Dying to Love (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 18) Read online

  And that’s the only reason Chris wasn’t dead.

  “I know, angel.”

  She sniffled.

  “Let’s head to the scene. We have a day off to spend with our kiddos. Maybe we can take them to the park.”

  She’d like that.

  “Thank you, Callen. Can you drive?” she asked, wiping her eyes.

  He took the keys, helped her up, and then got in himself. They drove off, and in the back of his mind, he was weighing his options.

  Scare the doctor.

  Or thank him.

  It was a toss-up.

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

  Hooker Number One’s

  Home

  When they pulled up, it was mayhem all over again. It seemed that the cops had beat them there.

  AGAIN.

  Why?

  What the hell were they trying to prove? Was Metro out of their damn minds?

  This was a simple search of the house. For the life of her, she didn’t understand what they were trying to prove.

  As they headed up the stairs, they didn’t get what the hell was going on there. Johanna didn’t mention anything like this.

  At the one door, they were met with their not so friendly cop.

  Great.

  Detective Sheehan strikes again.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, adding some malice to her voice. While she’d play nice to spare Ethan some paperwork, this was getting out of hand.

  If this cop thought she’d play games…

  “It seems there are more bodies. I’m claiming jurisdiction of this, since you aren’t capable of handling this. In fact, our boss is calling yours. We’re taking this back.”

  “Yeah, that sounds familiar,” she stated. “How did that work for you last time?” Elizabeth asked. “Oh wait. I remember. You got your asses handed to you when you called me incompetent. I then solved it and put your girlfriend’s murderer behind bars. Yeah, why would you want me handling this case? I might just close it.”

  “Don’t even talk about her.”

  “Listen, I’m sorry about Cathy. I really am. When a cop goes down, it’s bad. I just didn’t have anything to do with her death. You and she were meeting up when the killer saw you. She was going to the precinct on Fridays for money. That was on her, you, and Metro. That’s what got her killed.”

  He lunged for her.

  Callen grabbed him and slammed him against the wall with enough force to steal his breath. “You touched her once today, and it’s not happening again. You won’t put your hands on my wife. Am I clear?”

  She touched Callen’s arm. “He’s not worth it. He’s bitter and blaming himself for Cathy’s murder.”

  “You killed her!”

  “You’re washed up, Glenn. Call it a day.”

  Callen freed him. “I suggest you leave.”

  When he didn’t, he flashed his badge at the uniform cops on the tape. “Remove him. He’s banned from this scene by order of Director Callen Whitefox.”

  It was all it took.

  They headed into the apartment. It smelled like death, and she knew it was going to be bad.

  “Johanna, Brody, Chris,” she called.

  Brody stuck his head out. “Boss, we’re back here.”

  She headed his way.

  “It’s bad,” he warned. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

  She didn’t listen.

  Elizabeth had seen it all.

  She’d waded through rivers of blood and the bodies of so many broken souls.

  There was nothing in there that was going to freak her out. It couldn’t. She was immune.

  She was titanium.

  As she headed into the room, she came to a stop. Chris was standing next to a crib. The look on his face said it all.

  “You don’t want to see this,” he said softly. “It’s a child. She’s no more than two.”

  Elizabeth saw the blood on the wall.

  “Elizabeth,” Johanna warned.

  She moved toward the dead victim anyway. She moved toward the crib, and she prayed for some sort of control on her behalf. Child murders were always hard, but now that she was a mother, they were the worst.

  She saw her babies in each and every one.

  It scared her.

  It horrified her.

  Now she was about to face it.

  As she approached, she noticed Chris wasn’t wearing gloves. She found his hand with hers and used it for strength. When she looked down into the crib, she wanted to weep.

  “He eviscerated her. She never had a chance,” he whispered. “That poor baby never had a chance to escape what he did to her.”

  It hit them both hard.

  It nearly leveled her.

  She turned fast, trying to escape it. When she did, she saw the wall behind Callen.

  It took a second to register.

  ‘Elizabeth,

  Roses are red, violets are blue.

  This child had to die.

  All because of you.

  Romeo.’

  That was all it took.

  For the first time, since she’d been pregnant in the morgue, she did something she never did.

  Elizabeth raced from the room, hit her knees, and puked.

  Finally, a killer had broken her.

  Elizabeth Blackhawk had met her sick and twisted match.

  Chapter Three

  Tuesday

  Mid-Morning

  Livy arrived at the office one hell of a harried mess. When she headed toward the bullpen, she noticed the team was already gone. Then she headed toward Gabe’s office, and he was gone too.

  It was odd with no one around on a work day. It was funny, since her phone didn’t alert her to a case or that her hubby wouldn’t be at work.

  She could have sworn he headed out that morning with the intent of going to the office.

