Choices will Destroy (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 14) (43 page)

Gabe shook his head. He was definitely a masochist. Elizabeth was going to be a handful. “I’ll go down with you. I want to make sure they’re not wrecking the place. I do have to sign my name on the paper for this one.”

Ethan went to stand only to have Callen grab his wrist. “Why don’t you stay with me? We’ll keep Livy company.”

He knew what his brother was doing, and he wasn’t going to fight it. Honestly, he didn't want to see the woman on the table. When he had to remember her, it was going to be that time he stopped and had lunch with her.

That was the memory he wanted, not what the killer had left behind. He couldn’t face it, and he was willing to be weak in front of the people who had his back.

“I love you,” he called to his wife.

She smiled at him, her hand on her belly. “I love you too.”

When Gabe’s door closed, she grabbed his arm and hissed in pain.

“Shit!”

He lowered his voice as he helped her to the couch. “Lyzee, are you okay?” he asked.

“Braxton Hicks. Bad.”

Those were the only words she could get out while the pain wracked her body.

He held her hand, trying to soothe her any way he could. When he glanced over at the door, he almost suggested getting Callen and Ethan.

She stopped him. “If you do, they’ll freak out. It’s just some contractions. They aren’t the real thing. I’m still seven weeks away from my due date.”

He placed his hand on her belly, and he could feel the baby going crazy. “Okay, here’s the deal. I don’t tell them, but after the trip to autopsy, we head to my place. You can put your feet up, and I’ll get you a whiteboard.”

“Deal,” she said, getting back to her feet. “See? I'm okay.”

She ran her hand over the baby.

That one sucked.

“Take it easy, Timothy,” she said, running her fingers over her bump.

“So, that’s his name?”

“Timothy Wyler. We’ll call him TW. It’s not as catchy as CJ and EJ, but since this is my last one, I need to cover all the grandparent bases. I’d hate to leave anyone out.”

He laughed, leading her to the elevator.

“Well, I like it. A kid needs a name that stands out, like Gabriel. It makes it easier to remember.”

She agreed.

When the elevator door closed, she stared over at him. “Why did you really give us this job?”

“I told you because I want you back here. I miss you. Ethan set FBI West up so it can run itself, and I want something for myself. This case has made me nostalgic. I miss having BBQ’s.”

“Hmmm.”

“I’m jealous, okay? You found a new family out there with the Blackhawks, and I feel left out. We had fun. We used to watch games and laugh.”

She thought of Chris.

Elizabeth got it. They had done the same.

“I want you back in my life. Livy does too. She needs her best friend. I need my sister.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “I believe you, and since I do, you get to buy me my first drink—post baby.”

He gave her a fist bump. “Absolutely. I have whiskey in my office.”

“Great. I can see the news now.
‘Elizabeth Blackhawk, ball buster extraordinaire, gets tipsy at the FBI offices. Casualties expected’
.”

He laughed. “I retract my offer of booze.”

When the elevator doors opened, they put on their serious faces. It wasn’t hard. Elizabeth was heartbroken over Kay. She wished she was quicker and could have saved her, but she knew better.

She could only do her job.

Over the last few cases, she knew the cold, hard facts. She wasn’t responsible for the crazy.

It was out of her control.

As they entered the autopsy suite, everyone was working in silence.

That spoke volumes.

When Merry looked up, she rolled her eyes, and Elizabeth got why. The DC techs were riding the FBI West ones. It was a competition to see who had the bigger balls.

Well, that wasn’t going to fly.

They all knew Elizabeth’s people were the best.

Now that they were heading that way, this was going to be her home too. She expected everyone to up their game.

“So, what do we have?”

“Tox is still running, but we found a plethora of pills in the woman’s home, Director,” Merry stated.

She wasn’t shocked. Kay was an elderly woman with a great deal of medical issues.

“I see. What else?”

“There was no alcohol, so she wasn’t drinking.”

Carol snickered.

Elizabeth caught it. “Problem?”

“She was ninety. I doubt she’d be pounding booze in her downtime. She was probably addicted to
‘Wheel of Fortune’
. Anyone want to buy a clue?”

Merry went to say something, but Elizabeth signaled her. She would handle the woman in due time.

“Doctor, what was TOD for Mrs. Feinstein?”

Zane flipped through his papers. “It was late last night. I put it at about eleven or eleven thirty.”

That made sense.

“Carol, let me school you here on how I run my team. I know we’ve had this conversation before, but let’s revisit.”

The woman didn’t look happy.

“Merry’s job is to hit all the highpoints for me. She does Tox and blood screens. She’s not supposed to look at our victim and guess if she liked alcohol. If this woman was killed at eleven last night, she was likely moved later when no one was around. The snow was fresh, so that meant when it started at four this morning, she was in place.”

Carol said nothing.

“She’s following procedure. You’re speculating, and while I like a little guessing with my cases, blatant jackassery isn’t allowed. I’m the only one in here who gets to decide what is pertinent, and what isn’t. That’s why they gave me the flashy title and all the shitty responsibility that goes along with it.”

Carol crossed her arms.

“Clear?”

“Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, Director.”

She smiled. “Thank you for that. Now, shall we continue?” she asked.

Merry had to cover a smile.

“I’m ready, ma’am. We pulled trace off of Mrs. Feinstein, and it’s running. One particular specimen was a blonde hair, but again, we didn't get a root, and I’m not able to pull anything related to DNA.”

She figured as much.

“How about at her townhouse? Did we find anything pertinent there?”

“We swept it for prints, and I found a few on the doorframe. We’re running them now to see if they pull anything, but they could have been from anyone.”

