“Breathe, baby,” Ethan whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“Tony, you have bones in a river, a busted out windshield, blood in the grass, and a missing ME who was investigating the bones. What does that tell you?”
“That I need help?”
Well, at least he got that one thing right.
Kudos for Tony.
Elizabeth walked towards the door without saying a single thing. She was torn over wanting to be sick because Doc appeared to be gone, how bad Tony was doing with being sheriff, and having to work while they were on vacation. This was one hell of a conundrum.
Callen whispered to Ethan, “We’re going to be working, aren’t we?”
Ethan nodded. “Yep, and I don’t know why I’m surprised.”
Death had found them again.
* * *
Elizabeth said nothing the entire ride back to their house. Neither man bothered her because they knew she was thinking through everything that she had just discovered. From the look on her face, it was obvious that she was thinking about what needed to be done, and what was coming.
As they pulled into the driveway, Ethan carried the files into the house. They bummed some gloves from Tony and told him to not run around town telling everyone that Doc was missing. The last thing that they needed was a town full of people stirred up, again.
They had been there and done that before.
For now, until they knew more, Doc was just missing. As Feds, it was hard to look on the bright side. They’d been down that road too many times, and generally, it didn't end well. When someone who was actively investigating a possible murder disappeared, of course that looked suspicious.
You’d have to be an ignoramus to not go there in your mind, then again, you could just be Tony. To the FBI, the odds weren’t in the old man’s favor, and that had to be weighing heavily on Elizabeth.
As they headed into her office, Ethan handed her a pair of gloves. Elizabeth efficiently snapped them on and sat. As she opened the files, she stared up at him.
“To me, they’re just bones. I may need to call in for some help for this one. We’re assuming they’re human, but what if they’re not? I’ve got a good memory, but with over two hundred bones in the human body, I can’t be sure.”
Ethan got it. “Call Doctors Leonard and Magnus. They’ll give you an answer in seconds, and I believe that one is on duty, right now.”
She put in the call on Callen’s tablet and waited until their faces popped on the screen. Since Chris was still at home, the screen split to a side by side.
“Hey, what’s up, Director?” Tony asked, cheerily. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a lover’s retreat?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows lecherously.
Ethan and Callen moved to stand behind her, and the man started laughing. “Hi there, very large angry bosses.”
Both men ignored him. They were more focused on their ME. He didn't look too happy, and that was always concerning when the team wasn’t at their best.
“I’m sorry to bother you both,” Elizabeth began. “I have a situation and it’s out of our realm of expertise.”
Tony and Chris waited until she began.
“The ME here found some remains, and I need you both to look at them and tell me what we have,” she stated, holding up the photos. “I can’t ship them to you via email, since Salem isn’t that technologically savvy.”
Tony stared at them and began making the mental calculations.
Chris spoke first, “You have four femur bones, some tibias, a handful of vertebra, and what looks to be metatarsals.”
“I concur with Chris’s findings.”
“So, they’re human?” she confirmed.
“Yep,” Tony said.
“The next question is for either of you. Is there any way that these bones could be from a Native American burial ground? We have quite a few along the river here in Salem.”
Chris had to defer this one. It wasn’t really his area of expertise. “I need flesh on the bone. This one is all Doctor Magnus.”
He contemplated it. “I’ll really need to see the bones in person, but tell me about the river there. What’s it like?”
Elizabeth used to boat in and tube along the Waccamaw when she was a kid. “It’s black and murky from all the sediment and downed trees. You can’t see through it.”
He weighed what he knew and what she was telling him. “Are the burial grounds old?” he inquired.
“Hundreds of years,” she replied. “If I remember correctly, they buried their dead there until the nineteen thirties, and now they use a different location.”
Tony Magnus used that information as he stared at the remains. “I’m going to say that the bones weren’t in there long. If they were, then they wouldn’t be that white,” Tony began, “I’d say that you have bones that haven’t been submerged for more than a few weeks to months.”
Chris spoke up, “Can we get them shipped here?”
Elizabeth knew what was coming. That would just be a waste of time. “Not yet. I need substantial proof that there was a crime and this isn’t just some washed up remains.”
Thinking about it, Chris tapped his chin. “Why don’t you take them to the local ME and get him to write us up a report. We’ve worked on less before.”
She shook her head. “The local ME has gone missing.” Then, she told them all about what they found. When Tony whistled, it amazed her that they could figure out something bad was brewing but the town sheriff was clueless.
Then again, she expected nothing less from her team.
“What are you going to do, Director?” Chris asked. Deep down, he was praying that he wasn’t going to head into work and have to deal with this too. In a couple hours, he was going back on duty and relieving Doctor Legend.
“I’m going to confab with the team and call you back.” Disconnecting the video chat, she stared at Ethan and Callen. “What do I do?”
Both men stared at her in surprise.
“What do you mean?”
She pointed at the three of them. “You both know what I’m thinking. This isn’t looking good. If I open this can of worms, I’m going to be stuck in it for the long haul.”
They both got it.
