"The difference between genius and stupidity is: genius has its limits."
― Alexandre Dumas-fils
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"So wait, she knew your name?" Spencer questioned.
"I don't know how I could forget a face like hers," Derek remarked.
"You've been with so many girls that you can't remember all their names?"
"You surprised by that?" Soren asked as they walked to the conference room.
"This has never happened to me before."
"It hasn't happened to me before either," Spencer said.
"Well, it can't happen to you." Emily told him "You have an eidetic memory."
"Besides, you only got one name to remember." Derek teased him and Spencer fake laughed at his little comment.
They all took a seat at the table with JJ standing by the screen to inform them of the case.
"Ok. Six victims have been killed in a series of burglar/homicides all over central California." JJ informed "In order... Bakersfield, Fresno, chico, and, two nights ago, Alan and Brenda Paisley in Sacramento."
"Big area." Rossi commented, "Are we sure it's the same unsub?" He asked.
"His DNA was found in all the homes," JJ told him.
"They hadn't connected it because he crossed jurisdictional lines," Hotch said.
"The head of the Sacramento field office has established a multi-agency task force And he wants us to run the point," JJ spoke.
"Looks like we got a lot of investigators on this one," Derek remarked.
"We'll streamline it if we need to., Hotch stated.
"You should know that uh" JJ spoke "They've already named him the " highway 99 k*ller." we'll deal with that when we get there."
"We'll deal with that when we get there," Hotch stated.
"He targets 1 to 2-person households." JJ explained as Derek picked up a photo "He kills the victims while they sleep."
"Blunt force trauma with objects found at the home." Spencer said "Multiple bashes to the head."
"After he kills the victims, he ransacks the homes for valuables," JJ told them.
"Which is not unusual for a nighttime burglary-homicide." hotch noted "What's unique about this unsub is that after he kills them, Apparently he sits down to dinner in their homes. They found his DNA all over the food and the table."
"Are these burglaries that turned into homicides or homicides that turned into burglaries?" Rossi questioned.
"Between the two offenses, it seems the primary motivation is homicide." Derek said, "Otherwise, he would have just stolen the items and fled."
"But he stays there for hours. He eats their food, he tries on their clothes, he showers, he even sleeps in their beds." JJ said,
"It's like Goldilocks became a serial killer," Emily commented.
"They've got plenty of DNA, but they found no fingerprints."
"So, if he doesn't take the victim's cars how does he get there?" Soren questioned.
"No witness reports of strange cars on the street," JJ told him.
"No prints, no gun, no noise, no car, no witnesses." Rossi went on "This all adds up to prior experience."
"There's a record on him somewhere," Spencer noted.
"And until we find it, he's moved on to another town," Hotch stated.
"Which could be anywhere," Emily said.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"So, four homes in about five weeks. The first one was at the beginning of September in Bakersfield. Then Fresno a week later. Chico eight days after that. Then he changes direction, heads south to Sacramento at the end of September." Emily said.
"These crime scenes are spread out over 400 miles. I mean, how many serial K*llers move around like that?"
"Not many." Spencer informed "Of the ones who do, we categorize them into two subgroups. In one model, he's an itinerant homeless person, someone who's been displaced."
Derek spoke up before Spencer could go in info dumping "With the second type, their occupation allows them to travel. He could be killed while on business." He suggested.
"A truck driver makes sense?" JJ asked.
"Long-haul truck driver Bruce Mendenhall shot his victims And disposed of their bodies at truck stops, across at least 4 different states," Spencer said.
"But Mendenhall targeted mostly high-risk victims. prostitute and hitchhikers, he picked up right off the highway. A truck driver's " M. O., " he'd use his rig for getaway."
"Somebody would have noticed a tractor-trailer parked in the neighborhood."
"How about someone in corporate sales?" Derek suggested "They still travel. Or computer professionals. They travel to install the software."
"Maybe someone in real estate?" Soren suggested "Could be a land assassin." he shrugged.
"They just discovered a new murder. In Modesto." JJ informed.
"He went south again," Spencer said marking a spot on the map in red marker.
"Right, when we land, Reid, JJ and I will go to task force headquarters." Hotch directed "The 4 of You..."
"Modesto," Rossi said.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"I'm Detective Daniels." The detective introduced himself to the agents.
"Agent Rossi." He introduced himself to the detective before gesturing to the others "Agents Morgan, Volk, and Prentiss."
"This way."
"You see something?" Daniels asked as they looked up at the suburban house.
"It's what I don't see. What I don't hear." Derek commented glancing around "No dogs are barking."
"No sign for an alarm system," Emily added.
"No system," Daniels informed.
"They have outdoor lights," Rossi commented.
"Neighbors said they weren't on."
"This house has the three basic things that a burglar looks for." Derk remarked "No dog, no alarm, and no lights."
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"Nail polish remover?" Derek asked showing the detective a clear bag.
"I think so."
"He gets under the sink?"
"How'd you know?"
