Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) (64 page)

He did that by watching them.

Now he was sitting by himself.

Instead of fighting, he opted to get down to work. There was no ‘I’ in team, so Callen needed to pull his part and this was how it needed to be done.

Most of their jobs were legwork after all, and he needed to handle it.

Sitting at the table, he stared at the list of suspects on the board. He was going to sit down, start researching Bonnie’s life, and hopefully find one of them intersecting it.

Scribbling their names on paper, he began.

Russell Beston.

Lenny Ellis.

Wilfred Monroe.

Clarence Rickert.

One of them had to be a killer. It was a matter of finding that thread of commonality, locking it down, and getting kisses from his girl.

                                 *     *     *

Monroe Estate

All night she dreamed about this.

It was going to be her moment to break the pedophile. Maybe it was very wrong of her to be excited, but Elizabeth didn't care.

When Callen had been in the shower, she and Ethan had decided to leave their partner behind. It wasn’t that they didn't love and respect the insight he brought to the team, they just didn't like subjecting him to bad memories.

Since being sexually abused as a child, they were taking precautions to protect his heart. It’s just what you did when you were in love with someone.

While he was pissed off, he didn't say anything.

It showed how much he’d grown.

As they approached the door, they were met by the maid. “Mr. and Mrs. Monroe are expecting you.”

They followed her in, noting that now the house was silent. It was as if the mourning was over, and they’d all moved on. In fact, there were new curtains in the one room.

They were leopard print, matching Mitzi’s shoes. Yeah, there was no love lost between her and Magdalene.

“Have a seat,” he stated. “When can I have my daughter’s body? You’ve had her long enough and still haven’t done your damn job.”

Well, it appeared that he wasn’t going to pull any punches, so neither would she.

“You can’t have her yet. Our anthropologists are studying her bones.”

He looked confused. “How is she bones? She was only missing a few days.”

Normally, Elizabeth would derive no pleasure from hurting someone in their time of mourning, but this man had two strikes against him.

He diddled with young girls, and he was rude. It was obvious he needed an attitude adjustment.

“Beetles.”

It took a few seconds to get it, and he looked sick.

Mitzi just looked amused.

“You better not have defiled her body like that. I’ll have your job. I’ll call the governor!”

Elizabeth had heard that a million times before. It didn't scare her then, it wouldn’t scare her now. It was protocol, and there was nothing either man could do to stop them.

“Go ahead. We’re doing our job, and that’s what matters. Trust me. Your daughter doesn’t care about her flesh being removed by beetles. She’s looking down and wants justice. So zip it.”

He gasped.

Mitzi hid a smile.

Now it was time for the second strike. “If you were to call the governor, president, or the pope, I would have to share with them something that you won’t be too happy with.”

He glared at her. “What’s that? What could you actually have that might cause me a problem? I didn't hurt my daughter!”

“I know you didn't kill Magdalene. What you’re guilty of is just as bad. You were having sex with young girls, and by that, I don’t mean the one sitting beside you. There were others.”

Mitzi wasn’t smiling now.

In fact, neither was he. Immediately, Wilfred Monroe began stuttering.

“Oh please! Enlighten us,” Mitzi stated. “You have nothing on my husband.”

While her words defended him, her body language spoke volumes. Already, she was leaning away from him.

He quickly jumped in, trying to save his ass. “It wasn’t forced. It was consensual.”

Mitzi stared at him in horror.

“Was Jacey your soul mate?”

He still said nothing.

Ethan didn't know why he put it past his wife to pull this one off. He should have known that she was going to take the man down one way or another. Since the girl in question was dead, they had no proof.

Mitzi didn't look like she needed it.

“What the fuck is she talking about?” she demanded, jumping from the couch in anger.

He followed, trying to pacify her.

Elizabeth dug the hole deeper. “Yeah, didn't you know, Mitzi, that he was dipping his rich stick in another girl.”

It enraged her. “We were in school together.”

“Yeah, he started when she was fifteen.”

She gasped as if struck.

“Us too! You cheated on me with her? You better explain, Willie!”

His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Yet, no words came out.

Blackhawk watched it all unfold.

It was funny as hell.

“You were screwing her and me at the same time?”

He tried to calm her down, but it wasn’t working.

“Yeah, he would drive her to the
‘Twist and Shout’
and swap copious amounts of saliva with her. I bet they did it in his car too, right, Mr. Monroe?” Elizabeth provoked.

Mitzi’s mouth dropped open. “OH.MY.GOD.”

“Did she turn you down, Willie?” Elizabeth asked, using his wife’s nickname for him. “Is that why you killed her?”

Ethan lifted a brow.

“I bet you hooked up with Mitzi afterwards.” She stared right at the woman. “Oh, no,” she said, feigning mock pity. “You were Jacey’s sloppy seconds.”

It took all Ethan had not to roar with laugher.

Mitzi went red.

Willie realized that he was screwed. He pointed at the door. “Get out! You can’t talk to me like this! I’m calling my attorney!”

Her work there was done.

“Yeah, Mitzi, honey, you better call one too. I hope you didn't sign a prenuptial.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I didn't.”

