Doc Trudeaux nodded. “This is why I didn’t mark it suicide. The hyoid doesn’t have to break in choking. In only one third of all murders involving strangulation, does it actually break. But where your father’s confused, I happen to agree.” Doc stood behind her, showing her on her own throat, as he pointed to the hyoid. “With manual asphyxiation you can miss the hyoid, but in most hangings the pressure and weight of the body dropping snaps it.”
“My dad wasn’t buying it.”
“Here you have Melody, a five foot seven woman at one hundred fifty pounds. She ascended into a tree and no ladder was found. There was no step stool, and nothing that she could use to aid her climb.”
“I’m with you so far.”
“She gets up into the tree, and she sits on the branch,” Doc continued, setting the scene. “In her moment of depression and sadness, she has the fortitude to tie the rope around the base of the tree, up over the limb, and around her neck.”
The way Doc described it, just made her more suspicious.
“Then she slips from the tree, dropping to hang herself. As she’s dying, not once does she reconsider, and start pulling at the rope to save herself. I found no scratches, and absolutely no DNA under her nails.”
“Okay.”
“So between the hyoid and the lack of DNA, I didn’t feel justified calling this suicide, Lyzee. It’s still open as suspicious, until proven otherwise.”
“I see.” Elizabeth began seeing what had bothered her father.
“I think what is more likely is that someone strangled her, and then strung her up. The rope left abrasions, and it hid what would have been hand mark bruising. I personally, along with your father, believe this girl had help, and it was against her will.”
Elizabeth was getting that feeling up and down her spine. “This just screams foul play to me. I don’t think we have random people suddenly committing murder in our town. I think we have one person perpetrating it all.”
Yeah, hell was about to break loose in Salem.
Elizabeth sat in her Jeep and dialed the number she had committed to memory. She was told to use it if she ever needed help. Now was as good a time as any. Their community had a killer among them, and she didn’t have the resources to save them on her own. It was time to call in a favor, and when it came to the FBI, she didn’t use up her favor cards often. She liked to save them up, just in case.
“Rothschild.”
“Gabe?”
“Lyzee? Is that you?” he asked, genuinely surprised. She never called this line; she always called them at home, or his personal cell.
“You said if I ever needed your assistance to call, and I’m using the official FBI line because this one’s official.”
He looked at the area code on his desk phone. She was still in Salem. It befuddled him what the hell could be happening there. The town was like Mayberry on sedatives.
“I have a serial killer and at least five deaths.”
“You want me to send in reinforcements?” Gabe spoke softly to the woman on the other end; they had been friends for many years. In fact, he was the one who tried to talk her out of leaving the FBI, especially since he knew both sides of the story. Next to his wife, she was the only other woman he loved. Elizabeth LaRue was like a sister to him, and he would do anything for her.
“I need them, but I want to keep it quiet. Can you send me someone good? I need the agent to blend in as a consultant. I’m hoping I won’t need to officially call in the FBI cavalry. You know my forte wasn’t profiling, and I really need another set of eyes to help me get a baseline on who’s doing the killing.”
Right then, he knew exactly who to send. “I happen to have an agent. He’s perfect for this, and just coming off a case and needs a new assignment. I know he’d be the best consultant I could find for your situation.”
“Thank you, Gabe,” she said, appreciatively.
“No, you don’t need to thank me. Expect them by tomorrow mid-morning. Get me the information you want him to take a look at, and I’ll pass it on today. He’ll have his partner with him, too. You get two for the price of one, this time. Oh, and Lyzee?”
“Yes, Gabe?”
“He’s the best profiler I have on staff. Just don’t tell him I said that,” he said, laughing. “He tends to get an ego and out of control!” Gabriel Rothschild disconnected the line, and started compiling information for the agents before their meeting. Cowboy was heading to Salem on an adventure he’d surely never forget.