“We’re here to be together and heal. I don’t want to chance that. I’m between a rock and a hard place here, and we agreed to honesty. I need you both to help me figure out what to do. I’m too scared to make this decision myself.”
That she would even admit that weakness, touched them both. The old Elizabeth would jump right in, despite what they thought. This new woman was worried, and that was both endearing and alarming at the same time.
Ethan pondered what she was saying. “I think step one is contact Gabe. This is technically his side of the country. We handle the Mississippi and west. If he has a team that can handle it, they should be first up. We don’t need to encroach on anyone’s domain, even if we’re residents here.”
Elizabeth knew he was giving her an out. “And if he doesn’t?”
He moved to kneel beside her and stare into her eyes. “You’re my wife, and I love you.” Ethan placed his hand over her belly. “If you have to search for Doc, I understand and I support you. God knows, you and Callen have been here for me the last few months.”
“It’s just that it’s Valentine’s Day weekend.”
Ethan knew she was hesitant only because of him. He didn't want her to stress this. “Lyzee my love, death brought us together in Salem. What better way to reconnect and heal us than an assignment? This is who we are, and we can’t pretend that we’re a normal couple. We live with death daily and can’t turn our backs on it when it comes to call.”
Inside, his gut churned because he was worried too.
“Tell me what you’re thinking, Ethan. I need to know. We promised truth.”
He paused before continuing, “I’m afraid. What if you need me to profile, and I can’t do it. It’s why I’ve been so hesitant to go out in the field.
What if Patrick Parrish broke me here?” he said, pointing to his head. “I know he tried to mess with my mind, and every day I wonder if he got his wish. What if I’m unfixable and can’t do my job?”
They both knew that Ethan was proud of the legacy he had built for himself. He constructed his life from the ground up to be the best at what he did. Now, they understood why he wouldn’t take an assignment the last four months.
He was running from himself.
Elizabeth promptly took his face in her hands. Staring into his eyes, she gave him her heart and the absolute truth. “You’re going to be fine. You were abducted and tortured, but that’s not going to affect how you do your job. You’re Ethan Blackhawk, and no one knows his way around the crazy train like you do, handsome.”
Callen dropped his hand on his shoulder in support. “Ethan, even if you’re rusty, you’re still miles ahead of anyone else. You’re only human, bro. Stop pressuring yourself. Do you want me to do the profiling?” he offered, teasing the man. “I can Google it, and figure it out.”
Ethan laughed at that. “Uh, no.”
“Then stop stressing it. We’re a team. It’s time we came back together and moved forward. Besides, nothing says love like bones in a river.”
She laughed and stood to hug them. “I love you both so very much. There really wouldn’t be a Lyzee without a Callen and Ethan. You two nuts complete me.”
“Awwww, how romantic was that?” Ethan teased. “That was pure poetry.”
They dropped kisses to her face and neck.
When they broke apart, Elizabeth picked up her phone to call her boss. Using the private line, she crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. Part of her wanted him to send in a team, and then the rest of her wanted to handle it, for Doc.
“Elizabeth, aren’t you supposed to be getting personally reacquainted with the men in your life?” Gabe asked, when he answered the phone. “Or are they both exhausted and you snuck away?”
She winked at them both. “Oh, they’re fine, and I’m generally the one who gets exhausted first, but that’s not the issue that I’m having right now.”
Gabe knew her well. She wouldn’t be calling unless it was work related. His wife and Elizabeth were best friends, and Livy told him how rough it had been lately for her. That’s why he was cutting his directors a break.
“Shoot.”
Elizabeth broke it all down. She told him about the bones and the missing man. The emotion was clearly present in her voice, and it spoke volumes as to what was brewing in her heart.
“What do I do, Gabe?”
He thought about it. “Do we have full remains?”
“No. We have bits and pieces.”
“Before I authorize anyone on the ground, I want the river dredged. It might just be someone who drowned, or Native remains could have accumulated in the basin. If you find any more bones, or complete a skeleton, then you can call in your team.”
“You don’t want this one?” she asked, watching the faces of her men. Neither looked bothered, and that helped her relax.
“No, you’re right there. If three directors can’t figure this one out, then we have a problem.” Then, he paused. “Is Ethan going to be able to handle this?”
She stared right into her husband’s eyes. “If there’s an investigation, I have no doubt that Ethan will be up to it. He’s already his old self.”
Her belief in him was astounding, and it gave him the strength to believe in the man he was, then and now.
“Okay, then you three have fun swimming in the river.”
“I’ve been in that water. It’s a bitch. You can’t see a thing in front of you. Nasty critters live in there too.”
“Better you than me,” he stated, disconnecting the call.
“Well,” she said, hanging up. “We dredge and if we find more bones, Gabe gave us the authorization to begin investigating Doc’s disappearance.”
“Well, then we better get moving,” stated Callen. “We’re burning daylight.”
Ethan held out his hand. “I’m glad we thought to bring our guns and badges,” he said, as he escorted his wife upstairs.
“Yeah, you’re quite the planner,” she replied.
