“That’s sick,” Sheriff O’Neil stated.
“Well, the definition of serial killer is someone who is sick, so yeah, they are.”
“It smells pretty bad in here,” stated Delaney. “Can’t we open a window?”
Merry looked at her like she was crazy. “Uh, no. Breathe through your mouth or get some Vicks from the techs. We can’t alter anything in here. We don’t need the wind blowing the evidence around!”
Callen pointed at an old antique desk.
“It looks like someone riffled through it,” he stated. “They were looking for something.”
She crossed to it. “I’m going to bet it was credit cards, cash, or anything else that was valuable. Dakota, didn't you say that you tracked Bonnie and Clyde by the stolen credit cards?”
“Yeah.”
She pulled out her phone to find her agents. When Brody answered, she didn't give him time to talk. “We’re at a crime scene. We found the two heads for who we suspect are our first two victims. I need you and Johanna to run them and find anything you can,” she stated.
“Names?”
“Maximillian and Lily Schneider. I want you to search for their credit cards. When you find them, sit on them. I want to know if there’s a charge for a pack of bubblegum. Are we clear?”
“I’ve got it boss. We’ll start right now,” he stated. “We’ll update you as soon as we get something.”
Before she hung up, she put them on speaker. “Did you find anything out at the dance studio?”
“It was a bust, boss. They hated Ann Kong. We even went into her locker, and there was nothing there. The tabloids were right. She was a piece of work.”
Great.
Nothing new.
“Okay, thanks. Keep digging, Agent. Find me anything you can on the new victims and get it done fast. We’re not going to have much time.”
“On it.”
With that, the call ended.
“Director,” called Merry from across the room. “We have blowflies. It looks like Doctor Leonard was right with the time frame. They’ve gone to the pupa stage.”
Her suspicion was going to be right. The bodies in the warehouse had the same insect activity. The parts were going to match up. She could feel it in her gut.
“Bag them. I’m sure Chris will want to process them to get an exact match.”
“How do you process bugs?” asked Sheriff O’Neil.
Merry didn't even look up. “You put them in a blender with some liquid and make a slurry. Then you run it through mass spec to find out what they ingested, or in this case…who they ate.”
He looked appalled. “What is it with you guys and blenders?”
“Hey, don’t get all worked up. I haven’t put pieces of male anatomy in a blender yet,” Elizabeth stated. “If someone stops my ME from doing his job, it may be a first for me.”
The man shut up and backed away.
“What can you tell us about the couple?” asked Ethan, needing more information to fill in the blanks for Elizabeth. There was no doubt that tonight, his wife was going to ask for a profile, and he had to give her one.
“Well, they liked to go out,” he stated. “They’re seen all over the place.”
“Were they happy?”
There was that pause. It was very telling.
“What are you thinking, Sheriff?” she asked.
“Deputy Dotson was on duty and there was a call from this house. I’m not sure what was happening, but she filed it as a domestic.”
That could mean anything from a fight to an abuse situation.
“I need to speak to her. She might have seen something,” Elizabeth stated.
She glanced down at her watch. “I’ll meet with her tomorrow at your office. I want to interview her. Hopefully, she saw something.”
“I’ll set it up,” he stated icily.
“Problem?”
“How can you walk around here and not let this bother you? It’s horrible.”
She took a second to think about it. “You assume it doesn’t bother me, but it does. I hate everything about this. That’s why my team is here and right before Christmas. We all had better things to do, but these people need someone to stand for them. That’s us.”
He didn't say anything.
“Head out, Sheriff. You’re letting this get to be personal. It can’t be. The first law of dealing with serial killers is don’t let yourself get caught up in it.”
“And the second law?”
“Don’t be a dumbass and end up one of their victims.”
The tech team began snickering in the background as they pulled evidence.
The man simply shook his head and headed out.
“What now?”
“Tonight, we start working on a profile. In the morning, I’ll meet with the deputy, interview her, and then head to the morgue.”
“What can we do?” Dakota asked.
Elizabeth glanced over at Ethan. This had to be his call. She wasn’t willing to make him swallow her past for their case. If he was let in, it had to be by their choice.
“If you’d like, you can head to the Rez tonight. We’ll go over the case and break down the profile.”
Callen added, “We can get pizza.”
Dakota looked shocked. “Are you serious? Just yesterday, you punched me in the face.”
“Just yesterday, your lips were on our woman. Today, you’ve acted like a normal person. I’m willing to bet that you can behave yourself, keeping some self-control.”
Dakota laughed. “Deal. I’ll pick up the beer.”
“Juice for the little lady,” Callen stated. “Make it orange. She needs the folic acid.”
She stared at him. “REALLY? Are you the juice police now too? I think I can decide what beverage I want when I eat pizza.”
Callen glanced over at his brother. “We should get veggies on the pizza. It’s probably healthier.”
