Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) (71 page)

Callen tapped his brother on the shoulder and pointed to the man now behind the bar. Apparently, after Marla
was arrested he’d gotten a job promotion. “Hey Willie, remember me?” called Callen, getting his attention.

When the man moved his arm
below their view of the bar top, both brothers pulled their side arms, pointing them at the man.

“I wouldn’t move William Thomas. In this shadowy room, we’re likely to think you’re going for a gun. You might find yourself dead.” Blackhawk wasn’t kidding.

“Hey! I wasn’t going for a gun! I swear,” he stated, raising his arms, waving the bar rag.

“Step around the
side and come over here where we can see you,” ordered Blackhawk. He wasn’t taking any chances. Once the man complied, he patted him down and made sure he was weapon free. “You don’t have anything on you that’s going to cut or poke me, Willie, do you?” he inquired. “That’ll really piss me off, and I might have to take my anger out on you.”

“I have a utility knife in my back pocket,” he said honestly. “For popping open the beer boxes.”

Ethan tossed it to his brother. “Okay, let’s head outside where we can talk. I don’t like dark places where people can sneak up on me. I want to watch you in the daylight.”

Both men followed him outside.

“Mind if I smoke?” he asked. “They're in my pocket. Can I reach in and get them without you shooting me?” he waited, watching them.

“Go ahead,” Blackhawk answered.

“Why are you here shaking me down again? The hot babe already knocked me on my ass and brought me in once. She didn’t say I did some shit, did she? Because I hate babes that run their mouths.”

Both men let it go, since there was no point setting the man straight. He was two dollars short of buying a clue.

“You were over at
‘The Pussy Cat Club’
the other night, in fact, you were a regular over there visiting Lulu LaVous.”

“Yeah, I frequented the establishment. I like the broads they have shaking their asses over there. You look at the same shit daily you need a change of scenery. It’s no different than with you two. You go to work and look at that hot broad and then you go home and bang your
wives. Don’t tell me she isn’t on your mind at least a little bit. She has a superior set of breasts.”

“You married, Willie?” asked
Whitefox, just about ready to poke the man’s eyes out for talking about Elizabeth’s assets.

“No, I don’t like doing only one broad.
Although I wish I could get the FBI babe’s number. If I could have my pick of one broad to bang over and over, it’d be her.”

Blackhawk moved closer to Willie and narrowed his eyes. “Let me make one thing clear. That
‘hot broad’
is my wife. I look at her all day and then go home to her, but it pisses me off when men like you call her names or check her out.”

“
It makes me want to cut out his eyes,” stated Whitefox. “The
‘hot broad’
is also pregnant with my child. So, maybe Willie, you best be getting yourself a bigger vocabulary that excludes the words you’re familiar with to describe the women you see. In my world I don’t talk about ladies like that, especially one that I’m in love with a great deal.”

“Are we clear, Willie?” They both stepped closer.

“Yeah we’re clear,” he said, backing up until his back was against the building.

“Now, why were you visiting Lulu?” He asked again.

Willie shrugged. “I get a lap dance from her a couple times a week.”

“You mean you get a blow job and sex,” corrected Whitefox. “And before you try and lie, we have you on video
, getting your goods manhandled.”

“From the looks of it, little Willie was having a damn good time, oh and you were too.”

Oddly, he didn’t look the least bit embarrassed.

“She gives really good head. Look, I have to get back to work, so if you’re done busting my balls for paying for sex, I’d like to go.”

“Where were you two nights ago after you left the club?” Blackhawk ignored his request.

“I went over there trolling for strippers. We’re in need of some classy broads, and while I was there I took a little trip down Lulu lane.”

Whitefox was truly repulsed. “Have you been tested for herpes?” he asked.

“Why?”

Both men laughed. “Because Lulu lane was riddled with herpes potholes. That was one really diseased detour.”

He shook his head. “I wore a rubber, I’m safe.”

There was more laughter at the man’s idiocy. Willie wasn’t even being close to being the sharpest tool in the shed of life.

Blackhawk grinned. “Condoms don’t stop the spread of herpes, Willie. I’d get
junior checked out as soon as you can.”

“I’ll kill her!” he roared.
“If she gave me herpes she’s dead!”

That was what they were waiting for him to say
, as they baited him with the STD.

“That’s going to be kind of hard to do, Willie. You see two nights ago someone raped, beat up and lit Lulu on fire.
Since she’s already dead, you can sideline your revenge.”

Callen looked over at his brother, it was time for a rousing game of good cop and bad cop. “Hey Ethan, I was thinking about something.”

Blackhawk glanced over. “Yeah, Cal?”

“What if Willie here found out she infected him and he snapped, hunted her down and killed her
.”

“No fucking way!”

“Wow, I never thought of that, Cal. Maybe we do have the man that took Lulu’s life.” Blackhawk suppressed the grin. His brother was picking up the tricks to investigation.

“
Really Willie? I guess it could be the other scenario,” Whitefox offered, shrugging.

It was obvious that Willie wasn’t a genius, but if they needed proof
the trap was set, and both men waited to see if he took the bait.

