Slay Bells Ring (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 12)

by Morgan Kelley

  He snorted. “Yes, boss!”

  When he hung up, Johanna was watching him.

  “Did she clear it?”

  He stood. “Yes, and you’re coming with me. She doesn’t want me doing it alone. So get ready.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, she insisted.”

  “She must be heavily medicated,” Johanna teased. “That doesn’t sound like badass Elizabeth Blackhawk, especially when pregnant.”

  Brody knew the truth. Elizabeth was nothing like everyone thought. Yes, she could be tough, but there was definitely that softer side.

  “We’ll call it luck and not question it,” he stated, as he grabbed his messenger bag and tablet. “We’ll have to work on the flight.”

  She didn't mind.

  As long as she was with Brody, it didn't matter what they were doing. They were partners in the field, and one day, they’d be partners in life.

  “I've got your back,” she promised, as she followed him from the room.

  Brody knew she did, and he was forever grateful.

  * * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *

  Reservation

  Cabin

  Ethan Blackhawk was quiet. He didn't say much to anyone all the way back to the Rez, and he didn't utter a single word as he got changed into his jeans and t-shirt.

  No one bothered him, and that was probably a good thing. No, he wasn’t mad, worked up, or angry.

  What he happened to be was an overwhelmed man trying to focus on the case. He was putting the pieces together in his mind, trying to come up with one hell of a profile for his wife.

  She was going to need it, and soon.

  As she set up the whiteboard, and they waited for their company to arrive, he was trying to recreate Bonnie and Clyde’s reasoning in his head.

  Elizabeth wasn’t the only one who lived in the minds of the killers. He had a front row seat to the madness too.

  What he did was fifty percent psychology, twenty five percent gut, and twenty five percent luck. One way or another, the odds were in his favor.

  Bonnie and Clyde were messing with the wrong team, and eventually, they were going down. It would just be a matter of time.

  Here’s where he earned his reputation.

  While sitting there, Callen was taking care of some Native issues which had popped up from his current case. His brow was creased with tension as he tried to talk the chief off the edge.

  Ethan listened to his brother, and he was proud. The man was the epitome of professional when it came to his job, and that amused him.

  The Blackhawk boys had come a long way in their forty three and forty two years of being alive.

  They had made something from nothing.

  It was built on blood, sweat, and tears, and they’d earned the accolades.

  When he glanced over, he saw the reason why they played hard, and worked even harder. She was in jeans and a t-shirt as she stood in front of her whiteboard.

  Even dressed down, she took his breath away. While standing there barefoot, her sexy toes painted red with green trees, he wanted to kiss her senseless. Out of all the women he crossed paths with in his life, only Elizabeth fulfilled all his needs, cravings, and desires.

  She was his center.

  Ethan was sure that was true with Callen too.

  He couldn’t look away. With the smelly markers, she began drawing in the timeline, placing pictures of the victims’ faces on the board. She did it with such care and love. To her, they mattered.

  It was why she was the best in the FBI.

  Here, in that moment, she was giving them dignity in death. They mattered, and she was making sure the people, who were searching for their killers, were aware of it.

  Justice wasn’t always blind.

  In their world, the dead mattered, and they were seen.

  At the knock on the door, Ethan headed there. Peeking out, he saw the two Marshals. They’d come bearing beer and orange juice, just like the men had asked.

  Well, if they were going to play nice, so would he. This case mattered to his wife. He would take one for the team and break bread with a man who had a relationship with their woman.

  The past was the past.

  Hadn’t he always said that?

  There was a lesson in this. His and Callen’s woman was loyal to a fault. She’d never hurt them, and he had to put all of his faith on her shoulders.

  Elizabeth wouldn’t let him down.

  Opening the door, he stepped back so they could enter. “Good evening,” he stated, taking the beer so they could strip out of their coats. He noticed they were both still wearing their guns.

  “Going to shoot someone?” he asked, motioning toward the weapons.

  Dakota laughed. “Hell no! I forgot I was wearing it. I think I can make it through the night without using it.”

  “That’s good to know,” Ethan said, stepping back.

  Dakota was still confused about being invited there. The man before him reminded him a lot of Elizabeth. He had that chilly veneer when he was focused on the job. He was also like a viper—he didn't know when he would strike—there would be no warning.

  Now he only hoped that the rumors were true. This man was supposedly the best, and they need it.

  He wanted Bonnie and Clyde in the worst way.

  Plus, Callen and Elizabeth were still marked as victims, and that had to make the man want it that much more.

  Hopefully.

  “The pizza has arrived, Elizabeth is working on the whiteboard, and Callen is finishing up with some Native issues that have popped up. Have a seat, and we’ll eat soon.”

  “Can I talk to you a second? Alone?”

  Ethan paused. “Yes, but of course.”

  When Delaney walked away, Dakota finally spoke, “I’m sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to stir the shit pot with you. I’m sometimes brash and impulsive. Truth be told, my brother mentioned Elizabeth, but he neglected to tell me she was married.”

  He listened.

  “I’d never poach another man’s woman. It’s not how I work. Had I known, it would have been hands off. I disrespected her, and I inadvertently disrespected you in the process, and that was the last thing I wanted. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Ethan weighed his options.

