Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) Read online

  Tony slid up her torso, noticing that his minx was trapped in the linens. It gave him a surge of need and prowess. His wife-to-be was his prisoner.

  This was just the way he liked her.

  Moving to press her into the soft cushion of the mattress, his mouth drove her wild, first with kisses, and then bites to her flushed flesh.

  “Tony!” she pleaded, still unable to get her arms unwound from beneath the sheets. “Set me free,” she begged.

  “No. I like you this way,” he admitted, his erection throbbing. What he wanted was to bury himself deep in her body.

  Soon, he’d be doing just that.

  As she struggled to catch her breath, he slid back down her body, finding her even more wet and ready for him. With lips and tongue, he teased her more.

  “Please,” she begged, wanting to run her hands all over him. She loved the treasure trail of hair that lightly ran down his chest to the prize she loved most.

  Quickly, he whipped her body back to the edge and over. He loved hearing her shout his name as she tumbled. When she was vibrating in need, he moved up her body to stare into her brilliant eyes. “Who do you belong to, Jaxon?” he said, finding that the words coming from him were laced with a dark edge of lust.

  “You, Tony. I’ll always be yours,” she vowed, breathing heavily.

  “Prove it.”

  With that, he was off her body and waiting for the woman he loved.

  Jaxon freed herself from the tangle only to find him standing at the foot of their bed. Immediately, she knew what he wanted. At first, her fingers stroked him, pulling a low moan from his mouth. When her lips took over, it became desperate.

  His hands found the lushness of her glossy red hair as he controlled the depth of her strokes.

  It was heaven and hell all rolled into one.

  There was nothing more erotic than watching his naked minx pleasuring his body.

  When she pulled away, he stared down at her, trying to catch his breath.

  “What can I do for you next?” she offered, running her fingers down his thighs.

  His brain spun at all the possibilities.

  With his hand open, he waited for her to put her fingers in his. When she was on her feet, he ran his mouth around her shoulders and neck.

  Jaxon moaned as he pulled every ounce of lust from her body so easily. With Tony, there was never a doubt that he opened that locked part of her that she held back. As he distracted her with his mouth, he led her to the small settee in the room. When she was squirming against him, he took a moment to run his fingers through her wetness.

  Yes, she was ready.

  And so was he.

  When she gasped at his invasion of fingers, he bent her over and filled her with something that would take her breath away even more. Sliding into her, he wasn’t gentle or easy, since he wasn’t feeling it.

  “Oh God!” she gasped, as he took control of her body. When she thought he couldn’t go any deeper, he did.

  “More, Jaxon?” he offered, beginning to slide in and out of her. He was drowning in the sensation as he longed to make her scream his name.

  Over the weeks of lovemaking, he found this was the position she loved best.

  For him, it had a spectacular view.

  “Yes, please!” she begged, as the heat began building. With each thrust into her body, Jaxon wanted to break apart beneath him.

  Tony focused on the slide in and out of her body, watching his erection slick and swollen with need.

  When she would push back against him, to take more, Tony wanted to erupt right there.

  This was torture.

  He hoped Jaxon was close, because he certainly was.

  When her body shook, he reached around to massage her breasts, caging her pebbled nipples in his fingers. With dual pinches, he used their sensitivity to throw her over the edge. That taste of pleasure and pain being the catalyst to controlling her eruption.

  With her scream of release, he had one of his own, but his was more a possessive growl.

  The heat flushed, the room spun, and they both came with a ferocity never before felt.

  Then, as they floated, silence fell.

  When he could finally see straight, Tony realized he was leaning against her body. Pulling out of his fiancée, he swept Jaxon up into his arms to carry her to their bed.

  Once there, she cuddled against him like always.

  His heart melted.

  “Tony?” she asked sleepily.

  “Yeah, baby?” he replied.

  “Two things,” she began. When he didn't say anything, she continued, “I love you too, and way to go, daddy!”

  He started laughing at their little joke. She called him that whenever she wanted to be playful. Biting her ear, she yelped and then went silent.

  There was no doubt that she’d tumbled into sleep, and now he would follow.

  Love was pretty freaking amazing, and Tony was glad he found her. Nothing would stop them now.

  Nothing.

  * * *

  Wednesday Morning

  Like most days, there was the need for coffee to kick start the morning. When you were up half the night worrying, the only thing that would solve your problems was a hot cup of java.

  Down in the breakfast nook of the hotel, they all got ready to start their day. The three doctors were there, enjoying a few croissants. As Ethan and Callen approached, they motioned toward them.

  “Busy day today,” Chris said, stuffing a pastry in his mouth.

  Ethan took his seat and stirred the black liquid with a red plastic stick. “Yes, we’re going to follow you in, make sure you’re set up, and then see what our agents dug up. I received some emails from them last night. They were working for quite a while.”

  He loved that about their team. His wife had them so well trained, that they knew to give the investigators a head start in the morning. Plus, those two specific agents had screwed up the last case, missing the easy clues, which might have caught a killer sooner.

  Their one mistake had nearly cost Tony his life. The ass chewing they got when they returned to FBI West had been epic.