Elizabeth leaned back against the seat and could finally breathe. Gabe would always have her back, and she trusted him to send the best. Salem’s residents would now have a chance. The only thing that bothered Elizabeth was, once the agents found out about what she’d once done, would they still be willing to work with her?
Damn it! Her past was creeping back up to haunt her once again.
* * *
Special Agent Lily Sanderson walked out of Gabriel Rothschild’s office, and the look on her face spoke volumes. She wasn’t happy, which meant he wasn’t going to be either. In the doorway stood their boss, and with his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't speak, he only nodded at him. Well, now it was his turn with the ‘Dragon Slayer’.
“Was it bad?” he whispered to his partner.
“Oh, you have no idea! Thanks, Ethan, for once again, boning us professionally,” she replied nastily, as he walked towards the office.
After this assignment, like she told Gabe, Lily wanted to be reassigned. Her new partner needed to be more sane and less cowboy.
It was officially over, and she was bailing on this chaos filled ride.
“Have a seat, Ethan,” stated Gabe. “I saw your report.”
“You look pissed.” It was all he could say, he knew they were in trouble.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m pissed, as much as disappointed. You know how I am about rules,” he answered diplomatically, his face showing nothing. He leaned back in his desk chair and ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair. The pepper was the real color; the salt was from the stress of his team. He was always worried about the man in front of him, and before last year, he worried about Elizabeth LaRue.
They had both aged him.
It was one more reason he believed they’d get along just fine, since they both enjoyed making him crazy.
“I did what I felt was needed. The abductor was getting more and more agitated, and I feared for the child’s life.”
Gabe nodded, “Except you had no way of knowing the child was indeed alive.”
Blackhawk said nothing. If he told the man that he simply had a feeling, he would be in for mandatory evaluation. He wasn’t going there. Maybe it was just good old Indian intuition. His grandfather preached it growing up, and then there were the dreams...
On second thought, maybe he was crazy.
“Just tell me the repercussions, Gabe. I need a vacation from the city, and I am sure you’ll be more than willing to help me out there. For the record, Lily had nothing to do with my plan. In fact, she told me not to do it.”
“Oh, Special Agent Blackhawk, I’m very aware you need a vacation from the city. Let’s just say, you’re absolutely right, you’re getting one.”
Great, this was going on his and Lily’s records. That was why she was pissed at him.
“Pack your bags, Special Agent Blackhawk. I have a new assignment for you, and bring your cowboy boots; you know, the ones you wear when you stomp all over the rules.”
Blackhawk looked confused. He planned on couch surfing and sleeping as much as he could, to find his mystery woman.
“Since you appreciate circumventing the rules, I have one of my own rule bending assignments planned for you.”
Something about the way he said that made him very wary. Gabriel Rothschild was a by the book kind of guy.
Always.
“It seems one of my closest friends called me from down south.”
“I’m going out in the field?”
“Yes you are. Sheriff LaRue has a slew of bodies adding up, a stretched deputy force, and needs some assistance with profiling. You, Cowboy, are that assistance and I’m sending you in as a consultant. You are to back up the sheriff unofficially, until deemed necessary for the FBI to take over.”
“You're doing someone a favor?” he just stared, but his face must have said it all. “A close friend?”
“Yes, a very old friend, and yes, I am. Since you don’t mind bending the rules, this is the perfect assignment for you. As for Lily, where you go, she goes Cowboy. That is her cross to bear as your partner.”
Blackhawk sat there, unsure if this was a good or bad thing.
“I suggest you pack cooler clothes, late spring and early summer in the south is a bitch,” he added, grinning. When he could teach his agents a lesson without it damaging their record, he enjoyed it. It must be the sadist in him. Besides, he liked Ethan Blackhawk a great deal, and he suspected he would be good for Elizabeth LaRue, and in more ways than one.
Maybe he could talk her into coming back, but they would cross that bridge later.
“Again, I’m there as a consult only, and the sheriff remains in control?”
