Love is the strongest emotion in the world. It rips you apart and stitches you back together, it can even make you entirely whole again.
Santa Monica-California Friday February 9th 2:46am
Like any California night a group of young street escorts waiting on their corner by an ally way. Their makeup done bright and their clothes nearly invisible attracted all the attention they needed to make their pimp happy for the night. A blue Honda drove by and picked up another girl before driving away slowly. The girl's name was Amber: Amber Gilet. A teenaged runaway at the age of thirteen, her mother's boyfriend pimped her out every night while her mother worked the midnight shift to provide for all of them.
Amber was a sweet girl, she never swore, never cured anyone, she just did her business to make Timbers happy before praying to God every night. Amber was what was known as a street snow bunny: long blonde hair, white, and glowing blue eyes. If she ever attended high school she would make every head turn.
The headlights of another car approaching made the girls fall into position. The familiar sound of cat calls and manly pin-ups roamed through the seats as the girls waited for them to pick her.
Violet watched from the shadows there was a regular who picked her up every night. The tall ebony haired girl pulled her phone out and checked the time. He was late, nearly thirteen minutes late. This man had a schedule he loved to keep, his organization turned him on more than she ever could. Her long blue nails wiped the loose strands of hair out of her face before she plopped a piece of gum in her mouth and headed under the streetlamp.
"Vi- honey." A thick jersey accent ripped through the silence taking place in Violet's mind. "Where's your daddy huh? Shouln't he be here?" Fannie's shrill voice sent angry shivers down Violets spine. She was one of the old one always getting into people's business and taking too much. They all belonged to Timber but Violet couldn't understand why he picked such a diverse group of girls. Pimps tended to stay with the same brand: same ethnicity, same hair colour, same height and weight. But these girls were all over the place no two looked a like, it was either Timber was stupid or extremely smart.
"I don't know where daddy is Fannie. And quite frankly I don't care. I'm not in the mood to work tonight." Violet pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her purse, she pulled the lighter out after she placed the cancer stick between her lips and lit it. She inhaled the toxins and held them in her mouth before releasing them into the hair.
Fannie tied her fraying red hair up in a bun before letting a sigh escape her lips. "Fine dear, but I'm not saving you tonight. And I doubt your pretty little British accent with save you this time." The older woman turned on her heels before shutting down the street to a pulled over car.
Violet knew Fannie was right. She was playing on Timbers last nerve and soon she would be receiving the boot… Just as she took another puff of her cigarette the eerie sound of car tires screeched through the alley. The few remaining girls jumped at the car screeched to a slow movement. They all watched in silence as the back door opened and the young snow bunny was thrown out of the moving car before it sped up and zoomed down the street.
The girl's body rolled a few feet before anyone could move. Violet was the first to approach the body. She ran as fast as she could in her thin heels, Violet knelt against the body allowing her knees to feel the cold asphalt. Her shaking hand reached down to gently push against Amber's neck. There was a faint pulse breaking through trying it hardest to stay alive.
"A-Amber?" Violet whispered. "Sweetie can you hear me?" Amber stirred slightly before becoming still again. "Call an ambulance!" Violet screamed at the girls. "Do it now!"
Quantico Virginia Friday February 10th 7:15am
Jennifer Jareau the BAU's media liaison threw down five files onto the round table. The strong distressed look in her eyes told the team that this was not going to be an easy case. The blonde girl clicked the remote turning in the TV screen showing the five members of the team a beaten and bloodied body of a young girl.
"Ginnifer Fairview age fifteen. Died two weeks again in Santa Monica at UCLA medical centre from severe internal bleeding." JJ swallowed before proceeding. "She was a prostitute… A fellow… Worker Violet brought her in, payed for her medical bills in advance, then left."
JJ clicked the remote to show another body to her teammates. "Daniella Sergeant seventeen years old died last week at the same hospital with the same injuries and once again admitted to the hospital by a fellow worker named Violet. Whom paid her bills and disappeared."
JJ clicked the remote once more showing the team Amber's body. Even when dead she stilled looked beautiful and peaceful. "Amber Gilet age… Age fourteen. Was brought to UCLA medical centre early this morning after being beaten and thrown out of a moving car. The same Violet woman brought her in last night and paid her hospital bill before leaving. Amber died this morning… Her mother is waiting for us at the hospital."