  “That’s great,” Jaxon said, eating a piece of her muffin. “I’ll be more than happy to help them out,” she stated, looking around. “Actually, where are they?”

  Ethan found that odd. Generally, his team was prompt and punctual. Then again, with those two, they could be still working in their rooms.

  Before Ethan could dial Agent Madden’s cell, there was a screech and the concierge was there at the breakfast room’s door.

  “You better hurry! Two of your agents are in trouble!” Johnny Antonio shouted.

  That was all it took. The entire room of Feds emptied out, racing from the building being led by Ethan and Callen. They slid to a stop outside when they found Agent Seaton’s nose bleeding, and Agent Madden kicking the hell out of some guy on the ground.

  Quickly, Ethan jumped into the mêlée, avoiding the shouts and protests from the men surrounding the two agents. When he finally got Johanna off the man on the pavement, Callen stepped in to help the other agent up.

  “I want her arrested!” the bleeding man shouted.

  Agent Madden was breathing heavily and had blood on her starched white shirt.

  “What the hell?” Blackhawk roared, unwilling to let this escalate any further. He expected nothing but sterling behavior from his team, and this didn't look like that at all. In fact, this was incredibly bad for everyone involved.

  Callen was checking Broderick Seaton’s nose. It didn't appear to be broken.

  The man on the ground got up, and he was furious. Immediately, he charged the woman who Blackhawk was holding back. Tony stepped in and knocked him back to the ground.

  When the scream of sirens pulled up, the crowd slowly began to disburse.

  Sheriff Carlton didn't look happy, and he immediately voiced his displeasure.

  “What the fuck is going on?”

  “I’m trying to fin
d that out,” Ethan hissed, putting his team behind him. Despite the mess, he’d go to bat for them.

  “She punched me in the face! I want her arrested!” the man on the ground stated.

  “Shut up, Eugene,” the sheriff ordered.

  It was obvious that they knew each other.

  “Let me warn you, Ricky and Timmy, keep it zipped,” he demanded, pointing at the other two men. “I don’t want another word from any of you until I figure out what the hell is going on here!”

  Agent Seaton spoke when Ethan pointed at him. “We came out with our coffee and found these three loitering by our cars. They were taunting us and wouldn’t let us get into the vehicle.”

  Blackhawk listened, and apparently so did the sheriff, because he was glaring at the three men from his town.

  Yeah, they were trouble.

  Broderick Seaton continued, “We told them to move, or we were going to have to arrest them. Before we knew what was happening, he lurched at her and grabbed Johanna. By grabbing, I mean in a sexual way that was definitely crossing more than a few boundaries.”

  They all looked at the man on the ground as he held his nose.

  “I told him to get his hands off her breasts, or else.”

  They focused on him.

  “Then?” asked the sheriff, waiting for more details. There was a red flush creeping up his throat.

  “He sucker punched me before I could kick the shit out of him. Once he knocked me down, my partner defended me. That’s when you all rushed outside. It happened in seconds.”

  Ethan glanced down at the man on the ground. Already, his eye was swelling shut. She did more than defend, she was out for blood.

  If Elizabeth was here, she’d be proud.

  “I want her arrested. She physically assaulted me.”

  “Johanna, did he grab you?” Ethan asked.

  “Yeah, like a drunken date on prom night. I punched him, and he deserved it. If I manage to get past you, I’m kicking his balls into next week.”

  The sheriff calmed them down. “You,” he ordered. “Get up and out of here,” he stated, pointing at Eugene Reyston. “Take your brothers with you and leave. If you don’t, you’re going to jail.”

  “But she…”

  He cut the bleeding man off. “You put your hands on a woman. That’s a big no-no. You’re lucky she didn't kill you for being a dick. Get out of here before I charge you with sexual assault.”

  Ethan wasn’t happy.

  Not in the least.

  The man was letting the guy walk without even giving his agent a chance to press charges.

  That pissed him off.

  When the man and his brothers hauled ass out of there in their beat up truck, the sheriff turned to face the woman. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I apologize for what he did. Those boys are generally harmless, but they aren’t really good with outsiders or cops. You’re both, so they were trying to rile you up.”

  Well, they did just that.

  “I think you owe my people more than an apology, Sheriff. He grabbed her chest. That’s sexual assault. You and I both know that unwilling contact against a female has some serious charges to go along with it.”

  “Do you want to press charges?” he asked Johanna.

  “No, I want to rip his face off for touching me and punching my partner. He hit a Fed!”

  Ethan picked up where she left off, “Yeah, and that too. You just let a man walk for two serious offenses. You didn't even give us a chance to do anything.”

  The man tipped his hat back and stared at him. “Listen, I don’t come to your town and tell you how to run it, so don’t do it here. They’re harmless, but if you arrest them, it’s going to piss off every Indian hating person in this town.”

  Immediately, the entire tech team answered, “Native American.”

  Callen would have laughed if it wasn’t a serious moment. Elizabeth had trained them well.

  “Whatever. I’m saving your ass. You don’t want to piss off everyone here, or I’ll be finding your ass in the swamp, likely in big meaty pieces.”