Gabe rubbed his chin smiling, at the thought of Blackhawk trying to gain control from Elizabeth LaRue. “You are to go in quietly, and to make contact with the sheriff. Try to not scare the locals and most importantly, don’t get anyone killed- especially yourself or Sheriff LaRue. If it is indeed a serial killer running loose, contact base and get back up. Are we clear?”
“Yes, crystal.”
“Meanwhile, get home, pack, and get to the airport. I’ll email you everything once the sheriff sends me the info.”
Blackhawk stood.
“Oh, and Cowboy, don’t piss the sheriff off. Remember, friend of mine, and I take that very serious,” he nodded, as the man left looking worried. Gabe couldn’t help but laugh to himself. Blackhawk was about to meet his match. Stubborn and control freak were about to collide, and maybe teach them both a lesson. Once he met the original cowboy, maybe Ethan Blackhawk would see how dangerous and reckless it could be. He picked up his phone and hit redial, getting her back on the phone.
“Sheriff LaRue,” she answered on the first ring.
“They’re departing for the airport and they have an arrival time of four in the morning. By the time they drive to Salem, it should be around seven.”
“I’ll be ready for them,” she answered softly. “Thank you, Gabe. I love you!”
“Lyzee, anything for you and you know that. Livy and the kids ask about you all the time. After this is all over, please come visit, okay?” he was worried about her. “We love you and miss you too.”
Elizabeth thought about his wife and the kids she loved, and it was almost enough to make her consider. “I can’t promise anything, but if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
He let it go. It was obvious that she just wasn’t ready yet. “Special Agents Blackhawk and Sanderson are on their way. Send me the files with all you have, and I’ll email it in route so they can be prepared.”
Elizabeth motioned from her desk to get her secretary’s attention. “I’ll send all I have immediately. If they’re arriving early, have them meet me at ‘The Barrel’ in town for breakfast. Then we can get to work. I want to meet them on level playing ground, so I can size up the FBI powerhouse you’re sending me.”
Gabe laughed. “Be safe, Lyzee.”
“Thanks again, Gabe.” After she hung up the phone, she instructed her secretary to scan and send all the documents to the email on the paper. “It needs to be done quietly.”
“You called in the FBI?” she asked, noticing the Quantico address.
“Yes, but let’s keep this hush hush for now, okay?”
“You're the boss,” she replied, turning with the files.
Yeah great, she was the boss. It was none of the fun, and all the shitty responsibility.
* * *
Mid-flight, the information arrived and Lily still wasn’t speaking to him. She was pissed that they had pulled backwoods duty as punishment. He didn’t mind a small town; it’s how he grew up. He wanted to apologize to Lily, but every time he tried, she would give him a dirty look, and then go back to working on her laptop. Blackhawk got the picture, and he couldn’t help but feel bad, but at least they still had their jobs.
“Information is in,” he said, forwarding it over to her.
“Great.”
“Are you going to be pissed at me the entire assignment?”
Lily glared at him. “Yes I am. You played cowboy and dragged your partner into the shithole with you, Ethan. What you do with your career is your business, but I don’t like having meetings with Gabe after each assignment. Not ones where I’m shipped to the outer reaches of civilization as punishment.”
“Hey, we saved someone’s life, and Gabe wasn’t really pissed. We’ve both seen him mad. This was nothing. I remember one time…” he started, and stopped when he noticed she wasn’t amused.
“Ethan, he’s sending us to a Godforsaken town in the middle of nowhere. We are probably sleeping in our car, if he even gets us one of those. Not to mention we know nothing about this sheriff. He’s probably old, sweaty, bald, and wears those tacky brown uniforms. He probably hasn’t a clue which way is up, and now we’re going to have to babysit some hick,” she pointed at him. “All while you get us shot at again by some homicidal local.”