  Therapy had taught him he had to let certain things go. This was one of them. While it pissed him off, he could see the other side too. Had he been in Dakota Rakin’s place, he would have done the same thing. He would have wanted her back in the worst way.

  “It’s okay. I completely understand how it happened. I love Elizabeth with all my heart, and when I saw your lips on her, I wanted to rip them off. Punching you in the face was the least damage that came to mind. I owe you an apology. I don’t always react with violence, but my wife brings it out in me.”

  Dakota rubbed his chin. “Well, you have one hell of a shot.”

  “I fight dirty. It’s the Indian in me.”

  Dakota grinned. “You know that’s a derogatory term, right? It’s actually Native American. Tsk tsk.”

  Ethan Blackhawk laughed. That was something his wife reminded people all the time. “Yes, so I’m told. Come in, get settled down, and we’ll start. Welcome to the team.”

  Dakota grinned, following him into the room. When he got there, he found Delaney in a seat, Elizabeth handing out pizza, and Callen Whitefox watching him with unblinking brown eyes.

  Yeah, well, it looked like he wasn’t out of the woods yet. Hopefully, Ethan was the alpha brother in the room. Then maybe the odds of his survival would stay high.

  “I hope you can eat and work,” Elizabeth stated, taking a bite of her pizza.

  When Ethan settled beside her, she remained perched on the arm of the couch.

  “We’ve done it before,” Dakota stated. “To be honest, we’ve heard about Ethan Blackhawk and his profiles. I’m curious to see him deliver it up close and personal.”

  She glanced down at her husband. �
�He has a gift. Be prepared to enjoy the show.” Elizabeth winked at Ethan.

  “No pressure,” Callen stated, grinning.

  Ethan was fine. He could do it.

  He had no choice.

  “Well, then let’s begin,” Ethan stated. “We have two killers and of them, one will be the dominant, and one the more submissive. When two people come together to pair up to commit murder, there is always a leader in the group.”

  “How do you know?” Delaney asked curiously.

  “You can’t have two bosses running the show. Look at our normal dynamics. Elizabeth runs our team out in the field, and I run it back in-house. We each have our strengths, and we play to them. A killer will do the same. If the killers are a couple, that will be even more fact. In every relationship, there are boundaries and leaders.”

  Elizabeth sipped her orange juice. “I’m obviously not the boss, or I’d be having a soda and not juice.”

  “Looks like you’re right,” Callen offered, grinning wickedly at her.

  She stuck out her tongue.

  “So how do we know who will be the dominant one in that sick and twisted union?” Dakota asked, chewing on some pizza.

  “Let’s look at what we know to be facts.”

  They all got ready to make notes.

  “We have Clyde raping the female victims, right?”

  They all nodded.

  “What woman, who is bossy and in charge, is going to let her man screw some other women?” Ethan asked.

  Elizabeth laughed. “None.”

  “Exactly. Our team found traces of semen and vaginal fluid in the blood. So, not only is he raping one woman, he’s having sex with the other after the fact.”

  “She doesn’t mind sharing. That’s insane,” Dakota stated. Then he realized that might be offensive. The two men were sharing Elizabeth. When no one flinched, or made a comment, he figured he was good to go.

  “Yes, she is. So, that alone is very telling.”

  Elizabeth stood at the board. “Okay, so Clyde wears the pants in their sick little family. What else do you have?”

  “I’m going to focus on him. There’s too much possibility of error by trying to analyze Bonnie right now. We need more information on her.”

  Elizabeth was good with that. If Clyde was the leader, they could catch him, and then likely Bonnie. That would mean closing this case.

  That’s what they all wanted.

  “What else about him?”

  “He’s going to be methodical in everything he does. We’re talking about a person who is planning multiple murders where they take people and no one sees them. He’s not flying by the seat of his pants on this one.”

  Elizabeth made a notation on her board. “Continue.”

  “He’s watching and studying them to learn their behavior. That’s a true sign of a predator. He’s going to adapt, overcome, and be difficult to nail down.”

  “How hard are we talking?” Dakota asked.

  “You’ve lost them twice already, right? That should tell you all you need to know.”

  “How do we stop him?” Dakota asked.

  “It’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to have to follow his trail. He’s not worried about his DNA, his fingerprints, or anything else. All he’s concerned with is staying one step ahead of us.”

  “He’s not careful, and that will get him caught,” Elizabeth admitted. “Sooner or later, he’s going to leave something we can tie to him, and that’s how we’re going to nail him down.”

  Dakota looked frustrated.

  “Dak, this isn't like the hunts you guys go on. We have to build the evidence to take them down. When you find a fugitive, this part is already done. You’re going to have to be patient and make sure it’s done right. You can’t jump this step. If you do, he’s going to go free.”

  Callen agreed. “You don’t want to bring them in, only to release them due to not enough evidence.”

  “I understand.”

  But he still didn't like it.

  Ethan pondered what else to give them. “He’s going to make a mistake. Eventually, something will go wrong. We have to bide our time, look for the killers, and wrap this up. It’s the same routine for us.”

