Elizabeth weighed her options.
“Where can I find him?”
She lit some smoke and gazed into it.
“Do you pay extra for long distance smoke calls? Or do you have a data package?”
She laughed. “You had sex in the shower, and it was wild.”
Callen glanced over at his woman. This was going to be interesting. Elizabeth hated when people did things like this.
“It was with another man, not him.”
“My hair is wet, his isn’t, and you know I have two men in my life, since it’s all over the news. That was a guess on your behalf.”
The woman ignored her.
She began chanting.
Finally, she scribbled down an address. “Here you go, skeptical one.”
She pointed at Callen. “Google him.”
He did as she asked. He scribbled down the same address and handed it to Elizabeth.
She compared them. “Oh my God!” she shouted, standing up.
Callen went for his gun as they both stared around the room.
“What?” Marie said.
“Your spirits have Google. Where do they put that in the smoke?”
He started laughing, and then so did Marie Babineaux.
“You are such a bitch. Again, how do you get two men to follow you around and can you teach me?”
“It’s a gift, and stop playing with Voodoo dolls. That freaks the men out. They don’t want push pins in their crotches.”
Then she glanced over at Callen.
“Do they?”
He was amused. “Not generally.”
That was good enough for her. Elizabeth was done there, and she stood.
Callen followed.
Marie watched them curiously. This woman was interesting to say the least.
“I’ll check out this Kaleb Meeks. Stick around. We don’t need to play ‘find the priestess’ in a city of crazies. I don’t have that kind of time.”
She followed them to the door.
“Be careful. Something is coming.”
“Yeah, lunchtime.”
With that, they headed as far away as she could get. She would admit, verbally sparing with Marie had brightened her day.
Why did religious people always tell her something was coming? Of course it was. That was her job. It came along with the serve and protect.
“You totally like her,” Callen teased. “You didn’t even make her bleed, and she was annoying too.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m off my game today. I should have jumped two men in the shower.”
He snorted. “You won’t hear a complaint from me.”
She didn’t think so.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
B&B
Chris’s Room
He was completely uncomfortable with sitting across from this woman. While he knew Callista Gaines was a good person, he didn’t like the idea that she held his career in her hands. If Chris couldn’t be an ME, what was he going to do with his life?
His wife was gone.
The last thing he needed to do was wander around aimlessly. He needed purpose.
He needed his family, and that was the FBI.
“How are you, Doctor?”
“I’m well, Doctor, and you?”
“I’m good. Elizabeth told me about you,” she stated.
Chris didn’t flinch.
He knew that the woman was studying him. She’d let him get comfortable and then go in for the kill.
He knew she was trying to get him to calm down. Well, he had news for her. He was calm.
Mostly.
“You miss your wife.”
Well, that was the direct route right to the situation. He didn’t see that one coming.
“Yes, I do.”
“You feel guilty.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Who do you blame for her death?”
“Lily Sanderson.”
“You just lied, Doctor Leonard. When you looked down and to the left before you answered, that signified that your mind was fabricating an answer. Had you looked right at me, or to the right, you would be pulling from a memory.”
“I don’t like you.”
She started laughing. “Yeah, I can tell. You hang out with Elizabeth too much. She threatened to kick my ass the first day I met her.”
“She probably should have.”
“Probably, Christopher.”
“It’s actually just Chris.”
She made notes in her folder.
“What did you just write down?” he asked. “Are you analyzing me?”
“You don’t like to be called Christopher?”
“I don’t mind when certain people call me that.”
“Like who?” Callie asked.
“My wife used to all the time, and so does Elizabeth,” he offered. There was no way he could hide that, since she’d used his full name in front of the doctor.
“Do you two have a good relationship?”
“I think so.”
“You love her.”
“Yes.”
“Your wife didn’t.”
He paused.
“I can’t help you if you hide. Think of this as therapy to set you free. If you help yourself, you’ll get better. If you don’t, you’ll get worse. The wound gets infected and you’ll only suffer more later.”
He believed it.
He saw how Ethan had struggled after his abduction.
“Cyra hated her. At first, she loved Elizabeth. When I was hurt, and she saved me, Cyra genuinely liked her.”
“Then?”
“As time went on, she felt…”
“Threatened?”
“I guess.”
“Why?”
“You’d have to ask her. Want me to get a Ouija board for you?”
“Yes, you have her biting wit. You two are close,” Callie said, making more notes. “One would say as close as brother and sister.”
“We are. We’ve been through a lot over the last fifteen years. She is my sister. We’re bonded in all of this mess we call a job.”
“I think it’s more than that. Today, she went to bat for you against Ethan Blackhawk. No one tells him no. That’s more than just a friendship.”
“Why do you think it’s more, Doctor Gaines? Can’t a friend just be a friend?”
