Deep Dark Mire (An FBI Romance Thriller ~ book four) (11 page)

Walking from the building, Desdemona channeled her inner Morticia and tried to look confident and tough on the outside. The whispers were irritating and she caught little pieces of
the conversations about the ‘Adare witches’, but she chose to ignore them all.

The only thing she was sure of at that moment was that she would be infinitely grateful when she could return back to the house
to call it a night.

Going home was pretty much what she expected it to be.

Nothing but a bitch.

~ Chapter Three ~

Elizabeth listened to the directions from their onboard navigational system
, taking in the small town they were currently driving through in order to get to the bed and breakfast. Once there, they’d check in and unload their suitcases before going to find Desdemona.

The town looked pretty small, and she couldn’t imagine that there were going to be quite a few places to look for her. So far she counted a post office, a grocery store, a high school and a few quaint shops. Cypress Grove was relatively small
and very quaint.

What it lacked in size, it made up for in people. They seemed to be like ants milling around everywhere.

“I think that’s it,” said Whitefox, pointing to the building up ahead. “It looks like a plantation house.”

“Well, at least I know that it’s not going to be a
roach coach, since Ginny would be too afraid to put us up in one.” Elizabeth hated when Gabe Rothschild used to make the arrangement and claim it was budgetary restraints. Everyone knew he was sadistic and evil like that.

“At least it’s not over budget.”

It was like he was reading her mind. “The FBI isn't paying for this, I am,” she said, nonchalantly.

“Elizabeth, I can pay for my own room.”

She ignored him and pulled the Escalade into the parking spot marked ‘guests only’. “Callen, don’t stress it. If this becomes FBI related, I get reimbursed. Just try to not look too FBI-ish when we go in there.”

Now he laughed. “We’re both wearing guns. How are we going to pull that one off?” Now he was entertained. “You also have a belt buckle on that says ‘Boss’. We’re driving a brand new Escalade that screams Feds.”

“Just hold my hand and let me do the talking, love muffin,” she said, unclipping both their guns and dropping them in her purse. “This is why I carry a big bag.”

Now he started laughing outrageously. “We’re going to pretend we’re married, but we’re getting two rooms?” he asked, hopping out and looking over at her.

“Callen, this isn't my first rodeo, just let me do the talking, and you just stand there and be all handsome and Native.”

He was going to enjoy this
and couldn’t wait to see how she maneuvered her way through this one unscathed.

Walking in they
stopped at the counter where there was a sign stating ‘Check-in’. Before long a woman appeared and looked at them suspiciously.

“Can I help you?” she asked, looking at the Native American holding the gorgeous woman’s hand. “Do you need a room?”

“Actually, my husband and I have two rooms booked for an extended stay.”

Now the woman looked confused. “Two rooms?”

“Yes, it’s going to be under Blackhawk. I believe my administrative assistant put it under my name, Elizabeth. If possible can we get a room on the outside of the house and the one directly beside it?”

“I guess, but why do you need two rooms if
you’re married?”

Whitefox couldn’t wait until
to hear this one.

“Well, the last time my husband and I stayed in
a B&B, there were complaints from the other people, on the opposite side of us, that we were too loud during sex.”

Oh shit, she wasn’t going to use that as an excuse. He almost stared with his mouth wide open.
What was more shocking was she told that lie with a completely straight face.

“Oh,” she looked at her with wide eyes.

“We’re just trying to be courteous to the other guests.” Elizabeth moved against his body and looked up at him. “Right
love muffin?” she asked, going up on her toes to kiss him gently.

Callen’s
entire body went taut, as Elizabeth kissed him slowly. It was definitely an Ethan kiss, and he started praying his brother didn’t have the place wired with cameras, or he was going to be a dead man.

Elizabeth broke away. “Will that be a problem?”

The woman didn’t quite know what to say. No one ever made the request, but she knew the woman was paying for the rooms, and really she didn’t want the other quests to complain. “No, that’s fine Mrs. and Mr. Blackhawk.” She took Elizabeth’s credit card and ran it through the machine. “How long will you be staying with us?”

Elizabeth leaned against Whitefox. “What do you think
honey?” she asked, hoping he’d play along.

