Pledging to Die (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 11) (26 page)

She took his fingers in hers. “We can’t be a couple and be partners. You know that.”

He laughed. “No. We can’t be married and be partners. Do you really believe that in our line of work that two partners, who work together hours on end, don’t start a relationship? Next time you’re back at FBI West, look around. There are romances going on. They just keep them quiet.”

She didn't speak.

“We don’t have to get married. We can see what this feels like. I want to romance you, Johanna. I want to give you everything I have just so I can watch you blossom with me. I can beg the Blackhawks to put us back together, but they’re going to ask you what you want too. We can’t be fixed unless you trust me enough to come back. Please believe in us.”

She stared at him.

“I love you. I’ll adore you until the end of time, and nothing is going to change that for me.”

She shivered at the chill in the air and his words.

Immediately, he pulled his jacket off and placed it over her shoulders to keep her warm. “Think about it.”

Now he had to back off. With Johanna, he couldn’t push.

He knew better.

As they sat there eating dinner, she kept looking over at him. His blue eyes held so much love for her that it nearly choked her up.

When he caught her staring, he needed to know. “What are you thinking about?”

She pointed at the container of rose petals so she didn't have to tell him the truth. “Are they dessert?”

Putting down his container, he reached for the one containing the pink flower petals. With one smooth motion, he dumped it out above them. Together, they watched them float down to the blanket.

“They’re not dessert, Joey. You are,” he murmured. With that he pulled her into his arms and one hell of a kiss.

Lips sought.

Hands touched.

In the silence of the night, they made out under the stars. It was perfect, and the world around them fell away. In that moment, Brody and Joey were alone.

When he set her free, he stared into her eyes. “Give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking. I just want you to trust me and let me prove what we can be together.”

She didn't speak.

His eyes filled with worry. There was the distinct possibility that he wasn’t going to win this battle, or the oncoming war for her heart.

“Okay, Brody. I trust you with my life.”

His heart skipped in his chest. This was all he wanted in life. Now he could romance her until she admitted he was the one.

“You won’t be sorry. I can promise you that.”

As she went to speak, something caught her peripheral. Turning her head, she had to look twice.

It couldn’t be!

“Oh, shit! Brody,” she hissed, pointing at the bare lump bobbing helplessly on the still water. Even the swimming ducks were moving as far away as possible.

“No! Not tonight,” he muttered.

It looked like he wasn’t going to get his wish. “There’s a body in the water.”

He took control, pulling her to his feet. “Call the campus police,” he said. “I’ll call the Blackhawks. There’s no way in hell they’re going to be able to keep this one quiet,” he said, glancing around at the other couples.

Their hands were tied.

The shit was about to hit the fan, and they were smack dab in the center of it.

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

When they got the call, they were getting ready for bed. It had been a long day, and all three of them were tired. When Elizabeth’s phone rang, she immediately recognized the number.

That worried her.

Since they weren’t supposed to be calling her, unless it was an emergency, she knew they had trouble.

“Agent Seaton, what’s wrong?”

At the mention of his name, both Ethan and Callen stared at her.

She nodded. “Okay. We’ll be right there. Under no circumstance are you to break cover. Got it?”

When she got the answer she wanted, Elizabeth hung up the phone.

“Are they okay?”

She wasn’t a hundred percent sure. Her agent didn't sound good, and that alarmed her. “I think they’re a little shocked. They managed to end up in the middle of a crime scene.”

“Another body?”

“Yeah. They were at the pond having a little romantic interlude, and Johanna spotted the body in the water.”

That was all the men needed to hear. It looked like duty was calling, so they dressed fast.

“That kills the romance,” Callen stated, following Elizabeth from the room.

“Yeah, well, I’m more worried about someone killing my agents than their romance parade being rained on,” she stated.

Ethan was quietly processing the information. He didn't even have to speak. Elizabeth went there for him.

“We may have found Poppy Gauger,” she stated. “If that’s the case, the sheriff’s men did a piss poor job of searching that pond. Now I feel bad for being really nice to them.”

Callen stared at his brother. “She was nice to the local law, and you didn't think to tell me? We need to mark this one down. This could be the first time ever.”

Blackhawk had news for his brother, and it was time to share all the ugly details that had been making him nuts. After all, misery loved company. From the look his wife was giving him, Ethan knew she wanted him to keep his mouth shut.

Yeah, fat chance.

“You’re going to hate why she was being nice,” Ethan said, as they all jumped into the Escalade.

“This isn’t the time or place,” Elizabeth warned him. “You could get hurt,” she muttered under her breath. It wasn’t a warning.

It was a promise.

Ethan refused to let his brother walk into this blind. “The sheriff is an old friend. It seems his brother had sex with our Lyzee and even proposed. She was going to marry a US Marshall.”

She objected, “I wasn’t going to marry Dak. I told him no. We’ve been over this.”

Callen stared openmouthed at her. When she glanced back from the front seat, he had to wonder why this was the first time he was hearing about this. “Come again? Did you just say that our woman was going to marry some other man?”

Ethan repeated himself.

Callen was pissed. “I’m going to kick the shit out of the sheriff just because his brother has the same gene pool.”

