True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3)) (60 page)

“Is there a reason you felt the need to put your hand on my pregnant wife’s ass, Joe?”
He stood very close to the man, staring down at him. “Are you looking to die?”

“I-I-I,” he stuttered.

“Now, Ethan honey, don’t hit him where the marks will show. You remember what they taught us in Quantico. Only use those special places, like his testicles.” Elizabeth managed to keep a straight face, and she wasn’t quite sure how.

“Oh don’t worry baby. Joe and I are going to take a little ride, alone. Then we’re going to have a little talk, about what happens when you manhandle another man’s
pregnant wife. Especially when the man can make you disappear. Hear that Joe, I work for the FBI, and you won’t be the first one I made disappear.”

“Wait, please,” he begged
, looking over at Elizabeth for help.

“Stop looking at her, Joe. Or you may make me want to do something incredibly violent
to the most delicate of your organs.”

Joe looked down at the floor, and kept his eyes adverted from the pregnant woman
to save his life.

“You have two minutes to tell me everything I want to hear
, or I walk you out of here in cuffs for the last time.” He stepped closer. “It won’t be hard to fabricate a story about how you tried to escape, and I had to shoot you in the back of the skull, Joe. Is that how you want to end your life? Running from an Indian through the snow?”

Elizabeth actually had to hide her mouth behind her hand. She was so close to laughing
at the visual in her mind, and his choice of words.

“
I’ll tell you anything you want to know! Don’t chase me in the snow. I won’t even think about touching your pregnant wife again.”

Blackhawk fought hard to
not break down and laugh. “I want to know about this man,” he pulled out the victim’s picture. “Is this the one that had stopped in for coffee?” Ethan Blackhawk slid it across the desk.

“I don’t know anything about him.”

Elizabeth pulled out her car keys. “I’ll pull the vehicle to the back door, baby. No one will see him leave.” She walked towards the door.

“Wait! Maybe he got coffee
.” Joe Lemar was sweating profusely, and wringing his hands.

“Tell me about Wilma May, your waitress.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked, still staring down at his desk.

Blackhawk straddled the chair in front of him, and pointed to the other chair. “Sit!” he barked. When the man jumped, he again fought for composure. “Start telling me about her personal life.”

“She’s worked here maybe ten years.” He sat and wiped the sweat from his forehead before continuing, “Her old man kicked it, and she needed a job desperately.”

“Her old man?” asked Blackhawk. “She’s what? Forty years old now?”

“Yeah, she married some older man, and he ended up having the big one, but he never got the life insurance policy out of wife number one’s name, and Wilma May got nothing.”

Ethan looked over his glasses and over his shoulder at his wife. That was most definitely a juicy bit of gossip.

“What hours does Wilma May work?” asked Elizabeth.

“Friday during the day, Saturday nights, off on Sunday and Monday, then rest of the week days.”

Elizabeth leaned against the door, and watched the man. “How much time did she spend with the man in the picture, and did she make a new pot of coffee for him?”

“No, I usually make the coffee when the ladies are busy.”

Blackhawk stood. “I want to talk to your waitress in here. You have two choices regarding it, Joe. Comply or take a ride. Choose.”

“I’ll get her!”
Joe Lemar started moving towards Elizabeth, and tried to get past her carefully without looking up. Last thing he wanted was the Indian man killing him.

Elizabeth closed the door and grabbed two bottles of water from her purse. They were in an evidence bag. Carefully she
used a tissue, placing one where Wilma May would be sitting, and one where she would be sitting. Then she turned to her husband and grinned wickedly. “That was amazing work baby!” Elizabeth fist bumped him and winked.

“I wasn’t always good cop before you became my partner. I did get to be bad cop a few times,” he paused. “I hear footsteps.”

Both agents stopped smiling as the door opened.

Wilma May opened the door hesitantly. “You needed to see me?”
She had wide eyes and looked nervous.

“Please have a seat, Wilma May,” said Elizabeth, pointing at a chair. “Take a break, and have some water. We’ll be right with you,” she said, seriously.

“Oh, okay,” she cracked open the bottle and took a big sip.

Elizabeth turned towards her husband and winked, as she pulled out her tablet. “Wilma May, do you know why we
’re here?” she calmly sat, and put on her best serious face.

“No, I can’t imagine. I didn’t do anything. I swear.”

“Can you tell me about what time this man was in the last day he was seen alive?” Elizabeth pushed the picture towards her.

Wilma May scrunched up her face. “I think it had to be around three in the afternoon, because he said to me it was kinda late in the day to be having coffee, but he still had a few hours to drive.”

“He said nothing else to you?”

“No, really! I swear
, Agents. I would tell you.”

Elizabeth leaned across the table, looking into the woman’s eyes. “
Okay, if we think of anything else, we’ll be back,” she said, softly.

Wilma May bolted.

Elizabeth reached into her pocket and pulled out her gloves. Once they were on, she carefully placed the top back on the water bottle and placed it in an evidence bag.

“I can’t believe this worked,” Blackhawk
shook his head, laughing.

“Cowboy, why do you doubt me?” she asked, dropping her sunglasses back on her face. “Shall we, Mr. Blackhawk?”

He snickered and opened the door for his wife. The second they were back where people could see them, they had the FBI faces intact and both looked menacing. Blackhawk pointed at Joe Lemar, before he followed his wife out the door to their vehicle. Once inside, they both burst into laughter.

