EVER SICNE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HOTCH, I'VE BEEN GOING INTO THE BAU EARLIER TO STUDY WITH ROSSI. There's no specific qualifications or test I need to pass to be a hostage negotiator. It's just when I feel comfortable.
We've had a few "mock" sessions where he will be an unsub and I will try to talk him down. He tells me I'm doing really well. One of the best he's seen.
Since I was already at the BAU this morning, Emily met me there with a coffee.
"You are the best." I let out and kissed her.
"And don't you forget it." She mused.
"Get a room!" Derek exclaimed behind me. I rolled my eyes and flipped him off.
"Leave them alone, Derek. Just because they're getting action and you're not, doesn't mean you have to be bitter." Penelope said as we walked through the BAU doors together.
"I get plenty of action, mama." Derek defended, clearly hurt Pen wounded his masculinity. Garcia gave him a look that told him she wasn't convinced. "I do!"
"I'm sure." I replied sarcastically. He muttered something else under his breath but we were already walking into the conference room.
JJ was at the table, downing a 5 hour energy.
"Oh, you're not messing around." Emily let out.
JJ swallowed hardly and spoke, "Mm. Will's away all week, so I am pulling double duty with Henry."
"Please tell me we are still on for Saturday night because I have had it circled on my calendar for the last 23 and a half days, which apparently from the look of you, you did not." Penelope rambled. We were all supposed to finally have our girls night.
"Ooh, Garcia paid good money for those salsa lessons." I let out.
"I'll get a sitter." JJ replied. She better.
Hotch walked in and Garcia got started right away.
"Okay, Atlanta field office has a serial on their hands. Two prostitutes stabbed and staged in the last two weeks." Penelope said and showed us the pictures. It wasn't pretty.
"Atlanta's crime rate has skyrocketed over the past few years, especially the proliferation of solicited sex and drug use in the downtown district." Spencer explained.
"Maybe this guy thinks he's cleaning up the city." Emily suggested. Wouldn't be the first time we saw that happen.
"It's rare for an unsub who targets prostitutes to pose the bodies. Means of disposal usually reflects how the person feels towards them." JJ pointed out. She was on to something, though. The bodies were neatly placed, despite the brutal murder.
"It looks like he didn't think poorly of his victims. Even kept them dressed." Rossi added.
"He could be filled with remorse. The arms are folded, the bodies are laid to rest in a quiet park outside the city. Maybe he knew them." Derek suggested.
"It could be personal. There's a lot of rage in these kills. Multiple stab wounds." I continued.
"What about sexual violations?" Rossi asked.
"No. The M.E.'s report says there's no evidence of sexual activity before death." Hotch replied. Now that's a cause for concern.
"So, what's he doing with them?" Garcia muttered.
"That's what we need to find out. Wheels up in 20." Hotch let out.
Someone kills prostitutes in a brutal manner, but shows remorse at the disposal site and there's no evidence of sexual activity? That is one strange killer.
—
On the jet, we talked about this more.
"Both of the victims had $250 on them when they were found. Why wouldn't the unsub take that?" Emily asked. I looked to her with solemn eyes. I will never get over how effortlessly beautiful this woman is. She was wearing a black turtle-neck with black pants. So simple yet so perfect on her.
"It's a lot to pass up. Money must not be on his mind." Rossi replied.
"Dumping the bodies certainly is. He chose two different parks outside of Atlanta." JJ added.
"The parks are 15 miles apart and 40 minutes from the city. It speaks to his comfort zone." Spencer said.
"Or he didn't want to return to the same location and risk getting recognized." Derek suggested. Could be that, too.
"Hey, guys, I hate to be the messenger of sad things, but yet another body has been discovered by some joggers at yet another park. Her name's Rebecca Moore, and get this- a missing persons report was filed on her." Garcia spoke over the phone. Prostitutes almost never get a missing persons report filed.
"Well, how long was she missing?" I asked, confused.
"36 hours."
"Who filed it?" Emily asked.
"Her friend Allyson Parker."
"Prentiss, you and Parks find out from Allyson if she has any insight on why Rebecca was targeted. Morgan, Reid, and JJ, go to the disposal site, and Dave and I will set up at the field office." Hotch instructed.
Let's get to work.
—
As soon as we landed, Emily and I went to see Allyson. She was a pretty woman. We found out before we got here she is another prostitute. That's how her and Rebecca met.
"We're very sorry for your loss." I said sincerely.
