The Story of Us

Chapter 4- Mirror Twins

"That's kind of hilarious," Derek says with a chuckle but Amanda just frowns.

"Sean didn't think so. He didn't talk to me that whole summer because he said I had embarrassed him and he hated me. Said he wished I had died in Massachusetts." Derek opens his mouth to speak but before he gets the chance, Amanda speaks again. "Why'd he kill the boyfriend?"

"What?"

"The kidnapper. Most kidnappers wouldn't kill an innocent if they want ransom money because it makes it seem like they will kill their victim once they get the money. It would've been easier to leave the boyfriend alive and just knock him out. It would make Trish more cooperative as well if he threatened to kill him."

"Killing him flat out got rid of his leverage," Morgan agrees. "But a shot to the face, that's pretty personal."

"Maybe he was after the boyfriend. What if he was the original target and while following him they found out who Trish was and took her for a payday?"

"No. The boyfriend was clean. Garcia checked him out. There was no reason to kill him unless the kidnapper just needed him out of the way." Amanda frowns but nods as the duo goes back to Elle and head to the house to meet up with the other three. The whole ride there, Amanda can't shake the feeling that they are missing something here and it isn't as cut and dry as it seems.

_______

Soon after the trio made it back to the house they got the ransom call. The moment the kidnapper demanded to talk to Cheryl, Amanda knew what they had been missing at the crime scene. She listened closely to the call, wanting to make sure that her hunch was right.

As she heard him ask Cheryl questions about her favorite color, she knew she was right. This is why as soon as the phone call finished, she pulled Aaron aside to tell him her theory.

"Amanda we're a little busy trying to find a missing girl if you hadn't noticed," he sighs in exasperation, once again knowing he's being idiotic but also getting more frustrated by her with each case she used to showcase how much better of a profiler she is.

"That's what this is about, Aaron. I don't think we're dealing with a kidnapper, we're dealing with an erotomaniac stalker. Everything about the kidnapping was almost robotic but when he was talking to Cheryl he was comfortable. He asked her about herself. He killed Trish's boyfriend unnecessarily with a gunshot to the head like it was personal because to him it was. Jordan was in his way of having Trish. He doesn't want just one twin he has to have them both simply because they are twins."

Aaron considers what she's told him and he knows it makes sense but as far as the evidence goes, it seems more like she's trying to shape this to make herself right. "Amanda you have no evidence to prove that."

"I just gave you evidence!"

"No, what you gave me was a theory and quite frankly, not a very good one." With that, he turned around and went back into the house. Amanda tried to calm down before entering as well, only to run into Morgan, who she quickly explained her theory to.

"Maybe he has a good reason not to think it's a stalker."

"Yeah, maybe," she whispers as the phone rings once more. This time, the unsub gives instructions that sound nothing like a typical kidnapper and especially not a professional kidnapper would give. His instructions are solely focused on making sure that Cheryl does everything. Amanda and Derek share a look right before he leaves with Hotch to protect Cheryl at the drop.

As the two men sit and wait, Derek explains that something feels off about what the kidnapper asked for. They both contemplate it for a moment before realizing that Amanda was right and this wasn't a drop-off; it was a second kidnapping.