Running

Chapter 18

After three torturous hours of searching all of the abandoned properties in town, we get back to the station at 5:10 with a pizza.

"Nothing?" Miller asks us as we walk through the doors.

"Nope. What about the road blocks?"

"Not even a single person has tried to leave town. Dead end. Seems we're getting a lot of those aren't we?"

"Sure does and it sucks ass," Morgan groans.

"It's shitty, that's what it is. But for now, we just need to figure out who the kidnapper is. How many thirty year old men work at the market?" I ask.

"Honestly? Just the four you already have. Seth, Logan, Connor, Daniel... oh, and a Castiel Ridgerton. He works there too."

"Okay. Well, we should call them all in for questioning. They can come on there own volition."

We all agree and a few phone calls later as well as one full hour, the three other suspects walk in.

The team splits ways to interview them all. Rossi and JJ. Morgan and Prentiss. Spencer and Hotch. Meanwhile I'm stuck on the outside, watching and 'taking a break.'

I try to start conversations with other officers but the suspense is too much, so I go to an anteroom. Spencer and Hotch are talking with Daniel Sherman.

"What's your impression on Eleanor Grace?" Hotch asks.

"Nora? What, do you mean what do I think of her? I think she was a kid who had no other choice. Who wants to send there dad to prison?"

"Not a lot of people."

"Exactly. So if you're asking whether or not I blame her for what happened to my sister, the answer is no. The answer will also be no for Logan, and for Connor. Seth on the other hand? He's hated her since day one."

"So what are you implying?"

"I'm implying that Maisyn Tate looks a lot like Nora did. And whoever took her, must've really had something against Nora at the moment. And the only person I know who hates Nora at all, would be Seth. Or her sister Rachael. But you've already determined that the kidnapper is a man."

"And how do you know that?"

"What, looking for a slip? You made a profile on the news yesterday. But besides that, small town, not to many mouths. Word gets around faster than you can say Supercalafragilisticexpialidoucious, whether you want it to or not. As well as that, the town watched a man take Payton. What else?"

"Where were you when Payton was abducted?"

"Watching in confusion, like everyone else. And if you want to confirm my alibi you can ask Terry and Joe. They were standing right next to me."

Hotch nods. "Alright. Thank you, Daniel, for coming to speak with us."

"No problem. Can I go?" He asks as he stands. Hotch nods and he leaves the room, Hotch and Reid following shortly after.

"He blames Seth," Spencer says as he meets me in the hall.

"I heard... but Seth was here, or, getting arrested when she disappeared right?"

"Well... there was a six minute space between the abduction and when Hotch and Rossi got there. And on top of that the manager said theyd only just gotten back from break... He could've easily left and no one would have been the wiser. We just need to figure out how close he lives to the store."

"I already have Garcia on it," Hotch says as he walks back down the hall to join us.

"I just spoke to Derek. Connor said pretty much the same thing about Seth that Daniel did. But Castiel asked for a lawyer almost right as the questioning started."