Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (40 page)

He started laughing. “Like I said, I saw the news. They ran you through the ringer. I won’t be taking that route.”

She relaxed.

“I write for a living.”

She braced for it.

“What do you write?”

“My genre is true crime novels. I’m hoping that when this case is solved, you will help me with an interview or two. I plan on publishing an expose on the killer.”

Oh, this was the last thing she needed.

Elizabeth actually wished the man had yelled. It would have been a better time than this.

“I can’t promise that, sir. You know how cases are. The FBI has rules, and we can’t break them. They don’t always let us talk about a case if it’s solved.”

She crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. Elizabeth had to hope that this man didn't go digging too deep. She was the killer and that’s something they didn't need in a book.

“I’ve already dug up some dirt.”

The woman returned bearing coffee.

“Thanks, Belinda. You’re a gem.”

The woman headed out.

“What can you tell us?” she asked.

“Oh, are you asking for my help?” he teased. “If you want to make a deal, I’m more than happy to talk to you.”

Elizabeth crossed her arms. As far as she was concerned, this man was no better than the media she hated.

He was out for glory and money.

“You’d think you’d want to help to find your sister’s murderer.”

He laughed. “Yeah, my half-sister and I didn't get along. I want the murderer found, but what’s happened is over. There’s no way to bring her back, so why stress it.”

Ethan watched him.

He was cold.

Calculating.

It was irritating him.

“I don’t deal with media, and I don’t deal with authors who are out for glory. I pass.”

He waited.

It was a standoff.

Finally, Elizabeth got up. “We’re sorry to waste your time. Have a good day.”

The threesome headed toward the door.

“Wait! I know who the killer was, but I don’t know who killed him.”

That stopped them in their tracks.

“And how did you dig up the killer’s identity?” Ethan asked. He was fully prepared to do anything at that point to cover for his wife. If this man knew anything, they were screwed.

“I tracked down every patron at the bar where my sister was last seen before she died. I talked to each and every one of the barflies. I also headed to Boston and worked backward. I know that Seamus O’Brien killed those women, and my sister, but I can’t, for the life of me, figure out who offed him. That’s where I need your help.”

Elizabeth could feel her pulse pounding in her throat.

This was bad.

Very bad.

This day was going to hell in a handbasket, and she was going with it.

“And how exactly can we help you?” Blackhawk asked. There was no way he was going to let his wife take the heat on any of this.

He was back.

He’d have to be weak later.

“Tell me what you know.”

Blackhawk laughed. “You know more than us. We didn’t have the manpower to go after the killer on the scale you do. You don’t need our help.”

Ethan was getting ready to work plan B. There was no way they could let this man on the trail. He’d worked hard, and that was frightening.

“I found witness statements on the night Seamus O’Brien was killed. They saw a figure on a roof take the shot, but nothing more. The trail goes cold. The ME didn't have anything. The FBI released his body, and then had him cremated. There was no weapon ever found. In his backpack, the cops found some socks and a sharpener for a knife, but nothing else.”

Elizabeth didn't move.

Livy didn't either.

This was their worst nightmare, and it was coming to life.

“I need that knife. If I can find it, or the shooter, I’ve got my award.”

“Good work on the case, but do you have any proof it was him?” Ethan asked.

He laughed. “I wish. It’s all hearsay. People described him as being there, but as we both know, he has a twin. It could have been either man.”

Shit!

Shit!

Shit!

It boggled Elizabeth’s mind that the writer found all this out, but she hadn’t.

Man.

She’d been greener than green. They jacked this up. She’d come so close to being caught. The only thing that saved her was that she’d worn gloves and all black.

Oh, and that Chris Leonard had the fortitude to get that bullet and destroy everything.

Her heart withstood another wave of pain at the mere thought of his name.

“You can give me your information, and I can double check it,” Ethan offered.

By that, he meant destroy it.

“Yeah, right.”

“Let’s be open and honest here,” Ethan said, beginning to weave his web. “We both know that there is no way we’ll ever find out for sure. This is a fifteen-year-old case. Any witness you have on that list will have forgotten or changed their story.”

“True.”

“If we find anything out, we’ll help you, okay?”

He stared at him.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It’s simply because anyone who works that hard at digging up leads is damn good at their job. I’ll keep my eyes open, and if anything comes up, we’ll let you run with it and do the research. In the FBI, our hands are tied. You can dig and no one will be any the wiser.”

He beamed. “Thanks! I love my job. I know I said that my sister didn't mean anything to me because she was only my half-sister, but I was bluffing. I want to set this right. Someone killed him, and even if Seamus O’Brien was guilty, that person didn't have the right to pull the trigger. Do you know what I mean?”

Ethan smiled. “Oh, we understand. You’ve been very helpful, Mr. Kelly. If we find anything, and our hands are tied, you’ll be the first person to hear from us.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“You have a great day.”

They headed out, nodding at Belinda at the door. Once outside, both Livy and Ethan glanced over at Elizabeth.

“Are you going to be okay?” Ethan asked, keeping his voice low so only they’d be privy to the conversation.

