Now, it was time to call in reinforcements. On his way to the mailroom, he pulled out his phone and dialed the man who they met in Red River. Littlemoon was Native and excelled at tracking. If he needed a tracker ever, it was now.
“Yeah?” came the answer on the other end of the phone.
“Julian? It’s Director Ethan Blackhawk.”
There was a pause. “What can I do for you Director?”
“Were you serious about going into business for yourself?” He hoped the man was, because they really could use a little extra backup right now. The man may flirt with his wife, but he’d proved he was willing to have her back and that was his main goal right now.
Keep his family safe until he could get there.
“I am.”
“Are you interested in making some quick cash?”
Now he had his attention. “Is it legal?”
Ethan Blackhawk laughed. “Of course it is, but it’s just not FBI related,” and he told him what was happening. “I need you to find a missing woman.”
“Done deal. When do I leave?”
Blackhawk thought about it. He could have him on a flight tonight. “Can you pack and get to FBI West? I’ll get you on a jet out of here as soon as you arrive.”
Julian started packing. “I can be there in under three hours.”
“Terrific. I’ll get my administrative assistant to book you a room at the local bed and breakfast. Go in quiet and my wife and brother are there, and posing as a couple.”
“So just observe and locate. You want me to blend?”
“As much as possible, unless you need to keep her safe.”
Julian laughed. “You do remember what happened last time you sicked a babysitter on her, right? I’m pretty sure she can take care of herself.”
Blackhawk still had to worry. This was the mother of his child, his wife, and not to mention his heart.
“Just find the missing woman. Elizabeth will update you when you arrive. Just try to stay under the radar as much as you can.”
“You do realize that two Native men staying in a bed and breakfast isn't exactly going to be easy to pretend is normal.”
“Do the best you can, and the cash is yours.”
“See you in three hours,” and he disconnected the call.
One more thing was off his list, Julian Littlemoon would be going in, and tracking down the woman who had disappeared. Now he’d given Elizabeth one more layer of protection while down in the bayou.
He crossed his fingers and prayed for the best outcome possible for his family.
* * *
Callen parked in front of the little saltbox house hidden in the woods. It was quaint and well maintained. Obviously Desdemona came from simple beginnings, but that didn’t bother him. He too came from poverty and a rough life, but it was now that mattered. Presently he wasn’t sure how he felt about the entire situation. Yes, he loved Desdemona, but it wasn’t with all his heart. From the beginning he told her that his family mattered to him, and that the person he spent his life with had to accept that completely.
Part of him knew that the issue Desdemona was having was going to come to a head at some point. Elizabeth was off-limits. After all, she saved them both. There was hope still in his heart that they could fix whatever was broken between them. If Desdemona could get past the issues that were brewing in her head over what she perceived to be fact, they might make it. Might!
“You okay?” asked Elizabeth.
“Yeah, it doesn’t look like anyone is home. All the lights are out, and Desdemona would need a rental car.
“Let’s check. You want to take the one side and I’ll take the other? Meet you in the back?” she asked, hopping out and leaving the lights on for them to have some illumination in darkness. It sure seemed darker in the swamp.
“Sure, but watch your back,” he said, unclipping the snap on his gun holster, just in case there were any alligators waiting for an evening snack. He didn’t want to give them an easy time.
Elizabeth nodded and trotted off into the darkness.
Callen couldn’t help but notice that the darkness was beyond dark. It was like a thick, inky murk swallowing any light it could find. The night was punctuated with the crickets and an occasional lightening bug that would burst with light and then die into the darkness too. He looked in the first few windows, and noticed the house looked empty of anyone who resided there. When he managed to find his way to the back door, he was now almost out of the light of the headlights, and it was getting harder to see. What he could see was the back door led to a kitchen, and there was a small nightlight, illuminating a suitcase resting against the counter.
It was covered in skulls.