“Beautiful, I’ll follow you anywhere
. You just tell me how long you want to stay, and I’m not leaving your side.” After that kiss how could he? Holy shit, he barely could think straight.

“How about we pay through Monday and if we want to stay
longer, we will. Is that acceptable?” Elizabeth knew how much the room was a night, and she knew the woman was making enough money where she’d overlook pretty much anything. “You’re not booked up, are you?”

“
No, it’s not a problem, Mrs. Blackhawk. You and your husband are in the Rose suite at the end of the hall. The Gardenia suite beside it is also yours. Here are your keys and the rooms adjoin if you want to open them up and leave your suitcases in the other room. Breakfast is served every day in the dining room at six thirty until eleven. We don’t offer room service, but there are many fine dining establishments in the area that deliver. I can always bring your take out up to you.”

“Thank you,” she smiled sweetly. “
I love it here already! Everyone is so darn nice.”

Callen picked up the bags and smiled at the woman. “Thank you for being completely understanding and so helpful.”

Elizabeth patted him on the ass as he walked past her and grinned at the woman. “Oh one last thing,” she said, pausing. “We have a mutual friend or two that may be stopping by, and if they do can you just send them up?”

“Friends?” Now the woman looked wary.

“Yes, we’re in town visiting some people. The Adare family.”

The woman’s face said it all.

“If Desdemona Adare comes by, can you send her up?”

The woman didn’t look pleased, but they’d prepaid and it was the slow season in Cypress Grove. “Certainly. I can do that.” 

Upstairs in the room she placed her suitcase on the bed in the rose room, and unlocked the door for the adjoining room. When Whitefox opened his side she looked over at him. “I don’t know if you're staying here or with Desdemona, but now at least we can sneak out if we have to,” she said, pointing to the tree outside her window.

“I don’t know where I’m staying yet.” He wanted to keep Desdemona safe, but he also wanted to make sure Elizabeth stayed safe too. “You’re going to scale the tree
?” And now he was laughing. “You could have warned me that you were going to kiss me.”

“You kiss me all the time,” she said, grinning. “I don’t get a warning.”

“Uh, I don’t kiss you like that,” he answered, shaking his head. “That’s how you kiss Ethan. That wasn’t a brother kiss.”

“Are you complaining?” she asked, wickedly.

“Are you kidding? You can kiss me anytime you want; it just caught me completely off guard.” Yeah and woke his entire body up.

Elizabeth laughed. “Let me call Ethan to tell him we checked in, and then we’ll pretend we’re going to dinner and head to Desdemona’s.”

“Works for me,” he answered, dropping onto her bed.

Elizabeth called her husband
, looking at the clock. When he answered he was still at FBI West, she could hear the phones ringing behind him. “Still at work?”

“Yeah, we caught a few bodies, and I’m making sure Doctor Leonard has it covered before I head home. Besides, there’s a time difference. You’re an hour ahead. Everything go okay landing and checking in?”

Elizabeth put him on speaker phone. “Yeah, the woman at the front desk bought us being a couple.”

“Do I want to know what you did to pull that off with two rooms?”

Whitefox began laughing and then it went to nervous laughter, when he saw her grinning at him. He shook his head no and mouthed it when he saw her wink.

“Well
darlin’, I think when I kissed Callen she bought it,” she said, trying to not laugh at the horrified look on her brother-in-law’s face.

Blackhawk went quiet and then he spoke. “Please tell me that right now he looks completely scared shitless.”

“Want me to take a picture?” she asked, snickering.

“No, the visual in my head is plenty. Are you heading out now?” he asked, completely fine with what his wife just told him. He was glad that she was with Callen and not Julian Littlemoon. That would have pissed him off to no end, but then again he knew his wife wouldn’t make out with anyone he deemed off limits.

Callen wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but he thought for sure that his brother was going to be absolutely pissed over what she’d done, and now he didn’t know what to think. It was like he was in some parallel universe where he got to make out with Elizabeth, and his brother didn’t care. He might move here and build a house in this dimension. It was vastly more gratifying.

Then again, m
aybe he was still asleep on the plane and this was a dream.

