Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) (36 page)

She couldn’t do it.

They weren’t allowed.

Why screw up something that worked? Besides, he was a great guy who knew her better than anyone.

Reluctantly, she stood there.

“I know you’re there, Joey. I can hear you breathing. Just let me in.”

Damn him!

She opened up, only to find him with a takeout bag. “What’s up, Brody? Did you find something?” Why not go with the work angle? It may save her ass.

He grinned at her. There was something enthralling about Johanna Madden. Maybe it was the auburn and straw colored hair, or the sensual brown eyes, either way, he had it bad, and it wasn’t going away. God knew that he tried to make the sexy fantasies in his head stop.

“I brought us dinner.”

“I was really just getting ready to take a hot shower.”

“We could do that too.”

She stared at him, trying not to cave. Since the day she met him, Johanna had been drawn to the man. He was bigger than her, and his deep brown hair was sticking up in tufts from his agitated hands. Staring right into his blue eyes, she stood her ground.

“No, Brody.”

“Joey, you’re making this harder than it has to be.”

Yeah, she knew she was, but there were rules. She wanted to work her way up the FBI chain to be a director one day, and she couldn’t risk it.

“I said…” She didn't get to finish her thought. Before she could get the last work out of her mouth, she felt herself being pulled roughly against him. When his lips covered hers, and he controlled the kiss, her strength wavered.

It faltered.

She caved.

Her hands went up, not to push him away but to hold onto him. What was one night? Maybe they’d burn themselves out and realize they were better off as partners.

When he pulled away, the roughness was gone, and in its place was a tenderness that he didn't show anyone else but her. Broderick Seaton was madly in love with someone he couldn’t have. “Please, Joey. Don’t send me away again. You’re breaking my heart.”

She closed her eyes and prayed for an answer. “I can only give you tonight, Brody. Then it has to be over. You know that. We can’t get tangled up over this.”

He’d take what he could get.

And with that, he vowed to make it a night they’d never forget.

With his foot, he kicked the door closed before backing her into the room. The takeout hit the floor as they tumbled onto the bed.

He needed her.

More than she realized.

                                 *    *    *

Saturday Early Morning

When you were a cop, you were accustomed to getting those late night calls in the middle of the night. In Belleville, that didn't happen often, but when it did, you took it seriously.

Getting the call had jolted him out of bed. Sheriff Douglas Carlton was on the scene, and fast.

He couldn’t believe his luck.

This was perfect.

“What do we have?” he asked, as his men pulled the bloated, battered body of a woman from the side of the river.

“We had two locals going frog hunting, and when they got close to shore, they saw her. They didn't hesitate to call it in,” stated Deputy Peter Richmond.

“Is it our missing girl?” he asked, as they rolled her over. He couldn’t be sure, but it just might be.

Deputy Davvy Weatherly pulled out the report he’d had the fortitude to print out when the call came in. “She has a tattoo on her left ankle of a heart and diamond ring.”

The other deputy, Peter Richmond, moved her leg, using gentle fingers. “We have confirmation. It’s Magdalene Monroe. What’s next, boss?”

The man thought about it.

He had a few choices.

The first was proper protocol, and he should contact the FBI to hand her over. Yet, he didn't like that bitch woman bossing his people around. No, he wasn’t going to give them this case.

It wasn’t happening.

His only other option was to work it himself. How hard could it be?

Besides, they couldn’t prove that she was part of their serial killing case. Until it was clear she had been murdered by the same killer, he had every right to run it.

Let them work for it if they wanted her.

Until then, she was his priority.

“Davvy, I want you to call Doctor Vanguard over in Lakeside. Ask if he can take a body there at the local hospital. Explain that I have the FBI all over me. He owes me a favor and will do the autopsy if I ask.”

The deputy looked worried. “Sir, you’re not going to call the FBI? If they find out, they’re going to be stirred up like a nest full of angry hornets.”

He laughed. “I don’t give two shits. Let them. What are they going to do? Steal her under the cloak of darkness? They won’t have a freaking clue. They’re Feds, not mind readers.”

Deputy Richmond agreed. “Fuck them. Let that woman try and tell us that she’s boss. This is Belleville, not some fancy city she’s from. This is our girl, so she’s our case.”

The sheriff agreed.

Davvy Weatherly hesitated.

“Don’t be an idiot. This is a hot case and could put Belleville on the map. Plus, it’ll teach those Feds to mind their own damn business,” the sheriff stated.

“Okay, boss. I’ll take care of it.”

He headed off to make the call.

“Where are you going?” asked Deputy Richmond. He didn't relish the idea of standing in the dark with a dead body.

“I’m going to go notify the Monroe family of their loss, and then offer them condolences from our fine staff.”

The deputy laughed.

“You’re a total dick. You just want to be re-elected for another term.”

He grinned. “Hell yes, I do! Sometimes, to do this job, you have to be.”

As he walked off, he couldn’t help but feel superior. He’d gotten one up on the FBI, and that was going to help him in the end. When this all came out, he’d be the hero.

This flip off to the Feds was well deserved.

After all, they didn't belong there, and they needed to go.

