Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) (16 page)

~ Chapter Five ~

The crime scenes looked pretty clean but then again, he wasn’t really an expert on things like that. Callen walked the perimeter and checked out everything that caught his eye. He wore latex just in case they came across something that needed to be bagged for the techs.

So far his field partner, Julian Littlemoon
, had been incredibly silent. Callen didn’t want to bother him in case he was doing his tracker thing. As far as he was concerned, being out in the field without Elizabeth was a good thing. Even though the killer wasn’t after Feds or cops, having her safe inside, just made him relax a little more. Well, that and being near her still made it incredibly hard to think. Nothing in months had changed that.

“I think he came by car,” stated Julian, finally breaking the silence. “It’s pretty isolated out here, and I don’t see any tracks leaving the tree line. That to me signifies that the man drove here.”

Callen nodded, bending over to pick up a gum wrapper, dropping it into a bag. “I found this, but it could have blown onto the crime scene.”

Julian stood by his side, and looked around.

Callen’s phone began ringing, and he didn’t recognize the number. “Director Whitefox.”

“Cal, it’s me,” stated his brother. “I’m still at Quantico.”

Whitefox could hear the tension in his brother’s voice. “What’s wrong, Ethan?”

Blackhawk was nervous
about his wife being out in the field, even with his brother there. “How’s Elizabeth?”

Callen understood his trepidation, after all, didn’t he feel the same way himself, but at least he was able to be at home with her. “She’s good, Ethan.”

“Is she with you?”

“No, I’m with Julian, we had a little issue this morning with Agent Christensen,” he said, and then broke it all down for his brother, as much as he was aware of anyway.

“Is she alone?” he asked, feeling panic rise.

“No, I left her in-house. You should give her a call if you’re this worried. I’m heading back in to the office in a little while for
lunch. She’s really fine. I promise. Elizabeth was doing the autopsy walk through today with Agent Christensen and Detective Austin. With five bodies, that’s going to take her a while. I’m sure there’ll be some doctor show and tell too. You know how Tony and Chris are.”

Ethan was silent. “Okay, thanks.”

Callen knew something big had to be bothering his brother. “When are you coming home?” he asked.

“I’m aiming for tomorrow as soon as I can. I’m trying to get Gabe to cancel the last meeting in the afternoon, or let me out of it. I just keep getting this feeling like I need to be home.
Last time I talked to her,” he paused. “Lyzee looked off.”

They’d both learned to not doubt the feelings that they were both having. Instinct was very important in their job
and Elizabeth was reckless but a creature of habit.

“I’ll stick to her like glue,” his brother offered. “She’s fine, I swear
, bro.”

“I’m going to video conference c
all her now. I want to know if there’s anything I can do to help her with this assignment.”

“
Have a safe flight tomorrow, Ethan,” said Callen. “We both miss you.”

Blackhawk laughed. “I miss you both too. Be safe in the field.” Then he disconnected the call.

“Your brother is worried?” asked Julian.

“Yeah, I can’t say I blame him. Elizabeth is a trouble magnet and him being hours away by plane make him edgy.” Callen changed the subject. “Let’s finish up here and grab lunch for the ladies.”

Julian nodded. “Works for me.”

                                 *    *     *

Tonight was the night.

He was going to find the next woman to enjoy, and then watch her burn. His heart was pounding in his chest at the visual that played out in his mind. Something about the screams and pain made him wild and out of control.

The last woman fought hard, and instead of making him mad that the plan didn’t go his way, it made him excited. As she kicked and fought, he enjoyed every second. Maybe with the next woman, he’d ease up a little so she thought there was a chance to escape. Then he could relive it all over again.

Again his body tightened, and he slid out of bed to take a shower. He wanted to find her right now, but it really needed to wait. He’d bury himself in her body, and abuse her when she fought. All that would be left would be to then watch her burn.

Oh yeah, this would be his early Christmas present to himself. Who needed a blinking tree when you had a whore to light up the night?

A dying, screaming one. It was the gift that kept on giving.

                                 *    *     *

The three women sat in the office going over what they learned. Elizabeth stood at the white board, imputing the information that the other two women were reading to her. They didn’t have a great deal, but they had enough to get started.

“I’m concerned about the next woman that he grabs,” said Detective Austin. “I
f what your ME said is correct, then we’re looking at an escalation to torture.”

Elizabeth nodded. “I know. That’s why we need to move on this
fast. The first thing we need to do is find out who the other three women are, and go from there.”

Before Elizabeth could continue, the incoming beep on her tablet had her attention. “Excuse me ladies,” she said, logging into the video conference call. When her husband’s face appeared on the screen, her heart skipped a beat in her chest. “Well, well, if it isn't the sexiest Blackhawk in the entire universe.”

Ethan laughed. Just hearing her voice and seeing the familiar setting behind her in the office was cathartic. “I happen to disagree, Lyzee baby. I think you fill that role.”

She winked at him. “How’s Quantico,
darlin’? Is Gabe busting balls?”

“Oh, there are so many new regulations that it’s going to take three years to memorize them all. You aren’t missing anything exciting here.”

Elizabeth grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. She certainly was, but it wasn’t work related. Since they had a room full of people, she let the innuendo go. “When are you coming home, Cowboy? Callen and I miss you, and so does CJ and dad.”

Ethan sighed. “I wish today, but Gabe won’t let me out of here. Apparently, I need to discuss with
the conference of grown adults the techniques to profiling. I keep trying to tell Gabe that I don’t have a methodology, and that ninety percent of it’s my gut. He swears I can teach them something. I have a few hours to pull off some miraculous presentation.”