Elizabeth noticed Carol Spade looked bored.

She wanted to wipe the smirk off her face. It was time to stop the woman from getting too big for her britches.

“Yeah, you’re right about the prints. They could be from anyone. When I was first starting out, I had this case. One of the techs on the team actually stood in the doorframe and touched it. She wasn’t wearing gloves.”

Merry laughed. “How long did it take to kill her?” she asked.

“Oh, I didn’t, did I, Carol? I was new then, and I had boundaries, now… not so much. I pretty much say whatever comes to mind.”

Zane laughed. “Yeah, you do.” He glanced over at the tech. “Get a thick skin, or get a new career, Ms. Spade. You won’t make it a week with the boss lady.”

Wasn’t that the truth?

She focused on her doctor. “What can you tell me?” she asked. Elizabeth noticed he was examining a part of the woman’s thigh.

“I’m checking the cuts. I’ll have more for you in the morning. I had to put her back together in order to find a clean incision to examine. Doctor Leonard left me excellent notes. I’m going to miss him.”

Carol made a comment.

Elizabeth faced her. “I’m sorry, what did you say about Doctor Leonard?”

“We heard he left. I’m not surprised. The only shocking thing is he lasted this long.”

Her blood pressure shot up.

Gabe went to say something, but Elizabeth had this one under control. There was no way she was going to let this tech insult a man she held in highest regards.

Oh, not on her watch.

“Yes, he headed home, but I sent him. If you have an issue, Carol, feel free to address it.”

“I have no issue. Our ME’s run these things a little differently, that’s all. It’s not easy to switch up how we work to accommodate a visitor. That’s all.”

Elizabeth started laughing.

She faced Gabe. “Can I break the news?”

He was a little mortified how his staff behaved when he was in the room, let alone when he wasn’t. Something had to give. Carol Spade didn't seem to have any filter, and that didn't work for him.

This was going to be interesting.

“Have at it.”

“You’re going to have to adjust to my method of working, Carol. I’d hate to burst your bubble, but I’m coming back here. I’ve just accepted a new job out of the Hoover building. I’m going to be in the lab every day. I’m going to oversee every piece of evidence you put in a bag. I’m going to make sure that you think of me when you put on your gloves. Either we’re going to be BFFs, or I’m going to be your worst freaking nightmare. Back then, I was green. Now, I’m just a bitter, old FBI Director with a lot of time on her hands. There’s your warning.”

The room got quiet.

“You’re kidding right?” she asked, glancing over at Gabriel Rothschild for confirmation. “He doesn’t need you here.”

“Oh, but I do,” Gabe confirmed. “This is proof.”

Merry stared openmouthed.

Zane did the same.

Gabe continued, “It’s been brought to my attention that my team is subpar to the one at FBI West. Elizabeth is going to clean up the issues. I don’t often come down, but now I see that hiring her was the best thing I could have done. This ship is sinking, and fast. No wonder Director Blackhawk’s building is smoking ours when it comes to court cases. This was an oversight on my behalf. I do believe she’ll rectify it.”

Elizabeth smiled.

“It’s going to be fun. You’re going to be my pet project, darlin’,” she drawled.

Merry was horrified.

“Boss, you’re leaving?” Merry asked, her lower lip quivering. “You’re really leaving us to come here?”

She pointed at her two people and then the room. “I’ll need a moment, Gabe.”

He walked over to inspect Carol’s work. “I’ll be right here, with my tech.”

When they headed into the office, Merry hugged her. “I don’t want you to leave. You’re the best boss. It won’t be the same without you. I love working for you. You don’t put up with BS, and you always treat us like we matter.”

“You do matter, Merry, but yes, I’m leaving.”

“Is Director Blackhawk leaving too?” she asked. “And Callen?”

“Yes, they are. Ethan has just been appointed Deputy Director of the FBI.”

Zane didn't say a word.

“This sucks,” Merry stated. “I never thought this day would happen. You two
are
FBI West.”

Elizabeth didn't see it coming either. “Well, I happen to have openings on my team here at this office. I’ve taken on the job of handling the truly crazy cases. You know—the ones where people are baffled.”

“Really? Are you saying we can come here?”

It looked like her team was growing. “If you’d like to transfer here, I can make that happen. I’m in need of a head tech and an ME.”

It hurt to say it. She always thought she’d have Chris Leonard in that role, but Fate didn't always play things out the way you wanted.

Merry grinned. “I’m in. I’d love to see the world.” She really just wanted out of Damascus and the mess of a personal life that was chasing her.

“Zane?”

“I need to think about it, Director. I have family there.”

She got it. “I completely understand. If you stay at FBI West, chances are you’ll be head ME. Chris is gone, and he’s never coming back.”

He wouldn’t mind that. Before, he didn't think that option would open up to him. He was low man on the totem pole, so to speak.

“Will you be mad if I stay?”

She laughed. “What? When I know you’ll have that place running like a well-oiled machine for the next person who runs that nut farm? I won’t be mad. Take your time and think about it. It’s not immediately. I have time. After all,” she said, pointing at her bump.

Merry was excited.

“You can’t let the cat out of the bag back at FBI West. I trust both of you to keep this a secret. Honestly, it’s just been finalized. We’re going to make the announcement when we’re home. Since I’m allowed to bring on the people I want to work with, I would like to speak to them privately first. I don’t want anyone’s feelings hurt over this. I can’t bring everyone, so I have to be selective.”

“Was I on the list?” Merry asked. “Were you going to offer me the position?”