The ambulance crews rushed in, pulling her vest completely off. They cut her shirt from her body and began working on her. A second crew fought valiantly to work on Blackhawk, but he kept trying to stay beside his wife, making their job increasingly difficult.
“Sir, just let us check you out, then you can go with her,” the woman said, helping him pull his vest from his body.
He looked inside, and he could see the telltale bumps from the bullets. At the close range he was shot, they should have pierced the Kevlar, but they didn’t. It was a miracle, and then he noticed the extra metal plates. There was only one explanation.
His wife.
He pushed past the medic and crawled to her. She’d saved his life in more ways than one.
“Elizabeth, you keep your promise,” he begged, knocking the medics out of his way to get to her. He placed his lips over hers and gently kissed her. “You didn’t save me to die! I don’t want to do this life without you! Damn it, you keep that promise to me!”
Elizabeth could hear everything around her, and she could feel her husband’s fear as he kissed her. Slowly, she fought to open her eyes, just a tiny bit at the panic in his voice. She needed to see him. When she won by sheer determination over pain, she lifted her left hand to touch his cheek. “Cowboy, no worries. I’m not going to die,” she whispered to him.
“Gabe was right! You’re a menace to yourself.”
Elizabeth would have laughed if she could. “I had my partner’s back. I told you no one was going to call my husband names ever again, and I meant it.”
Elizabeth watched as everything went black.
Ethan Blackhawk left his team in control. It was just clean up now. He argued with the ambulance crew that he was going with his wife, or there would be holy hell to pay. In desperation to take her, they allowed him in, and worked on him in transit. No one could get him to leave her side. Blackhawk made a promise and was keeping it. As he was sitting beside his wife, he called Gabe, hoping he would answer fast. He was feeling a little woozy too, at all the blood loss.
“Rothschild.”
“Gabe, it’s me.”
He immediately knew something was wrong, his agent didn’t sound right.
“We got the killers. There were two. One is dead, the other I’m not sure, but he’s not doing so well either way.”
“What about you and Lyzee?” he asked, in a panic.
“We’re in bad shape. We’re in route to the hospital. You better get here quick,” then everything went gray, as he too slipped into unconsciousness as his phone hit the floor.
Twenty four hours later
Blackhawk woke in his room at the hospital. There was a clock on the wall, and he was confused. It couldn’t possibly be right. It appeared to be earlier than when they went to pick up George LaRue. Looking down his body, he noticed he was cleaned up and had an IV and sling.
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Cowboy,” said the voice. His boss was sitting in a chair, working beside him.
“Shit,” he muttered, and then remembered his wife; he needed to get to her.
“Hey, hold on,” Gabe said, standing. “Slow.”
“Where’s my wife?”
“She’s next door. I’ve been walking back and forth all day.”
“How bad is she?” Ethan asked, ripping off his oxygen pipettes and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Sheer determination now pumped through his body as he became the panicked husband, seeking the love of his life.
“Ethan, wait a minute, okay? You lost a lot of blood and your chest is pretty bruised up. Let me help you,” he said, helping him into a wheelchair.
“How bad is she?” he asked again, scared for his wife.
“She had surgery on her arm. The bullet hit the nerves. They repaired everything, and she’s in her bed, but you can’t go jump on her, okay?” Gabe crouched down in front of his friend. “She had a few fractured ribs and one hell of a concussion.”
His heart pounded in his chest at the information. She was going to be okay, and he finally could breathe.
“Your arm had two bullet wounds. They pulled out one slug, and the other was clean through. You bled a lot. They patched you up, and you’ll be fine too.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Gabe?”
“Her arm has possible nerve damage. They fixed what they could, but it’s possible that her days in law enforcement are done. She may not get full range of motion back, or by some miracle she may, but it’s always going to give her issues. At this point, it could go either way.”
He started laughing at that. She didn’t want to go back to work anyway, and this would just make their choice easier.
“Are you okay?” Gabe looked worried.
“Please roll me to my wife, or I’m walking there and I mean it. I’ll crawl if I have to at this point.”
Gabe pushed him into her room, and for the first time ever, he saw his agent breakdown and cry. “Hey, she’s okay, just sedated and healing. She’s tough and this will be nothing,” he said reassuringly. This was just a bump in the road for her. There was no doubt about that.
Blackhawk stood, wiping his eyes on his hospital gown as he climbed into the hospital bed with her. Being very careful of her body, he curled against her. “I just need to be near her and feel her beside me.” The physical contact was all that mattered now. “Leave me here, Gabe. I’m officially putting in for a vacation, and it’s going to be a very long one, because we need a honeymoon.”
“I’ll go clean up the mess and get the paperwork done for you. I’ll check in later.” He left his agent there to watch over his wife. Stopping at the nurse’s desk, he asked them to let Ethan Blackhawk remain with his woman. When he explained how they just got married, the tough old woman behind the desk softened but hesitated, stating hospital policy. Gabe whipped out the charm, smiling at the woman, and finally got the nurse to agree.