“Ethan, that was the sexiest display of bad cop I have ever seen you pull off. “

“I’m glad I could entertain you my love. I suddenly have a craving for a smoke break.”

“There are days I love my job. Today is definitely one of them
.” Elizabeth buckled her seat belt. “Baby Blackhawk, your daddy was extra sexy today at work. You should be proud.”

He laughed. “Back to the sheriff’s station,
Daddy has more work to do yet today.” Lovingly Ethan ran his hand over her belly and couldn’t help but feel warmth over power him.

Damn it, he loved his
life.

                          *      *      *

Opening the jar, she dumped out the eyes, and they slid sickly into the palm of her hand. Inspecting them, she admired her handy-work. There was absolutely no damage done to the perfect orbs. Soon he would be almost completely put back together again. Her one true love would be reconstructed.

He would be back
.

She leaned over the table and looked down into his sightless face and
popped them into place. “My love! They are a perfect match. Soon we will be back to the way we were before that day.” She became quiet thinking back to the horrible events that shaped their future.

“Never mind my love, we need not speak of it. Accidents will happen, now won’t they?”

She looked down at the body. “I think we only need a few more pieces until you are whole again, lover.”

“Just a little longer, and we’ll be together again.”
The sharp pain shot through her head, and she shook it viciously to regain control and push past the pain.

“Damn headaches are getting worse and worse,” she said, rubbing her temples. She looked at her watch. “I think I may sneak in a nap, you know for beauty rest.”

She kissed him on the cheek delicately, and headed to their bed to get some rest before her busy night ahead.

                            *      *      *

Callen loved his family, especially his grandfather. When his mother was gone, the man became his surrogate mom and dad all in one. This man was so vital to his life, and always would be. When he’d come inside from being kicked out, he found his grandfather comforting Desdemona. She was protectively under his arm, and she was laughing. There was no anger on his face and true to his word, he was planning on letting his grandson choose his own path in life.

They’d sat down to lunch, and his grandfather and dad had made an all vegetarian meal, of a hearty vegetable stew. Much like he remembered eating as a child. It touched his heart that they were trying to make Desdemona fit into their circle, the best that they could. Instead of questioning her choice in foods, they accepted her and made her feel like she belonged.

During dinner they joked with her, and teased her a little, but only to the point where she laughed. No one made her feel like she wasn’t already a permanent part of their unit. Desdemona was accepted and welcomed into the family.

It touched his heart that his grandfather had taken to calling her ‘little
spider’ much like he referred to his brother’s wife as ‘the protective raven’. It showed they were claiming her and it was more than he ever expected. Obviously she had told his grandfather about the quote that Elizabeth had shared with her. Just those words between the women seemed to heal Desdemona’s heart, and he owed Elizabeth more than he could ever repay.

Desdemona
was his final choice. Now he wouldn’t be alone the rest of his life and could have what his brother had.

Whitefox kept updating his brother as they were still on the
Rez, and part of him wished they could have more time together there to get her integrated into the family. Now that she saw she was welcome, he hoped she wouldn’t run or he’d be chasing her down and dragging her back. Maybe it was Neanderthal of him, but he really didn’t care. Desdemona Adare was going to stay in his life. Regardless of what she thought was best for him.

“Callen?”
She touched his arm, drawing his attention back to here and now.

“Yeah sweetheart,” he said, kissing her on the
top of the head.

“We should be going.
Ethan and Elizabeth need us there and we’ve been a distraction for them. I’m sure your brother is worried about you.” Who was she kidding? Desdemona wanted to escape off the Rez and the Indian’s stare.

He nodded. “Dad, take care of the old man, Ethan and I will be back in a couple days, and don’t forget that fishing trip in spring
.” He hugged his father. The bond they were rebuilding was strong and he was grateful to have him back in his life. “If you need anything call me.”

“I will son.
Don’t worry about us. Just be safe, and watch your back,” he patted him on the shoulder. “Kiss Elizabeth for me, and hug your brother.”

“Oh, don’t you worry! I plan on it,” he said
, laughing.

Desdemona shook her head
. After spending lunch with the eldest Blackhawks, she could see they all felt the same love Callen had for Elizabeth. She was trying to come to peace with it, and find her own niche into the family. Trying being the operative word.

“Granddad, thank you for lunch
.” Whitefox went to the old man and hugged him. His heart ached that one day, he wouldn’t get to do that. He held on a little longer this time, because he needed it, and wanted that memory to hold. “I love you, Granddad,” he whispered. “Thank you for setting me free.”

The man smiled and patted his grandson on the cheek. “You can thank your brother’s wife. She is hard to say no to, even when I have the best intention to do it.” Timothy looked over at his son. “Wyler, will you escort Desdemona to the vehicle? I wish to say something privately to Callen.”

“Sure thing, Dad,” answered the man, as he held out his arm, and she put her hand through it smiling.

Callen watched her walk away, and must have had a completely
lustful look on his face, because his grandfather started laughing.

“That is the same look your brother gets when he’s staring at his wife.
I’m going to also assume you’ll be mauling that poor girl just like your brother does to Elizabeth.”

“Hell yeah I plan on it. As for the look, it’s genetic. I can’t help it.
” He hoped his grandfather wasn’t planning on telling him to forget about Desdemona. “What did you want to say to me?”

“Follow me,” he led his grandson to his bedroom.
“I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay.” Now the nerves were kicking up.