  As a last resort, she stopped in to see Ethan. He might know what was going on there.

  Fortunately, he was just finishing a meeting.

  “Hey, where is everyone?” she asked.

  “They’re out on a case. As far as I know, Elizabeth is passing on it. She should be back by lunchtime.”

  “She’s passing on a case? Is she sick?”

  Well, that would explain why they didn’t text her. If she wasn’t taking the case, they probably didn’t want to bother her.

  It worked for her.

  He laughed. “No, she’s just not up for it. It’s something that Johanna and Brody can handle.” Ethan wasn’t about to tell her anything about his dream. The less who knew how crazy he was, the better. He didn’t need a reputation as some lunatic having prophetic-like dreams.

  He liked his job way too much.

  “Oh, okay,” she stated. “Where’s Gabriel? Is he off with the president in a meeting?”

  Ethan looked at her funny. “No, I covered his meetings today,” he stated.

  “What do you mean?” Livy asked, shaking out her red hair. “He left for work. Where is he?”

  Ethan didn’t understand why Gabe’s wife didn’t know where he was.

  “He called me on his way in to the office. He had a physical.”

  “What?” she asked.

  There was no way that was possible.

  “He called to alert me about the case and mentioned he had a physical and would be in later.”

  That couldn’t be right.

  His physical was last week.

  Livy recalled him bitching about it. Why was her husband ditching work? That didn’t seem right at all. He’d specifically opted out of helping Amy with her driving that morning, and he’d never do that.

  Unless…

  Was he cheating on her? Was this a midlife crisis?

  He had been acting funny lately.

  “Oh, well, thank you, Ethan. Tell him I was here. I’m going to head home.”

  Ethan realized that she wasn’t happy. He was married. He could hear it in her voic
e.

  Gabe was up to something, and here was the proof. In a marriage, you needed to know where your spouse was at all times. Livy ALWAYS knew where Gabe was. In fact, when he had to find the man, he called his wife.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m cutting out.”

  He looked at his watch. She’d just gotten there. “Uh, you could work a day and not waste vacation time. I’m sure that the Seatons will be in soon and need help with research,” he hinted.

  She wasn’t listening.

  Livy was walking away, and she was lost in thought.

  Ethan called after her.

  She didn’t hear him.

  Gabe was disappearing, and he’d been chilly the last couple of days. Livy had written it off as stress, but now…she was afraid of what it could be.

  Her husband was being secretive.

  That only meant one thing.

  He had to be having an affair.

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

  Jody Landry’s

  Apartment

  After the mess at Sharon Jones’s home, Elizabeth was dreading going to the next place. She had that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn’t because she’d just puked in front of her team.

  They all looked a little green.

  This was about what she thought was coming.

  Callen was silently driving.

  “He’s sick,” he finally stated.

  Oh, she was well aware. This was the last thing she needed to walk into, but she was on the verge of taking the case.

  Romeo, as he was calling himself, was pushing his luck. Two dead hookers and a dead baby were about her breaking point. One more body, and this was going to be personal.

  How could it not be?

  “You’re going to take this case, aren’t you?” Callen asked. He was afraid of just that. By the look on her face, he could tell she was already beginning to plan how to catch the killer.

  It was in her eyes.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Elizabeth.”

  “I’m not. I’m weighing the options. This person wants me to do it. If this is Bonnie, and she’s screwing with me…”

  He got it.

  That was a vendetta she’d never pass up. There was a grudge match on the horizon. They were simply waiting on when the woman would strike.

  As of yet, the US Marshalls didn’t have a line on her. Once they did, they were going to pick her up.

  Elizabeth was on their speed dial.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. Callen had never seen his wife puke on a scene.

  It was…scary.

  “I have a hard time with babies. I don’t deal well when I see them dead. I can walk through the bowels of a man or hooker, but one hurt child, and I’m a wreck.”

  He got it.

  Him too.

  “It’s because you’re a mother, and you’ve carried life in you,” he offered.

  She didn’t doubt it.

  “I think we’re here,” she said, as Callen parked in a spot on the street. The minute they were out, the drug dealers, hookers, and thieves scattered like roaches in the light.

  They knew her face.

  They knew her street reputation.

  They knew she was the last one to provoke.

  It was probably a good thing. If anyone uttered a single word, she might hurt them all. Her heart was aching over the Chris thing and her gut was raw over that little child.

  She was having a shitty day.

  Funny.

  It had started good.

  A part of her wanted to hurt the mother for leaving that baby home alone. As Johanna canvased, they found that was a common thing. When Sharon Jones didn’t have anyone to watch her child, she’d put her in the crib, leave her a bottle and some toys, and walk out the door.

  Who the hell did that?

  She didn’t care what the hell the woman was thinking, but you didn’t treat kids like they were disposable.