"How long were you and Rebecca friends?" Emily asked.
"3 years." Allyson replied, as her voice started to strain.
"You two had each other's backs. That's why you filed the report?" Emily asked.
"It was almost two days. I thought she was at the police station. Getting locked up is better than disappearing with one of them." Allyson replied. She was clearly upset about all of this.
"So what made you think something was wrong?" I asked.
"She always came back. Bad as it was, this place was home, you know?"
"Did she have any regular customers?" I then asked.
"We all do."
"Rebecca had over $250 on her." I revealed.
This was news to Allyson. "She did?"
"What would that kind of money get a customer?" Emily asked.
"A lot."
"Like, all night, or?" I asked.
"Nowadays? Yeah." Allyson replied, monotonously.
We needed to go a different route with this. "We need to take you back to the last time you saw Rebecca. Where were you standing?" Emily asked.
"About here."
"Facing which way?" I asked.
"Street." She replied and gestured her head. "A truck pulled up. He was one of my regulars. I was talking to him through the window when Rebecca pulled up in a silver beamer."
"Did you recognize the car?" Emily asked.
"No. It must have been a new customer."
"What did she do after that?" I asked.
"She looked back at me and started walking down the block. That's the last time I saw her." She paused. "Wait a second. There was an older gray van. I've seen it around here before. It was parked there a long time."
"A van? Where?" I asked.
She pointed a little down the street. "It parks right there." This is something.
"Could you make out a license plate?" Emily asked.
"No, it was dark."
I then noticed the sign that said no parking because it was a loading zone. That's interesting.
"How long was it there?" I asked.
"A few hours probably. Why?" Allyson asked.
"It's a loading zone. Permit parking only." I replied.
We thanked her for her time and wrapped this up. Every time after I meet with prostitutes, I feel awful because what made them resort to a life like this? None of them want it but they feel they don't have a choice.
We drove back to the station and called Garcia.
"Speak and you shall be heard."
"Garcia, I need you to check tickets in the downtown Atlanta area. Specifically on a gray van parked in a loading zone for a few hours." I said.
I heard her do some typing. "I got nothing."
I sighed. "Thanks, Garcia. Can you pull permit vendors? Same area."
"Anything for you, sweet cheeks." She spoke and hung up.
Emily moved her head from the road for a second to look at me. "You do have sweet cheeks."
I shook my head and smiled.
She then placed her hand on my thigh. This is a new hobby she's picked up. How hot and bothered can she make Delia while we are working?
The answer is a lot. And she does it purposely because she knows the affect she has on me.
You see, I'd do the same thing back to her but I don't want her to jerk the wheel and send us into a tree. She offered to drive today which I felt was odd because I always drive. Now, I see why.
"Emily, don't you dare." I let out with a deep breath.
"Or what?" She paused as she stuck her hand in my pants. She's going for it today. As soon as she did, I sucked in a deep breath. "You don't seem to be in the position to be making any moves, Delia."
Exhibitionist Emily is not something I expected to see when we started dating, much less when she came back from Paris. Now, after some time and healing, it almost makes sense. We missed out on some parts of our relationship because of our job. Of course we would never do anything to jeopardize the team.
That doesn't mean we can't have fun without them, though.
Before I knew it, she was sliding her finger throughout my entire core, causing me to gasp. It's a good thing these cars don't have cameras in them.
She started to pump her fingers in and out of me while somehow keeping us on the road. This was the last thing I was expecting. I didn't wake up today thinking she'd finger me in a work car.
But it turned me on even more.
My breaths were starting to go deeper and she was staring to go faster.
Just as I was about to reach my high, she pulled her fingers out. My jaw dropped and I turned to face her. She was wearing a smirk from ear to ear.
That bitch.
She put her fingers in her mouth and licked whatever remained. God, she's so hot.
I was pissed, though.
"I can't believe you just did that." I muttered. I was so close.
"I can't just let you cum every time, Delia. Where's the fun in that?" She let out.
If looks could kill, she'd be dead.
Before either of us could say anything else, we pulled into the station. We all needed to meet back up and discuss. We walked in and saw the agent at the field office, Agent Brooks, Derek, Hotch, JJ, Rossi and Spencer were at the table. Emily and I marched in like the events in the car didn't take place.
"Allyson remembered seeing a van parked on the street the night that Rebecca disappeared." Emily spoke.
"And she'd seen it before. But get this- it was parked in a loading zone for hours." I added.
