Chapter 51
"Understood, Morgan. I'll be sure to tell Hotch. And you and JJ…good work," Rossi ended the call and put away his phone. He first looked at the guards who understood the hint and left the room. He next faced Hotch who was waiting impatiently.
"What happened?" he asked nervously once they were alone.
"That was Morgan. He and JJ found Alana Wheaton alive and seemingly unharmed."
Hotch let his head fall back on his pillow and closed his eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank God," he murmured. "Darryl couldn't handle losing his only child anymore than I could Jack."
"They're bringing her here so she can be checked out by a doctor. Afterward, Morgan's gonna make arrangements for her to visit with her father in one of the conference rooms. If they keep her overnight, she'll see her father tomorrow at the earliest."
"Good. But what happens to her until Darryl's case is decided?" Hotch continued. "Darryl's parents are both deceased, and he has no siblings. His wife died in childbirth, and his late wife's mother is dead. Her father has severe Alzheimers and is in a hospice facility. One of his late wife's two sisters is deceased as well. The only family his late wife has left is an older sister living in Milwaukee, and a younger brother living in Tuscan, Arizona. I have no idea what their relationship is or if they even stayed in touch. Has anybody contacted either of them about Alana? Because if neither of them can take her, she'll end up in foster care, and those conditions are not the greatest."
"Agreed," Rossi echoed grimly. "I'll get kitten to delve further into their backgrounds and see what she can find out about both of them."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." Rossi looked at his friend and there was something in his eyes. "You've got something in mind, don't you?"
Hotch sighed, staring at the wall in front of him. "Darryl had sent me a picture of Alana shortly after she was born, and another when she was five. She is such a beautiful little girl…bright green eyes and reddish-blonde hair. I could tell right away she would have Darryl wrapped around her little finger, and be a real heart-breaker when she got older." He raised his eyes toward Rossi. "I can't let that sweet little girl go into foster chair, Dave. I won't let it happen."
"So tell me what you've got in mind."
Hotch didn't answer the older man. Instead, he reached over and grabbed the receiver of the phone on the nearby table. Holding the receiver, he pressed the necessary buttons for the number he wanted and hoped the person was home. He pressed the receiver against his ear and listened to the ringing. Someone picked up on the fourth ring.
"Aaron?" the person said. "What's wrong? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Jess. How are you and Jack?"
"We're both fine. Jack's at school, and he'll be sorry he missed your call. How are you? Any idea when you might be coming home? Jack misses you so much. He's always asking about you."
"I'm doing as well as can be expected, and to answer your question, hopefully soon. And I miss him too. But I didn't call to talk about me. I need a favor."
"You only need to ask. You're my family. What do you need me to do?"
"I need you to look after the ten-year-old daughter of a friend of mine." He didn't want to go into the entire situation with Jessica on the phone.
But Jessica's antennae was heightened. "What's really going on, Aaron? Tell me."
"Can you come to the hospital now? I promise I will explain everything once you get here."
"I'm on my way, and should be there in an hour. Bye."
"Bye, Jess. And thanks." After Hotch hung up the phone, he noticed Rossi smiling at him. "What?"
"Nothing. My guess is you're planning for Alana to stay with you until Darryl's situation has been decided, aren't you?"
"It's the least I can do, Dave. Jessica's a wonderful person, and I realize I'm asking a lot of her with this, but I don't have any other options." He let out a deep breath and massaged his forehead. "I'll figure something out if Darryl gets sent away for a while. I can't keep Alana long-term, besides, I can't ask that of Jessica. It wouldn't be fair to her." He saw Rossi chuckle and a twinkle in his eyes. "I realize my brain is a bit slow right now, but I can still tell by that twinkle in your eyes that you're seeing something that I missed."
Rossi shook his head and folded his arms. "Aaron, I can't understand why you can't see it when the answer is staring you right in the face."
Hotch glared at the older man. "I'm not in the mood for guessing games, so out with it!"
"Dammit, Hotch! You're an ex-attorney. And I understand if your brain is a bit fuzzy right now, but it's not fried! I know you have an idea of what to do."
Hotch stared at Rossi as if he had lost his mind. He had no idea what to do. His brain refused to work right at the moment.
