Joe Carroll was charming when he taught the class. He had passion; he was devoted to his teaching. Nothing was more important to him in that part of his life. Edgar Allan Poe was his typical subject but he couldn't always talk about Poe. Though he constantly tried to talk only about him he always did not succeed. He knows how to make a group of people passionate about something. He knows how to motivate them. He is charismatic, handsome and knows how to say all the right words.
"Poe equates death with what?" Joe's voice filled the classroom. All of the females changed position while snickering on their seats every time when Joe glanced at them. Only if they knew what he was truly about. What kind of darkness was truly in him. Maybe they even would, someday.
Peyton listened to the lecture with half of her concentration. Her friend had recommended this class so she just wanted to give it a try. Though some of what he spoke was brilliant Peyton had had a bad night's sleep so she just wasn't able to concentrate.
"Poe believed that art was about beauty and that nothing was more beautiful than a beautiful woman's death," Sarah Fuller, from a window seat said. Joe's expression changed immediately.
"And to believe beauty is…"
"To elevate ones soul," Sarah continued with a proud smile on her face. Peyton leaned on her table and studied the eye contact between the two. No, he wasn't sleeping with her. What would the tension be about? Why was there one in the first place? Peyton narrowed her eyes to Joe and for a second and a half his eyes and hers met. The exchanged look made Peyton have shivers climbing up her back. She started to collect her courage.
"He believed that art had to be felt and though some of his characters were insane I don't think he himself was," Peyton said and felt everyone's eyes fall on her, including Joe's again. Peyton chuckled awkwardly and stared her blank paper.
"I'm sorry, psychology major," she smiled and raised her eyes back into Joe's. The professor smiled and nodded while he walked back a bit.
"Interesting theory," Joe said with a smirk he only let Peyton notice.
The class ended and she got up from the back seat and started walking towards the door. All the students were trying to get out and as she heard some of the females giggle and speak of Joe to each other. How he was so charming and so handsome and how he glanced them in that way. Peyton shook her ponytail head slightly and pushed her glasses closer to her eyes. It was ridiculous how the girls drooled over him like he was available. He was married and that was a big no. But she wasn't able to deny the fact that he was extremely handsome and charismatic.
"Great thinking psychology major!" the Professor said when Peyton walked past his table.
"Peyton?" the voice made her wake up. She was in the conference room. A huge screen that held Carroll's face on it was in front of her. Peyton tried to wake up from her trance but something in the quick memory flashback she had, made her uncomfortable.
Peyton rubbed her forehead and tried to think. If she was one of Joe's followers where would she be, who would she murder next? What would be her next move? The escape yes, but no one in here seemed to really believe her. It's safe nothing will happen. Yeah right, then how did he escape the first time? Mike was sitting on her right side, going through some files and Ryan was tapping his foot under the table anxiously.
"I'm trying to think," Peyton answered to Debra who now got to sit down. Peyton had a file case in front of her. Emma Hill, one of Joe's best known 'followers'. His right hand almost. She had Joey; she had killed her own mother. Just a couple of days back they found her mummified body. Emma Hill; a loner, bad childhood, no friends, there was some sense in the fact she had gotten so easily inside Joe's cult. No one wants to be alone; no one wants to feel alone. You need someone who understands you.
"They can be anyone, anywhere," Debra pointed out before getting back to her own files. Then Peyton raised her eyes from the file case. Anyone, anywhere; they don't have a type for the cult members. There can't be a type.
"Not everyone who visited Joe in jail are his cult members," Peyton said dryly, reminding her team members that she was not one of them. She worked strictly to the bureau and did what she was told. Nobody answered to her, but she just needed to say that out loud. Peyton started tapping her fingers on the table. After a while she got stopped by Mike. His hand went over hers, covering it and stopping her hand.
Why did he do that? Peyton quickly looked Mike in the eyes and received a warm glance. She quickly took her hand out of his. What was he doing? Gladly no one noticed the quick and warm moment between Peyton and Mike. If Mike wanted to invest more into their relationship Peyton was screwed. She wasn't going to be with them for long.
"But if we truly speak of human nature only, there are very dark parts in all of us. We are capable of terrifying things, all of us. Joe has the charismatics and charm to make even family mothers killers. We are all killers when given the chance," Peyton broke their moment. She glared at Debra and Ryan.