                                 *    *    *

Elizabeth was up early and preparing herself for the interview process. She’d run a background search on the Monroe family, just to be ready.

They were rich, but not from old money. It seemed that the father, Wilfred Monroe, had earned his money by a patent for some type of medical device.

It made him filthy rich.

They had bought the family homestead where he grew up, and everything around it. After bulldozing it to the ground, he built a mansion. The kicker was that the family only headed there to vacation or hide out. He had his primary home back in civilization. That said a lot about the man.

Digging deeper, she found that Wilfred was in his late fifties and married a slew of times. The latest wife was barely out of high school herself.

Good to know.

This family would be an interesting interview. Elizabeth liked a challenge, and it appeared that this family was going to be it.

When the men finally woke up, they found her working in the sitting area of the hotel room. Since their wife was already dressed, it appeared she was waiting on them to get moving.

Their little woman had plans, and they needed to take care of business. The entire way to the Monroe family home, the men kept looking back at Elizabeth. She was intently lost in her thoughts.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Ethan asked. He was accustomed to her being riled up, but he wasn’t sure what she was dwelling on. Was it the killer or the Tony situation?

Maybe it was both.

“I feel off. I don’t know what it is, but my gut is all stirred up.”

“Maybe it’s the baby,” Callen offered. “You are getting more pregnant by the day.”

“I’m also getting more homicidal by the second, especially when men try to use my condition as an ailment,” she replied.

Whitefox laughed. “Yes, I can see that.”

Instead of getting angry, she went back to her gut instinct. “I just feel…off.”

The men had learned not to discount her feelings. When Elizabeth Blackhawk went on alert, it was time to pay attention. Too many times, she’d been right when her gut was churning.

“I didn't sleep well last night. I kept thinking about the person who shot at us.”

“Okay, talk it out,” Ethan stated, knowing that if she got it off her chest, then she would be more at ease.

Hell!

She might even figure it out.

“They knew where we were.”

Callen didn't get it.

“The morgue is in the middle of nowhere. Who knew we were hanging out and working there?”

“We could have been followed,” Callen stated.

Ethan wasn’t so sure about that. “We chased that shooter through the woods. He knew the terrain. Plus, he had to lie in wait. The sheriff and his men were the only ones who knew we were out there. We didn't even tell the dig team at the site where to find us. For all they knew, we could be in the hotel working out of a conference room or the police station. We never gave them a location because Tony shipped the remains.”

“You think that the sheriff shot at us?” Callen stated, incredulously. “He’s a cop. I know he’s an asshole, but really?”

She shrugged. “I want a run on all of them. I want you to have Seaton and Madden go so deep that I’ll know if they like boxers or briefs.”

Callen sent the text. “Okay, done.”

“If a cop tried to kill us,” stated Elizabeth before continuing, “they’ll do anything to stop us.”

Ethan didn't like this at all. “Then we need to figure this out, and fast. We’ll look at someone other than the killer as the shooter.”

“Are you sure?” Callen asked. “Could you be wrong?”

She could be, but the odds were in her favor.

“I’d bet my boots on it, Cal,” she stated. “This killer isn't going to go from strangulation to shooting at cops. He’s a watcher. The last thing he’s going to want to do is draw us closer and risk getting caught.”

Ethan agreed. “He has a mission. We aren’t it.”

It made sense.

When they pulled up to the mansion, something was off.

“This doesn’t look right,” Ethan said.

Yeah, he could say that again.

Something was definitely wrong. The house looked like a hive, buzzing with activity, and not the normal kind you would find at a place this big.

It looked like her gut was right. Something was going down, and they needed to get to the bottom of it.

And fast.

                                 *    *    *

They’d spent the night making love.

It should have been the most amazing time, and it was, but now there was that heavy silence as they sat outside the morgue working on the case.

This was exactly what Johanna was worried about. It was like a random hookup, and just as awkward. The next day was always the worst. Sitting beside her was an amazing man, and what they shared was earth shattering.

Yet, it couldn’t go on.

Johanna believed they both knew it.

“About last night,” she began.

He grinned, the dimple in his cheek appearing. “It was pretty awesome, Joey.”

Oh Christ! This was going to be bad. The way he was looking at her could only mean one thing. Her partner was thinking about the future.

Damn it!

Apparently, he didn't find it nearly as awkward as she had.

“It’s never happening again. I meant what I said before we fell into bed.”

“What?” he asked, shocked. “Why?” From what he’d seen, Johanna had a great time, and so had he. They were explosive together, and he didn't doubt that magic would carry through everything they did.

“We’re partners, Brody. We can’t do this. You know there are rules. If we go any further, it’ll mean losing our partnership.”

He was willing to do just that to have her as his.

“Joey.” He touched her cheek. “Think this through. Don’t run from us. We’re great together. I have no problem working with another partner to have you be permanently in my life. I want to be with you. You can’t sit there and tell me that you didn't feel what I did.”

Her lip quivered in anguish. He was right. It was the best night of her life. It just couldn’t happen again. Broderick always thought with his heart, not his brain. He was the emotional one of the team.