Chapter Eleven #3
“I wouldn’t want you to live what I lived. Just like I was glad it was me and not Callen. I’m stronger than people believe. I had to be. I don’t hate you for the opportunities you got, and I will eventually forgive Timothy. I’m just not there yet. I have a lot of healing to do.”
Gene cupped his cheek with his good hand.
He wanted to be on that journey with him.
“I know how strong you are. You’re titanium, EJ. I’m proud of who you’ve become, and I can’t wait to spend the next fifty years with you.”
He actually smiled.
“Is that a promise?” he asked.
Gene nodded.
“It’s a promise, Mr. Blackhawk. You. Me. Old age. Hip replacements and sharing a room in the nursing home.”
He laughed.
“Well, we know how those hips wore out,” he joked. “That won’t be a mystery, now will it be?”
He grinned.
Hell.
Yeah.
Gene planned on making sure he’d get his money’s worth out of those replacements, too.
With this sexy man?
How could he not?
“Let’s get this interview done and grab something to eat,” Gene said. “I’m starving.”
Ethan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a candy bar. It was Gene’s favorite.
Then, he explained.
“I stopped at the vending machine. Need a snacky so that you’re not hangry?”
Gene laughed.
“I don’t get hangry. YOU get hangry. I get horny. We are not the same, hot man.”
Ethan handed it to him.
Even after they had that disagreement, his man was still taking care of him. That was love in its truest form, and it gave Gene reassurance.
They could fight and still be in love.
His partner wouldn’t run from him when they got bitchy.
“Thank you,” he said, taking the candy bar.
Blackhawk shrugged.
“I love taking care of you,” he admitted. “That’s what couples do, even if there’s a wall there between them. You taught me that.”
He had.
Now, emotion had him by the balls. So, Gene kissed him. It wasn’t because he felt sorry for what happened, but that he’d survived it. Ethan was the strongest person he knew, and he loved him. He also loved that he was taking care of him.
It was very husband-y.
And ultimately, that was the end goal.
When he broke the kiss, Ethan was curious.
“What’s that for?” he asked. “I hope not pity.”
Gene smiled.
“Nah. You got me a snacky, and you know the way to my heart,” he said. “It’s carbs and chocolate. Now, if you have a sammy in that pocket too, I’m going to be a happy man.”
Ethan laughed.
“I thought it was a blowjob that was the way to your heart,” he teased.
Gene wiggled his eyebrows.
“It is. With chocolate. Try it sometime.”
Yeah, Ethan was amused.
As Gene unwrapped his candy bar, he ate half and offered the rest to Ethan.
But he declined.
Again, that befuddled the fuck out of him. The man never thought about food. The last thing they ate was that bagel last night, and cum during their fornicating.
They were NOT built the same.
Gene needed carbs to make the world go round. So, he ate the rest of the candy bar as Ethan got them to the front door by memory.
“If I remember correctly,” he began, “this was the entrance they keep open.”
And it was.
Inside the school, there were people everywhere, and Blackhawk stopped a woman who was hanging up pink ribbons on every surface available.
The place was coated in pink for Ivey.
“Excuse me. FBI,” he said, as they showed her their badges. “Can you tell us where to find Robert Fergus?” he asked. “I believe he’s the principal.”
She pointed down the hall when she saw his badge.
“The glassed-in room at the end of the hall is the office. He was in there ten minutes ago. If he’s not, there are other teachers in there making copies and prepping for later today who might know where he is.”
He thanked her, and the two of them headed that way. Yeah, this place was nothing like he remembered.
It felt welcoming.
Not cold.
There were smiling pictures of Ivey everywhere, and there were also teachers crying.
It was time for Ethan to get into the right mindset again. This wasn’t about him returning here, but about a woman who was peeled and murdered.
“What do we know about her?” Ethan asked. “I know you researched her, and the cops gave us a little information.”
He had.
Why?
Because he was on desk duty, and when he ran shit, Ethan was always prepared with backup information for him.
“Ivey was a teacher here for eight years. During those eight years, she taught Chemistry and Biology,” Gene offered. “Eleventh and twelfth grade. She was the drama teacher in her downtime since the school needed one.”
Ethan made mental notes.
“What else?”
“I’m currently running social media. As soon as I have something, I’ll give it to you.”
That worked for Ethan.
“I know she owned her own home, has a car, and nothing that shows she wasn’t law-abiding.”
He wasn’t shocked. As a teacher, she’d have to pass certain testing to be around children, much like they did as agents.