A really great dream.

“We’re on our way to Desdemona’s now. If I can get her to stay here with us I’m going to try. I have no idea how I’m going to pull that excuse off.”

“Damn it, I’m going to miss the threesome explanation,” Blackhawk said laughing. “I swear to
God that I’m going on the next assignment with you.”

Elizabeth snickered again. “If you thought the look on your brother’s face before was priceless
, then you should see it now.”

Blackhawk roared with laughter. “Be careful. Call me later. I love you
both,” he said, disconnecting the call.

Elizabeth picked up her phone and held out her hand to Whitefox. “Ready love muffin?” she said playfully, trying not to laugh.

“I really think I’m going need a drink tonight,” he muttered, trying to take her hand, and tensing as she placed her arm around his waist and hand in the back pocket of his jeans instead. “Really Elizabeth?” he stated, under his breath.

Elizabeth’s melodious laughter floated down the hall as she waved to the owner of the bed and breakfast. “See, now wasn’t that easy?”
Oh yeah, she was enjoying every damn second of it too.

Callen didn’t even have words to explain to her how damn difficult that was for him. He just kept staring forward and trying to remind himself
that he had a fiancée. One who ran from him, disobeyed him, risked his family’s’ lives, and was somewhere being stalked by a nutjob. He prayed for patience as he got behind the wheel of the Escalade and noticed the owner was staring at them from the window.

“Looks like we put on quite a show.”

“Yeah well the hard part of the show is keeping the act going to make sure it’s believable. Once word gets out the FBI is in town, then it’s going to spread. Let’s hope we can keep this semi quiet for as long as we can for now.”

“How are we going to pull that off?”

“If you're staying with Desdemona, you’ll have to do it at her grand'mere’s house, or we’re going to have to figure out a way to rationalize her staying with us.”

“Threesome?”
Callen whipped out the Blackhawk grin the boys were famous for growing up. It always worked on the ladies.

Elizabeth loved catching the men off guard when they threw out the grin that they though
t manipulated her. “News flash, darlin’, but if I’m doing a threesome, it’s going to be with two men, not a girl and a guy.”

Callen just stared
, unsure that he could speak.

Elizabeth glanced over, and the Blackhawk grin was gone. In its place was him with his mouth hanging open.
She reached over and lifted his chin until his mouth was closed, and then dropped a kiss on his lips, just because she could.

Yeah, she loved the men in her family
, and tormenting the hell out of them too.

                                *   *   *

If Desdemona Adare didn’t need to eat, she certainly wouldn’t be in the grocery store in Cypress Grove. People were staring at her, as she picked out food for her grand'mere and sister’s house. It was easy to ignore the stares, it was the whispering that was driving her insane.

As she placed her things on the belt and began checking out, she could feel eyes burning into her back. Turning around it was the last person on the planet that she ever wanted to see. In high school there had been one girl
who made her life a living hell, and there she was, staring at her like she was a freak in the circus.

“Well isn't it creepy Desdemona Adare,” she said, laughing.

“Hello Kallie Oberman, fancy meeting you here in Cypress Grove.” Now she turned around and watched as the cashier kept ringing up her items.

“What
mangy cat dragged you back?”

Desdemona
simply ignored her, focusing on the woman in front of her. It was right about now she really wished Elizabeth was here to ass kick the woman into the next parish.

“Are you hard of hearing?”

Now the woman was standing close to her body, and making her really nervous. Growing up, Desdemona was more than likely to run from a fight than stand her ground. She took a deep breath, and prayed that the inner strength she believed to be there would come out and save her ass.

“No Kallie, I just learned a long time ago that I get to decide who I deem worthy of my attention. You aren’t on that list, so back up and carry on your business
elsewhere.”

There was silence.

Shit, she hoped the woman didn’t kick her ass.

“Who do you think you are?” she hissed
, venomously. “I’m married to the mayor of Cypress Grove and you can’t talk to me that way!”

Desdemona had enough. She pulled back her black blazer and on her hip sat the gold badge from the FBI. Beside it sat her gun that she’d had the fortitude to wear with her in case the stalker came after her.

