“What did you do?”
“I went to the tribal council, and I begged and pleaded. I was told she could stay if I took responsibility for them both, since it was my son that abandoned them.”
“You're a good man Timothy Blackhawk.”
“I was selfish and nothing more. I didn’t want to lose him, and I sent a prayer to the Great Spirit asking for a way to keep him, and then I found out his mother had cancer.”
“Oh, Granddad, I’m so sorry.” There was the Blackhawk guilt, and her heart ached for the man.
“She fought it for years. Remission, sickness, remission, and right after he became a teenager, she lost the fight. I think she knew he was in good hands, and she could let him go, and that I’d keep watch over him. Wyler had never been a constant in his life. He flittered in and out on a whim and Ethan was damaged because of it. Even at thirteen he didn’t understand where his father was, and then he found out about Callen, and all hell broke loose. Wyler became the enemy, and the boys became angry. No matter what I did, I couldn’t make the anger subside. I could just hold it back until it finally broke through when Ethan left.”
Elizabeth sniffled and tears filled her eyes at the pain her husband must have lived through.
“Wyler was and always will be the bull. Out to prove fertility and no planning.”
She thought about it. “When I found out my father was murdered, I had to have him exhumed. When I was standing in the cemetery, Ethan came with me to support me. When I was talking to my parents he stood by my side. I was wondering,” she paused, hoping it wasn’t going to be taken the wrong way, or insult the man and his beliefs. “but could you take me to see Ethan’s mom?”
“All you need to do is come here and I absolutely will.” Timothy Blackhawk was touched that she would even want to be part of his boy’s past.
“Thank you, Granddad. I’ll come as soon as I can.”
“Be safe out there, Elizabeth. The raven is not bullet proof,” he said, and then disconnected the call.
Elizabeth let go of the sadness and pushed past it to the information on the spirit guides. She felt the adrenaline rush, as she started writing the names and spirit guides on the white board. She broke it down by each man and each animal. When she was almost done, she heard her husband’s voice in the lobby. As she added the last information about the bull, both men entered her office.
“Wow, someone has been busy while we were out in the field,” Blackhawk said, crossing to his wife and reading everything she had written on the board. “How did you get your research?” He pointed to the spirit guide information.
“I called Granddad. I figured why Google it when I had an eighty-eight year old guide book that could break it down for me.”
“Way to stay inside the building and be resourceful.”
“Yeah well, I’ve got that feeling like I’m onto something, and its brushing against my brain again and driving me crazy.”
“Did you miss me?” he asked, as his brother sat on the couch.
“That depends on some questions and their answers, Ethan,” she said, grinning. Once he said pretty much the same thing regarding a breakfast choice.
“Oh, well by all means Mrs. Blackhawk, fire away.”
“Did you get me the missing persons report from Sheriff Asshole?”
“I did,” he answered, handing her the folder. “And his deputy was super nice. I didn’t even have to apologize for your attitude and generally superior behavior.”
Elizabeth snorted and went through the papers. “Don’t get used to that. It was a fluke.”
“Trust me, I’m well aware that it was an aberration and not likely to happen again. Next?”
“Is there meat in that bag or something healthy? I wasn’t kidding about hurting you earlier. Or him,” she said jerking her head at Whitefox.
“Hey, I’m the innocent party here. Take this up with your husband.”
“As a matter of fact, there is a burger in here, and there is bacon on it with a vat of mayonnaise to slather all over it,” he paused before continuing, “but there is also a salad in here because you’re growing a child, and not cattle that you need to fatten up for slaughter.”
“Hey, you didn’t just use the word fatten up in reference to anything that has to do with me now did you?”
Whitefox laughed. “You’re so screwed,” he mumbled chewing on a french fry. “I can’t believe you walked right into that. She is going to skin you alive for that one.”
“Never!” He kissed her on the cheek. “But just so you know, women who eat veggies and fruit while pregnant have reduced risk of birth defects in children.”
“You didn’t just try to manipulate the situation by using our child, did you?”
“Yes I did, and in fact I Googled it. While the burger is fine, you’re going to start eating better.” Ethan Blackhawk sat at her desk and smiled.
“I eat just fine!” There was part of her that hoped he was kidding.
He pointed at the bag with the salad. “Be a good girl and eat your salad, and then you can have the burger.”
“I’m not six, Ethan.” Deep down, she was getting upset that he was now trying to control freak her food choices.
“If you want the burger, then you’ll eat the salad.”
Whitefox was a little surprised at his brother, and how he was out of control. He didn’t see him hit his head while they were out, but he obviously had a lapse of sanity and judgment.
Elizabeth just stared at him open-mouthed. “Okay, you win this one.” Two could play this game, and if he was going to be a hard ass, so was she. Elizabeth timed it perfectly when he had the smug look of victory on his face. He just took a sip of his water and went in for the kill. “I’ve got to go out in the field after I eat. I’m finished with the whiteboard.”
Blackhawk began choking on his water. “What?”
