And it was.
She was trying to recover from so many hits. She’d lost Ethan, Chris wouldn’t come to Salem with her, and now she was battling for her very soul.
“I’m here to help. What do you need?” Elizabeth asked.
“I know you’re having a hard time,” Tori offered. “If you can’t do this…”
It was time to own it
“Ethan and I are separated. We’re trying. Let’s leave my mess out of your mess, or we’ll have muddied waters. One shit fest at a time. My personal life isn’t the issue. Yours is. Let’s go with that.”
Tori got it.
Elizabeth didn’t want to discuss it.
Well, she suspected they were going to be delving into her personal life, and soon, since the second Elizabeth walked into the room, another couple spirits had made their presence known.
Elizabeth wasn’t alone.
She had a few ghosts keeping watch over her too. At some point, that was going to come out. Tori couldn’t keep the dead at bay for long.
“If that’s what you want,” Tori offered.
“It is. I’m here to help. Put me to work.”
“I don’t even know where to start, Lyzee. The judge that the commissioner has in his pocket is about to send Beau back. We can’t stop him. They are going to push this trial through.”
Elizabeth hated when people skewed the rules to their own needs. Justice was supposed to be blind.
That didn’t sound blind to her.
“I can slow him down,” she promised. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Tori was thankful for that.
“Get me to an office, a whiteboard, and let me see what you have.”
They took her into the conference room. There, on the wall, was a giant whiteboard. Callen grabbed her favorite colored smelly marker and tossed it to her.
“Here you go, angel. Do your thing.”
The lights flickered.
Elizabeth looked up. “Uh, I hope that’s not a fire hazard. You might need to have the wires checked.”
“Rats. Don’t stress it,” Julian offered, trying to cover for his wife and her band of dead-communicating merry followers.
“That’s probably not a good thing.”
The team laughed it off, trying to make it a joke. Whenever a person came into their circle, they protected it. Tori, for some reason, wasn’t ready to discuss it.
They would buy her time.
This woman might be Tori’s BFF, but it was clear that she didn’t know anything about Tori’s gift.
Or theirs.
“Who do we have on the suspect list?” she asked, uncapping the marker to begin working.
Tori knew this was how she rolled. Elizabeth had a specific way she handled each case, and Tori was more than happy to let her.
Time mattered, and Elizabeth had continually pulled so much out of the shitter before it went down the tubes, it could be called miraculous.
Yeah, she could run this however the hell she wanted.
“Can you?” Tori asked Julian.
“I can,” he began. “We have six people who made calls to Shelby’s cell phone,” Julian began.
“Let me have them and let me know where you stand with them.”
That he could do.
“We have Fredrick Raymond. He’s a high-priced city lawyer. The cops couldn’t get in to see him, and he’s not going to play nice with us. We’re ‘beneath’ him.”
Callen laughed.
Well, that man was going to be on the top of her list, and Callen knew it.
“He’s in for a rude awakening. She eats lawyers as a snack between meals.”
Elizabeth snorted.
It was true.
“That I do. I’ll handle him. I love jackassery at its finest. I take it as a personal challenge when a lawyer tries to evade me on the principle that he’s better than a cop or investigator. I don’t like when attorneys say no.”
Hell!
She took it as a challenge when ANYONE said no.
“Who else?” Elizabeth asked, as she scribbled his name on the board.
“We interviewed Wyatt Grant yesterday. He’s this computer nerd who was being blackmailed by Shelby for banging his boss’s wife. He told the cops he didn’t know Shelby—even though she called him four times.”
“Yeah, there’s no such thing as coincidences.” So, she made note of his name.
Callen stared at the information. “How did he get caught?” he asked.
“It seems that the couple had a few public displays of affection in a local bar. Someone got pictures, got them to Shelby, and then…”
She got it.
“It had to be someone inside the bar. Those places are dark. A PI or a stalker would wait outside, not inside.”
She was right.
Going inside was to close for comfort for an investigator. You risked the chance of being seen, and that would blow it.
“Here’s the interesting part that is going to make you smile,” she offered.
“Go for it.”
“The bartender was also on that phone list.”
Elizabeth faced her. “So maybe he’s the one doing the informing. If people are doing dirty deeds, then they usually need a partner to help them.”
That was EXACTLY what they’d been thinking.
It reassured Tori that she’d been on track. This woman helped train her. She worked beneath Ethan as the fire expert, but Elizabeth taught her how to be badass as a Fed.
Maybe she wasn’t rusty.
“What did the bartender say when you interviewed him?” she asked.
“We haven’t talked to Leon Brewer yet. We just got the list yesterday, and with Lena’s death…”
She got it.
“Okay, gotcha. Well, we’ll handle that sooner rather than later. Who’s next?”
“We have Xavier Lake, but the cops can’t find him. They went to his house, knocked, and he doesn’t seem to be there. He’s not employed, so we can’t go to his workplace to find him there.”
Elizabeth made notes.