Emily filled through a few pages of the file. "This man is a sadist, he rapes these girls. There are signs of defensive wounds and severe anal tearing."
"They were prostitutes Prentiss, there is no proof of rape." Morgan countered. "He does however enjoy beating them with his bare fists."
Prentiss shook her head. "These are young girls even though they work the street there is no way they would consent to anal sex."
"We aren't going to fight over this." Hotch interjected. "Wheels up in thirty and we will continue this on the plane. "These are young women who had their lives ripped away from them even before they died. Don't make it any worse by discriminating them for what they did for an income."
The room got quiet. The BAU was still blending back together, with Gideon's disappearance and Reid's addiction they were all standing on thin ice and no one wanted to fall through. "Get it together and let's go."
US BAU AirCraft 12:37pm (Virginia time)
JJ hung up her cell phone before walking over to the booth to sit next to Hotch. "Officer Jessica Calem from SMPD will meet us at the hospital. She's holding off interviewing the nurses until we get there."
Rossi closed the file over. "Are there any connected cases in surrounding cities? There is no way Ginnifer was his first kill."
"Your right, JJ you and Emily go interview the nurses with agent Calem. Rossi and Morgan you two go visit the M.E. Reid and I will are taking a trip down town.
Los Angeles County Department of Cornor 10:50am
Morgan and Rossi walked into the darken Corners office to find Dr. Harmack just finishing his autopsy on Daniella. He closed the file before pulling two more off of a tray and handed them to Morgan. The balding man scratched the top of his head before speaking. "There were multiple bite wounds found all across her body. Which are identical to the ones found on Miss. Fairview and which I assume will match the ones documented in Miss. Gilet."
Rossi nodded as he took the file from Morgan and began to slowly pace. "Was there any DNA?"
"Yes." The Coroner replied. "And lots off it. He left saliva on the bites, semen inside and outside of both girls as well as beard hair located in their pubic area. A brown haired man of Caucasian descent. So every white man from here to Paris." Dr. Harmack sighed. "There was no match on his dental records either."
Morgan's eyes widened. "He's taunting us: 'Here's everything you need to convict me, but now you have to find me.' I bet you the bastard is getting off on this."
"Is there any chance that the DNA matched anything in your system?" Rossi asked.
The doctor shook his head. "I did send out the file however to Beverly Hills, Lennox, West Hollywood, and Westmont. If they find anything I will let you know."
The two men nodded their heads and gave the man their thanks before heading out the door file in hand.
UCLA Medical Centre 10:42am
JJ and Emily round the corner to nearly crash into a frantic nurse. "I'm sorry-" her British accent shocking both older women for a minute before they moved out of her way.
They continued down the hall until they met with two women standing outside of a private hospital room. One was definitely a cop, if not by her clothes people could tell by her demeanour and the way she held herself. While the other woman was an obvious strung out junkie. "Hello, I'm agent Jennifer Jareau and this is my colleague Agent Emily Prentiss."
"Officer Jessica Calem, we spoke on the phone." The red headed woman extended her arm shaking both women's before turning her attention to the junkie. "This is Tyra, Amber's mother."
Tyra didn't extend the same courtesy as Jessica did. Tyra barely looked like she understood what was going on. "I-I was t-told Amby was gonna be here. W-where is she?"
JJ gave Emily a look before extending her arm to Tyra. "Why don't we go sit down and talk somewhere?"
As soon as the two women left Emily began her investigation. "What can you tell me so far?"
Jessica took out her notebook and began to recite what she wrote. "Jane Doe arrives at hospital at three am. Friend 'Violet' admitted her before paying for all possible surgeries and a private room. She then fled the hospital and has not returned. Mother Tyra Whitmore arrived at the hospital at six-thirty this morning just in time to witness her daughter's heart fail…"
Emily nodded as she wrote down her own notes. "Agent Jareau told me on the plane that you were going to wait on talking to the nurses until we got here."
Jessica nodded. "I was, but the nurse that first saw Amber first was ending her shift so I took her statement before she could leave."
"First rule." Emily pointed out. "No one leaves during a murder investigation. Get her back here officer Calem. Now!"
