The BAU's Hunter

EP#3: Won't Get Fooled Again

Elle and I looked at everything in the house, I looked through some papers on the counter and smiled at a photo of Clurman and his wife. "So Detective Morrison was into you. How did that make you feel when he was checking you out?" I heard Elle ask. I dry heaved, causing Elle to cackle, "That was so uncomfortable, and he didn't tell it to me." I heard Hotch chuckle in the kitchen and then his phone rang, "Yeah? What about the materials we found? Okay." Hotch hung up the phone and I walked into the kitchen with Elle. "Look at this. This is their nephew in Texas and according to Mrs. Clurman, he was staying with them for a month and left last week," Elle said, showing us a picture frame.

"Mercury switches are a little sophisticated for a twelve-year-old kid," Hotch said looking at Elle confused. Elle looked serious, "I'm not saying he's the unsub, but boys his age like to blow stuff up." Hotch nodded, "I'll call Morrison. He'll contact the local P.D. and pick up the kid and talk to him. Or I can get Hydrangea to do it," Hotch smirked and looked at me.

I glowered at him, "Well, Dean. It looks like I won't be home later. I'm going to go drown myself." Elle and Hotch chuckle at my dramatics. I scoff, "That is so gross. I can't with either of you. I'm going to go look around some more." With that I walked off, hearing them chuckle. 

-Later-

I'm sitting in the briefing room at Palm Beach P.D., on the phone with Dean, with everyone listening. "Dean, I'll have to ask. I know it's important and an emergency. I can't just take off and not expect my boss to ask. I swear I'll ask when this case is done and I'll let you know. How long will this take? Two weeks?! What happened? Shit. Fine, okay. Yeah. I love you, too. Bye." I hung up the phone and sighed, "Well, this isn't good." Gideon looked at me in concern, "What's wrong?" I ran a hand through my hair, "My husband's uncle has decided that he is going to hole himself up in his house and refuse to let anyone in. He won't talk to anyone and Dean thinks I can get through to him. The problem is, his uncle got jumped and has refused to go to the hospital." Spencer set a hand on my shoulder, "We can help." I shook my head, "Thank you, but I don't think the BAU will last if all of us leave for two weeks because of a stubborn middle-aged man." Hotch nodded, "Take the two weeks to kick his ass into gear. Come straight back. Don't worry about anything." 

I smiled, "Thank you, Hotch. I'll keep you updated on everything and let you know when I am heading back." Hotch and Gideon nodded, smiling at me. "Okay. Morgan emailed these over. The three on the left are the bombs from yesterday. The one on the right's from the evidence room at Quantico," Hotch said, showing us the photographs. Spencer leaned forward, "They're all identical, made with steel reinforcement rods."

Gideon sighed, "Adrian Bale." Morrison looked confused, "Who?" Elle and I shared a look as Hotch explained, "He held our agents in a standoff in Boston last year. He took out six agents and a hostage with one of his bombs." Elle kept looking at the pictures, "So you're thinking he's behind this?" 

I shook my head, "Someone could idolize him and be making replicas. That might be another option." Morrison grinned and winked at me, "Smart and beautiful. It's a shame that you're married." I chuckled nervously as Spencer scrunched up his nose and glanced at Elle. 

"Possibly, but he's in prison. Andra's theory might be more believable. He's got kind of a cult following like Charles Manson," Spencer said pinching his lips together. Morrison crossed his arms, "There's one way to find out. Let's put the screws to this guy."

Gideon took a drink of water, "No, no, no. He's too smart. If we want information from him, we have to handle him carefully, even then you have to assume that road will lead nowhere." Morrison looks hard at Gideon, "You're saying the connection to Bale doesn't help us at all?" Gideon shakes his head, "No, I'm just saying let us handle Bale. Our luck, you would ask Malik to dress up nicely and go flirt with Bale a bit to get information." I looked up from the photos, "I only do that at bars when I want a free drink and my husband is playing pool."