Chapter 52: Wrap Up
Week 3 – Tuesday Afternoon
Seeley sat in his office working at the computer. His fingers clicked and clacked over the keys as he filled out the electronic form. Occasionally he stopped, turning to his case notes, searching for bits of information to include in the case paperwork. This time however, he eschewed the hunt through his notes. His hands hovered over the keys as he asked, not taking his eyes from the screen, "What day was the shootout with Mara Muerte?"
"That would have been last Monday," Chaz said from his usual perch in one of the visitor's chairs. "The 17th," he continued.
Seeley's keyboard clicked in response, although not as smooth and steady as usual. "Really?" he said. "It's only been a week?"
"Seems longer to you?" Temperance asked from the other visitor's chair.
Seeley stopped typing as he turned to her. "Doesn't it seem like a lot has happened since then?"
Temperance shrugged, "Well, with Parker and Hayley spending the weekend we haven't had much of a chance to catch our breath."
Seeley nodded. Closing his eyes, he rubbed the sides of his head almost savagely with his palms. "And it's only been two weeks since we started working on the case," he said
"It's been a busy two weeks," Chaz ticked off the situations, "Jon and Cricket coming into town, the case," he motioned over towards Temperance. "You finding out you're going to have a baby, the shootout, running back and forth between the Navy Yard and here," Chaz paused. "You two could probably do with some time off."
Seeley opened his eyes, "We can include you in on that as well." He propped his elbows on the desk and cradled his head in his hands. He yawned impressively.
That started it. Chaz, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn, said, "We've got a three-day weekend coming up. Maybe you two should try to catch some down time."
Now it was Temperance's turn. Seeley watched as her yawn drove her eyes closed and a high-pitched tone escaped from her voicebox. "We've got the funeral and interment of the Serras to plan." She shook her head and blinked. She turned to Seeley, "You asked about having their remains released to us?"
Seeley nodded, "Sollars said he would follow up on it."
"And so he has," Sollars voice rambled in from the doorway. He strode into Seeley's office energetically, opened his padfolio and extracted a sheet of paper. Stopping halfway between Temperance and Seeley, he motioned the paper first to Seeley, then to Temperance and then back to Seeley. "Who gets this?" he asked lightly.
"What is it?" Seeley asked.
"Release of Human Remains," he said.
"Already?" Seeley asked, pointing towards Temperance.
"Hey," Sollars said as he turned towards Temperance, holding the document out to her. "You think I would drag my feet on this?"
Temperance accepted the document and began scanning it. "Does this cover all three…" she began, as she traveled the document.
Seeley said, "Well, no. I just thought…"
Chaz said, "Kelly would have…"
Sollars looked from one to the other; a growing, almost overwhelmed expression filled his face as he tried to separate and follow all three conversations.
Temperance continued, "Yes, I see all three remains…"
"It's not so much you as other government agencies…" Seeley added.
"Guy is such a worthless piece of…" Chaz began.
Finally, Sollars extended both hands in a 'Stop' gesture. "Hey!" he said loudly in his command voice. The three fell silent. He looked from one to the other. Each looking at him expectantly. Quietly he said, "It was a rhetorical question." The three of them visibly relaxed. Sollars turned to Seeley, "How's the case file coming?"
Seeley picked up his notes, "I was just finishing up." He picked up the brown forensics folder, "I've got the forensics from the Jeffersonian," he set the folder down and picked up a green folder. "Our forensics and ballistics information," he set that folder underneath the brown one. Continuing, he picked up the blue folder, "And we've got witness, investigatory and supporting documentation including correspondence with NCIS." He set the folder down atop the others and motioned towards his computer screen. "And I'm just wrapping up the 'Final Case Disposition' form."
Sollars nodded. "Did you view the tape of yesterday's incident?"
Seeley nodded, "Yes, all it showed was a conversation just outside the door between the two," he paused a moment, his eyes sliding to Chaz and then to Temperance. He finished, "principals." He added, "Only video, no audio."
Sollars' eyes followed Seeley's from Chaz and then to Temperance. He looked back at Seeley, "So that conversation…"
"Was off the record," Seeley said. He shook his head, "No need to document it." He hastily added, "It's in my personal case notes, if needed."
Sollars shook his head, "I agree. No need to put it in the case file." He paused, "At least not at this time. If need be, we can always amend it."
At that moment, Seeley's office phone rang. He turned to answer it. While Seeley attended to the telephone, Sollars turned to Temperance, "So, when do you think the funeral will take place?"
Seeley said, "FBI, Major Crimes Unit, Special Agent Seeley Booth."
Temperance said, "We're looking at Saturday, perhaps at 11:00 AM."
Jon's voice filled Seeley's ear, "You sound just like a grown-up," he said, pleasure tingeing his voice.
