𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧 |~𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍~|

Chapter Five

Reid came into the kitchen and started making himself coffee. Just as I was putting away my mug, a woman walked into the room. "That's why you're so skinny, you know? Too much coffee," she said. It was Reid's mom. 

I closed the cabinet and left the kitchen to let Reid be alone with his mom. 

I went back to my desk and opened up the case file again. 

Just as I was reading through it for the millionth time, analyzing every single word and phrase, Reid ran into the room. "Leroy! The unsub! His name is Garner! Randall Garner!"

I followed him into the conference room and introduced myself to Ms. Reid. Then, she started telling us more about this Garner dude. Morgan, JJ, and Hotch walked in. 

"So, where are we on finding this son of a bitch?" asked Hotch. 

"I rechecked all the clues," said Reid. "There's nothing that points to an address."

"The adoption records for Rebecca listed an address of the fire, so I made a call to Nevada, and it's vacant. No one ever rebuilt," said JJ.

"Nevada? So we don't even know what state he's in?" asked Hotch.

"I'll search the tax records, see if he owns any property," said Garcia. 

"Excuse me," said Mrs. Reid. "Just before the agents got me from the hospital, a man delivered this to me. It's a photo of a house with an address on the back." 

"Shiloh, Virgina?" asked Morgan. "That's only 10 miles from here." 

"Let's go," said Hotch. 

We all stood up, grabbing our vests and guns before getting into the SUV. I put my gun in my waistband. 

We made it to the house and got out of the car. The SWAT team went in first, with Morgan and Hotch right beside them. I went behind them with Reid, my gun ready.

We found an ID on the table. It was the missing girl's. 

We started going through the house. Rebecca and Garner were here. 

I went with Reid over by the staircase. A shadow traveled across the wall and I pointed my gun upwards. 

Reid whispered into his radio, "There's someone upstairs." 

We heard a door squeak. SWAT agents started going up the stairs. I stayed next to Reid. 

"Randall Garner? FBI!" yelled Morgan. 

We ran up the stairs and then hid around the mouth of a hallway. At the end was a door. Garner was in there. 

Morgan leaned out from the corner of the wall. "All right. Cover me, I'm gonna go in."

"No, wait," said Reid. 

"What?" asked Morgan. 

Reid started speaking loudly. "Mr. Garner? My name is Spencer Reid. You were in the hospital with my mother. I think... I think she might have confused you. All we want to do is help Rebecca. That's exactly what you want, right? That's why you sent us the puzzles? That's why you said you hoped you'd be seeing us soon?"

"Ask the question," said Garner. 

"There is no magical question, Mr. Garner." Reid turned to Morgan and spoke quietly. "He believes that if I ask him the right question, it'll heal all of his wounds."

"Do you know the question?" whispered Hotch. 

"I know what he wants," said Reid. "I'm gonna move to where he can see me." He stepped out into the hallway. I tried to follow him but he held his hand out. "No, Leroy, stay right there."