Selcouth | Criminal Minds | Spencer Reid

Chapter 20

"One Good Man Does Not Make Up For The Evil In Another"
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I SHAKE MY HEAD rather quickly; which in hindsight really wasn't my smartest move. My head pounds with the movement and I wince in pain.

"Are you insinuating that I'm pregnant JJ?" I question her in disbelief.

"Who's pregnant?" Emily asks, joining us in our little corner.

"I'm just saying it's worth looking into," JJ shrugs.

"I'm not pregnant!" I hiss, resisting the urge to stomp away.

Emily starts to speak, but Hotch's voice ringing out catches everyone's attention.

"We need to ID and profile the unsub responsible for today's shooting; we need to determine if this was a lone attack or if more are coming," He booms, striding towards the stairs as everyone races to catch up, including Morgan with my bottle of water.

"Isn't it a bit odd that the unsub helped me and Spence from the elevator?" I question Morgan, taking a swig from the bottle of water he presents me with.

"Actually, it really isn't surprising considering how manipulative yet charismatic pyscopaths can be; take Ted Bundy for example; he was extremely charismatic and didn't really give off a very threatening vibe when he approached his victims, quite the opposite really," Spence rattles off from behind us as we approach the bullpen.

It's like a lightbulb has gone off in my brain when Spence mentions Ted Bundy and my brain rushes to piece the jumble together.

"What are you thinking Nat?" Emily questions as we all settle around the table.

"The unsub seemed comfortable with that gun and I know it could be for any number of reasons, but what if he has struck before?" I offer.

"You can stop calling him an unsub now sugar plum; I have a name for you: Garrett Stevenson, 27, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota," Garcia yells as she flies into the room, her coffee sloshing in her mug.

"Oh Garcia, you never cease to amaze me," I beam, glad to finally have a name as Garcia pulls up Stevenson's file.

"I know; but on to the nitty and gritty of digging into Garrett Stevenson's past which spoiler alert; isn't so spotless," Garcia exclaims, fiddling with her remote.

"He was adopted as an infant by a Peggy Stevenson and has a juvenile record that I just unsealed and some of the charges include animal cruelty, voyeurism, and shoplifting," Garcia pipes up.

"All signs point to him being a psychopath, but if that's true; it's hard to believe that this unsub was being controlled by someone or a group of people rather," I muse out loud, flicking through his files.

"Garrett has a long history of accidents; what if he's a sociopath and was influenced by an abusive environment; his stepfather does have prior charges that were later dropped of domestic abuse and child abuse," I continue, barely looking up from my tablet as I read.

"That would make sense; he would be impressionable," Rossi agrees, his glasses slipping down his nose as he reads.

"Guys, we're trying to work off the fact that he may be working for someone; but what if this is just one isolated incident?" Morgan broaches.

"Ok, hold up!" I exclaim, pulling up the list of numbers coming and going from the phone found on Stevenson's body.

"There are a lot of hang up calls to these two numbers..." I trail off.

"I'm already on it; if any of those numbers go live, I'll know; unless they're disposable of course," Garcia rushes, practically sprinting from the room.

I still manage to wonder how she runs in heels, but that's a question for yet another day.

"Hey, Nat, notice anything odd about those calls?" Emily questions, pointing at the screen.

My eyes widen when I recognize the pattern emerging.

"They seem to be communicating using the amount of time the call lasts for," I muse.

"Where's his phone at, I need to see it!" I exclaim, jumping up quickly.

"It's in evidence; why do you need it?" Morgan questions curiously.

"Morgan, go wait downstairs in the lobby and if that phone rings; you tell me the exact time it rang at; got it?" I order, sprinting from the room towards evidence.

JJ jogs to catch up with me and I swipe my badge at the door, the light beside the door flashing green before unlocking.

I rush past the tech and snap on a pair of gloves before grabbing the phone from it's bag.

My own phone chimes and lights up with the message, I'm downstairs, now what?

I flip the burner open and redial the most recently dialed number, pressing the phone against my ear.

It rings with no answer and I slide it back into it's bag, ignoring JJ's confused glance as I peer down once again at my phone.

The message is simple, but damning.

It rang.

A/N:
JJ with that 6th sense! And wow, I'm on a roll. Two chapters in two days! I think it's because I'm excited to write the upcoming chapters! Let's shoot for two more tomorrow...or not because I won't be home till quite late...