Seeley smiled, "Hold on while I put you on the speaker." He reached over for the phone buttons as he said, "Hey everybody," he indicated the phone, "Jon."
"Okay, Dad," Seeley said as the transfer to the speaker completed he set the handset into the cradle. Sollars motioned questioningly for himself to leave. Seeley shook his head.
Jon's voice rolled from the speaker, "I suppose you're all wondering why I called this meeting…"
Chaz, Temperance and Seeley laughed in response. Sollars smiled at the joke.
"Yeah," Seeley said. "I mean it's not like we're not busy or anything trying to get the paperwork done."
"Make sure all your Ts are crossed and Is are dotted," Jon warned. "I get the feeling your boss is looking for any excuse to hang you."
Seeley and Sollars' eyes met. "Uhhh…" Seeley started.
Sollars said, "You're probably right."
"Who is that?" Jon said, not recognizing the voice.
"It's Seeley's boss," Temperance said.
Silence from the other end of the line. After a moment's pause Jon said, "That's not Kelly's voice. Not unless he found the Fountain of Youth and lost about thirty years from his voice box."
Sollars nodded grudgingly. Seeley said, "That's correct, Jon. That's Butch Sollars, our Interim Assistant Director In Charge. With Kelly out until tomorrow, Butch is in charge."
"I don't recall seeing him when I was up there," Jon said.
Sollars said, "I'm on a special project for the Director. I'm only involved in cases now because Kelly's been out since Friday."
"What kind of project?" Jon asked. "You work directly for the Director? Not Kelly?"
Sollars nodded, "That's right."
Seeley added, "He's only here during the week." Seeley looked at Sollars. "Traveling up from Kansas City, trying to find a permanent Assistant Deputy Director."
Jon's sarcasm could be heard clearly over the phone, "Working directly under Kelly? Good luck with that!" He asked Sollars, "So how's the search going?"
Sollars smiled, "I've got a couple of good prospects. But it's like you say, working directly under Kelly may prove to be a deal breaker." Then to everyone's shock, "Feel like coming back on active duty and filling the position?"
"Really?" Jon said. "You're offering the position to a former agent you know nothing about?"
"Well, I've looked through your files…"
"What?" Jon exploded through the phone.
"Sure," Sollars said. "I was reviewing Booth's files and you were mentioned in a number of them. What kind of researcher would I be if I didn't check yours as well?"
"As he told me," Seeley said dryly. "It was just a 'cursory glance' through my files."
"And you think what's in the files is a basis for filling such a critical position?" Jon asked.
"Of course not," Sollars said. "Lots of things are left out of files…" He looked at Seeley. "The files themselves don't tell the complete story. I'd have to meet you in person and talk to you, of course. But bringing in an outsider is sometimes a good way to at least begin to address the problems of a dysfunctional office."
"You think the Washington Bureau of the FBI is dysfunctional?" Jon asked.
Sollars nodded, "Some areas, yes. You were here for a couple of weeks, right? Would you say it's working as smoothly as it could?"
"You got me there," Jon said. "But the dysfunction isn't from the units themselves."
Sollars smiled, "Your protectiveness for your son and his co-workers is commendable. But I agree. Part of the problem is at the top. The interaction between the units and the Deputy Director is why this position is so critical."
"We could just get rid of Kelly?" Chaz interjected.
Sollars nodded. "But then, who would fill the Deputy Director position Kelly vacates?" He spotted both Seeley and Chaz motioning towards him. He quickly added, "Oh no! I'm not moving my family to DC."
"Why not?" Jon said. Then, almost laughingly, "Your country needs you."
Sollars smiled through tightly pressed lips. "My country will get along fine with me in KC, thank you very much."
Temperance decided to weigh in, "I think you would fit in perfectly. Why not relocate to Washington? The educational opportunities…"
"Are crap," Sollars said. He turned to Temperance, "The DC school system is one of the worst, if not the worst in country. I'm not putting my boys in that mess."
"But there are some of the finest private schools…" Temperance began.
Sollars shook his head, "I'm not going to become a Washington elite. I'm not going to move my family to Washington, put my children in some elite private school and become enmeshed in the Washington political bubble." He held his hand up in a surrender motion. "Sorry, but I'm not going to put my family through that."
"You don't have to live in DC," Chaz said. "There are suburbs…"
Sollars shook his head, "It's all a moot point, anyway. I don't anticipate Kelly moving on for another year or so. When he retires." Everyone was silent for a moment, until Sollars said, "So how about it Mr. Smith? Feel like meeting me and discussing the opportunity?" He sarcastically added, "Your country needs you."
Jon said, disbelievingly, "You're serious?"
