Maggie was briefing both hers and Nick's team on the protection detail. Two of her team were new too, Luke Whitbourne the profiler, and Mei-Lin Chang. Only Graeme Lang remained from her previous team. Nick used to be on her team, but had been promoted to lead agent. His team had only just met each other that day. Enrico Montoya transferred from Baltimore, Pierre Sargasse from Las Vegas, and Pia Bellini from New York. Well, at least they weren't fresh from Quantico, Colby thought. But how they would gel as a team still remained to be seen.
"Since the Director will be at the FBI during the day, and investigating the case himself with his former team, he'll need minimal protection," Maggie was saying, with only a touch of sarcasm. "Mei and Siti will be with DA Brooks during the day. Siti is from Justin's team. Nick's team will cover the night shift at the Director's home. Pia will stay close to DA Brooks there. Nick, you'll probably need additional agents for the night shifts. Asst. Directors Sinclair and Reeves have offered their teams. You can work with their lead agents to work out a schedule. And regardless of what Director Eppes says, I will be camped out at their home for the duration of this detail."
Both Nick and Graeme nodded in empathy, they knew how difficult it had been for Maggie. Having the Director of the FBI as your father was not an advantage for an agent.
"Who are the agents from the Director's former team?" Luke asked. He looked surprised when Graeme laughed.
"That would be Asst. Directors Reeves, Sinclair, and Granger," Maggie said dryly.
"Ah," Luke couldn't help grinning. He glanced at an amused Colby. He now understood her frustration. "Well, I'm sure they'll call on us if they need help, Maggie."
"I'm sorry that this is the first thing you'll be doing here in Los Angeles," Colby said quietly to the new agents. "But you understand why it's a priority for us." He was pleased that they seemed to be taking it all in stride, there were no disgruntled looks among them. "Nick, there have been many volunteers for this protection detail, just work things out with their lead agents."
"Mostly taken care of, Colby," Nick said with relief. "Rafe, Jason, Luke, and Darla will split the shift with us. I refused everyone from Justin's team, except for Siti. They're still investigating Darren's killing. Keeley volunteered, but I told her I'd rather she took care of that baby. Frankly, I don't want Justin all over me about Keeley. But she almost took my head off when I said that, so I guess I should've worried more about what she would say than Justin." He winced at the memory.
Colby laughed, but said nothing.
-----
Pia Bellini was doing her best not to laugh. She didn't think that Maggie Eppes would appreciate it, and she didn't want a black mark against her on her first detail in Los Angeles. Pia had tried very hard for years to transfer to the Los Angeles office. The LA office had been the top in conviction rates for many years, and very difficult to transfer into. She'd enlisted her entire extended family, her entire, very large, extended family, for prayers when news of openings for an additional team came across the bulletins. She had to believe that those prayers had been heard. Well, quite possibly her own skills had something to do with it too. Still, she'd been relieved when she met the members of the team she was on, they had clicked. Nothing worse than a team that didn't mesh.
But what amused her was the discussion that Maggie was currently having with her mother. Pia knew DA Brooks' reputation as a barracuda in the courtroom. Right now, she was a concerned mother, but the barracuda side of her was mowing down Agent Eppes arguments about not needing a bodyguard.
"All I'm asking is that you make sure there's another agent with you at all times, Maggie," Robin was saying, in a reasonable tone. Well, what she thought was a reasonable tone. Maggie had her father's stubborn look on her face. Robin sighed. "You have partners, and you always have backup, don't you?"
"But not when I get my coffee or go to the ladies," Maggie snapped. She sighed, and apologized for snapping. "It's just been stressful, Mom. Dad's haring off on this investigation and you're hounding me about bodyguards."
Robin murmured, "Why do I see a parallel there?" She laughed at the disgusted look Maggie threw her. "Dad will make sure that either Colby or David will be there with him. Just make sure that you have another agent with you, Maggie. Please?"
Maggie gave in. But there was nothing graceful about it. Robin hugged her close and whispered, "I just want you to be safe, Maggie. I love you."
The gleam of unshed tears in her mother's eyes did Maggie in. "It's going to be fine, Mom. I'll make sure there's always someone with me." Robin smiled and kissed her.
"Not a word," Maggie muttered to Pia as they followed her mother out to the living room. Pia zipped her lips with her hand, but couldn't help grinning. Maggie glared at her for a second, then shook her head and grinned back. "She gets her way, every time. I've yet to win an argument with her."
"Well, at least, she's on your side."
Maggie rolled her eyes and Pia laughed. Yes, she was going to fit in just fine.
-----
Don smiled at Robin as she came into the family room. Colby, David and Megan were still there, discussing the investigation.
Robin shook her head, "Please tell me you at least called your spouses."
Don laughed, "It's not like they're rookies, Robin." He glanced over at Maggie who was now talking to Nick. "I see you won your case, Counselor."
"Don't I always?" Robin countered. "Did you have to give her your stubborness? It's bad enough she wanted to be an FBI agent just like dear old dad."
"Hey, she's a great agent, leave her alone," Colby protested.
Robin sighed, they all knew how she felt, their own kids were in the FBI. "So where are you with this investigation?"
"Well, we've culled everyone who's either still in jail or has died," Megan said, "That leaves us with, oh, only about 200 people that Don has put away over his twenty plus years as a field agent."
"There are several agents here in the house. Why don't you get them to help you?"
"Because their attention needs to be on protecting Don," David said gently. "But we did have help culling the files, Robin. We're not doing this all by ourselves."
-----
"Don, is it really necessary for you to investigate this yourself?" Charlie was practically hissing in frustration. "Don't you have agents who can do that?"
"No, it isn't really necessary, and yes I do have agents who can do that. But think about it Charlie, it has to be someone I've put away in the past. Why else would I get a death threat?"
"Oh, I don't know. Something about being the Director of the FBI," came Charlie's sarcastic reply.
Don said gently, "It's going to be fine Charlie. I've got protection 24 hours. And I've got the best team with me on this investigation."
"With all due respect to them, because I care about them as much as you do, but it's been a while since you've all been in the field."
"Then help us, Charlie. Just like you did when we were a team. Just like you still do for us."
Charlie shook his head in frustration. He never could persuade Don once he'd made up his mind. "Check these two." He handed Don the two files and stalked out of Don't office.
"He's really worried about you," Megan commented, as she watched Charlie make his way to the elevator. "He didn't even try to explain what algorithm he used."
"Or maybe after more than thirty years he's finally got the hint," Colby said dryly, but he was worried about something else. "I think we should send a team in to protect Charlie and his family."
Don looked up sharply, "I didn't even think of that. Do it."
"Don," Megan said quietly, "One of these two is Byron Jameson. That's the name of the perp in Justin's case. The one who killed Darren."
They looked at each other in stunned amazement. "Get Justin's team in here," Don ordered, his voice harsh with emotion.