“I agree.”
“Oh my God!” she muttered, closing her eyes. They were out of control. She wasn’t going to survive the next six months. Someone was going to get hurt.
Both men grinned at her exasperation.
She wasn’t the only one who could bust ass. They’d learned from the best.
This was going to be fun.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
He tortured them.
They broke.
The woman was so much stronger than the man, and when she wept, asking for her life to be ended, he granted that last Christmas wish. After all, she’d given him so much enjoyment for the holiday that it was the least he could do.
Right?
Normally, he’d keep them longer, but this one was risky. The FBI was scurrying around, and he couldn’t risk it.
He wouldn’t risk it.
So for now, they were cutting their losses. They’d get in, take the couple, and then do their worst.
Soon, the heads would be on their way to the man’s house. Wouldn’t his wife be surprised when she opened them in the morning? Not only would she get that special Christmas present, but she’d learn the truth.
He was a cheater.
His girlfriend was a whore.
Ahhhh, the light glowing off the snow, the sun cascading over the manicured tree line, and her screams of terror over what was delivered.
Ho ho ho.
This was better than any gift he could give himself.
Glancing around the small house, he began getting the urge. Yes, he’d sexually assaulted and taken the female a few times, but it didn't get him off.
She whimpered.
Begged.
Cried.
He needed something far more. Clyde needed the violence. So, he knew who to go find. No one in the world brought it out in him like his Bonnie.
She drove him wild.
Crossing through the gore, he found her perched on the kitchen counter playing with the blender. As it swirled and whirled, his body grew hard. She was sick, and
he loved that in a woman. As she processed the man’s genitalia, she sang a little Christmas song.
She was perfect.
He needed her.
“Bonnie, come here.”
When she didn't answer, he got angry. Walking up behind her, he grabbed her by the hair. Yanking her off the counter, he began dragging the kicking and screaming woman across the floor and to the dining room.
She should know better.
Bonnie knew what he liked, and it was her job to give it to him. She should be at his beck and call.
Instead, he’d take it.
Maybe this was far better after all.
“Stop! Please!” she shouted, fighting him.
He wouldn’t let go.
Clyde couldn’t. He wanted her in the worst way because she brought out the sickness in him.
When he slammed her smaller body onto the table, he pulled down her pants and held her still. “Fight me and help me get off,” he hissed in her ear. “I love when you beg me to stop.”
She did as he asked.
Only, he didn't realize the truth.
It wasn’t an act.
And she wanted out.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
Thursday Night
The two agents were hard at work digging up anything they could find for Elizabeth Blackhawk. To fail was not an option. If they did, she’d be wearing their hides like a suit and dancing around in glee.
“Did you find anything?” Johanna asked. “I’ve tagged both couples’ credit cards. If any charges happen, we’ll have an alert.”
“That’s great. I’m doing okay on the research end,” Brody stated. “I found a police report that is tagged as pending. It appears that the couple had a recent argument.”
“That must have been the police report that the sheriff mentioned to Elizabeth. She sent her report from the crime scene and that stood out. What does it say?” she asked.
Brody took a moment to scan it. As he read, he found a part that made him whistle. “It was a domestic dispute, and there were three parties involved,” he said.
That was great.
Maybe they could pull a lead from this after all.
“Who was there?” she asked, getting ready to make notes.
“We have an Antonio Emerson listed as a witness. He states that Maximillian arrived at the house, and then lost his mind.”
She looked up. “As in what exactly?”
“An altercation ensued, Antonio needed stitches, and Lily ended up with a busted lip.”
He slid the report toward her. “Now, why do you think a young stud is hanging out with a married rich lady?” he asked. “You can eliminate friends because Maximillian went nuts on him.”
Oh, she could postulate a reason it would happen, and it involved sex.
“So, she was cheating. Didn't the boss say that Bonnie and Clyde were killing people they felt were breaking all the moral codes that couples usually have?”
“She did.”
“Well, a cheating spouse would definitely fit that, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, she got caught in the act, and we have a viable witness to point Elizabeth at. This night is getting better and better.”
She grinned. “It’s a win for us, and a big ol’ loss for Antonio Emerson.”
When Johanna noticed he didn't smile, she was curious. “What’s wrong?”
“You wouldn’t cheat on me, right?” he asked, taking her hand in his. While there, he played with the diamond on her finger, sliding it back and forth.
Before she could answer, Brody’s phone began ringing. When he glanced down at the display, he saw his father’s cell number come up. “It’s only my dad.”
She was staring at him openmouthed.
“I need to know. Would you ever do that to me? I don’t think I could survive that.”
Johanna was horrified.
“Brody, why do you think I’ll cheat? Does that sound like me at all?”
“It’s just that we have to keep us secret, and that’s not something that appeals to women. I love you, Joey, and I’d tattoo it on my forehead if I could. I’d go back to FBI West and tell everyone about us.”
