“We’re ready to talk about it now,” said Elizabeth, pulling her new friend closer, protectively.
Both men sat in chairs facing the couch, as Elizabeth pulled Desdemona down beside her, and took her hand in hers, offering her as much warmth and support as she could. “Come on Morticia, you got this,” she said softly, whispering the quote to her friend.
Whitefox bristled. This was going to be a disaster.
Desdemona laughed, it was weak but it was still a laugh. “It all started in college. One day I was at class, and when I returned home there was a flower arrangement for me. Roses. I wasn’t dating anyone, and when I read the card, it said ‘watching you’.”
Whitefox felt his blood pressure rise.
“Go on,” pushed Elizabeth.
“I figured I’d be extra careful and just not go out alone, stay on well-lit trails, and I’d be fine. Then it stopped.”
She finally looked up at her boss sitting across from her. His face was emotionless, as he listened to her. The Blackhawk glare was what the techs called it, and it was very intimidating. Then it occurred to her that she’d been very wrong. The scary one turned out to be the gentle soft one, and the quiet one was definitely the scarier of the Blackhawk bosses.
“Off I went to medical school, and one day a rose appeared. Then more time passed and nothing. One day, I came home from a thirty-six hour rotation, and someone had been in my apartment. Little things were moved, like I was going crazy. Blankets flipped, shoes moved from one closet to another.”
“That had to be scary,” Elizabeth added, sympathizing.
“I really thought I was losing my mind. Then it occurred to me, take a picture. I snapped pictures of everything. Then I came home after my next rotation, and they were all moved. Everything was touched. I knew I wasn’t insane and had a big problem.”
Whitefox stood and started pacing, like a stalking tiger. The poor woman, no wonder she was a nervous wreck, she lived her life looking over her shoulder. The need to protect overshadowed everything else he felt for her.
“The breaking point was the night I came home and re-fixed everything. When I woke up eight hours later, everything was switched back. The stalker had been in my apartment while I slept,” she shuddered.
“Did you call the police?” asked Blackhawk.
“This time no. All the previous times I alerted campus security and each time it was laughed off.
“Did you go to the real police?” He needed to see the reports if they’d been filed.
“No, what would I tell them? Some unknown unseen person was in my place redecorating while I was at class or that it was haunted.”
“You should have notified the authorities, regardless.” Blackhawk knew he was being hard on her, but someone had to be the tough one. She hid this from the FBI and it could cost any one of them their lives. She should have been forthcoming. Full disclosure was required to work for the FBI.
Elizabeth lifted an eyebrow at her husband. She understood why he was being a hard ass towards the woman, but it was uncharacteristic of him. Usually she was the mean, hard one. She could see the look on her brother-in-law’s face, directed at her husband. Trouble was brewing between the Blackhawk blood.
“Then it stopped. I thought I was safe,” she sighed. “I started my first job at a hospital in Wyoming. I loved working there. It was quiet. I met people, finally started living, and then the notes came back. They warned me that if I started a relationship the person would die.”
Elizabeth was horrified.
“I ran. To save the people I liked, I bolted. I dumped a really nice guy, made excuses and ran.”
“You can’t run forever,” interjected Elizabeth.
“She’s right, you have to stand up and fight,” said Callen Whitefox. “I’ll stand with you.”
Her heart skipped in her chest. The last piece of her heart was gone, he owned it. He was such a kind man, she had no doubt he’d stand with her and risk his life. She may never own his heart, but now he had hers.
“Please continue,” requested Blackhawk, emotionless.
“I found a new job, and then again it happened. I kept running and someone kept following me. I’ve been in the clear the last four months.”
“Why the FBI?” asked Elizabeth. “You took a huge pay cut to come here.”
“I figured the person harassing me would be frightened away. Who stalks someone in the FBI?” She took a deep breath. “I got to carry a gun; I was in a secure building. I felt safe and bought the house I live in now. First time for me, I never felt like I could.”
Ethan Blackhawk wasn’t thrilled. The terror was in his own back yard now. He felt for the woman, but she should have been honest, and had all this documented.
“Now it’s started again. Before I came up here, Callen was with me when I found a rose on my porch.” It just felt like it wasn’t ever going to end, and there was a sense of hopelessness. “The stalker must have followed me here.”
Blackhawk stood and looked at his brother. “Outside. I need to talk to you, now.” It wasn’t a request, and everyone in the room knew it.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to cause this.”
Elizabeth patted her hand. “It’s okay. We’ll work through this together. You chose to stand and fight, and we make a stand together.”
“I don’t want them to fight!” Desdemona was alarmed that she had managed to cause an issue between them.
“They’re brothers and fighting happens. I once saw them wrestle over the last beer, and it got ugly,” she answered, trying to offer the woman some reassurance. It was bothering her that they were about to brawl too.
“Please go stop them,” she pleaded.
“I’ll go play referee.”
Blackhawk stood outside zipping his parka and waiting for his brother to join him. Before Whitefox could even get his parka zipped he was ready to explode at the man.
“You knew?” he raged, pointing accusingly.