“I think so. I shouldn’t be worried, right? I mean, I play into this post trigger pull, and he said the trail was cold.”

He touched her cheek.

“I have you. I’ll keep you safe. Trust in me.”

She did.

“Me too,” Livy stated. “He can’t find you. We won’t let anyone take you down for this.”

She wished she believed that.

Right at that moment, she felt hunted.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Wednesday Mid-Day

Gabriel Rothschild’s

Office Hoover Building

He had always hated doing the family notify, but in this case, he took one for the team. While Elizabeth was out there doing her thing with Livy, he wanted them focused.

So, Gabe went to meet with the Feinstein family and deliver the news. The outcome was pretty much expected.

The family was heartbroken.

Shocked.

Horrified.

In fact, Gabe would even venture to say that they were destroyed. There were tears, anger, and pain, and he felt for them. This was the hardest part of the job, and no agent enjoyed it.

Kay’s grandson knew something horrible had happened the second he showed up at his door. They recognized his face, and they knew it was going to be bad. Gabe only hoped that he’d given them enough reassurance to get through this.

Now he had to hope the rest of the team did their thing.

As Gabe sat in his office, he found himself lost in quiet contemplation. The FBI, for all these years, had been his life, and he’d loved it. A new era was coming, and Gabe couldn’t help but believe it was for the better.

Getting Ethan Blackhawk to move back to DC would be a damn good thing. When he first gave him the job out West, it was to build an empire. Now, it could be passed off to capable hands. The man had done a good job, and it was time for the reward.

It was time for him to move up, and he was hoping it would be into his kingdom. There were inklings in the Federal world that he was going to be the next power player. At one time, those whispers had been about Gabe. If the FBI lost Blackhawk, it would suffer a horrible blow. Where he went, Gabe knew Elizabeth would be sure to follow.

So, he had to ensure that they never left the FBI kingdom. If that meant handing over half the reins to the man, so be it. Ethan had proved he was more than capable to handle it.

There was no one he trusted more.

Everyone knew that Gabe ran a tight ship.

There was no bullshit permitted in Quantico or the Hoover building, but he didn't have eyes all over the place. His reach was limited. So, he needed someone to watch his back. He’d learned a lot in the last year. When his secretary had betrayed him, it crushed him. Of all people, he believed she had his best interests at heart.

Now he knew the truth.

Family would protect you.

In his world, people were gunning for him. By having the Blackhawks there, he could reinforce his power. It was a strategic move, and one that would pay off for both of them. One day, he’d pass this on.

He had to face it.

He was getting old. At nearly fifty, he maybe had ten years left as boss.

Hell!

He might only have five. The shelf life on his job wasn’t long. Since he’d worked so hard to build the empire, he wanted to hand it off to someone who would carry on, doing the job.

Ethan was that man.

Now he needed to finalize the deal. Gabe knew Ethan Blackhawk like the back of his own hand. The man was the king of playing the game. As a profiler, it was damn hard to BS him.

Blackhawk saw through it all.

If he wanted him there, Gabe would have to sweeten the pot. The move to the East coast would have to be well worth it. In the end, it wouldn’t be Ethan, but Elizabeth who would have the final say.

So he needed to make it worth her while.

Elizabeth would have to keep her title. Callen would too—
if he made it back.

He didn't need a fulltime liaison to the Native community on the East coast, but he could use a backup in case something happened. Callen had proved his salt as an investigator, so Gabe had no problem putting him in the field as Elizabeth’s partner. That would make Ethan and Callen happy. She wouldn’t be out there without someone watching her back.

This might just work out.

Gabe did what he did best, as he began lining up his ducks in a row. Before the week was over, he’d have a plan he could pass before the Blackhawks and his boss.

He was excited. This was coming together as if it was truly meant to be. Elizabeth liked fieldwork, Callen balanced them out, and Ethan would anchor the investigation team with his profiling. When he wasn’t doing that, he’d be handling the Deputy Director duties.

Yeah, he could make this work.

It was genius!

For the first time in a long time, Gabe was excited. In the beginning, he never thought he’d get Elizabeth back to the East Coast. Yes, he put the two together, but this was always about their happiness and repaying one hell of a debt.

Now he’d have his family close.

Livy would have her best friend, and he’d have his.

This was going to work. Now, he only needed to present it to them, and pray they went for it.

He had a new goal.

It was to reunite his family—
once and for all.
Times were a changing, and the FBI needed to do everything it could to ensure it stayed ahead of the game.

There were only three ways to do that.

Ethan.

Elizabeth.

And Callen.

Now it was time to put it into play.

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

William O’Malley’s

Home

This whole thing was a crapshoot. Elizabeth didn't know if the person on the other side of the door was going to welcome their presence or be pissed off.

At this point, it was anybody’s guess.

While Hunter Kelly threw them off balance, Elizabeth was honestly hoping the next stop would be just as easy. She was sick of being screamed at for failing the victims.

She had gotten all of them justice, and she wished she could tell them that. It was killing her inside to pretend she’d failed when she’d made the ultimate sacrifice. For once, she wanted to scream back that she’d gone above her job and taken down a killer.

