He didn’t blame the man.
Really.
This risked his career, Elizabeth’s career, and Greyson’s life. If the bad guys in Vegas—the real ones—found him cavorting at the Deputy Director of the FBI’s home…
Yeah, bad news for him.
They had just gotten them off of their backs, and this was putting the target on them.
Again.
Besides, he’d heard on the news that there were inklings that Ethan Blackhawk was going to be throwing his hat into the political ring with his boss, Gabriel Rothschild. There were rumors that he was about to undertake a new venture.
Vice President of the United States.
Being there…
Yeah, it made him look dirty and crooked—like he was getting some ill-gotten campaign contributions from a Vegas mobster.
Greyson knew what he was risking for Dimitri, and he prayed the Blackhawks forgave him for infringing on their private lives.
He recalled what it was like having that for himself. It had been short-lived, and he missed it. There was something to be said about being a recluse.
“Ignore the chaos,” Ethan stated. “The kids are going to be heading off to bed soon. Saturdays in our house are like Armageddon. You never quite know what’s going to happen until it does.”
Greyson only wished that was part of his life. He wanted this more than anything.
Heading into the living room, Greyson was taken aback by the scene. When he’d said Armageddon, he’d meant it. It looked like there had been a pillow fight, and in the middle of it?
Elizabeth.
Rolling around on the floor was the badass, serial killer hunter, as she was being climbed all over by a bunch of kids.
Greyson had never seen an odder thing in all of his life.
Elizabeth?
Children?
This?
Yeah, it was something to behold. He knew she had babies, and a bunch of them, but the Blackhawks kept this kind of look into their lives on a strictly need-to-know basis.
And the world didn’t need to know.
“Baby, we have company,” Ethan said, interrupting her merriment with the kids. She had just wrapped a case the previous night, and there would likely be a new one on the horizon.
There always was.
When she looked up, she went from smiling and happy to serious. Gone was that joviality.
Her face said it all.
Elizabeth knew this had to be bad. Greyson wouldn’t just show up there.
“Uh oh,” she said, getting their other spouses attention, too, with those two words.
Now, Callen was focused on the man who had just arrived.
It wasn’t like they thought the guy would hurt them, or the kids, but more that he was there meant the shit was about to hit the fan.
BIG-TIME.
“I need your help,” he said, desperately.
They got it.
It was time to get down to work.
Elizabeth whistled, and the kids lined up like little soldiers about to be inspected by the general.
Armageddon went calm.
Greyson took it in with wonder and surprise that the kids, and there were quite a few of them, had seemed to get in line, and without a peep.
It appeared someone ran a tight ship. Their kids were sweet. They all had wild, long hair in varying shades of brown or black, but there was a blonde in the mix.
Odd.
The Blackhawks kept their kids’ lives secluded and private. The media would talk about them, but they didn’t get pictures, they didn’t get dirt, and they didn’t talk trash—so this made him curious as hell. As an ex-cop, how could it not?
Greyson got it.
“Kids, kiss your fathers and go brush your teeth. Everyone be on your best behavior while we have our company.”
“Work?” the one asked.
“Yes, CJ. We’ll be up to read stories in a bit,” she promised.
She whistled again, and two big dogs trotted in, following the kids out of the room, but both looking back at Greyson—just in case.
“If you could teach me how to do that, I’d love to wrangle some adults like you just did,” Greyson stated.
Yeah, it was easier said than done, and the faux humor in his voice didn’t make her laugh.
It was unsettling.
Elizabeth didn’t respond to the nerves the man was showing. It was a first for Greyson Croft in all of the years she’d known him.
To buy the man time to calm down, she headed toward Heath. When she reached him, he lovingly smiled at her.
“There’s our big guy,” she said.
She’d missed him.
“Mrs. B, you look as beautiful as ever. I missed you,” he said, giving her a huge hug as he picked her up off of her feet like a rag doll.
She hugged him back.
“I missed you, too, Heath,” she admitted. Their last case could have used the man to help them crack some skulls.
Okay, help HER do it. Ethan frowned on that jackassery.
When Heath set her free, it was time to play hostess. Ethan was the boss man, and this would be his rodeo. So, she opted to welcome Greyson.
“This is a surprise,” she stated.
Croft was aware.
He wasn’t sure what she was going to do. After all, being there could make their lives more difficult, and he didn’t want to do that.
Ever.
These three people had saved his bacon a couple of cases ago, and he owed them—more than they owed him.
“Greyson, how are you and the family?” she asked, as she hugged him too.
It caught him off guard.
Cleary, that told them everything. Elizabeth’s kindness melted the ice. The men followed.
Ethan was next with a handshake, and Callen too.
“I’m struggling,” he admitted. “I’m sorry for coming here. I know how bad it looks if word gets out that I’m anywhere near you guys, but I’m screwed.”
Callen headed toward the kitchen to get them some coffee. It looked like they were going to need it. Since he doubted this was a personal visit, and more a Vegas issue, Ethan would be up to bat.
