CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Rebecca tugged at the hem of her skirt. She crossed her ankles, uncrossed them, and crossed them again.
Mark was dead. The team had closed the case. The murders at Magnolia Ridge were over.
The flight back to Quantico had been filled with talk of Gideon, the case and plans for the upcoming weekend.
Upon her return to Quantico the Director had been waiting. Her old job was hers if she wanted it.
Rebecca smiled as she remembered the light-hearted friendship of the team.
She looked at the folder in her lap. For now her focus and attention had to be on the job she'd been sent to do. Any moment the President would walk through the door…
As if on cue a door opened and Rebecca jumped to her feet.
"Rebecca."
Rebecca smiled and extended her hand. She'd once read that the oval office had been designed with the purpose of intimidating visitors to the room.
She could vouch for that.
She watched as the most powerful man in the world, sat behind his desk and motioned her to her chair.
She sat at the very edge, her back stiff and passed the folder to him.
He glanced at the first page. He acted like a man with all the time in the world. She wondered if that was by design. She could only imagine what his day must be like.
"So, I'm to understand this team is good?"
Rebecca swallowed the large lump in her throat. "Yes sir, they're good."
"And the job I want them to do?"
Rebecca nodded. "There is no team better, Mr. President. If you want that situation resolved – Aaron Hotchner and his team are the ones to do it."
"And Rossi?"
Rebecca knew this moment was coming. She clenched her jaw and looked him in the eye.
"Sir, to remove David Rossi from this team, even for such a prestigious position as the one you have in mind, in my opinion would be a mistake."
She watched as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze never wavered.
"Really?"
"Yes sir. David," she cleared her throat, "Agent Rossi is where he belongs."
There was a moment Rebecca actually thought he was going to ignore her recommendation.
A long moment.
"Very well then, Rossi stays and I'll consider Hotchner's team." He stood and put out his hand. "Thank you, Rebecca."
Rebecca shook hands and watched as he disappeared from the room.
She looked around; even without the President the room radiated power and energy.
Now what? Had she made the right decision? Time of course would be the deciding factor – time and the President. Situations changed daily, that was the only constant in the universe.
She couldn't help but wonder what dent she'd made in those changes.
She looked around. There were several doors and she had a pretty good idea if she followed the President she would probably be met by half a dozen secret service agents.
She's been so nervous when she came in; she hadn't paid much attention to doors. She looked around - where the hell was the exit?