Escaping to the Genius

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"I want Celeste, Reid, and JJ at the station. Morgan, you and Rossi go to the crime scene. Prentiss and I will talk to the families."

Celeste clambered into the backseat of the SUV that JJ got in the driver's seat of. Spencer closed the door to the passenger side, and off they went.

During the drive Spencer and JJ carried on, talking about the case normally. Celeste recognized with great relief that she could understand and follow what they were saying. Maybe she wouldn't be completely useless.

For most of the drive she just listened, taking in the town she'd left three months before, seeing it in reverse as they drove away from the airport.

There was the elementary school that she spent three years in. And city hall, which was placed strategically close to help keep potential criminals away from the elementary school and the bank, which was next door. She'd been inside the bank twice, once with a forged signature from Brent.

Next she saw a small neighborhood-one so quaint and quiet she could imagine only nice people lived in it. Then the church, which she'd been to on occasion, praying that someone heard her and would take her away. Celeste shook her head, wondering why she had never asked Spencer before to get her out.

Finally, the police station. The one she had passed day after day, week after week, staring longingly at its doors, hoping someone would just run out and take her away. She never had the courage to walk inside, always going to the library on the other side of it.

They pulled into the police station. "Celeste?" Spencer said, drawing her attention.

"Where was Maureen killed?" Celeste asked, speaking of the librarian.

"In the library."

They got out of the SUV, walking inside. Celeste lingered. The library was her only solace for so many years, and now it was a crime scene.

"Sweetheart?" Spencer asked, pausing at the door. She pulled her gaze away from the tan building.

"He had to be either very drunk or very sober to be stupid enough..." she trailed off. "It's right next door to the police station."

"It could be anyone," Spencer said. She nodded and started toward him.

"I know. I just can't shake the feeling that it was pointed at me." She shuddered and walked inside.

Spencer watched her, her body language. She crossed her arms and hunched her shoulders as she walked to JJ, her head down, eyes on the floor. And he sighed. If it hadn't been Brent, then who was it? And was it a coincidence that it just happened to be Maureen who was killed?

~

Celeste sat, listening, thinking. That's what she was good at after all.

As the team made headway in getting a profile, she stayed quiet, hearing Garcia on and off, listening to her dad mutter under his breath, JJ thinking aloud. At some point Morgan and Rossi joined in, voicing their opinions and findings. Finally Hotch and Prentiss.

Noise, noise, and noise.

He was sloppy.

That shot was at point-blank range, and he almost missed.

He was brave.

He wanted to draw attention.

He's smart enough to have left.

We need to see the body.

"Can I go?"

Everyone stopped suddenly, looking at the girl who had been so silent for the past hour. Spencer looked surprised. "Celeste-"

"I've seen Brent shoot, and I know what kind of gun he has. I can go and see once and for all if it was him or not."

Hotch didn't look convinced. "Morgan and Prentiss are going, if you're alright with that." He meant, she thought, with seeing a dead body for the first time without Spencer there.

"That's fine."

Morgan nodded. "Okay then, Mia. Let's go."

Spencer kept her a moment longer. "Sweetheart, if you think..." he struggled to say what he was thinking, for the first time.

"I know." She smiled and walked out.

~

Prentiss watched Celeste closely as they walked into the morgue.

"SSA Derek Morgan, this is Agent Emily Prentiss," Morgan said.

The coroner regarded Celeste with narrowed eyes. "Who's she?"

"She's with us." Morgan didn't need to change the tone of his voice to intimidate the man; he was already intimidating enough.

They followed him in and the coroner pulled a table out, uncovering the head. Prentiss asked a few questions, letting Morgan observe Celeste and the body.

"This was at point-blank range?" Celeste said. Morgan nodded. "He was definitely high. His hands don't shake when he's drunk."

"High? On what?"

"Meth? Pot?" She shrugged. "I never paid attention."

He nodded. "So, this look like Brent?"

She pulled on a pair of gloves and avoided looking at anything but the wound as she crouched and stared from different angles.

"Was there any other trauma to the body?" Prentiss asked.

The coroner nodded and pulled the sheet down to reveal her stomach. Thankfully a band was wrapped around her top.

M I A

Celeste gasped and took a step back, right into Morgan. He gripped her, careful to make sure he wasn't holding too tight, just enough that she didn't fall over.

"That's all, thank you." They left, Celeste nearly running to the car as she pulled out her phone.

"Celeste, are you okay?" Spencer asked as soon as he picked up. She took a deep breath, slamming the door closed.

"I need you to stay on the line, okay? I just need that."

"Sweetheart, what happened?"

"I'll tell you when we get back." She leaned back, her hand gripping the seat tightly.

"Celeste..."

"Just stay on the line. Please." Her voice for thick, and Spencer just listened to her breathe.

He did as she asked, silently keeping the phone glued to his ear. He could hear her trying not to cry, and he knew something had happened; something more than just seeing a body.

Celeste could barely hold herself together. Before, she had only considered that Brent was the cause of this, but now she knew.

Her uncle was now a murderer, and he was after her and everyone she loved.