"We should go check out some local hunting shops and try to figure out if there are any avid hunters who specialize in deer. It might not lead directly to the unsub, but they must have gotten the knowledge of gutting from somewhere," Morgan suggested to the group.
"I know there are some hunting clubs that formed in the town and the ones nearby," Lynn added.
"Are we jumping on the hunter bandwagon too quickly though?" Rossi spoke up, his fingers scratching that black and white goatee of his.
"What other than the method of torture and killing point to hunting? I'm not so sure he's a standard 'hunter' serial killer. It could just be a means to act out a certain fantasy or ritual he has the need to fulfill."
"That does make some sense," Lynn thought out loud, "If he relied on hunting for killing and finding victims, then why not kill Daniel in the same way? And we haven't other bodies to suggest that he killed during specific seasons."
"Waiting years between killing is rare, but possible," Hotch stated.
"How," the deputy asked, and before anyone else could explain, Spencer's quick voice answered.
"This unsub was able to wait before kills due to a behavior called self-initiated predation cessation. It where the unsub is able to control his need to kill his victims for a longer amount of time, which means that this unsub leans less on the psychotic path and more of that of a cold, organized killer. This unsub is patient and was able to lie dormant for years, from either self-control or more external forces like getting locked up or institutionalized."
His large exclamation took less than a minute, but everything Spencer said made sense to her.
"We should still check out the local hunting guilds," she sighed, "Morgan's right in saying this unsub had to learn somewhere on how to gut a deer. I'll get a list of the groups. They most likely won't have their memberships or relations in computer's that your tech friend could go through."
Hotch stood and the other's followed, splitting into pairs to investigate more of the hunting guilds at a time. There were two main ones in Lewey's and one in the town nearby. Spencer and Morgan left first, followed by Prentiss and Rossi. JJ stayed at the police station to contact Garcia and Hotch looked at Lynn, not sure if Prentiss had volunteered to go with the old Italian on purpose.
"I need to notify Jen's mother."
"Are you sure that's wise? You were set on keeping her identity a secret," he asked, looking down at her.
The deputy sighed, rubbing her forehead, and he could tell that the lack of sleep would hit her later in the day.
"If this unsub is ready to let Kevin know about Jen, how am I to know it won't leak it to the press himself. I don't want to risk Carol to learn about Jen from the news. Or from a broken window."
"Alright, we should head over there, it's not too early anymore. We should also interview her one more time about Jen," Hotch stated, and Lynn agreed.
She grabbed her keys and they both exited the station, entering Lynn's black hummer jeep.
The car ride was mainly silent, and he watched her as she drove, both hands on the wheel, her gun in her belt and her long hair up in a ponytail.
"How old is your son?" He suddenly asked as the trees and scenery around them no longer intrigued him.
"Three. Four in three months. What about you?"
"How do you know I have a kid?" He smiled slightly and she glanced at him, liking the way it looked.
"I just know. Maybe I profiled you."
He chuckled, "I have a son too. He's four."
"And seeing Paul reminded you of him?" She asked, her question more of a statement confirming her deductions.
"Yes."
"Is it hard?"
"What?" Hotch looked at her. She may have good intuition, but was she talking about Haley being gone or...
"Leaving him every time you work a case?" She finished.
"I'll have to admit, it is. Sometimes it's hard for him to understand, but once he gets a little older, he will."
"I can't imagine what would happen if Paul suddenly disappeared from my life like Jennifer. Not knowing what happened." She sighed and stopped the car, Hotchner realizing only then that they had arrived at Carol's house, an old widow who had lost everything eighteen years ago.
"Are you ready?" Hotchner asked, watching her tense up as they walked towards the door.
"I'm never ready for this part."
With a heavy hand, Lynn knocked on the peeling blue door and it creaked open, an old woman opening it.
"Lynn, what a treat to see you. And you brought a G-man."
Her words surprised Hotchner and Lynn chuckled.
"Good to see you Carol. Can we come in?"
"Come on in, I can't have you standing out in this cold mountain air all morning, can I?"
She beckoned them inside, and they made their way into a homey living room, the fireplace lit and a cat scampering off out of sight once the strangers sat down.
She watched the two sit down, her frail hands resting gently in her lap.
"You're here about my Jennifer aren't you."
Her words caught Lynn by surprise and the blonde deputy leaned forward.
"You already knew?" She cried out.
"I had my suspicions when the town found out about the bodies. Seeing you drive up to my house confirmed my fears," her voice was soft, laced with longing and a hint of regret.
"I'm so sorry Carol," Lynn started, but the woman waved her hand, stopping her.
"It wasn't your fault honey. I had a feeling long ago that my daughter had left this world and didn't just skip town on Lewey's. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Mrs. Kable," Hotch spoke up, "do you know of any missing persons from before the incident after the lake? Anyone from the town during your adulthood?"
"Not from Lewey's, no. I do remember a tourist going missing though. A woman was lost in the woods during the wintertime. After a time, the town assumed she died in the cold or from a skiing accident, and it renewed an effort to make winter activities safer in the town. Does that help?"
"Thank you for the information Mrs. Kable-"
"You don't know who that other poor soul was, don't you?"
Lynn stood up and kissed the old woman on the cheek.
"We can't say anything else about the case Carol, but yes, we do have an unidentified victim."
"I know you'll catch whoever did this," she gripped Lynn's arm, her eyes determined.
"Time to look for more leads?" Lynn turned to Hotch and he stood nodding.
Lynn walked out of the room and towards the door, leaving the old woman grieving by the fireplace.
"I'm sorry about your loss," Hotchner spoke softly and turned to leave, but the old woman gripped his arm as he passed her.
"You better watch after that one."
"Is there something worrying you, Mrs. Kable?"
"I always felt like something terrible has been hovering over that girl's shoulders," she paused, then looked him straight in the eye.
"My daughter's killer attacked two that night at the lake, and now you've found two bodies together. Why choose my Jen and David and not Lynn and Kevin? Or that other couple the night? What if he never finished, Agent? She's all I got for family."
"Lynn is a smart woman and seems to handle herself well in this case. We all watch each other's backs," He answered, not wanting to share with the old woman how he had already started to feel worried about the deputy's involvement in the case. But they needed her insight to the town and victims.
A short glint showed in her eye, and the old woman let him go.
"I know," she looked back into the fireplace and he let himself out, his mind going over the old woman's premonitions about the unsub's plans remaining unfinished.
If they were true, and added with the taunts from the earlier night, what could this psychopath's endgame be?