Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (34 page)

Tears filled her eyes.

“My heart is broken so damn bad, Gabe. Chris Leonard took a chunk of it when he walked away.”

He knew it. “Come here.”

Gabe opened his arms and waited until she hugged him. “If you come back, I’ll keep you safe. We all will.”

He knew the truth. Elizabeth was tough on the outside, but she was on the verge of breaking down. She couldn’t take much more. Your heart could only be kicked around so much before you couldn’t put it back together again.

“Take your time and think about it. You can bring your entire team. You can give them the option of leaving and coming back. Most of them started out here anyway. Tony and Jaxon Magnus were both here first. We have head techs you can take if Merry won’t leave. Think about it.”

She would.

She had to. Elizabeth didn't like change, and this was a huge step.

“Talk to the men. Let them help you decide. This has to be about all of you. If the time is right, you’ll know it’s the right choice. You’re coming back eventually. When Ethan is handed the keys to the kingdom, you would have to return anyway.”

He had a point.

What was the difference?

Then or now?

Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Gabe. You’re a good egg.”

He grinned. “I’m scrambled to let you and my wife back into the same building together. Who are we kidding?”

She was well aware.

“I swear we’d be good.”

He laughed. “Bullshit.”

Elizabeth yawned. “Thanks for the tea and the talk, Gabe. I appreciate it.”

“You’re on the right path, Elizabeth. Fear not. I believe in you. This killer is screwed.”

She hoped he was right.

There was so much riding on this right now.

All Elizabeth could do is put it all on the line, use her brain, and pray that in the end, she’d be faster.

Smarter.

Quicker.

That’s all that stood between them and a disaster.

No pressure.

At all…

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

Oh, she was making the rounds.

There was no doubt that Elizabeth was checking out everything she could to find the answers. It was fun to watch her backtrack all over town, interviewing family members.

Oh, what a waste.

It wouldn’t give her answers.

She was looking in the wrong place. While she thought she was smart, this was making it look like the exact opposite. Elizabeth was so self-absorbed that she was missing the point.

Well, not with the next one.

That was for sure.

This game was about her, but it wasn’t about what she thought. Payback was coming, and the next couple of blows would be the most brutal.

There was one more death in DC, and the rest would be closer to home. There would be clues.

If she couldn’t figure it out, she was a fool.

It was time to make the next move.

This one should be cake.

Make that a cupcake.

It was time to see if she figured it out, before death made its way to her doorstep.

CHAPTER NINE

Wednesday Morning

That morning when they got up, they found a note from Gabe and Livy stating that they had to head in early. While they’d hoped to get a warrant, Gabe had failed.

No judge in DC wanted to touch it with a ten-foot pole. They were too worried about being tried in the court of public opinion.

So, they weren’t searching James O’Brien’s house.

You win some. You lose some.

Instead, they switched gears, hoping to find another way.

On the counter were bagels and a pot of coffee.

As they sat down to eat, both men knew she was thinking. Elizabeth, while not a morning person when pregnant, would still participate in banter.

This morning…
not so much.

She was staring at her bagel as if it was the enemy. There was a deep scowl on her face. Someone was lost in thought.

“Okay, spill it, baby,” Ethan said, picking up his coffee cup. “I know you crawled out of bed around three this morning. Where did you go, and what stirred you up?”

Callen pressed on, “Yeah, you leaving us alone in bed should be illegal, since my shoulder was then against his chest. I have brother cooties,” he offered, trying to cheer her up.

Elizabeth glanced up. “I had somethings to think about, and I needed space.”

“Like?” Ethan asked.

“I’m thinking about leaving Damascus and coming back here.”

The cup paused halfway to Ethan’s mouth.

Callen stared openmouthed.

“Pardon?” they asked together.

Elizabeth dropped her bagel. “I think I want to move. I want to pack up the house, leave the West, and come home.”

Callen glanced back and forth between the two people he loved. He wasn’t quite sure where this one was going. While they both loved Damascus, they knew that the one major thing holding them there was FBI West.

Wyler would leave.

Callen didn't mind.

Elizabeth was from here.

This was all going to be on Ethan.

