True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3)) (57 page)

Blackhawk got his meaning. “Yes, you can bring her.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“See you tonight,” he said, and then paused. “Callen, keep yourself safe, okay?” he
added, softly.

“No worries Ethan, I’ll see you at the
house or sheriff’s station before dark,” and he would. If his brother was worried about him, he wasn’t going to be focused on the killer and that would risk the team there. As he hung up he could hear the fire truck coming. “I have to handle this. I want you to make breakfast, get your gun and don’t leave the inside of this house. Am I clear Desi?” he asked, lifting her chin so she was forced to look in his eyes. “I will chase you if you run, and when I catch you, I will be pissed. I take promises very serious, pinky swears included,” he warned. “If I have to drag you back, the fight will be epic.”

She was irritated he knew she was thinking of running from him. “Be safe,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears and then she threw her arms around his waist
hugging him.

When he left the house, she started crying. “I’m so sorry, Callen.
Please don’t die instead of me.”

Ethan was pacing as he dressed. When his wife exited the shower he knew she was staring at him. He just had to remain calm and hope his brother got back to Red River in one piece. This was the dilemma of working with family. It hit close to home. For now whoever was stalking the doctor wasn’t to the snapping point yet. Blowing up a vehicle was one thing;
a sniper hiding in the woods was another and he hoped it didn’t get to that point.

“What happened?” she asked, already knowing something bad was brewing.

“Callen just got a nasty message from Desdemona’s stalker.”

“Uh oh. What?”

“The Denali was blown up.” He knew she was going to be worried, and he didn’t like stressing her while she was pregnant.

“Are they okay?”
Elizabeth was sick to her stomach. All she could think of was the dream their grandfather just relayed to her.

“Yeah, they were in his cabin at the time.”

Elizabeth started pacing, and rubbing her baby belly. “Did you tell them to get back here?” she asked, as she felt sick to her stomach.

“Yeah, he’s heading to granddad’s
house, and then he’ll head back here.”

“He’s new at this, he really isn't equipped to handle this on his own,
Ethan.” Now she wished they were there with him.

Blackhawk went to his wife and pulled her against his body. “Don’t worry baby, Callen’s a smart man, and now he knows that the stakes have been raised on this one. He’ll watch his back, and keep Desdemona safe until he gets back here
, and we can keep them both safe.” Part of him wasn’t thrilled at that prospect either. His pregnant wife and child were here, and that meant they could be caught in the crosshairs of the invisible enemy they now had to protect themselves from. Here he just allowed Desdemona into their inner sanctum, and was risking them all.

“We have to help her
despite the risk,” she said, knowing what he was thinking. “Desdemona doesn’t have a chance alone now. If the stalker’s blowing things up it’s only going to get worse. It’s escalating.”

Blackhawk was aware. “Nothing is happening to them,” he promised.
“I need to shower and then we have work to do,” he said, trying to distract her.

“Okay, I’ll get ready.” Elizabeth sat on the bed and
was feeling panicky. Suddenly she needed to see if Callen was safe. She typed out a text and hit send, holding her phone and feeling the overwhelming fear beat at her.

“Please be careful, Callen,” she whispered
, as she closed her eyes and waited for his reply.

Callen Whitefox stayed out of the way of the fire department as they extinguished the flames on the Denali. When his phone beeped he checked the incoming message.

Please be safe and come back in one piece.

                      
I love you -L

Staring down at the phone he knew how rattled she had to be over this. He dialed her number and she answered on the first ring.

“Please be careful, Callen.”

“Hey beautiful,” he said,
hiding all the nerves in his voice. “Long time no talk. I need you to not worry about me okay? You’re pregnant and the last thing you need is to be stressed over all this.”

Elizabeth was
rattled. “We’re both worried. Don’t let anything happen to you. Baby Blackhawk needs his uncle.”

Callen Whitefox knew that she was trying to stay calm and not show him too much emotion. “I promise I’ll be back in time for dinner. I won’t let anything happen to us.”

“Promise?” she asked.

“You know how you never break a promise to a Blackhawk?”

“Yes.”

“It’s reciprocal. I promise.”

Elizabeth believed him, he sounded completely assured. “If you let anything happen to you I’m so going to kick your ass and be mad at you for a very long time.”

Whitefox grinned. “No worries, I love you
, beautiful. Don’t forget it.”

“Bye Callen,” she
answered, feeling better now that she talked to him. Now she could focus on her day. When she disconnected she realized she forgot something. Banging out another text, she put her phone away and got ready for her day.

It was time to get her job done, despite where her mind was at that moment.

Callen Whitefox had just put his phone back into his pocket when it beeped again, pulling it out he read the words and his heart skipped a beat.

There was no doubt in his mind
he loved her too.

~ Chapter
Fifteen ~

Friday morning

Ethan Blackhawk and his wife were on edge, and as they sat in the conference room at the sheriff’s station it wasn’t looking like it was going to let up until Whitefox and Doctor Adare were back among the team. Elizabeth worked the white board, and prepared for the arrival if Christina Hart from downstairs. She needed more information to add to the white board.

