Deep Dark Mire (An FBI Romance Thriller ~ book four) (52 page)

“Callen, do I have to get up and kick your ass across the parking lot?” she stated, sipping her coffee.

“Nope, it’s real.”

Still neither man laughed, because the entire thing was still incredible to behold. Ethan was about
to say more, but the tech team came around the corner all together and collectively stared at his wife. It wasn’t lost at him that every man was ogling her body.

Yep, long day ahead.

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, recrossed her legs in the opposite direction and tolerated their stares temporarily. Now she wanted to laugh. The team looked confused, like she’d been replaced by some pod person, and they didn’t know whether to be afraid or rejoice.

“Are you absolutely sure we hired the brightest and the best?” she inquired. “
I have to say; right now they don’t appear to be the sharpest tools in the shed. If me dressed as the Director of FBI West confuses them this much, should they be handling evidence?”

Blackhawk laughed. “I think they’re just shocked. It’s like waking up and finding out the grass was never green, it was actually vermillion.”

“I’d be shocked if I woke up knowing what the hell Vermillion was and started using it in a sentence,” snickered Callen, as he too checked out her legs. In the heels they looked spectacular.

Elizabeth
ignored the men and lifted a brow, watching her team sit at tables far enough away to observe her. Unfortunately for them, they all sat facing her. It was a dead giveaway that she was going to be the specimen under the microscope.

Whitefox leaned forward
to speak softly, so only they’d hear the conversation. “I’m going to say what they can’t. You are beautiful in jeans, but you look unbelievable right now. You have this tough, unapproachable, serious look going and it’s hot. I want to have you interrogate me right now.” He held out his wrists waiting to be cuffed.

She snickered, and reached out to touch his cheek. “Maybe if you're
both bad boys later we can work something out,” and she winked.

Ethan laughed. “This day is getting better and better
. I’m going to top whatever bad thing he does. In fact, I’ve been to jail more than he has and that should be taken into account, Warden.”

Elizabeth
snickered at being called that. “We’re on the clock boys, so let’s talk about the assignment and worry about sex later.”

“Damn, but just so you know, I can multi-task,” offered Whitefox.
Now he was picturing her as a strict warden.
Hell!

She went serious
and sipped her coffee. “I was showering and thinking about the journal. Something occurred to me, and I need to bounce it off the opposite sex.” Still she kept her voice low.

“Okay, shoot,” said Blackhawk. When it came to figuring assignments out, she always picked up the tiniest of threads.

“Read this paragraph.” She slid it across the table to the two men, and they both read it and glanced up at her.

“
It’s about Mr. Sexy again. You mentioned it last night,” answered Whitefox. “I don’t get what is so shocking. She called him by a nickname.”

Maybe it was just a girl thing. “Okay, here’s what I was thinking. I have a journal, and I’m writing about my sex life.”

“It would be on the best seller list,” snickered Whitefox, and his whole body shook, as her foot slid up his leg and intimately rubbed him under the table.

“
Multi-tasking my ass, ace,” she said, laughing when his eyes went completely blank.

Ethan laughed. “
Cal, you asked for that one.”

“Anyway, back to the journal. A
s I’m actually writing it, I would write names. I might write that Ethan and I did this or that. I’d write Callen said that, and I felt this. Not once would I call you Mr. Love bug and him Mr. Love Muffin.”

Both
men snickered at the nicknames.

Blackhawk
knew where she was taking it, and got it immediately. “So you think that she kept names out for a reason?”

“What if he’s a married man, and she’s worried that the journal gets out and the jig is up? If I’m having consensual sex with the men in my life, and they are aware of each ot
her, then why do I use Mr. Sexy? I may write that you’re incredibly sexy Callen, and he’s a sex god, but I’d use your names.”

“Because you're not bouncing in a man’s bed
who has someone else in his life.”

“Exactly
my point. I wouldn’t use nicknames unless it needed to be kept a secret.” Elizabeth heard the whispers and she leaned forward. “Excuse me gentlemen. I have some asses to kick.”

Elizabeth Blackhawk stood
, walking towards the team. “You all seem to think that me not wearing my normal attire means I’ve lost my damn mind? If you think I won’t hand you all your asses for not doing work, I absolutely will. Christina, stop leering at my husband and Callen and take your team to the lab, or the airport for transport back. You have one minute to be out of here or on a flight back to a little world I like to call unemployment.”

“Yes ma’am,” she motioned and the techs all scrambled.

Doctor Leonard and Magnus laughed.

“You two should know better. You’ve seen me dressed like this before. I used to
look like this every damn day.”

Chris Leonard grinned. “You also dressed like Miss Kitty, and I was hoping she was coming out next.”

“Funny, go get the remains ready. Desdemona is coming in to view them this morning.”

“Yes, ma’am!
” They both saluted simultaneously.

Elizabeth took her seat, and glanced up when they paused at the table. “What now?”

“Are you sure Miss Kitty isn't in there too?”

“Get out of here!”
She shook her head and laughed, along with Whitefox.

Ethan looked back and forth between the two of them, obviously missing some reference. “Which one of you is going to tell me about Miss. Kitty?”

Whitefox raised his hand and got a kick to his shin for his wicked grin.

“Shit! Those shoes hurt.
Hurt me again, angel.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Back when I worked under Gabe we had a killer going after prostitutes.”

Blackhawk lifted his brow. “You played the role of a prostitute?”

“Don’t picture it Ethan, because I can guarantee it will stick in your head all day and make
it very hard to concentrate,” laughed Whitefox. “Don’t picture the tiny little skirt, the fishnets, and the red heels. If you do, stop there, and don’t think of the corset and the really large,” he motioned, grinning.

