as to why it was there. “Is that going to be a problem?” she asked, watching the woman and still not getting it.
Whitefox heard the conversation and went to Desdemona’s side and placed himself between the women. His hand automatically went to her lower back, offering her reassurance. He rubbed soothingly, all while watching Elizabeth.
“No, Director Blackhawk. I don’t believe it’s a problem at all.” Except that she now wanted to vomit and just might still do it. Even with Whitefox rubbing his hand up and down her back, she still felt like the prey being stalked by the predator.
Elizabeth was about to continue the conversation, and ask the woman what the problem was with her. Had she offended her in some way, but the look on Callen’s face told her to back off. The glare he was giving her said one thing. Desdemona Adare was off limits to any of Elizabeth’s anger or questions. Her heart skipped in her chest at the hurt that slammed into her. This was the first time since meeting the man that he’d chosen sides, and it wasn’t with her. Usually he was very protective of her, standing up to Ethan when there was a conflict.
Elizabeth took a deep steadying breath and let it out, keeping all the words she wanted to say locked deep within her. Her eyes never left his face, and she hid none of the emotion she was feeling. “Special Agent Whitefox, Doctor Adare, see you at the house,” she spoke softly, as she turned on her heel. If she didn’t move away from them right then, Elizabeth would say something sarcastic and over the top. Obviously Whitefox had decided that the woman he’d known for one day took priority over the woman he’d known for months and was part of the family.
Ouch.
Elizabeth walked past her husband and didn’t say a word to him. At that po
int she couldn’t or her temper was going to erupt from her. Patience wasn’t exactly her forte to begin with, but the ME and her mystery issue with her was getting on her last damn nerve and now sucked in someone she loved.
“Elizabeth?” he asked, as she barreled past him. When she dismissed him with just a wave of her hand and a shake of her head, he didn’t know what to think. Being the brave soul he was, he followed his wife to find out what had her all stirred up.
Desdemona turned and faced him. “I think I made her furious,” she said softly. “No, I don’t think it. I know it.”
The worry deep in her eyes affected him. “It’ll all work out,” he said, brushing a hair from her cheek and letting his hand linger. It occurred to him that he was in a really bad position. Stuck between a woman he loved and owned his heart, and a woman that pulled at the innate need to guard and protect. It was going to come to a head; there was no doubt about that. He only hoped he wasn’t going to have to pick sides. Five hours ago there was no doubt in his mind who he’d side with, and now he just betrayed his heart for God only knew what.
He was right. Today was a shitty day.
Elizabeth sat in the Denali, her eyes closed and her mind in a blur. As she thought back to all the conversations that they had, none of it would make the women dislike her this much. None stood out. Yes, she was tough on the tech staff, and some of them avoided her, but when it came to Doctor Leonard and Doctor Magnus, they all had a good working relationship. They worked well together and she prided herself on that. Elizabeth was tough, but she took care of her team and protected them. Now she was faced with what the hell she ever did to the woman who was managing to turn her brother-in-law against her.
She never thought this would happen. Callen was her best friend, next her husband. She loved him, and now she’d just had that handed back to her for no damn good reason.
Maybe it was just unrealistic to believe that every one of her staff would have a good working relationship with her. It was just driving her insane that she didn’t understand why.
Then toss in the anger that Callen had immediately rushed to her side and offered her protection, especially after all they’d been through as a family. Part of her felt betrayed, and maybe it was completely irrational, but family stuck together, didn’t they? They were the Blackhawks and they were thick as thieves, and now suddenly… not so much.
Maybe it was just baby hormones.
Maybe coming back out in the field was a huge mistake.
Maybe it would be best if she avoided both the doctor and her family until she could sort this all out.
“Please let this be baby hormones,” she whispered to herself. It hurt to think she needed to avoid him.
Elizabeth wiped the tear that slid down her face and tried to talk herself out of the funk that was surrounding her. If they were going to get through this, she needed to find her balance and work it out before it became too big of a distraction.
When she saw her husband moving towards the Denali, she pulled out her phone and began typing an email to update Gabe. The last thing she needed was for him to see her crying on an assignment. He’d pull her and himself off and have her committed to the nut farm. Yeah, that just didn’t need to be happening. There was only so much she could brush off as baby hormones.
Blackhawk hopped up into the vehicle. “Hey, you okay?” he asked, concerned for his wife. Something was going on, and he wanted to figure out what it was and help her through it.
“Yeah, Cowboy,” she said, smiling at him. Using the nickname he earned in the FBI for being cavalier and wild in the field made her heart lighten just a bit. It reminded her that it didn’t matter what happened between her and the staff. Her husband would always have her back.
“You rushed off, are you feeling okay?”
“I’m great.”
“Is the baby okay?”
Elizabeth leaned over and kissed him, gently on the lips. “Baby Blackhawk is perfectly fine too, really,” she answered when she broke the light kiss.
No she definitely wasn’t okay.
“We should go.” Elizabeth fought to change the subject.