“That has to be what happened, because that first scenario is way off.
I didn’t do Lulu.” Then he thought about it. “Wait, I did her, like in sex, but not in killing her.”

“
Anyway,” continued Callen, rolling his eyes. “So the other option is this; you’re saying you’ve been killing all the strippers and hookers, lighting them on fire?”

Blackhawk
observed the man, and realized he was either a complete idiot or a genius at making cops think he was a moron.

“Wait, no! I didn’t do that either.
I went over after I got off work, I got a blow job from Lulu, and I was good to go. I headed over to Sal’s on Oasis and had a few beers until around four a.m, when they closed.”

“We’re going to check your alibi,” stated Blackhawk.

“Ask for Bill, he served me all night long. I was there until they shut the place down.”

Both men started walking away. “Stay in town, Willie.”

He nodded enthusiastically, then scratched his dick through his jeans, as he thought about herpes.

Whitefox laughed. “He’s not a genius.”

“That’s an understatement. I doubt he’s the perpetrator. The man isn't a mental giant. Can you drive?” Ethan asked, pulling out his phone.

“Yeah, sure thing,” he caught the keys and hopped behind the wheel. “You checking on Lyzee?” he asked, suddenly worried.

“No, I’m checking with the tail we stuck on Patrick Wells. I want to know what he’s up to right about now.”

“I hope Lyzee’s okay.”

Ethan patted him on the shoulder. “Hang in there Cal. She’s tough and right now she’s probably getting makeup on and looking at all the sparkly shoes.”

“Yeah, you're probably right,” he said, pulling out of the parking lot. “Where to?”

“Back to FBI West. We need to get everything ready for the strip club. I want the doctors briefed and everyone wired and miked.”

Callen nodded, the knot in the pit of his stomach still sitting there ominously.

                                *    *     *

Talk about going hard core and balls to the wall. The four strippers were running the women through the ringer physically. Gone was the emotional torture
, and in its place was pain and rigorous use of muscles none of the women knew they had on their bodies.

Elizabeth had a blister on her hand and she was pretty sure brush burn on her thighs. What she did learn out of
all this was she had the upper body strength to be very acrobatic on the pole. She also revisited the fine art of the split, and now that she’d stretched out her muscles, it was just like she was back in high school all over again. The ladies had finished her hair and wrapped it up to keep the sweat from curling it back up. Now she was in a pair of shorts and a sports bra getting her performance down for later. The killer had better make an appearance after all the pain she was enduring.

“You’re actually pretty good for a Fed,” said Trixie, showing her the next spin around the bar. “You're the best out of the three. The redhead is too stiff and blondie is a
prude.”

“Yeah
, well to each their own,” she muttered, mimicking Trixie’s motions and nearly falling over in the three inch heels. “I swear I’m going home to soak in a very hot Jacuzzi tub when this is all over.”

Trixie laughed. “Yeah, I know how you feel. My feet are literally screaming after eight hours in heels. Every day I swear that I’m never coming back the next day
, and yet here I am.”

Elizabeth listened to the pain in the woman’s voice. “So why do you?” she asked
, trying the move again.

“I ran away from home at
sixteen and this is the only thing I could get a job doing that I was good at.” Trixie smiled. “Hey, it’s okay I like my job.”

Elizabeth spun around the pole and dropped to the floor into a split. It was smooth and Trixie clapped. Elizabeth bowed and started laughing. After she took a long sip from her water, she went over and pulled out her badge, grabbing the card from behind it and taking it back over to Trixie.

“What’s this?” she asked, taking the card.

“Think of t
his as your ‘IOU’ from me. If you ever need anything, or get yourself tangled up in something call me. I owe you for helping us, and I pay my debt.”

Trixie laughed. “Aren’t you something,
FBI? Thanks,” she replied, tucking it in her bra.

“I mean it. If you need a way out of here, you give me a call. One day when you swear you’re not going back, I can help you go forward,” Elizabeth said, putting the top back on her water.

“Seriously?”

“You're the master of your own destiny, Trixie. You want out of
here; I head up a big office. I can always use a file clerk or someone that hasn’t been arrested before.”

“You ran me?” she asked, laughing.

“Hell yeah I ran you. This isn't my first day on the job,” she said grinning. “I meant in the FBI. Exotic dancing is my first and hopefully tomorrow is my last day. My damn feet are killing me.”

Trixie gave her a hug. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I appreciate it.”

“I need to get Tori and Cyra miked and ready for tonight. The men will be here in a little while.”

“You really with both those fine Indian men?” she asked.

“It’s Native American, and yes. Legally to one and off the record to the other,” she said, showing her both rings. “Ethan and I have a son together, and I’m pregnant with Callen’s baby right now. We believe it’s a boy too.”

“You’re a wild woman,” she said laughing.

Elizabeth wiped the sweat on her face. “You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know, especially since I’m going to walk around in a club in barely anything but beading.”

She whistled and both women looked up. With a hand gesture they followed her. “Now show me where I get sexified and ready to go.”

