Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (60 page)

They would do it too.

Family stuck, and Chris would need them now.

As Callen walked away, Merry pulled out her phone. She had a call to make. Tony Magnus would want to be called on his honeymoon for this.

She knew they were close.

It was the least she could do.

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

Somehow, she managed to get Chris to relinquish his child. The only reason he handed her over was because Ethan had offered to feed her and get her cleaned up.

It was evident that he was afraid to let her out of his sight. Only, he trusted them.

It was a good thing because it was a long road back. They were going to have to work for this one.

As Ethan took her away, Elizabeth held out her hand. She didn't know if Chris was actually going to take it.

He’d wept, there had been mourning, and she knew what came next.

The next phase was rage.

She was willing to be his target.

When he took her hand, she led him to her office. Inside, she shut the door.

“Chris, I’m so sorry,” she said.

His eyes filled with tears. Immediately, he moved toward her. Elizabeth opened her arms.

Chris went against her body, and allowed himself the moment to let it go. He sobbed in the privacy of her office.

Together, they sat against the wall, him pressed to her body, weeping over what he lost.

She soothed him, taking off his glasses and stroking his hair like a wounded child. He’d done this for her. When she lost Gabe and Livy, after they eloped, he held her for hours until she could breathe again.

Elizabeth would do the same.

Chris was hers to protect.

“Had I stayed home,” he sobbed.

“Shhhh, Christopher, you didn't cause this. That bitch did, and she’s going to pay. I promise you that I’m going to make her bleed for you.”

He held onto her. “I don’t know how to do this. How do I raise my daughter alone? How do I be mom and dad?”

She gave him a kiss on the forehead. “You aren’t alone. I’m here. I’ll help you. I’ll be here every step of the way.”

He closed his eyes to breathe in her scent. It was familiar and offered peace. In that moment, it wouldn’t replace his wife, but it would get him through this. Once more, she’d be his rock, and he was grateful.

“This is my fault. She did this to you because of me. I caused this,” Elizabeth whispered. “I rolled into your life, and I ruined it.”

Chris lifted his head.

She was crying too.

“I hope one day you can forgive me. I wasn’t fast enough again, and I cost you Cyra. I am so sorry, Chris. So damn sorry.”

“I don’t blame you. I blame her and myself for this.”

“If I had only been…”

He stopped her. “I need you now, Elizabeth. I need you to hold me up. I can’t do this without you. Right now, I need you to stop hating you, and hate whoever did this. I need you to get Cyra justice. Please don’t let her take you down too. You’re my last hope. My Elizabeth needs her aunt to find this woman.”

She held him. “Okay, Christopher. I’ll protect you. No matter what happens, I’ll keep you safe.”

He stayed there. “I don’t even know what to do next. I have to plan a funeral. I have to call her family.”

“We’ll handle it.”

He slid down until his head was in her lap.

It was a flashback.

She’d done the same thing many times in their beginning years, and he’d always let her lay there until she was strong enough to carry on.

She didn't know how much time had gone by. It seemed endless.

“I should find my daughter. We have to go to a hotel,” he said, sitting up. This was the first step in starting to live his life. While Chris wanted to mourn for the rest of his existence, he had a child to raise.

He still had his daughter, and she deserved the best things in life.

She took his face in her palms. “You’re staying here with me. We have room. It’s safe here, and you need your family. Right now, we’ll get you into some clothes that aren’t scrubs, and you can put Bethe to bed in Charlie’s room. They love each other. They can sleep together.”

His eyes filled with tears.

He loved her. How could she think he’d blame her for what had happened. Elizabeth climbed a tree, almost eight months pregnant, and in the snow to save his child.

She’d risked her own life.

That was love.

“What? My scrubs aren’t sexy enough for you?” he asked, trying to remind her of their one conversation years ago.

She kissed him softly on the lips. Then, she rested her forehead against his.

“Yeah, you’re hot, and so am I.” Her hand went to her baby belly.

Chris let her offer him comfort. “Don’t leave me, Elizabeth. You and Bethe are all I have left. I need you to hold my hand as I try and make this journey.”

“Darlin’, I’m in this for the long haul. We’re going to get old and crotchety together. I swear.”

For that, he was grateful.

Ethan had gotten Bethe situated on the rug with Charlie. She was no worse for the wear. The ordeal was over, and she was happily playing with blocks and play instruments.

Fortunately, she was young and would forget.

Unfortunately, she wouldn’t know her mother. That made him sick.

Pulling out his phone, he made the call to his boss. Ethan really hoped that they’d found something.

Anything.

“Rothschild.”

“Gabe, it’s Ethan.”

“I was just going to call you. We have a mess.”

“We have a bigger one. Our killer, Carol Spade, just killed Chris Leonard’s wife. She burnt his house down, trying to wipe out his family.”

There was a pause.

“It wasn’t her.”

