The Butcher's Mind
They find Tara Zellner alive, the trouble is Julie and Reid are where she is and they are the only ones who know it.
This was the first full story I ever wrote, fan fiction or otherwise. Although it has been up for quite a while and many of you have read this before I am making changes to it. I feel this is a complete story and sets the tone for the rest of the series. But it was lacking in the detail I would have liked. I have always loved this story, maybe because it was the first. But I do feel it has the potential to be a great one. The suspense and drama that unfolds is chilling. I do hope you enjoy it and feed back is always welcome.
As always I do not own any part of ABC, CBS, or Criminal Minds. For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to person's living, dead or fictional is purely coincidental.
Thanks,
Cinny
Part 2-Chapter 2
It was impossible for Reid to tell how long they had been on the road, being in the back of a box truck. He guessed about an hour and a half. When the truck came to a stop Merritt opened up the back, he withdrew a knife from his pocket and cut the restraints. He led him into the house, and down to the basement. Reid noticed cells off to the right of a work area. A stainless steel table was in the center flanked by a large sink. The walls were cinderblock and stained. A smell, Reid was not sure he recognized, hung in the air.
Merritt led him past one of the cells that housed a girl about 20 and Reid recognized her as being Tara Zellner. He stopped briefly before Merritt nudged him to move along. He placed Reid in the cell next to Tara. He went to get Julie. He carried Julie into the house as if she were a sack of potatoes. And he tossed her on the floor next to Reid. Merritt locked the door and then he went to the table and threw a knife into the cell.
"Cut them off" he told Reid. "Oh and don't worry you'll use that knife later."
Reid cut Julie's straps. Julie sat on the floor clinging to Reid. She cried hard and between sobs said, "I thought he killed you. Spencer what are we going to do?"
"I don't know, Julie" He held her tightly. He kissed her cheek, and forehead trying to comfort her. He didn't tell her that he thought they would die here, or how he wondered what they would be forced to do with the knife.
Garcia returned from what would have been a four day weekend in the Caribbean with Kevin. The trip would have been so worth it had she not received a call from Emily. As soon as she got off the elevator she asked, "Where's Reid?" She had been chanting "He'll be here. He'll be here." all the way to the BAU and she almost had herself convinced he would be waiting for her. When that didn't happen she said, "What do you need to know?"
Hotch started rattling off a list, "We need the diary kept by Rolland Fleischer a list of all his personal belongings that were removed from the apartment…"
Garcia noticed Detective Filipek standing in the room and she interrupted, "Whoa, hold on cowboy! Why do we need all of that information on a dead serial killer, and why is he here?"
Morgan spoke up, "There has been another body recovered." Garcia drew in a sharp breath, "Not our…" She couldn't finish the sentence. She began gasping and Morgan moved closer to her in case she would pass out.
"Breath baby doll, just breath, it wasn't one of ours."
Reid heard Merritt walking up the stairs. Tara was crying in the cell next to them. Reid stood up and went to the bars calling out to Tara, "Tara, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI." Her cries became louder when she heard him say that. "Listen, please we need to know what his habits are, and what he has planned." Reid continued.
Tara said between heaves, "I'm going to die. Every time someone new comes the others die."
'Maybe we can think of a way to stop him. Were behavior analysts and if you help us we can understand him."
"Dr, if you were any good at this you, wouldn't be here. What are you going to be able to do?" Tara doubted.
Julianne spoke up, "It's my fault he's here. That man wants me. We just want to ask you a couple of things, please." Tara didn't respond.
Reid said, "Do you know his name?"
Moments passed. Then Tara spoke, her voice weak and child like. "One of them is Merritt I don't know the other ones name."
"Good, that's good Tara. The other one is Rolland he can't hurt you anymore he's dead. "How long does he leave you alone?" Julie asked. Tara never had a chance to respond because they could hear Merritt coming down the stairs.
