A Song of Their Own
Chapter 10
The couple listened over the phone as Henry read a bedtime story to them, his grandparents watching him proudly. After prayers, they all bid each other good night. JJ was lying in Reid's arms on the bed in his hotel room. They were still abiding by the 'professional behavior' promise, but needed each other's presence acutely this night.
Reid was leaning his chin against the top of her head. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her hair. He pulled his arms tight around her as they sat together in silence, JJ enjoying the comfort of being held against the one she loved.
Reid broke the spell. "We shouldn't expect too much tomorrow. It will really be more of a scouting mission than anything else."
"I know. They'll have to make initial contact and then identify a couple of target employees. The task force will have to surveil them to figure out a likely place for Hotch and Emily to 'run into' them outside the agency."
"So we're going to have to be patient, right?" Reid could feel tension running through JJ.
She held out a hand. "Look, steady as a rock."
"It doesn't feel like it, from where I'm sitting."
She sat up to look at him. "You're right. Steady on the outside, shaking like a leaf inside. Spence, it feels like we're starting a journey, with no idea where we'll end up, no idea what we'll have to go through to get there, and not even sure we want to get there at all."
He was looking up at her now, and reached a hand to brush her hair back from her face. Keeping up with the metaphor, he responded, "But it's a journey we have to take, JJ. For Will's sake. For yours. For Henry's."
"Henry. What will happen to him if we've lost Will?" Her defenses were falling. So far, she'd refrained from expressing the thoughts that were in her mind every day.
Reid held her face in his hands. "Henry is his mother's son. He's stronger than you think. If we face the worst, we'll face it together and get through it as a family."
She nodded, teary-eyed, to acknowledge the truth of what he'd said. She kissed him and spent a long moment staring deep into his eyes, finding strength there. They fell asleep holding each other, lying atop the bed.
Rossi always seemed to get a little bossy when he was anxious. This was apparently one of those times.
"All right, now remember, we don't want to tip them off to anything. Don't be pushy. You can be imperious…." He didn't even notice the glare coming from Emily. She and Hotch were playing an affluent couple, so that money would be no object in the negotiations with Hope Filled Families.
"You can be imperious, but don't be obnoxious. Be curious but not nosy. And don't look around too much, they'll notice that."
Hotch was amused at the behavior of his long-time friend. "You know, you remind me of my grandmother."
Rossi turned on him. "Enough from you! I just want this to go well. We don't have an unlimited supply of agents to send in there."
Emily smiled as she came up and patted him on the cheek. "You're just worried about us, admit it. And we're glad to have you in our corner."
The team shared an affectionate smile at the truth of that. Rossi reluctantly acknowledged her with a nod.
Garcia was anxious to get at her own job. She reminded them that she'd been brought along to New Orleans to probe the computers of the adoption agency.
"So remember, we want to be able to get to the computers without them being destroyed this time. We can't let them know we're so close." This time, the task force had a court order to seize the electronics from the agency, but wouldn't do so until it wouldn't risk the rest of the operation.
There would be a short task force briefing before Hotch and Emily left, coordinating coverage of voice transmission, surveillance of any staff identified as likely prospects, and the positioning of several two person teams in surrounding businesses, should backup be needed.
As they waited for the meeting to begin, JJ pulled Hotch aside. There was something else bothering her.
"Hotch, Will has a brother and cousins in New Orleans. His brother, Phil, contacted me a few times to see if I'd heard from Will, so I know he's worried as well. I feel bad keeping this from him."
"You'll have to do it for a while longer, JJ. We can't involve family members at this point. It might compromise the investigation, and it might put them at risk, if Will's identity has been discovered. Your knowledge of the operation is strictly because of your position with the BAU."
"I know, Hotch, and I wasn't asking to break confidence now. But when you think it's possible, as soon as you think it's possible, I feel like I need to. The family has been good to Henry, and when I was with Will, to me."
"Understood. I'll let you know as soon as it's reasonable."
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Roget were relative newcomers to New Orleans, having lived in their upscale hotel apartment for only eight months. Mr. Roget's position as an operations executive for the established, independent hotel in the French Quarter was lucrative, allowing his wife to indulge her interests in a local art gallery. Francine Roget was acting as the spokesperson for the couple when they met with the representative at Hope Filled Families.
"We were well along the path to adopting in Chicago, but then the opportunity came along for Howard and we simply couldn't pass it up. We knew it would be comforting not to have to worry about the expense of adopting a child, let alone the expense of raising one." She passed an approving, if not particularly affectionate, glance at her husband.
"So this was a financially beneficial move for you?" Adoption coordinator Adele Marcan was sizing them up.