"I've seen this kind of thing before with burglaries When the criminal is a substance abuser. Oftentimes they huff household cleaners, just so they can get high." Derek explained.
"What was his point of entry?" Rossi called out.
"Laundry room through an unlocked window."
"Explains where he found the murder weapon," Rossi said.
"Serious overkill," Soren commented looking at an iron that had been used to kill the victims and was now covered in blood.
"He's killing with rage," Derek noted.
"How does a man with such rage calm himself down enough to make coffee and eggs?" Rossi asked.
"He's disorganized, picks an opportunistic weapon at a crime scene, strikes with rage..." Derek spoke.
"Organized enough though, to follow a ritual after he kills." Rossi said "Cools off. Cleans up, goes through their things, eats."
"Intense rage followed by a long period of calmness spent inside the house," Derek said as they walked through the house.
"Is that unusual?"
"Very," Rossi said.
"Can you explain what he does with his clothes?" Daniels asked.
"His clothes?" Rossi repeated.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"When we found the deceased, the shirt was placed over his chest." Daniels informed pulling back a cover "The pants over his legs."
"This is the first time we're hearing this," Rossi said.
"Look at his clothes, rossi, the dirt stain," Derek said as he and Soren crouched beside where the body was.
"Why would he cover up the body?"
"He wears their clean clothes, sleeps in their nice bed, And then puts his dirty clothes on the male victim's body." Rossi spoke, "This might be some form of transference."
"Transfer of what?"
"By symbolically dressing Mr. Sullivan in his clothes, he's equalizing their status," Rossi explained.
"Mr. Sullivan has all these things and he doesn't." Derek spoke pacing around the room "This guy got a problem with his station in life."
"He can't bring himself up on his own, So he makes himself feel better by destroying others and living their lives. That might be why he stays so long. He needs that time just so he can feel at home."
"And pretends this is all his," Derek added.
"He's playing out his fantasy," Soren stated.
"Given this behavior, the dirty clothes, the cheap drug choice, I'd say we're looking for someone homeless," Derek informed Daniels.
"How does a homeless man move about the state like this?"
"I have one idea," Rossi said pulling out his phone.
"Yeah?" Reid answered.
"Reid, are you in front of a map?"
"Yeah, I am now."
"I think I know how the unsub's getting around." Rossi told him "Do you see tracks linking Bakersfield to Sacramento?" He asked.
"He's hopping trains," Spencer murmured.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"I'd just like to reiterate that this unsub is not getting around on Highway 99." Spencer told the gathered personnel "His travel is linked near railway lines. He's targeted 5 homes and killed 8 people in 6 weeks. We're looking for a male, indigent transient between the ages of 25 and 45."
"He's fit enough for the physical demands of train hopping, or "catching out" as they call it," Emily informed them.
"He'll be bruised from jumping on and off trains. And he might also be beat up from just defending himself in any kind of turf wars." Soren said.
"He may look homeless, but he's taking clothing from his victims' homes. So he'll be the only transient on the tracks in clean clothing. The trains and the rail yards are his home. And when he gets tired of these, he chooses a house to make his own." Hotch stated.
"He'll have a pronounced red, dry rash around his mouth and nose, What's commonly referred to as a "sniffer's rash."" Derek informed
"how do we know that?"
"He takes household cleaners. And we believe he's abusing them as psychoactive inhalants. Nail polish remover, glue, paint thinner, lighter fluid, whatever is the cheapest high available. They're referred to as "tollyheads" Because they derive a high from sniffing toluene, a chemical solvent. Once inhaled, the effects are felt instantaneously."
"We believe he's living out a fantasy in these homes." Emily explained "The fantasy is that it is his house for the night. He spends hours enjoying the comforts of his victims' homes. Upon leaving, he takes clothing, money, jewelry, and small electronics. If you get close to him, you won't miss him. He will smell like a combination of human filth and paint thinner."
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"What is it?"
"I had Garcia look into all unsolved burglary homicides in central California, Paying particular attention to small farm towns," Spencer explained.
"I found his DNA in three more cities," Garcia told them.
"How did I miss this?"
"Small towns don't always link their evidence up to state or national DNA databases," Spencer explained.
"It can happen when unsubs cross jurisdictional lines," Hotch stated.
"What are the cities, Garcia?" Emily asked.
"Tehachapi, vacaville, and orange cove. All farm towns. All super far away from Highway 99."
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"You considering it?" Emily asked causing Spencer to look up from what he was doing.
"Considering what?"
"Having baby geniuses one day," Emily said.
Spencer gave an awkward smile before his phone rang and he quickly answered it.
"Hello?"
"I've noticed in the cities, including the new ones we've discovered, There's a spike in the sales of certain crops during the time the unsub is there." Garcia informed them "Last week of August, apples in Tehachapi. The first week of September, tomatoes in Bakersfield. The second week of September, fall squashes in Fresno."
"So he's in town for a big harvest," Emily said.
"We have an unsub riding trains from town to town during big harvests Who doesn't have a car or permanent residence," Spencer noted.
