Pledging to Die (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 11) Read online

  Oh, he was going to crack her, but not to play a game. Joey was going to be in for a big surprise.

  “Don’t tell Arman I warned you. He’d kick my ass. Nels would make me bleed.”

  He patted Sutton on the back. “Your secret is safe with me. That’s what brothers are for, isn't it?”

  The man grinned. “Catch you later!”

  When he left, Brody rolled his neck. Tonight, he’d get Joey off their radar. He was going to make sure Arman knew she was going to be his mission.

  Only, it wasn’t for the sex.

  He was going to go to battle for her heart.

  Chapter Three

  Galeton

  She could tell it was a college town. From the kids wandering the streets dressed in school apparel, to the way they flocked in clusters, it was a dead giveaway.

  That didn't bother her in the least.

  If their team got in, did their job, and then got out, no one would be the wiser. After all, they were supposed to do this quietly. College kids were clueless about anything but booze, books, and food.

  She’d been there once, and this all brought back memories.

  As she and Ethan pulled up to the morgue, she noticed her team was already there, and as per her orders, they were in unmarked vehicles.

  They couldn’t roll through town in bright blue FBI vans. That would garner attention, and that wasn’t the point.

  Hopping out, she noticed her ME was smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. That meant one thing.

  Pictures.

  Since his daughter, Elizabeth Delilah Leonard, was born, he’d been inundating everyone with pictures—her sleeping, eating, pooping, and even breastfeeding. Elizabeth was pretty sure Cyra wasn’t going to be happy that everyone now saw her boobs. Elizabeth wouldn’t be thrilled, and she was far more liberal with things like that.

  “Hey, Chris, how’s tricks?”

  Merry was shaking her head from behind him, trying to signal to the bosses not to go there.

  Well, she had no choice.

  Family meant looking at pictures—or that’s what Ethan told her.

  “Little Bethe is so sweet,” he gushed, pulling out pictures from his pocket.

  Immediately, Ethan grinned, checking them out over her shoulder.

  “Her umbilical cord stump fell off.”

  Merry closed her eyes and shook her head, since she had to relive the conversation all over again. Don’t get her wrong…she loved her job and the man with the photos, but you could only look at the same umbilical stump so much.

  It was making her crazy.

  Elizabeth grinned. It was obviously a very long drive to the scene. Merry had been stuck with Doctor Leonard and the photos for three hours.

  “Wow! That’s great, Chris.”

  “We saved it. I can’t wait to show her when she’s older,” he stated, grinning like an idiot.

  Elizabeth was known for busting ass, but she couldn’t do it. This man was like her brother, and he was so happy that she wouldn’t burst that bubble. Instead, she’d share in his enthusiasm.

  “Kids are the best thing in the world!” he blurted, right before hugging her.

  Ethan grinned. “Yes, they are, Chris. We’re so happy that you’re living the dream.”

  “Maybe we should get to work,” Elizabeth stated, peeling the love looped ME off her body.

  “Oh, shit! Sorry! I get so wrapped up in baby things that I forget that we’re on the job. Sorry! I’ll put them away until later.”

  She patted him on the back as they headed into the morgue. “It’s no problem, Chris. When we get home, we’ll have dinner at our place. We can put Charlie and Bethe side by side. They may become best friends early in life.”

  He loved that idea. He wanted his daughter to have a circle of friends to love like he had.

  “Deal!”

  Inside, they found a very young man standing over the covered corpses.

  “Who is that?” Chris asked, trying to figure out why they had a kid in his newly absconded lab.

  “The coroner, I guess,” Ethan stated, keeping his voice low.

  “Oh, shit,” Chris muttered. “Please tell me I don’t have to babysit a child.”

  Elizabeth grinned before she began the introductions. “You must be Doctor Melville Leape.”

  He nodded enthusiastically as he checked the woman out. She didn't look like a Fed, but she was carrying a badge and gun on her hip. Maybe they allowed cowboy boots and jeans. Who was he to judge?

