Chapter 53
Once the Hotchner's were in bed, Hotch laid there staring at the ceiling. Who could be pressuring the DNI? Why the hell is anyone pressuring anyone? If this is just some local group or man trying to take control of things, then why would Washington be connected to it? He licked his lips. If it goes farther than something local, then how far? He mentally shook his head. I hate politics!
Kahlan pat his chest. "Go to sleep, Aaron. You aren't going to get this figured out tonight," she offered.
He huffed. "I can't turn it off."
She leaned up on her elbow. "You want me to help you fall asleep?"
He shook his head as he sat up and scooted back to the headboard. "You can't tell me that Director Clapper calling you hasn't rattled you."
She sighed as she sat up. "Rattled me? No. I'm used to people wanting me to make things disappear quickly." He opened his mouth to say something but she beat him to it. "But it pisses me off that they are doing it with you and your case."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I just don't understand. . ."
"And you're not going to until we get a chance to talk to Skip, so unless you want to wake him up and take care of this right now, you need to lay down and get some sleep."
He wilted. "You're right."
She smiled and pushed on him to get him to lie down. "Yep."
He huffed and made himself lie down and shook his head. "It just. . ."
"You want me to pinch your neck?" Even in the dark she could tell his eyes had gotten wide. She giggled and reached up and started massaging the back of his neck. "Close your eyes, shut your mouth, and relax, or I will," she insisted.
He gave her a dirty look and stuck his tongue out at her thinking that the room was dark enough that she couldn't see it, but he grunted when she pulled his hair.
"I saw that."
He smiled. "Fine. Put me to sleep. I'll never get there on my own."
She scooted closer to his head and leaned in a gave him a kiss. "Goodnight, Aaron. I love you," she whispered as she hit the points that she knew worked the quickest on him.
"Night, Babe. Love y. . ." and he was out.
She laid his head down on the pillow with gentle hands and then ran her fingers through his hair. "Sleep peacefully, Hun. I have a feeling it might be the only peace you get for a few days." She nestled down into her spot and shut her eyes wishing she could put herself to sleep as easily.
XXX
The next morning as they all gathered for breakfast, Bobby came into the dining room. Chuck frowned. "I thought Skip was coming out?" He'd already been to see the man and he had been fine, so they all thought it safe for him to join them.
Bobby shook his head. "He won't come out until he sees him," he told them as he pointed at Hotch.
Hotch frowned. "Me? He wants to see me first?"
Bobby shrugged. "That's what he says."
Kahlan locked eyes with Chuck and he could tell she was worried about her husband's safety.
Hotch pushed his chair back planning on standing up, but Kahlan put a firm hand on his thigh. He looked at her, and she stood up and looked at Bobby. "Does he want to see Hotch alone?"
Bobby frowned. "He didn't stipulate that, but I fig. . ."
"Let's go," Kahlan offered as she moved away from the table and looked at her spouse.
Hotch put down his napkin and stood up. Rossi locked eyes with him, clearly telling him to be careful, and Hotch gave him a small nod.
Once the Hotchner's were in the hall alone, Hotch stopped and turned to his wife. "You don't trust that he's alright?"
"Until I see it with my own eyes, no. I won't get in the way. You can interview him or whatever it is you do. I won't even say a word, but I am not letting you go in there alone until I am sure it's safe for you to do so."
He searched her eyes for a moment and then nodded. "Alright. Let's go see what he wants."
She nodded and gestured with her hand for him to take the lead.
Skip stood up when the door opened and he gave Kahlan a small smile and then looked back at Hotch. "Thank you for coming, Agent Hotchner. I didn't mean to interrupt your breakfast."
Hotch appraised the man. He looked worn out and utterly defeated. "It's alright. I was done anyway. Bobby said you wanted to see me."
Skip nodded. "Yes. I. . ." he turned to the table and picked up a yellow legal pad. "I wrote down a complete and detailed confession of everything I've done. I figured that would make it easier for you to make your case," he told him as he handed the notepad to Hotch.
Hotch glanced at the first page and then picked the page up and mentally cringed when he realized it went on for two full pages.
"I know you probably already know most of it, but there might be a few details that you didn't so. . ." he sat down in the chair. "But I'm ready to be taken in whenever you're ready to take me."
Hotch glanced at Kahlan and knew she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from speaking. He took a deep breath and went to the little table and sat down in the other chair. He looked at Skip for another moment and then started to read the confession. It started with Skip explaining how he hunted down the men responsible for killing his family and then several other people at a facility trying to get to the man in charge and that was when they got him. Hotch looked at him. "Do you know who is responsible for doing this to you?"
Skip nodded. "Well, I know him by sight, and I know they refer to him as the Watch Man, but I don't know his real name. Kay and I met him once way back in the day, but I don't remember his name from then either."
Hotch looked at Kahlan. "Do you have his picture with you?"
She pulled out her phone and gave it to Skip. The blood drained out of his face as he took a shaky breath. After a couple deep breaths, he ran a hand down his face and nodded. "So you know who it is?" he asked her.
She looked at Hotch and he nodded so she pulled the nightstand closer and leaned on it. "Yeah, Skip. We know who he is and we know what he did to you. I think we also know why he chose you. What we don't know is where he is or why all of this was even done."