Blackhawk grinned. “When your wife attracts death like bees to flowers, you need to be ready for anything.”
“Why, Ethan, you’re a sweet talker,” she drawled, patting him on the ass, as they climbed the stairs.
“The shrink did tell me to be more romantic...”
Once they clipped on their badges, loaded their guns and headed to the sheriff’s station, each of them was feeling something different. Ethan was still a little bit nervous about going back into the field, adding to it, the stress of Elizabeth being pregnant.
Callen was worried about his family and how this may or may not affect them. In his mind, he was still visualizing how at ease his brother was last night, when he arrived. Callen didn't want Ethan to lose that.
Elizabeth was a ball of nerves. Her foot was tapping, she was now snapping gum, and it was all because of what might come out of all of this. She genuinely was worried about Doc. Inside, she was praying that he was off somewhere fishing and just forgot to tell his staff.
As they pulled up in front of the building, the three stood there and waited for someone to make their move.
“Here’s where it begins and comes full circle,” Ethan said, taking Elizabeth’s hand in his.
Callen joined him as they prepared to get started.
“We have your back, baby,” Ethan reassured.
“Always,” replied Callen.
Elizabeth nodded, and headed into the building to face the ghosts of Lyzee’s past. All that she could hope was they would take it easy on her, and the men in her life.
For one damn time!
Once inside the building, nothing had changed, and it all came flooding back to her. This one place had offered her solace after what had happened in DC. This was where she came to find herself, in the process she found love, life renewed, and a second chance.
Before she could brace for it, Martha came racing towards her and threw herself against her body. If it wasn’t for Ethan standing behind her, she would have hit the floor.
“Martha, it’s good to see you too,” she said, hugging the woman tightly. This was the woman who offered her a motherly touch when she returned broken and battered. Her secretary was a force to reckon with.
“What is this? You don’t call? Not even an email to let me know that you’re coming?”
She laughed. “I’m sorry! I’ve been a little busy.”
“You don’t even send me pictures of your kids anymore.” The woman pulled away and grinned at the one man behind Elizabeth. “Ethan Blackhawk, welcome back,” she said, hugging him next. When her boss ran off and married him, many thought she was crazy, but Martha knew it was a perfect fit.
She could see it in his eyes.
These two were made for each other.
“Thank you, Martha. I’ve missed you too,” Ethan said, hugging the woman warmly. Anyone who his wife called family, he did too. This spitfire of an older woman was definitely one of them, plus he owed her. When he and Elizabeth had a fight, and he thought she was out being stalked by a killer, Martha called him to tell him where she was.
When the spry older woman pulled away, she stared up at the other Native man in the room. “Well, well, who is this fine specimen?” she asked, checking him out. There was something sexy about his white button down shirt and beat up boots.
Callen took it upon himself to make the introductions, since both Ethan and Elizabeth were grinning. “I’m Callen Whitefox.”
She smiled wide. “It’s nice to meet you,” she offered, holding out her hand. “Whenever an eligible man rolls into town, I like to be first in line.”
The absurdity of that was clear, which made it that much more endearing to them all. Here was a seventy year old woman, hitting on a MUCH younger man.
“Actually, I’m taken,
” he said, holding up his left hand.
“Well shit, that gal is one lucky woman,” Martha said, shaking her head.
Callen left it up to Elizabeth to say more. This was her old territory and her family.
“I certainly am,” she replied, instantly.
Martha stared at Elizabeth. “What’s that supposed to mean, missy?” she asked.
The woman had a way of making you squirm, unfortunately for Martha, this was one topic that she wouldn’t be made to feel guilty about. Her love for the two men was nothing but a source of pride, never embarrassment.
“Callen and I are a couple.”
Martha stared at Ethan. “Did you get divorced?”
All three shook their heads and watched as she put two and two together in her head.
“Holy shit, your father would either be laughing his ass off or beating you men silly. Charlie would have out his shotgun and a load of buckshot with both your names on it.”
Ethan shrugged. “I’m married to her. I think they’d be the two he was chasing.”
Elizabeth snorted.
“Yeah, you’re Mr. Innocent,” Callen added, snickering.
They all found that humorous.
“I’ll show you pictures of our kids,” Elizabeth said, trying to get the bright red shade on Martha’s face to come down a little. At the mention of kids, it seemed to work. Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she was stirred up because of the two men or because she was picturing what went on in her house.
“Show me what you got,” she said.
All three pulled out their phones and showed the woman their wallpaper. On Ethan’s, there was CJ coloring. On Callen’s, there was Cat and EJ sitting at the table in highchairs. Then on Elizabeth’s was her with the three little ones surrounding her.
“They are beautiful,” Martha said. “You have your own little Native tribe.”
“I’m also pregnant right now,” Elizabeth added. “Ethan is going to be a daddy again. Now, they have two a piece.”
Martha hugged her. “I’m so happy for you.” Who was she to judge how her old boss found happiness, as long as she did? That was all that mattered to her. “Charlie would be proud of you,” she stated.
Consumed by Wrath: An FBI/Romance Thriller (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 8) Page 13