The man tensed.
Bingo! He was a lot more attached to the woman than he was letting on.
Elizabeth prayed the men wouldn’t kill her later as she dragged them both into it. “In fact, she mentioned something about getting her husband declared dead and having Callen visit her hunting grounds. Now, I see that she meant sex. Silly me.”
The rage in him was building. “She wouldn’t do that.”
Elizabeth laughed uproariously. “Oh, yeah she would. She was checking out his ass,” she tossed in, pointing at Ethan. “She said that she likes tattoos.”
Wow, the lies were flying today.
Elizabeth prayed that she could keep one step ahead of Jason and get him to crack.
“She told me mine were amazing,” he said, running his hands down his body.
Callen got the clue and lifted his shirt, and then pulled up his sleeve. “What a coincidence, mine too.”
Ethan grinned ferally. “She hasn’t seen mine yet. Maybe later,” he answered.
That was all it took.
“What do you want to know?”
She smiled in victory. “I want to know how long you’ve been riding that over-painted pony.”
He thought about it. “Two years, and when her husband disappeared, she told me that she was buying her time to get him declared dead. She wasn’t exactly heartbroken.”
Now, this was what she was talking about. “How do I know what you’re saying is true?”
He glared angrily at Callen, thinking he was moving in on his rich bitch. “Barbara was pissed off. It seems that her husband brought home a little something extra from the mistress.”
They leaned forward.
“If she denies anything, ask her about the crabs.”
Oh, that was priceless. “Did either of you kill her husband?”
He stared at her with his mouth open. “Hell no! I may have been her toy, but I’m not that enamored with her, especially now that just any Native will do. I wouldn’t kill anyone!”
“Do you think she’s capable of taking his life?”
He thought about it. “When she fights, it’s mean. Once I told her that she gained some weight, and she left marks, so yeah, she could do it. Babs likes greenbacks, and now that he’s gone, she’s rolling in them.”
“How do you feel about meat?”
He looked at her like she was crazy. “I love it. That’s why I hunt.”
“Could you debone an entire carcass?”
The man laughed. “I’m Native, lady. I can do it with my eyes closed.
Fascinating.
“That’s good to know that you Natives have such amazing skills, in and out of bed.”
Once more, he angrily stared at Callen.
“Yeah, you can stop giving him the evil eye,” she said, grinning. “Remember before I told you that I will admit to who I’m saddling up with in the sack?”
“Yeah?”
“They’re both all mine. I like tattoos too, just not on men who sleep with women who’ve had STD’s. That’s a big turn off. Thank you for your help, Jason. I’m sure we’ll be back later.”
At first, he stared incredulously, not buying what she was selling, but then he glanced at their hands, and he saw the matching rings.
Well shit, he just fucked this up.
Watching them walk away, he slammed the door behind them. Barbara was going to be pissed. Now, he had to decide if whatever she threw at him was worth it, or if he should just move on.
Damn it!
Back in the vehicle, both men stared at her.
“Before you say anything, I really needed him to roll on her. If she’s telling him to commit crimes, I needed to find out if he would spill the beans. I didn't mean to allude that Natives are only good in the sack, or to demean you both like you were nothing more than a cheap piece of ass. Please forgive me?”
Ethan looked over. “Ride the over-painted pony, Elizabeth?” he said, right before he and Callen both began laughing, uproariously. “Where did that come from?”
She relaxed marginally. “She wears too much makeup, and it was my little homage to Native sayings.”
Callen shook his head. “I think that was pretty damn clever. He thought that he owned you and was in control when you walked in there. You schooled him something fierce.”
“I’m impressed that she didn't check out the ink all over his body. That takes amazing control,” stated Blackhawk.
She dropped her sunglasses on her face. “I check out plenty of Native ink. I’m just selective as to what I want to drool over.”
Ethan grinned. “That’s good to know.”
“Let’s go hit up Mrs. Harris. I want to see if she still has a big attitude once her plaything calls her up. Jason’s going to try and do damage control.”
“After that display, I’ll follow you anywhere,” Ethan said, grinning.
“Saddle up,” added Callen.
Elizabeth was super grateful that both men were willing to cut her some slack.
It looked like the team was intact, again.
They weren’t sure if Barbara Harris had been warned of their arrival, or if she simply kept an overpriced lawyer lying around for her whims.
With her, one never knew.
When they pulled up, the woman and her attorney were standing in front of the house, almost defensively. It was like they knew the shit was about to hit the fan, and they were prepping to shield themselves from the blow back.
Behind them stood the gardener, Xavier Jensen, and the look on his face spoke volumes. His boss was in a frightful tizzy, and it almost appeared that he was trying to warn them in advance. In fact, as they approached, he rolled his eyes in warning.
It didn't matter, Elizabeth was ready, and her attorney was going to be a piece of cake, for dessert.
As the woman scowled, it set the tone. Then again, a case of husband induced crabs could do that to a person.
“Hello, Mrs. Harris,” she began. Before Elizabeth could even say more, the man beside her cut her off.