  “Your job sucks. It’s so much more gratifying to race in and save the day.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “We don’t do this for the glory. We do it to keep innocent people from becoming penis smoothies.”

  All the men looked down at their pizza and their faces said it all.

  That was fine with her—more for Elizabeth and Baby Whitefox.

  “We know they took credit cards, and when they use them, and they will, we’ll have them. We can get to them at the scene and bring them in. We’ve set the trap,” Callen offered. “Our team will get justice for all the people they’ve killed. We always do.”

  Ethan was thinking.

  “Handsome, what’s on your mind?” she asked, tucking one of his black strands of hair behind his ear as she perched on the arm of the sofa.

  “They don’t feel threatened yet. They wanted us in this game, but they aren’t considering us adversaries. We still have a shot to pressure them.”

  “How will we know they’re threatened?” Delaney asked.

  “They’ll tell us.”

  They all stared at Ethan like he was crazy.

  “They sent a note and heads to Callen to start us on this journey. When they’re ready for us to play the part, they’ll contact us again. That’s their methodology, and they’re going to follow through.”

  “So we’re just supposed to sit here and let them kill?” Dakota asked.

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Hell no! We’re going to hunt the hunters. That’s all we can do. We’ll piece this together until we can get a court of law to convict them.”

  “You’re a lot calmer and less impulsive than you were in our youth,” Dakota stated.

  Elizabeth grinned. “They’ve changed me. I think it’s for the good. Motherhood also helped. You can’t have four kids and one on the way and not have patience.”

  Both men agreed.

  Their house was insane.

  Callen was curious. “What was she like when she was green? Was she born this badass?”

  He thought about it. “No. She was sweet, smart, and gentle. Elizabeth always smiled, always had something nice to say to someone, and she was pleasant to everyone around her. That’s what drew me to her. It was all that southern charm.”

  Both men roared with laughter.

  “Seriously?” she asked. “I’m still charming and all those things. Do you two really want to go there?”

  The men kept snickering.

  “I’ll admit that time has changed me. No, that’s not true. Time didn't do jack shit. Death has. When you start out, you think, ‘I want to change the world’,” she admitted. “Now I realize how naïve that was. You don’t have a freaking chance to change the world, but it will change you. Over time, it made me into this.”

  Ethan touched her lower back in a sign of support. They’d all changed, and it was mostly for the good.

  “You, Dak, were with me in my rebound years.”

  He stopped chewing. “Gee, thanks. That doesn’t make me feel any better, since you dropped kicked my heart.”

  She laughed. “I didn't mean it like that. Not rebounding from a romantic relationship. I was rebounding from a lot of hurt. I had screwed up ‘The Butcher case’, Livy bailed on me, and Gabe wasn’t my rock anymore. I had to adjust. You came along, and years later, we connected and had a good time. It helped me forget the ache in my heart.”

  “So I was just your Marshal booty call?”

  She grinned. “Nope. You were my friend, and that’s what I wanted more in life. You wondered why I didn't say yes, and that’s it. I loved you as my friend, not as my potential husband. We had something special, and that’s still important, even if it couldn’t go any further.”

  Elizabeth thought about all the men she loved platonica
lly. There was Chris Leonard, Tony Magnus, and even Julian Littlemoon. They all mattered, and Dakota Rakin was mixed into their ranks.

  He took it all in. “I think I finally understand. At that time, I hated you, so I did what I thought was best. I bailed on you too. I never thought it would hurt you, but I guess I was wrong. I probably should have stuck around and been your friend.”

  She wished he had, but that was water under the bridge. Everything led her here.

  To the men she loved.

  To this life.

  “It’s okay. We were young and stupid. Now we’re old and stupid.”

  They all laughed.

  “This is who I am now. They are who I am. I’m not just Elizabeth LaRue, I’m Elizabeth Whitefox-Blackhawk. Marrying them has given me a new identity and a new lease at life.”

  Ethan tugged her down, and she tumbled into his lap. Immediately, Callen moved closer, and they each held her.

  “I’ve found me. I hope one day you find you.”

  Dakota took in the scene. Instead of jealousy or anger, he saw them for what they were—a happy couple.

  “I hope so too.”

  And for the first time in a long time, he did.

  Chapter Ten

  FBI Jet

  Thursday Night

  He was a nervous wreck. As he paced up and down the aisles, he couldn’t get focused on work. It was a short flight, but he was still worked up. The entire time, he’d been dialing his father over and over again.

  The man still wasn’t answering.

  He was so worked up that he didn't even notice Johanna trying to work.

  “Brody, it’ll be okay,” she said, reaching out to him to pull him into a seat. “You need to stop freaking out. Levi is going to be fine. We still have his location, and he hasn’t moved since we took off.”

  “What if he’s been hurt? What if someone else has his phone?” he asked, dwelling on all the possible what if’s.

  She touched his cheek. “He’s not. Stop thinking worst case scenario. I promise that when we find him, we’ll get this all sorted out. If you put positive energy out there, you’ll get it back.”

  He tried to be positive, but his father was going to be the death of him. This wouldn’t be the first time he’d had to bail his old man out of trouble.