Escalation
Chapter
1
The Start
"By not coming forward (about rape), you make yourself a victim forever" – Kelly McGillis
Only a small percentage of rape victims report the crime. Reid could probably tell you the exact statistics, but it can only be at best a guess.
When men are raped by men, even fewer are brought to the attention of law enforcement. This is understandable, but a pity nonetheless, because had this UnSub been reported sooner, he might never have escalated to murder.
-0-0-0-
The man lay on his back in the muddy ditch. He had been there a good part of the day, almost within touching distance of passing traffic. He was too badly abused to be able to move out of harm's way, and the water under the day's steady drizzle was gradually rising. When he had at first been rolled out of the car into the ditch, he had been able to hear the traffic rushing by, but now his ears were under water. He marvelled to think he could drown in a few inches of water so close to people.
He had shouted himself hoarse since being thrown away like old garbage, but no one had come to his aid. It was unlikely that anyone would be walking next to the road. It was quite a way out of town. So he just lay there waiting to die.
The water was stained pink by the blood that was being washed from his body by the water in the ditch. He guessed that there was a lot of blood. He had endured quite a beating between the rapes.
A lot of things came to his mind as he waited. He went over the past days of captivity, his brutal treatment from the kidnappers, the rapes and the degradation he felt. He was ready to die now. He didn't want his friends to know what had happened to him, he was too ashamed. So when the heavens opened and the rain poured down on his naked body, he was relieved, and hoped the downpour would fill the ditch.
-0-0-0-
'Three deaths so far.' JJ said, handing out the usual array of disturbing pictures. 'It appears that all of them were dumped while still alive, and left to die. Two drowned, and one died after crawling from the dump site and being hit by a car.'
'I see here that the bodies were found shortly after the press release. That could be significant.' Dave said.
'The local cops put that down to coincidence.' Morgan said.
'There is no such thing as coincidence!' Dave growled.
'Not everyone has read your book, Dave.' Hotch said. Turning to JJ, 'I see that the men were dumped naked. Was there any sexual interference?'
'The men had been repeatedly raped by two or more UnSubs.' JJ said. 'They all sustained a lot of damage. It is likely that they were raped by objects as well. They were all beaten, and sustained broken bones.'
'It is unlikely that this gang went straight into kidnapping and murder.' Hotch said 'They would have started out as encounter rapists. Have Garcia check if any men have reported being raped in that area in the last ten years.'
'Very few men report rape.' Prentiss said.
'I know. That is what is going to make this case that much more difficult.' He glanced at his watch. 'Go bags ready, wheels up in fifteen.'
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'In all three cases', Reid was saying, 'the men weren't reported missing for a few days. They were all due to go on business trips, so they weren't missed at first.'
'That would require intimate knowledge of the victims.' Prentiss said. 'I'll follow that up.'
'Good. Have Morgan help you. Dave and I will go to the crime scenes. Reid and JJ go to the police HQ and set us up a room and start victimology. You might want to talk with the families too.' Hotch said. 'We have thirty minutes before we land. I suggest you try to get some rest.'
Hotch got up and went to the back of the plane and sat back and closed his eyes. He noticed that Dave also separated himself from the others and sat alone.
Hotch went over the facts of the case in his mind as the jet took them closer. There wasn't a great deal yet, and Hotch tried to put it out of his mind. He remembered Kate saying, "Let's not be too quick in deciding what we have and haven't got." He himself often warned against running ahead of the facts. He sighed and rubbed at his face. He needed these thirty minutes. He hadn't been sleeping too well lately.
When the plane touched down he was instantly alert, and he led his team off the jet to the waiting detectives who had brought cars to meet them. Hotch introduced his team to them, and requested that they get started right away.
-0-0-0-
They had no crime scenes as such, just possible snatch sites and body dumps. They went to the body dumps first.
They were all close to the interstate highways, in drainage ditches at the side of the road.
'I don't think murder was their attention.' Dave said. 'You can see where the victims were rolled down the embankment into the ditch. They were likely pushed from a slow moving car as they drove, presumably waiting until there were no cars behind them.'
'Would they not have stopped the car? Then they could have ensured that their victims were dead.'
'A stationary car on this road would have attracted too much attention.' Hotch said. 'This way they could rely on nature to take its course. They probably know the road well, know the quiet times, and where the ditches run close to the road. They travel the road regularly, in their work, or commuting to and from the city. We will be able to tell you more when we have a geographic profile.'
'The first victim almost made it.' Dave said. 'The UnSubs learned this and notice how much steeper the embankment is in the second and third cases. In the state they were in, they didn't have a chance of getting out unaided.'
