“I guess you think I’m kidding,” she started walking towards the table and the waiting patients.
“Wait! Come back!”
Elizabeth turned, and her husband was fighting so hard to not laugh. She had to give him credit; she almost wanted to grin too. It was completely ridiculous. That table wouldn’t hold her weight, so she wouldn’t actually stand on it. Maybe near it, but on it was absurd.
The woman turned. “Gina, escort the agents back to exam three to wait for Doctor Reginald.”
Elizabeth clipped her badge on her hip for shits and giggles. By leaving the badge side out and not closing her blazer jacket, everyone one would get a good view. Yeah, there were days when she loved her job. This was obviously one of them.
When the door closed to the room, Elizabeth leaned against the wall and twisted her black hair around her finger.
“What?”
He laughed. “If we weren’t working, I’d kiss you right now.”
Elizabeth shook her head. She was about to say something when the door opened and a petite blond woman rushed into the room.
“I’m Doctor Reginald…” she paused, looking up and down Ethan Blackhawk’s body. “Well hello there Agent. What can I do for you?”
Elizabeth wanted to laugh but decided to just watch it all unfold. She’d seen that look directed at her husband before. Christina wore it on her face all the time and sometimes Ginny too. Her husband was a handsome man, tall, tan, and very exotic. The attention probably should bother her, but it mostly amused her, since it made him completely uncomfortable. There was no way her husband would stray. Something about him being panicked and trapped by the tiny woman was pretty damn funny.
“My name is Director Special Agent Ethan Blackhawk and this is,” Ethan Blackhawk didn’t get to finish.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, flirtatiously. “I’m not lucky enough for this to be a social call, but what can I do for you? By the way your smile is amazing, and I know smiles.” The woman batted her eyelashes at him and took a step closer.
Elizabeth could have watched this forever. She saw the color creeping up her husband’s neck and knew she needed to save him, especially when he took a step back. Now the woman was in his personal space, and he was uncomfortable.
“Um excuse me? Hello? Other agent in the room, as Director Special Agent Blackhawk was trying to say, we need to ask you a few questions about...”
“Oh,” she gave Elizabeth a look dismissing her and then redirected back to the sexy man in front of her. “You can ask me any questions you’d like, how about starting with my number?”
Blackhawk was both worried and horrified. Women occasionally hit on him; he was sure it was the whole FBI thing that turned them on. He’d smile and turn them down, but with his wife this close… When she lost it, he was pretty sure that it wasn’t going to be pretty. “Doctor Reginald, I appreciate your directness, so let me be direct back. I’m very happily married.”
“Oh, well I won’t tell if you don’t,” she winked, salaciously.
Elizabeth just started to laugh. The look of panic on her husband’s face was priceless. Okay, playtime was over, Elizabeth took control back. “Excuse me, Doctor?” She snapped her fingers until she had her attention, she smiled. “His wife will actually know, because I’m the wife,” she looked at her husband. “Aren’t I, Ethan?”
“That’s what the marriage license says, baby.” He was grateful that Elizabeth looked calm, but outer appearances could be deceiving.
Elizabeth held up her badge. “See? Matching names and trust me when I say, it’s not because he’s my brother.”
Doctor Reginald looked shocked and embarrassed that the woman in front of her was married to the man candy.
Elizabeth couldn’t blame the woman. She knew her husband was sexy, but this was work and they had shit to do, so enough was enough.
So she just continued. “I’m Director Special Agent Elizabeth Blackhawk, and I have some questions for you to answer. Since you can’t seem to focus when my husband directs them to you,” she tossed out the word husband again, just because she could. “Now I’ll be asking them.”
“Yes, certainly Director. I apologize.”
Apparently, Elizabeth just gave off the ass kicking vibe; she didn’t even have to threaten this woman. She gave her credit on being smart. “We’re working a serial killer case regarding the reservation. I’ve a few photos, and I was wondering if you could take a look at them and tell me if they look familiar?”