Sollars shrugged, "Hey, if nothing else I can walk away having finally met the legend that is Jon Smith."
"Legend according to whom?" Jon asked.
Sollars looked around, "I know you've got three fans right in this room."
Silence. And then Jon said, "No promises." Seeley, Temperance and Chaz all exchanged happy nods. "I'm still not sure how it would work having my son working for me in government service. I know there are rules against that."
Sollars smiled, "No promises on this end either. Right now it's just a conversation." He opened his padfolio, "Got a ballpark estimate?"
"How about the first week in July? Jon said.
Sollars, his pen at the ready said, "That's over a month away. Are you sure you can't make it sooner?"
They could almost hear Jon shaking his head, "That's why I called. We're going to be out of cell contact for awhile, hopping some small islands here and there. We've also got the possibility of a tropical storm perhaps turning into a small hurricane beginning of next week. So we'll have to make landfall and sit it out for awhile."
Sollars nodded as he wrote in the padfolio, "How about if you give Booth a call when you get in town? We can firm the date up then."
"Sounds good. Well, not necessarily good," Jon said warily. "Anyway, not to change the subject…just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday, Temperance." All three of the men turned to Temperance. She smiled slightly. Jon continued, "With cell phone coverage being spotty, and the weather uncertainty, we wanted to make sure we got to you today."
Temperance smiled, "Thank you, Jon."
"Where's Cricket?" Seeley asked.
Jon's voice turned slightly melancholy, "She's down below, taking a nap. We'll see how she's feeling and give you a call at home later."
Temperance forced a smile to her face and with an effort tried to make her voice sound light, "Tell her we're sending our Love."
Jon's voice gained strength, "Will do. We'll talk to you later!"
Seeley's finger hovered over the disconnect button, "Talk to you later tonight!"
"Bye," the speaker sounded and then a click followed by a dial tone. Seeley punched the disconnect button.
Everyone was quiet for a moment. As though evaluating their own mortality. Sollars finally broke the silence, "So, when's your birthday?" he asked Temperance.
She shook her head, as though coming out of a trance. She said matter-of-factly, "Monday."
"Memorial Day?" Sollars asked. "Ouch! What kind of celebration could you have on such a day?" He added, "Must have been a pain when you were growing up…"
Temperance, now back fully in the moment, "Oh, I usually don't celebrate my birthday." At Sollars' questioning look she explained, "I never thought it was a big deal to celebrate the day as my birthday when so many other people every year were also born on that day." She looked at Seeley, "But certain people…and their sons have been trying to convince me otherwise." She turned back to Sollars, "But it doesn't fall on Memorial Day every year."
Sollars nodded in understanding, "The wonders of a holiday that bounces around the calendar." He added, "My birthday once fell on Easter." He looked at Seeley and Chaz. "Let me tell you, that wasn't a whole lot of fun."
"I can imagine," Seeley said.
Sollars started towards the office door. He called back, "Make sure you get that file to me by the end of the day, Booth." He stopped and turned around. "That way I can sign it and get it off our radar before Kelly gets back tomorrow."
Seeley nodded, "Will do." As Sollars started to turn away Seeley said, "By the way, did anybody ever find out why he's been away since last Friday?" He looked to Chaz, who returned a shake of his head. Seeley looked back at Sollars.
Sollars turned back, "Something about seeing his grandson graduate from one of the Service Academies and spending some time with him before he left on assignment." He paused and then answered the unasked question, "Annapolis, I think."
Seeley, nodding, scribbled on a notepad.
"Oh!" Sollars said. "I almost forgot." He looked from Seeley to Temperance, "Send me the information on the funeral for the Serras. Address…time…whatever."
"Any particular reason why?" Seeley asked.
"I was thinking about attending," he looked at Seeley, Temperance and Chaz's shocked expressions. "If I'm not being presumptuous?"
"I have no problem with it," Seeley said. "But I thought you were going home Friday?"
Sollars nodded. "I was…but then I convinced my wife to bring the boys up for a visit."
"Really?" Temperance said looking from Sollars to Seeley.
Sollars nodded again, "We're going to show the boys the sites. And on Monday we were going to take them to all the memorials in the area." He added, "You know? Teach them the cost of ensuring our citizens live in a free society."
"We could take you around to the monuments," Temperance said. Seeley looked at her in surprise.
"You want to spend time with my wife and I and two teenage boys on your birthday?" Sollars said in shock.
Temperance nodded as she looked at Seeley. "We could bring Parker." Seeley's smile filled her with Love. She looked back at Sollars. "And Hayley, Parker's girlfriend. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday. Teaching our young about the cost of freedom."
"Maybe we can rent a bus?" At the rest of the group's looks Chaz said, "What? Jules and I can't come?"
