Chapter 2
I do not own Criminal Minds in any way.
Rossi and Hotch arrived at Harley's parent's house.
It was a large plantation style with a sizable front yard littered with rose bushes.
"Wow. So she comes from money", Rossi said.
"Yeah, but you'd never know by looking at her", Hotch told him.
They walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell.
An older woman with dark hair answered the door.
"Looks like you were right, Blondie", Morgan said.
"Ha! Jokes on you! I'm not even a real blonde!" Harley said.
A ghost of a smile appeared on Hotch's face at that memory. "I'm Agent Aaron Hotchner and this is Agent David Rossi. We're with the FBI", he said.
"Where's the other one? Agent Gideon?" her mother asked.
"He…passed away a few years ago", Hotch told her.
"Oh, well forgive me. There was no love lost there. What exactly is this about if I may ask?"
"Mrs. Dyer, we'd like to ask you a few questions about your daughter, Harley", Rossi said.
"Lily. Her name is Lily", Mrs. Dyer said, "I always hated that she called herself after that ridiculous comic book character".
"May we come inside?" Hotch asked.
They sat down in the living room. It looked like it had come out of a home catalogue. It was devoid of any personal touches.
"Mrs. Dyer, when was the last time you spoke to your daughter?" Hotch asked.
"Shortly after my husband's murder", she said, "That's how she met Agent Gideon".
Monica Dyer entered her home, her cell phone clutched between her shoulder and her ear. "Yes, I understand. What I don't understand is…"
The house was unusually quiet.
"Hey Donna, I'll call you back", she said, "Richard! Lily!" She walked into the living room and screamed.
There was her 15 year old daughter, covered in blood, standing next to her father's dead body.
Monica ran forward and grabbed her daughter's arm. "What did you do?!" she yelled.
Lily said nothing.
Monica growled and roughly let go her arm, throwing her daughter to the blood soaked carpet. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911.
An ambulance and the authorities soon arrived.
Lily and her mother were separated and taken for questioning. Lily sat in the interrogation room, her legs pulled up to her chest in the chair.
A man entered the room and put a blanket around her shoulders and sat in front of her. "Hi Lily. My name's Jason Gideon, can you tell me what happened tonight?" he said.
She looked up at him, still covered in her father's blood. "I was at the mall with my friends", she said, "I came home and found him".
"Why didn't you call the police?" he asked.
She scoffed. "I know how the justice system works. You always look at the people closest to the victim first", she said, "I'M the one who found him. I'M the one covered in his blood".
"I don't think you did this", Jason said.
"You…you don't?" she asked him.
"No. I think you're just a scared young girl who found her father dead and did everything you could to save him", he said. He pulled out his wallet and handed her a business card. "You can call me whenever you'd like to. I'd be willing to listen to any concerns you have", he said.
Lily smiled. "Thank you", she said.
"I always knew that when she disappeared, she was with him. Despite what they wanted you to believe, Lily isn't his actual niece. She emancipated herself when she was 16 and then ran off with him. Personally I think there was something more going on".
"Mrs. Dyer, your daughter was abducted yesterday. Do you have any idea who may have taken her?" Rossi asked.
"Abducted? No. She probably just ran off. She has a propensity to do that", she said.
"Do you mind if we take a look at her things? Maybe something can give us a clue as to who took her", Hotch said.
"Her things? I threw them all out when she ran off. That girl stopped being my daughter the moment she met Jason Gideon. Now, if all your questions are answered, I'd like for you to leave". She walked them to the door and then slammed the door behind them.
"Jesus. I can understand why Harley would want to get away from that woman", Rossi said.
Hotch just stood next to the SUV.
"Aaron? What is it?" Rossi asked him.
"I had no idea her father was murdered. Turns out we don't know that much about her as I thought", he said. He pulled out his cell phone. "Garcia, I need you to do a deep, thorough search on Harley", he said.
"But…but sir…" she stuttered, "You know how I feel about things like that".
"I know, but maybe if we know more about her it might help find her", he said.
"Right away, sir".
JJ and Emily go talk to Stephen next. What do you think will happen? What else do you think the team will find out about Harley?