And If I Fall, Let Me Part I: At Your Service - A. Hotchner x OC & Jemily

Like...good cop, bad cop?

"I knew hiring women wouldn't do us any good," Dave spat, looking down on her. Breathing in and out through her nose, avoiding eye contact, Alex looked down at the file.
"I trust you can finish this interview on your own, no fuck ups this time?" he addressed her, his tone mocking. It set off something primal in her, and she felt her cheeks growing hot. Keep it calm, play your role.

"Of course, Sir," she gave back, her voice as submissive as she could manage. Dave nodded, leaving the interrogation room.

The suspect, a woman in her late thirties, looked back at her, the expression on her face soft.

"Men can be assholes, can't they," Alex said, a bitter smile, her eyes cast on the file in front of her, "I'm sure you've had bosses like that in your team in the Navy."

Julie's and her eyes met, Alex was sure that the next answer would be the truth.

"I still do," the other woman whispered, "It's like I can't catch a break."

So men in positions of power, overpowering her. Interesting, but enough to kill three people, including a woman?

"You do catering now, I've seen you at the last three government events," Alex stated more than asked. Julie nodded.

"I didn't see your boss there, right?"

She shook her head. More hesitant last time.

"How did you like the events? Your food was amazing." Security, relationship, she needed the brunette to trust her. Alex locked eyes with her, putting all the warmth she could muster up in her hazel eyes.

"Thanks. It was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary," Julie said, shifting on her chair a little, looking up to the left corner.

"Remind me again, what was your main course?"

Establish memories, establish when she could lie, Alex thought to herself, always reminding herself what exactly she was supposed to be doing. She had never been a natural at interrogation. Strategy and situation handling was more her forte. Julie looked away to the other side.

"Uhm, roast beef with asparagus and potatoes."

Alex made a humming noise, flipping through some more pages. Pulling out the three pictures she knew would evoke more reaction, she placed them on the table.

"Do you know these three people, Julie?"

The blood drained from the other women's face and her mouth opened, but no words came out. Alex leaned in slightly. "Seen them at any one of the events lately?"

She had to admit, the pictures weren't pretty. Not even to her, or the rest of the team. But Julie, despite her Navy background, looked like she was ready to vomit. There was even a little noise of gagging.

"I've-well I...I don't know?" she asked, looking up to her again. "Why?"

Alex leaned back, willing her eyes to convey a calm she didn't feel on the inside.

"They've been killed. Executed, right after being on the same three events you worked on catering."

The soft gasp told her that Julie hadn't put together what might've been implied with her presence at the Secret Service.

"You think I...I did this?!" she said, the panic in her voice evident. "I thought this was about Eric!"

Alex squinted her eyes at her. That name didn't ring a bell at all.

"Eric?"

Julie nodded frantically, running a hand through her hair. "Eric, my boss at catering. I might have, uhm, well, I tried p-poisoning him."