“We need to know what connects them.”
Gene was aware.
“I’ll find it. I need a little time to pull it off.”
Honestly, he didn’t doubt him. Gene had never let him down before.
Inside the main office, he could see there were some people, so he cleared his throat to get their attention.
And it worked.
Everyone looked over. A guy was on the phone, talking to the media, one was at the copier, and one was blowing up balloons that said, ‘we will miss you’.
It was clear that they were going to be releasing them in Ivey’s honor.
Yeah, she was definitely well-loved.
“FBI,” Ethan said, as they both held up their badges. “We need to speak to Robert Fergus,” he added.
The man at the copier pointed at the gentleman on the phone. He was older, maybe in his mid-forties, and making notes on some paper as he answered questions for the media.
Were they happy he was talking to them?
Absolutely not.
Only, it wasn’t like they could stop him.
After all, freedom of the press gave the media vultures the right to dig into cases when they wanted a story.
Ethan was patient, so they would wait. Honestly, it wasn’t that long of a wait either.
When the gentleman hung up, Ethan headed his way.
“Robert Fergus?” he asked.
He nodded.
“Yes, can I help you?”
Again, out came the badges.
“We are investigating the murder of Ivey Slee and were wondering if we could speak to you. We were directed to contact you by the two homicide detectives who had been handling the case.”
He shook both of their hands in greeting.
It wasn’t lost on either Fed that he wasn’t shocked hearing that the woman was deceased. Yeah, the media had beaten them to the punch.
Apparently.
“Yes, please. Do you want to do this in my office or is here okay?” he asked.
Ethan saw his office, and there were more people in there, blowing up even more balloons. Either way, people were overhearing, so it didn’t matter to him.
“Here is fine.”
Ethan was curious.
“We noticed you were talking to the media. Can we ask what they were inquiring about?”
The man shrugged.
“They wanted clarification on Ivey’s job here. I was telling them she was our drama teacher, and of course, the sciences. They asked how long she worked here, and if we were aware that she was found dead.”
Yep.
That’s what Ethan suspected.
That was pretty damn callous. In fact, that was a rough way to find out that someone you knew had died.
Then again, no shock.
The media didn’t tend to do things conscientiously. They wanted dirt, and a story. Well, they were definitely on the prowl, now weren’t they?
“I recalled from talking to the two detectives yesterday that they said the media would be harassing us at some point, and to give them very little. I figured only the things they could find out on their own. Did I do that right?” he asked.
Ethan nodded.
“Yes, if that’s all you shared. The media likes to sensationalize the slightest thing.”
Robert was horrified.
“That’s sick. She was a great teacher, and she was loved. I won’t let that shit go on here.”
Well, they hoped not.
Ethan kept talking, since he wanted to know everything that he could because the slightest thing might help in their case.
“Did everyone in here work with Ivey?” he asked. “That way, I can get more from this interview?”
That was all he had to ask.
The man with the balloons nodded.
“I did. I taught across the hall from her,” he said. “I’m Tristan Hevin. I teach English,” he added, making the introduction. “Ivey and I would have lunch together, and we were close,” he said, emotion in his eyes.
Gene was making notes.
That’s when Ethan focused on the man at the copier to see if he, too, would be helpful.
“And you, Sir?”
The man shook his hand.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t work with Ivey, but I’d have lunch with her and Tristan. I teach gym on the other side of the building. I’m Rodney Tolbent.”
Gene was writing down names so he could begin researching everyone.
“I was hoping you guys could help me out,” Ethan said.
He purposely didn’t mention the other two deaths. For now, he needed to get as much as he could on their first victim. Later, he’d see if they all connected.
Robert was to the point.
“We absolutely will help. What do you need to know?” he asked.
Ethan went there.
“Start at the beginning. What happened?” he asked, wanting to double-check the detectives’ work. “Tell me how you knew she was in trouble.”
Tristan took that question.
“Ivey didn’t show for work. We text daily, and like I just mentioned, we’re close. I would have heard from her if she was sick, and not coming in. She arranged her own substitutes, and she didn’t that day.”
On that, Robert agreed.
He explained so the two Feds understood.
“Here, the teachers make sure they call in so we can get a substitute into place, or they arrange for one. Homeroom started, and there was no one in place.”
Tristan agreed.
“So, I alerted Robby,” he said, pointing at the principal.
The man photocopying chimed in.
“Then, Robby called me in the gym and asked me to sit in her class until he figured it out. We’ll cover for each other here.”