Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (10 page)

Once he is locked onto a potential target, he will follow through. He will make sure to get to the goal he has set. This is very much like a game for him. He will be offended if someone interrupts, but he will also be offended if someone doesn’t come after him.

To him, this is about his craft. He’s going to be artistic and love what he does. Murder to him is something beautiful. The rape isn’t going to be about getting off. It’s going to be about hurting his victims. He’s likely been hurt in his past. This is his way to get control.

He’s led by ego, and that makes him dangerous. If you run into him, you need to be prepared to fight for your life. The Butcher will take what he deems his, and destroy it. He will not screw around. He has a goal. He has an endgame.

                                                        E.B.

The second Ethan saw it, he realized he’d been right. Now he had to come clean.

“I was the profiler,” he admitted, running his fingers over his initials on the bottom of the paper. “I was the one who lead you to the killer.”

She looked over at him in shock. “You were?”

Then she saw what he noticed. “You were E.B? You were the hotshot profiler that Gabe kept trying to get me to call for more information?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t lost on either of them how close they came to meeting well before Salem.

Callen spoke up, “You could have met her a decade earlier. You might have ended up with each other anyway.”

She stared into his eyes. “Fate had a plan.”

Ethan didn't mention the rest. He wasn’t ready to tell his wife everything. In fact, he hurt over the poor choice he’d made years ago.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I was just thinking that Fate is a bitch. I profiled this one, and I might be just as much to blame in this as you. If you killed,” he whispered that word, “the wrong man, it may be my fault. I feel like I let you down. I can’t help but think that I pointed you at him. This is on me too.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “You did your job. I’m to blame for this and no one else. I made the decision. I pulled the trigger—not you.”

They sat in silence.

Chris patted her knee. “We’re in this together. We all carry a part of the responsibility. You took a life, Ethan profiled it, Livy told you it was Seamus after her rape, and I buried it. We all had our hands in this one, Elizabeth. You’re not the only one carrying this.”

Ethan kissed her on the temple. “He’s right.”

She wouldn’t let this tarnish their careers. She’d pulled the trigger. She’d done the deed.

This was on her.

Finally, she spoke. “I need a few minutes. I want to reread everything. As soon as I step off this plane, I have to look strong, play tough, and be badass Elizabeth Blackhawk. It won’t be easy, but if I don’t pull it off, the media and everyone else will suspect something.”

They understood.

Standing, she kissed Chris on the cheek. “Thank you for being a hoarder. I appreciate it.”

He laughed. “I don’t think that was a compliment, Elizabeth, but you’re welcome.”

She moved toward the back of the plane to get comfortable.

“What isn’t she telling us?” Ethan asked.

Chris knew he needed to go on the record. “This nearly killed her. When Gabe and Livy bailed on her, she crumbled. It took everything I had not to hunt them down and tell them off. They broke her. I hated Gabe for a very long time over this.”

“What?” hissed Blackhawk. “What do you mean they bailed and broke her?”

Chris knew the man had a right to know. If Elizabeth was his wife, he’d want to hear everything. Besides, they were friends.

Close ones.

“Right after this went down, they showed up at her place, and Livy told her they’d eloped. She felt betrayed and alone. She called me and we spent four days in bed.”

Callen growled.

Chris stared at him. “Callen, calm down. It wasn’t like that. We watched movies, ate pizza, and I let her cry. She was my best friend, and to this day, she still is.”

Ethan relaxed. “This is going to hurt her. It’s going to be like reopening wounds.”

“Yes, it will be, but she isn’t alone. We can help her, and we will. I made a promise to your wife. I swore I’d have her back since she always had mine.”

Ethan closed his eyes. “I hate this.”

“We’ll have to be her support. Elizabeth is going to come across strong, but inside, this damaged her. Before that day, she was tough. She didn't care what anyone thought. She was the champion for the weak. That one moment altered everything. She stopped seeing the good in people. She began looking for the bad in everything. She was betrayed, and I can’t blame her.”

“Thank you for being her friend.”

“The pleasure was all mine. It still is.”

They all glanced back at her, and she was lost in the file. Her hair was pulled up on her head, she was chewing on a pen, and she looked distracted.

“This is going to be hard,” Callen said.

They were well aware, but it had to be done.

The game started fifteen years ago, and it was back in play.  Only this time, there was so much more at risk.

The cost might be the woman they all loved.

       
         
* * *
  B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x   * * *

When the plane landed, she was indeed a different person. It was as if a switch was flipped. Back was the investigator, and she was ready to hit the ground running. As soon as they walked into the airport, she was back on familiar ground.

She’d come home to where it all started.

This was the city that made her, and she wasn’t looking back. From that moment on, the pity party was over, and she had to run this like a director, not a scared child.

It was time.

In the vehicle, she began handing out duties.

“Chris, we have snow coming in, so I need you to get photographs of the body from above. The first thing we’re going to do is compare the last victims from fifteen years ago with the deceased director.”

“Yes, boss,” he said, making notes.

“Merry, you’re going solo on this one, and I do apologize, but I don’t want this blowing out of proportion. The more people touching the evidence, the more difficult it will be. The techs at the Hoover building are going to want in, but you’re driving this bus. I trust you to find me the evidence that I need to run this case.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What about us?” Callen asked.