"I'm trying but nothing is coming to me."
"Don't force it. Let it come to you. Think as an attorney and not as a profiler."
Hotch's face looked grim when a sudden slow smile appeared causing Rossi to realize Hotch had figured out what to do. He knew his friend would.
"You've thought of something, haven't you?" he asked with an amused grin.
"You said to think as an attorney. I am, and I need you to do me a favor."
"Just ask."
"Tomorrow, I need you to have Darryl brought to my hospital room as soon as visiting hours begin. I will handle getting in touch with whoever is going to prosecute the case. Just tell Darryl I want to see him but don't tell him anything else."
"Okay. Care to let me in on what you have in mind?"
"Even though Darryl took part in what was done to me, he did it under duress, and threats to his daughter. He saved my life. If Foyet hadn't accepted his word at the time when he said I was dead, and realized I was still alive, Foyet would have killed me himself for real. So he really did save my life." He saw the older man nod in agreement for him to continue. "I can try to get the charges reduced to aggravated assault, maybe even years of probation. I won't have any idea until I speak with the prosecutor tomorrow."
Rossi smirked. "Morgan's not gonna like that, y'know. He wants to pound Wheaton to a pulp for what he did to you."
Hotch licked his lips. He was touched at the black man's loyalty to him, but he didn't consider beating somebody to a pulp to be the answer. "I understand how he feels, but it's my decision, and you can tell him that for me if he gives you any grief."
"Hotch, with you on his side, nothing would surprise me."
The younger man sighed. "Don't congratulate me yet as I haven't accomplished anything yet, but I'll give it my best shot. I owe Darryl and Alana that much." With that settled, the grin on Hotch's face disappeared and he became serious. "Now what about Foyet? Did they get him?"
"I'm sorry, but he was gone by the time they got there. Also, your former doctor, Adam Caswell, was found dead as well. But how long he's been dead is unknown."
Hotch's eyebrows arched. "How does he fit into all this?"
"From what we know, he started helping Foyet after I insisted he remove himself as your doctor after he let it slip about the Rohypnol. It seemed the good doctor was living above his means with a divorce, alimony and child support payments, and a girlfriend on the side. He was in desperate need of cash, and Foyet was more than willing to pay him for his services."
"Do we any idea as to how he wanted Caswell to help?"
"Not yet. But it had to be something in the medical field," Rossi said. "I can't see Caswell supplying any muscle."
"Dave, I'm gonna need you to do me another favor as well."
"Aaron, if you're gonna ask me again to let you carry out that crazy idea of yours, forget it."
"Let me remind you, Dave, it's not your call. And besides, I wasn't asking your permission. Besides, that isn't the second favor." He was aware Dave was trying to protect him, and he appreciated it, but nothing was going to deter him.
Rossi understood better than anybody how stubborn Hotch could be, but this was one time he wasn't going to let the younger man get his way. Hotch was in no condition to take on Foyet. So he didn't care what he had to do or say to his friend to get him to change his mind.
"What's the other favor?" Rossi's voice was terse.
"I understand why Garcia can't be included as she needs to concentrate on finding anything which might tell us where Foyet might be hiding. And she needs to check into Cynthia Wheaton's sister and brother. But I need you to get the rest of the team here tomorrow afternoon."
"Can I ask why, or should I guess?"
Hotch glared at the older man, and ignored the sarcastic tone. "I'd rather not say right now. You'll find out tomorrow at the same time the team finds out."
Rossi shook his head. "Hotch, if you think you're gonna…"
"I said I wasn't asking your permission on this, Dave. I've already made up my mind, and you're not going to change it no matter what you do or say. Just get the entire team here tomorrow, but don't tell them why. Just get them here." He glared at the older man with more intensity than Rossi recalled ever seeing. He nodded his head.
"All right, I'll take care of everything. But I still say you're making a big mistake, Aaron. And you're sadly mistaken if you've convinced yourself you're gonna persuade the team to let you use yourself as bait. And you're being forewarned that I'm gonna do everything I can to change your mind."