“Oh my God! She has a gun! Someone call the sheriff!” Kallie Oberman stepped back.

Finally the woman retreated
, and she took a chance. Turning she looked her right in the eyes and pulled off her best Elizabeth answer. “Go ahead and call him. I work for the FBI and they give us guns. As soon as I get back to my car, I’m calling in your name and your husband’s name. I’m going to run you and see what exactly falls out of the tree. I’m sure you have some skeletons you don’t want the world to know about Kallie, and I’m going to find them just for shits and giggles because now you're pissing me off.”

Now the woman looked horrified.

“Tax evasion, lying to the IRS, and more importantly putting false information on your driver’s license- like the incorrect height and weight.” She didn’t even think that could get her in trouble, but let’s face it; she was reaching at that point.

The woman backed up, grabbed her groceries and walked out in a huff. The cashier started laughing at the display.

Desdemona returned her focus back to the cashier and her bill.

“I don’t know if you remember me, Desdemona, but I’m Ivy Delray. You were friends with my sister, Holly.”

She did remember, because she didn’t have many people who ever spoke to her, or tried to be nice to her in high school. “I do actually. How are you Ivy?”

“
I’m great now! What you just did to her was priceless. Thanks for putting her in her place. She thinks because she’s married to Mayor Reynolds that she’s untouchable. That was awesome to see.”

Desdemona smiled. Finding her inner Elizabeth actually worked. “It was worth it. I hate people that think they’re better than others.”

“Are you back in town for long?” she asked, telling her the total and taking Desdemona Adare’s credit card.

“My sister’s missing. I’m here until I find her.”

Ivy Delray shook her head. “I’m sorry. If there’s anything we can do for you, come in and let me know. Holly would love to see you again. If you can get together for a drink, or dinner let me know.”

Desdemona took her credit card back and smiled. “Thank you for making coming home a little easier. I was just thinking how this was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.”

The woman started laughing. “Are you kidding? Staying and coming back is easy. Getting the hell out of her is the hard part. You already created your own miracle. Be proud, Desdemona.”

Yeah, maybe she could be proud of what she’d accomplished.

She smiled as she grabbed her groceries and loaded them into the trunk of the Mercedes. When she looked over, she noticed Kallie was staring at her, and it was with complete envy. Yeah she earned her life and she wasn’t going to be bullied by anyone anymore.

Now it was time to go home. Maybe her grand'mere would be back by now, but first she made a call to FBI West, and hoped she could catch Chris Leonard or one of the techs before they left for the night.

The call was answered on the fifth ring by Doctor Leonard. “Chris Leonard.”

“Chris, it’s me. Desdemona.”

Doctor Leonard looked up at his boss standing in front of him, and he knew he was just in a sticky predicament. The boss had just told him that Desdemona had left the area, and was questioning on whether or not he knew why and what was said previously.

Blackhawk saw the look on the man’s face. He mouthed her name and waited for his reply.

“Hi Desdemona. How are you feeling?” Whatever was going on, it wasn’t going to be a good thing. He could tell. Ethan Blackhawk didn’t come down asking questions unless there was a problem, and then he usually sent the muscle, and that was Elizabeth.

Blackhawk hit the speakerphone button, and Chris Leonard had no choice but to be sucked into the situation.

“If you get a chance can you go down to the mailroom? I think there’s a package there for me. I was supposed to get it two weeks ago but they may be holding it.”

“Sure, I can do that as soon as I’m done with the autopsies I have lined up.”

Ethan Blackhawk scribbled on a piece of paper and passed it over to the man. It was a good thing he worked late.

“Great,” she said, brightly.

Chris Leonard read the paper. “It’s getting kind of late tonight. Can I call you back tomorrow and tell you? I’ll call from the lab phone.”

“Okay, that’s fine. I really appreciate it,” then she paused. “Has Callen been in?”
Desdemona really missed him, and wanted to know how pissed he was at her.

Blackhawk shook his head.

“No, I just got back into the lab, I haven’t seen him.”

“Okay, if you see Elizabeth or Ethan, can you just pretend we didn’t talk?”