“Ethan, you’re going to be in profiler mode. I want you to study the body and give me your opinion. I need to know if this is
‘The Butcher’
or if we have someone yanking my chain. Callen, as for you, you’re my buddy. You’re going to be taking notes, watching my back, and doing your normal thing. When I’m focused, you’re going to have to be my eyes and ears. If this is that nutjob, he’s going to want my attention.”

“Well, this is the way to do it,” Chris stated.

She was well aware.

“Can you handle that, Callen?”

He wanted to point out that with his hand, he was going to be a hindrance, but he didn't. This was all about keeping their woman safe. For that, he’d crawl through Hell on his belly.

“I have your back, angel.”

“That reminds me,” Ethan said, reaching into his own messenger bag. “These are yours.”

He handed Callen back his badge and gun.

He reverently ran his fingers over them. “Sweetheart, I’ve missed you. I am so glad to get my hands all over you again. It’s been too damn long,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood. “I can’t wait to play with you.”

“Hey!” his wife said from beside him as they headed there. “Really, Callen James? Have you lost your mind?”

Blackhawk laughed. “See how he is? I’d stop having sex with him if I were you. You should focus on his older, sexier brother.”

Even Merry snorted. She loved when her bosses got together.

“Never,” Elizabeth said. “I’m not crazy. I like having a spare for my pair.”

Chris was glad to see her smile, even if it wasn’t making it to her eyes. At least she was holding up. 

“Callen, you and I are going to interview Livy and Gabe. Hopefully, one of them has something for us. I plan on being in autopsy when Chris does his thing.”

He laughed from the back seat. “Remember the first time we stood over Stephanie O’Malley?” he asked.

“You mean when I gave you my candy bar because you were going to puke?”

“Yep.”

“I told you one day that it wouldn’t even faze us, didn't I?”

“You did.”

“Well, today is that day, my friend.”

He knew she was full of shit. It always bothered them. Only, they didn’t let it show. The people around you needed strong leadership.

There was a job to do.

“There’s Gabe’s driveway,” she said, getting them to focus. As they pulled up, two armed agents stood there with their hands on their hips.

“Can we help you?”

“Gabriel is expecting us,” stated Callen. He handed the man his badge, and then gave him everyone’s names. The agent called up to the house, and when he was given the word, they were cleared to pass.

As they pulled in beside Gabe’s vehicle, they noticed the kids were being loaded into a limo. She approached, only to have them rush her.

“Aunt Lyzee!” they screeched as all six kids raced into her arms.

Immediately, she hugged them. Tears filled her eyes. It had been too long since she’d seen them last. They weren’t little kids anymore. Time had changed that too.

“Oh, I’ve missed all of you,” she admitted, kissing each of them noisily on the lips.

“We missed you too,” Amy said. “Mom really missed you too!”

Elizabeth hugged the teen again. Gabe and Livy’s oldest looked just like her mother—all that red hair and freckles.

“I missed her too. You better get moving,” she stated. It wasn’t difficult to see where they were going. The men escorting the kids were Secret Service agents. They were easy to spot, especially since they were eyeing up her team as if they were going to steal a kid right from beneath their noses.

Either Gabe had pulled in a favor, or POTUS was concerned enough that the last director was dead.

She waited in the cold Northeast air until they pulled away. Only then did she head toward the house. Chris and Merry were already gone, as was Ethan.

Callen held out his hand. “Are you ready to do this?”

She had no choice.

This was fifteen years in the making, and the shit was going to hit the fan. Livy was going to need the truth. They’d kept it from her long enough.

At the door, she didn't even have to knock. Gabe pulled it open and yanked her into his arms for a hug.

“Oh, Lyzee, God! I’m so sorry,” he muttered, burying his face in her hair.

Together, they took a minute.

“I hate that we have to do this!”

“It’s okay, Gabe.” She knew why he was apologizing. Only, it wasn’t his fault. She’d made that choice on her own to save a man she called brother.

“We’ll be fine,” he promised.

It was lies.

They were both about to have their asses kicked. Livy, while sweet and a mom, she hated when people lied, and they were carrying the mother of them all.

“Where is she, Gabe?” she asked.

“She’s in the kitchen waiting for you.”

He hugged Callen next. “How’s the arm, son? Are you up for this?”

He shook Gabe’s hand to prove that he had most of his mobility back. “It’s almost as good as new,” he said, lying his ass off.

Gabe didn't buy it, but he let it go. Now wasn’t the time to ride the man. They had much bigger issues to worry about on the horizon. Callen’s arm was minor.

“Come in.”

They all crossed the room, stepping over Beauregard in the middle of the floor. The sheep dog was taking a nap.

He was off duty.

Once in the kitchen, Elizabeth’s heart skipped. There stood her friend. They’d once been so close, but time had dulled their bonds. She only hoped that after the air was cleared, they’d remain friends.

“Livy?”

She gasped and spun. “Elizabeth?”

“Hey, did you miss me, darlin’?” she asked.

Livy’s eyes filled as she rushed her ex-partner and friend. She crashed into her, trying to be cautious of the baby bump.

“Oh, God! He’s back. I thought I was free, but he’s here and he’s after me again,” Livy said, hugging her friend tightly. “I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared!”