Then he went off to tie up the loose ends for his family.
Elizabeth could feel the fog lifting and the pain was incredible. The last thing she remembered was seeing her husband, in her brother’s barn, right before passing out. The funny thing was she swore she could smell his aftershave and scent of his skin. She struggled to open her eyes and turned her head. He was in her bed on his side, lying protectively beside her.
Of course he was. She should have known he wouldn’t leave her side. His shoulder was all bandaged up and his arm was in a sling.
Motion drew her attention, as the nurse stood beside her, holding meds in a cup and some water. Gratefully she popped the pills, and took a sip, nodding to the woman in gratitude. When the nurse left, she lifted her hand to her husband’s face, stroking his cheek gently. “Ethan, wake up.” Elizabeth called to him, needing to know he was fine.
His eyes popped open quickly, and he took a sharp breath, “Baby,” his eyes filled with tears, as he gently kissed her.
“Hey love bug,” she said, stroking his cheek. “You know kissy-face in the hospital is one thing, but both of us in the same bed? The nurses will definitely talk. I don’t even want to know how you talked them into letting you get into bed with me. It didn’t involve a gun did it?”
Blackhawk rested his forehead against hers and wanted to laugh, but he was just too freaked out still. “Gabe did it. I don’t know how,” he whispered.
“Damn, my face hurts. Please tell me I don’t look like I went a few rounds in the ring,” she asked.
He looked down at her beautiful face and shook his head. There was a bruise forming on her cheek, and it made his body clench in anger. How he wished he could have killed her brother.
He lowered his face, kissing her a couple of times. Just missing the way she felt, and needing that simple reassurance. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too,” she answered, trying to smile at him, through the pain. “How bad is my arm, because it hurts like a bitch.”
“You did a number on it,” he said, kissing her forehead carefully. “You have
a concussion, so try to lay still.”
“It’s hard to breathe,” she said, struggling to get a deep breath.
“Your ribs are jacked up.”
“Well shit, I’m just a wreck.” This time she did get him to smile.
“I’m told you’ll heal.” Ethan took her hand in his and stroked her knuckles.
“How bad are you hurt?” Elizabeth inquired, looking from his shoulder to his face.
He laughed. “We have matching bullet wounds. Two holes a piece. No need for matching tattoos, we’ll have matching scars, and that’s so much cooler.”
She wanted to laugh, but tried not to, knowing it would hurt. “What about Doc? Did we save him?”
“We did. He’s two rooms down with a concussion and that’s all.”
“What about my brother and his mother?”
Blackhawk had been briefed while he lay in bed with his wife. He knew his team stared at the big man hovering over her, and he didn’t care. Even when he was pretty sure his ass was sticking out the back of the hospital gown, he still didn’t care. He wasn’t moving until she did. “Abigale was DOA. It was a clean shot to the chest. Your brother’s alive, but in a coma. You shattered his facial bones, and he has swelling on his brain.”
“Yeah well I wish I could have saved the taxpayers some money.”
Blackhawk kissed her again, slowly, and pushed a curl from her cheek.
Elizabeth felt the tension and knew he wasn’t saying something. “What are you keeping from me, Ethan?” she asked, starting to feel worried.
“Your arm’s pretty bad. There’s nerve damage and it may not come back fully. They tried, but your days as a sheriff could be over. Then again knowing how damn stubborn you are, who knows.”
“Will you still love me as a boring old civilian?” Elizabeth asked, kissing him.
“Hell yeah, baby,” he replied, moving closer to her body. “While we’re at it, let’s discuss you charging your brother and risking your life.”
Elizabeth tried to not laugh. “Did you think I wouldn’t? He was going to shoot you, and that wasn’t happening.”
He shook his head. “You’re a menace, and I am taking you home as soon as you're able, and I am locking you away. I think we both need to turn in the title of ‘Cowboy’, and turn over a new leaf. A safe, boring leaf where no one gets shot.”
Elizabeth squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I made a vow, Ethan that I’d stand by you even if things were dangerous.”
He closed his eyes and was just glad Gabe had been right. She could fight and play dirty. It saved all their lives. She sighed as she tried to move her right arm.
“Am I hurting you, baby?”
“No Ethan, move closer. I want to close my eyes for a while, and sleep with my husband,” she said, yawning. “Meds are kicking in; I think I’m going to be out for a while.”
“I won’t leave your side, Elizabeth. I promise.”
“Hold me, Ethan,” she whispered, as he moved closer and she lifted her head to lie on his good shoulder. “I want to be by my husband and in your arms preferably. It’s been a bad day.”
“No worries, I’ll be right here,” he said, moving against her. “I love you.”
“Love you more,” she said, closing her eyes.
“Not in a million years, Elizabeth Blackhawk,” and he closed his eyes, joining the love of his life in sleep.
Friday Afternoon
Two week later
Elizabeth sat in her office fourteen days later, her arm in a sling, and her gun on the opposite hip. Her right arm was healing well, and she wasn’t in any pain. She decided to drive in and do some paperwork; after all, she was still sheriff.