"Very," Howard assured her.
Marcan shifted some papers on her desk and then fiddled with her computer keyboard. The couple was dressed with opulent good taste, seemed quietly demanding and expecting her subservience, as those with money sometimes did. They seemed, if she had to pick a word, 'imperious'. She decided to take a chance. She'd been trained to look for some of these traits.
"Well, then, you might be interested in looking at a broader selection of children. Many people can only afford those children who've been removed into state custody. There is minimal cost for those, as we simply assist the state with the process. But we do have other children available…"
Listening in, Morgan remarked, "She's a good candidate. We need to get a tail on her."
"This is disgusting. It sounds like she's pulling out the better jewels from the vault." Garcia couldn't wait to get her hands on the computers and take this operation down.
They heard the conversation in the agency resuming, apparently as Marcan was showing Hotch and Emily her 'better' selection of children on the computer.
"Are you looking to adopt an infant or an older child?"
Simultaneously, and by plan, the woman replied "Oh, definitely an infant" while the man replied "we're open to an older child, maybe a female?"
Mrs. Roget looked unhappily at her husband, but said nothing to contradict him. Marcan saw what their relationship must be like.
The groundwork was being laid. If Marcan was aware of the second nature of the adoption agency, she would now identify the Rogets as likely purchasers of their human merchandise.
They'd agreed to talk it over and return the following day. Marcan made a special notation next to their names in her computer. It said, simply, 'prime'.
Emily and Hotch returned to their 'apartment' in the hotel for which Mr. Roget worked. It had been partially transformed into a communications room for the team, but could be broken down quickly if the traffickers should visit.
Rossi met them at the door, patting Hotch on the back and giving Emily's shoulders a squeeze. "Lavoro eccellente!" He often reverted to Italian to express his best and worst emotions. "Excellent work!"
"I think you've got her hooked. We've got a tail on her already." Morgan updated them.
"That was amazing! You practically had her eating out of your hands," gushed Garcia. She was already at work performing an electronic background search on Adele Marcan.
"You don't know the half of it," responded Emily. "You couldn't see her. She was practically drooling over him."
None of the team had known Hotch was capable of blushing as red as Reid often did. Possibly to divert their attention, he got them back to business.
"That was the easy part. Tomorrow's visit will be crucial. They'll no doubt be doing some homework on us tonight, and if we pass muster, she'll make a move tomorrow. And if she doesn't, our surveillance will help us find a way to 'run into' her."
"The hotel has been completely cooperative, as has the adoption agency in Chicago. It turns out there is some advantage to having Homeland Security involved." Reid was making reference to the backstory information planted with the two organizations.
"And we've got a surveillance team on Marcan's supervisor as well. She's unlikely to be in this alone," added JJ.
As the background and surveillance information came in, the team convened over a dinner of fine French cuisine provided by the hotel. Rossi lamented the situation. As a gourmand, he would have savored the opportunity, but he knew the food may as well have been cardboard. The team couldn't taste anything through its worry.
They'd all been reserved rooms in the hotel, treating them to something beyond the usual budget-restricted options. JJ and Reid went together to her room, to video chat with Henry and the Jareaus.
"Hi, Buddy! Mommy loves you!" Reid watched JJ's face brighten as she looked at the image of her son.
"Hi, Mommy! Hi, Uncle Spence! Casey says 'hi' too!" The little boy was excited to see his distant family.
"Hey, little man, we miss you!" Reid greeted his godson as well, his evening brightened with the sight of the little boy he loved so much.
"Are you being good for Meme and Papa?" JJ asked this with every call, no matter who was caring for him. And the answer was always a variation of 'yes'. But she could always tell from the tone of his voice, and now from the look on his face, whether it was true. Today, things looked and sounded good.
"Yes! I'm being very good!" He was looking to his grandparents for confirmation.
"He certainly is." Sandy was looking back at him affectionately and then turned her attention to the webcam. "In fact, he's been so good that we just had to reward him with a trip to the ice cream parlor."
"Mom, just for special occasions, okay? I don't want him to think that's an expected thing." JJ was wondering how much undoing of grandparental spoiling awaited her upon her return home.
"Of course, sweetheart, just for special occasions." She winked at Henry as she said it. JJ and Reid exchanged a look. Apparently Sandy had forgotten they could see her.
"How's your case going, Pumpkin?" Charles knew they couldn't be specific, but was asking if they'd made any progress. Hearing his use of the endearment, Reid gave JJ a subtle poke with his elbow. She gave him a sideways glance before she responded.
"We're making some progress, Dad, but it's a slow go. There may be more movement tomorrow."
