Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) (47 page)

Now, there was no doubt.

Someone had instilled a little dose of Blackhawk justice on the man who abused Callen for years.

Yeah, good for him.
Now at least Elizabeth wouldn’t have to do it herself.

“Thank you, Sheriff. We’ll send someone right over to check it out. Great catch on your behalf,” she said, crossing her arms. As he walked away, she stared at Ethan. “Let me see your hands.”

Pulling the left one out, there wasn’t a mark on it.

“Nice try, righty. Let me see your punching hand.”

Ethan knew a lecture was coming. He could tell by her face. Meanwhile, Callen looked amused.

When
he held it out, his knuckles were red, raw, and swollen. Immediately, she did the only logical thing in her mind. She jumped him. Hopping up, Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him senseless. It was deep, plundering, and her hands even went into his black hair.

Ethan didn't expect it, but he wasn’t going to say no to a mauling. As far as he was concerned, she could have at it.

Breaking away, she caught her breath. “That was the sexiest display of illegal jackassery I’ve ever seen. If we weren’t right in the middle of the parking lot, I’d rip off your clothes and have my way with you, Cowboy.”

He started laughing. “I aim to please, ma’am.”

Putting her down, Callen hugged him next. “I don’t know why I’m surprised, since I would have done the same thing,” he stated, resting his forehead against Ethan’s.

“
You’re my little brother. Of course I’m going to kick the shit out of the man who hurt you. He’s lucky I’m in the FBI, or he would have been dead. We know the family motto. No one fucks with a Blackhawk.”

She shook her head.
“I would have killed him. What better way to hide the body than during a murder investigation?” Elizabeth teased.

Ethan
couldn’t help but laugh. “And here I thought you’d be pissed.”

“Oh, I am,” she stated.

Both men stared at her.

“I was going to go there today and whip his pathetic ass all around the Rez. You ruined my fun, now I’m going to ruin yours,” she stated.

They got that sick feeling the second she began grinning like a loon.

“What are you going to do?” Ethan asked.

“Oh, I’m going to screw with you and the team, all at once,” she said exuberantly.

“
That sounds painful,” Callen replied.

“Oh, it’s going to be.”

After a little stop in the bathroom, they all headed down to the morgue. She was smiling and greatly amused.

T
hey were not.

Both men had a look on their face
because of the torture they were going to have to withstand for the next week.

Once in the doors, everyone stared at them.

It made her giggle.

Ethan was dressed down in Callen’s things, and Callen was wearing a suit and tie.

Oh, it was damn priceless as she began snapping pictures of the looks on the everyone’s face.

“What’s going on?” Doctor Magnus asked, checking out the clothing. He could count on one hand the times he’d seen Ethan
at work in jeans, and never in a white button down shirt and cowboy boots.

Elizabeth loved the scowls on their faces. “The men in my life decided to bet against me. They were sure I’d go into the church and slap the shit out of a priest and nun. Instead, they lost and ha
ve to play Lyzee’s switcheroo.”

They all looked at her. “You didn't lose it in the church?” Tony asked, almost in disbelief. “It’s the end times.”

“See?” Ethan said. “It was a no brainer bet. No one saw this one coming.”

Callen was just as miserable. “I miss my boots. How the hell do you work like this all day?” he asked, tugging at the tie.

“It’s only day one, so suck it up, men. It’s going to be a long week for you two,” she admitted, taking one more picture before getting down to business.

“Okay, we have some work that needs to be done. Agents Seaton and Madden, what do you have on Jed Proctor?” she asked, checking out the men. She had to admit, it turned her right on.

Broderick spoke up, “The man was in debt. It seemed that he took out a few of those payday loans and the interest buried him. He probably lifted the money from church to get out from under the debt collectors.”

Johanna continued, “When I ran him personally, he came up clean. Other than the car ramming incid
ent, he lived a peaceful life. Now, the bitch I had to knock out, she’s another story.”

“
Whoa, back up the pony there, cowgirl. You had to knock someone out?”

“Yeah, she was trying to kick the shit out of Director Blackhawk after he saved Meredith.”

“Do you have her address?” Elizabeth asked calmly.

“Yes, ma’am. Why?”

“Because I’m going over to her house to show her what happens when someone touches our team or my husband. You better call an ambulance to meet me there.”

Ethan laughed.
“I told you so.”

“She already had
a trip in one today, ma’am,” stated Johanna. “In fact, she’s got a really hard head.”

“One question,” Elizabeth said, hopping off the counter. “Did you knock her on her ass?”

“Yes, ma’am, and she was out for about two minutes too.”

Elizabeth crossed to her and offered her a fist bump. “In honor of your deed to keep her off my very spiffy husband, you get to call me Elizabeth from here on out.”

All the people in the room moaned.

“Hey! She made me proud. You
give me those same fuzzy warm feelings, and you get to use my name too. Now, continue your report.”

Johanna grinned. “Yes, Elizabeth,” she said, rubbing it in. This was better than a gold star. This was like winning the workplace lottery. “Anna Tunica has a few arrests for disturbing the peace and fighting. She’s incredibly violent
as she proved this morning, right before she tried to play nut hockey with the director.”

“Seriously, where does she live?”

“Elizabeth!” warned Ethan.

