1 | Undeniable Chemistry [S. Reid]

xv. phosphorus

"WELL, THE MEDIA COVERAGE actually helped. Neighbors were hypervigilant. As soon as they heard the gunfire, they called the police." JJ says as soon as she hangs up on the phone.

"Did he leave a message this time?" Rossi asks as Matt walks in with Detective Kursbard right behind.

"He actually left a baby in the closet." Kursbard answers, making Willow wince softly.

"There's got to be some kind of message in that." Emily sighs softly, as she looks from the file up to Matt.

"He's taunting us. He's leaving behind witnesses That are too little to help." Matt says, coming to his own conclusion.

"Ok. Why them? Why now?" Emily asks as she walks up to the board, pointing at it, as she turns to look at the team. "He killed these 2 women before the rolling blackouts. What is it about them? He killed them in a busy, well-it area. It was nothing like the others."

"It's, uh, shootin' Newton. People hear gunfire down there all the time. He probably fit right in." Detective Kursbard says as he walks closer to Emily and leans again the table.

"It was in your division." Emily points out.

"Hey, he had to start somewhere." Matt shrugs, making Emily raise an eyebrow.

"So you think it's just a coincidence?" She asks him.

"All right, let's say it's not. What does that mean, he wanted our attention?" Matt asks as he sits down.

"Well, he certainly has it." Detective Kursbard muses.

"You're sure you never worked anything like this before?" Derek asks the two Detectives.

"Trust me, this guy makes an impression."

"He started his career 26 years ago." Hotch says, clearly thinking out loud.

"Same as me. You think this is because of me? That all these people are dead because of that?" Kursbard asks as he sees the looks on the FBI agents' faces.

"Two women killed in your division, no survivors. Then a couple, leaving the wife as a witness. Then a mother, leaving the son. Now two parents, but a baby survives." Hotch explains to the Detective.

"If there's some kind of pattern, I've never seen it before." Detective Kursbard admits.

"He circled back to L. A. For a reason." Hotch says firmly.

"The first two murders here in L. A. County were close by. Long beach is on the cusp of L. A. and orange counties." Spencer points out.

"Let's look into that one." Rossi says, making Spencer, Willow and Derek read through the files of those crimes.

"Home invasion. Husband was shot. Wife was left alive." Spencer says briefly.

"Sounds familiar."

"What's the next one?" Hotch asks them.

"After Long Beach, he went to Santa Monica. Wait a minute. Spicer, do you have family out there?" Derek asks, looking up from the file to look at Matt.

"Yeah, that's where I grew up." Matt answers with a nod.

"Home invasion robbery, double homicide. Joe and Sylvia Spicer were killed." Derek reads from the file, causing Matt to frown.

"Those are my parents. It doesn't make any sense. Let me see that." Matt says, as Derek hands him the file. "They died in a car accident. A drunk driver."

"Who told you that?" Derek asks him.

"My grandparents. I remember my grandfather waking me up. I was sick the night they died. I had a fever. How would I not remember that happening to them?" Matt wonders to himself.

"Maybe your grandparents never told you, Matt. They were trying to protect you." Kursbard points out.

"They lied?" Matt asks, slightly out of breath from the shock.

"You were the first child he left alive." Hotch points out.

"You've been all over the news." JJ says softly as she walks closer to the round table.

"This guy knows who you are." Derek concludes, causing Matt to shake his head in disbelief. Matt walks out of the room, Derek quickly following behind. Willow bites her lip as she puts the file down.

"Okay. Let's look into more cases." Hotch instructs the rest of the team, all going to where all the office tables are dispersed. Willow sits down at in one of the chairs, while JJ sits on the table.

"This is messed up." JJ breaths out, making Willow look up at her with a nod of agreement. "Why do you think he's trying to taunt him? What's your Psychological view on this?"

"Although he may not remember that night, unconsciously it has lead Detective Spicer to make all the decisions that lead him to becoming a Detective. Taunting someone, is usually to try and show off power to the person. I don't know why he'd taunt Spicer though." Willow admits, making JJ nod in agreement.

"Yeah. That's the key." JJ sighs, as Willow takes a quick glance at Spencer, who is in his own thoughts. JJ notices it, and smiles softly. "I don't need to be a great Profiler to see you have a thing for Spencer."

"What?" Willow snaps her head up to look at JJ with wide eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. It's okay. I get it. He matches your intellectual level, he's always there for you, he makes you happy, he's cute. Come on. I won't tell anyone." JJ smiles happily, making Willow huff.

"You won't tell anyone, because there's nothing to tell." Willow says, making JJ roll her eyes playfully. Before the blonde can give a response, the Detective and Derek would out of the office.

"Ok, why is he doing this?" Matt asks the team, who look up at him.

"He keeps a survivor so that they'll never forget him, but with you, it goes beyond that, because..." Spencer trails off, making Willow's eyes widen in realisation.

"He believes he turned you into the city's hero. If your parents weren't killed, you might not have become a detective." Willow says, making JJ look at her as she also starts to understand better.

"Yeah, but how would he know that? It's not like he stayed in L. A. He's been all over the country." Matt points out.

"The press has talked about your history. He's not a part of it." JJ explains briefly.

"And he wants that recognition. He wants everyone to know what he's done to you." Derek finishes off.

"How's he gonna do that?" Matt asks as he looks at Derek.

"Is that your daughter?" Hotch asks as he looks at a picture on one of the desks, catching the attention of the detective. "Where is she?"

"She's with my sister at my house"