"So your cousin fled Chicago 8 years ago because a co-worker was stalking her?" Emily asks.
"Yeah, a guy named John Hitchens. Cindi and Yvonne came to me and asked me if they should be worried. Her emails and phone logs showed classic stalker behavior." Derek says.
"Multiple messages every hour. Gifts he sent which she later returned. That would enrage a stalker." Spencer says.
"But until they become violent, they're smart enough to skirt the law. Human resources at the investment bank wouldn't do anything, and Chicago P.D. couldn't." Derek says. "So Yvonne and I convinced Cindi to move. She contacted us from Charleston on her way to Savannah. And then she was gone."
"And Hitchens blew his brains out two weeks later in Chicago." Emily says.
"That was good enough for the local P.D. to conclude that he'd killed her." Derek says. "Except for one major detail. We never found the body. If his endgame was suicide, he wasn't organized enough to dispose of the body that permanently. That's why I never stopped looking. I just didn't think that she would surface right back here in Chicago."
"We need to reopen both cases. Both Cindi's disappearance and Hitchens' suicide. The discrepancies in each would explain her current behavior. Morgan, I need to talk to you when we land." Hotch says.
+++
"Detective Palmer, what do you have?" Rossi asks.
"I wish we had more to give you." Palmer says. "You know how missing persons cases are."
"Actually, there's quite a bit here. These were found in Hitchens' apartment after the suicide. Some were blown up from the original film stock." Spencer says as he puts stalker photos of Cindi up on the board.
"So if Hitchens took them, he didn't zoom in on photoshop. He's an old school shutterbug." Emily says.
"Reid and Prentiss, check Hitchens' photographic background. Even 8 years ago, most people had gone digital." Hotch says.
"The gun Hitchens used to kill himself was traced to this dealer." Rossi says.
"Local guy. Completely by the book. No record." Palmer says.
"The .44 was the only gun in Hitchens' possession. That's a big gun to kill yourself with." JJ says.
"We should talk to the dealer. Find out what his mindset was when he bought it." Hotch says.
+++
"So Cindi had two stalkers." Derek says.
"No, only one. Ford fits the profile better than Hitchens." Rossi says.
"Ford had multiple assault and harassment charges, all filed by ex-girlfriends and random women he met." JJ says.
"And Garcia found credit card purchases for black and white photographic equipment for Ford." Spencer says.
"So this guy killed Hitchens and then set him up." Derek says.
"Behaviorally it would make sense. If Ford was stalking your cousin, he would have seen Hitchens as competition, so he kills him and he plants the photos to throw off your investigation." Emily says.
"Hotch, I want to bring this guy in and question him personally." Derek says.
"Garcia just send us his address." Hotch says.
+++
Derek kicks the door open.
"FBI!" He shouts. They split up to look through the house. "It's clear here."
"Clear." JJ says.
"Clear." Bedelia calls out.
"Clear." Spencer says.
"Guys." Derek calls as they get to where he is. Derek uses a glove to grab a burnt piece of paper out of the fireplace.
"The house is empty, but there's evidence of a woman living here." Spencer says.
"Looks like they packed up in a hurry." JJ says.
"They were trying to cover their tracks." Derek says, holding up the paper. "What the hell is she doing with this guy?"
~ ~ ~
Palmer picks up the metal box.
"I wouldn't do that." Spencer says.
"Don't--" Bedelia stops as Derek angrily walks over.
"What is it?" Palmer asks.
"It's a head box." Derek says. He grabs the box. "He would take my cousin's head and put it through the hole, and then he'd..." Palmer walks off. Derek puts the box on the table, Bedelia able to tell he's on the verge of exploding. She doesn't blame him.
"Morgan, we need to deliver a profile." Spencer says.
"Why, Reid? We know who the unsub is." Derek says.
"We need to deliver the profile." Spencer repeats, giving Derek a half ruined paper he found in the fireplace.
+++
After finding Malcolm Ford outside a grocery store, they brought him in.
"So then I get home and, of course, he's still up past his bedtime." JJ says as she, Bedelia, and Penelope walk into the interrogation room Malcolm is in.
"Ugh. Ohh. It reminds me of why I'm not married." Emily says.
"Oh, well, neither am I, technically." JJ reminds.
"Oh, yeah." Bedelia nods.
"Oh, yeah, you're right. That's true." Emily says, the three women laughing.
"Do you guys ever--" Bedelia starts.
"Oh. No, I really don't need a man to tell me what to do." JJ says.
"Yeah." Emily nods.
"Of course." Bedelia agrees.
"Excuse me." Malcolm calls, but Bedelia shushes him.
"Uh, the adults are talking. When it's your turn to speak, I'll give you permission." Bedelia says, sweetly smiling at him. "Okay? So, anyway..."
"Yeah. Any sleep?" Emily asks.