"Keep your chin up, Pumpkin. It will be okay."
JJ felt the warmth of his affection. There was always something right in her world when her father was around. And even though she knew he couldn't possibly assure a good outcome to the case, she felt better.
Henry read them a book again, and they all shared prayers on both ends of the phone. "We love you, Henry. Good night!"
After they'd signed off, Reid brought JJ over to a small sofa over by the window. The room came with a beautiful view of the city lights.
"Good idea. We'd better take advantage. I doubt we'll be seeing a room like this again." JJ leaned against her fiancé while they both enjoyed the sight.
Reid looked down at JJ and then away to the lights. "It's nice to see the relationship you have with your dad. It seems so…..easy."
"Well, I'm sure I gave him a run for his money when I was a teenager, but you're right, we've always gotten along pretty well." She was thoughtful. "I think I'm more like him than I am like my mother."
That made Reid chuckle.
"What?" JJ didn't understand what was so funny.
"When I went to see them with Hotch, to ask their blessing? I had that exact same thought. Your mom was hugging me to death, and your father kept telling her to let me go. I knew right then that you took after him."
JJ remembered how awkward it had been for Spence to allow physical contact when they'd first become close. Even now, he was really only completely comfortable with herself and Henry. But he had, indeed, accepted it, and now sought it out and even initiated much of it. She'd walked a fine line in demonstrating her affection without overwhelming him. Now it was all completely natural, and spontaneous.
"My mom and I love each other, Spence, but there was always a little distance there, ever since we lost my sister. I know it wasn't Mom's fault. I don't know what I would do if I lost a child, I certainly can't judge her for how she reacted. But it kept a little barrier between us. I guess she could never totally give me her heart, and I could never totally give her mine."
Reid pulled her closer, resting his head against hers. "I'll tell you something I learned from my fiancée, who is a very wise woman. She once told me that there's no such thing as a perfect parent, and no such thing as a perfect child. We are who we are, we come together for a little while in life and we make the best of what we're given." He bent his head so he could see her face.
She turned to him with a smile. "I'm so glad you have an eidetic memory, at least when you're remembering my wisdom. " Then her look turned to playful pleading. "But can you try to forget when I screw up? Please?"
He put both arms around her and pulled her close. "Screw up? Has that ever happened?"
She hugged him. "Thanks." Then she got serious again. "Spence, that thing about parents and children coming together? I see it with you and Henry. You make his life better."
JJ could see that Reid was brought up short by that, unexpectedly moved. "What? What are you thinking? Did you not know that?"
"I guess I hoped it was true, but no, I didn't know it. I don't have any basis for comparison, JJ. I've never seen a real father and son relationship. I only know how I think I would have liked it to be. And then I pray that I can be that way with Henry. It's very important to me to get it right."
She caressed his face with her hand. "Well, you are. He's very lucky to be getting you for a stepdad."
"I'm the lucky one in that relationship, JJ. I never knew it was possible to fall in love with a little kid. But I did."
She was grinning at that, being very familiar with the situation. She'd fallen in love with infant Henry, with toddler Henry and now with the Henry who seemed practically grown up. She said as much to Reid.
JJ leaned back against Reid's chest. "Do you think all parents feel this way? Or is Henry just that special?"
Reid flashed on a thought. Spencer Reid, parent. Who would have thought? Not I. And I especially never thought I'd treasure the idea so much.
He kissed the top of her head. "He's special because his mother is. And I'm the luckiest guy in the world."
The following morning, Hotch and Prentiss prepared to visit Hope Filled Families again. The surveillance team had followed Adele Marcan to 'Kudzu', a bar local to the agency, after work the evening before. If this second trip to the agency wasn't fruitful, the pair would visit Kudzu tonight in the hope of 'running into' Marcan.
Rossi was anxious again. "Today's the day. I can feel it. Make sure you've got your mics turned on. Are we sure we've got court orders for recording the conversations? And for the phones?"
"Relax, Rossi, everything's in place. If she says or does anything that points in the right direction, we'll be on it." Emily was chuckling as she reassured him.
"Listen, Princess, this is serious. This is big money for these people, and we've already seen that they're willing to kill over it." Morgan was concerned for his teammates. The entire task force was certain the trafficking ring had been behind the murders in Houston, but had not yet been able to prove the connection, nor the specific motives behind the murders.
"I know, Derek. I'll be careful. We both will." She made eye contact with Hotch to verify.
"We will," he acknowledged. "The stakes are too high for anything less."
JJ stepped forward and gave each of them a brief hug. "Good luck. Thank you. Be safe." Please help me find Will. And please get those children home safely.