Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Nine:
Calvin sat in the semi-darkness of Duvall's dining room late at night with a glass of scotch in her hand and a bottle on the table. She very slowly sipped it.
When Duvall walked in, she didn't seem to notice her at first as she put her purse down. She jumped when she saw her, but quickly recovered.
"Who let you in?"
"Ricardo," she said. "I told him about the little stunt you pulled and he was more than happy to cooperate."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said. "Where'd you get that scotch from?"
"I brought it with a pair of glasses," she said. "This was a gift from my first boss at a news station. He said to open it when I felt I had reached the high point of my career. Would you care for a taste?"
"No. Get out!"
"That was a really nice gift of old reporter's notebooks to the Columbia school of journalism," Calvin said as she held the glass up. "My question is, why didn't you have someone else do it? Why risk a handwriting analysis?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" she roared get out.
"They also did a rush order on the DNA exam of the envelope using silverware from the Twenty-One club you dined at two days ago for comparison. Someone with your password accessed the evidence database relating to the Gordon case. You threatened Iris Gordon, Anna, and the Feds have all the evidence they need to arrest you."
"Well, why haven't they then?" she asked with confidence.
"There's a serial killer on the loose on Boston," she said. "They had to transfer the case to the local Feds to handle. Someone should be knocking on your door shortly."
"So, you're here to gloat?"
"I'm here as a warning, Anna. Mess with anyone associated with Spencer Reid ever again, while you'll only face probation after you plead to lesser charges, your career won't just be over. Your legacy will be destroyed. Who is the fool now?"
Duvall walked over and grabbed the bottle by the stem and smashed it. In one swift motion she thrust the stem across Calvin's throat.
Feds burst in and threw Duvall against the wall. Calvin held her neck.
"We need paramedics!"
Calvin blacked out as she heard Duvall screaming incoherently.
…
She woke up to Connie and Nick reading magazines in her room covered in flowers and balloons.
"What happened?" she asked tried to ask, but it hurt to talk.
"Take it easy Gwen," Connie said. "You won't be able to talk properly for a couple days."
Connie gave her, her phone.
At first it was hard to text, as she still felt foggy.
"Duvall came within in millimeter of killing you," Nick said. "You're lucky that scotch bottle was made of tempered glass."
"She's pleading temporary insanity," Connie said.
Calvin rolled her eyes.
"I know, that rarely works," Connie said. "But she has already retained Aaron Lake."
"The lawyer celebrities use when they know they're screwed," Nick said.
She texted about whether Reid's old team knew.
Connie shook her head.
"They haven't been in touch," she said. "I assume they know. You're a national story."
"International," Nick said. "It's not often a news anchor gets their throat sliced by a news legend in America."
Ace Cornell appeared.
"Hey, Gwen," he said. "How are you feeling?"
Calvin shook her head and pointed the phone.
"Oh, you can't talk, which makes sense," he said. "I just wanted to drop by to let you know you can take off as much time as you need to recover. You have the full support of the network."
Calvin nodded her thanks.
"I don't think is any more room for balloons or flowers, but maybe a card," he said and handed it to Calvin.
She gasped and showed it to Connie and Nick. They both smiled.
"Congrats on your Emmy award nominations, Gwen," Nick said.
Calvin suddenly felt very tired.
"We should let you rest," Connie said.
"See you later Gwen," Nick said.
"Congratulations, Gwen," Cornell said.
She then drifted off into oblivion.
…
"Our very own Gwen Calvin is said to be making a speedy recovery tonight after being attacked by Anna Duvall. On the verge of being arrested for a litany of charges relating to sending a threatening letter to Iris Gordon, Gwen had come to warn about a harassing any further associates of Spencer Reid. This sent Duval into a flurry of rage in which she slashed Calvin's throat semi-superficially, before being restrained by authorities. Calvin is expected to be released in the next few days. We wish her well."
Calvin turned off the TV. She had been cocky. Too cocky with the business of the scotch bottle. She thought by showing off, she'd establish herself as an equal. That went horribly wrong. She'd never stop kicking herself over it.
"Hey Gwen."
She turned to see Prentiss in the doorway.
"I know you can't talk so I'll do the talking for you. Don't beat yourself up over what you did."
Calvin stared at her in disbelief.
"I know how you think Gwen. You were trying to assert authority in the situation and it backfired. It happens. You did not know she was going to try to kill you. None of this is your fault."
Calvin sighed.
"It can be exhausting, being in Reid's orbit," she said. "I know how hard you've worked with minimal reward. Your hard work will pay off in the future. I promise."
Tears filled Calvin's eyes.
Prentiss touched her hand.
"It's okay, Gwen. Reid knows you were hurt recently and suspects it is connected to what happened to Iris. His therapists are working to assure him that none of this is his fault either. Bad people sometimes get in the way of what we want. The thing is, we can't let them win. We won't let them win."
Calvin nodded.
"There was a time when I thought Reid was dead. It had been a year and three months after his abduction. I was hit by a bullet during an unsub takedown and was bleeding out. I called out for Reid and he didn't respond. Then I knew he wasn't dead. He'd come back and we would all be happy."
Calvin smiled.
"You will be happy with Reid one day," Prentiss said with passion. "I promise."
Calvin held Prentiss's hand and nodded. She believed her. Happiness was in her destiny as well as Reid's.