“You heard me,” she said eating her salad. “Mmmmm…delicious,” she mocked, sarcastically.
Whitefox watched the interaction between the two and it was about to get ugly. The look on his brother’s face said it all, and then the look on hers proved a war was brewing.
“Don’t bet on it, Elizabeth.”
“Listen up, Ethan. You may be bigger than me, and at times have a worse temper, but you’re not my boss. I’m your partner and equal. So, you can go out with me, and we do what needs to be done, or you leave and I go out alone. I’m not going to even pretend I’ll obey you when we had an agreement.”
Blackhawk felt his blood pressure rising.
“We have to check out a few leads.”
He tried to remember that she was his wife, and that she was carrying his child, but that only made him more irate.
“Callen, can I talk to your brother alone for a minute?” she asked.
“Sure thing!” He got up and went out into the lobby, searching for coffee and the nearest escape route for the oncoming nuclear explosion.
Elizabeth went to him and knelt in front of him, taking his face in her hands. “Ethan, I did all I can from here. I need to get out and talk to the dentist, the doctor and the veterinarian. I can’t do any more leg work locked up in the office. Please, I don’t want to fight with you over this, but we had an agreement.”
“The killer is after pregnant women. I don’t want to risk you or our child. I hate how you see this as me bossing you around. I’m protecting what’s mine and nothing less.”
“You realize I’m not a playground toy, right?”
“You know what I mean, Lyzee.”
“Do I, Ethan?” Elizabeth stood up and backed away.
“Apparently, you don’t. I don’t have time to go through this every time. You need to do what’s best for you and our child. If you won’t do it, I will force the issue. I have no problem with that.”
“That’s not fair…” she began, and was interrupted.
“I don’t care, Elizabeth. My concern is the baby you’re having. Not how you view it. I get that you’re r
eckless and dangerous. I’m just not willing to let you be reckless with the life of our child, because you’re stubborn.”
“How dare you,” she whispered.
“That’s my child, and since my wife doesn’t care about the safety of Baby Blackhawk, then I have to.”
His words couldn’t have hurt more if he slapped her. So, she was supposed to trust in him as an agent, and say nothing when he walked out the door, but she wasn’t to have the same trust?
“Anything else, Elizabeth?” he asked, drinking his water and waiting.
Elizabeth looked at the clock on the wall and held back the tears. It was inconceivable that he believed she wasn’t worried about the child she was growing in her body. Did he even know her at all? “I’m going home.” She got her purse, clipped her gun onto her hip, and dropped her lunch in the trash. Suddenly, she lost her appetite altogether.
“I’ll drive you,” he said, arms crossed as he held his ground.
“No thanks. I can manage in my incapacitated state to find my own way to one of the cars and to our home. Goodbye, Ethan.” Elizabeth walked from the office, emotionless. She refused to let him see how hurt she was, and how he made her feel less than human all because of a pregnancy. This was a side of him she never thought she’d see. Never would she believe that Ethan Blackhawk could be cold towards her.
“Are you leaving, Elizabeth?” asked Whitefox, as he waited in the lobby.
“Yes, I’m going home. Be safe out there and watch your back, Callen.” Elizabeth got in the elevator and fought to keep the tears from falling. She looked straight ahead as her brother-in-law watched her. Once the door closed, the tears started to fall. His lack of faith and trust in her broke her heart. In the garage, she climbed into the Denali and locked the doors before she allowed herself to weep bitterly.
Ethan Blackhawk watched as his wife drove away. He motioned to his brother to a second Denali and followed her out of the garage. He was going to make sure that his wife got home safe, and that she wasn’t in danger. He felt bad that he had to force her, but sometimes she just was too cowboy for her own good. This was his only way of keeping her and their child safe.
After pulling into their driveway and opening the door to their house, he drove past.
Elizabeth didn’t even look at him. Her heart was too crushed. When the Denali turned at the end of the block, Elizabeth slammed the door angrily. Today, he had managed to make her incredibly angry at him. So angry she honestly thought forgiveness might be hard to find.
Callen sat in the front seat and didn’t speak to his brother. He kept telling himself that getting involved was going to be dangerous. He didn’t want to step between them and be caught in the cross fire. But then again, he felt the overwhelming need to defend Elizabeth.
“You don’t have anything to say?” asked Blackhawk. The tension was thick in the vehicle. Granted, most was coming off of him in waves, but some was definitely from his brother.
“Oh, I have plenty to say about this little fight between you and your pregnant wife. I’m just not opening my mouth about it.”
“You disagree with how heavy handed I was?” he asked, staring over at his him.
Callen Whitefox looked over at his brother. “You want the truth without any recriminations?”
“If I didn’t want the truth I wouldn’t ask for it, Callen.”
Whitefox weighed his words carefully. “I think what you just did was pretty shitty. In fact, if you were my husband I’d divorce you and leave your ass. You just made her feel like she’s an invalid, and she has no say in her own life. If she isn’t thinking twice about a family with you, you’ll be lucky.”
