Chapter 10

Hotch walked into the conference room and looked at Matt, who was already dialing his phone. He held up his finger. "I've got this."

"Ms. Lowry, this is Agent Taylor with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. We've delivered our profile to the local LEOs and narrowed down to a viable suspect. However ma'am, we need the cooperation of your hotel's security staff as well." He listened for a few seconds. "Ma'am, if you could have the head of security that is on duty at nine this evening at the Lake Delton PD, we'll get him or her briefed and they can take of business with your security staff after that." He listened a few more seconds. "Thank you ma'am; we appreciate your support."

Matt repeated the call to Jeff Davies with the same results. He looked at Hotch. "This team needs a break away from here and food."

Tim Dancer smiled. "I know just the place."

Clark Grant smiled as well. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Hell no Clark," Tim smiled. He looked at Matt. "Round up the troops." This was pretty easy since all of them were walking into the conference room.

"What's going on?" Dave asked, looking at Hotch and Matt.

"A break; something our illustrious leader still can't get through that thick head of his," Matt smiled. Hotch shook his head at Matt as the rest of the team smiled.

"Garcia, you there," Matt asked at his laptop.

"You know it Cob."

"I need the layouts of the Tahitian Tropical and White Wolf. We're taking a dinner break. I need them by 8 pm my time. That should give you time to eat something as well."

"On it Sir Cob and then I'll eat."

"Thanks Wild Thing." They all heard her blink off.

Clark pulled out a quarter from his pocket looking at Tim. "You're vehicle or mine?" he said, flipping it in the air.

"Heads," Tim said.

Clark Grant looked at the coin that settled into his hand. "You're driving," he said with a smile. The rest of the agents followed them out into the perfect Wisconsin early evening.

Matt took a deep breath, looking around at nothing in particular. He noticed Hotch watching him. "I miss this. This is why you live in Wisconsin," he smiled. The air was cooling for the night. Alex shivered a bit, pulling on her suit coat. Matt, in his shirt sleeves, leaving his suit coat behind in the conference room, shook his head with a smile. "You'd die here Alex in January." Tim Dancer and Clark Grant laughed as they got in Chief Dancer's car. The rest of the team got into their vehicles and followed Dancer to a local restaurant. They all walked in.

"Hey Molly, got room for," Tim said, looking over his shoulder to do a head count, "ten of us."

Molly smiled. "Give me a few to get some tables together."

Matt looked at Dancer. "Tim, when you mentioned local hangout, I pictured a person around 50."

"So did I," Rossi added. "Throwing us curve balls Tim?"

He shook his head with a smile. "Molly took over the place after her mother passed a few years back. Cancer; at 52." He shook his head. "Jen was too young. But Molly knows her stuff," he smiled.

"Hell Tim, you remember me walking around here in my diapers," Molly smiled as she rejoined the group a few seconds later, pointing to the tables she and her staff had put together. They all walked to them with water glasses and menus in front of every chair. Angie, their server came over and got drink orders, most going with sodas or iced tea for the caffeine.

The ten of them took the leisurely time to read over the menus while nursing their drinks. Matt flipped his menu closed. "Oh holy shit."

Dave looked at him. "Dave, they have a western burger on the menu. Burger, cheddar cheese, bacon and BBQ sauce; you can't go wrong with that." Clark Grant smiled, shutting his menu as well.

Angie returned a few minutes later and took their orders. The carnivores of the group being Matt, Hotch, Dave, Morgan and the two local police chiefs went with the western burger. Emily and JJ got the night special of grilled chicken sandwich with provolone. Reid and Blake choose the ham and swiss sandwich.

As they waited on their food, they talked about everything but the case. Clark Grant looked the two agents in charge in the eye. "You all need this."

Hotch nodded. "Yes Clark; we do," he smiled. Matt, sitting next to Hotch, reached over, pulled his tie loose and unbuttoned his collar. He lightly slapped Hotch on the shoulder. "Now you can Hotch."

Morgan shook his head at Matt. "Do you realize how many times I've wanted to do that? Cob you've got a set."

Matt shook his head, rubbing Aaron's shoulder. "Don't need a set Morgan; you just know and trust your partner," he smiled. They all shared a laugh, including Hotch.

He looked at Morgan. "Don't get any bright ideas. You… I can out draw," he said with the Hotch glare that quickly softened into a smile. They all laughed harder. Angie and another server brought their food. It was heaven on a plate.

As they all walked back into the conference room Blake, to no one said, "Can I just curl up in a corner for a while?" Emily rubbed her shoulder.

Matt looked at Morgan, while getting Garcia on the phone. "Wild Thing; my latest project for you?"

"Sugs, check your email. And btw Cob; tactical planning version going to the big screen in the fine Lake Delton PD bullpen in three, two, one." They all heard her hit a button.

Tim Dancer looked at Hotch, his collar and tie securely back in place. "We could use one of her around here."

"We've heard that more than once Tim," Hotch smiled, fondly remembering Ava Ruiz in Texas. Matt and Dave smiled as well, sharing the same memory.

Matt looked at Dave. "Small package but tougher than nails."

Dave nodded his head. "She was good. And smoked out an unsub." Matt and Hotch both nodded.

Matt looked at Morgan. "We need to strategize."

"Right behind you man." They both headed out to the big screen and looked at what Garcia had put up. They highlighted all the points, with Garcia's help, they thought the unsub would try to slip in a victim.

Morgan looked at Matt. "You do know we can't make assignments until we know what the hotels can cover and how my other officers we have?"

Matt smiled at him. "Strategic warfare planning 101; know your force." Morgan slapped him on the shoulder.

"You got this Colonel," he smiled.

"Yes, but I want your input as well Derek."

"You got it Cob," he smiled. They talked over some things, with Hotch, Dave, Tim and Clark hanging around as well.

At the appointed nine o'clock hour, two deputies from each of the counties involved, three local volunteers from each of the two local PD's as well as the heads of security from both the hotel properties were assembled.

As Matt and Morgan laid out their plan, the head of security for the White Wolf property took a phone call.

When it ended, he looked at the Matt and Morgan. "Agents, I don't think we'll need this tonight. My security team just spotted a body floating in one of the kiddie outdoor pools. It has strangulation marks around the neck that look like they were made from wire."

Matt and Morgan looked at each other. "Sonofabitch," Matt said.

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A/N: Ava Ruiz was the sheriff in "A Rite of Passage" S5.