“Sure. I have male friends. One of them is married to my husband’s sister. In fact, we had a date, and we kissed. So, as for the friendship angle...”
She watched the man.
He didn’t flinch.
“She’s more. I can see it in your eyes.”
“She is more. Happy? I love her, and she knows it. I’m really tired of having to defend my relationship with Elizabeth to everyone!”
The doctor lifted her eyebrow. “Everyone? Does everyone have a name?”
Chris said nothing.
Callie leaned forward, taking a different route. “Are you in love with her? Is that why you’re feeling guilty? Is that why you melted down when she was nearly hurt? What about her is breaking you, Doctor?” she asked, pushing hard.
Chris stared at her.
“Is this confidential. I need to know that anything I say to you falls under doctor patient confidentiality.”
“I don’t write the private things down, Doctor. I make observations.”
“Like what?”
“I noted when you nervously cleaned off your glasses twice, or how you keep looking at the clock. That’s all.”
He figured the woman wasn’t going to give up, so he might as well just get it over with so they could end their talk.
“She does mean more. Right now, she’s all that I have left in the world. I have my daughter, but Elizabeth, she’s holding me up.”
Callie wanted to make notes, but she believed the doctor would stop talking.
“I mean, a person can love someone, right? They can care about them and want them in their life.”
“How d
id Elizabeth feel about your wife? Earlier, you mentioned that Cyra began disliking her. Was it reciprocated?”
Chris thought about it.
“Elizabeth is very astute. I’m sure she was well aware of how Cyra felt. I don’t think she let it bother her.”
“Did it bother you?”
He paused. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Elizabeth is mine.”
The doctor stared at him.
“That’s quite the powerful statement.”
“I don’t mean in the same way she’s Ethan and Callen’s. She’s part of me. We worked together all those years, we relaxed together. I’ve stayed at her house, and she’s stayed at mine. We hit happy hours, we wept when it was too much. She was mine, and I don’t want to lose that. In the beginning, we were all we had.”
“You never get over your first love, even if it’s unrequited.”
“I am in love with her, but not like that.”
“You feel guilty about it, don’t you?”
He did.
God!
He really did.
“Why, Doctor? Why is this tearing you up inside? I know you’re a smart man. I’ve seen your files, I’ve read your evaluations, and I’ve studied you on the way here. You’re not one to be irrational. You know Elizabeth wasn’t responsible for your wife’s death, any more than you were. You’re a Fed. You know that killers act out with their own actions. It’s time you come clean.”
“Can I go back to work if I do?”
She laughed. “Yeah, because you’re not on the verge of losing your mind. You’re sane. You’re just angry.”
“I am angry.”
“Why?”
“When Lily had us tied up at Elizabeth’s childhood home, she was going to kill us, but before she did, she wanted us to pay.”
“I’ve read the report. She taunted all of you.”
“Yes, she did, but what really got to me was one thing she said.”
“What was it?”
“She told me that before she killed my wife, she told her the truth, that I’ve always loved Elizabeth more.”
“And that bothered you because she died thinking about that? I doubt your wife believed her. She was a cop and then a Fed. She knew killers say crazy things.”
“I worry because it’s true. I did love her more than I loved my wife.”
Holy shit!
He couldn’t believe he said that.
The second he did, a weight lifted off his shoulders.
“Aren’t you going to write that down?”
She shook her head. “No, why would I? You’re working through some issues, so keep working. Talk it out, Doctor.”
“The love wasn’t the same, but it was deeper. Elizabeth saved my life countless times. We carry secrets that no one knows, and that bonds you to a person. She’s really my sister here,” he said, touching his chest.
“You named your child after her.”
“Yes, I did, and she named her son after me. We’re family.”
“Why do you think you love her more than you did your wife?”
“Cyra was amazing. I loved her the second I saw her. She was gentle, smart, and she was a good woman.”
“But?”
“As we continued our marriage, little things began worrying me. Little things that I know shouldn’t, but they did.”
“Like?”
“Toward the end, she talked about my money a lot. It seemed to be the topic of conversation every day. She’d want me to quit my job, we could take long elaborate trips, or we didn’t need to work because I was loaded.”
She made a note.
“Every woman I’ve ever dated, when she said the word ‘loaded’ it was a bad sign.”
Callie didn’t disagree, but this wasn’t her revelation. The doctor had to work through it himself. It might help him break through.
“You think she was focused on your salary?”
He laughed. “I’m wealthy. Bethe will never have to worry, nor will her kids, and their kids, and…”
“I get it. So, you think your wife was focused on your money.”
“That wouldn’t have bothered me so much, but one other thing was said, and put together, it has me angry.”
“What?”
“After Cyra died, the same day, her brother showed up at the Blackhawk’s house. He was angry. He accused me of killing her.”
“We all know you didn’t. You know you didn’t.”
