“Yes, I sure do, and we should celebrate. Another day without a body and the mayor is gone,” he laughed. “It’s the little things in life that matter most,” he said, taking the glass from her, smiling and toasting them.
She took a sip of her wine, and placed the glass on the counter. “I just wanted to do something all day,” she walked toward him seductively, chewing on her lower lip.
“Oh yeah?” he leaned down, expecting a scorching kiss, and was surprised when she only pulled the tie restraining his hair.
“So much better,” she ran her fingers through it, grinning.
“Here I thought I was going to get this earth shattering kiss that was going to make me wild and hot.”
Elizabeth shrugged, moving back to her wine and denying him his fantasy. “There’s a problem with that plan, Cowboy.”
“Care to share with me, Sheriff?”
“It’s simple. I start kissing you, and then you get all excited. Next you get very hand-sy, and I end up half naked. You join me in my nakedness, and before we know it we’re having hot sweaty sexy on the couch, with no dinner.”
His body reacted to the idea of them just getting naked, and having sex in her great room. “It doesn’t sound like a bad plan to me,” he stalked towards her, unbuttoning his dress shirt, and tossing it on the counter. Next came his shoes, and belt.
Elizabeth laughed and squealed, as he started chasing her.
When Blackhawk caught her he threw her onto the couch, and pulled her shirt off. He was leaving little licks and bites along her collar bone. When she paused, putting her hand over his mouth to silence him, he froze. Blackhawk moved his mouth to her ear, “What’s wrong?”
Elizabeth rolled off the couch, and pulled her gun from the holster sitting on the coffee table, she motioned to the ceiling and her ear. Neither of them moved, as they listened for any sign of movement. There was a telltale creak. Someone was in her house on the second floor.
Blackhawk reached for his own gun, and motioned for her to remain there, and she looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Again the floor creaked, as they moved towards the stairs. He made a hand motion, and she nodded, understanding what he wanted to do. They were going to search the house.
Elizabeth knew the stairs well and avoided the creaks. Growing up as a teenager, sneaking in after missed curfew had given her the knowledge of which ones would give her away. Blackhawk was light on his feet, but he still hit the one step that gave her away countless times as a teen. The wood groaned under his weight, and it sounded like an explosion in the silence. Both paused as they waited to hear the intruder make the next move.
The sounds from upstairs stopped, as if whoever it was heard them coming.
He motioned again and she pointed back. They were going divide and conquer, each taking rooms, one by one to clear them. Just to make sure no one stepped out surprising them, and ending their lives.
Elizabeth made it to the top of the stairs and broke right, her back against the wall. She watched him mimic her motions. Taking left, he glanced over at her in the pale light being cast from the stairwell, and mouthed ‘be careful’.
Elizabeth advised him to do the same.
The first room was the large bathroom; she crept in and was glad it had a nightlight that went on when it became dark. Pulling back the shower curtain, she released the breath she was holding when it was clear. Mentally she crossed it off, and started out to her next room. It was one of the guest rooms. It was hard to focus. Her heart was pounding as she hoped Blackhawk was safe.
Blackhawk could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Fear was gripping him, like icy cold claws. It wasn’t himself that he was worried about, but the sheriff. Leaving her on her own scared him. If anything happened to her…
He pushed it down, walking into the spare bedroom and peeking behind the door. When he saw it was clear, he checked under the bed and then slowly opened the closet. Inside was also clear, and he relaxed marginally. Blackhawk’s thoughts were back on Elizabeth, and praying she didn’t encounter anyone. If it had to happen, he wanted it to be him.
When Blackhawk exited, she released the breath she was holding. Time for the next bedroom, It was the one that was once hers as a little girl. The walls were still bright pink and covered in flowers, and she never had the heart to change it. Not since she remembered her father toiling over it and putting so much time into it.
Elizabeth scanned the room, and immediately her eyes went to the closet. The door was open a crack, and she knew with her compulsive tendencies that she always closed the closet doors. The sweep under the bed turned up nothing, and then to the closet. With her gun pointing toward the danger, she toed open the door, keeping her hands free to use her firearm. Her one arm was still sore, and she needed the additional support to keep her aim straight.
As it creaked open she winced. Mental note, she needed to oil the hinges. Hitting the light, she saw it was empty and nothing looked touched. It just struck her as odd that someone would go into her old closet.
What could they be looking for?
Blackhawk cleared the last bedroom, the only thing left was the sheriff’s room, and he met her outside the door. Both nodded, signaling as they entered. This is where it would be dangerous. Making sure to keep her in his line of sight, just so they didn’t accidentally shoot each other, they proceeded. Blackhawk took the master bath, and cleared the space, as she checked the walk in closet. He noticed the window in the bathroom was open, and he knew they didn’t leave it that way.
Someone had been in the house, and in her room. Rage filled him, as he crept walked back out, pretty sure that the intruder was gone.
“It’s all clear,” she said pointing her gun at the floor, and looking around the room. “I know I heard something. I’m not going crazy.”
