Consumed by Wrath: An FBI/Romance Thriller (An FBI/Romance Thriller ~ Book 8) (50 page)

Ethan and Elizabeth followed, with Callen following up the rear, as he hung up his phone. Once inside, he sat behind the desk and stared at her. “So, this is what it feels like to be sheriff,” he said, happily.

“Well, a lot of responsibility goes with that badge,” she said, pointing at the star pinned to his shirt. “Look at your predecessor.
He didn't do the work to stay in the chair.”

Tyrell felt bad about that. “Tony’s a good guy. He’s just been messed up the last few years. The booze isn’t his friend. I hope that he pulls out of this and kicks it in the ass.”

Didn't they all?

“Okay, so, as sheriff, I want to be involved in this investigation. What
’s my role going to be?” he inquired.

Elizabeth loved how he was positive and wanted to do the job. There was no doubt in
her mind that he was going to have this one under control. Now, she only needed to make sure Chris Santana and the council saw it that way.

“Well, Sheriff,” Ethan began. “Here’s where we are for now. Our lab staff has nothing. Our ME is out of possible clues, and I don’t have a profile because we don’t have enough of the victims to know who the hell they were. Until the killer slips up, takes someone else
, or we find more leads, we’re at a dead end.”

Tyrell thought about it. “Have you had situations like this before?”

They all nodded.

“And?

Elizabeth was going to be honest. “Sometimes the criminals stay just out of reach.”

“So are you saying that we’re beat?
That we’re going to sit here and wait while someone snacks on Salem’s citizens?”

They all shook their heads
, no.

“
We have leads, but for today, they’re exhausted. Tomorrow, we’ll head out and start fresh,” Blackhawk promised.

“Speaking of fresh
possibilities. I just got off the phone with Chief Runningwolf. He’s available to see us tomorrow around ten. He advised me that he will have Maxwell Steppapaw with him too. If we want to talk to him, he’ll be there. Runningwolf insists that anyone that we wish to talk to is entitled to tribal representation.”

“
So that’s our big stipulation?” Elizabeth asked, leaning back in a chair.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Blackhawk shrugged. “Hey, that’s fine. It’s not like we haven’t tangled with Natives before. We have you, Callen, to lead the way, and Tex here to stir the pot.”

“What do you get to do?” his brother asked.

“I’m going to watch. I’ll bring the popcorn and soda and do all the observing.”

Elizabeth ree
led them in before the brother thing got chaotic. While fun to see, it was her job to be the one who was out of control. “See, Ty? Ask and you shall receive. The lead Gods have smiled upon us.”

He shook his head. “You know there’s only one God, Elizabeth,” he chided.

She winked at him. “There is? Hell, I must have missed that lesson in Sunday school. Damn it.”

“You went to church?” Ethan asked
, incredulously.

Callen stopped him. “I don’t know if I can process anymore Elizabeth information for today. My mind is on overload.”

“I’m going to hurt you in three seconds, and then you’ll be in pain overload,” she threatened, trying not to smile.

Ty laughed at her. “Okay, so tomorrow, I want to come with you to see Mr. Runningwolf.”

They were all good with that. “Want to meet us at our place? It’s closer to the Native land.”

Being sheriff was going to be the greatest thing ever
. “I’m looking forward to it,” he admitted, honestly. “It should be a good time. In fact, anything other than sitting in a car and trying to catch jaywalkers is more fun.”

Elizabeth stood. “I’d be careful what you wish for,” she offered. “Every time one of us says we’re bored or nothing’s happening, everything changes.”

“For the good or bad?” Tyrell asked.

They looked at each other and thought back to all the cases, all the death and the chaos.

“We’re talking fire and brimstone, my friend, right out of Sunday school.”

             
                  *   *   *

Cyra couldn’t believe her luck.

Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think that her boss, Elizabeth Blackhawk, would be setting her free early to get some girl pampering. It was almost like she was in a dream.

God, she prayed that she never woke up.

Salem was a small town, but there were lots of places that she could go to find the perfect outfit. In fact, she was shocked to find a lingerie store not far from the nail salon.

As the little red hearts dried on her nails, she decided to head in and find something racy for their evening.

Being in a relationship with Chris was fairly easy. The man didn't really expect much when it came to their sex lives. He was just always so happy to be with her, that nothing else mattered.

Well, tonight she was going to take a little trip down Sex Kitten Lane. She had the nails done, the dress was going to be steamy and sexy, and the unmentionables beneath
, were going to make the man drool.

Yeah, that was her goal.

Whenever he stared at her hungrily, she wanted to melt into a big puddle of mush. How could she not? He was her sweet, sexy, mad scientist, and he owned her heart.

Forever.

As she walked inside, there were so many things to choose from. There were things with garters, bustiers and things that even made her blush, and too risqué for her to even attempt to pull them off. Cyra would be overcome with a fit of giggles and a furious heat flash.

Running her fingers over one particular piece of lingerie, she wondered if the man in her life would approve. Before she could contemplate anything further, her phone
started to ring. Unfortunately, by the tone, she knew who was calling.

“Yes, Cannon?” she said, answering. It wasn’t that she didn't love her brother, it was that he pissed her off.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m shopping.”

“Are you home?”

Cyra looked around and almost wanted to laugh. “No, I’m across the country.”