Whitefox was angry too. His brother had acted like the woman was a criminal and was ice cold towards her, and he found that unacceptable. He’d once been weak and knew how that felt to be the prey. “Knew what? That all this was going on? Hell no! I saw the rose on her porch. She threw it in the snow, and I didn’t question it. I’d known her ninety minutes. I didn’t think I had the right to interrogate her over it.”
“This whole situation is a bad thing.”
“Could you be a little colder to her in there? Do you know the courage that it took for her to even tell us all that? The woman is scared shitless, and I didn’t think you would be cruel to someone beaten down.”
“Cold? You think that was cold? You’re out of your damn mind. I wasn’t cold, Callen. What I was being was the man responsible for all four of our lives, and the twenty techs we brought with us. It’s called being the God damn boss!”
“You could have cut her a break.”
“I won’t cut a break to a person that knowingly breaks the rules. We work for the FBI. All of this should have been disclosed. The risk she put everyone at isn't something to screw with. My job, as shitty as it can be, is to keep an open mind and keep everyone safe. This isn't a game and if we screw up someone is going back to FBI West in a body bag.”
“We’re safe!” He pointed out angrily.
“Callen, if you weren’t sleeping with her, would you honestly believe that?”
“Yes I would!”
Ethan hit where it would hurt. “So if this stalker takes out Elizabeth as collateral damage, then you’d still believe we were completely safe and that had nothing to do with it?” If he said yes, he was going to seriously question his brother’s judgment and sanity.
Whitefox lost it. Later he wouldn’t know if it was because his brother was right or if he hit him with a well-placed blow to his heart. The one true love in his life.
Elizabeth was fucking off limits!
The mere suggestion that they could lose her ripped at his heart a
nd rattled his cage to the point anger became fury that he’d even speak the words out loud.
The younger brother did something he would regret later. He rushed his older brother and swung, punching him in the face.
Ethan knew it was coming, and he moved with the punch and went down, taking his brother with him. The two men rolled around in the snow, trying to beat the hell out of each other. Blackhawk got an elbow in, catching his brother in the jaw and he fell off him. Immediately both were back on his feet.
More swinging continued, as Whitefox took a fist to the cheekbone and went back down.
“This proves what I said. You’re emotionally attached to the situation and not thinking straight.”
Whitefox was up again, and he spit blood into the snow. “Like you haven’t been there? You started screwing your wife when you were supposed to be professional.” The anger clouded his judgment and he said words that he knew were going to have a cost.
That one sentence was like poking the bear with a stick, especially the ‘screwing’ part. Blackhawk charged and took his brother down with a shoulder to the solar plexus. He pinned him, and had his arm under his chin on his windpipe.
“No, I wasn’t professional Callen, and it almost got us killed. That day I almost lost my wife. I watched another man beat the hell out of her, wrap his hands around her throat and try to take her life. She ended up lying on a sawdust covered floor in hers and my blood. If you think that makes me proud as her husband and a man, then you have no place in my life!” Blackhawk blinked and regained his control. “My lack of professionalism almost cost me Elizabeth. I’m speaking from experience, and this is my point. If you think I’m busting your balls just because I have nothing better to do, then you don’t fucking get it.” He got off his brother and stared down at him, spitting blood into the snow now too.
“Actions have consequences and maybe you’re willing to risk my family, but I’m not for a complete stranger that lied before. If she’d lie about this, what else is there out there?”
Callen closed his eyes, knowing his brother was absolutely right. He was emotionally attached to the situation. When he opened them again, his brother was gone.
“Shit!”
Here he believed his brother was being a jerk, but the only thing he was doing was being a brother. When his brother threw Elizabeth into the mix it made his blood boil and his heart squeeze in his chest that she could get hurt.
Damn it!
Now his actions were going to likely have big consequences too- ones that involved his family.
~Chapter nine~
Elizabeth stood in the doorway and watched the men kick the crap out of each other in the snow. If she got involved she’d just beat down both of their asses, and really… she might hurt them. This they had to do on their own.
Brothers being brothers.
She was saying it over and over to herself in order to not go out and pull them apart. It came down to trust in both men not to cross the line and hurt the other too much.
When he came in the kitchen, the mad was gone from his face, and the old Ethan was back. This was her proof violence did solve problems, and she would have pointed it out, had she thought he’d find it funny. Nothing fixed a problem like a good old fashioned beat down.
“Here’s a tissue, baby.” She held one out to him.
“Do you think I was being an asshole too?” he asked, softly, waiting for his wife to take his brother’s side.
Elizabeth went to him and kissed him on the cheek. “I think you’re being a man responsible for all our lives, and a brother worried about his younger brother, nothing more.”
Blackhawk nodded and he relaxed knowing his wife supported him. “Where is she?”
Elizabeth pointed. “And then you need to change. You’re wet and your shirts torn, honey.” She watched him walk away. There was no need to follow him. Ethan Blackhawk was a gentle, honorable man. It was why she fell helplessly in love with him. Now that the anger was gone, he’d protect the woman in the other room. She’d bet her badge on it.
And all their lives.