“Tonight’s going to be fun to watch,” said Trixie grinning. The FBI is going to show some skin.”

Elizabeth shook her head.
“I hope that’s all I show.”

                                *    *     *

All night he thought about the way it didn’t end the way he wanted. Even in his dreams he thought about how he was robbed of the smell of burning hair and crackling fat. It ruined his entire night. Instead of thinking about her body and what he’d created
, he’d only thought about the way it was all fucked up by the stripper that came out and screamed.

He wished he could have
a redo on the entire thing. He’d burn her somewhere else. Now all he wanted was to grab the one that wrecked all his fun. Maybe he could make her pay and teach her a lesson on minding her own business.

Standing
outside at the parked vehicles, he stared off into space. Yeah, he knew what he was going to do now. He was going to the club tonight to grab the one the ruined his good time.

He’d sneak in and pick the one that fucked up his fantasy. The FBI was close, and maybe this would be his last one. It needed to be worth it.

He rubbed his hands together and made his plans. First things first, he walked over to his trunk and peeked inside. Yeah, it was all there and ready to go. Tonight he was going after another girl. It was sooner than planned, but that was okay. It was all about getting off and calming that demanding voice in his head, ordering to find a girl and take what he wanted.

Just one more,” he promised as he ran his hand over the bulge already formed in his jeans. It was an itch he just had to scratch.

                                *    *     *

Elizabeth stood in the shadows of the club before the evening kicked off and pointed out the agents to the strippers, standing behind her. The five men were in position.

Ethan and Callen sat side by side sipping a drink. Both doctors were sitting on another couch watching the entire place. Elizabeth wanted to giggle at the looks on their faces. They were excitedly whispering to each other. Lastly, Julian was sitting at the bar on a stool, drink in hand and a very
serious grimace plastered across his features.

Suddenly
, the lights all went on and the music started. Elizabeth spoke into her com and acknowledged that she was live. “Everyone connected?” she asked, waiting for a response. From where she stood, she could see her husband nod.

“We’re live, Lyzee,” stated Whitefox, trying to not have his actions noticed.

Julian grinned and spoke low. “Waiting for the show,” he said.

“I’m live,” stated Tori, getting ready to walk out into the room. “I’m going t
o take section B over by Julian. There’s three regulars at the bar. I plan on observing.”

Cyra’s voice came over the com next. “I’ve got section C over by the doctors. We have two more regulars near them.”

“Move in slow and try and act stripperish,” requested Elizabeth, who then laughed. “All eyes on the ladies that work here. Chances are that they’re the targets.”

“We’re live,” stated Tony.

Elizabeth watched Cyra and Tori cross the room. “Keep your mikes on nonstop while out of sight. No one goes silent while you’re alone. Men included on that directive too.”

The women agreed.

Elizabeth heard the music that was her cue and Trixie gave her a fist bump and a pat on the ass, sending her out onto the stage. From her vantage point, she could see the entire room. Both Callen and Ethan were looking around, as if waiting for her to sneak up on them. She almost laughed when they didn’t even notice her. Then again, that was a testament to their relationship. Two men in a strip club not checking out the goods? Yeah, she was going to reward them both later.

Grabbing the pole
, she began doing exactly what Trixie had taught her. Still the men didn’t notice her.

It was priceless.

“Elizabeth, where are you?” asked Callen, still searching for her.

It wasn’t easy to talk and twirl around a pole, so she just simply did her job, as the men in front of her waved money at her.

“Holy shit, she’s on the pole,” stated Julian laughing. “And boy is this a side of her I didn’t think existed,” he whispered into the com.

Elizabeth almost started laughing.

Both men looked up on the stage and their mouths hung open.

“
Seriously, Elizabeth?” muttered Callen.

Blackhawk immediately muted his com and his brothers. “Is that
really her?” he said, watching the scantily clad woman spin artistically around the metal pole. His whole body reacted the minute she turned her back to the men in the room, and he saw the tattoos.

“Okay, I think I may need a really cold shower,” muttered Whitefox. The woman he loved was dressed in this tiny outfit reminiscent of an Indian princess.
She wore the littlest of skirts laced up at the hips. Calling it a skirt was generous. It was like two flaps of material covering just the pieces of her that only they should be seeing. Every time she wrapped one of her very long legs around the pole, there was a flash of the sparkly undergarments beneath.

“
All the sudden, I want a pole in our bedroom,” stated Blackhawk, taking in the tiny push up bra that made her chest look huge. There was some sort of war paint slashed across her ribs and thighs, drawing attention to their location. “I don’t know how she’s staying in that outfit.”

“I was personally thinking of taking her out of it
in the car outside.”

Blackhawk watched his wife’s hair. It was poker straight and almost twice as long,
hanging past her ass with its silky strands swaying provocatively.

“This is the hottest thing I’ve ever s
een in my life. I know I say that a lot, but this beats it all,” muttered Whitefox, and just as he said it, she spun around the pole, slithering down it like a snake to her feet and into a split. “Oh holy fuck. I take it back. That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Did you know she could do a split?”