“Then why are you shopping?”

Obviously, the man was bored out of his damn mind. “If you must know, I’m picking out lingerie for tonight. Happy?”

There was a gagging sound on the other end. “Please. I don’t want to know what you and Doctor Doom are doing for Valentine’s Day.”

Her anger spiked. “If you don’t stop calling him names, I’ll never talk to you again, Cannon. Christopher is going to be my husband, and I won’t tolerate it.”

The man laughed. “Yeah, if you ever make it to the altar, then he’ll be your husband. Our sister told me that you’re having a hell of a time making the plans. Maybe the universe is trying to tell you something.”

Cyra felt the happiness seeping out of her day. It was sad that someone
, who was supposed to love her, was making it completely miserable. “What do you want, Cannon?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to call and see if you were around.”

Cyra didn't see any point in continuing the conversation then. Why bother? “I’m not, so have a good day,” she said, hanging up the phone.

When the sales woman came up to her, Cyra was overwhelmed with emotion. She knew better
than to answer the phone. What was she thinking?

“Can I help you with something?” the woman asked.

Cyra nodded, even as the tears threatened to fall. She wondered if there was anything in that boutique that could get Chris to tie the knot even sooner.

Because at this rate, he was going to be the only family she had.

Hotel Blackhawk

Three Hours Later

It had been a long few days without her kids.

Elizabeth was already jonesing to see her babies, but every time she contacted Wyler, they were asleep, or he wasn’t at home. It was beginning to worry her.

Maybe he was overworked, or lost one of them and was afraid to tell her.

Yeah, it was silly, but as a mother, her worries were front and center. Her little baby birds
were her treasures. In fact, there was this excitement brewing over telling the patriarch of the family that they were expecting once more. Telling him that he was going to be a grandfather again was either going to thrill him or kill him.

Since he was the one handling all the kids, this might be his breaking point.

Granted, he had Bly Cocheta to help him, but things there were rapidly deteriorating. A few months ago, the woman brought up marriage, and it didn't end the way she hoped. Unlike the last woman who did that, she didn't try to kill him or turn a child against him, but instead she cut off the physical relationship.

As in
, it was dead.

Six feet under and no chance for resuscitation.

To add insult to injury, she began dating some other man from the Rez. For a while, Wyler tried to let it go, but they all knew it was breaking his heart. Then, here it was, Valentine’s Day, and the man was stuck at home with three kids and no sex to be seen.

Everything in her wanted to kick Bly’s ass, but what could she do?

Wyler told her no marriage, despite knowing that Bly was obviously thinking their courtship would have an altar date.

Instead, it had
nothing more than an expiry one.

For now, the three of them were trying to keep positive and not
let the man’s spirits slip.

There was someone out there for everyone, and there was always hope that Wyler would find love.

Again.

As Elizabeth waited patiently on the couch, holding the tablet, she really wanted to log into the video conference call and see her kids.

This was probably the hardest part about her job. She missed her children in the worst way. CJ was as handsome as ever. While he looked more like Ethan, they could already tell that he was going to have his momma’s personality. He laughed and was bubbly with just about everything.

Cat was beautiful. Stunningly so
, that it took Elizabeth’s breath away. She had the sharp angular features forming and the tan skin like Callen, but under it all, she was going to look like her birth mother, Desdemona.

Part of that broke Elizabeth’s heart. Here, she had been friends with the woman
, and then had been slashed to pieces by her angry barbs. Now, she was raising Desdemona’s child as her own. Life was full of ironies, and this was one more of them.

The woman
who hated her guts had given her a permanent link to that memory forever. The only thing that made it easier was watching Callen with his kids. His love was so achingly beautiful, that it patched over that scar on her heart. Catherine Naomi was hers, as much as his.

Then there was her little pudge ball. EJ was a sweet child. He was very laid back and good natured like his father.
The most endearing thing about her two boys was that many times, they would find CJ missing from his room, only to locate him in bed with his brother.

It was as if they were two peas in the pod
and couldn’t bear to be apart.

Just like their fathers were
, then and now.

Laying her hand over her belly, she leaned her head back and thought about the little life growing there.
The baby was still too small to find out the gender, but already a huge part of her heart.

Part of her wanted the
child to be a girl, just so Ethan could have his wish and Cat could have a sister. Elizabeth knew that Ethan wanted a daughter in the worst possible way, and if she could give him one, her job as mother and wife would be at a pinnacle for her.

She wasn’t a religious person, by any means, but in this one case, she was willing to bend a rule.
“Okay, please let me have a girl. I know that I shouldn’t be asking you, because I don’t believe you exist, but I need to cover my bases. I know I’m like one of those people who only show up on Christmas and Easter, but if you’re out there, toss me a kid that will grow up like me, and torment the living hell out of all of us. I know that it’s crazy to even ask that, and I wouldn’t if it wasn’t important. I’m not asking for me, but so I can give Ethan this one thing and heal that last little piece of his heart.”

From the stairs, he stood there watching her. When he heard her talking, he
had to investigate. Behind him stood Callen, as they eavesdropped on Elizabeth. He couldn’t believe that she was praying to a God she didn't believe in anymore, just for him.

That touched him immensely.
She was willing to swallow her pride and beliefs for his heart.