Heading toward the door, Elizabeth was supremely pleased with what she had accomplished. Outside, Ethan placed his hand on her arm.

“You never wanted to question him, did you?”

She laughed. “Hell no. I wanted to have his wife interrogate him. That’s poetic justice, my friend. You dip your stick where it doesn’t belong, it should be the wife to remove it, not the FBI.”

He laughed. “You’re sadistic, evil, and wicked. I think I love you.”

Now it was her turn to snicker. “I hope so, or I’ll throw you under the marriage bus next.”

He wasn’t worried.

Ethan didn't cheat, and he never would. This was his woman, and he loved her.

“Hell hath no fury like a wife scorned.”

“Lyzee, baby, I’m well aware.”

Something was rubbing him the wrong way.

Callen kept staring at the whiteboard and his tablet. The data wasn’t matching up for him.

It felt like they were missing something.

All morning, he’d been tracing the money trail. Russell Beston was a thug. He’d often collected a fee for his services from Wilfred Monroe. It looked like he’d been hired three or four times a year for ‘jobs’.

Yet, none had been as large as the fee for his job eighteen months ago.

The man was dirty, but he wasn’t sure the way they wanted him to be.

Instead, that little nagging voice appeared in his head, pushing him to dig more.

In his opinion, they were missing someone who was a viable suspect. Maybe it was because he was quiet, blended in, and didn't stand out, but Donald Hooper should be on that board.

Crossing to it, he added his name. While he knew his woman was territorial with her whiteboard, he didn't think she’d care.

After all, she told him to find something.

Elizabeth had put it in his hands, and now he was going to take care of it.

Sitting down, he pulled the file he had. The first thing he started with was the DNA. Merry’s tech had sent over the file, and low and behold, there was no report for Donald Hooper.

After calling, he found out that the man must not have submitted a sample. Was that an oversight?

Curious.

To Callen, that was damn suspicious. Their team wouldn’t call it a coincidence since they didn't believe in them
.

Continuing to dig, he found things that were more fascinating.

Like the man’s father—
he was dead.

As was the killer’s.

Donald’s mother was MIA.

As was the killer’s.

Callen dug through the information that Agent Madden had compiled. She’d done a very thorough job of finding whatever she could on their student.

Scanning through the university’s documents, he found a copy of the man’s birth certificate. It showed no name in place for the mother.

That was suspicious too.

What also caught Callen’s attention was that when he pulled up the man’s information in their system, he didn't show. Yes, he had a driver’s license, but no record of birth.

It was looking bad for the man. He was steadily moving up the suspect list.

Callen decided to do a deep search on the man. One way or another, he’d get to the bottom of it.

He had to.

Elizabeth would expect the best.           

                     *      *     *

The team was ready to go when they arrived. That made it easier to get them all mobilized and to the dig site.

Ethan wanted his head tech to run this one, since it was her opinion that Magdalene had gone into the water not far from there. 

As they arrived, the dig team was sitting around doing absolutely nothing.

Well, that was going to change. They were going to make sure of that. If they wanted work, then they’d get it.

Entering the tent, Doctor Bridget Seston was waiting for Doctor Magnus. Before he could brace for it, she began her verbal barrage of angry words.

“YOU! I want to file a report against her!” she said, pointing at Jaxon.

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. “For?”

“Striking me! That bitch hit me!”

Jaxon paled.

Tony wasn’t too far behind. He thought he’d handled it, but apparently, he was wrong. It appeared that this nightmare was never going to end.

Well, shit!

Elizabeth had about enough of her drama. She’d taken a few face shots in her time, and this was a little too much bitching. Doctor Armstrong wasn’t that big. It wasn’t like she could do serious damage.

“Not going to happen, sugar. See, you put your hands on my anthropologist. As far as I’m concerned, as his boss, and a woman who would beat down someone trying to poach her man, you’re lucky to be alive. I would have beat your ass into the ground.”

“I’ll bury her career.”

She could see this was going nowhere. “Okay, I’ll punish her. You’ve earned yourself a week off, Doctor,” she said, pointing at Jaxon.”

The woman’s lower lip quivered.

Tony looked like he was ready to lose it.

“Are you happy, Doctor Seston?”

“Yes, I am.”

Elizabeth faced her anthropologists. “I suggest you schedule that week for your honeymoon. Just give me two weeks’ notice.”

Tony nearly laughed. He shouldn’t have doubted his friend.

Doctor Bridget Seston looked like she was going to chew nails.

“I’m also going to handle the situation where you touched someone who didn't ask for it.”

She began protesting.

“You’re fired, Doctor. Sashay your ass off this dig site, Ms. Seston. I don’t want you near my anthro, our bodies, or me. I may be forced to hurt you if I see your face again. When I say hurt, what I mean is this; I’m going to reach into that man poaching skanky ass of yours, pull out your spleen and tap dance on it. Then, I’m going to shove it back in, using that hole of yours that seems to keep getting you in trouble.”

She looked horrified.

Elizabeth turned, facing down Jaxon. “Now, do you see the correct way to hurt someone? Fists are not needed. Words can suffice.”