Skipped nodded and licked his lips. "I can tell you where I found him, but I never found out why they wanted those people dead. Once they got ahold of me, all I could do was follow orders."
"He will be made to talk if we can find him," she assured him.
Skip nodded. "But I can tell you he was on the phone, a lot. I also know when he first started in on me, he kept saying that 'she' wanted me to do this or that."
"She?" Hotch asked as he looked up from the confession again.
Skip nodded. "Yes, Sir. Whoever was pulling his chain was a woman. I'm sure of it."
Hotch took a deep breath. "Bobby said they came to you a while ago. What did they want?"
Skip huffed. "They supposedly wanted me to head up security for some firm. I could tell they weren't being completely honest with me, and I didn't want any part of anything shady." He whimpered and clenched his teeth to hold back the sob that wanted to escape. "I guess I should have. Maybe my girls wouldn't be dead if I had."
Kahlan and Hotch shared a look and she wiped her face.
Skip cleared his throat and looked at her. "I have a couple accounts. I want Cam to get into them and put them in Bobby's name, and I know I have no right to ask you for any favors. . ."
"What?!" Kahlan yelled. "Skip you are my friend! How could you say that?"
He wilted. "Because I tried to kill your husband and his partner at that house. Real good friend I am."
Kahlan got up, squatted down in front of him, and grabbed his hands with hers. "That wasn't your fault Skip. That asshole made you do those things," she tried as she gave his hands a squeeze. "Now what do you want me to do?"
He took a deep breath. "When that happened. . . I was out of my head. . . I wasn't thinking straight, I guess. . ." He cleared his throat trying to get rid of the massive lump that had formed, but it wouldn't go down. "If you would take some of the money and set something up. . . If you would see to it that my girls. . ."
Kahlan locked eyes with him and hers were full of tears, too. "I've already taken care of Julie and Mika, Skip. I found them a beautiful little spot in that cemetery outside Groveland. It's got trees and flowers and everything. I think you would like it," she offered as she reached up and wiped his tears away with gentle fingers.
He smiled. "Thanks, Kay. I'm sure they appreciate it," he got out before he broke down completely. Kahlan stood up and pulled him to her chest and let him get it out. Her eyes locked with Hotch's and he could tell she was already thinking of what she wanted to do to the man responsible. He took a deep breath and waited for Skip to calm down.
After several minutes, Skip pulled away and wiped his face. He laughed a little pathetic laugh as he looked at her and then Hotch. "I'll probably get the death penalty for all that," he started as he gestured to the confession. "Will they let me be buried with them once they carry out their sentence?"
Kahlan heart squeezed as she, too, looked at Hotch. He cleared his throat as he mentally cringed. "Yes, unless other plans are made the family claims the deceased to do what they wish with."
Skip nodded. "Will I get a lawyer with pleading guilty or do I need to ask to see one once I'm locked up?"
Hotch glanced at Kahlan and he could tell she was getting pissed, so he tried to steer the conversation away from that dark path. "You'll have plenty of time to take care of anything you want. Where is the man who did this to you? If we can find out who all is responsible, you won't be the sole one taking the blame."
Skip stood up and took a couple steps away from the table as he stared at the wall. After a few moments he turned around and looked at Kahlan and then to Hotch. "I don't really care if he makes it to lockup."
Hotch looked at Kahlan and just caught the slight nod she had given Skip, and he mentally screamed knowing that Skip had just told her he wanted the man dead, and Kahlan had just agreed. Son of a bitch! He cleared his throat as his mind raced. He had to salvage something and fast. "We need to find out who all is behind him. We need to see how deep this actually goes. We have found a few people connected to an Easton Corporation and a dummy corp called the Oracle Group, but we don't have any proof. We need to. . ."
"Don't worry, Aaron. He will be made to talk," Kahlan assured him and the steel in her tone sent a shiver down her husband's spine.
Skip gave him a smile. "I have some things I gathered when all of this started. A couple files on both of those organizations are in a locker at a gym in LA. The Easton Corp is the one who tried to hire me, but I found that other one when I started digging. Not all of the information is complete because I never got the chance to continue with it, but you are welcome to what I have." He sat back down and looked at Hotch. "I want everyone of these son of a bitches to pay for what they've done. Even if all you can get them on is fraud or embezzling or whatever, I want all of them locked up so they can't do this to anyone else."
Hotch nodded. "Then I guess we're ready to head back to LA."
Skip nodded. "Yep. That facility is about twenty minutes west of there. I'll get with Cam and he can get his sats on it. It was heavily guarded when I went against it." He looked at Kahlan. "Bobby said you have your whole team with you?" She nodded. "Good, cause you're going to need them."
Hotch stood up and grabbed the confession. "Thank you for all of your help, Skip."
Skip smiled. "If you need extra help on the raid. . ." He laughed at Hotch's look. "Just saying me and my brother are available."
Hotch glanced at his wife and could tell that she wanted to give Skip the chance, but he couldn't allow that. "I think we'll have it covered, but thanks for the offer."
Skip nodded. "I understand."
