The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) by Morgan Kelley Page A

thing.
    “I had a reputation back home . I burned that bridge down and had no way to get back across,” he answered, being completely honest. He never shared that with anyone before. “I spent my youth being a bit too wild and out of control.” It was like his mouth was on autopilot, and he had no control. He didn’t know what made him tell her all that. Ethan had spent years hiding the past behind a perfectly built facade.
    “Oh, a bad boy and trouble maker, huh?” Her laughter filled the Jeep. “Well then Ethan Blackhawk, that brings me to my next question.”
    “Well then shoot, Lyzee LaRue,” he replied warily. He was unsure where she was heading with it. Part of him disliked the idea of her thinking of him as a bad boy and not seeing the real him.
    “What did you do to get sent down here?” she inquired, glancing over at him. She knew when she hit it right on the mark when the serious face was gone, and in its place was a grin.
    “ How did you know?” The wicked smile said it all. She was very observant.
    Elizabeth hung her sunglasses on her shirt; she didn’t feel the need to hide behind them anymore. “I worked with Gabe, for quit e a few years. When I called he was more than eager to send you to me, and that just screams suspicious.”
    “ Gabe’s a sadistic son of a bitch,” Blackhawk began laughing. He had to remember to thank him when he got back for helping him find her. Then Ethan hoped he hadn’t offended her, since Gabriel Rothschild was her friend.
    Elizabeth pulled the Jeep into the parking lot and found her space, before she replied. H er eyes were bright with laughter as she stared into his soul.
    “Hell yeah he is, Ethan.”
     
     
     
     
    Morgue
     
     
     
    Elizabeth led the way to the basement of the Medical Examiner’s building. She knew Doctor Trudeaux would be expecting their arrival.
    Off in a side office, the mother of Patricia Parker would be waiting to see her daughter. This had to be the worst part of any job, being the one who had to tell a mother her child was never coming home. After she introduced him to the doctor, Elizabeth nodded towards the room.
    “Is her daughter ready?”
    “She is, Lyzee my girl. You go do your thing, and I’ll get my part taken care of too,” he said, nodding to the FBI agent. “Have a seat, Mr. Blackhawk. This won’t take long.” 
    Elizabeth took a deep breath, and nodded at both men before entering the room. Inside sat a pale woman, with red hair that matched her daughter ’s. Both she and the victim were tiny, especially in comparison to her, but just the beaten down pose she took, made her look almost childlike. “Ms. Parker?”
    “Sheriff,” she began and immediately the tears started. “You found my baby?”
    “Yes, ma’am, we did and I’m sorry.” Elizabeth took a seat beside her, taking her hand in hers and offering her as much reassurance and peace as she could.
    “I want to see her.”
    “I imagine you do, but we need to talk first. I need your help, so I can bring her justice.”
    The woman looked at her with almost dead eyes, as if all the life had been sucked out of them and her body as well. “Okay, Sheriff.”
    “Can you tell me where your daughter was the night she disappeared?” Her eyes darted to the camera in the corner of the room, she knew they were being videotaped and watched. It made it easier, and made the victim’s families feel more comfortable.
    “She said she was going out with a girlfriend . I never asked where.”
    “What was the girlfriend’s name?”
    “Corinne Gilbride. She isn’t from around here. My daughter and she were roommates in college. Patty was home for summer break, and she is… was going back in two weeks.” And then the damn burst at the knowledge the young girl’s life was over. There would be no college diploma; there would be no marriage, and no children.
    The woman fell out of her chair and Elizabeth went to her, sitting beside her and pulling her into her arms.