“Let’s plan—when it’s done—on getting a bunch of sleep, then having a bunch of wine, then having a bunch of sex.”
“Sex, sleep, wine, more sex.”
“I can agree to that. Break,” she said, and stepped back, stared at the screen. “It’s going to work.”
“I believe that. I had a change of clothes brought in for you. They’re in your locker. You’ll feel better if you take ten minutes for yourself.”
“Probably would. Shower, change, boost. Okay, thanks. Looks like you grabbed the first two of those already.”
“I did, so I can attest you’ll feel better for doing the same.”
“I’ll be back in ten.”
She made a beeline for the locker room, and decided if the stingy piss-trickle of almost hot water in the shower felt like luxury, she’d needed it.
And the fact that Roarke had provided, in his Roarke way, a black shirt and trousers, fresh boots, a thin black jacket with magic lining told her he understood she wanted the take-no-bullshit state of mind.
In under ten she headed back to the conference room.
She caught the scent from ten feet away.
Bacon, coffee, sugar.
And from the sound of voices, cops who’d beat her back had dived right in.
Once again the Roarke way, she thought when she stepped in. Thermal dishes and platters huddled on the conference table. One look at the mountain of fluffy scrambled eggs told her he hadn’t ordered the fake stuff from Central’s Eatery.
Bacon, sausage, bagels, and damn it, she recognized the sticky buns from Jacko’s.
She watched the e-team along with Peabody, Willowby, Baxter, and Trueheart piling plates with all of it. Before she could speak, Jenkinson and Reineke barreled in behind her.
“Now this is what I call a briefing!” So saying, Jenkinson zeroed in on the sticky buns.
It was hard to blame him.
With a smile, Roarke brought her one of her own.
“I’m going to have a rescue/takedown team loaded with food.”
“Fueled,” he corrected. “Make sure you eat some eggs.”
Since it was right there, she bit into the sticky bun.
They streamed in. She gestured Lowenbaum and the two cops with him to the table. Found that nicety unnecessary with Santiago, Carmichael, and the uniforms.
Then Mira came in with Jamie Lingstrom—Feeney’s godson, summer intern, college kid. Eve just pointed at him.
“Cap asked me to come in and run the screen for the briefing,” he began.
“And I added to that.” Mira gave Jamie’s arm a pat. “He’s closer in age to the victims you’ll get out, and may be able to help reassure and keep them calm.”
“You can work in here, in the van, and with Dr. Mira. You’re not on the takedown. Not this time,” she said when he started to object. “But you’ll free up McNab, and that’s going to help. Take it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Eat. I’m waiting for the commander, then we roll.”
It’s not a damn party, she thought as Jamie spotted the sticky buns and let out a “Woo!”
“These girls will feel disoriented, afraid, displaced.” Now Mira laid a hand on Eve’s arm. “We can’t know how deep the indoctrination goes for some of them, how deep the trauma. Having Jamie, and Willowby for that matter, as she looks younger than she is, may help. It doesn’t end at getting them out.”
“I know it.”
“You do. All of you have done good work here, and when you finish that work, mine really begins. I’ve called in two other therapists, ones I trust, to help with that.”
“Okay. That’s your end. You should get something to eat before the scavengers lick the plates.”
“So should you.”
But as Eve waited by the door, itching to start, Peabody brought her a plate with a scoop of eggs, a couple slices of bacon. And the booster.
“It’s not really good to take one on an empty stomach.”
“Right.” She didn’t think she needed one, not when she felt revved again. But she’d given the order to include herself.
She funneled in a couple bites of eggs—definitely not from the Eatery—then popped the booster with the coffee Peabody handed her.
“They’re already getting the gist,” Peabody told her. “Feeney’s giving Jamie the basics so he can handle the screen. And Willowby made Trueheart blush. Twice.”
“Christ.”
“No, I think it’s a good thing. She’s going to be part of the op—an important part. It’s good to make connections. We hauled in more chairs. Not sure if it’s enough.”