𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓, 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋. Only Leigh and Hotch knew, but JJ was being called in from the Pentagon to work this case and get Emily back home safely. Leigh left the group to go downstairs to be the first to greet JJ from her coming-back.
"Prentiss gave me a note with four names on it," Derek said to her team as they crowded around the board full of crime scene evidence and suspect information. "Luke Renault, Lawrence Riley, Lila Rafferty, and Lyle Rodgers," he read them out.
"All with the initials LR," Seaver added.
"The CIA uses cryptograms like that to assign a non-official cover to agents working the same case," Hotch explained.
"Wait..." Penelope stood up from her seat, picking a list full of names out of Derek's grasp and pulling it closer to her eyes. "This isn't right. See this space right here? It shouldn't be here. This is a spreadsheet template, formatting errors aren't probable. There's a missing name on here."
Spencer cupped his chin with his fingers as he thought to himself, a vein in his forehead growing prominent. "Lauren Reynolds is dead.. Prentiss said that on a phone call seventeen days ago but her intinenation was not surprise or grief, it was like a mantra, like she was reminding herself."
"If Prentiss is the last name on that list, she's on Doyle's list too." Seaver let out, her arms folded across her chest.
"That explains her behavior the past month." Rossi added. The hairs stood up on the back of Leigh's neck; if they connected Emily to the case, it was just a matter of time before they connected her to it too.
Hotch pulled open Emily's desk drawer, sighing out loud to himself. "Guys," he spoke, getting their attention. He held up Emily's belongings in his hands, a worried scowl playing over his features.