  Ethan took a step forward. “Is that a threat, Sheriff? I feel like you’re trying to tell me something.”

  The man laughed. “This is why people get pissed. Get your Native American panties out of a bunch and listen. You’re a guest here. Act like it. I’m sorry your girl got groped, but this isn't Washington. Down here, we have a different set of rules, and you need to abide by them.”

  The entire tech team stared with open mouths. This man was walking a thin line.

  “Very well, Sheriff, but I warn you. You’re walking that thin line too. If you cross it again, I’ll not only have your ass in a sling, I’ll surgically remove your ‘good ol’ boy’ mentality. It’ll be painful, and you won’t like it. While I may be ‘Indian’ I’ve played the game a long time. I’m not worried about some pricks who want to screw with me.”

  The man said nothing. He popped a piece of gum in his mouth and narrowed his eyes.

  “Maybe prick was an understatement. Would you like me to use a better word for you? How about bigoted hillbilly redneck?”

  They all stared.

  “Have a good day, Director,” Sheriff Carlton stated, turning on his heel. “Don’t bitch later that I didn't warn you about what could happen. This is on you.”

  Ethan turned and faced his team. “Get ready to head into the morgue. We have work to do.” He picked up Johanna’s hand and looked at her knuckles. “Get Merry to clean these. You never know what kind of ‘hick’ related infection you’ll catch. There isn't a vaccine to protect you against stupid.”

  With that, Ethan headed toward his Denali. When he got to the door, he glanced over his shoulder and none of them missed the look on his face.

  Ethan Blackhawk was pissed.

  “Callen, run the sheriff. I want to know everything about him. He’s pissed off the wrong Fed.”

  No one doubted that.

  No one.

  ~ Chapter Four ~

  When they pulled into the morgue, Ethan was waiting for them. He was in his vest and typing furiously on his phone. Since they knew him well enough, no one made a peep.

  It was rare to see him show anger in the workplace. That was more Elizabeth’s thing. His icy silence was worrisome to the entire team.

  Following them in, he headed to the office attached to the morgue. Inside, he found Agents Seaton and Madden there with Doctor Armstrong.

  Before he could tell them what he wanted, his female agent spoke up, “Sir, this is all my fault. Please don’t be upset with my partner. He’s got some sick and twisted need to be chivalrous. If anything, it’s irritating but harmless.”

  “Hey!” Broderick Seaton objected.

  He waited for his agent to continue.

  “I shouldn’t have struck the man, and if you want to put me on administrative leave, I completely understand. Just don’t punish Brody.”

  Ethan leaned against the wall. “Agent, if your partner didn't come to your rescue, I’d be more pissed off. By definition, a partner is supposed to have your back. He did his job. I’m not going to punish him.”

  Brody Seaton was up out of his seat. “She didn't do anything either. Joey was just reacting.”

  “Sit, Agent!”

  When the man hesitated, Ethan wanted to smile. His wife was right. This job was fifty percent cop and fifty percent babysitter. “I said sit, Agent Seaton.”

  The man listened when his partner touched his arm.

  Blackhawk didn't miss it. Yeah, there was something there. “Johanna is the victim here. I’m not going to punish or discipline her. I will say that next time, you get the man in cuffs, not beat his face in with your fists. There’s a difference between taking down a bad guy and taking out an idiot, and you need to learn it.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry, sir.”

  Blackhawk let it go. They had too much to worry about at that point.

  “How about we discuss what you found out on our potential victims.
We’re putting this behind us and moving forward. Right now, we can’t waste the time or afford the distraction.”

  Jaxon loved watching the Feds work. Their interactions were anthropologically fascinating. It was like a civilization all moving together as one. When they had run out of the hotel earlier, the men in charge didn't hesitate to step in front of their team to keep them safe.

  It was a natural order of hierarchy, and she loved watching it happen. It made her think of one big family.

  “We found some news articles, boss,” stated Johanna, trying to keep her partner calm. She was touched that he had jumped in to save her, but she didn't need a hero, especially one who was her partner.

  She had been taking care of herself a long time, and now wasn’t going to be any different.

  “Like what?”

  “We came across an online news story about a woman who disappeared. Her family reported her missing, but they didn't have anything to go on. There were no clues. All they came up with was that she was walking to work and just vanished.”

  “What’s her name?” Ethan asked.

  “Ruth Hildebrant,” Agent Seaton offered.

  His partner continued, “But the only issue is that we don’t have any pictures of her. She didn't drive and never applied for a state ID.”

  It was common in the backwoods to do just that. Along with not living by the rules, this was a poor rural community. They valued anonymity. Blackhawk didn't doubt that she was part of that.

  “Okay, so we’ll scour the year book of all the schools nearby,” he offered.

  “We already tried. She was homeschooled. We can get you the address of her family, and you can stop in for a visit. They might have an updated photo we can use.”

  This wasn’t looking good. If she didn't go to school, her family likely stayed to themselves. That probably meant that they weren’t going to have dentals or medical records.

  Well, shit.

  He was between a rock and a hard place.

  Yes, he wanted to stop in and see them, but he didn't want to give them false hope that their child was found, or hurt them by delivering the bad news.