'Now I would like to see the snatch sites, please.' Hotch said.
'We can't be sure of them, only guess.' the detective said. 'I'll take you there.'
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Reid set up an evidence board and stuck on it the three pictures of the victims.
Victim no. 1, thirty seven year old John Ellis, snatched between his office door and car seven weeks ago, after working late. He was due to go to a conference that lasted a week, which was why he was reported missing one week later by his wife, hit by the car two days after that. Multiple rapes and beatings. If he hadn't been hit by the car, it was doubtful that he would have lived long. He had suffered extensive blood loss and broken bones.
Victim no. 2, thirty eight year old Chris Hall. He was snatched in a similar way after working late five and a half weeks ago, straight after the previous victim was dumped. He was due to go on a sabbatical that was ten days. It was when he failed to return that he was reported missing by his fiancée the next day. Three days later he was found by a couple whose car had broken down on the highway. It was pure luck that he was ever found. Injuries and abuse similar to the first case.
Victim no. 2, Thirty five year old Norman Harling, also snatched outside his office late at night three weeks ago. His family thought he had gone to stay with friends for a week so they didn't report him missing for another two days after that. His body was found by a man who had been cycling along the highway ten days ago. Silmilar signs of abuse.
'It looks as if they are dumped as soon as there is a press conference reporting the men missing.' Reid said. 'All three men in their mid to late thirties, similar looking, dark hair, clean shaven. They were all going to be away for a few days that gave the Unsubs time with their victims.'
'It's almost as if the press conference made them panic.' Prentiss said, 'But they had another victim lined up ready.'
Morgan said, 'If there had been no press conference, these victims may have had longer. They could still be on the first.'
'Garcia found one reported rape of a man by a man in the area, and going back ten years. There are sure to be more, but not surprisingly, none were reported.'
'And we can't interview him,' Dave added, 'Because he blew his brains out a month after.'
'We have the police report though.' Hotch said. 'Emily, would you run a comparison with the victims we have here, and make a note of any similarities.'
'I'll check out any descriptions too.' she said, and went to the desk she had been assigned and got to work.
'Reid, do you have enough data for a geo-profile?'
'I can make a start.' he said. He crossed to the evidence board where he had previously placed a map.
'I think we are ready to give a preliminary profile.' Hotch said.
The detective called the cops together, and Hotch introduced the team.
'We are looking for a gang of men, the eldest being in his forties, leading a group of younger men about the same age as the victims.' Hotch said. 'One of the gang had intimate knowledge of the victims, so our man would not have stood out in an office environment – a delivery man or sub contractor.'
Reid added, 'The gang members are all local, except the leader, who is an out of towner. He commutes along the interstate, and has intimate knowledge of the road. He drives a car or a van with a side door, so that the victim can be easily thrown from the vehicle. It is more likely to be a car, average family car, but powerful in case a get away is needed.'
'There is a strong sexual element in these crimes.' Emily said. 'You are looking for someone who has a history of sex crimes starting with peeping and stealing underwear, moving onto rape with violence.'
'The violence would have manifested itself throughout the UnSub's life, from childhood – torturing animals, fighting and bullying weaker children.' said Morgan.
'We have checked, and there is only one reported rape of a man in the area going back ten years, unfortunately the victim is now deceased.' Rossi said. 'But there will be others, not reported that you may have heard of. These need to be checked out.'
'That is all we have for you so far. As we build on that, there will be more.' Hotch said. 'Thank you for listening.'
-0-0-0-
Hanna Bridle waited in the arrivals lounge at the airport. Pete had gone to a week long business conference where he hoped to get some good contacts for his budding bespoke manufacturing business. When he wasn't on the first flight she thought nothing of it, except he could have rung her and told her – to save her sitting here all day. But when he wasn't on the next flight either, she started to get worried.
Pete's mate, Kevin Wood was going too. She got out her Blackberry and called him.
'Pete didn't go!' Kev said. 'I was surprised. He was looking forward to the opportunities.'
'What do you mean he didn't go? Of course he went, Kev, otherwise, where has he ....... Oh god.'
She sat down on the bench behind her and the phone fell from her fingers.
In the newspaper vending machine next to her, the headlines screamed, "Another man found dead. FBI called in."
-0-0-0-
As the team members each continued with the work they had, JJ was called aside by the detective.
'We have another missing man, disappeared when he was due to fly to Europe for a weeks conference.' he said.
JJ sighed. 'I'll call the others. ' she said.