start a riot, criminal minds [ 3 ]

071. under the skin

"I was not so sure about hosting a baby shower for baby number 5!" Luke exclaims. "But Lisa keeps insisting that it's not a shower. It's a sprinkle."

"Any addition to the extended BAU family is a cause to gather and rejoice and to get loot in the form of baby swag." Penelope states.

"Well, we can't thank you guys enough." Kristy says.

"And when are you due?" Penelope asks.

"Oh, 8 weeks." Kristy answers.

"And you're not even a little curious if it's a boy or girl?" Penelope asks.

"I'm good, but Matt is dying to know." Kristy says.

"But we decided that since everything about this baby has just been a wonderful surprise that we will once again be surprised when he or she arrives." Matt says.

Luke, Madelyn, and Penelope all laugh.

"It's killing you, bro." Luke states.

"Yeah, killing me." Matt nods. "I came this close to bribing the doctor." He says, holding his pointer finger and thumb a couple inches apart.

+++

"This deceased gentleman is John Doe number 2." Penelope states. "He was found about an hour ago deep in the woods of the Ellis Pines Regional Park."

"Might be harder to tell with John Doe number 1, but with 2 here, it's pretty clear animals didn't tear off his skin." Luke says.

"There's no question we're dealing with an unsub wrestling with violent sexual impulses." Spencer says. "However, neither the staging of the bodies nor the removal of their torsos' skin speaks to the same manifestation of lust violence expressed in Everett Lynch's previous kills."

"That manifestation is evolving, and I think it started the moment he thought about cutting off my face." Rossi says.

"But he didn't or couldn't because he had at least enough control over himself to understand that killing an FBI agent would bring the full weight of law enforcement down on him." Matt says.

"Our original profile of Lynch didn't indicate any sexual fluidity, and without that, I don't see how we'd be able to shift his victimology from women to men." Tara says.

"Also, why would our guy go from burning his victims trying to make it look like an accident?" Luke asks. "And now he's just leaving them somewhere where they can be obviously found?"

"Right now, I don't want any of us to presume anything about this case." Emily says. "JJ, Maddie, Spence, I'd like you to walk the crime scene at Ellis Pines."

Spencer immediately looks at Madelyn for her reaction, although she hides it. He glances at JJ who glances at him, both immediately looking away.

"Matt, Luke, Baltimore county is sending a new pathologist in. I need you to coordinate with whomever that is." Emily tells them. "Tara and Dave, focus on victimology. Whoever we're dealing with here is still clearly on the hunt."

+++

They're walking down a hill in the woods, Madelyn first. She gets to the bottom of the hill when she hears JJ exclaim. She turns back, watching Spencer prevent JJ from crashing into him and sending them both to the ground. He manages to get her up, hands still resting on her sides for a moment, her hands on his arms. JJ awkwardly chuckles.

"Sorry." She tells him.

"You two want a minute alone, or..." Madelyn questions, shrugging, raising her eyebrows.

"Mad--"

"Agents!" The cop's call cuts Spencer off. "The crime scene is right this way."

"Careful, Jennifer, there's sticks. Wouldn't want you to trip again. Hill wasn't that steep, you know." Madelyn remarks, following the cop.