Before he could step back and move, he heard the click and felt the cold press of steel against the back of his skull. Callen swallowed once, raising his hands.
“What are you doing snooping around my house Indian?” came the older voice. “You don’t belong here, boy.”
“What’s going on?” came the second voice. This time male, and he heard the click of a second weapon. “Morgana, it’s Jonathan Delray are you okay?”
“I found me an Indian trespasser. I can shoot him right, Deputy?”
Before the woman could say anything else or the deputy could answer, there was a muffled sound and then a third voice.
“Right now you may want to lower that shotgun from the back of my partner’s skull. I have my Glock pointed at your back, right where your heart is and I can promise you the bullet will kill you in seconds. I have no problem killing old women that call him ‘Indian’ and ‘boy’.”
Callen was relieved as he heard Elizabeth’s voice. Just then there were more headlights, and Whitefox glanced over at the man lying on the ground. He was out cold. Slowly, he turned around and removed the shotgun from the old woman’s hands and pointed it at her. Just in case she had another weapon.
“Who are you two?” she questioned.
Before they could answer, Desdemona Adare ran to the back yard to the man lying prone on the ground. “Jonathan?” she called to him, touching his shoulder and then looking up at the commotion that was going on in her grand'mere’s yard. That’s when she saw Elizabeth and Callen pointing weapons at her eighty year old grand'mere. “Jesus are you both insane? She’s an old woman! You could scare her to death! Put your fucking guns down!”
Elizabeth just stared at her friend. “That’s the first damn comment that comes to mind when you see us? After we chase you across the country, hopping a flight, trying to save your life, that’s what you think is appropriate to say? Not to mention we’re off the clock to help find your sister, and then get held at gun point by that man and this old lady who called him ‘Indian’. You really don’t have anything a bit more suitable on the tip of your tongue- like ‘I’m sorry, or I’m a colossal idiot’? Seriously? All you have is that we’re insane and put down the fucking guns?”
Morgana Adare lowered her hands this time and grabbed her shotgun back. “Desdemona, who are these two?
“They’re just friends that I work with, Grand'mere,” she answered, leaning over the unconscious man lying on the ground. “They’re people I work with from the FBI, that’s all.”
Elizabeth stared over at her brother-in-law and saw the hurt, and she really couldn’t blame him. Not fiancé, not lover, not betrothed, but friend and people? The stress lines appeared around his mouth, much like her husband got when he was pissed off or mad. Right now she was angry herself, that Doctor Adare had just driven a knife into the heart of the man who risked his life to come find her. To her that was completely unacceptable.
“What did you do to Jonathan?” she asked, checking his pulse.
Elizabeth holstered her gun and crossed her arms, as she stared at her medical examiner. “I hit a pressure point. He’ll be awake in a few minutes. I think the most important thing right now is what the hell is wrong with you, Desdemona?”
The woman looked up at the icy chill in her
friend’s voice, and she expected it. Wasn’t this what she always knew would happen? Callen would be her first priority. “My grand'mere called me. My sister’s missing, and I’m sorry if I’m a little under pressure and you didn’t like the tone of my voice. I just came home to find you holding my grand'mere at gunpoint.”
“I was going to blow his Indian brains out for trespassing,” added Morgana Adare.
“Not helping, Grand'mere,” Desdemona muttered, sighing.
Elizabeth was about to tell her off. First the old bat could have killed him and now she was slinging the word ‘Indian’ like it was a bad thing. Her husband was Native, her son, and her family. She was going to first ass kick the old coot into the swamp, and toss her granddaughter in with her. Elizabeth opened her mouth for the unprecedented tirade to begin, but Callen put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay Lyzee. Don’t bother, because it’s too late.”
Desdemona noticed that Elizabeth backed right off, but the hostility was still there. The man on the ground moaned.
“We better get him inside,” stated Morgana Adare. “Then maybe someone can tell me what’s going on here. I get the feeling there is more than what meets the eye.”