But she couldn’t.

This was her cross to bear.

Truth be told, she wanted to get out of here. Elizabeth wanted to find this killer so she could deal with the personal issues in her life.

The birth of her next child.

Callen’s rehabilitation.

Christopher leaving.

Their family moving.

The list was adding up, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. The pressure was weighing on her shoulders, and Elizabeth could feel the end of her rope fast approaching.

She didn't know how much more she could take.

As they approached the door, they were ready for anything. Ethan was in front of the two women, and while he knew it was chauvinistic, he just didn't care. Some sicko was stalking their lives, and that made him uneasy.

He knocked.

When the door opened, there stood an older man. He looked worn down, and had more lines on his face than a map. He had lived a hard life.

“Can I help you?”

Ethan pulled his badge, hoping that the man wouldn’t recognize the women. He wanted to keep this low key. They had media on their ass, and he didn't want anything on the news. BNN loved getting juicy soundbites of them getting their asses chewed out.

“Mr. O’Malley, my name is Director Ethan Blackhawk, and I’m here working on a case you may be familiar with.”

He waited.

“Your daughter, Stephanie, was killed while working at a bar. We’re here to talk to you about it.”

His eyes filled with tears at the mere mention of her name. It was proof that the wounds had never healed.

“I don’t have anything to say. Not a day goes by that I don’t hate the bastard who stole her life. I also hate the cops for letting him get away.”

Ethan stayed focused on the man. He knew Elizabeth understood, without him even having to say a word. He wanted to run this.

It didn't happen often, but he was taking care of it now.

“We’re sorry for your loss. Is there anything you can tell us about the night your daughter was killed?” Ethan began.

He pointed him. “Yeah, it was the day my life ended. I don’t know why you’re here, but I’ve had enough of this.”

“Sir, I need to ask you a few more questions. Please. Do it for your daughter.”

The words must have resonated with him.

He calmed down. “Fine.”

“Has anyone approached you lately, asking questions about her death?”

“There was some writer guy who stopped by. He told me that his sister had died too, and he was trying to get them justice.”

“What did he ask you?”

“Nothing but stupid shit—much like you’re asking me.”

He closed his mouth.

It was obvious that he didn't trust them.

“What did you do for a living?” Ethan asked, trying to get anything he could from the man. This was turning out to be a dead end. The guy simply didn't want to cooperate.

“I painted houses. Now I sit here and think about how I had to bury my only child. Do you have kids?”

“Yes, sir, I do. I have four and one on the way.”

The man’s eyes filled with tears.

“Watch them closely. Bad things happen in this world. You’d hate to have them hurt, wouldn’t you?”

Ethan didn't react on the outside. He held up because he was the job. Honestly, he feared for his kids every damn day. Behind him, he could feel Elizabeth’s hand touch his lower back. She was shaking.

He wanted to bundle her up and keep her and his family safe, but the cold hard truth was he couldn’t do miracles. He was only the head of their household. He was only human.

“Children are innocent and need to be protected, and I failed as a father. Don’t fail, Mr. Blackhawk. You never recover if you lose even one.”

It appeared that he was done talking to them. It was a damn good thing, considering Elizabeth wanted to puke. Her whole entire body reacted to his words. Livy touched her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Her kids.

She’d been so lost in this mess and her pity party that she hadn’t even thought about their wellbeing.

Shit!

She was worried now.

“Thank you, sir. Have a good day,” Ethan offered, leading the two women back to the vehicle. No one spoke, until they were safely inside and away from the media’s speculative stares.

“My babies,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Before she could say anything more, he touched her cheek and stared into her eyes. “I have Agents Seaton and Madden sitting on the house. They’re inside with Dad and the kids. They’re sleeping there until we’re back.”

She wiped her eyes.

“I have this, baby. I know you’re tied up in knots. Trust me to handle all the details that you can’t. I’m your partner in the field and life. I have this.”

He did.

Immediately, she relaxed.

“I need you to tell me that there’s no way this killer knows where we live. If you tell me, I’ll believe it. You don’t lie, Ethan, and right now that’s what I’m banking on.”

He ran the pad of his thumb over her lower lips. “I swear to you that there is no way he knows. We paid cash and the FBI buried the deed. There’s no way unless they follow us home, and we’ve been taking different vehicles with tinted windows. No one can find us.”

She could see that he was being completely honest with her. There were no lies in his blue-black eyes—only love.

“The second I believed they might be in danger, I took precautions. You know that Madden and Seaton are loyal, and they love you. They will watch our kids for us.”

She took a deep breath.

Ethan knew his wife needed more, so he continued, “It’ll be fine. Besides, the killer is here, and our kids are across the country. If it gets bad, the agents will be moving them to FBI West. They’ll camp out in our offices. It’s okay, baby. Trust me.”

She did.

That’s the only way she was staying calm.

“It’ll be okay,” Livy said. “We have this. All of our children are safe, and we’re in a group. The killer can’t pick anyone off. We have this covered.”

Elizabeth hoped so.

This was making her one hell of a mess.

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