“You don’t understand.” It was all he could come up with in his defense, but already he was beginning to feel horrible. Rational Ethan was beating back the anger and coming to the surface.
“I wasn’t privy to what you said to her in private, but from the look on her face as she left the office, I’m betting you were over the edge.” Whitefox debated on whether or not to tell him about earlier this morning. “Today, when we went out, remember how you told me to give her a candy bar, because she needed to eat something?”
“Yeah.”
“I went in and she was sobbing.” He looked over at his brother. “She ran out of my house today, knowing you were in danger, and not once did she think twice. She pulled you out of your car, and saved your life, Ethan.”
“That’s why she can’t be out wandering the streets. Why is this so hard for anyone to see but me?”
“Yeah, you keep thinking that way. Let me know how divorce feels. It’s a good thing granddad, and I have spare rooms, because she’ll be keeping the house and your car in the settlement.”
“A divorce?” The idea that she’d leave him terrified him.
“What isn’t fair is she was scared shitless today, and made me promise that I’d keep you safe. Not once, did she demand you stay locked inside. She was so worried about you that she sat in her office crying. Elizabeth doesn’t seem like the ‘bawl in the workplace’ kind of woman.”
“She isn’t.” He didn’t know she was so upset she’d been crying over him and carried it alone.
“She could have heavy handed you equally, and made you feel bad for going out into the field wearing a target on your back, but she didn’t. I’m betting she kept it to herself because she didn’t want you to divide your focus. I guess having a fight with you before you went out to risk your life seemed counterproductive to her. Elizabeth was probably worried you’d be so upset over a fight you may not see someone trying to kill you.”
Blackhawk didn’t say a word.
“I hope for your sake the killer isn't after her, because she’s upset now, and I doubt she’s thinking about the assignment.”
His stomach knotted as he even thought that he just made her weaker and placed her in more danger.
“Then she just got into the elevator, crying. You’ve made your pregnant wife cry twice in one day. Congrats, you have just become Wyler Blackhawk. First you start forgetting her feelings matter, and then you start bossing her around. Sound familiar, Dad?”
That scared him senseless. That was his biggest fear in life. That he’d be like his father, or to let his wife see him as that kind of man. There was no doubt that it lived within him, but keeping it hidden was a priority.
Losing her would kill him.
“You bullied a pregnant woman and ordered her around, when she isn’t your underling. I bet she’s pretty upset since you’re partners. Good thing you have her back,” he said sarcastically. “You just showed her that it’s okay for her to trust you to come back alive, but you don’t have to play by the same rules.”
“You don’t get it! I’m scared she’ll die.”
“Well, she wasn’t the one shot at today, so imagine how she feels right now. There’s an old Indian saying, ‘you use your hands to push so hard, and you lose your grip on what you value most’. You just pushed pretty damn hard, Ethan. I know I’m not married, but if she was my wife I’d keep her close. That pathetic drive by you just did was pretty cold, Ethan. That’s always a bad sign that a marriage isn't going to last.”
“I was a pretty big asshole.”
“Oh yeah you were.”
Blackhawk sighed, and turned the Denali around. It looked like he still had a lot to learn from his younger brother. Who would have thought?
Elizabeth got changed, picked up her phone and dialed Timothy. “Granddad, can I come see you?” She only hoped he wouldn’t tell her no. Tonight she didn’t want to be alone.
“Of course you can, sweetheart. I was going to make dinner; will you stay and eat with me tonight, and keep an old man company?”
She tried to not sniffle. “I’d like that, and I’ll bring dessert for us.”
“I’ll see you in a little bit, Elizabeth.” Something in her voice made him worry, and he suspected why she sounded upset.
She grabbed her purse and gun, set the alarm, and walked out
of her house to the Denali. There was no way she was leaving her husband a note. Going one step further she turned off the ringer on her phone. If he wasn’t going to treat her like a wife and partner, she wasn’t going to act like one.
First stop, she wanted to find something for dessert, and then she wanted flowers. It seemed appropriate to bring her husband’s mother some, as he had done for hers in Salem. As she pulled out, she didn’t feel the eyes watching her. Maybe had she been focused, she would have seen him and would have known that she had almost become a victim herself that night.
* * *
The killer was going to make his move. His plan was to knock on her door and abduct the FBI agent. He wasn’t going to be able to drug her, but knocking her out and taking her would be an easy thing. Unfortunately, she hadn’t stayed put long enough for him to plan out his next move. He’d followed her and her husband in separate vehicles, and watched him pull away as he parked down the street from their house. Ten more minutes and he was going to make his move, but she slipped away. Now he would have to re-plan it all, and find a better time to abduct her.
In his rearview mirror he saw the second Denali pulling back towards the house, and he was grateful he had waited. He would have been caught if he had made his move. The spirits were leading him tonight, and he had nothing to worry about, they would give him the sign that he was doing the right thing. It was a matter of watching and waiting.
He had plenty of time.
More time than the raven and fox.
Sacred Burial Grounds (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 2)) Page 29