Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) by Morgan Kelley Page B

tears came even though she fought valiantly.
    “Hey, are you okay?” asked Tori, concerned. Maybe she said something that upset her. “I didn’t mean to cross a line.”
    She shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I just received some good news. I’m just hormonal.” Elizabeth took the chance, since the woman didn’t spread gossip, her secret would be safe.
    It took Tori a few seconds before she got it. “Oh, well congrats?” She wasn’t sure if they were good tears or bad.
    It was what she needed. Elizabeth began laughing, and moved past the tears of joy. “It’s a very good thing. I’ve just been waiting all day to find out. Please don’t say anything; I haven’t spoken to Callen or Ethan yet. They’re both coming home any day. I may surprise them for Christmas. Wyler too.”
    Tori looked down at the little boy. CJ had laid his head on her shoulder and was getting comfortable. “He’s hard to not like , and oddly I think I may love the smell of baby lotion.”
    Elizabeth began carrying the food into the dining room, and placing plates on the table. “I love the smell of bab y. I want to eat him,” she said laughing.
    “Then we better feed your momma,” she whispered to CJ. “I have a strong stomach, but baby eating may even break me.”
    She laughed and walked over to the stairs, calling up to Wyler. “Dad! Dinner!”
    The man bounded down to the first floor, grinning. “I’m ready sweetheart. Can I feed CJ?”
    Ever since they lost Timothy, Wyler had immersed himself with the little boy. It was his way of getting over losing his father. Elizabeth wanted to cuddle her son, but conceded. “Absolutely, Dad. Have at him.”
    Wyler happily pulled his chair closer to the highchair and began feeding his grandchild. When his sons were little, he missed out on being a father, because he’d been selfish and only thought of himself. Now he’d been given a chance at redemption and wasn’t taking any chances. This might be his last opportunity in life to make amends.
    Elizabeth and Tori pulled out files, scanning them as they ate. Normally dinner was a no work zone, but they were burning daylight and needed to prep for the next day.
    “Chris is processing the bodies. He didn’t get to them all tonight. By tomorrow afternoon we’ll have a better idea regarding the wom en that died.”
    Tori sat back in her chair and chewed. “Victim two was escalated.” She was trying to find a way to talk about dead bodies at a table with her boss’s father-in-law.
    Wyler spoke up. “Feel free to discuss it without worrying about me. I’m not bothered by death. It’s merely a crossing to the next step, even if it’s violent.”
    Elizabeth nodded , urging her to continue.
    “Okay, so I’m looking at the victims. The killer’s first one was covered in alcohol, but as he progresses through the killing, the accelerant changes. By victim three he’s gone violently towards gasoline. Alcohol is flammable, but with gasoline, you’re looking for a big burn.”
    “Why?” asked Elizabeth. “Is he trying to hide something or is he just addicted to the flame?”
    Tori shrugged.
    Elizabeth flipped to victim two. “Female and this time we’re looking at a little older. The ME has her listed as early thirties. Her hyoid was snapped, and he believes COD was strangulation. Our vic was found in a different field.”
    “Do we have a COD with victim one?” asked Tori, flipping through the papers.
    Elizabeth shuffled through hers too. “I don’t see one.”
    “ Me either. How can it not be included in the report? Isn’t something like cause of death a pretty standard thing to list?”
    “ It certainly is, and this is why I wanted Chris Leonard to redo all the autopsies. I have a sneaking suspicion that these women weren’t given top priority thanks to their social status.”
    Tori looked at the notes. “At least they have a name for the victim. Christiana Dempsey was a prostitute. It says no family