Elizabeth laughed, because when it came to profiling, her husband was legend. “I wish I was there to see you in action, it gets me all hot and bothered.”

Blackhawk grinned wickedly. “Oh well now, that sounds promising. How hot and bothered are you?”

Agent Christensen snickered.

Blackhawk stared at his wife. “We aren’t alone, are we?” Then the red flush crept up his neck. Out of the three of them, Ethan was the more private, reserved and easily embarrassed. Alone he could bring on the leering and raunch, but in public it freaked him right out. Callen was the middle ground and tended to not get bothered by others, and Elizabeth… she just didn’t give a damn.

“O
ops, that is so my bad, Cowboy. Let me introduce you. You already know Agent Christensen, but we also have one more new addition to the team. Detective Cyra Austin, this is my husband Ethan Blackhawk and also my co-director here at FBI West.” Elizabeth turned the tablet towards the women so they could see him, and he them. Technology was both a curse and blessing. At that moment, it was evident which side Ethan fell on with that one.

Cyra Austin nodded at the man and smiled. Yeah, the man on the tablet was pretty damn sexy.
The dark black hair and piercing dark eyes were attention grabbing. Then there were the angles of his face, and the really prominent cheekbones. “Hello Director Blackhawk.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Detective. Welcome to the team. Thank you for coming on board and helping
Elizabeth on this one.”

“The pleasure is mine, and I’m grateful Director Blackhawk allowed me the opportunity to see this amazing building and facility.”

Elizabeth turned the tablet towards Tori. “Hello Director.”

Ethan nodded. “Hello Agent. How are you doing?”
Blackhawk inquired, watching the woman’s face. It made him nervous that the woman was having issues. After all, she was acting as his wife’s field partner.

“Better now, Director. Thanks for asking.”

Elizabeth turned the tablet back to her. “When you return Ethan, I need your help profiling. I’m not strong in that area and Tori just likes fire. In fact, I caught her in your office dancing around your desk. I put the fire out, but there was a little damage.”

The woman laughed.

“Good to know, but for the record, if you think my desk on fire is going to bother me while I’m trapped here in meetings all day, you’re wrong. Go all pyromaniac on the place if you want, because right now you’re in charge. I imagine there’s paperwork if that happens,” he grinned, knowing that he’d screwed her over in that department. He purposely escaped to the east to leave her on her own with it, well that and to save her heart if the meetings ran over. Ethan didn’t want her to miss the holiday party she worked so hard on for weeks.

Elizabeth loved when he lightened up and teased back.
“There was official paperwork, but that’s what she used to light the fire.”

Ethan knew she was trying to
joke her way through missing him and to ease the nerves of their people. Agent Christensen appeared tense, but then most agents were when he was around. Ethan tended to be intimidating.

“I love you, Ethan,” she said grinning. Now he was obligated
, and she was waiting for it.

“Come on, Lyzee
!” Now he was laughing. Not only were there people in her office, but there were people around him. “You’re going to make me do this, aren’t you?”

Elizabeth simply nodded. “Waiting, Mr. Blackhawk.”

“I love you, Mrs. Blackhawk.”

She leaned in and kissed the screen. “You don’t have to kiss the
tablet; we don’t want your bad ass director image destroyed by you making out with the electronic equipment.”

Ethan shrugged and
sucked it up. “Now you have to kick everyone’s ass that gives me a hard time.”

“Done.” For her husband, she’d beat down an army
, especially since he swallowed his pride to give her the kiss.

“I’ll call you and Callen tonight when I get back to my hotel. You two try not to have too much fun without me.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Then you should tell him that, not me.” Shutting down the video call, she looked back up at the agent and detective. “Sorry ladies, but I miss my husband. Now we can get back to business.” She noticed the grin on the one woman’s face. “Yes Detective.”

“May I speak freely, Director?” she asked,
lifting her eyebrow quizzically.

Elizabeth leaned against the corner of her desk. “Shoot, and please stop calling me Director.
Elizabeth is just fine while we work together.”

“Your husband is a very handsome man. Just wow,” she said smiling.

Elizabeth grinned and glanced over as Tori started laughing. “Something funny, Agent Christensen?”

“I was just thinking to myself, Elizabeth.
The laughter was simply a byproduct of the visual that formed in my head.”

“Care to share with the class?”

Tori leaned back and stared over at the detective sitting beside her. “Wait until Cyra sees both men together in the same room.”

Now Elizabeth started laughing. “I can’t wait. Now, let’s get back to work.”

Detective Cyra Austin was confused. She obviously missed something huge. “I don’t get it.”

“You will,” answered Tori. “Trust me, you will.”

Once the crime scenes were rechecked, Callen and Julian grabbed some pizzas and headed back to the office. It was lunch time, and if he knew Elizabeth, she was sitting at her desk, guzzling coffee and starving. When she was on an assignment, often she forgot to take care of herself.

Walking into her office, he was surprised to see the three women working on the whiteboard and drinking bottles of water. Elizabeth was behind her desk, the two women were in chairs and reading tech reports.

“Hey Lyzee,” he said, dropping the pizzas on the desk and a kiss on the top of her head. “I missed you.”

Elizabeth grinned. “I was just about to order lunch from the cafeteria, and no kissy-face in the office,” she admonished
, and then laughed when he did it again just to rile her up.