Elizabeth glared at Ethan. “Thanks for making this a little more difficult. As always, you have great timing, Cowboy. You had to get him pissed off before we got to a very sensitive scene, didn't you?”

He grinned.

“Why should I be the only one who’s as mad as hell about any of this?”

He needed a partner in crime.

Tag.

Callen was it.

As they arrived at the scene, the sheriff and his men were already waiting for them. On top of that was a practically hysterical campus cop waving his arms around like he was practicing to be a windmill.

Great.

“Directors, welcome to the fun. I see someone called you in,” Sheriff Rakin stated.

If there was any animosity in that sentence, Elizabeth couldn’t pick it up. It appeared that her old friend wasn’t holding any morgue grudges.

It was good to know.

“You know the Feds, Nick. We have eyes and ears all over the place. Who’s the cop?” she asked.

The sheriff made the introductions. “This is Roddy Penson. He works for campus security and was the first on scene. He’s the one who called me in to handle this.”

Elizabeth lifted a brow and let the last part of that go. She had news for her old buddy. He wasn’t handling anything. They were.

“Weren’t you first on scene when Lori Denny was found too?” she asked.

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, ma’am, and that’s what I’m trying to tell the sheriff. It’s the same girl who found the last body. I think she’s in this up to her neck. She’s got those shifty brown eyes like she’s lying. I can tell.”

Elizabeth heard Callen make a sound that could have been a snort. When she looked back at him, he was struggling not to laugh. Well, the cop was right. Johanna was lying and was up to her eyeballs in this, only not because she was the killer.

“Fear not, Mr. Penson. We’re on duty, and we’ll handle it. We appreciate your diligence, but we’ve got it now.”

Deputy John Reason led him away.

“He’s got a point,” stated the sheriff. “The guy with her is awful protective and bossy, plus he’s in the frat.”

She lowered her voice. “How do you think we found out so fast?”

It took a second, but he finally put two and two together. “Oh, so he’s another Fed?”

She nodded.

“Well shit! Here I was ready to start believing Roddy’s theory about her.”

Elizabeth saw the tech team pull up, and she was glad. They needed to get the scene processed, and as fast as possible. When Merry approached, she pointed toward Seaton and Madden. “They spotted her. Start with them.”

She headed off.

“Where is she?” Chris asked, hoping no one touched her.

“Get your waders on, Doc. It looks like you’re going swimming. She’s still floating in the water, and we all know how you like an adventure.”

“I can get one of my men to go in,” offered the sheriff. “You don’t have to do it.”

Chris blurted, “NO!”

Elizabeth covered for him. “Doctor Leonard will be fine, Nick. He loves to fish out a body. It’s like a vacation for him. My ME is big on no one touching the victim until he’s had first crack at them.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Callen stared at him, giving him the hairy eyeball, and Elizabeth glared at him in warning.

“What can I do to help out?” Nick Rakin asked. “I feel silly standing here doing nothing.”

Callen mumbled something.

“Pardon? Did I do something to piss you off, Director…?” he asked, searching his memory for his name.

“It’s Whitefox, and no you didn't.” Callen could see the look Elizabeth was throwing down, and if he even went there, he was a dead man. There was no doubt about it.

“Wait, isn’t that part of your name, Elizabeth?” Nick asked.

Jesus! This was a bad time to be having this conversation. It wasn’t like she had time for this.

Not looking away from her ME, who was suiting up, she answered, “He’s my husband.”

“But I thought you were married to Director Blackhawk.”

“I am.”

Nick looked back and forth between the two Native men. “How can you be…?”

Fortunately for her, there weren’t any techs around to enjoy the conversation. They loved when she had to explain it to the outsiders. “I’m married to one legally, and one not so much.”

He still looked confused.

“I’m polyandrous.”

His mouth actually dropped open.

“Don’t overthink it, Nick. It’s really not a big deal. Now, let’s get working. Ethan, can you babysit your techs?” she asked, directing him toward Merry who was rooting around in the weeds around the far side of the pond.

“Sure thing, Lyzee.” He gave his brother a look, and the silent message was passed between them. If he wasn’t going to be at her side, his brother needed to be.

So Callen stayed close.

If Elizabeth hoped her old friend would let it drop, it appeared that she wouldn’t be getting her wish. Nick couldn’t help but to keep talking about it.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Good. Keep it that way. It’s for the best,” she stated.

“Had I known you liked two men at once, I would have asked my brother to let me swing on by,” he teased, busting her ass. “Then again, brothers might be creepy.”

Elizabeth sighed. This was exactly why they didn't publicize their relationship outside work. It was people like this who made her want to kill everyone around her.

Nick was grinning like a fool.

“For the record, you should probably know that I’m Ethan’s brother,” Callen stated. “I don’t think it’s creepy.”

“Oh.” The sheriff blushed as the smile was wiped off his face. “I didn’t mean…I hope you didn't think…”

Finally, he shut up.

Apparently, there was a higher power.

Elizabeth kept working. “Chris, do you need help?” she asked, noticing he was struggling to pull the victim up through the muck of the pond.

“Can Callen give me a hand? She’s waterlogged. The body had time to take in water, and she’s tough from this angle.”

Callen didn't hesitate. He pulled on a pair of gloves and headed over to the water’s edge. When he got there, he did what Chris asked, dragging her out and onto the tarp.”