Twenty minutes later the BAU team is hurrying into Manassas Hospital. Before they can ask anyone about Rossi, Morgan calls out to them.
"Hotch! Rossi will be okay."
The team crowds around Morgan. "What the hell happened, Morgan?" Hotch demands.
"Kruse told us everything. He got pulled into the plot by his buddy, who insisted it was just to steal some stuff to sell. He had no idea about the kidnapping part until later."
"Let me guess, he was the one missing from the second house?" Emily asks.
"Yeah. Anyway, he was on his way to jail for processing so we went to track down Smith. The minute he saw us he just…he pulled his gun and fired. Rossi went down and Smith took off. I couldn't go after him, Hotch, but there is an APB out for him."
"I know, Morgan. What's Rossi's condition?"
"Mad as hell," Morgan tells them. "Bullet got him in the right arm but no major damage. He should be ready to go soon."
Hotch looks visibly relieved. He asks the others to wait and heads back to check on his mentor. As he walks into the room, Rossi glares at him.
"How many years have I been with the Bureau?"
Hotch pretends to think. "Well, let's see, it was founded in July of 1908 so…"
"Watch it, Aaron," Rossi says threateningly.
Hotch smiles and steps to the bed. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I will be. Mad as hell, though."
"That's what Morgan said. We're going to find this guy, Dave," Hotch vows.
"I know you will. Guess I get to sit around with Prentiss for a couple weeks while you all do the leg work."
Hotch nods. "Yep. I'm going to have to deal with 2 agents getting antsy. How did I ever get so lucky?" he jokes.
Hotch and Rossi laugh. A few minutes later a nurse comes in with Rossi's discharge papers. As they head out to meet the team, Emily smiles at Rossi.
"I'm so happy to have someone to hang with on the injured reserve list."
"Ha ha, Prentiss," Rossi says with a sparkle in his eyes.
"You're okay, though, right?" Reid asks nervously.
"I'm fine, kid," Rossi insists. "Just mad that he got the drop on me."
"Well, at your age, it's not uncommon that your reflexes are slower and—"
JJ puts a hand over Reid's mouth, stopping the stat flow. "Reid, he will hurt you if you continue to imply he is old." She removes her hand.
"Oh. Right. Sorry," Reid says with a grin.
Rossi rolls his eyes and once again impresses Emily with his skill at cussing in Italian. The team heads back to the police station to see if Garcia has been able to come up with a list of potential accomplices for Smith and to start the interrogation of Kruse.
When they arrive they find a man in fine Italian wool suit arguing with the lead detective. The man looks to the FBI agents with relief. Hotch steps forward.
"Everything okay, Detective?"
The detective shakes his head but before he can answer the other man turns to face Hotch. "My name is Harold Feist and I demand to know why my client was interrogated without me."
"I'm FBI Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. Who exactly is your client?"
"Mark Kruse. He was arrested earlier today and questioned without the benefit of his council."
Hotch looks over his shoulder at Morgan and Rossi. The older agent steps forward. "Your client was questioned at his job site, never asked for a lawyer, and voluntarily came in for additional questioning."
"But once he was in custody he did ask for me and I was not called. Had a friend of his not seen what happened and let me know I shudder to think what other rights might have been trampled on if Mr. Kruse didn't have such a loyal friend."
"I don't know what he's told you," Rossi continues, "but we're just getting back from the hospital because another one of your client's 'loyal friends' shot me! We haven't had a chance to start another interrogation."
"Um, agents," the detective starts, visibly uncomfortable, "my partner and I sort of started the interrogation without you."
Hotch glares at the man as Rossi and Morgan bite their tongues. "Why would you do that, detective? You were told to wait!"
The shamed detective gets in Hotch's face. "Look, it's not like we've never questioned a perp before! And the officers that brought him in never said shit about him asking for an attorney!"
"Did you look at the intake report?" Morgan asked. "I wrote on it that he asked for his lawyer after giving up his friend. In fact, that's why we didn't just continue back here with him. We could have sent someone else after Smith but figured we'd leave enough time for," he gestures at the lawyer, "this guy to get here!"
The detective looks stunned. "I, uh, I didn't…um…"
Hotch throws his hands in the air. "Shit. Mr. Feist, would it be possible for my agents to speak with you and your client?"
Feist shakes his head. "No. With the shaky evidence you have. I think I'll be taking my client home with me."
"I wouldn't recommend that," Hotch says. "He gave up one member of the group he is working with. Do you really think the others will wait to see if he's going to give them up, too?"
Feist considers what Hotch is saying for a moment. "So what guarantees does Kruse get if he talks to you?"
"He stays in jail and they can't touch him. We'll also make sure the D.A. knows he was cooperative and that he was apparently tricked into participating in the kidnappings. That should hold up since he was not there for the second one."
Feist stares at Hotch a moment then nods. "Okay. But I will pull the plug if it looks like you are railroading my client for everything."
"My only concern is stopping these home invasions before another one occurs. That will only happen if we deal straight with your client," Hotch assures the lawyer.
"Okay. Let's go speak with Mr. Kruse," Feist concurs and leads the way back to interrogation.