Unable to spend anymore time arguing with Hotch who refused to change his mind, Rossi was ready to tear his hair out. The man's patience was really being tested by the younger man, and on the one hand, Rossi was glad to see it. But on the other hand, he wished Hotch was being a little more flexible and reasonable. But both men paused when a knock was heard on the door before it opened. At first they feared the two agents were coming back into the room, but relaxed when only Doctor Carson walked inside carrying a file folder. She studied both men and sensed a little tension between them.
"Agent Rossi. Agent Hotchner. I hope I haven't interrupted anything?"
Hotch and Rossi exchanged glances before Hotch faced the doctor. "Not really. Agent Rossi just disagrees with what I want to do. Nothing serious."
Rossi rolled his eyes and looking skyward, shook his head. He then stared at the younger man. "You call risking your life nothing serious?" He turned to look at the doctor. "Doc, maybe you can talk some sense into this pigheaded jackass! He apparently isn't listening to me!"
Hotch glared at the older man with his patented glare.
Carson studied both men as she suspected there was a reason for the tension between the two friends. But even she had to admit her patient risking his life was not what she had considered to be the reason. She definitely needed to explore this further.
"In a few minutes, Agent Rossi," she said flipping through the papers in the folder. Once finished, she looked up at the two men. "I just wanted you both to hear my decision after having looked over not only Agent Hotchner's test results, but from my talk with Doctor Correa."
"Was it a panic attack?" asked Rossi, tabling the disagreement with Hotch for the moment.
"It was. But I have decided for now not to prescribe any meds for him as the reason for his panic attack was due to receiving bad news. But I will be keeping an eye on him, and might change my mind depending on how he handles things."
Hotch and Rossi both breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was short-lived.
Doctor Carson, the folder under her arm, crossed her arms across her chest. She glared at both men. "Now I want one of you to tell me what is going on, and why are you risking your life, Agent Hotchner?" Her stare matched Hotchner's verbatim which Rossi found fairly amusing which only made him more impressed with her, and glad at having chosen her to help Aaron.
Hotch growled but remained silent when confronted by Carson. He had a feeling she already knew the answer and stubbornly refused to confirm her suspicion.
"Agent Rossi? Do you have something to say to me seeing as Aaron has lost his ability to talk at the moment."
Rossi bit his lower lip. He was torn. If he betrayed what Aaron wanted to do, he hoped the shrink might be able to talk him out of it. But also Hotch might never forgive or speak to him again. He decided he would rather have Hotch not speaking to him again but alive. He studied the doctor's face.
"Just so you understand, doctor, I would risk betraying Aaron's confidence by telling you. But by not telling you, I'm afraid I can lose him permanently."
Carson nodded her understanding. "Then let me save you from betraying your friend. Against your better judgment, Agent Hotchner has decided he wants to confront his attacker by using himself as bait to lure his assailant. How'd I do?"
Both men gawked at Carson unable to understand how she could have figured things out so quickly and precisely. Even Rossi's jaw dropped he was so impressed.
"How did you…" Hotch began, incredulous. "What I mean is…"
"How did I figure it out?" asked Carson with a smirk studying Hotch. "I told you I've read your file thoroughly. There's nothing about you I don't know. I simply based it on what I read about you and our earlier talks. I figured once you were ready to take back your life, you'd want to confront your attacker face-to-face. Am I right?" she asked arching an eyebrow.
"He's not in any physical condition to take on his assailant, doctor," Rossi added. "He won't listen to anything I say. What do you think about this hair brain scheme of his?"
Carson pursed her lips and focused her attention on Rossi. "It doesn't matter what I or you think, Agent Rossi. And while I agree I don't like the idea of Aaron facing a known assailant in his current state. I can only offer my opinion and make suggestions. I can't order or tell him what to do. Let me ask you a question, agent. Why are you so against Agent Hotchner facing his assailant other than the reasons you gave me."
The senior agent glanced at his friend before again facing the doctor. He shrugged his shoulders. "I suspect it's because I don't believe he's given enough thought to this hair brain plan of his. What he's considering is dangerous, and as I stated, he's in no condition."