“The bathroom window is open, and there’s a tree right outside the window. I don’t doubt you were right.” Ethan went to her, hugging her protectively against his body, and kissing her forehead before he continued, “Someone was here.”
“We need to call your people, they can dust for prints, but I want to check all the rooms downstairs. Who knows how long the intruder was in here,” she said, shuddering at the thought the killer or intruder was going through her personal things.
“Let’s go down. I’ll grab my phone and make the call. We’ll walk the entire house together, okay?”
Elizabeth glanced up into his eyes, and saw the worry. There was no doubt that he was scared for her, because she was terrified for herself. The maniac was in her bedroom and in her house. There was no way she’d sleep again.
“You’re getting an alarm system,” he informed her, holding her hand as his gun remained in his other one. “Come on Lyzee,” he said, leading her to the stairs.
“I’ll get one immediately,” she paused, looking around. “Wait, we were right there,” she pointed at the kitchen island, and then the couch, releasing his hand to move behind the wall and peek out. She stepped down, and they heard the creek.
Blackhawk’s eyes narrowed. The scumbag had been watching them. He wasn’t searching for something in a room, he had been watching from the top of the stairs. The sick bastard had been watching them as he got ready to make love to her. His blood boiled at the invasion of their privacy.
“I think that I’m getting the loudest alarm I can find, and a dog. A big dog named killer, with an extra row of teeth,” she shuddered, moving back to him.
“We have to call this in now. Try not to touch anything, Lyzee.”
Elizabeth nodded and followed him down the stairs, and immediately headed for her office. It was where her gun safe was, and where all her important papers were kept. Everything that she found important was kept in that room. Scanning her office, she grabbed a tissue to protect any evidence on the safe dial as she opened it. Carefully, she peered into the safe, finding everything was there.
When Blackhawk entered the room, he glanced around. It was the first time he’d been in her off
ice, and it suited her. It looked like his at home. She was standing in the middle of the room, and she was making a scan, to see if something had been touched. When her eyes reached the desk, he knew something was wrong.
“What?” he asked, moving to her side.
Elizabeth pointed to the center of the desk, noticing her father’s laptop was missing. Someone had left a piece of paper in its place, with her name scribbled across it. It looked familiar, since it was her own stationary from her desk. “That wasn’t there, and my father’s laptop is gone.”
Blackhawk moved to the desk, and used a pen to flip the paper open. Intruders who left notes, seldom left nice ones. As he carefully tried to open the paper, he scanned the note.
“What does it say?” she whispered, slowly moving to his side, almost afraid to look. The look on his face said it all, and she suddenly felt her heart pounding in her chest. It was going to be bad.
Blackhawk closed the note, and moved to her, pulling her into his arms. From the window, he could see flashing lights, and knew the show was about to begin. Once she knew what was in the note, she was going to have healed over scars ripped open. They were about to become vicious wounds once more.
“Ethan, please, what does it say,” she looked up into his eyes. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”
He just held onto her, as tight as he could. At least she would hear it from him, and only him. “That your father was easy to kill, and you will be too,” he spoke the words. He too was numb, as he forced his focus on comforting her as her body began to shake. All he could do was hold her. He was afraid she’d crumble to the ground.
Elizabeth heard the words and everything in her stopped. It felt like a knife had been plunged into her heart, all the air left her body. The trembling took over, as she clung to the man who was now holding her up.
Someone murdered Charlie LaRue?
Had he been a victim?
She knew that now she had to find the killer to give her father justice too.
“I’ll find him, Lyzee. I swear to you that I won’t stop until this is done.” Blackhawk took the oath, and made the vow. It would be his mission in life. No matter what or how long it took, for her.
Elizabeth looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. There were no words at that moment, only sadness, worry, and fear. Her father was a smart man, and the killer got him. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would indeed be next.
* * *
The crime team swept her house. They began working on fingerprinting everything in sight. They questioned her, as she sat beside Blackhawk on the couch. He kept his arm over her shoulders and her body protectively tucked into his. The team obviously took the hint; they were being extra gentle with her.
Before they arrived, he managed to get a shirt on Elizabeth and himself. It was now hanging open, his hair loose around his shoulders, and he was pretty sure his team was trying not to stare at them both. The tattoos were a focal point, and he knew he looked completely different than what they saw daily, but it didn’t bother him. She was his concern now, and would be until they got through this.
Elizabeth just went through the motions. Sometimes she faded in and out in thought, and had to be nudged by him to get her to refocus.
It was so hard to believe that her father had been murdered in his own home. The woman who lost her father at times overcame the woman hell bent on solving his murder, and she was glad she had Blackhawk beside her.
This amazing man was her anchor. Her hand rested on his chest, and she absently stroked it, uncaring that their teams watched her curiously. If it wasn’t clear before, it was now. They were a couple.
When they stopped questioning her, Ethan got up from the couch to talk to his co-workers. Elizabeth took that time to walk out onto her patio. She felt useless, like she was suddenly broken and needed to regain control, before she spiraled out even further and became a victim like her dad.