Now Ethan Blackhawk was on total alert. His wife was sitting in the Denali, hiding and now she kissed him on a crime scene? That was to distract him and sidetrack him from the issue at hand. What was bothering her so much she’d lie to him, and right to his face? In nine months, he couldn’t remember one time when she ever lied to him, and that included the first day they’d met.
“Okay, are you updating Gabe?”
“Yeah, I figured I’d get out of the cold and warm up ‘Baby Blackhawk’. I don’t need him turning into a giant snowball,” she smiled gently.
“That probably isn't a good idea.”
“He’s happier inside, now he’s moving again,” she added.
“Okay,” he watched as the tech vans loaded up, and everyone started for their perspective vehicles. “You know that you can tell me anything, and I’ll keep it between us.” Ethan Blackhawk threw it out there, because he had a suspicion that it had something to do with his brother and the new ME.
Elizabeth looked over at him and punched him in the arm.
“Ouch! What did I do?”
“That was for questioning that I tell you everything. I already do, Ethan.” Her husband was a very smart man, and she knew he’d keep pushing until he figured it out, or she came out and told him. But right now, she just wasn’t ready to deal with it. She was cold, tired, hurt, and hormonal. What she really needed now was to just get out of the winter gear, get warm and forget about the day.
“Okay baby,” he answered, watching her face. Her eyes gave her away, and he wasn’t done with this yet.
“Thank you.” Tomorrow would be a better day, it had to be, or at least Elizabeth could hope it would be.
While she finished her email to Gabriel Rothschild, her husband made the decision to just watch and wait. Eventually it would play itself out and his wife would let him know.
Blackhawk started the Denali and followed the directions on the GPS; he looked back in the rear view mirror and noticed his brother was helping Doctor Adare into their vehicle. The sheriff was behind them.
Now it was time to get in out of the cold, and regroup until their next move tomorrow. He’d start working in his baseline profile, and focus on the assignment.
Even though all he was focusing on now was what was bothering his wife. There was this tiny nagging voice in the back of his head that was telling him that this was going to blow up and be a disaster.
A smart man would listen and avoid being put into the emotional crosshairs of what was coming.
Yeah it was a good thing he never claimed to be a smart man.
Whitefox started the Denali and glanced over at the woman beside him. She looked worn out, freaked out and completely out of sorts.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked, softly.
“I’m just off balance around her. That’s all,” she said it simply. It was the truth, Elizabeth made her a nervous wreck, and then toss in the nut job stalking her, and the man sitting beside her, everything was just making her a mess.
“Yeah, I can tell.”
“I’ll be okay; don’t worry about it, Callen.” Last thing she wanted was to drag him into her emotional mess. “You don’t need to get involved,” she said, softly.
Yeah, except he saw the look of betrayal on his Elizabeth’s face, and he was already buried up to his neck. He just hurt the woman he loved, in an attempt to guard the one he felt like he needed to protect. What was bothering him now was not only how hurt Elizabeth looked walking away, but also why he just risked damaging his family for a complete stranger.
He must be out of his damn mind.
Now it was a little too late to not get involved. Callen just went all in on a very risky gamble.
~ Chapter five ~
Monday Night
When Elizabeth and Ethan pulled up to the house the FBI had rented, they were actua
lly surprised. Most times agents out in the field had to stay in deplorable conditions due to budgetary constraints. But this time, Gabriel Rothschild had pleasantly surprised them. The house was actually very nice.
“This can’t be it,” said Blackhawk, laughing. “It has to be haunted or there are possessed demons residing here.”
“Ethan!”
“Seriously baby. He’s got to be screwing with us. The house looks normal, and you and I both know how sadistic Gabe Rothschild can be when he sends agents out.”
Elizabeth laughed. “He isn't putting his pregnant family in a roach coach!” She knew he’d come through, especially since Elizabeth had no problem telling his wife what he did to her out in the field. Livy, his wife, was her best girlfriend in the entire world, and she would ride his ass for a month if she got whiff that he put her in a roach coach. When she found out that he allowed her out in the field pregnant last time, he was in the doghouse. He knew better than to put her someplace shitty. All it would take is one call and the man would be sleeping on the couch for a week. They both knew it. Girlfriend code reigned in their world.
“Come on, let’s check it out,” Blackhawk said, smiling.
“Okay,” she grabbed the keys to the place from the envelope the sheriff gave her husband, and watched him carry in their suitcase. Once inside, there were even more pleasant surprises waiting. There was a fireplace, and the house was perfect. It wasn’t as big as their home, but it was still big enough for the four of them to survive under the same roof.
Possibly, if Desdemona yanked the stick out of her ass and stopped making her insane.
Blackhawk carried the luggage upstairs, and picked the first room, no point exploring. A bedroom was a bedroom, and as long as he could bed down with his wife, he was happy anywhere. When he came downstairs, Elizabeth was making a fire in the fireplace. “Look at you with those crazy survival skills.” He tried to make her laugh. “Who would have thought when an outsider gets impregnated by a Native they get tribal instinct by baby proxy.”
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