"Uh, no. Of course not." JJ says. Emily groans.
"What are we doing here?" Emily asks, opening the file. "Oh, okay. So, yeah. Mal, you want to confess now or just go straight to prison?"
"Look, my wife and I had a disagreement in that store." Malcolm says.
"Whoa-- wife?" JJ asks.
"You're married?" Bedelia asks.
"No. This is about John Hitchens." Emily says. "His suicide is looking more like a murder and the gun traces back to you."
"Okay. Uh, let's go talk to this wife." JJ says, the three getting up.
"He's not talking." Bedelia mumbles.
"I don't know who this Hitchens person is, but if you had anything, you'd charge me already." Malcolm says. "You're here because of Cindi."
"Caught us." Emily smiles.
"You know? This is my favorite part." JJ says as the three sit back down. "This is where you hang yourself with your own tongue. So, please, keep talking."
"What are you doing here?" He asks JJ. "You got a baby at home being raised by a man you're not married to. What are you doing here?" He asks.
"Well, it's work. But we make it work." JJ says. "Where's Cindi?"
"Huh. Work. I know all about work. Negotiating who does the dishes, fighting over who folds the laundry. Except Cindi and I never fight. She knows her role." Malcolm says.
"After you beat her into signing a contract." Emily retorts.
"What we have is a bond you know nothing about." Malcolm says. "But I'll tell you about it. If you ask permission."
Emily lets out a small scoff.
"Okay." Bedelia mumbles, rolling her eyes.
"Come on." Emily says, grabbing the file and getting up, Bedelia following. JJ stays in her seat.
"You're curious, aren't you?" Malcolm asks. "You want to know our secret."
After a moment, JJ gets up and the three walk out.
"Please let me go back in there." JJ says.
"No." Hotch denies.
"His guard is down. He thinks he can manipulate me." JJ says.
"We can't give him what he wants. We need to keep him off balance." Hotch says.
"Then let me go in." Derek says, walking in. "I can get in his head."
"The way he got into yours?" Rossi asks.
"Look, I know I have no right to ask this, but please just trust me on this." Derek says. "I can break him."
+++
"We've been clear that he would like all charges dropped." The lawyer says.
"We still have some questions about John Hitchens." Emily says.
"And Mr. Ford has explained that the gun that Hitchens used to shoot himself was stolen." The lawyer says. "He even filed a police report. So, what else do you need to know?"
The lawyer and Cindi walk out of the room. Emily, Bedelia, and Spencer follow. Emily shakes her head at Hotch and Derek.
~ ~ ~
Emily, Bedelia, Spencer, and JJ are gathered by a desk, watching Cindi and Malcolm hug and kiss. The two start to leave.
"Wait." Yvonne calls making the two stop. They turn to her and Derek.
"I can't talk to you." Cindi says.
"No, no. It's okay. I trust you." Malcolm tells her before leaving.
"Baby..." Yvonne walks over to her daughter. "Let me just... let me just look at you." She smiles a little before frowning. She pulls Cindi's shirt down a little to reveal the bruising on her neck. "Oh!" She cries. "What has he done to you?"
"He loves me." Cindi says, fixing her shirt.
"You call that love?" Yvonne asks.
"I have to go." Cindi says. "I have to make him dinner." She walks out. Yvonne walks over to Derek.
"That's not her. That is not my daughter." She states.
+++
"We need to rethink the profile." Rossi says. "This ain't Stockholm."
"It could be battered wife syndrome." Emily suggests.
"No, it's not." Derek argues.
"Morgan, the way they hugged each other, I-- I think she genuinely loves him." JJ says.
"I'm telling you, that's not the woman I know. She wouldn't do that." Derek says.
"Then what is it, Derek? Why would she behave this way?" Rossi asks.
"She said she needed to cook dinner for him." Derek says. "Is this what you cook for your husband?" He asks, holding up the small container of food. "Would you make that for Will?" He asks JJ.
"No." JJ says before letting out a small laugh. "I might for Henry, though."
"Exactly. When I was growing up, this is what Cindi and I ate. This exact brand." Derek says. "Hotch, what did your mom make you for breakfast?"
"Oatmeal and orange juice." He answers.
"What do you make for jack?" Derek asks.
"Oatmeal and orange juice." Hotch says.
"Same brand?" Derek asks and Hotch nods. "She might have been cooking dinner, but it was not for Malcolm Ford."
"You think they have a child?" Emily asks.
"Yes, I do." Derek says.
"We didn't profile that. There's no evidence of one in the home or in their lives." Spencer says.
"Unless Ford keeps the child from her to keep her in line." JJ says. "I mean, that fits the profile."
"It's a stretch." Rossi says.
"It's the only theory that would explain her behavior." Derek says.
"All right, Morgan." Hotch says. "Prove it."