the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

004. boxed in

"How's the Parker kid doing?" Rossi asks.

"He's physically stable, but he's vacillating between catatonic and completely freaked out." Penelope says.

"So I'm guessing he's not talking much." Kate says.

"If the pattern holds, another boy will go missing tomorrow night." JJ says.

"And we're headed to San Diego to prevent that from happening." Hotch says. "Weather permitting, wheels up in 30."

+++

"Thank you for waiting." The doctor tells the three as she walks out of Joshua Parker's room. "Well, his physical prognosis is actually quite good. He's exhausted and slightly dehydrated, but somebody made sure he ate, maybe even gave him vitamin supplements."

"Were his muscles atrophied by any chance?" Spencer asks.

"Yes. Badly." The doctor says. "He's going to need physical therapy, but in time he should make a full recovery."

"What about splinters and puncture wounds? Any sign of those?" Spencer asks.

"Yes, both." The doctor says.

"When do you think he might be able to talk to us?" Bedelia asks.

"Uh, no time soon, I'm afraid. It's his mental state that concerns me. He's sedated now, but when he first came in, he was unable to communicate and extremely agitated." The doctor says.

"How so?" Spencer asks.

"He was violent, tried to escape several times, kept screaming, "Let me out, let me out." We restrained him and that only made things worse. I can't even imagine what he's been through." She says. "Excuse me for a moment?" JJ nods and the doctor walks off.

""Let me out." What was he in?" JJ asks.

"A box." Spencer says.

"A box?" Bedelia asks and Spencer nods.

"A wooden one, and I'm guessing it wasn't very big." He says.

"Makes sense. Splinters, no physical activity." JJ says.

"What about the puncture wounds?" Bedelia asks.

"Nails. The box was probably homemade." Spencer says.

+++

"Just got off the phone with Morgan." Rossi says, walking over. "Tanner didn't take either of those boys and he doesn't have a partner. He was attention seeking."

"So it's a single unsub." Spencer says.

"Wow. A pedophile willing to go to prison just for some spotlight. Talk about desperate." JJ says.

"The glory of stolen thunder." Rossi says.

"The ego's a powerful motivator." Hotch says. "What's the status on Joshua Parker?"

"He's still sedated." Spencer says.

"Even if he weren't, he's in pretty bad shape mentally." Bedelia says. "I doubt he'd be able to give us much... or probably even anything."

"Excuse me, agents." The detective walks up. "We got our street patrols doubled and the press is ready for a statement."

"Good. Time to get the word out." Hotch says.

"It's gonna be dark soon." Rossi says.

+++

"Nobody saw anything." JJ says.

"Even if they did, it's Halloween. He could be in costume. We could be looking for Spongebob for all we know." Rossi says.

JJ whistles.

"Hello over there. Share, please." She tells Spencer who is staring at the garage door.

"Hey, kid, speak your mind." Derek says.

"Spencie." Bedelia calls in a sing song voice after he still doesn't reply to the other two.

"The transcript's." He says.

"We're gonna need more than that, babe." Bedelia tells him.

"Sorry. The transcripts of the police interview with the first victim's mother, Charlotte Wilcox, I read them." Spencer says, walking over.

"And?" JJ asks.

""Mrs. Wilcox, do you remember anything unusual about the night Tommy disappeared? No, nothing. Are you absolutely sure? There's nothing. Anything might help. I don't know. Toilet paper maybe. Sorry, ma'am? I went to the store to buy toilet paper and when I got back I couldn't find it. But what could that have to do with anything? Oh, God, I can't believe this is happening."" Spencer recites.

"Tommy took the toilet paper. He was out TPing houses." Derek says.

"Hunter Olson was egging houses." Bedelia says.

"Joshua Parker had disciplinary problems." JJ adds. "Bad boys all around."

"We should deliver the profile." Derek says.

+++

They finished the case and are back home. Ellie leaves and the two parents go into their 10 month old's room.

Theodora babbles once she sees them, using the bars of her crib to help her stand up.

"Hi, baby." Spencer softly greets, picking her up. Theodora giggles, wrapping her arms around his neck, and digging her face into his shoulder.

"What, I don't get anything?" Bedelia frowns.

"Hey. You see mommy?" Spencer asks, gently making Theodora move her head.

Theodora babbles, reaching an arm out to her mom and making a grabby hand motion.

"Hi, baby." Bedelia grins, kissing her daughter's cheek multiple times until the little girl can't stop giggling.