Well shit, now he was definitely in the mess, whatever it was. “Sure, I don’t think I’ll see them now. It’s after hours. They’re probably home for the night.”

Desdemona felt a wave of relief. “Thanks Chris. I appreciate your help.” Then she hung up the phone.

Chris Leonard looked up at his boss. “How much trouble is she in?” he asked.

Blackhawk debated. “Enough that you don’t want to get involved Chris. Jobs are at stake here.
She lied to her bosses, and she just tried to get you to evade for her, plus the biggie, she took her gun across state lines and called it FBI related at the airport when it clearly wasn’t. I have to fill out paperwork for that little story to be fact.”

“Shit. Okay, what do I do?” he
asked.

“You don’t call and tip her off that I heard that call, or you
’ll be on that list of people losing their jobs.”

Chris Leonard didn’t want that to happen. “I’m sorry
, Boss.”

Blackhawk shook his head. “You didn’t do anything Chris, but I need to trust you to not tip her off. I’m not asking you as your boss. I’m asking you as Elizabeth’s husband
because her life could depend on us maneuvering quietly.”

“Okay.”
There was no way he’d ever risk his friend. They’d been through a lot together back at Quantico.

Blackhawk nodded and walked away, hoping he could trust his staff. Now he was going down to the mailroom to find whatever it was that Desdemona Adare wanted ever so badly that she’d risk a friend’s job by putting him in a predicament.

Now, it was time to call in reinforcements. On his way to the mailroom, he pulled out his phone and dialed the man who they met in Red River. Littlemoon was Native and excelled at tracking. If he needed a tracker ever, it was now.

“Yeah?” came the answer on the other end of the phone.

“Julian? It’s Director Ethan Blackhawk.”

There was a pause. “What can I do for you
Director?”

“
Were you serious about going into business for yourself?” He hoped the man was, because they really could use a little extra backup right now. The man may flirt with his wife, but he’d proved he was willing to have her back and that was his main goal right now.

Keep his family safe until he could get there.

“I am.”

“Are you interested in making some quick cash?”

Now he had his attention. “Is it legal?”

Ethan Blackhawk laughed. “Of course it is, but it’s just not FBI related,” and he told him what was happening. “I need you to find a missing woman.”

“Done deal. When do I leave?”

Blackhawk thought about it. He could have him on a flight tonight. “Can you pack and get to FBI West? I’ll get you on a jet out of here as soon as you arrive.”

Julian started packing. “I can be there in under three hours.”

“Terrific. I’ll get my administrative assistant to book you a room at the local bed and breakfast. Go in quiet and my wife and brother are there
, and posing as a couple.”

“So just observe and locate. You want me to blend?”

“As much as possible, unless you need to keep her safe.”

Julian laughed. “You do remember what happened last time you sicked a babysitter on her, right? I’m pretty sure she can take care of herself.”

Blackhawk still had to worry. This was the mother of his child, his wife, and not to mention his heart.

“Just find the missing woman. Elizabeth will update you when you arrive. Just try to stay under the radar
as much as you can.”

“You do realize that two Native men staying in a
bed and breakfast isn't exactly going to be easy to pretend is normal.”

“Do the best you can, and the cash is yours.”

“See you in three hours,” and he disconnected the call.

One more thing was off his list,
Julian Littlemoon would be going in, and tracking down the woman who had disappeared. Now he’d given Elizabeth one more layer of protection while down in the bayou.

He crossed his fingers and prayed for the best outcome possible for his family.

                                 *   *   *

Callen parked in front of the little saltbox house hidden in the woods. It was quaint and well maintained. Obviously Desdemona came from simple beginnings, but that didn’t bother him. He too came from poverty and a rough life, but it was now that mattered. Presently he wasn’t sure how he felt about the entire situation. Yes, he loved Desdemona, but it wasn’t with all his heart. From the beginning he told her that his family mattered to him, and that the person he spent his life with had to accept that completely.

Part of him knew that the issue Desdemona was having was going to come to a head at some point. Elizabeth was off-limits
. After all, she saved them both. There was hope still in his heart that they could fix whatever was broken between them. If Desdemona could get past the issues that were brewing in her head over what she perceived to be fact, they might make it.
Might!