“Callen!”
Elizabeth started laughing and had to stop him.

Blackhawk started thinking about it, and it did indeed make his body tighten.
“Now, I’m torn between Miss Kitty, the strict librarian and the prison warden.”

Whitefox tipped his head and actually thought about it.

“Back to work boys. Keep your sex thoughts to yourself while we’re on the clock.” Elizabeth went back to the discussion they were having previously. She gave them a moment to compose themselves.

“What if we have a married man, and he’s having an affair. She threatens to tell his wife, and…”

Whitefox cleared his throat, signaling to his partners as Doctor Adare came into the room. To Elizabeth’s credit, she didn’t even look and it was probably a good thing. It would have looked suspicious if they all looked over at the little woman at the same time.

Julian nodded at his boss, and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Doctor Adare,” nodded Blackhawk, as she stopped at their table. “I’m sorry for your loss. You can head to the ME lab and view your mother and sister at any time.”

“Thank you, Director Blackhawk.”

Elizabeth finally spoke. “Please have a seat Doctor Adare. We have some questions that we need to ask you, regarding your mother.” Elizabeth kept her voice monotone and even. It was a voice she perfected years ago for interviewing suspects.

“Certainly,” she said, looking curiously at the woman. She wasn’t dressed
normally, and if anything it pissed her off. The staunch black attire should have made her look non-descript, but it only made her eyes more blue, her skin fairer and more beautiful. Damn Elizabeth Blackhawk and her perfect everything!

Then she noticed the ring on her finger. It
was the one that had once been hers. Apparently, stealing her man wasn’t enough, but now she had to be reminded by looking at the ring. “Wow, you didn’t waste any time. Already she’s wearing my ring,” she said, nodding at the ring, and meeting Callen eyes. “You said you loved her, and I still hoped you didn’t mean
that
kind of love.”

“I
absolutely meant that kind of love,” Callen stated back.

“Of course you did.
I have no idea why I’m surprised.”

Ethan rarely got involved in relationship drama, but he felt the need to step in
and protect his family. “That’s the Blackhawk family ring, and now it’s back in the family. I think you need to stop worrying what’s happening between my brother and my wife, and worry about your own life, Doctor Adare.”

Callen
and Elizabeth looked over surprised.

“I understand.”

“I don’t think you do, but let me make it perfectly clear
. I expect this topic to die right here and now. What happens between the three of us is our business. We aren’t bringing it to work, and it’s not up for open discussion. What happens in our personal life is just that, personal. If my brother is in love with my wife, that’s our issue. If he gives her the family ring, again it’s our business and not yours.”

Desdemona tensed.

“Sex and love are not appropriate for the workplace
. I suggest you focus on the problem at hand, like who killed your mother and sister. Let me worry about who’s fucking my wife.”

Her mouth dropped open at the harsh use of words
. It wasn’t like Ethan Blackhawk and frankly, it intimidated the hell out of her. “I won’t bring it up again. I apologize Director.”

Elizabeth would have kissed him right then and there, just for dropping the F bomb. That wasn’t a word he said lightly, or threw around
. To use it now was a powerful indicator of his mood.

Blackhawk nodded. “Elizabeth, I believe you have some questions for Doctor Adare.”

“I do have a few questions, thank you Ethan.” Elizabeth stared at the woman with icy eyes. “I know it’s going to be hard, it was over two decades ago, but I need you to think back to the day your mother went missing.”

Desdemona
forced herself to relive it. It wasn’t hard at all. She recalled every detail. It was burned into her soul. That was the day she died inside. The only other day she’d remember more clearly, was the day Callen Whitefox informed her he wasn’t in love with her, but with Elizabeth.

“Can you tell me what you recall?”

Desdemona thought about it. “She left early that morning, as I was getting ready for school.”

Elizabeth leaned forward. “Who was she dating?”

That surprised Desdemona. “I don’t think she was seeing any one.”

Elizabeth pulled out her tablet and pulled up the pictures of the
bones and left them there for her to inspect. “Please look.”

Desdemona inspected them.
“These x-rays show she had stress fractures to her shoulder blades, back of the skull, and the hyoid was fractured. This indicates strangulation.”

“The
locations where there are fractures, indicates she was engaged in rigorous sexual intercourse.” Elizabeth described the entire thing, and she ignored the horrified look on her face. No one wanted to think their mom was wild in bed and liked rough sex or met her end through this violent means. The sex had to be punishing.

Desdemona pushed the tablet away.

“Your sister was pregnant. Who was she seeing?” Elizabeth dropped the bomb, and did it without any cushioning. She needed to see the woman’s response.

“I don’t know. Could you be a little bit
colder? You do realize I have feelings, right?” she said, her heart twisting in her chest.

“I could be
much colder, Doctor Adare, and I’m very aware of you having feelings. Who were her closest friends?” Elizabeth slid paper and a pen across the table. “We need to talk to them.”

She didn’t move.

“Okay, I can go door to door and drag this through the town. You think I won’t execute this questioning to the best of my ability, I will. I’m done screwing around here in Cypress Grove. I’d like to get home to my family and continue on with my life.”

Desdemona wrote the names down. “I’ll have them come to my grand'mere’s house. You can talk to them there.” She stood up and stared coldly at Elizabeth.

“Terrific that makes my day easier, as I need to question your grandmother too. I’ll text you when we’re coming.”

Desdemona shook in anger. “She’s an old woman, have some respect.
I heard about your last conversation, and it was way past the line.”