Blackhawk couldn’t help but laugh, “Lily, look at the files. Check out the meticulous notes. This Sheriff LaRue isn’t an idiot. He assesses like we do, so he’s had law enforcement experience, and I’m willing to bet that he did time in the FBI.”
“Well that’s good to know. At least we have a bald, sweaty sheriff, who couldn’t cut it in the FBI, to lead us around.”
But Blackhawk didn’t hear her. He was too busy reading the files and trying to decipher the information. From what he saw, the sheriff definitely was right. The bodies were piling up and leads weren’t. That suited him just fine; he needed a distraction from the woman in his dreams.
Ethan looked forward to this assignment and escaping the mystery woman who was taking over his nights. He was beginning to think he was crazy, falling for a woman who didn’t even exist. Maybe it was hopeless, and he needed to move on and see a shrink after all. The raven haired beauty just didn’t exist. She was a figment of his imagination. He needed to just come to grips with that, and admit it was fun while it lasted. Granted, the dreams heated his body like no real woman ever managed, and he fell for her scent and voice. But it was time to find a flesh and blood female and start dating again. Maybe she was a manifestation of his pent up sexual desire. What he needed was to find someone of the opposite sex who turned him on, as he got off a few times to forget her.
Blackhawk’s mind was made up. As soon as this assignment was over, so was his nighttime fantasy.
And yet…
Even though he tried talking himself out of the raven haired beauty, he still found himself dwelling on her. Something about her was completely alluring. This mystery woman was so distracting that he never noticed Gabe didn’t include the dossier on the sheriff.
Again, he forced himself to move on in his mind. “Goodbye dream woman,” he whispered, closing his eyes briefly for one last glimpse of the memories he’d squirreled away.
Then it was time to start living once again.
~ Chapter Three ~
Thursday Early Morning
Elizabeth sat in ‘The Barrel’, mulling over her notes. It was the little place her half-brother owned and operated. She spent a great deal of her down time there. Whenever Elizabeth needed a quiet place to work, she would stop in, grab her coffee and have silence. Then at night she sometimes would grab a beer here with her deputies.
Behind the bar was Beatrice, and she was making another pot of coffee in preparation for the morning crowd. Soon breakfast would be served, coffee handed out, and the town folk would be in to gossip a
bout the bodies. Hopefully before they arrived, she would have the FBI agents long gone and safely tucked away in her office.
Keeping anything quiet in Salem was nothing short of a miracle. Word here travelled faster than the Black Death during the medieval times.
Elizabeth glanced up as her half-brother entered for his morning shift. It wasn’t odd to find him working late and early, it was after all, his place. George was one of those annoying people who didn’t need sleep.
After work, he could be found in his workshop, refinishing furniture. In fact, Elizabeth was pretty sure he never slept; it was beginning to make her think he probably wasn’t human.
“Hey E.L,” he said, straddling the chair. Ever since they were kids he called her by her initials or her nickname. He liked the way it sounded much better than boring old Elizabeth.
“Hey George, how’s things?”
He nodded taking in his sister and the files on the table. She was working again. “Good! Same old! Mom is worried about the bodies they found, but I told her you’re on the case, so no worries.”
Elizabeth patted his hand; she genuinely liked her half-brother, but her step-mother not so much. Once her father remarried, she remembered the fights between her dad and the woman, and it still bothered her. “When you see Abigail, tell her I send my regards.”
George nodded, gave her that good ol’ boy smile, and pushed away from the table. “Will do E.L. I’ll have Beatrice get you some more coffee.”
When he was gone, Elizabeth sat and observed the regulars in ‘The Barrel’. Horace was at the counter; Beatrice was working the bar, serving coffee and filling creamers, and then there was the spattering of older men who hung out there to gossip.
Part of her was rattled that one of her citizens was the killer. When the bells over the door chimed, she was pulled back to reality and couldn’t help but smile. Here came her deputy, and surprise surprise, he was looking for her. When she raised her hand, he nodded and joined her at the table.
The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) Page 5