"Well, why don't we check any recent tickets?" Brooks suggested.
"Our analyst already did that. Nothing." I replied.
"It's not a residential area, so a vendor maybe. Garcia's pulling permits now." Emily added.
"He's done this 3 times before. Each victims is left with 250. That's a $750 investment he didn't have to make." Rossi spoke.
"He has every chance to take that money back, but he buries it with them instead." Derek added.
"It could be an obsession or manifestation of his guilt." Emily suggested. The behavior doesn't match.
"Everything that happened postmortem- keeping them dressed, crossing their arms, laying them to rest- it's all very nurturing. But the kills are the exact opposite. Incredibly violent and angry." I went on.
"Multiple personalities?" JJ asked.
"Or multiple unsubs. The violent one asserts his dominance, and the submissive one is left to clean up the mess." Hotch replied.
The only thing worse than one unsub is two unsubs.
—
And another body was found in a park. That's victim number 4.
Except this woman was different. Julie Harmon was more higher class than the other women. We need to find out more about her.
We were ready to give the profile.
"We're looking for a pair of white males in their late 20s to early 30s, who've developed a pattern of overkill followed by remorse. This usually points to a dominant submissive partnership." Hotch started.
"The submissive follows the rules, knows the dominant's type, obtains the victims, and disposes of the body once the dominant has completed his killing ritual." Spencer continued.
"What is the ritual?" Brooks asked.
"It most likely involves some form of bondage. All of the victims have identical bruises on their inner thigh, but we're not sure if that's done during capture or kill." Emily answered.
"There's no sexual assault, which tells us the dominant is likely impotent or is experimenting with other forms of sexual release." I continued.
"We often refer to this as a thrill kill. The dominant is inducing pain and creating terror without a sexual element. This provides him stimulation and excitement." Derek spoke.
"Like an adrenaline rush." Brooks spoke.
"Exactly. The thrill of murder is only a temporary fix. Like any narcotic, the violence satisfies his sense for a time, but then it fades. This is likely why his cooling off period is nonexistent." Derek replied.
"Despite a public investigation, the unsubs have continued killing. The risk of getting caught does not trump their need to kill." JJ finished for us.
We moved back to the conference room and Derek took a call from Garcia. He came back with some information. "Julie Harmon was a sexual surrogate."
That's not something you hear everyday.
"Whoa! Sounds like somebody felt a little progressive prescription might fix everything." Emily exclaimed.
"Well, they were wrong." I muttered.
"That's not just going from high to low risk victims. A sexual surrogate's a very specific type." Hotch said.
"It's like they were trying to fix something. Why else would you call a therapist?" JJ let out.
"They do treat patients with all types of disabilities, whether it's developmental, physical, or emotional." I added.
"Well, my guess is this guy had all three. I mean, let's look at the physical. He's got the upper body strength to kill. But the victims' bruises tells us that he was using restraints." Derek continued.
"Only they're not around their hands and feet, where'd you typically restrain a victim. They're tramline bruises around the thighs." Rossi added.
"It's as if the victims are straddling a chair. Physical infirmity, strong arms. What if the unsub's in a wheelchair?" Spencer went on. That makes a lot of sense.
"That would explain the van parked in the loading zone. Handicap permits grant access all over the city. I'll call Garcia." JJ said and stood up.
"We should talk to social workers, physical therapists, anyone who deals directly with the disabled." Hotch stated.
"Given the anger and inability to perform, those injuries are not recent." Derek said.
"His explosive outburst could be built-up frustration, which usually manifests when things are of out of one's control, like an accident." Spencer said. My wheels were turning.
"Okay, so let's go with that. I mean, whoever's helping him has a definite loyalty. Responsibility, even." Derek said.
"The caregiver could have caused the impairment. He's the one who has shown remorse and guilt. He might have a sense of morality." I continued.
"If that's the case, the best way to break up a partnership is to drive a wedge between them." Emily added.
"And the key to doing that is to tell the caregiver he's forgiven. Give him the strength to leave." Derek continued. We were getting somewhere now.
"I'll tell Agent Brooks to organize a press conference." Hotch spoke. We nodded.
We needed to get a handle on this soon or else it can blow up.
—
We decided to go through this all again and retrace our steps. There's something we're missing.
"Everything about Julie Harmon's murder was different. It was the most violent and remorseful. It's like the partners were each at their extremes." Derek let out.