  “I am! I can’t believe I’m going to get to work with the FBI. This is a dream come true, ma’am. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a coroner and work with the Feds.”

  Chris’s enthusiasm was gone. “How long have you been on the job?”

  He glanced over at the calendar. “Since Friday.”

  Chris stared at Elizabeth. “Really, Lyzee? You’re sick. You knew, didn't you?”

  She laughed because as much as she liked jacking with them, she had nothing to do with this.

  Fate had a sense of humor.

  “Well, Doctor, it’s a pleasure to meet you. This is our Forensic ME. He’s going to be running this show. You’ll have to listen to him, and do what he says, okay?”

  The young ME nodded. “Righty-o!”

  Elizabeth wanted to giggle like a fool. While she loved Chris Leonard to death, this was going to be priceless. The man took his job seriously, and this had the makings for one hell of an adventure.

  “What happened to the last coroner?” Chris asked, trying not to be rude. He wanted to slap the kid with the cold hard facts of reality, but he was trying to remember he was a newbie once too.

  “He dropped dead of a heart attack. He was my first patient. It was an easy one.”

  Chris went to open his mouth, but Elizabeth grabbed his shoulder in warning. She already knew where this one was going to go, and they needed to play nice. Their ME was a stickler for rules and protocols. This boy didn't know what was coming.

  She cut him off. “Well, thank you for cooperating with the FBI and allowing us to use your facility. We promise our team will leave it exactly like we found it.”

  “Great! You can teach me how to use some of these machines too!”

  Now Merry was staring at her. Her boss had to be kidding. They weren’t going to have time to teach some boy-child how to work the equipment, and they certainly didn't have time to work around him.

  “Yeah, they can. Our head lab tech is a dream. Aren’t you, Merry?”

  She nodded, biting her tongue. “I’ve been told that before. In fact, I also heard I was grotesquely underpaid too. When my next evaluation comes up, I’m sure that will be rectified.”

  Blackhawk got the hint.

  They owed their team big time for this one.

  “How about we get started?” Ethan suggested. This was going to be amusing. If there was one thing Chris hated most, it was incompetence.

  “That’s a good idea,” Elizabeth stated, dropping her purse on a counter. She watched as the tech team got busy. Some were breaking open cases of supplies, while others started prepping the victims for trace removal.

  “Did they have clothes?” Merry asked.

  Doctor Leape nodded. “I had my people bag them for you. I know the FBI said to hold off on the autopsies, but we didn't want to stand around with our hands up our asses.”

  Chris opened his mouth, and Elizabeth pointed at him. Once more, he shut it, even though the man wasn’t supposed to touch anything. If they lost trace, he’d bitch later, and so would Elizabeth.

  “Thank you,” he stated, getting the words out. It wasn’t easy, and he nearly choked on them.

  Quickly, Chris pulled scrubs on over his pants and slipped out of his dress shirt. When he’d gotten covered, he pulled a tray toward the bodies.

  “You can use my stuff,” Doctor Leape offered, pointing at his knives.

  That was sacrilege to Christopher Leonard. “I could, but I have an intimate relationship with
my tools. They’re like an extension of my hand.”

  Elizabeth snickered from across the room.

  “Hey, why don’t you play with her gun? She’d love that.”

  “Point taken, Doc. Don’t be a bitch. I hear what you’re saying,” she stated, jerking her head toward the door. “We’re heading out. Try and play nice.”

  “What?” Chris stated. “You’re leaving me?”

  Blackhawk laughed. “Gee, you normally tell us to get out of your hair, right before she starts pumping you for details. We’ll have to remember this scenario for the rest of our cases.”

  He glared at Elizabeth. “And I named my child after you.”

  That made her laugh even more. “Doc, I will forever be amazed by that, but we have a sheriff to visit and the president of the university. It’s not like we’re going to the local bar to get our booze on, are we Ethan?”