“It’s okay,” Ethan stated, reassuring him. “Why don’t you sit down so you can tell us what brings you to this side of the country?” he asked.
That was greatly appreciated.
He was beginning to relax.
Sitting on the big fluffy couch, Elizabeth quickly moved toys and things out of his way.
“I apologize for the mess,” she began. “With this many kids, we look like a toy store or an armory exploded.”
He stopped her.
“It’s a beautiful thing, Elizabeth. Don’t apologize. If anyone should be saying that, it’s me.”
They knew this had to be bad.
As Callen came in carrying a tray with coffee, he placed it on the table. Then, he handed Heath a tin.
The man’s eyes lit up like lights on a Christmas tree.
“Oh, Mrs. B, are these what I think they are?” he asked, opening the tin.
He giggled like a schoolgirl.
She found that outrageously funny.
“I was going to send them tomorrow. You get them now. The kids decorated them. That should explain why they look like that. Yes, they are fall leaves.”
Heath loved kids, and there was nothing sweeter than the kids who lived in that house. They were like their parents.
When he finally got into the tissue paper, and to the cookies, he was enamored even more.
“These are pretty.”
He took them and headed to a chair not too far away so they could talk about why they were there, and more importantly, he could snack.
Greyson took a cup of coffee from Ethan.
“Thank you,” he said, sipping it. He needed the caffeine. It was going to be a long flight back to Vegas when he was done there.
Hell!
It had been a long flight there, and he was destined to b
e jetlagged for the next couple of days.
“What’s going on?” Ethan finally asked, knowing they needed to get down to business.
“I came because I needed help. After our last case, the shit hit the fan, and we had some ramifications from chasing Jeffrey Raye.”
Oh, Ethan was aware.
Vegas still didn’t have an FBI Director, and he was working on that. He also knew that there was a new commissioner and homicide captain who were very willing to play hardball with him.
Ethan was working hard to clean that shitmess up for the citizens of Vegas.
“After we found the remains of Jeffrey Raye’s wife, Dimitri’s girlfriend…”
Elizabeth was well aware of what had happened. As Greyson choked on the words, she cut him a break.
“We know, Greyson. We are so damn sorry too. I’m sorry for what she’s been through.”
“Thank you,” he stated.
“And for what your family is going through because of a crooked cop.”
He didn’t know how to tell them how much he appreciated their words. Now, he hoped they could give him some backup in the way of fixing this mess.
Croft was no fool.
The Blackhawks were the new power couple, and with the rumors of Ethan running for office with Gabe, they were so far up the power ladder that no one messed with them. He also knew that it was very likely that they had people on the ground in Vegas, and they had eyes pretty much everywhere.
“And, really, please don’t thank us,” she stated. “What can we do to help?”
He told them everything.
Greyson shared his worries, his fears, and how his family was falling apart. He told them that he was to blame, as he carried it on his shoulders like a man.
Even though he wanted to weep.
“You need to find her?” Elizabeth asked. “Is that your top priority now?”
“Yes. I need to find her and bring Poppy home. If I don’t, I’ve lost Dimitri. If I lose him, I know Vegas is going to swallow me whole. I know coming here was bad, but I have no other options. I am smart enough to know you have ears all over Vegas.”
Ethan didn’t say anything.
The man wasn’t telling him anything shocking. He’d been a Fed. If he didn’t realize there were boots on the ground in this war, he was delusional.
They were fighting to pushback the storm.
“Before you deny it, I’ve seen them. These are the same agents who worked for me. I’ve seen them in the streets, and I’ve seen how they watch me and my family.”
“They are there,” Ethan stated.
Great.
He wasn’t losing it.
“Please, Ethan. I need help. Since you have them watching me, can we maybe get them to help me?”
They understood how huge that was for him to ask. While they’d helped him before, this was personal. This wasn’t about a job or a case. This was a mob man coming to the FBI—his enemy on paper—and asking for assistance.
That told them everything.
Greyson was struggling.
“Okay,” Ethan stated.
Greyson was a little taken aback by that one-word answer. It was like he didn’t even have to think about the ramifications.
“Uh, that easily?” he asked. “Maybe you want to talk it over? Think about it?”
Elizabeth laughed.
“Did you come here thinking we would tell you no?” she asked curiously. “Was that your biggest fear?”
Yes, yes, it had been.
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
“I’ve heard you’re running for vice president.”
That said it all.
He laughed and so did Elizabeth and Callen.
“Well, I see that word travels fast,” he stated. “Only, don’t believe all of it. I haven’t decided.”
“WE haven’t decided,” Elizabeth stated, correcting her husband, but he was right. That was something they hadn’t decided on yet.
Callen opted to chime in.
“What she means is the wife hasn’t decided. We all know who is the boss, and who has the final say.”
She smiled sweetly at him. Then, her focus was on the other large man who was happily munching on cookies.
“Heath, will you beat him up for me?”