“That’s suspicious. When a person goes MIA, they are usually hiding for a reason.”
Yeah, Tori was aware.
“What does this Xavier Lake do?” she asked.
Roman pulled out his papers. He’d done the research on him. “He’s a musician. He freelances from bar to bar, so his pay is going to be under the table—when he is gainfully employed.”
That wasn’t what caught her attention.
Not in the least.
“Again with the bar,” Elizabeth stated. “It seems to be a central point. You have three suspects out of that location. That’s an investigator’s red flag.”
Callen pulled out his tablet.
He knew what was coming. “You want to know if I can tie the lawyer to the bar, don’t you?” he asked.
She smiled at him.
“And they say you’re just a pretty face.”
He snorted. “You say I have a sexy ass. I don’t recall the pretty face part.”
“Very true. I’m not always looking at your face.”
Tori laughed.
It felt good.
She finally had hope that the team could pull this off, and they could save Beau. Elizabeth was good with things like this, and here was the proof.
“So, as my research lust monkey does his thing, tell me more about the list.”
They all looked over at Callen and his nickname.
“She’s incorrigible. Don’t even go there.” He couldn’t help but smile. She could tease him all she wanted as long as she came back to him.
This was their Elizabeth, and with each joke, there was proof she still existed beneath the mourning.
“Who’s next?” she asked.
“We have Sabrina Adams. She’s an accountant for the city. The cops didn’t get in to talk to her. The commissioner vouched for her, and they were told to drop it.”
Yeah, that wasn’t good.
“So, the commissioner called in a favor, got a judge to bump Beau’s bond, and he’s messing with the witnesses. Why?”
she asked.
Something more was here, and if she was going to do her job, she had to know it all.
“That sounds like a vendetta against your business, Julian. Did you ruffle feathers with the man?” she asked.
Yeah, not him.
Vivian raised her hand. “I worked under Commissioner Anders. Let’s just say that I burned it to the ground when I married a Littlemoon. They’re public enemy number one with the local PD. You know…always sticking their noses in where they don’t belong.”
Yeah, she got it.
Normally, she wasn’t fond of investigators, but the Littlemoons were a whole different category. They’d been Feds and cops. That meant they actually FOLLOWED the law.
“So, it’s a little case envy and a whole lot of prejudice?” she asked.
“Yeah, they didn’t like Natives playing on their playground,” Justin stated. “If you know what I mean.”
Oh, she got it, and she smiled ferally.
“Awww, well, ain’t that a damn shame? I can bet they won’t like me playing here either. I don’t play with others—especially if they have issues with Natives.”
Callen snorted as soon as he heard the southern in her voice. An ass booting was coming, and soon.
Then their eyes connected, and he knew the truth.
While it was good to see her back, he could tell she was putting on an act.
It was over the top.
It was forced.
This wasn’t her normal chipper self. Elizabeth was carrying baggage and trying to make everyone believe she was fine.
Clearly, she wasn’t.
Well, he had to help her out.
Silently, as he was supposed to be doing a search on his tablet, Callen sent his brother a text message to call her. She needed his help with the commissioner, and talking to him would really help.
They needed to bridge this relationship gap.
Callen crossed his fingers that his little hints and pushes would work.
“Who is next?” she asked.
“Regina McCann is the last person who showed up on her list,” Julian stated.
“No, there’s one more,” Tori offered.
Julian counted them off on his fingers.
“There was that one who was only one call. Who was it?” Tori asked. The name had slipped her mind.
“Oh, Marshall Wolff,” Mattie offered. “The detective said that when they interviewed him, it was a wrong number.”
“Did they buy that?” Elizabeth asked.
“Apparently, they did. It was one call, and it only lasted a few minutes,” Justin offered.
That worked for her.
Elizabeth didn’t write the name down, but she made a mental note of his name.
“Okay, let’s focus on these six people. Meanwhile, I’m going to rattle a commissioner’s cage.”
They all stared at her.
“What? Am I not dressed for it?” she asked, glancing down at her boots.
“Commissioner Anders is going to be pissed, and you don’t have jurisdiction to storm in there,” Julian offered. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to watch you emasculate him and make him cry, but we have one body. He’s never going to hand this case over to you.”
Oh, she was well aware.
That wasn’t her plan. She was going to work this case in tandem, and that meant him not being able to jack with the results. He’d have a second check.
The federal government.
“He doesn’t have to hand it over. I want him to know I’m double checking that he’s crossing all his T’s and dotting all his I’s.”
He got it.
She was going to scare the man into doing the right thing. If he knew he had an audience paying attention, he wouldn’t break the rules.
They hoped.
“I take it back. That’s a great idea,” Julian admitted. This was probably why she’d been a director for the FBI, and the go to person to catch crazies.
Elizabeth knew how to play the game.
“I’m done questioning your motives,” Julian offered.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, Jules. Don’t panic unless I panic.”
She was about to say more when her phone rang. Immediately, her heart stopped.