“He told me that Cyra told him if something were to ever happen to her, take Bethe away from me.”
“Do you think she would do that?”
“In our line of work, Doctor, you don’t ignore anything that’s said. I think you know that.”
She was aware.
“Cyra wasn’t happy. She threatened to leave me if I stayed with the FBI. It was a mess.”
“So, that’s why you’re angry.”
“Elizabeth is the one person I can trust. I have doubts about my own wife, but Lyzee…she never cared if I had money. She wouldn’t let me buy her dinner. She wouldn’t let me take her out. When we did spend time together, if anything, she busted my ass about the money. It was never a lure.”
“And you needed that safety net.”
“I needed my sister. She’s it. I’m so damn angry because I know that deep down I love her more than I loved my wife, and Cyra deserved better. I’m angry because Cyra died, and Bethe doesn’t have a mom any more. I’m angry because yesterday, someone nearly blew up my last connection to my heart. If I lose Elizabeth, I lose my family. Ethan and Callen are amazing, and they give me leeway with her, but if she were gone…”
“You think they would be too?”
“Yes.”
“Like you think people only like you because of your money, or what you can get them.”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you ask them?”
“Yeah, that’ll be great. ‘Oh, if your wife dies, will we still be a family? I’m just curious’,” he said with sarcasm.
She laughed. “You inherited her bad attitude. It looks good on you, Doctor. Use it to get through the pain.”
He laughed.
It was the first genuine one.
“I just want my relationship with Elizabeth to be ours. I don’t want people questioning it, or us. She’s my damn sister. She’s who I go to when I hurt. It’s not sexual. We’ve been in bed together countless times, and neither one of us crossed that line.”
“So are you saying you never would?”
He laughed. “I’m a man. If it has breasts, we chase it. I’m not saying I don’t find her attractive, but what I am saying is, I love her too much to want to jump her.”
She closed the folder.
“How do you feel?”
He thought about it.
“Less angry. Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, you may.”
“When you look at us, Elizabeth and I, what do you think?” Chris inquired.
“That you’re both lucky to have that bond. I have a brother, and we have that same bond. You found someone who you can trust. I say go with it.”
He relaxed. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“Chris, you’re welcome. Why don’t you shower? I’m going to contact Director Blackhawk. You can go back to work. You’re not a danger to yourself or others. Just try and cut back on the energy drinks.”
“I have nightmares about Cyra.”
“If you didn’t, Doctor, I’d say something was wrong with you. They’re part of the grieving. They’ll go away, especially now that you’re untying those knots.”
“So, no more therapy?”
She laughed. “No, you and I are still having a bi-weekly date at the Hoover building. FBI rules say you have so many hours of counseling you need to finish.”
“Okay, I think I’d like that.”
“Can I meet your daughter?” she asked.
He grinned. “Yes, you can meet Bethe. She’s a bright a
nd beautiful girl. She looks like her mother.”
“I look forward to it.”
Chris headed out of the room to go shower. He already felt a million times better. He was able to get it all off his chest. Maybe this therapy thing wasn’t so bad after all.
His head was clear.
When he was gone, Callie made some notes in his file. They were important. What Chris didn’t know was she made all her full notes after the patient left.
It was probably a good thing too. He would have been stressed out. As she finished up, one thing was clear.
Christopher Leonard was on the way to recovery. He just needed a push in the right direction.
This case had been that push.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
Morgue
District Eight
When Ethan and Merry arrived at the morgue, the stand in doctor was waiting outside with his medical kit and white lab coat.
“Doctor, why didn’t you go in?” Ethan asked, shaking the man’s hand.
“I was told by that insufferable woman to stay out of my own lab. She gave me the impression that she would resort to violence,” he stated.
Merry snickered, earning a look from Ethan.
“I’m sure you’ll be safe.”
That was a total lie.
He couldn’t blame his staff from being amused. He was thinking the same thing. His wife would hurt the man.
“Well, she’s in the field, so how about we head in and get this day started?”
“Works for me. I’d like to go back through all my findings and become re-acclimated with what has happened.”
“That’s fine, Doctor. We haven’t gotten the call for another body, so we have time.”
They headed toward the door. When they got there, Doctor Perette pulled out his keys and unlocked it.
“It’ll be good to be back in my morgue. I don’t like working out of other places. It’s not the same.”
Ethan understood.
Chris was exactly the same when it came to his home base. Unfortunately, crimes didn’t come to them. They had to travel to get to the victims.
“Well, we appreciate it.”
So far, the man was calm. Hopefully, he’d stay that way when Elizabeth rolled into the morgue. She liked to stir the pot when they had to deal with people not on her team. Add in the fact that Ethan brought the man in, and he’d definitely be her target for the duration.
Blood Shall Run (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 15) Page 31