“But it’ll get us separated.”
“Yeah, and I love being your partner.”
“Which do you love more?” she asked. “Having me as your wife or me being you backup in the field?”
That was a no brainer.
“Wife.”
Johanna shrugged. “Babe, there’s not a lot of options here. If we walk down that aisle, we have to tell the Blackhawks. They will make the decision to keep us together, or break us apart. We don’t have a say in this. I hope you realize that if we’re separated, that we’ll both be fine in the field. I won’t ever betray you, Brody. You nearly died to save me. How can I forget that? On our last case, you could have saved yourself, but you didn't. I don’t turn my back on loyalty. I embrace it.”
He wasn’t so sure.
Yes, Brody knew his fiancée was capable of keeping herself safe, but still…there was that lingering fear that she’d get hurt. Every agent knew the risks, but that didn't mean you had to like them.
He didn't.
“I know.”
“At some point, we have to face the cold hard facts. To say ‘I Do’, we have to say goodbye to our partnership,” she said, trying to ignore the beeping of his phone. It appeared that Levi Seaton had left a voice mail.
“We’ll work it out.”
“You should get that. He’s called a few times today already. It might be important.”
Somehow, Brody didn't think that would be the case, but because he didn't want to think about Johanna getting hurt in the field, he needed a distraction.
Entering in his password, he listened to his father’s voice over the phone.
‘Broderick, it’s dad. I need you to come back to Damascus. Something has happened, and I need you to be here. It’s an emergency. Please get here.’
Then the message ended.
Immediately, Brody’s heart began pounding in his chest. While they weren’t on the best of terms, Brody still loved his old man. He recalled getting a similar message when his mother had died.
Johanna noticed he looked rattled.
As Brody began dialing, his face said it all.
“Has something happened?” she asked, moving closer. “Is Levi okay?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted, redialing over and over again, trying to reach his father. “He’s not answering his damn phone!”
Johanna began tracing Levi Seaton’s cell number, using FBI equipment. “He’s in Damascus,” she said, rattling off an address.
“I’m going to have to go,” he admitted.
Now he only needed his boss to approve it.
Shit!
They were in the middle of a case with two killers, multiplying victims, and now his dad was either hurt or something bad had happened.
“I’ll call for you,” Johanna offered.
No, he had to do this one on his own.
“I have to do it, sweetheart. Hopefully, the boss will understand.”
He was praying she would.
Dialing Elizabeth’s number, he waited for her voice to come over the line.
“Blackhawk.”
“Elizabeth?” he said, praying for some sort of diving intervention. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“Yes, Agent, what can I do for you? Have you found something?”
Maybe if he led in with the case, she’d go easy on him. “We’ve located the police report on the domestic dispute, and we have a potential witness to the fight.”
“Great. Send it over. What about the credit cards?”
“Joey has them flagged, and as of yet, there hasn’t been any type of hit against them. As soon as they use them, we’ll have a lock on their location.”
“Excellent.”
There was a pause as he tried to figure out how to ask his boss for this colossal fav
or. She’d already done so much for him that he wasn’t expecting a Christmas miracle.
“Are you okay, Broderick? You seem a little distracted.” She could hear it in his voice. Agent Seaton didn't sound right. Elizabeth had worked with him enough to know when he was on his game, and not.
This was one of those ‘not’ moments.
“Ma’am, I have a problem.”
“Okay.”
“My father just called and left a voicemail. He said he needs me to get back to Damascus and that it’s an emergency.”
“Oh. Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. He was vague, and I can’t reach him.”
She thought about it.
“I’m so sorry, Director, but I really have to go. Johanna is here working on the searches, and I can be there and be back by morning if I drive through the night.”
Elizabeth weighed her options.
They had Dakota and Delaney to help with searches and to pick up the slack. So, she could cut the man some leeway.
“You can go, Broderick, but don’t drive. Doctor Magnus needs a few things from the lab, so take the jet, pick up the items, and return by tomorrow, and we’ll call it even.”
He couldn’t believe it.
Here was his second miracle in three months. Brody had gotten very lucky.
“Really, ma’am?”
“It’s not a big deal. We need that equipment, and it’s pricy. I’m not going to let him buy new gear to use here, and then have two at FBI West. That’s not in the budget. You’re actually doing me a favor.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth. I’ll be back as fast as I can. I just have to make sure he’s okay.”
“I want you to take Johanna. She can work on the jet, and if you need someone to help you out, she’ll be there.”
He knew what a huge bone his boss was throwing him. This was a gift, and for the second time in less than six months, Elizabeth Blackhawk was showing her softer side.
“Thank you.”
“Get moving, get that equipment, and make sure you’re both back by the morning. We have a killer to catch. If you don’t show, I can guarantee that the team will be looking for your killer.”
Slay Bells Ring (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 12) Page 26