"All of the bodies were disposed of in a nurturing way, but you're right. Julie was wrapped in plastic. It's neat. It's almost too neat." Emily went on.
Wait a minute.
"Maybe the caretaker is a woman. By nature, women prefer cleaner disposal methods." I suggested.
"I don't know. I mean, that terrain was something serious. I mean, no offense, ladies, but Reid and I hiked up that ridge, and there's no way a woman, physically fit or not, could carry dead weight all that way." Derek said. I love Derek but when he makes misogynistic comments and prefaces them with "no offense", I get a tad angry.
"And we profiled that the partner's in a wheelchair. So that would make it impossible for him to help with disposal." JJ added.
I was staring at the board with all of the information. Something wasn't adding up.
"So, there's a third person involved. I mean, that rarely works. It's always two against one." Derek continued.
"Well, they'd have to trust one another completely. So what kind of relationship involves that dynamic?" Spencer asked.
"They'd have to be incredibly good friends." Derek suggested. It's deeper than that.
"Or blackmailing one another." JJ continued.
"Siblings." Spencer stated.
Then it hit me. It's a family.
"What if it's parents protecting their child? They raise them. They root for them." I let out.
"They would share the same genes. Apples don't fall far from the tree." Emily continued. This made sense. A lot of it.
"A parent would hold themselves accountable. That explains the guilt." Spencer added.
"But what kind of sick family pulls this off?" Derek muttered.
"One that's probably done it before." Spencer replied.
We called Garcia to have her look into things and then went to Hotch and Rossi to explain what we concluded.
"We think they have an only child. It's unlikely a sibling would participate in something this extreme." I spoke.
"You know, if they felt responsible for his accident, they might have rationalized doing anything to make him happy." Hotch replied.
"Well, we doubt murder is something they planned on. It's more like a lethal side effect of their son's condition." Derek said.
"If there was orbital cortex damage from the accident, it would help explain why killing is his release." Emily added.
"If the mother has psychopathic tendencies, she could have passed it down through the X chromosome." Spencer continued.
"Garcia's looking up accidents now that have the parents at fault." JJ informed them. Now that we know what we're looking for, this should go by quicker.
"That list has to be long." Rossi muttered.
"It is. So she's also looking for unsolved cases in the state. There's a good chance this isn't the first time the son's acted out." JJ replied.
And just like that, Garcia called us.
"Okay, the only thing I can find that's remotely similar to this is from 5 years ago. A coed at Georgia State was stabbed and left in a park."
"Did she have bruises on her inner thighs?" Rossi asked.
"Uh, M.E. says...yes, she did."
Bingo.
"Alright, Garcia, check student enrollment for that year for students with campus handicap permits." Hotch said.
After some typing, she spoke, "I got a bushelful of matches. Let's narrow this down."
"Look for in-state residents. If the unsub was injured, there's a good chance he stayed close to home." JJ suggested.
"Oh, well, they're all locals."
"The parents would have covered it up, and they would have pulled their son out of school after the murder." I said.
"Eureka. Jeffrey Collins. He dropped out of school weeks after the murder and has since lived with his parents."
That's him.
"What's his story?" Derek asked.
"Sending it to you right now. He's the only child of Linda and Donald Collins. He was a local athlete who became paralyzed when he was in a car accident when he was 15."
We looked at what she sent us. It matches the profile.
"It says here the mother was driving, but the injuries weren't consistent with being behind the wheel." Derek let out.
"But the father's were. Look. Broken ribs, ruptured spleen, minor concussion. He's obviously the one who hit the steering wheel." Spencer pointed out.
"Let me guess. He was drunk." Rossi deadpanned.
"Yeah. Twice the legal limit."
"Sounds like they switched places and she covered for him." Rossi said. I'd say.
"But helping your husband avoid a DUI is far different than helping your son dispose of bodies." Spencer pointed out.
"Not necessarily. The mother fixes things. She could have manipulated the husband into making up for his failure." Hotch replied.
"Garcia, you got an address?" Derek asked.
"Sending it to you now."
With that, we geared up and got ready to go.
Things took a turn when we received a call that Donald Collins had been in an accident. He died on impact. He had a letter in his pocket that confessed to all 4 murders.
We rushed to the address and infiltrated immediately. It was Rossi, Derek and I. We found Mrs. Collins holding a gun to a woman's head and her son in the wheelchair next to her.
"FBI! Drop your weapon!" Derek yelled.