The man went to get up.
Callen found it funny that even though he didn’t work for them anymore, the man was willing to do it for her. Of course he was. Heath loved their wife.
“OKAY! I take it back!” Callen offered. “Loyalty…there is none among cookie thieves.”
“You eat them,” Heath stated. “She bakes them and sends them to me. My allegiance lies with the baker, not the thief.”
Yeah, that was clear.
With the easy-going banter, Greyson felt a million times better. His whole sense of well-being was no longer in the pit of despair. Now he had some hope.
His friends had his back.
“I won’t lie,” Ethan stated. “The FBI has people all over your city right now. We’re working on some operations, but I can’t go into detail.”
Greyson got it.
“Am I being watched personally?” he asked.
Elizabeth found that funny.
“He said he can’t go into details.”
Ethan grinned at him.
“Stop busting his ass. He’s paranoid enough,” Ethan offered. “Greyson, you have nothing to do with it. After Viktor Marchenko’s death, there were some Russian issues to cleanup. They are ongoing. You and the Gideons are in the clear. You have nothing to worry about on the FBI front.”
He relaxed.
“Thank you for that.”
It was the least he could do. The man had helped shutdown a sex trafficking ring.
They owed him.
“How much time do I have to work something up for you?” he asked. “Are you heading back to Vegas immediately?” Ethan asked.
“That was the plan. I don’t like leaving my wife alone. It worries me.”
Elizabeth chimed in.
“I see you postponed your wedding,” Elizabeth stated. “It was all over the news. Is everything okay on the relationship front?”
He laughed. The second they’d postponed it, people were clamoring about there being trouble in their marriage. It was actually much simpler.
Pregnancy.
“Yeah, we’re good, but honestly, neither of us were feeling festive, and my best man really hates me. It seemed counterproductive.”
She got it.
“Also, Emma woke up one morning and Mac had taken over her body. She feels less than wedding dress-worthy. We are having some issues with her even wanting to be in the media spotlight while huge—her words, not mine.”
Having given birth four times, she got it. At some point, you felt like the vessel and no longer the person.
“I’ll see what I can do with finding your missing Poppy,” Ethan stated.
There was relief.
“Thank you.”
The weight was coming off of his shoulders.
“How’s the Jeffrey Raye thing going?” Ethan asked, just in case. A part of him felt horrible that the shit had hit the fan. They’d pointed the Crofts at the man, and he’d actually been innocent of his wife’s death.
Who saw that coming?
Certainly not them.
“He’s been quiet. We’re waiting for the second shoe to drop. We know he’s up to something, but we don’t know what it is.”
“I’ll keep my ears open,” Ethan offered.
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Just keep fighting the good fight. I’ll have your back while you’re in the trenches,” Ethan promised. “I won’t bail on you.”
Greyson was glad Ethan had taken the deputy director job. Before him, Gabe was much harder to deal with. You never really knew what he was going to do.
“About your vice presidency?”
He laughed.
“WE haven’t made up our mi
nds.”
“Well, if I can just say one thing?”
They were all curious.
“Is this where you offer me money for a campaign contribution?” he teased.
“No, it’s where I tell you that since you’ve been in this office, more has gotten done, there has been integrity, and you’ve done the job. If you do run, it’s a loss for the FBI, but if you don’t run, I want to thank you for having the best interests of this bureau at heart. I came back and became an agent because I believed in it. I gave my time and soul for the FBI because I know they continue to fight the good fight.”
They all listened.
“I then took the job as director because I wanted to make a difference. You have, so thank you for your service and the honor you brought back to it.”
That touched Ethan.
This had always been his dream.
But vice president?
Yeah, that was huge.
“Thank you, Greyson. I appreciate it.”
They all did.
Greyson finished his coffee. He knew there was a long flight home so he should get moving.
“I appreciate your help and thank you for welcoming me into your home. I wish things were different and I could come freely.”
They all did.
Maybe someday.
“I’ll work on finding Poppy for you, and we’ll have a messenger drop anything I find off to you,” he stated. “You’ll have it in the next day or so,” he promised.
That worked for him.
The sooner the better.
“I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I have to get her back so I can help Dimitri heal. He’s not handling anything related to this well,” Greyson admitted.
That was an understatement.
He was a ticking time bomb.
“I can’t imagine how he feels,” Ethan stated. “To walk into that had to be the most horrible thing ever. I know it would have changed me forever. I would be on a rampage.”
Callen agreed.
That was always at the forefront of their fears when it came to Elizabeth.
“Yeah, he’s in control for now, but I’m worried he’s going to go rogue and kill half of Las Vegas.”
That was something they worried about too. The last thing they needed was to call out the dogs on Dimitri Gideon. The men didn’t want Elizabeth having to track him. Now that the President of the United States was dead, they had enough shit on their plates to keep them busy.
“We can’t let that happen,” Elizabeth stated. “Keep him in check.”
No Justice_A Croft Mob Family Book Page 3