Chapter Sixteen #2
Together, they headed there, and once to the library, they found Elizabeth sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee on the coffee table, and a furry blanket over her lap as she was lost in thought on the laptop.
When Ethan headed in, she looked up and smiled.
When she did, that was a punch to the solar plexus. The man was ridiculously handsome.
“Hey,” she said, as he leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “I was thinking about you,” she said.
And other things.
Mostly, how she tied to all of this. Elizabeth was on a deep dive down the genealogy trail.
“Want company?” he asked, sitting beside her, as Gabby held out the plate of cookies.
She grinned.
“Always,” she said, grabbing a cookie.
As they all sat, Gabby was curious.
“Whatcha doing, Daphne?”
Elizabeth ate the warmed-up cookie, and contemplated what to say to that.
What she was doing was trying to figure out what the hell was going on here—mostly with why she looked like Ceit.
Duncan called her his child.
While she wasn’t telling them, she was starting to put two and two together.
Honestly, she was believing she was related to them. What she needed was a little help.
Forensically.
Once more, it appeared forensics would be coming to the rescue.
Mainly, Tony.
“I’m researching a few things,” she admitted, keeping it pretty obtuse.
Well, some of it.
“I’m researching the name Cathal and using the information that Ian had figured out when he was here,” she said, pointing at the ripped-apart journal.
“We know the year, we know Ceit’s father, and we know the region she was from.
What we don’t know is Cathal’s last name.
I still can’t read his last name on the back. ”
And God knew she tried.
The etching was faint, like it had been rubbed with fingers, or worried with Ceit’s thumb, as she wore it.
“So far, trying to find anything that pops up around the sixteen hundreds.”
Gabby was curious.
“On your own?”
Honestly, she’s not sure why Gabby was so shocked. She used to research well before having research monkeys to boss around.
How did they think she did her job at the very beginning of her time as a special agent?
Witchcraft?
“Gabriella, I can research like a lunatic. I can, I just don’t have to anymore.
That’s the perk of having a team. The shit work rolls downhill in my world.
Besides, I did my time doing the boring work.
I trained with Gabe. Do you think he did his own research?
For the record, who do you think coined the term ‘research monkey’? ”
Yeah, that seemed to fit.
From where he sat, Ethan was curious.
“There has to be a way to read it. Too bad we don’t have one of those little jewelry loop thingies to see the name.”
That gave Gabby an idea.
“Uh, one of Finn’s sisters works in the jewelry store in town. Catherine, as a matter of fact.”
Elizabeth laughed.
“Raise your hand if you have a Catherine in your family,” she joked.
They all actually did.
“We can go there and see if she’s working. She’s usually there until they close on certain days. That’s today. We’re going in to have dinner, so why not just head out a little earlier and stop in?”
That was a good idea.
“Gabby, way to come up with a solution,” Elizabeth said, eating the rest of her cookie. “I wouldn’t mind finding a souvenir in there to remember my time here.”
Ethan knew she was NOT buying her own jewelry.
That wasn’t happening.
“Could I maybe pick out something pretty for my gorgeous wife?” he asked. “So, we can both remember our time here? It’s not often you let me give you jewelry.”
Yeah, she’d busted balls about that, and now, she saw it had strained their relationships. Her love language was giving, and it was the same for the men in her life.
“You guys are now officially able to buy me whatever you want,” she said. “I’m not saying no anymore, or riding ass. I love flowers, jewelry, and apparently, haunted locations.”
He stared at her.
Then touched her forehead.
“I gotta make a call,” he said, pulling out his phone to call his brother.
It was early morning back in the states, but if they weren’t on a case, they were absolutely up working. Chris on paperwork, and Callen on writing.
They were all creatures of habit.
As he dialed, she just laughed.
Well, since the cat was out of the bag, and everyone knew they were there, there was no point pretending.
As the phone dialed, it didn’t take Callen long to answer.
“You okay?” he asked, suddenly.
Not even a hello first.
It made Ethan appreciate his family even more. It was clear they were worried about him.
“I’m good, CJ. I just wanted to tell you something. Well, a few things. Do you have time?”
Did he have time?
Was he kidding?
He was in bed with Chris, and Gene wasn’t far away. They were just getting up and preparing to start their day. Everyone had a bad case of blue balls.
When their queen was away, no one wanted to play.
“Yes, of course, but first, are you okay? Is Elizabeth? She’s not answering her texts, and we’re still stressed.”
Yes, they heard her voice, but they all wanted to reconnect to ensure all was well. Protecting her was second nature.
She went there.
“I’m good, Callen James. I miss and love you.”
Having her talk to him, he felt a million times better.