"Mrs. Collins, we need you to put down the gun." Rossi said. We all had our guns ready.
"Get the hell out of my house!" She yelled.
"Get my dad. He'll tell you she's crazy." Jeffrey said. About that..
"Your father was killed in a car accident." I stated.
"What?" Jeffrey exclaimed.
"Did he tell you what he did? He killed all those girls, that sick son of a bitch!" Mrs. Collins yelled.
"Linda, this is over. Jeff is coming with us." Derek said.
"He's not going anywhere!" Linda exclaimed.
"Your dad took his own life because he couldn't stand to be a part of this anymore." I said back.
"He couldn't stand the guilt. He's a drunk. Look what he did to my son! Look what he did to my boy!" Linda yelled.
"You did this. She's lying." Jeffrey gritted.
"You need to let him take responsibility." Rossi yelled.
"We know that Jeff hurt those girls." Derek added.
"You people. You think you're gonna come in here, and you're just gonna take my son and you're gonna lock him up like some animal!" Linda yelled. He is an animal.
"Linda, put it down." I yelled.
She just looked at Jeff with sad eyes.
"Mom." Jeff tried.
"I always told you...that mommy would take care of everything." She said and turned the gun to Jeffrey.
Before she could even make a move, I shot her twice. Once in the heart, once in the stomach. It's always hard having to do that but we couldn't let her do what she wanted.
I went to check her pulse, Derek went to cuff Jeffrey, and Rossi went to comfort the screaming woman.
Linda was gone.
Jeff stared at her lifeless body.
I took a deep breath and shared a look with Rossi. He nodded at me. I needed that assurance.
Sometimes, there's no right way to do this job.
—
Emily and I sat in front of JJ and Spencer on the plane. I rested my head on Emily's shoulder.
JJ had just gotten off the phone. She let out a deep sigh. I take it she couldn't get a sitter.
"Still no sitter?" Emily asked.
"Apparently, I have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a sitter on a Saturday night." JJ muttered.
"What's going on tonight?" Spencer asked.
"Oh, it was ladies night, but.." I trailed off.
"I forgot to book a sitter." JJ let out regretfully.
"I'll do it." Spencer perked up.
"Spence." JJ spoke.
Maybe, it's not a bad idea.
"What? I've seen an episode of "Mr. Belvedere"." Spencer defended.
Emily and I shared a look before turned to JJ.
"You've never babysat by yourself before." JJ replied.
"You know, he could do a couple hours." I tried to reason. Henry will be fine.
"What could possibly go wrong?" Spencer replied.
JJ took a deep breath. "Fine."
Emily and I high-fived each other.
We were finally going to have our much needed girls night.
—
I remember nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Hotch was doing some race triathlon thing that we were all there for cheering him on, but all the voices were going straight through my head.
I am never drinking again.
Garcia, JJ, Emily and I all wore sunglasses and relied on the barriers for support. Everything was too bright.
We tried our best to cheer everyone on but I could barely see straight.
"A couple hours. A couple hours. You guys didn't come home until sunrise." Spencer exclaimed way too loud.
"Why are you yelling?" JJ deadpanned.
"Make him stop." I groaned and set my head down on my hands.
"What did you guys drink last night?" Derek asked us.
"The green fairy. You're in the FBI. Could you get the entire crowd to stop cheering?" Garcia muttered.
All of the sudden, we saw Hotch approaching the finish line. I mustered up whatever energy I had in me to start cheering for him.
We walked around the barriers to go see Hotch. Jack ran right up to him and tackled him into a hug. It was so cute.
"How do you feel?" Rossi asked him. He was a sweaty mess.
"I think I'm gonna live." Hotch breathed out.
"Pretty impressive. I had money on the swim killing you." Emily spoke. I love her.
"I practiced." He managed to get out between breaths.
"And it paid off. Good job." Derek said to him.
"Thank you." Hotch smiled. It's weird to see him not in a suit. He's showing too much skin.
"Hey, you guys want something to eat?" Spencer asked. Please yes.
"Something greasy, please." I begged.
"Oh, yeah." Emily let out with a breath.
Our attention was drawn to the woman yelling "Hotchner!"
I wrapped my arm around Emily's shoulders and watched the interaction happen. I've heard a little about her through passing. Her name is Beth. No one mentions it, though. It's Hotch's first relationship since Haley. Although, it was adorable watching him introduce Jack to her.
She ended up joining us to eat. I think she's just lovely.