Elizabeth missed her deputy’s funeral. The doctor wouldn’t clear her and Gabe refused to help her breakout when her husband threatened both of them. When they released her finally, she made her husband take her to the cemetery. She needed the closure and to say goodbye, telling her friend it was over. Leaving flowers for Sara, there was still an ache left in her heart over what she could have done to save her.
Blackhawk was still her rock, and when they arrived home, he healed her heart with kisses and gentle caresses. They both wept at what could have been, and then they healed and talked some more.
As to what to do about their careers, when the right thing came along, they would make the decision. Both agreed for the next two weeks no decisions would be made. Blackhawk was on the injured list, and he planned on milking it for as long as possible, remaining in Salem with his wife doing rehab, side by side.
What was meant to be would be, and they both firmly believed that. Look how it lead them this far.
At the knock on her door, she looked up. The head of the town council stood there, with flowers.
“Jacob, come in,” she said, standing and offering him a seat.
“Sit, Sheriff Blackhawk. I just came by to talk to you.” He handed her the flowers he’d brought for her.
Oh boy, here it came. First day back and he was here to fire her. The flowers were to soften the blow. “Am I terminated?” she queried, sitting. If she was, their decision would be easier.
“Sheriff Blackhawk, why would we do that? You found a serial killer, got rid of a corrupt mayor, and cleaned up our town.” He looked genuinely surprised. Elizabeth Blackhawk was an asset to them. When the council met, they voted unanimously to keep her on and promote her.
No need to tell him about the Dansforths then. “Okay, then why do you look nervous?” she asked, putting her boots up on her desk. “Just spill it, Jacob,” she knew it had to be big, if the head of the town council was here.
“We heard about your injury, and that you may have lost some of the ability in your right arm.”
“I can assure you, two weeks out, and I’m able to use it and feel everything. It’s a good prognosis. Honestly, Salem is pretty darn quiet. In the year before the killer, I never drew my gun once.”
He nodded. “We had a proposition for you, and wanted to toss it at you and see what you think, and let you make the decision.”
“Okay, toss away.”
“Council wants you to take over as mayor.”
Elizabeth didn’t see that one coming. “But I’m Sheriff and why?”
He smiled and continued, “You are smart, tough and you are a good leader. It has nothing to do with your arm, but everything to do with your brain.”
“Isn’t the election in a few months? What if I lose?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that, we will fill the sheriff position temporarily with one of your deputies or someone you choose and if you lose in general election, which I highly doubt then you can go back.”
Elizabeth thought about it. She had just told her husband she didn’t want to be in law anymore and this was being offered up.
“You get to find your replacement, you have excellent staff, and we trust your judgment completely. We will sign on anyone you put through,” he offered, hopefully.
“I need to talk to my husband first.”
“Please do, and let us know,” he said, standing. “Job well done, Sheriff Blackhawk,” he said, walking out.
Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh. Wait until she told her husband what just fell into their laps.
Blackhawk was in their home office, working on his laptop when the phone rang. The display flashed Gabe’s number.
“Hey boss man, what do you need?” he asked, knowing the man just called last night to check on them both; this wasn’t going to be a social call.
“I have a proposition for you, Ethan.”
“I’m not going back on assignment for a couple weeks, Gabe. Lyzee and I need some down time and to figure out what we’re going to do next. We leave for our honeymoon soon, too.”
“You may want to hear what I have to say, and then think about it.”
“Okay, what do you have to say?”
“There’s a new division opening up. It’s called FBI West. I need someone to head it. It’s desk work w
ith very little field work. There may be some on occasion or when you want to go out together as partners.”
“Like your job?”
“Exactly, except it still answers to me. In fact, the position is one step below me, with a promotion and a big comfortable raise,” he tossed that out shamelessly trying to lure him in.
“Who’s this job for, Gabe? Me or Lyzee?” Blackhawk could almost hear his heart pound; this was an option they were waiting for to pop up. A desk job for either of them would keep them together and out of danger. Plus a raise meant one of them could quit their job.
“I’m offering it to both of you. It’s going to be a big office-too big for one director, so that makes it a two person job with two raises.”
“So we’d work together?” Ethan paused, confused. “We can’t, we’re married, and you know the FBI has strict rules on spouses working together and even you can’t swing that. There’s no way that you wouldn’t bend that big of a rule.”
“Spouses aren’t recommended to work in the field together. Spouses in an office setting can with certain provisions, like the size of office and the years in service under their belts. You both have over a decade each of service and are eligible,” he answered.
He knew for certain, and he double checked before he threw all his weight at the higher ups on filling this position. Since getting back to Quantico, he handled the Lily Sanderson issue, getting his agent and friend justice and found a way to keep them together. It was their good Karma for a job well done and a wedding present of sorts. Not to mention he’d been trying to get Elizabeth back into the FBI for a full year. If he could lure his best agent back with a cushy job and money, so be it.
The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) Page 44