Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) (29 page)

This wasn’t his first day at the rodeo either.

                                  *    *    *

Friday Morning

Tony was up and into a pair of old beat up jeans before Jaxon was even out of bed. When she rolled over, he assaulted her mouth with his own, kissing her senseless. It was his biggest pleasure each morning, and he had no plans of ever stopping.

When she tried to pull him back into bed, it made Tony laugh. “God, sweetheart! I wish I could, but if I don’t get my ass to that dig site, Elizabeth will chew me up and spit me out.”

Jaxon understood.

“I want you to stay in the morgue and hang out with Chris and Merry. Don’t go wandering around alone,” he stated.

“Are you siccing babysitters on me?” she asked.

Pulling Jaxon up from the bed, her naked form went into his arms. “I’m getting you fiancée sitters. There is a huge difference.”

Jaxon stared up into his eyes. “Think about me?” she offered. Releasing her, he took her hand in his to kiss the finger where her engagement ring sat.

“How could I not? You’re going to be my wife. You’re all I think about.”

Her heart stuttered in her chest.

“I’ll pop in later to see you. Try and behave,” he ordered, right before winking at her.

“I love you, Tony,” she called.

“I love you more, Jaxy,” he offered right before the door closed behind him. There was never a truer sentence spoken for him. She was his heart, his soul, and now his future.

Heading downstairs into the breakfast room of the hotel, he found his buddy having coffee. He was just the man Tony wanted to see.

“Chris?” he called, getting his attention.

Glancing up, Doctor Leonard saw the man heading his way. Chris struggled to keep a neutral face. “Yeah, Tony?”

“I need to talk to you.”

Shit!

The panic filled him.

“About what?”

“I’m being sent off to the dig site for the day. Can you keep an eye on Jaxon? I have that weird feeling in my stomach that something bad is brewing, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

He swallowed his coffee and also the panic that welled up in his throat. “Sure, that’s an easy one.”

Tony offered the man a fist bump. “When this is all over, how about we get together and have dinner? I want Jaxon to meet Cyra. I think they’ll like each other.”

Chris agreed. They would like each other, if their husbands were still talking when this case ended. “That’s a great idea. We should get together for a BBQ. I’ll have Lyzee and the family over too.”

Tony grinned. “That’s an awesome idea. We’re like one big happy family. This is so new to me, but amazing. If I ever forget to tell you, you’re like a brother to me.”

Chris’s heart squeezed in his chest.

“Same here, Tony.”

“I have to run. I’ll text you later,” he stated, heading toward the door. At the exit, he turned. “Thanks for being such a good friend. I love you, man.”

When he was gone, Chris dropped his head onto the table as he was filled with guilt. He knew then and there that they were all in big trouble.

In fact, they were now three days past screwed.

It was more like ‘
no dinner, sex in the car, and dropped off at the curb for a taxi’
screwed.

Well, shit.

This was going to be a disaster.

He could feel it…

                                 *    *    *

Oh, they were going to pay.

The fucking Feds were a pain in his ass. If he had anything to say about it, they’d be running for their lives when it was over.

They thought they were so damn great, by coming into the town and showing everyone up.

Well, they were wrong.

They may have a killer to find, but they needed to be scared away. Then the real police could step in and take care of business. They would get it done.

In Kentucky, the backwoods citizens had a different kind of justice. Here, the locals handled their own. It was easy to fix what was broken in their eyes.

All they needed was a gun.

While that half breed bastard thought he could run this town, he was very wrong.

They had a lesson to learn.

Unfortunately for them, it would be a painful one that they wouldn’t see coming. He’d watched them come out of the hotel all smug, thinking they were smart.

Well, they weren’t.

It pissed him off.

Maybe he could find a way to scare the hell out of them, or send them packing. Then he’d be a hero. No one wanted them there, and he could man up and take care of business. If one of them bled out, that would make it even better.

Half-breed blood was a good way to christen the dirt under their feet.

In his head, he knew it was wrong, but he didn't care.

Someone had to stand up to them, and he had the perfect way.

All it would take was one shot.

One perfectly aimed bullet, and they wouldn’t be so damn smug.

Now would they?

He laughed, knowing the perfect location which would give him the best vantage point. Once they arrived, he’d take care of the problem at hand.

For them, it wouldn’t be a good day.

See, he knew those woods like the back of his hand. He’d grown up there, lived there, and would likely meet his maker there. So, he’d risk it all for the town he loved.

Plus, he’d teach them that they couldn’t be assholes in his town. While they were looking for a killer, he’d throw them for a loop.

He’d make them scurry.

He’d show them the meaning of killing them with kindness.

Now, he had a job to do. It was time to teach them a lesson. Hopefully, it would make them pack up their shit and run for their lives.

Someone had to pay and bleed.

They’d insulted the good folks of Belleville.

Now, he’d pay them back.

