A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter. Excuse my Medical Examiner jargon. The only experience I have with that sort of stuff is what I see on Criminal Minds or Law and Order. :) We meet some members of the Lima PD and some glee club members make an appearance. I own nothing. Criminal minds and Glee are just shows I enjoy, not my property.
Chapter Two
Reid watched the landscape changed as they neared their destination. His mind was whirring a mile a minute, not that it was unusual for the young genius.
"A two week break in between victims." Derek Morgan was looking at the file spread between them. "Whoever the UnSub is, he's patient."
"You're right." Hotch hummed. "He's not likely to deviate from his pattern just yet."
Reid studied the pictures, noticing something in the wounds. "The cuts look clean. This was precise, like torture."
Emily pointed. "But the cut to the neck, that was sloppy, quick. It didn't seem thought out."
Aaron sighed. "Reid, you and Prentiss go to the ME. Rossi and Morgan, go to the crime scene. JJ and I will get set up at the station and call the parents in."
David Rossi looked around the house. It was orderly, tight, a typical suburban residence. Toys were still spread on the living room rug. Apparently Geoffrey had not been a very neat little boy, despite his home.
"We haven't moved anything." A young cop, probably closer to Reid's age, said. "Even though the crime took place in the bathroom, can't be too careful right?"
"We appreciate your consideration." Rossi held out a hand. "SSA David Rossi, this is SSA Derek Morgan."
"Mickey Ruiz," The man smiled. "I'm with Lima PD. The bathroom's upstairs."
The bathroom was a mess. Just like in the photos shown by Garcia, there was blood stuck in between and on the black and white tile, turning the white a gruesome pink. The linoleum looked slicked and the tub was dripping water.
"Parents said it looked like Geoffrey was getting ready to take a bath." Ruiz explained. "He was found stripped of his clothes here." The cop nodded his head to where the tape marked off a square section of the room.
"Closer to the entrance than the tub." Rossi mused. "What do you make of it Morgan?"
"Think about it." Morgan stepped in. "I'm a ten year old boy, probably wired. Parents went out, I'm with a sitter. I'm pushing all the boundaries I can."
Rossi nodded moving toward the tub. "Odds are the sitter's frazzled. Standing about here getting the tub set for the kid to get in. So distracted by the kid. Gives the UnSub ample opportunity to make a move. By the time the sitter noticed, the kid's already bleeding out."
"But that wouldn't explain the other cuts." Morgan said.
"Wouldn't it though?" Rossi raised his eyebrows. "The UnSub tells the sitter to be quiet, don't call the cops or I'll slit the kid's throat."
"I start screaming, trying to fight back." Morgan picked up the refrain. "It pisses him off, so…" He slid his finger across his throat. "It would explain the mess."
"You think he wasn't planning to kill Geoffrey?" Ruiz asked.
"Not when he did." Morgan said. "Something must have set him off, probably the kid panicking."
Ruiz nodded. "I'll take you to the station."
Prentiss and Reid stood in the Medical Examiner's Office looking at Geoffrey Scott as the ME flitted around.
"You were right." Prentiss gave a sardonic smile in Reid's direction. "Clean cuts, down the arms, legs and torso." She looked at the man who was holding up the sheet, preparing to ask the question she dreaded. "Any evidence of sexual abuse?"
The man nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."
"It seems like there were two motives." Reid said. "The torture and the sexual act."
Prentiss pursed her lips. "He can't be impotent. An impotent UnSub wouldn't bother with the sex, just use the stabbing as a replacement."
"A pedophile maybe?" Reid said.
"It's possible." Emily shrugged. "Was the tongue cut out during the murder?"
The man shook his head. "CSI found the tongues in the boys' hands. They were cut out post mortem."
"The tongues were in the hands of both victims?" Reid asked.
He nodded.
"Do you have them?"
"We do." The man walked away coming back with two plastic bags containing the boys' tongues. He handed them to Reid.
"Interesting…" Reid slid the first tongue, the one tagged as G. Scott onto an exam table, handling it with careful, gloved hands.
Prentiss leaned forward. "The cut job was jagged. The same jaggedness on the boys' necks."
"The tongue removal was about as thought out as the throat slitting." Reid sighed. "So the question is… was the murder part of the UnSub's end game?"