“I have advised my client to say nothing to any of your questions. Since she isn’t under arrest, there is no obligation for her to speak to you.”
When her partners sighed, assuming it was over, Elizabeth just grinned. Oh, she had one last trick up her sleeve.
She stared at the man, menacingly. If there was anything that she hated more in life than bigots and cheaters, it was high priced defense attorneys. They were assholes, and she loved nothing more than chewing them up and spitting them out all over their client’s pricy shoes.
Yet, this one was going to be special…
“Well golly,” she drawled, slipping back into her thick southern accent. “Lookee here, boys. I guess that someone should do the introductions before we continue.”
Both Feds crossed their arms across their chests.
“This man here is Jacob Brome. How do I know that, do you ask? Well, he and I were buddies in fifth grade when I moved here. In fact, I think I remember him asking me out in middle school. It was the cutest darn note. There were smiley faces, and I had to circle yes or no. Isn’t that right, Jacob?”
The man looked vastly uncomfortable all of the sudden. Gone was the defense attorney sheen.
Callen and Ethan fought hard to not laugh. The man was about to get Elizabethed, big time. That was where she played dumb, right up to the point where she ended up owning your balls, the sack included.
“I don’t recall.”
She crossed her arms. “Surely you do, Jacob. I do believe we were twelve, and you were my first kiss. You were horrible at it, but then again, so was I. Since then, I’ve perfected my technique, and I hope you have too.”
Now, the man looked like he wanted to escape, or be swallowed by the earth.
His client was just looking pissed.
Blackhawk and Whitefox were a little less amused, once they found out that this man had tasted the forbidden wife fruit, even if it was well before their time.
; “Then, you were my square dancing partner in music class too. I believe you wanted to do more than do-si-do afterwards, especially when you asked me back to your secret fort in the woods.”
“Lyzee, stop!” he hissed, as he loosened his tie and the flush creeped up his neck.
It’s when she pounced. “A lot of time has passed, Jacob. I grew up. We both took different paths, and I’ve spent the last twelve years eating my way through the jackwagons in this country. I’ve left bodies and blood in my wake. So, what you need to ask yourself, is if you think I’m more than these beat up boots, because you only get one shot before I really show you what a mean bitch I can be.” She pointed at the woman who was about to speak. “Zip your trap, or your ass is going to be too damn sore to ride a horse, or your Native play thing.”
The jig was up.
The woman closed her mouth and went red.
“Right now, we’re here to ask some questions. If you want me to do it officially in the sheriff’s station, I’m good with that. As it stands, all the news crews are camped out there, so be it. You have fifteen seconds to talk it out.”
Elizabeth turned around and glanced at the men in her life. She could tell that they were entertained and irritated at the same time.
When the talking stopped, she turned around and faced them. “Have you decided what option you would like to partake in?”
Jacob Brome went to talk, and was interrupted by Barbara Harris.
“Unfortunately, my attorney thinks I should waste my time talking to you, since I have nothing to hide. I personally think that I have better things to do instead of standing here and being spoken to like some common person. My husband is missing, and your lack of care and compassion is horrifying. I may even wish to speak to your boss.”
She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “First, he’s the boss, so feel free to confab when I’m done. Just don’t give him crabs. I like my husband to be pestilence free,” she fired back, not buying the mourning widow bullshit that Barbara Harris was trying to shovel.
The barb hit its mark and the woman looked horrified and for real this time.
“Are you going to let her talk to me like that?” she snapped at her attorney.
“When dealing with Elizabeth LaRue, you just have to go with it, and it hurts less. Just stick to the topic, and she’ll be more lady-like.”
Ethan snorted in response. There was a fat chance of that happening. A lot of time had passed, and this man was totally clueless.
“Can we just get this done?” he stated. Normally Jacob would love racking up the bill, but this was one adversary he didn't want to tangle with.
“Certainly,” she began. “I need to ask you where you were on the night that your husband went missing.”
She crossed her arms and thought about it. “I really was at home the entire time. I didn't have anyone over, and I wasn’t out planning his demise. I think I took the horses out around six that night.”
“Can anyone verify your whereabouts?”
Barbara Harris began to look panicky. “Wait, yes, Xavier was here with me.”
She called the man over, and he wiped his hands on his jeans. “Please tell them that I was here.”
Elizabeth stopped her. “Yeah, that’s not how it works.” She looked at the man in question. He stared at her with worried eyes, and she could understand. The guy didn't want to lose his job as gardener, or have the manacuda make his life hell. “Xavier, do you recall the night Mr. Harris went missing?”
The man thought about it. “I think it was a Wednesday night. He took his car out of the garage that evening, and in passing he mentioned that he needed me to come in early and wash it. Thursdays are usually the day I come in later.”
“What time did you leave here that night?” Elizabeth inquired, staring at the woman.
“I leave here by seven on most nights, ma’am. I stayed later to get the car done, so I could keep my normal work schedule.”
“Was Mrs. Harris here when you left?”
He thought back to that night. “Yeah, she was. She told me that she was planning to take out Bolt, and that she would see me the next day. I said goodbye to her, and finished up my work.”