“Oh, Angel, I miss you,” he said. “I’ve missed seeing that smile of yours. How’s the castle? Am I a dead man?” he asked, not sure what her reaction would be.
She laughed.
“Is Christopher there with you?”
In the background, she heard laughter. It was Gene, so that told her that Chris was absolutely there.
“Yes,” he finally said, knowing they were both dead men over the castle. “I’m here, Sweetness.”
She went there.
“I owe you an apology or ten. First, I’m sorry for just walking away and making you worry. I just needed to put space between myself and everyone as I thought this out.”
He was worried.
“You’re coming back, right?” Callen asked. “Because I’ll give up my life here and come to you. I’ll quit being a writer, an agent, and anything else if it means you or that. I love you, Elizabeth. I will do whatever it takes.”
She reassured him.
“I’m good. We are even better than good. I am coming back, but I’m taking some time, CJ. I’m tired. I’m burned out, and if I’m going to be what everyone needs, I have to have a mental health break.”
Well, that was more than okay. They knew that was the case from overhearing the conversation last night between Ethan and Gene.
“Absolutely, Elizabeth. Take one. I want the best for you.”
“Me too,” Chris said. “We love you.”
She was aware, and she wanted them to know that was beyond appreciated.
“I know, my loves. I love you guys, Gene, and my whole family. I’ve decided that I’m staying until after Gryphen and Ian’s wedding. I’ll work from here, but I’m taking the next two weeks off as my vacation. I need food, sleep, and to not be eyeball deep in organs.”
No one argued that.
They’d each taken breaks when they needed them. Only, Elizabeth never got one. As the wife and mother, she was on duty twenty-four-seven.
“Next, I need to apologize for how I reacted about this castle. I love it here. It’s amazing.”
There was dead silence.
Until she wasn’t.
“Oh, no. She’s had a break with reality,” Callen stated. “Did she just tell us that she loves a haunted castle?”
Oh, well, he had no freaking clue.
But Ethan did.
“As a heads-up, this is what happened just today,” he said, telling them both about the little ghost war going on where they buried Oison’s bones.
Gene stopped them.
“Wait. Did you just say ‘on your way to dig up a body’ in that sentence?” he asked.
Elizabeth laughed.
“Oh, you heard him right.”
Jesus.
H.
Christ.
That was…not what they expected, along with the fact it tried to drag her away.
“I don’t like that shit,” Callen admitted. “We can sell the castle. We can get rid of it. Had we known…”
Ethan stopped him.
“No, we’re not selling it. In fact, I’m buying in. Tell me how much I owe you, and I’m signing on as another partner. If that’s okay.”
Again, there was more silence. He and Chris had discussed this last night after they overheard Ethan telling Gene his intent.
“What the fuckity fuck fuck is going on today?” Callen asked. “I swear to God, I have to be asleep. Elizabeth loves a haunted castle, we have a ghost infestation, and now Ethan wants to buy in. I’m so confused,” he said, pretending not to know, since Ethan clearly didn’t know they’d overheard him.
Oh, well, they had more news for him.
“She looks like Ceit Granndach. EXACTLY like her, if we’re being honest,” Ethan stated. “You guys bought a castle where the once lady of the place is an exact copy of our wife—or our wife is a copy of her.”
That hung there.
What the hell?
“Are you kidding?”
Nope.
He wasn’t.
“I’ll send a picture of the painting done when Ceit first came to the castle to live. Dead ringer—in fact,” Ethan stated. “So, can I buy in?”
Chris was confused.
“Why are you asking us?”
He was to the point.
“I was rude when you asked me, and I should have gotten involved. As part of the family, and your spouse, your venture into this should have had my support. This place is calming, and I love it here—minus the ghost war. That we’ll put to bed at some point.”
Chris was honest.
“You can’t buy in, Ethan.”
His heart sank.
“Oh, okay. I understand.”
They didn’t think he did.
“Bro, we put your name on it the second we bought it. Did you think we’d exclude you, even if you said you didn’t want to be involved?” Callen asked. “You and Gene have a stake in it. Elizabeth is the one who gives that shit away all the time. We knew you wouldn’t.”
He felt so happy.
Once more, his partners were supporting him, and having his back—even when he’d been an asshole.
“Thank you for that,” Ethan said. “This place has some weird healing vibe. I came upset, and now, I’m calm. I’d live here full-time.”
The lights flickered in the room.
“Well, don’t say anything rash,” Elizabeth stated. “We aren’t going that far,” she added.
He laughed.
“The lights just flickered. That’s the old Lyzee peeking out,” he joked.
He’d better bet his bippy it was.