  It didn’t happen.

  The mother in her wanted to rage.

  The cop in her wanted to hurt the dead woman.

  That child, because her mother didn’t care, was dead. Had there been someone there, maybe she wouldn’t have her internal organs on the outside of her body.

  “You look mad.”

  “I am.”

  “The baby being left alone?” he asked, moving up the stairs with her.

  “What kind of mother does that?”

  “The answer would be a desperate one who has the maternal instincts of an alley cat. Mine did it all the time. I spent many nights alone as a small child. Not all mothers are like you, angel.”

  “I’m sorry, Callen James.”

  “Don’t be. When I was alone, I wasn’t being sexually assaulted. I could find some food that she’d hidden, and I could be safe. Not all kids have lives like ours. Our little ones are blessed in life.”

  “I think we should adopt a bunch of kids. We have room to make them our tribe.”

  He kissed her. “Your compassion is sweet, but Wyler is a mess with a pregnant wife and all of our kids. Let’s take a moment and think that one through.”

  She sighed. “You’re right.”

  At the door, she began knocking.

  There was no sound.

  Elizabeth reached for the knob, and it wasn’t locked.

  Callen pulled her back, grabbed his gun, and got ready. That was something out of place, and after the last scene, they weren’t taking any chances.

  Elizabeth held up her fingers and began counting them down.

  Three.

  Two.

  One…

  She pushed the door open and dipped below Callen’s outstretched arms to go in low. The house smelled like death, and they already knew what was coming.

  The killer had been there too.

  He’d likely left a little token to Elizabeth, and that pissed Callen off.

  All that he could hope was it wasn’t another child. One more, and his wife was going to take this case.

  She was going to flip her shit and hunt this asshole down with a vengeance.

  Elizabeth motioned to the left, and Callen cleared the right. He kept his eyes on her the entire time.

  He wasn’t taking a chance.

  They swept the sparse place, only to find feet sticking out of the hallway at the other end of the room.

  It was an adult.

  As they moved closer, they were able to check on the potential victim.

  “Her throat is cut,” she whispered, keeping her voice low. She didn’t want to alert the killer if he was there.

  Callen pointed toward the two rooms at the end of the hall. He took the one, and she headed toward the other.

  Inside his, he swept for anything out of place. This must have been where Jody Landry slept. It was filled with hooker gear and a wad of cash on the dresser.

  “Clear,” he shouted. “It wasn’t a burglary.”

  There was no answer.

  “Elizabeth?” he called.

  Still nothing.

  When he raced out of the room and down the hall, he found her standing in the second room.

  The place was decorated like a princess’s room.

  In the little pink bed was another child. From the amount of blood pooling beneath the toddler bed, it was clear that the killer had definitely been there.

  He’d killed a second child.

  This was bad.

  Really bad.

  Callen touched her shoulder.

  Then he noticed she wasn’t looking at the little one, she was looking at the wall.

  ‘Elizabeth,

  Roses are red, and violets are blue.

  If you don’t chase me, I’ll kill your babies too.

  Romeo.’

  “Holy shit!” he muttered.

  Elizabeth glanced over at him with tears in her eyes. That was not happening.

  Not in her lifetime.

  Never.

&nb
sp; “Callen, call Ethan and tell him I’m taking this case. No one kills kids and then threatens mine. I will screw this asshole up.”

  That was the last thing he wanted to hear, but he wasn’t exactly shocked. There was a definite line crossed when he threatened her kids.

  Elizabeth loved her baby birds. She’d fight to the death to save them.

  To save any child.

  Callen pulled out his phone and made the call. He didn’t know who to feel worse for at that moment.

  This killer?

  Or Ethan when he heard the news…?

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

  Hoover Building

  Ethan Blackhawk’s

  Office

  When his phone rang, he was in a pretty good mood. Ethan had cleared his meeting, and he was about to order lunch for his family. There was nothing like an office picnic to make his day.

  It had been a good week since he’d been able to sit down and eat with his spouses.

  He missed it.

  This picnic was going to be sweet. He had to make up for his absence the night before. He actually had a checkered tablecloth on the floor, and he was ready to go.

  Then the call came.

  It was Callen.

  “Hey, bro. I’m ready for our lunch date. When will you two be arriving?”

  There was a pause.

  “Callen?”

  “We have a problem. I sent you some pictures. I need you to look at them.”

  “Oh, no. Tell me she’s not taking this assignment. Johanna and Brody can handle it. I swear to God, I’ll have a freaking stroke.”

  Oh, he was going to have one all right.

  As soon as he opened those files, he was going to shit three bricks, a ton of concrete, and probably his colon.

  “Callen.”

  “He’s sending her love notes and roses that are color coded, Ethan. He’s stalking our wife.”