A Father's Daughter

Chapter Eight

TW: This chapter contains descriptions of Drug Addiction, Alcoholism, and Overdosing

I look out the window of the car, staring at the beach we won't ever get to enjoy because we're working. We're in Florida this week on a case and it's been a difficult one. JJ and I are on the way to one of our latest victims last known address and my mind starts to wander back to the night four days ago in Spencer's apartment. His arms around me, the feeling of his lips on mine, the way the soft shirt he loaned me felt on my skin.

After the movie ended, I changed back into my dress and heels, telling Spencer that it would look ridiculous to wear heels and sweatpants. But the real reason was that I knew if I stayed in his clothes, I'd never want to give them back and my feelings would solidify. But feelings don't exactly work with the life I chose.

Spencer drove me home even though I kept insisting I could walk. I think it was just an excuse to kiss against his car outside my building, which we did. Our second kiss was as intoxicating as the first but ended just as quickly. He waited outside until I was safely in the elevator before driving away, a true gentleman.

"Ash?" JJ's voice brings me back to reality and when I reset my focus I see that we're here.

"Sorry," I say, shaking my head and getting out of the car, "I guess I'm still just tired from our wake up call this morning."

Hotch called me at 5 am to tell me we have a case in Miami, Florida and that we were leaving within the hour. By 9:30 am we were at the Miami PD station setting up and getting fully briefed on the case. So far there have been three victims, the first two were known prostitutes and the other didn't have a record, which means that the unsub is escalating, and bodies were discovered outside popular tourist attractions. The first was discovered two months ago on the grass next to on of the parking lots at Miami beach, the second was fifteen days ago in the Art Deco district outside a popular restaurant, and the final victim was found this morning at the Bayside Marketplace when one of the fish vendors was making deliveries to the restaurants.

According to the ME reports, all of their cause of deaths is drug overdose but all three also had ligature marks on their necks, wrists, and ankles which leads us to believe that there was foul play. But we were only called in with the latest victim because the cops realized it wasn't just prostitutes overdosing after a particularly kinky night with a John. The third victim's name was Sarah Henderson who was a 26 year old bartender at a bar near the University of Miami. We don't know much else about her, but we were able to find her current address so Hotch sent JJ and me to find out more.

"Yeah, I feel that," she says with a half smile. We walk up to the house and JJ rings the bell.

The door opens and an older man stands on the other side, "can I help you?"

We both nod and pull out our credentials.

"Hi, I'm Agent Ash and this is Agent Jareau with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. We were wondering if you recognize this girl," I say, showing him the photo we found on Sarah's facebook page.

He nods, "Yes, that's Sarah. She's a resident here and has been for the last six months but she hasn't been home in a couple of days. Why? Did something happen?"

"Do you think we can find somewhere to sit and talk? We just want to ask you a few questions about Sarah," JJ asks and the man gestures to the outdoor patio wicker furniture. He sits down on the couch and we each take one of the chairs. "Sir, do you know if Sarah had a problem abusing drugs or alcohol?"

He gives us a confused look and nods again, "We all do. This is a sober living house. Everyone who stays here is fresh out of rehab and needs somewhere to begin their fresh start. I've been running this house with my wife for the last twenty years after we both got sober and wanted to give back. Most residents stay with us anywhere from three months to a year and a half, we charge them very little in rent so that they can save up for a place of their own."