Elizabeth walked forward and crouched by the man on the ground. “Come on, Jonathan. Up and at ‘em. The blood’s heading back to your brain. You’ll be okay now. Let me help you up.” She helped him to his feet and towards the house.
“My head hurts,” he muttered. “I didn’t see you coming,” he said, looking over at her. “Who are you?” Now he was staring at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “You did this to me?” he asked, patting his hip, noticing his gun was gone.
“I did, because you had a gun pointed at my partner. I get testy when people injure or try and hurt my family.” Elizabeth looked right over at Desdemona and the message passed. This wasn’t over yet. Callen bought her time, but eventually she’d have her say and the longer it brewed the worse it would be.
“Can I talk to you, Doctor Adare?” asked Whitefox, nothing but formality in his voice.
She looked up at him and heard the chill. “Yeah, sure. Can we do it in the front? I have groceries to bring in, and I prefer if you’re going to yell that you do it in private.”
Whitefox turned and walked away. His patience was fighting a wicked battle with his temper. All day he’d been worried about the woman. It was to the point he was getting an ulcer, because he feared failing to keep her promise to keep her safe. Here she was not only safe but belligerent to him and Elizabeth.
“Say what you have to say, Callen.”
“You left without calling to tell me personally what was going on. Why?”
It wasn’t what she expected him to say. Really she was bracing for a fight. “You were on assignment. You didn’t call me this morning, and I didn’t have a chance.” It was all lies. She knew why she didn’t call him, and it had to do with the woman inside with her grand'mere. “I see you brought bad ass Elizabeth Blackhawk with you as backup.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Now he felt the heat rising in his body.
“It doesn’t mean anything.” Yeah, more lies. It meant everything. Not only had he come to get her, but he didn’t come alone. He brought the love of his life. Of course he did, and her voice most likely conveyed it all to him.
“I think it means something.”
Desdemona just stared at him and shrugged.
“I sincerely hope you’re not implying anything about Elizabeth, because right now she left her three month old son home without his mother to come make sure you’re safe. We hopped a plane to get here to make sure you don’t end up dead from the nutjob stalking you. You remember the note threatening you, don’t you?”
“Oh I remember the note. I had to come home. My family is here. They needed me. Maybe you don’t understand that, since your family lives one hundred feet from us and are there all the time.” She emphasized the last three words like it was a bad thing. “My sister disappeared and the nutjob could have taken her.”
“So now my family is the problem?”
“No, not all your family.” Desdemona wanted him to know who the issue was with, and it wasn’t Ethan or CJ.
“Does your grandmother know that you’re engaged to the ‘Indian’?” he paused. “In case you need a refresher, I’m the damn ‘Indian’ in question.”
“Callen, it’s been a long day. I don’t want to do this now, okay? I have everything under control.”
He nodded. “I’ll take that as a no on the engaged to the ‘Indian’ part. That’s fine Desdemona. I’ll get Elizabeth and we’ll head back to the bed and breakfast. You have this under control then so be it. Who am I to interfere in the supreme handling of the entire situation? Why have trained FBI agents handle it? Let the medical examiner do the investigating. That sounds perfectly logical to me. You do realize standing next to a special agent doesn’t actually give you skills by osmosis, right?”
Desdemona only heard bed and breakfast and Elizabeth. The rest was lost in a jumble of emotions. Anger, jealousy and then of course she wasn’t surprised. Whitefox didn’t do anything without her. Part of her wished he’d offered to stay there with her, and keep her safe. If he would have insisted, she would have told her grand'mere everything about them right then and there.
“Yes, by all means take Elizabeth back to the bed and breakfast. I wouldn’t want you to have to inconvenience her in any way,” she snapped, bitterly.
“Good night Doctor Adare.” Whitefox headed to the back of the house to get Elizabeth and get the hell out of there before he punched something.