Blackhawk walked into the room, and found the woman alone on the couch. She looked so lost and scared and part of him defrosted fast. Looking at her on the couch with her legs tucked up under her, and a scared look on her face made him think about what he’d do if she was his woman.
Anything to keep her safe, much like he’d do for Elizabeth.
“I’m sorry, Director Blackhawk,” she said softly, and the tears were close to coming again. “You can fire me. I understand. I withheld information from the people that hired me and risked everyone’s life. If you prefer I’ll resign immediately and leave Red River.”
“What will you do?” he asked, curiously.
“It doesn’t matter. I can’t let you and your brother fight over me. I’m not worth it.”
Something in Blackhawk melted and he understood why his brother was sucked in. She looked like a broken child that needed a big brother to protect her.
“I broke the rules, I withheld, and this is all on me.”
It was funny, that his brother didn’t get that, but the woman who was the victim did. “I want a list of every man you slept with, had a relationship with, lived with or thought about living with. Go all the way back to your childhood.”
She looked up surprised. “I’m not fired?”
“Much like my wife, I don’t kick people when they’re down. You came to us, trusted us, and I’m going to help you get out from under this weight.”
“Because I’m sleeping with your brother?” she asked, no emotion on her face.
“Despite that, Desdemona.” He patted her knee as he knelt in front of her. “We take care of the ones we care about.” Blackhawk let it go at that. He was absolutely doing it for Callen.
She saw his lip. “Did Callen punch you?” She was horrified.
Blackhawk grinned wickedly. “He sure did,” he paused. “It wasn’t the first time and it sure as hell won’t be the last, but make sure you yell at him for it too,” he laughed, standing. “Get me the list, and we’ll start fixing this.” Blackhawk left the room, and knew he did the right thing, but in the back of his mind, he hoped it would be enough. Now his brother’s life was on the line too, because he knew he’d never walk away from the woman. He’d be honorable and act like a shield between her and a nut job hunting her for over ten years. Love or not, Callen would act the protector.
Damn it!
Elizabeth waited for Callen to come inside. She held a tissue for him too, and she was going to heal his lip then kick his ass.
“Safe to enter?” he asked from the doorway.
“Depends, I may beat you down just for shits and giggles.” She pointed at him and then the chair.
Whitefox wasn’t sure he could take her, so he opted to just sit and obey.
“Are you certifiable? You just attacked your boss, while on assignment in the field. Punched him in the face, and rolled around in the snow with him.”
“Uh, he got a few shots in too,” he sighed, pointing at his face and lip. “I was mad, ok?” Callen didn’t tell her why.
Elizabeth sat at the table and took his hand in hers. “Your brother and I are responsible for everyone here. Our job is to find a killer, and get us all home in one piece. He’s thinking like the boss, and you need to keep that in mind. That man would take a bullet for you, and so would I,” she added. “But you have to remember that making it easy for a nut job risks us. Do you want to risk your nephew?”
He looked horrified that the woman he adored was at risk and now his nephew too. He’d never risk Elizabeth and the baby for anyone. The mere idea made him want to be sick.
“Trust your brother and cut him some slack. He’s a good man, and that’s the bottom line.” Elizabeth handed him a tissue.
“I know I screwed up.”
Elizabeth didn’t acknowledge it, but yeah he did. “Your lip is bleeding too. It was a decent swing, but he saw it coming and when
he went down it was to break the momentum. Next time, switch it up, and when I say next time I mean with someone other than my husband. If it happens again, I’ll take you out back and show you an old fashioned beat down.” She leaned over and kissed him on his lip like he’d done for her the other day.
He laughed as the tension lessened in his chest. “I love you, Lyzee, and my lip feels better now too.” The tingle shot through his body.
“I love you too.” Elizabeth stroked his cheek gently.
Whitefox stared at her, and thought about what his brother had just said to him outside in the snow. What would he do if all this cost him her? He swallowed the lump in his throat and the tears that threatened to fill his eyes.
“What?” she asked, as he stared at her.
“Promise me that no matter what you’ll keep you and the baby safe. Please put yourself first and don’t get hurt.”
Elizabeth looked over her coffee cup and into his eyes. The man looked rattled. “What’s wrong, Cal?”
Callen looked right into her eyes and lied. “Nothing, just covering all my bases.” It was one thing to risk his own life, but he had made her promise to keep Desdemona safe. Now he realized how stupid that was for him to do. Now that there was a stalker, by standing in front of her, Elizabeth was now carrying the target on her back. He’d just made the woman loved a possible victim.
She smelled a lie but let it go. It was only a matter of time before she figured it out, and then smacked him silly for not telling her the truth.
All this drama, and it wasn’t even eight a.m. yet. It didn’t give her high hopes for the day at all.
Whitefox found her sitting on the couch crying. It crushed him how dejected she looked. He would do anything to take away that sadness for her. “Desi, are you going to be okay?” he asked, softly.
She looked up, and saw the battle wounds on his face. “Oh Callen! What have you done?” she asked, standing and moving towards him. “Look at your face,” she said, sniffling. Pulling him to the couch she pushed him down, and sat beside him, checking to make sure he was okay.
True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3)) Page 24