“What?” Blackhawk asked, watching the two children. “What do you mean it wasn’t her?”

“We just executed a warrant at her house. I found a judge who would entertain it, and guess what we found?”

“Her avoiding my wife?”

“In a way, yes. She’s dead. In fact, she’s been dead a couple of days. One of our ME’s has her en route to the morgue. It looks like her last day at work was, indeed, her last day.”

“Please tell me you found something.”

“We have a handful of hairs. It looks like Carol got a few shots in before the killer took her out.”

“Shit, Gabe! We don’t have a clue who it is. If it’s not Carol, we’re back at square one.”

“Our tech team is running it now. I’ll call you as soon as we find something.”

“Please rush them.”

“I will. Watch your wife’s back. We don’t know who did this, and that means the killer is still out there.”

“Please hurry.”

“Tell Chris Leonard I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine…”

Yeah, neither could he, but if they didn't figure out who this was, they might be having a double funeral.

Ethan had just hung up when his kitchen door burst open. Immediately, he went for his gun, and stepped in front of the girls behind him.

“Hands up!”

“Where’s my sister! Where’s Cyra!” the blonde man shouted. “Where’s she at!”

Oh boy.

This wasn’t how he wanted to do a notify.

Then again, this whole case was one giant mess.

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

At the airport, she boarded the plane. It was time for the last victim in her game. All she had to do was land in Salem, leave a note, and give Elizabeth Blackhawk a reason to suffer.

One more stop, and it was over.

If she thought she was going to suffer, oh, she was. Then she’d be out of her misery when she earned a bullet to the brain.

Now, the game was about done.

She was going to watch him die, and then perish herself.

Salem was perfect.

This plan was ideal.

As the boarding was called, she popped on her baseball cap, headed down the gangplank, and got ready to order a drink.

Justice was coming to that backwoods hick.

Any day now.

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

Elizabeth heard the commotion.

So did Chris.

When they stepped out of the office, Ethan was there with some man.

She didn't recognize him, but obviously, Chris did.

“Cannon?” he said.

“Where’s my sister?” he asked, moving closer. “I stopped by and the people at the house said to come here. Where is she?”

Tears filled Chris’s eyes. “She’s gone, Cannon. She didn't get out.”

He stared openmouthed.

Then he dropped the bomb.

“I knew marrying you was a bad idea. She was crazy to hitch herself to some death doctor. Your life killed her. She was happy and safe until you came into her life. You murdered my sister!”

Chris actually flinched, the dagger finding its mark.

The man wanted to wound, and he’d done it.

“I’m taking my niece before you kill her too. Cyra told me to raise her if anything happened to her, and I will. Your crazy mother, sick life, and destruction won’t get her too. My sister saw this day coming!”

He went to move toward Bethe.

Chris moved between them.

“You’re not taking my daughter,” he stated. “I’m her parent. You’re not touching her.”

The man swung, sucker punching Chris right in the face. He fell backward and onto Ethan who barely caught him.

Elizabeth jumped into action. She wasn’t going to allow this in her house. Chris was hurting enough. She headed right for Cannon Austin.

He swung at her.

She ducked, dodged, and punched him in the face. “That’s for punching him. Come on, asshole! Get up. I’ll kick your ass!”

Callen came rushing in, just in time to see the man get back up. Elizabeth leveled him again.

Instead of letting her go at him, Callen dragged the man away. “This is for your safety.”

“This isn’t over!” Cannon yelled. “I’m going to get my sister’s daughter! I’ll file an injunction!”

He was out the door.

Elizabeth moved toward him. “Chris, let me look at your nose.”

“Forget it,” he said, wiping the blood on his sleeve. “I’m fine. I need to put Bethe to sleep.”

He picked her up and carried her toward the stairs.

“Ethan.”

“I’ll go.”

He grabbed Charlie, and headed after him.

Elizabeth stood there. She didn't know what to do. A part of her wanted to rage around the room, but she knew it was useless.

Instead, she headed toward the couch.

In the silence of her own living room, she let the walls down, and she wept. She cried until she nearly made herself sick. When she felt fingers on her shoulder, she saw Wyler sitting down beside her.

“Oh, Dad,” she whispered, right before he pulled her into his lap and let her cry. “I fucked this up,” she mumbled as he kissed her on the forehead.

“This is not your fault.”

It sure felt like it was.

Her heart hurt.

“You need to stop crying, please. I need to tell you a story.”

Elizabeth stayed there, her head on his shoulder. “Okay, I’m listening.”

“A medicine man once told a story. He was sitting in the smoke lodge, communing with the spirits. One of them came to him, trying to trick him.”

She played with one of his braids.

“He came to him as a duck, but smelled like a wolf. The medicine man fell for his ruse, and when the spirit got close enough, it devoured his soul.”

“Dad, this story sucks. I like ducks.”

Ethan and Callen stood at the stairs listening.