  He grinned. “Nope.”

  “You want to do my job while I dig around in your bodies?” Elizabeth offered.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered.

  “I’ll keep you company,” Doctor Leape offered.

  Chris stared at her. When she winked, he mouthed, ‘I hate you.’

  Funny.

  That wasn’t the first time she’d heard that …

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

  Tuesday Afternoon

  Galeton University

  of Social Science

  As she rushed across the quad, trying to get back to her dorm room, Johanna felt like someone was watching her. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out who it could be.

  She’d just seen her partner, Jason Blaise in the main building working. She’d passed him a message, trying not to use her phone…just in case.

  But now, she could swear that someone was there. Maybe she was paranoid from what was going on, or possibly it was her training kicking in. Either way, all it made her want to do was get inside where it was safe.

  As she approached the stairs, which led down to her dorm, the hair on her arms stood. It wasn’t her imagination.

  Then Johanna’s phone rang, startling her.

  “Hey, Mom,” she said, when the number appeared on her phone. It was actually her partner, but they were covering their tracks.

  “The Blackhawks are in town. I was just notified of their arrival. I wanted to give you a heads up in case something popped and you had to contact them.”

  “Okay, Mom. Thanks for letting me know,” she said, as people moved around her, heading to their classes. “What would you like me to do?” she asked, waiting for her next set of directions. If they were in town, surely Elizabeth was taking over.

  “I told them about the party tomorrow night. They want you to go in and keep your eyes open. There are more agents here, so we have backup.”

  “Did she say who?” she asked, lowering her voice.

  “No. She said he’d use the code word when he approached you, so be ready for tomorrow. He’ll be your backup inside the party.”

  “Great,” she replied. “Hey! Are you on campus by any chance?” she asked, hoping he would say yes.

  “No. I’m on my way to the hotel. Are you okay? Do you need me to swing by?”

  “No, I’m fine. I was just checking.”

  “Well, be safe.”

  “Love you, Mom. See you soon,” she said, hanging up. Still, there was that feeling that she was being watched. If it wasn’t her partner, then who was it?

  Johanna rushed into her dorm.

  Being out in the open creeped her right out, and she didn't like having to head out unarmed. Women were dying, and she didn't want to end up in trouble.

  Despite having new backup, she didn't know who it was, and if she could trust him.

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

  Sheriff’s Office

  In town

  This was probably going to be the worst part of their day. When dealing with small towns, and their cops, there was always that sense that they were overstepping their bounds.

  Only, that wasn’t the truth. The FBI loved working with the locals, but the same couldn’t be said about them. Going in, there was no doubt in her mind that they’d have to do some creative tap dancing to get the sheriff and his men on their side.

  It was just the way it was.

  “Be nice,” Ethan warned, patting her on the ass as they headed in. Normally, she’d make a comment, but she was looking forward to raising some hell. There was nothing she loved more than this part of the job.

  That first contact was like foreplay.

  Busting balls was her favorite hobby. “If he’s a jackwagon, he’s all mine,” she stated. “I’m at my limit for idiots for the week, so I’ll put him in his place.”

  Ethan knew it was going to be ugly. His wife was predictable when it came to the first day on the job.

  Arrive.

  Assess.

  Meet the local law.

  Blow the place up.

  It was the same with every job.

  Inside, they paused at the counter. When the sheriff turned around, Elizabeth actually gawked.

  She knew him.

  How was this possible?

  “Nick?” she asked, not believing her eyes. “Nick Rakin?”

  He looked just as surprised.

  “Elizabeth LaRue! Oh my God! Is that you?” He rushed around the counter, hugging her tight. When he picked her up and spun her around, there was a dead silence in the room.

  Ethan didn't know whether to shoot the man or pinch himself to see if he was asleep. While they were surprised, Ethan was beyond that. He didn't know what to think. Here was a strange man hugging and swinging his wife in a circle.