Blackhawk was emailing Gabe, informing him of the unfortunate incident with the Denali, and hoping he took it better than he thought he would. The stalker wasn’t really the FBI’s issue, but the destruction of Federal property was going to piss him off and now officially make it FBI related. Even if Elizabeth finagled their boss to their side with the whole favor thing, it was a matter of time before it would have worn thin on Gabe and he pulled the plug on FBI funds and assistance. Now he really couldn’t, if they could prove the stalker was the one that blew up Federal property.

Christina came to the door and knocked. Tentatively she entered the room, and waited until both Blackhawks were focused on her. She didn’t want to bother them if they were working on case related work.

“Hey, Christina,” said Blackhawk, not even looking up from his email. “Elizabeth needed to see you, and thanks for making time for us this morning. I’m sure you’re busy with the trace evidence.”

Even though she spoke to Ethan, she looked directly at Elizabeth. “It’s no problem Director
Blackhawk; I was packing up some things for transport to FBI West.”

“Are you transporting?” he asked.

“Yes, I can leave and be back in a few hours. I don’t feel secure leaving the bodies in the cooler downstairs. If Doctor Adare were here she would want them transported along with any trace. It’s secure at home and really downstairs is just a basement,” she said, watching the tone of her voice. She had a bad case of boss lust for him, and his wife was well aware of it. On a good day she wasn’t willing to poke the tigress by drooling over her husband, but pregnant, uh no. That was suicide and all the female techs knew it.

“Send another tech to handle it
. What about Derek? I need you here. We think we have some leads and may be processing some evidence. Today we’re interviewing suspects.”

“Oh, okay. Derek is on duty later. I can load up the van and have him take it tonight. He’ll be back before dawn in case we need the equipment again.
Hopefully another body doesn’t show up, but in case one does, we’ll be ready,” she said, pleasantly.

“Christina,” Elizabeth drew her attention to her
and off her husband. She was well aware the woman was wary of her, and that was fine by her. They’d discussed it and drew boundaries. As of now, there were no issues and Elizabeth was glad. In fact, she liked the woman a lot, but she let her think she was dangerous. It was just entertaining. When her husband kicked her foot under the table she almost laughed.

“Yes, Director Blackhawk?” she asked. “What can I do for you?”

Elizabeth patted the seat beside her. “I need to pick your brain. Since Doctor Adare isn't here right now, you’re the next smartest person in the room.”

Ethan Blackhawk doubted that statement. His wife had an Ivy League education
and few people were aware of it, because she preferred it that way. It made everyone underestimate her, and that’s how she tripped them up.

“Okay,” she said, sitting. “Pick away.”

Elizabeth gave her credit; she was keeping the nerves under control. “We know the killer is using Ethylene Glycol as the method of drugging and incapacitating the victims, and I know that it’s in anti-freeze, but I need to know what other substances contain it. I could just Google it, but you’re the best at the chemical-ese stuff, and I need the best.”

Ethan was proud of his wife, she actually was being friendly, and he patted her leg. When they had been working the serial killing on the reservation, they’d had a disagreement over how friendly to be with the techs. Christina Hart was one of his techs, and had been for over five years, and when he had to watch how friendly she was with the doctors that she hired, it bothered
him. Blackhawk was still wary of Doctor Leonard and Magnus, and Elizabeth wasn’t thrilled with Christina. So for now they both agreed to be themselves, but cognizant of the boundaries.

“Well
Boss, Ethylene Glycol is everywhere in polymers and products.”

“I think we need liquid form
. We believe the killer is using coffee as the vessel for the poison. Or at least that’s what we think.” She slid the stomach contents report to the woman. “Are we correct to assume that?” she asked.

Christina read the output data from the content and scanned the information. “It’s the only thing the
y all have in common, Elizabeth,” and then she realized she used her name. “I’m sorry, Director.”

“In house use our names, it’s okay,” she reassured her.

“Okay, Elizabeth.” She thought about it. “I can give you a few off the top of my head, the rest I’ll need to run a list for you because it’s that extensive.”

“I’m ready,” she pulled out paper. “Shoot.”

“Anti-freeze is the most logical medium. It’s relatively easy to find. Any grocery store that has windshield fluid usually carries anti-freeze right beside it”

“What else?” asked Blackhawk.

“Without getting too complex with the description of the chemical, Ethylene Glycol is part of a family of chemicals. Off the top of my head, some stains for wood contain it, as does those products to fix flat tires, chemicals to develop pictures, herbicides, some adhesive products. Then you have paint products, caulk, and most ink and toner cartridges contain it too.”

“So basically it’s everywhere.”

“Yeah, but in anti-freeze it’s your most likely culprit. Ethylene Glycol is sweet and can be hidden in things.”

“Thank you, Christina. I appreciate you helping us,” said Elizabeth. Something was bugging her about that list. She had that little nagging feeling again in the back of her mind. Now she just needed to think, and she blocked everything out to do just that.

Ethan realized his wife was gone. She was deep in thought, and was done with the tech. “Let me know when you’re sending Derek with the van.”