One bullet at a time…

                                 *    *    *

Elizabeth, Ethan, and Callen avoided getting coffee at the hotel. They knew that the team would converge on the free food like the locust in a plague, so they headed into town to the coffee shop.

Once there, they found Deputy Weatherly getting coffee for what appeared to be his whole office.

When they approached him, his smile disappeared.

“Hello there, Deputy.”

He simply nodded, saying nothing.

Ethan was suspicious. Here was the man who had been the only friendly one in the office the day he arrived. Either Elizabeth’s display put him off, or the sheriff gave him a warning.

“Nice weather we’re having,” Elizabeth offered.

He just shrugged.

When he paid for his coffee and began heading out, she motioned toward him. She was going to rattle his cage for information. The weakest link was always the easiest to crack.

Outside, she stopped beside his patrol car. “You don’t like us, do you?”

He swallowed. “Ma’am, my boss said not to talk to you. You’ll get me in a heap of shit if he finds out. He has eyes all over this town, and I really like my job.”

That sent up alarms.

Now, why would the sheriff restrict someone from talking to a Fed? In their minds, there was only one reason. Sheriff Carlton had something to hide.

“Why can’t you talk to us?”

He shook his head.

“Come on, Deputy Weatherly. Spill it. I’ve been doing this job a long time, and this makes me want to dig deep.”

“I can’t, ma’am.”

She tried another angle. “You look like you’re a good cop, Deputy. I’m sure that despite your boss hating us, you want to do what’s right in town. Correct?”

He nodded.

“So, why don’t you just tell me what has you all stirred up. I was a sheriff once too, and I ran a small town just like this. I know how important the people in it are.”

Deputy Weatherly looked skeptical.

“Seriously. I grew up in a small town. I went into the FBI and then back to the town after being shot. I know what it’s like.”

He relaxed marginally.

“I’m one of you,” she offered. At one time, she had been. Now, she would use anything in her power to save the victims who were dying.

“We got a missing person report on a woman this morning.”

That piqued her interest.

“Who?” she asked.

“If I say, he’s going to fire my ass. He’s got a bee in his bonnet over you. When you knocked Deputy Richmond out, it pissed him off. He wanted to intimidate you Feds, and that’s why he brought our biggest guy.”

That amused Elizabeth.

It wasn’t the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that mattered. Ethan and Callen were big, but she could probably take them down too, if need be.

“Give me a name, Davvy,” she urged, using his first name to build a bond.

He sighed.

“I won’t tell your boss. I promise.”

“Wilfred Monroe called it in. He’s some big wig who grew up here. The man’s filthy rich. He and his trophy wife arrived at their house to find their daughter missing. She came up early to hang out for a few days. She’s not answering her cell, and we found her car outside a bar.”

“What’s her name?”

“Ma’am, please.”

“I swear I won’t tell your boss that you told us. You have my word on it.” Elizabeth held up three fingers in a Girl Scout oath. “I promise.”

Ethan and Callen watched from across the parking lot. They weren’t sure what their woman was doing, but it seemed to be working.

“Her name is Magdalene.”

“What’s the name of the bar?”

He sighed. “I’m going to lose my job over this, I can tell.” He paused briefly to weigh his options. Not for one second did he think she’d back off. Finally, he caved. “The car was found outside a place called ‘
The Mad Hatter’
.”

She reassured him. “I didn't have this conversation with you. In fact, you never saw us here.”

He relaxed, believing that he had a shot of salvaging his job. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

With that, he got into his vehicle and headed to work.

Once he was gone, the men headed to her side.

“What was all that and the finger oath?” Ethan asked curiously.

She told him what she’d learned. It looked like the sheriff wanted to pay hardball with the FBI. Boy, he didn't know the can of worms he was opening.

Well, they could play that game.

“You took an oath?” Callen asked.

She grinned. “Yeah, the Girl Scout one. My mother made me join as a child. She thought it would soften my unruly side if I made friends with a bunch of sissy debutants in the making.”

Blackhawk lifted a brow as he stared into her icy blue eyes. “I hate to remind you of this, but you were kicked out of the troop for unbecoming behavior.”

That was damn right and funny as hell.

“You better believe it, Cowboy, but our skittish little deputy didn't need to know that. Let him think I’m as pure as a virgin on her wedding night.”

“You’re going to make the sheriff’s life hell, aren’t you?” Callen asked.

“Oh, you better believe it.”

“Where to first?” Blackhawk asked.

“I want to give that asshole sheriff enough rope to hang himself. Let’s head there to ask for any information or give him an update. If he offers up the details, we don’t skin him alive. If he doesn’t, we bust his balls until he’s begging for mercy. In fact, I may cut his off and add them to my collection.”

Both men looked horrified.

“I hope you don’t consider our balls as part of that hideous assortment of yours,” Ethan stated.

She laughed. “Hell no, Cowboy. We all know you and Callen are the boss. I’m just the little woman.” She patted her baby belly.

Her sadistic laughter made them grin. They’d missed this the last month.