“SEE!” she practically shouted. “I told you that I was here! Now, maybe you three can actually go solve this and leave me the hell alone.”
Jacob Brome just shook his head. He really wished for once, one of his clients would take his advice and shut their mouths. It made his job ten times harder when they got nasty with the police.
“When did you leave, Xavier?” Elizabeth asked.
Again, he pondered it. “I stopped at the grocery store and picked up a pizza, so I think I was home by nine.”
She faced the woman. “Yeah, you’re not clear for that night. If he left by eight, you still have hours unaccounted for, Mrs. Harris. It doesn’t tell us where you were when your husband went missing. He was at the meeting until nine. That’s the timeframe that we’re most concerned with.”
She huffed.
“May I go?” the gardener asked, clearly trying to escape.
Barbara dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
The man took off as fast as he could, and no one there could blame him. When the FBI left, there was probably going to be some rich bitch explosion.
“I can’t prove that I was here, okay?” she held out her wrists and made a face. “Arrest me then.”
Elizabeth reached for her handcuffs at her back and when the woman saw them and looked worried, she grinned. “You do not want to push me, Mrs. Harris. I can promise you that I’ll win any pissing match you throw down.”
“I don’t know what to tell you,” she whined. “I didn't kill my husband.”
Elizabeth didn't doubt that. What she did have bouncing around in her brain was that she would likely pay someone close to her to handle it.
Like one of her men.
“How many people are you sleeping with?” she asked.
Jacob objected immediately.
She held up her hand. “This isn’t my first day at the questioning rodeo.” Her focus was back on the woman. “I’m asking, because we may be able to use one of them as an alibi, not to prove that you’re a cheap, oversexed, Native dick junkie. That’s already been proved with the STD.”
Callen made some choked snort that he tried to cover with a cough.
That changed her tune, but she still glared at Elizabeth. “I’m sleeping with Jason Walters and that’s it. He’s pretty possessive.”
Yeah, well who wouldn’t be when their bed mate was an all you can eat crab fest.
“Honestly, his stamina is amazing.” She stared over at the men behind Elizabeth. “I find that Native men are spectacular in bed.”
Elizabeth popped a piece of gum in her mouth and didn't make a comment. What could she say? There was no argument there, but she wasn’t telling more about the men in her life to this woman.
“Are you sure that’s it for bed companions? How about the sheriff? Word has it that you stopped by his office to ‘convince’ him to bury your domestic disputes.”
Barbara laughed. “Please, one blowjob does not make a relationship. Haven’t you ever used sex to get what you want? I needed to make sure he kept his mouth closed.”
“No,” she replied without hesitation. “I use sex as a way to show the men in my life that I love them, not as leverage. That’s what makes you look skeezy. Well, that and your crab infestation.”
The woman growled and had to be restrained by her attorney.
“Could we focus on the facts?” Jacob asked, hoping to end this conversation as soon as possible.
“Those were the facts, but sure, why not. Would Jason kill for you?”
She had to think about it, and that threw up flags in all of their minds.
“Kill for me or because of me?”
“Either.”
The woman smiled at Elizabeth. “Yes, I guess he would. Not every woman can say that about their bed mates.”
>
Elizabeth didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, per say, but it did give them someone else to look at. She’d take what she could get for now.
“Thank you for your time,” Elizabeth said, glancing over at Jacob Brome. “Please inform your client that if anything that she has told us misleads us, or hinders the investigation, I will throw her ass in jail for obstruction.”
He stared at her. “You’re definitely not that sweet little girl with freckles and sundresses anymore, are you?
She placed her glasses on her face. “That girl died on her first crime scene when she saw a woman cut into pieces, Jacob. At some point, we all have to grow up, but may innocent Lyzee LaRue rest in peace.”
Turning, she walked between the men in her life. At the vehicle, she watched the woman predatorily. When Ethan and Callen got in, Barbara’s glare was directed solely at her. Generally, that would please her, but after Circle Rock, she knew not to let her guard down.
There wouldn’t be a repeat performance.
“Well?” Blackhawk asked, buckling his seatbelt.
“She’s not bright enough to pull this off, and I can’t foresee her getting her nails dirty with dead bodies. If she’s involved, it’s because someone is doing the shitty part for her.”
“People can kill for lots of reasons,” offered Callen.
She didn't disagree with him. “Yeah, but my gut tells me that the princess is used to being on the throne. If she had anything to do with offing her husband, then we need to connect all the victims to her.”
“If that’s possible.”
“Yeah, and that feels like a big if. I really wish we had proof that these people were dead. It would make my life a hell of a lot easier.”
Callen laid his hand on her shoulder. “Maybe the universe will provide.”
She hoped so. They could really use a lead.
“I have a few questions,” Ethan said, as he started up the Navigator. “First, where to?”
“Let’s pop into the morgue. I want to bitch at someone, and that means the tech team and our doctors.”
Consumed by Wrath: An FBI/Romance Thriller (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 8) Page 34