Chapter 12
BAU Headquarters
Quantico, VA
T-minus 1
In the meantime, Hotch had a visitor. "Hey, Andi, come on in." He said as he covered the book he'd been reading with a file folder.
"Hey Aaron." She shut the door behind her and came over to his desk. "I got your message. I'll take care that report for you."
"Thank you." Apparently he sucked at hiding things on his desk because she lifted the folder to reveal the book. "It's, um, supposed to be one of the better works on the subject." He said. They were going to help Reid through this, somehow. He had been doing research on the subject.
"I know." She replied. "The author is my aunt. My mother's sister."
"Really? I read that she has a residential program she runs up in Vermont. Any chance of getting an opening?"
"At the Harris Center? Sure, but I was going to bring you a better option."
"Okay."
"Aunt Lana runs a second program, the same thing only at a different location. A place called Twin Farms, it's a resort owned by my uncle, her brother. It's more comfortable and allows for greater privacy and security. She set it up specifically to work with people from the law enforcement community."
"Really?"
Andi nodded. "Everyone who works with the people there has a TS or better, to maintain case integrity. And it's private enough to maintain undercover identities if need be. She sets it up a couple of times a year, I've send a number of people to her. She even gives the Bureau a steep discount; she says it's her way of saying thank you."
"And it helps?"
"I've had people on the verge of leaving the Bureau and crawling away from their marriages and into a bottle of some kind or another. Eight weeks later they're right back in the game, at home and at work. And they're vastly more resilient after, they bounce back from everything. I was actually sending one of my people up tomorrow. She has room for another." Andi handed him a file.
This could be a lucky break, Hotch thought. "I'll go ask him."
Andi nodded. "I'll call Aunt Lana."
"Where is this?" Dave asked. Hotch showed him. "And she's charging us how much?"
Hotch showed him that as well. "Andi said it's her aunt's way of saying thank you for the work we do. I'm using discretionary funds for it. The Director signed off on it personally. Even sending them up there on the plane."
"He must like Reid. And that is one grateful aunt. I've been there. If they hadn't been paying me for an author week-end I wouldn't have been able to afford it. What she's charging us for eight weeks plus therapy wouldn't cover a three-day week-end."
"I just hope he's willing to go."
"I'll make him if he doesn't."
Spencer was uncertain. "On the one hand she is a leader in the field." He said. "I reviewed her writings on the subject. I have to admit I wouldn't mind working with anyone she trained." Oh, but he was so nervous even thinking about it.
"But on the other hand?" Hotch asked.
"JJ is going to be grounded in four weeks. This is for eight, are you sure you won't be shorthanded?"
Hotch shook his head. "Let me worry about that."
"But..."
"Spencer. The last few years have been hard, I know. I also know that the only time you've taken any leave was to go out to help with your mother. You've earned a break and you have an excellent opportunity here. Take it. This team will manage without you. It may not be easy but we will manage."
Spencer tried to think once more, encountered nothing but silence and that sense of something huge hiding inside his mind, took a deep breath and nodded. He had to try.
"All right. I'll talk to Andi and see what we need to do."
"They want someone to go with him for the first night." Hotch said. "Someone familiar with the case who can brief the therapist on what happened. I know it's asking a lot, I can send Morgan, but you have firsthand knowledge."
JJ ran a hand over the curve of her stomach. She was fine; she was planning on going back on full duty tomorrow anyway which would mean she had to be prepared to go on thirty minutes notice. She'd only taken today off because Will had it off anyway and they kept Henry home and had a family day. "I'll go." She said.
"Are you sure?"
"You know Spence, Hotch. He can manipulate his way out of anything. He didn't even try just to protect Michael. An overnight in Vermont is the least I can do to say thank you."
"All right. You'll leave tomorrow at nine."
Capitol Plaza Apartments
Apartment 29
T-minus 1
"Are you nervous?" Penelope asked.
Spencer was loading a fairly large suitcase he'd borrowed from Dave for the trip. He didn't have anything that would hold the extensive packing list they'd sent for the program. He'd even had to go out and buy a few things. He just didn't travel that much. Maybe Hotch had a point. "Kind of. I've never done anything like this before. You know they sent this questionnaire, they wanted to know everything I like to do, like to eat, all sorts of things."
"Which might be good, if they're trying to make you comfortable."
"I filled out the same kind of thing for Mom before she went in to Bennington."
"Oh. Oh! No, sweetie. This is not for good, you are not crazy. No, come here." Penelope pulled him into a hug. "This is not forever; this is for eight weeks, tops. Maybe less. But no more, if they try to keep you I will send Morgan up to break you out. And he will, I will make him."
Spencer smiled at that. No, this was not forever. He was still nervous. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I just know in my heart this will be good for you."
"I hope you're right."
