It took a week.
Only a week for Mitchell Diaz's life to go down the drain.
It started out with the murders of two strangers in a city miles away. But once the BAU show up after the third murder occurs in her city, everything gets put together.
She...
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CHAPTER 40: THE NEXT CASE
MITCHELL SAT ON THE PLANE NEXT TO SPENCER AS THEY ALL SPOKE FURTHER ABOUT THE CASE,
"Single victim, unidentified." JJ sighed, "Not much to go on."
"Let's start with the basics. Those rocks were heavy, so our killer's most likely male, probably in good physical shape." Morgan sat back in his seat,
"There could be more than one unsub." Blake suggested,
Garcia appeared on the screens, "Newsflash. We just got lucky with dental records. Our Jane Doe is Gloria Carlyle, 24-year-old grammar school teacher. One red flag, and it's pretty Scarlet, carmine, crimson. She used to belong to a utopian-style sect in town. She joined it right out of high school."
Mitchell's mind immediately went towards the robe the victim was found in. Was this an inner cult killing?
"Used to belong?" Rossi questioned,
"Mm-hmm." Garcia confirmed, "She left the sect 3 months ago and she moved in with her boyfriend."
"Do we know the boyfriend's whereabouts?" JJ asked,
"He's in Alaska, so his alibi's as solid as a pre-globally-warmed glacier." The blonde answered,
"Garcia, is this sect run by a man named Herbert Sykes?" Spencer asked and Mitchell looked spat him,
What a specific question to ask.
Garcia typed for a moment, "Wonder boy, yes, it is. How'd you know that?"
"5 years ago a teenage girl was found dead on the grounds of his compound. It was determined to be an honor killing of sorts. The girl was stoned to death." Spencer informed them,
"I smell M.O." Mitchell commented,
"The rocks appear to be the cause of death in Gloria's murder as well." Blake said,
"The red flag just got redder."
"All right, Dave, you and Blake find out what you can about Gloria Carlyle from the medical examiner. Morgan and Reid, go to the crime scene. JJ, Mitchell, and I will talk to Gloria's family as well as have a chat with Herbert Sykes." Hotch ordered.
Once the jet landed in Utah, Hotch, JJ, and Mitchell got into one car and drove towards the station in Provo where both Gloria's parents and Herbert Sykes was waiting for them.
They left Herbert to sweat in the interrogation room while JJ and Mitchell spoke to the parents in a conference room. Once finished, Mitchell walked them to the door, letting them know that they would contact them with any updates while JJ and Hotch went into the interrogation room to speak with Sykes.
Mitchell walked into the other room where the one sided mirror connected to the interrogation room and watched the two agents question Sykes.
"I was, uh, shocked when I heard. Even though Gloria chose to leave the community, her loss will be felt." Sykes stated, staring down at the crime scene photos of Gloria's body,
"We spoke to Gloria's parents a little while ago and they said that you had had a fight with Gloria the day that she left the community." Hotch stated,
"This had something to do with your claim of divine heritage?" JJ asked him,
"I am the spiritual leader of my community. As such, I often speak allegorically or in parables." Herbert explained,
"But Gloria took the divine heritage business literally." JJ stated,
"Yes. She dug around in my family history looking for, uh... Who knows what." Herbert shrugged, "God, Buddha... Zeus."
Mitchell crossed her arms as she studied Sykes' postures and mannerisms as he answered the questions. He didn't seem extremely remorseful, but he also didn't seem nervous. She had a feeling that he had nothing to do with the murder.
"We were also told that Gloria was threatened by members of the community when she announced her intention to leave." Hotch stated,
Herbert shook his head, "I have no knowledge of that."
"So the friends she made there weren't told to shun her?" JJ accused and Herbert didn't say anything.
"Let's talk about the stoning death 5 years ago." Hotch's voice filled the silence,
He looked between the two agents, seeing where this interrogation was going, "Since you seem to know the answers to the questions you're asking, why don't you tell me? Look, the guilty party was sent to prison, where he belongs. What else do you want to know?"
"Reviewing the original case file, you were less than forthcoming in the initial stages of the investigation." Hotch stated,
"You hired a public relations firm in the wake of the murder." JJ continued,
"It took me years to build my community. My investment was-- is substantial. I was not going to watch it go under because of one tragic incident." He stood, "I think we're done."
"We may have some more questions, so please keep yourself available for the next few days." Hotchner told him and Herbert handed him a card,
"The law firm of Gordon, Foxman, and Mendelovich. Not local yokels... Wall Street. Drag my name through the mud on this like you did five years ago, and they'll be in touch." Herbert informed them,
Hotch stood to meet him face-to-face, "Mr. Sykes, we're investigating a murder, and I don't speak in parables, so this should be very easy to understand. If you interfere with us in any way, I will see to it that you are charged with and prosecuted for obstruction of justice."
Mitchell raised her eyebrows, "Damn, boss." It would be hard to believe that a few weeks ago he was in the hospital.