“We have jobs out there. Pray tell what will we do here?” Blackhawk asked, finally getting the coffee to his mouth. “We do have to work, unless one of you won the lottery and forgot to tell me.”

Callen figured if this was what Elizabeth wanted, then he’d help her get it. To him, he’d live in a cardboard box to be close to his family.

“I actually just came into some money as of late,” Callen offered.

Elizabeth glanced over, knowing what he was talking about. Apparently, he was ready to fill his brother in on what was going on in his private life.

“I was going to surprise you, but we might as well talk about it now.”

Ethan didn't understand.

“What are you talking about, Callen?” he asked.

“I told Elizabeth the other day, and now I’m showing you.” He slid his phone across the counter. Ethan picked it up and began reading it.

“You sold a book?”

“Yes. That’s my royalty check. I just made in one book what I normally make all year.”

Ethan glanced up. “I’m so proud of you,” he said, moving toward his brother. He grabbed him in a hug and squeezed. “Callen, that’s awesome. I mean the book, not the money.”

He laughed.

“I was going to give you a copy of the book for your birthday, but now you just won’t be surprised.”

Ethan grinned. “This is awesome. Your dreams of writing came true.”

“They did because of you both. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m willing to give up my job in the FBI to move if it’s what Elizabeth needs. I can write anywhere.”

“You’re still coming back to work,” he insisted. “You’re not done in the FBI quite yet.”

He grinned. “Whatever Fate has in mind, so be it. For now, I’m willing to pack it all in.”

Ethan sat.

“Well?”

“What will I do?” he asked. A part of him wanted to do it, but a part didn’t. He’d grown FBI West to be the hub it was. Giving it up was hard.

Damn hard.

It was his baby.

“Gabe said there’s a position for you here. I think he said, Deputy Director.”

The coffee sloshed over the rim.

“What?”

She laughed at the look on his face. There were days she truly enjoyed catching him off guard. It was rare to be able to do it. “Yeah, it would be a promotion. We all know you’re his heir apparent to run the FBI. It’s a matter of time. You’ll be the big boss one day, and we’ll have to return anyway.”

That didn't sound bad at all. Ethan always had that need to be the boss. It’s why he pushed so hard all those years to erase his heritage. He believed that it held him back.

Who saw this coming?

Certainly not him.

“Wait! Gabe said all that?”

She nodded.

“And you?”

“Well, I have to take a demotion. I would be titled, but I’d be out in the field.”

They stared at her.

“Livy is coming back to the FBI.”

The men stared at each other. Could they deal with their wife out there alone? Was that something they wanted to live each and every day?

“Anyway, think about it. I’ll leave it up to you both because you’re the ones leaving your home. You both grew up there, and there are homes on the Rez that you own. I can handle staying. Can you handle leaving?”

They did need to think about it.

A piece of Ethan wanted this.

But their father…

“We need to talk to dad. He’s the deciding vote. He’s never spent a day off the Rez other than our house. If he’s willing, I say do it.”

Elizabeth glanced over at Callen to get his vote in the matter. “My love?”

“I want our woman to be happy. I say go for it. I don’t mind moving, again.”

She grinned. “I love you both.”

“And our team?” Ethan asked. “We asked most of them to move to Damascus—Tony, Jaxon, etc.”

She was well aware. “I’ll talk to them when we get home. I know Tony. He loved it here. When he worked out of the Hoover building, he was in his glory. As for Jaxon, well, she still has her apartment here. She still works for the universities out here when they need a dig rat.”

“One last question.”

She glanced over at Ethan.

“Are you running to something or away from it?”

She wouldn’t lie.

“Both. I need a change, and I can’t walk out that door and look at Chris’s house and know he walked away. I’m pissed, hurt, and sad. He won’t ever be over. He won’t stay. I know him. He made his choice, and I have to respect that. I have to respect that he chose his wife. I would have done the same thing in his situation. If I had to pick between you two and him or Tony…I would choose my husbands.”

They knew how hurt she was over all of this.

“Honestly, I just don’t want to look at it every day. Time heals, but not if the memories bitch slap you every time you pull out of your driveway.”

They understood.

“You know, you probably could have made this decision before we had two houses to sell.”

She laughed. “Yeah, well, I have to repack everything again. You’re not the only one who’s shit out of luck.”