Desdemona felt her temper flare at his blatant dismissal. Of course Callen and his backup were going to ride off into the sunset together. Isn't that how it always had to be? She never had a chance in Callen’s life, because of the woman.
Elizabeth leaned against the counter, her arms crossed as she watched the man sitting and the old woman tending to his neck. What she wanted to do was go outside and kick the shit out of Desdemona. Right now she could be at home with her very sexy husband, crawling wantonly all over his tattooed body, or cuddling with their little chubby baby boy. No, what was she doing? Chasing down an ME with no sense of preservation with a really lousy attitude, who just cut Callen’s heart into pieces.
The man looked up at the woman with the gun.
“How did you knock me out so fast?” he asked, shaking his head and trying to regain his focus.
“Crazy, mad, ninja FBI skills. You know, you really should be quieter if you’re trying to sneak up on people with a gun. I heard you charging around the house like an elephant after a snack.”
“I thought Morgana and Desdemona needed me.”
Elizabeth looked over at the old woman. She looked exactly like a bayou witch. Part hippie meets Cajun wild woman. She was short like Doctor Adare and had long gray hair that had braids and dreads all mixed in.
She wasn’t surprised in the least. What did surprise her was the woman didn’t know jack shit about Callen being engaged to her granddaughter.
“You really work for the FBI?” she asked Elizabeth. “With my Desdemona?”
Elizabeth weighed her options and after the mess she just witnessed, she was feeling less than magnanimous. “I don’t work with her. Desdemona works for me. I’m her boss, Director Elizabeth Blackhawk.” She offered her hand and was surprised when the woman actually took it.
Morgana looked deep into her eyes. “You have something surrounding you. Protection.”
“Yep.”
“You a witch, girl?”
Elizabeth let her hold her hand. “No, my husband’s grandfather is a shaman for his tribe. He did his mojo thing over me a few times.”
Morgana nodded. “You can tell. He’s very good at what he does. Is he an herbalist too? You have the aura of protection and most shamans use herbs.”
Elizabeth didn’t get to answer. Callen appeared at the back door.
“Lyzee, I’m ready to go.�
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She nodded and pulled her hand free of the old woman’s. “I’ll be back tomorrow sometime to discuss your granddaughter’s disappearance. It’s best we give everyone time to cool down and get level headed.”
Morgana agreed. Now she was curious about the woman who was standing in her kitchen, and what her role would be in the coming days.
Jonathan Delray stood. “Night ma’am,” he said.
“Deputy,” she paused. “I’ll be stopping in to see the sheriff of Cypress Grove tomorrow. Make yourself available,” she added. Then Elizabeth reached into the back of her jeans and handed him back his gun and then the magazine. “Night y’all,” she drawled, heading out to find her partner.
Desdemona stood by her rented Mercedes and watched her boss stalk towards her. She knew by the look on her face it wasn’t going to be pretty.
“Elizabeth,” she said, trying to explain as she watched Callen hop into the Escalade and start it up.
Her friend kept walking and climbed up into the vehicle, their eyes meeting before she sat and closed the door. The look said it all. Elizabeth Blackhawk wasn’t happy and when they talked, she needed to be ready for an ass kicking like none before.
Desdemona watched them back out and Whitefox floor it to get him as far away from her as possible at that moment. She knew she’d screwed up but she was entitled to her feelings on the matter wasn’t she?
Damn it to hell. This was all just one big hot mess.
* * *
He watched the entire scene unfold from the darkness and was supremely happy about what was happening. Desdemona Adare had come home and actually obeyed the last note he’d left for her.
At one point he’d given up hope she’d return and now she was here.
Everything was going to fall into place, and all he had to do was just stay under the wire and not let the FBI find anything out about what really happened in Cypress Grove over thirty years ago.
Walking away into the darkness, he headed out into the bayou to check on Cordelia Adare, and see if time and nature had taken care of all the evidence.
Deep Dark Mire (An FBI Romance Thriller ~ book four) Page 9