She added, “I’m asking because if she’s a member of the tribe, we can call the chief and ask him to make
her appear for our questioning. Oh, and by the way, Callen, light a fire under their asses. I’m sick of living on Native time. We have five dead people, so they’re going to cater to my needs now.”

Callen headed out in
to the hall to make the call.

“Finish it up, Johanna.”

“I checked with her boss, she was indeed at work, so she technically has an alibi for last night. I can’t say the same for the last four victims.”

“Maybe she ha
d help,” offered Tony. “It’s not like we haven’t run into pairs of crazies before.”

“Good point,” stated Elizabeth. “Tonight, I’m going to need that profile, honey,” she said, grinning.

He knew it was coming. “Why the term ‘honey’? What have you done now?”

“
Nothing yet, but I’m prepping for the Native interview. It’s going to be interesting,” she said.

He hated when
she called him honey. It meant that bad things were coming. “What are you going to do, Elizabeth?”

She laughed
at the look on his face. “One might call the oncoming a clusterfuck.”

Everyone in the room laughed, because they knew she was going to have fun with it.

When Callen reentered the room, he had obviously missed something. “We have our meeting tomorrow morning. The chief will be there, along with the head of council, and your three interviews,” he reassured.

She was good with that. Glancing over at Meredith, she had to know. “Are you okay? How did she get the drop on you?”

The woman shrugged.

“Were you wearing your gun?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Elizabeth thought about it. “When we get back to FBI West, you and I are taking a little trip to the gym. If she
had gotten to your gun, you’d be dead now. You’re going to be getting some self-defense training.”

She swallowed.
Meredith had seen her boss in the gym, and often it was kicking the crap out of someone. “Yes, ma’am.”

Jaxon raised her hand. “Director Blackhawk?”

Elizabeth glanced over. “You don’t have to raise your hand,” she offered. “This isn't school. Just spill it.”

“Would you mind if I went back out
to the cemetery? While I was there, something didn't feel right. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

If she wanted to play in the graveyard, more power to her. “Yeah, have at it.”

Doctor Magnus looked worried.

“But
I want you to take backup with you. While I doubt your gun skills, I know Tony can shoot.”

He relaxed.
“I’ll drive,” he offered, as they headed out the door together.

Elizabeth faced the rest of the team. “Doctor Legend, I need you to oversee the tech team while they process the information they pulled in from Jed Proctor’s home. Get it to us ASAP. We’re going to be out in the field.”

“Where are we headed?” asked Callen, following her out the door.

“We have a date with the woman who was sexually harassed at work by All
en Payne.”

That made their day
.

“Yes, boys
, we have a field trip to the sex shop.”

Funny.

The promise of sex toys made them forget the clothing switch up, and fast.

Who would have thought?

                                *     *     *

In the parking lot of the sex shop, they all stared at the building. It wasn’t huge, but the bright colors made it stand out. Elizabeth was pretty sure that it had to piss the neighbors off, since the colors made her want to punch something.

In the windows
, there were mannequins dressed in lingerie and bondage apparel. They weren’t even inside yet and the men were at it already, making suggestions to ‘test the merchandise’. Elizabeth should have known better than to take them with her for this interview.

“Yeah,
you two should test it out. When you’re finished, why don’t you let me know how it worked out? In fact, take some pictures,” she stated.

They both looked appalled
at the suggestion.

That amused her.
“Behave in there, or I will have to whip out something to keep you in line,” she warned.

“I bet they have whips
too,” added Callen, grinning.

“I
know that they also have inflatable girlfriends for men who can’t get with their wives,” she quipped, without missing a beat.

“Point taken,”
Callen replied, trying not to snicker.

Inside
‘Get Your Sex On’
, it pretty much looked like every other shop they’d ever been in to interview a suspect. There was a wall full of DVDs, a room with all the really ‘fun’ toys, and the main space was filled with apparel. Some of it was for women and some for men.

“Can I help you?” asked a petite
blonde woman from behind the counter.

She looked out of place there. In fact, she looked too wholesome. Then, she stepped around the counter and Elizabeth took that back. She was wearing some sexed up school girl outfit
that screamed ‘jail bait’.

Okay, sex sells, but some
things need to be left in the bedroom. Don’t get her wrong, she’d wear everything in the place for her men, but not outside their house, and especially not to work.

Then again, she did play Miss Kitty for weeks.

Maybe it was a matter of perspective.

“Yes,
we could use your help. We’re looking for the proprietor of this shop,” she began.

“That would be me,” she offered, holding out her hand. “My name’s Toni Michelle, and you would be?”

“I’m Director Elizabeth Blackhawk with the FBI, and these are my partners,” she began.

Immediately, Callen was
Toni Michelle’s focus. There was no mistaking the way she let her gaze slide up and down his body in the suit. Strolling over, she held out her hand.

“
Well, hello there, handsome. Welcome to Toni’s play land. Can I help you try anything out?”

Ethan couldn’t help himself. He started laughing. The look on Callen’s face was of shock, and Elizabeth didn't exactly look amused.

Snapping her fingers, Elizabeth got the sexed up store owner to focus back on her. “How about we start with your last name?” When the woman touched the lapels of Callen’s suit and wantonly licked her lips, Elizabeth nearly smacked her senseless.