“Definitely.”
Elizabeth pulled out the driver’s license picture of the two victims they knew. The doctor shook her head at both of them.
“The next one isn’t as pretty.” She flipped it over.
“Oh, I should say not,” she looked ill. “No, sorry, never seen her. I can tell by her dental work, she didn’t see me. She had a bridge put in,” she pointed to the place on her teeth and looked back up at the agents. “That’s not my work. It’s distinctive to the lab that created it, and mine does a better job.”
Elizabeth nodded.
“Can you tell us if you used Chloral Hydrate in your office procedures?” asked Blackhawk.
“No, we strictly use Nitrous Oxide.”
Elizabeth placed the pictures back in her folder. “We appreciate your help,” she started to the door. “If you think of anything, give us a call.” She pulled out her card, handed it to the woman and nodded.
Both agents walked out, and Elizabeth made sure to have her badge out and gun visible again, that was for the doctor and the receptionist. She waved to the woman behind the glass. All in all, it was a pretty good day. The dentist could be eliminated, she was able to intimidate a receptionist, and she got to scare a woman hitting on her husband. It was a good day indeed, in her opinion.
Out in the vehicle, her husband looked at her as if waiting.
“What?”
“She was something.” He was sure she was going to be angry. “You’re not mad over all that?”
“I’m not mad, Ethan. I found it funny.”
Blackhawk looked relieved. “I really thought it was going to get ugly in there.”
“Why? Because she thought my husband is sexy? I already know he’s incredibly sexy, and he’s in love with me,” she answered, leaning over to grab him by the front of his shirt and kiss him deep and hard. It felt like forever since she got to do that, and she put everything behind it. When she broke away, they both were breathless.
“Wow, I hope women flirt more often. If I flirt back does that get me sex?”
Elizabeth lifted a brow.
“To clarify,” he grinned. “Does that get me sex with my very scary, dangerous, gun toting wife?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Don’t test your good luck, Cowboy. We both know now that I’m pregnant I’m like a faulty detonator. I could go off at any second.”
“That’s what makes life exciting, baby. Living on the edge.”
~ Chapter Sixteen ~
Callen pulled into the vet center and hopped out of his truck. He’d been here many times before. Whenever they found a stray animal they’d head out to Doctor Barnes, and he’d find it a new home. He was pretty sure that the man had nothing to do with the killings, but still per FBI protocol he was going to follow through.
“Hey Callen!” The receptionist was excited to see him. He could confirm some of the gossip she’d heard around town.
“Hey Lucy!” Whitefox leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “How’re you doing?”
“Oh, you know,” she answered, smiling and then dove right in. “I hear your brother is back in town.” Lucy went in for it immediately, no need to beat around the bush.
Whitefox nodded and smiled at the woman. She was the center of gossip in town. If she heard anything he would now get a recap. “Yeah, he’s head of the FBI out here. Well he and his wife are both in charge of it.”
“George down at the bar said he saw her and she’s a looker,” she lowered her voice. �
��What does she look like?” she asked.
He couldn’t see any harm entertaining the woman’s question. “Elizabeth is about this tall,” he held his hand up to his shoulder, “Has long black hair, and really pretty blue eyes.”
“Kaya Cheek is eating herself with total envy that she let Ethan escape without marrying her. George said she’s drop dead gorgeous and the talk of the Rez.”
He laughed at that. “Lucy first of all, Kaya didn’t exactly ‘let him go’, she more drove him far away, but I guess that’s just perspective. As for my sister-in-law’s looks, I can attest that George is spot on.” He wasn’t going to make any more comments on her hotness that could turn into some nasty gossip, much like when he cheated with Kaya Cheek. It took years for that one to die down.
“Kaya said that the woman is probably a total bitch, because women like that are never nice.”