Aaron Hotchner stood in the Lima Police Station waiting for the detective. He saw a teenaged boy walk in. He wore a collared blue shirt and black slacks. His dark hair was gelled back and he held a cell phone in his hand and was talking to someone.
"Yeah, I'm at the station waiting for Dad. I'll be there soon. Try to get Ryder to come." The boy furrowed his brow. "Marley'll convince him." He looked up noticing Hotch watching him. "I gotta go. I'll call you later Kitty." He walked over to a bench and sat down, eyeing the FBI agent with a steady curiosity.
Aaron walked across the room sitting next to the boy. "You're impatient. You want to get out of here as soon as possible, but you don't want to seem impatient because you always come here. You're also wondering what I'm doing here." It was a parlor trick of sorts, the most basic form of profiling, that he used to get people to open up to him. It seemed to work with the teenager, for a small smile was visible.
"He said the profilers would be coming in, but I didn't think you were that good." The teenager pocketed his cell phone. "I'm Blaine Anderson. Are you looking for my dad? He should be coming around that corner right about…" The boy pointed. "Now."
Sure enough, a dark haired man was coming towards them. This was one of the officers.
"Hi! Sorry I'm late." The man looked at Aaron. "We were setting up the briefing room. Everything should be ready for you and your team." He held out a hand. "I'm Les Anderson, one of the detectives on the case. Captain Drake is waiting down there for you."
"SSA Aaron Hotchner." Aaron shook the man's hand.
Ryder was sitting on the couch with his friend Marley. They were watching one of those comedy clip shows that usually involved kids falling in varied ways.
"So, there's a jam session tonight. We're going to bust into the auditorium and give Principal Sue the shock of her life." Marley laughed. "It was Blaine and Sam's idea really. Their senior prank, and the New Direction's stand against Sue."
We interrupt this program for breaking news live from Central Avenue in Lima Ohio. Marley stopped looking at Ryder then to the television.
Ryder meanwhile found himself frozen. The television showed crime scene tape in front of a house. The reporter continued. The FBI has been called in to assist Lima PD in the investigation of the molestation and murder of ten year old Geoffrey Scott, just two weeks after a similar murder took place. Two FBI agents walked out of the house as the reporter tried to question them. Can you tell us anything about the investigation so far? The younger of the two men sighed. "There's nothing to report at this time."
Ryder shut his eyes tight breathing shallow breaths as he rocked back and forth.
"Ryder," Marley grabbed her friend's hand. "Ryder! Look at me… please Ry." The brunette sighed. "Mrs. Lynn! Mrs. Lynn!"
Rebecca ran into the living room heaving a sigh as she saw what was on the TV. "Oh." She clicked it off before turning to her son grabbing him by the shoulders. "Ryder, baby… you're ok. You're ok sweetheart!" She hugged Ryder close. "Marley, will you grab that notebook and Ryder's guitar? I have to call Mr. Lynn."
Marley grabbed the guitar placing it in Ryder's hands. She could see her friend visibly relax as the cool wood and strings touched his fingers. As his mom left with her cell phone in hand, he began playing a frenzied series of chords. She recognized the song. "Magic." She sighed. "Magic, Ryder. Why that song?"
He began shaking his head furiously as his playing increased and the song changed again. "Every breath you take."
Marley sighed. "Ryder, I don't get it, can you just write it?"
Ryder shook his head again as he reached around pulling out her ponytail. He stretched it between his fingers.
"Ryder that's my hair…" It clicked in her head. "Band, the band?"
He nodded.
"Those are both songs by the Police." Marley said. "What are you saying? You want to go to the police station?"
Ryder bit his lip, nodding as his eyes went to the TV.
"Is this about what was on the news?" Marley was confused. "With those kids?"
Ryder cast his eyes downward as he stood and began walking away.
Marley watched her friend's back as she sighed. "Ry'..."
A/N: So, Rossi and Morgan saw the crime scene and were accosted by reporters on the way out. They met Mickey Ruiz who is portrayed by Danny Pino. Hotch met Blaine and Blaine's father Les Anderson who is portrayed by Bradley Cooper. Ryder had a panic attack seemingly caused by the news. Marley knows he wants to go to the police station but she doesn't know why. Reid thinks that the murders may not be part of the UnSub's design. So what does it mean? Thoughts, theories.