"Migrant farm worker," Soren suggested.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"He left a shirt on his male victim again," Emily remarked.
"That's not all he left." Spencer said as he picked up a newspaper "Modesto couple victims of highway 99 k*ller." This was printed before we released to the press he's using trains to get around."
"He's taunting us, telling us he's smarter than we are Because we got his mode of transportation wrong," Emily commented.
"The more confident he gets, the more he's experimenting with his ritual," Hotch said.
"The first few murders were 5 to 8 days apart." Soren told them "This one was just one day since Modesto. If we don't find him soon..."
"Goldilocks will be sleeping in someone else's bed tonight." Emily finished his sentence.
"Yeah?" Spencer asked answering his phone.
"So, we got something." JJ told him "Jewelry stolen from the home in Sacramento turned up at a pawn shop in Modesto. Garcia just sent you a picture from the security cam."
"Yeah, I got it."
"Employee said he was about 5'8", slight, late thirties, dark skin. With a red rash around his mouth." She explained.
"Circulate the picture, JJ," Hotch instructed her.
"I'm already on it."
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"Does this man look familiar to you?" Emily asked handing the man a photo.
"Hard to tell."
"Have you had any complaints in the camps?" Spencer asked, "This man would show disruptive behavior."
"He might be stealing things from other workers, starting fights." Hotch explained, "He sniffs chemicals to get high."
"Well, our facilities have a zero-tolerance policy." The man stated "No drinking, no drugs, certainly no violence. Anyone who cannot follow these rules will be kicked out."
"kick anyone out recently?" Soren asked.
"The camps in this area are at full capacity. We have to turn people away." He informed them.
"Thank you." Hotch shook hands with the man.
"Mucho gusto." The man said making his way back to his vehicle.
"If he's pawning the jewelry he's stealing to get money, Why is he still working in the fields?" Hotch asked as the four walked away.
"Here's another question." Emily said, "Why is he circling the farm towns at all?"
"There are over 140,000 miles of tracks in this country." Spencer spoke, "He could go anywhere."
"But he's still in California."
"Something's keeping him here." Hotch said looking around the fields "What is it?"
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"Ok, mini-lesson." Garcia said "Migrants travel and work in these groups and the groups are called cuadrillas. Now, I have found one such cuadrilla that was in Chico at the same time as our unsub. And then I checked and they were in Sacramento and Modesto And Vacaville at the same time as our unsub as well." She explained.
"What about the first town?" Soren asked.
"I got employment records from the apple farm in Tehachapi. This cuadrilla last worked there two days before Mildred Younce was killed. Now, here's the whammy. An Armando Salinas checked in with this group in Tehachapi. But then, he falls off the map. There's no sign of him in any of the camps."
"Interesting," Emily commented.
"Double whammy." Garcia said, "Customs and immigration have a rap sheet on him for theft and assault And he's wanted in connection to some burglaries."
"There's the record we've been looking for," Spencer remarked.
"Triple whammy. His fingerprints were one of 17 found at Mildred Younce's house." She told them.
"Get us his photo and get JJ to get it out to the media." Hotch ordered, "We're going to need the public's help."
"Sending you his mug." She said "The group that he's been following, they checked into Lockeford early this morning. That's not far from you."
They all look to Hotch for directions.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
"You guys have plans tonight?" Spencer asked as they Arrived back at the BAU.
"I was thinking about getting a burger," Derek said.
"Oh, I could eat," Emily remarked.
JJ walked towards them with a woman "Oh, hey, guys, I wanted to introduce you to someone." She said "This is agent Jordan Todd. She'll be taking over for me while I'm on maternity leave."
"Agent Jareau's told me so much about you all." Jordan said shaking hands with Emily "You must be Agent Prentiss."
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
"Hello, dr. Reid. And agent Morgan." She greeted before looking at Soren "Volk right?" She asked to which he simply nodded.
"Nice to see you again."
"Nice to see you, too. So this must be the good news." Derek commented.
"This would be my brownie." She said.
"You two have met?" Emily asked.
"Briefly."
"Well, agent Todd comes to us after 7 years at counter-terrorism," JJ informed them.
"I'm really looking forward to working with the behavioral analysis unit." She said.
"We're starting her training now."
"You're training her right now?" Spencer questioned.
"Well, we're kinda running out of time. So..." JJ chuckled Let me introduce you to the rest of the team."
"Yeah." Jordan agreed "I'll see you all in the field... Team."
"We're looking forward to it." Emily said as she followed Derek "So, is there anything you want to tell us?" She asked.
"Nope."
"Your forehead's sweating," Soren commented
"No, it's not." Derek denied.
"Oh, he's avoiding eye contact." Emily grinned.
"His blink rate just sped up," Spencer added.
"You know, guys, I don't think I want that burger too much anymore," Derek said getting into the elevator.
"Oh, come on!" Soren said.
"You can't run from us," Emily told him.
"Oh, watch me," Derek said as the elevator doors closed.
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