Whitefox bristled. He didn’t like anyone saying anything bad about their Elizabeth. She was family and that meant full on protectiveness. “Actually, I know this for a fact,” he leaned down to the woman to drop his voice, like he was telling her a secret. “Elizabeth is even more beautiful inside than on the outside, so looks like Kaya has something else to sweat now. Ethan is head over heels in love with her, and no one seems to exist when she’s near him. Kaya never could get his attention like that.”
“You don’t say.”
“Oh yeah, and my granddad loves her to death and she’s an outsider. He couldn’t stand Kaya Cheek, because she was ugly on the inside.” He couldn’t help it. He knew it would get back to the woman. She deserved it, and he found it funny. “Hey can I see Harry?”
“Yeah, he’s in the back. You want me to get him out here?”
“Nah, I’ll wander back. If you hear anything about the killings, you call me okay?” he knew she would. She was more efficient with gossip than a tabloid.
“Bye honey, you come back and see us again!” The minute he was through the door she was picking up the phone and dialed her best girlfriend to tell her about what she just heard.
Callen Whitefox had it bad for his brother’s wife!
Whitefox found Doctor Harold Barnes working on a dog in the back. When he tapped on the glass, the vet tech motioned him into the room.
“Harry, how’s it going?”
The older man looked over. “Good Callen, you here to adopt a pet?”
He laughed. He wasn’t really the pet kind of person. He didn’t like to have responsibilities. “No I’m not but you know what, my brother has a back yard. Maybe he’ll get his wife a dog.”
“Send them in then. So, what can I do for you?”
“Do you use Chloral Hydrate?”
He looked over. “Yeah, we’re using it right now to keep the dog sedated. We only use it in gas form for general procedures.”
“Any missing?” he asked.
“No,” he looked over at his tech. “Are we missing any?”
“No Doctor, we have three tanks in stock. I just grabbed this one and saw two left.” Then she paused, considering something.
“What?”
“We don’t have any missing now, but last fall our shipment was delivered and it was all missing. We called the shipper and they reissued.”
“Can you get me the information?”
“Sure can. Doc, can I go grab the papers?”
“Go ahead, I have it under control,” he said, as he continued the procedure. “Yeah, I heard about the killings.”
“Word travels fast.”
“Wyler was helping me out the other day, and he mentioned Ethan was back in town again. How’s that going?”
His father? He was working for the vet and had access to the chloral hydrate. That piece of information set off alarm bells in his head.
“How long has my dad been working for you, and what exactly was he helping you out with?” he started digging for information.
“I don’t know if helping out is a good word, more like I ordered a totem for the front of the clinic with all the different animals that we service. I thought it would be great for business. Wyler’s been selling them online too. He’s doing really well with his new business. He came for the measurements and then left.”
“Oh, okay.” How had he not known this about Wyler and his business? Then again, why would he know?
The vet tech returned and handed Whitefox the papers. “All the information is in there. Give me a call if you need anything else,” she winked at him.
He might have taken her up on it, if he wasn’t suddenly more interested in exotic outsiders like his sister-in-law. His brother’s choice in women seemed to be rubbing off on him, and he found himself wishing cloning was legal.
Doctor Barnes looked up, continuing, “Yeah, I heard the wife is a beauty. Your grandfather’s neighbor was in yesterday, and he mentioned he saw her with your granddad in the burial grounds.”
Whitefox laughed. “Yeah, she is and before you believe what Kaya Cheek is spouting, she’s really sweet and my brother’s crazy in love with her.” What he didn’t say was so was he.
“He deserves the happiness,” said Barnes. “How does Timothy feel since she’s an outsider?”
“My granddad is in love with her too. It’s like he hand-picked her himself for my brother,” he added.
“Need anything else, Callen?”
Whitefox thought about it. “No, I think I’m good for now.”
“Great,” he finished the procedure and nudged his vet tech. “Missy, I’m done. Can you take him to his kennel? Callen, you swing by anytime, you hear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ethan and his wife leaned against the side of their vehicle. They were waiting for the third in their party to arrive, so they could have lunch. When he pulled up and hopped out, Blackhawk immediately wanted to know how it went, since theirs was a bust.