  AND she wasn’t trying to kill him.

  Jesus!

  It was the apocalypse.

  For the first time in a long time, he was speechless.

  “You better believe it’s me, you dog! How the hell are you?” she asked, grinning up at the man when he put her down.

  “Now that I’ve seen you, I’m as happy as a clam. We heard the FBI was making an appearance, but I was expecting some bitchy asshole from up north. I didn't think I’d luck out and get the sweetest woman on the planet instead.”

  Blackhawk nearly fell over.

  Did they enter a wormhole at the doorway? Was this some other time dimension?

  What the bloody hell?

  Where was he?

  She turned. “Actually, Nick, it’s Director Elizabeth Whitefox-Blackhawk. I’m married now, and this is my husband and partner, Director Ethan Blackhawk,” she said, doing the introductions.

  He pumped Ethan’s hand enthusiastically. “Wow! We get two directors for the price of one? That’s crazy! I hope you’re as easy going as Elizabeth!”

  He opened his mouth, and then decided to close it. Apparently, he was asleep.

  Elizabeth? Easy going? What?

  “Yeah, we’re a matched set, Nick. Our other partner will be here in a few days.”

  “I can’t believe you got hitched. You swore you were never settling down, and now you’re a married woman. That’s totally wild. Dak will be disappointed that he missed this!”

  Ethan lifted a brow. “Who’s Dak, and why would he care if she’s married?”

  Elizabeth heard the tone in his voice. Ethan wasn’t amused, and she feared it was only going to get worse once the sheriff kept talking. Here was the issue with your past. When it reappeared, it tended to be a bad thing.

  “Dakota is my brother. He and Elizabeth had a thing. He popped the question, and she turned him down. Something about never marrying, and definitely not marrying a cop.”

  She shrugged, trying to brush it off.

  “Is that so? Dak proposed, huh?”

  Yeah, she didn't have to even look at him to know he wasn’t happy. Ethan, while a softie underneath it all, had a way of going ice cold when he was pissed.

  Brrrrr.

  It was getting chilly in there.
<
br />   “Nicky, we’re here to help out. I’m so glad it’s a friendly face too. We need to talk. Can we head into your office?”

  He dropped his arm over her shoulders and led the way. “Sugar, for you, anything.”

  Ethan was sure that he was going to be the one hurting the sheriff. He’d kissed, hugged, and spun his woman. Now he was getting up close and personal with her.

  Yeah, he was a dead man.

  In fact, later, he might just be kicking his wife’s ass too. He was pretty sure that they’d discussed people in their past. When someone proposed, that might have been a detail he should have heard about—even in passing.

  Inside the office, Sheriff Nick Rakin pulled out a chair for her before heading around the desk. “How bad is it going to be?” he asked. “Are we talking big Fed boning or just going to hurt a little when I bend over?”

  She laughed. “Come on, Nicky! This is me we’re talking about. I’ll be very gentle. I promise. Since I like you, I’ll even use lube.”

  He grinned. “Thank the Lord.”

  “We’re really here to help out. Don’t think of us as taking over. Plus, we’ve been told to keep it on the DL. We’re going to need you to do the same.”

  “What do you have?” he asked.

  Elizabeth glanced over at her husband, waiting for him to say something…anything, but it looked like he was pissed. She could tell from the twitch in his cheek.

  Oh, and the way those midnight blue eyes watched her. Yeah, she was seriously screwed for omitting a tiny piece of information.

  Yes, she had a past before him, but then again, so did he.

  “We have the four missing girls, and three have been found. At first, we thought abductions, but now we know better.”

  “I want in, Elizabeth. Can you see it in that big heart of yours to cut me and my guys a break?”

  She laughed. “You know I can. I’d love your help.”

  Ethan Blackhawk swore under his breath. Yeah, this was going to suck. Wait until Callen heard about this love fest. He wanted to puke. In fact, he wasn’t going to stop his brother from pounding Nick into ground meat.