Hotch glared at his friend. "I understand it's dangerous, Dave. I'm not being naive about this. And I don't plan to do this alone. I'd want all of you here with me as backup just in case." He saw the older man's scared look and his face softened. "Dave, I have no intention of sacrificing myself to catch this bastard. But I need to do this so I can get control of my life again without constantly looking over my shoulder or being scared all the time. I also need to get my life back for you guys and for Jack. He deserves to have a complete father and not one who is incomplete. And you guys deserve to have a leader who isn't afraid of his own shadow. I…I can't continue to live this way. I can't. Please try and understand." He faced Doctor Carson. "I'm not planning on dying, doctor. I'm not. I just feel I need to do this."
"He sounds completely competent to me, Agent Rossi," explained Carson.
Rossi shook his head before he noticed Hotch eying him with compassion in his eyes.
"I don't like it, Aaron. Not one bit. But I will go along with this on one condition."
"What?"
"Give me twenty-four hours. That's all I ask. Let me have Garcia check thoroughly and see if she can find anything to help us find this bastard first. If at the end of twenty-four hours she hasn't found anything, I'll help you arrange this hair brain plan of yours."
Aaron averted his eyes and focused on his lap. "Dave…"
"I promise. Just twenty-four hours. Please Aaron. I don't think it's too much to ask by an old man."
Hotch looked up and grinned. "Twenty-four hours and no more. But we still have the team meet here tomorrow afternoon to discuss it. Satisfied?"
"No, but I'll take what I can get right now," Rossi chuckled. "And who knows? Garcia can find anybody anywhere at any time. We might get lucky and not have to resort to Plan B."
Both men turned toward the doctor. She nodded.
"It sounds like you two have at least reached a compromise of sorts. But Agent Hotchner, I want us to discuss this further in your next session. And should you for any reason change your mind, or want to change it, we can discuss that also. Fair enough?"
Hotch nodded and smiled slightly. "Fair enough."
The ambulance backed up outside the emergency entrance to the hospital. The back doors flew open, and the two attendants jumped out quickly followed by JJ. She watched as the attendants grabbed the gurney and rushed it inside with her walking beside it, holding the little girl's hand.
Morgan, who had been following in his SUV, pulled up and leaped out of the vehicle. He caught up with the others just inside the hospital.
JJ smiled at the little girl, and admired how grown up she was trying to be despite being a child.
"It's gonna be all right, Alana," the blonde explained gently. "The doctors here are going to check you over, and once they find you're all right, then Derek and I will take you to your daddy. Do you understand, sweetheart?"
Alana nodded clutching the blonde's hand tighter. "Will you stay with me?" she asked in a small scared voice. Despite trying to act adult, she was still a child, and unable to hide the fear in her voice.
"Of course I will. For as long as you need me to stay. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
Morgan, walking beside them, smiled seeing the little girl respond to JJ.
With her being a mother, he realized she was best qualified to dispel the child's fears at being alone. He gently gripped JJ's other arm causing everybody to stop. The blonde looked in his eyes and smiled her understanding.
"It's okay, Morgan, go ahead, I've got this. When you visit Hotch, give him my best."
The black agent returned her smile and nodded. "I will. Thanks." He started to walk away.
"Uncle Hotch is here?" asked Alana looking up at Morgan.
Morgan and JJ exchanged puzzled looks before both stared at the child.
"Uncle Hotch?" asked Morgan wide-eyed.
"You know Hotch?" asked JJ also wide-eyed.
Alana smiled up at them. "Uh huh. He's my uncle. Where is he? Is he here?"
"Uh…yeah. He's uh...he's sick right now and was brought here," Morgan lied.
"Can I see him?"
"We'll take you to visit him later, sweetie," JJ replied. "I promise."
"Okay. Thank you." Hearing Hotch's name relaxed the child which didn't go unnoticed by the agents.
Before anybody else could speak again, one of the attendants interrupted the conversation. "I'm sorry, but we really need to get this little lady to exam."
JJ turned toward Morgan. "He's right, Morgan. Go visit Hotch and tell him Alana Wheaton is here. I'll call you when we're done."
Morgan stood rooted in place watching until the others disappeared through the double doors of the examination room. Once they were out of sight, he smiled, turned, and headed down the hall in the opposite direction toward the bank of elevators lining the far wall. He knew it was long past the time he should have visited his leader and friend, and secretly berated himself for not having done so earlier. Up until now he only had Rossi's word for how his friend was doing. But now was as good a time as any to see how Bossman was really doing with his own two eyes.