Callen laughed. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“CJ starts school in a year. We need to be situated. I suggest we get our asses moving,” Ethan said. “Tonight, we call dad and drop the news.”

Elizabeth felt better.

She still hurt, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel. After all, she always promised to keep Chris safe, and she did it. Her last mission was to save his heart, and she’d sacrificed hers to give him an out.

Now, it was time to move on. He would always be part of her, and she’d always love him as a brother, but she needed to focus on the future too.

“We should get to work. We have to get Doctor Legend up to speed,” Ethan said.

She shoved the rest of the bagel in her mouth and then mumbled something.

“What did she say?” Ethan asked.

“She said,
‘Yee haw, Cowboy’
,” Callen translated.

He laughed. “If you say so.”

Her smile said it all.

There was the beginning of peace.

Elizabeth was ready to move on.

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

Hoover Building

Morgue

Once at work, they found the ME waiting for them in the morgue. He was checking everything out, and he looked a little overwhelmed. While Chris had worked there, replicating the FBI West morgue to look similar to this one, the layout was still different on a grander scale. Gabe had a bigger budget.

She didn't blame Zane.

It could be daunting.

When she rolled in, Gabe, Livy, and her men were at her heels. She wanted to make sure Zane was up to speed. Now that Chris was gone, she was putting it all in his hands.

While he was wary of her, she knew he was damn good at his job. There weren’t a lot of Native ME’s, and this man was at the top of his field.

“Doctor, thank you for coming here,” she said, heading his way.

“Directors, it’s my pleasure. I’ve always wanted to see this facility. I’m glad I can be of assistance.”

He shook all of their hands.

“Can I ask why the switch up in doctors?” Yes, he knew why, but he wanted to see if the Blackhawks trusted him enough. There was always that worry that he was on the outside looking in.

“Chris has retired. He’s decided that his family needs him. I need a competent ME, and one who I like. I can’t work with jackwagons.”

Her heart lurched.

Chris made up that term. She recalled that bar fight and his first happy hour.

It hurt.

Maybe she couldn’t escape the past.

“I’m glad I’m not one of those,” he said, grinning. “I enjoy being part of the team.”

“We have to catch you up on the fly,” stated Ethan. “While Callen is working on digging up information on Helena Brennan, I’m going with my wife to re-interview a suspect.”

Livy went to object, but her husband put his hand over her mouth to stop her. “They’re running this, and you’re not fully back yet.”

She bit him.

Gabe yelped. “You’re a vicious woman!”

He was well aware why Ethan had not put Livy out in the field. She’d be forced to face down the exact replica of the man who raped her.

Or worse…

It could have been the man who raped her.

The men were very much alike, and he would have done the exact same thing had the scenarios been different.

“Livy, you’re going to have to walk our ME through this step by step. Merry will help you do that. They’re familiar with how we run this.”

“And me?” Gabe asked.

Blackhawk glanced down at his watch. “You have a meeting in twenty minutes. It sucks to be boss. I have the luxury of being out in the field, you don’t.”

He laughed. “I need a Deputy Director. Interested?”

Merry and Zane both glanced over. They couldn’t believe that their boss was just offered a promotion, and off the cuff. Gabriel Rothschild was notoriously difficult to work with, and now he seemed…

Relaxed.

“Yes, I am. If you’re serious, so am I.”

Merry opened her mouth. “Oh, shit! You’re leaving?”

Elizabeth started laughing. At least she hadn’t let this cat out of the bag. “Maybe we should discuss this later. How about we get to work?”

Callen hopped up on the table. “I’ll transmit as I pull things in, angel. You two keep yourselves safe.”

“Will do. Team, see you in a while.”

With that, Ethan and Elizabeth headed out. Gabe crossed the room to Callen, and lowered his voice.

“Was your brother serious about the position?”

Whitefox made sure no one was eavesdropping. “As long as he has the option to go out in the field when he’s in the mood, yeah, he was.”

Gabe grinned.

“Today is a damn good day! I’m getting my team back,” Gabe said, not keeping his voice down.

“Shhhhhh,” Callen warned, trying not to laugh. He knew this was going to spread like wildfire.