The song, signaling an incoming call, brought back so many memories. All of which hurt like a bitch.
It was the song she and Ethan had danced to at their second wedding at the Rez.
“Ethan,” she whispered. It was said with so much sorrow as she stared down at her husband’s face on the smartphone.
It was the first time he’d called in three weeks.
“Answer it,” Callen stated.
She wanted to panic.
“Angel,” he nudged.
What it came down to was that she trusted his judgment when hers was off. Maybe he knew something she didn’t.
“Elizabeth Blackhawk.”
“Baby, do you need my help?” he asked, his voice holding back a flood of emotions.
He knew she used his last name for him. There was no doubt in his mind she knew who was calling her.
That gave him hope.
When she heard his voice, Elizabeth had to turn her back to the room. It was the most beautiful, rich, deep sound she’d heard in weeks. Her biggest fear was she’d forget the reaction she got when he spoke.
It always sent shivers down her spine. That warm, sexy voice belonged to a man who captivated, loved, and then broke her into so many shattered pieces.
Still, she loved him.
Immediately, tears filled her eyes despite her fighting them. Here was her one weakness.
Behind her, she could hear everyone moving around. She only hoped they’d leave.
She was going to break.
It was coming.
“Baby? Are you there?”
“Yes, Ethan, I’m here,” she said softly. It wasn’t easy to get his name out. It got stuck on the tip of her tongue—thanks to the sorrow.
“Do you need my help?” he asked again. Ethan had his fingers crossed that she did. When she needed him, it gave him purpose.
It gave him a path back to her heart.
“I kinda do, Ethan. I have a police department playing some dirty games,” she admitted. “So, I may need your help.”
“Like what kind of games? I hope not the kind where you get hurt. I can’t bear to see that anymore.”
Her either.
She stared down at her casted arm. She longed to see his name in that heart. Callen had drawn it there to heal her, but it did the exact opposite.
Each second, of each day, it was a constant reminder that he was gone.
Her Ethan was gone.
“Elizabeth, are you okay?” he asked, when she didn’t speak.
“Yeah, I am.” Pulling it together, she told him about Beau’s bail being revoked and how they had until Friday to get him off or he was going into jail.
Likely for good.
“They want to sway a jury. I wouldn’t be shocked if the DA is in cahoots with the commissioner. You know how small towns operate. Add in a soldier with PTSD and a police department that can’t find their asses in a brown paper bag.”
Yeah, he got it.
Beau was screwed.
“I can handle that. I can get him back on bond. I know a few judges with more clout. They happen to be on the Supreme Court.”
She figured he could make some DC magic. Ethan was a pro at playing the game. Maybe that was the problem. He’d become DC.
“Thank you, Ethan. That would give me some wiggle room to help Tori work this case. If the clock isn’t ticking, I can make sure we don’t miss a single thing.”
He wanted to tell her he’d do anything for her, but he knew what that would lead to, and he couldn’t.
Ethan didn’t want to bring her more pain.
“I
was sitting in my office, and I just saw you on the news,” he admitted.
He didn’t know why he said that.
It just popped out of his mouth. He could feel the heat racing up his neck. He was embarrassed at the fact he was video stalking her from his office. He was even tracking the tracers in their phones. Ethan had clearly lost it.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
When Callen had told him they were heading to Delta Falls, Ethan made sure he had their local news on his office TV. He had watched her get out of her ride, cross through the media, and stare defiantly at them.
He fell in love all over again.
After weeks of not seeing anything but a random picture, to see his woman again helped heal something broken in him.
It also reminded him what he’d done to her. She looked like death warmed over. His wife was definitely not taking this separation well, and he longed to fix it.
He longed to fix them.
“You’re watching the news?” she asked, turning around to find the room empty.
Even Callen was gone.
She was glad. She wanted to talk to him—alone.
“I am, and you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. My heart aches without you.”
She couldn’t help it.
She began crying.
“Oh, baby, please don’t cry,” he said, knowing she’d done that a lot in the last weeks. Callen had his hands full with holding her together.
“I can’t breathe without you, Ethan. I can’t figure anything out anymore. I feel like I’m locked in a box, and I don’t know how the hell to get out.”
His heart pounded at her words.
“Oh, Lyzee, baby. I’m sorry. In three weeks, I’ll make this right,” he promised.
That was all fine and dandy, but she needed to know. If she didn’t ask, it would always plague her.
“Do you still love me Ethan?” she asked softly.
That one sentence nearly took him to his knees. Did he love her?
God!
He would never stop loving her.
Ever.
“I can’t quit loving you, Elizabeth. You’re my everything. I’m locked in a box too.”
She sniffled and picked up a tissue with her casted hand. Again, she saw that empty heart. It was blank, and that killed her inside.
“I hope you haven’t,” she said. “I know we parted on…less than kind terms.”
He’d been the one who hurt her. That letter was deserving, and it was tucked into his suit pocket.
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