JJ was seated with Tyra in the waiting room both women with a coffee in their hands. "Ms. Whitmore, do you remember the last time you saw your daughter?"
Tyra picked at the styrofoam around the lip of the cup. "Y-yesterday n-night… Before a left for work… I tucked her in at eight." Tyra nodded her head up and down. "Y-yeah at eight… Michael told me she be fine. Then the hospital called and told me she was dead, and that she was hooking. She's nine, she ain't hooking!"
JJ closed her eyes tightly. This was what she was afraid of… Tyra was so strung out she thought she was back five years in the past. "Well I will talk to the doctor's okay? Maybe clear this all up."
"W-when can I see her? She's probably missing me so bad!" Tyra cried.
JJ felt conflicted, this woman hasn't seen her daughter in years. She didn't even know that she was missing but yet she wanted to see her because she thought she was a good mother who has just gone to work for the night. "I'll talk to her doctor."
JJ walked away from the waiting room through the ER doors where Emily was resting against the nurses desk rubbing her temples. "The mothers no help. She thinks Amber is nine, what about the nurses?" JJ asked as she nursed her coffee.
Emily let out a frustrated groan. "They let an excited newbie be the lead on this case. She let the nurse who was first on sight go home without a proper interview."
"Anything on this Violet woman?"
"No one remembers. We only know her name is Violet because that is what she signed the forms as. She was good enough to miss all of the security cameras and if she was seen we couldn't see her face."
Downtown Santa Monica 12:15pm
Hotch placed the SUV in park before shutting off the engine. "You keep in eye sight got it?" Hotch ordered the younger agent who nodded before removing his seat belt and slipping out of the car. They walked down the street before turning the corner to walk down the alley way.
A group of about seven half dressed girls stood on the sidewalk pacing slightly. The two well dressed men walked towards them, Hotch passed Reid a photo of Amber before he stopped in front of one of the girls.
"Do you know who this is?" He asked holding up the photo.
Spencer headed down the line to the other group of girls. "Uh- excuse me… Do you know who this is?" Reid shakily held out the picture to the ladies who were ogling him rather than focusing in the photo.
"I can make you forget all about that girl if you'd like." One of the women offered as she ran her hand down his arm.
"I-I j-just n-need to know who s-she is…" Spencer stuttered as he raised the photo again. The girl got closer and started propositioning themselves harder and harder making Reid retract into himself. "Please she's just a little girl…"
Reid felt a hand on the back of his sweater before being pulled out of the crowd of women. Hotch patted his shoulder before pushing him to continue down the street. "No luck?" He asked knowing the answer.
"I hate wondering the streets with you." Reid groaned as they walked. "Why do you always bring me?"
"Because they don't run from you." Hotch laughed.
The fast clicking sound of heels made the men stop and turn to find a tall woman with dyed white hair chasing after them. "Sir? Pleazee sir do you 'ave a minute." The woman asked.
"I know oo that woman iz. Or where you can find 'er friendz at leazted." Hotch nodded his to ask her to continue. "Ze iz a znow bunny, and a young one at that sir, 'er pimp would not let 'er out in the daylight. Too many cops azking queztionz." She picked at her manicured nail. "Timber 'as thiz ztreet at night you can try then. Azk for Violet, zhe likez to keep watchful eyez on the young onez."
Hotch nodded. "Thank you Miss-"
"Zapphire"
"Miss. Sapphire."
1298 Third Street Downtown Santa Monica 3:02pm
Violet paced her loft as she cradled her phone in her hands. It was such a stupid idea walking back into the hospital! But Amber needed a friend, she needed someone who remembered who she was.
The ring of her cell phone jolted Violet out of her thoughts she answered it hesitantly. "H-hello Timber."
"Yes sir, I understand… Well it wasn't the same car-"
"I know she was important! For the event-"
"I can't just kidnap a child! I'm in a lot of trouble as it is!"
"Yes Timber… Yes sir."
Violet slammed the phone closed before collapsing on her worn out sofa. She had absolutely no idea what she had gotten herself into. Maybe if she just pretended to be a stupid foreign girl she wouldn't be in this mess.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please read and review to let me know what you think. Should I continue it? Thank you!