Blackhawk found Elizabeth on the patio, sitting on the edge, staring out at the flowers and lost in thought. He knew she’d pull through the melancholy; it would just be a matter of time. Sitting beside her, he took her hand in his just holding it, until she was ready.
“I have to take a little trip,” she said, softly. “I have to go away for a little while, and I need you to run this on your own.”
“Where are you running to, Elizabeth?” he asked, suddenly afraid not only for her life and safety, but that she planned on leaving him.
He’d stay and clean it all up, but he wouldn’t let her leave him. It wasn’t an option at that point. They were going to navigate this and everything else together. Honestly, he could care less about his career.
Suddenly he understood.
Personal life appeared, and it overshadowed professional life. All it took was the mere thought of losing her. The FBI now came second and for that to happen, she had to be the one.
“I have to head back north.” Elizabeth still didn’t look at him. She couldn’t or the tears would come in torrents.
Again he asked, needing to know. “Where to Elizabeth?”
This time she looked up at him, and tears began the fall down her cheeks. “I have to go have my father exhumed and re-examined. I need the FBI to recheck his body, so I can find the killer.”
Blackhawk knew the sheriff was pushing back up, and fighting to be back in control against the lost child. He knew she’d survive, but he couldn’t let her do this alone. Just knowing that she would have to watch her father being pulled from the ground and checked, and having no one to lean on broke something inside him. Somewhere along the journey, he fell in love, and he wouldn’t let her be damaged more. “I’m coming with you and I won’t let you do this alone.”
She blinked, whispering, “You can’t.” Elizabeth knew he had obligations to the town, and to the FBI. She handed him this assignment, and now he had to carry it briefly without her. “I’ll be okay,” she reassured him, knowing that was a blatant lie. One she didn’t even buy herself.
“Elizabeth,” he paused, taking her chin in his hand and making her look into his eyes. “I trust my team with my life. They can continue on while I’m with you. It’ll only be a day or two and then we’ll be back, but I won’t let you do this alone.”
She was at a loss for words, and didn’t know what to say to him.
“We can leave in the morning. I’ll call Quantico and get this taken care of I promise.”
Elizabeth nodded. Suddenly, she was very weary and worn down. For now, she was willing to lean on him. “Thank you, Ethan,” she said softly, “for everything.”
“Come here,” he opened his arms.
She went to him and it felt natural, like she belonged. More importantly she felt safe, knowing he would do what he promised. She was right. Ethan Blackhawk was a very good man, and she trusted him completely.
Blackhawk held her on his lap, protectively housed against his frame. While the tears fell out on the patio, he kept her hidden from the eyes of the FBI and her deputies. He let her be the daughter mourning her father’s death, and he let her just be weak for a few moments, knowing she needed it.
Ethan kissed the top of her head, reassuringly and could feel her relaxing into him as she fell into an exhausted sleep. Picking her up, he carried her back to the bed they shared. Protectively, he tucked her in and covered her up. As the tech team stared incredulously at their boss, he ignored them and focused on the woman he loved. Hustling them from the room, he stood sentry over her.
For the second time that day he dialed the private number, and this time it was answered on the first ring.
“What happened?”
“The killer was in her house, took her father’s laptop, and left her a note.”
“What did it say?”
He told his boss everything, watching her from the doorway unable to walk away and trust that she’d be safe. He let the anger out in his voice, and the pain, knowing his boss would share in his revulsion.
“We need to exhume him,” he said
, finally.
“She already wants to do it. Can you arrange it for this afternoon?” he looked at his watch, and it was already Monday. He knew Gabriel Rothschild had the longest reach in Washington, and if anyone could make it happen at this time of night, he could and would.
“I’ll try or for Tuesday morning. There’s a great deal of paperwork involved in an exhumation.”
“She wants to get this over with as soon as possible. Can you get her a private flight courtesy the FBI?”
There was silence and it hummed between them. “I’ll get her booked; she’ll have the entire jet.”
“Get two seats. I’m going with her, and I know I shouldn’t be leaving the assignment, but honestly Gabe, I don’t give a shit. Can you get us transport at the airport for when we land, to my house in Georgetown?”
More silence. “Station her team in her home. By keeping them all together and safe, Lyzee won’t be worried. Then bring your team in there too, just as backup. I’ll make the flight arrangements. You just get on that plane, and for the record, Ethan, if you didn’t tell me you were going with her, I would have been pissed. Your vehicle and driver will be in their customary spot.”
“I’ve fallen hard for her, Gabe.” It was said simply, and meant everything. He just needed to get her to see it, and feel it too. That was going to be the challenge.
“I want to see her when you come in. Elizabeth knows where I live, and my wife will insist, so bring her for dinner. She will need to be around people that love her before, or after the exhumation.”
“I’m not going to let her watch it.”
Gabe laughed at that statement. If the man only knew he had a better chance stopping a tsunami with a bucket and shovel. He’d never seen anyone stop Elizabeth LaRue from doing what she planned on doing.
“You do what you think you can do, Cowboy, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) Page 23