“It was mostly a dead end. They had a misplaced shipment last fall, and they gave me the paperwork to follow-up. I have a feeling that tracing missing Chloral Hydrate a year later is going to be almost impossible. I figure it’ll pretty much be a dead end when I call the company, but I’ll follow-up,” he started laughing once he noticed Elizabeth wasn’t paying attention. “Let’s order lunch. Your wife looks like she may go all ‘Donner party’ on us at any second. I’ll tell you the rest after you feed her.”
Elizabeth snickered and didn’t miss a beat. “Oh I didn’t know the early settlers ate the Indians too. I was under the impression we just stole your land. They need to fix those pesky history books.”
Both men laughed.
“Come on you two and stop talking cannibalism before lunch,” Blackhawk added. He was glad his brother and wife were getting along. “Especially before we’re going to eat burgers.”
“Cowboy, if you think the topic of cannibalism will stop me from eating and feeding Baby Blackhawk, you haven’t a clue.” Elizabeth kissed his cheek. “Can we eat outside?” she asked, “It’s gorgeous out, and I could use some vitamin D or maybe a tan. I feel very pale standing between you two.”
“I happen to like your paleness,” he answered, but conceded. “Go grab a table, and I’ll get lunch.” Blackhawk left his brother with his wife.
“You feeling okay?” Whitefox asked when they sat.
“It’s just the normal pregnancy crap. Nothing bad, but if I tell Ethan then he’ll have me hospitalized.” She watched him through the windows getting lunch. “Morning sickness is pretty wicked and compound it with autopsy…”
“If you need a break then take it.”
“Worried about me, Callen?” She smiled.
“Yeah, I found that the Elizabeth charm has sucked me in and I can’t get out. My granddad, father and Ethan aren’t the only ones that are susceptible to it. Whitefox men fall pretty hard too,” he said, grinning. “Granted I’m the only Whitefox man left on the Rez, but now I’m hopelessly in love.”
“Technically, you’re a Blackhawk, Callen,” she answered, grinning. “So that completely expla
ins the feelings.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I just always felt out of place in the family,” he answered her honestly, and it was the truth. Growing up as a kid, he wished he had the same last name as his brother.
“Last name or not, you’re part of the family,” she smiled, as her husband approached. I know we’d give you the name if we could,” she added.
Ethan Blackhawk sat beside his wife, dropping a kiss on her head. “Are you smiling at me or the burger?” he laughed, knowing the answer. “Before you bitch about it, Elizabeth, we’re off duty, and I get to kiss my wife.”
“I do believe I was smiling at you carrying a burger,” Elizabeth winked at him. “And my only comment was going to be regarding that kiss. It was pathetic, and I know you can do a hell of a lot better than that.”
Grinning he kissed her again and this time meant it.
“Really you two? First cannibalism before burgers, and now you're making out at that table in front of me? You should have mercy and pity on the only single person at the table.” Whitefox said, biting into his burger and laughing.
“There will be no pity, Callen,” he said, laughing. “Suck it up.”
“Damn it!” Whitefox went alert and immediately his brother reacted to the look on his face. “Bitch at two o’clock, Ethan.”
Blackhawk tensed and watched as the woman approached the table, and at that moment he only wished they had decided to eat inside.
“Well isn’t this precious? The boys are back together.”
The sarcasm dripped from her voice.
“I didn’t ever think that I’d see this day. Oh and look, you’re both sharing another woman, that just screams ‘done before’. Will you be kissing her next, Callen?”
“Well Kaya, my brother has a better chance of making out with my wife, than you ever have of kissing either one of us ever again,” interjected Blackhawk. He didn’t enjoy the woman going after his brother and he would do anything to protect the man.
Callen tensed and stared at his sister-in-law, and their eyes met and he looked away, knowing the truth.
Sacred Burial Grounds (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 2)) Page 40