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A/n thanks again to all my loyal readers. You guys are the best. Also, many thanks to my constant beta REIDFANATIC who keeps me sane.
Raven Feathers
"Hey Spence…" JJ said from her seat next to him in the back of the company SUV.
"Yeah," he said distractedly as he perused the file in his hands.
"You seem pretty excited about this case."
He looked up at her, going pink at the expression on her face. "I'm not excited. I'm appalled." He said.
"You seemed pretty excited to be going to Baltimore this morning."
He looked out at the trees flying by the freeway. The gold, crimson and purple leaves had begun to fall from their limbs, making colorful piles on the golden grass.
"Spence!"
"You'll think I'm crazy," he said in a low voice.
"When has that stopped you?"
His head whipped around at her teasing tone. Her blue eyes danced at the look on his face. Finally, he smiled back at her. "Yeah… I never know when to shut up, do I?"
"If you hadn't noticed, no one seems to care anymore," she pointed out. "You always have some kind of insight that helps the team find the un-sub."
"This isn't really about the un-sub." He said slowly, going pink again.
"Then what is about?" She inquired seriously.
"Edgar Allen Poe is buried in Baltimore. I'd love to see his home and museum."
"Focus Spence… We have to find a killer."
Reid went pink in the cheeks. "I know JJ… I thought I'd ask Hotch for a couple of days after we finish the case." He said in a very low tone.
"You're weird Spence."
"I like his work JJ…," he said very excitedly. "Did you know that the hospital where he died - under very mysterious circumstances - was rumored to be the sight of body snatching and dubious medical experiments?"
"That's great Reid. Can you pay attention to the case?" Hotch spoke up from his position in the driver's seat.
Reid shut his mouth with a snap and looked at JJ. She shrugged and went back to her files. Reid looked up at Hotch through his eyelashes while pretending to look at his case file. Hotch was so uptight these days and less likely to excuse lapses in concentration. Reid sighed and wondered if they would catch Foyet before Hotch lost it completely, or before Jack grew up, which ever came first. Foyet couldn't have conceived a worse torture if he'd thought about it for years.
Reid looked back out the windows, trying to see the connection between three men killed in the same ways Poe had conceived in his stories. Why would this person use these particulars methods? He said the men had sinned. Was that just an excuse for him to kill them? Did he like the killing or was there something else at work?
----
A very tall and thin Baltimore police officer met them as they arrived at the scene of the latest killing. The building was located on the pier at the very north end.
"This place was scheduled to be knocked down next week." The officer told them. "Why would this guy call us when he could have let the demolition obscure his crimes?"
"Because he wants our attention," a voice said behind them. "Isn't that right Spencer?"
Everyone, including Reid, turned to see a very short, dark haired woman with emerald eyes walking toward them. She wore no nonsense shoes and a dark blue pants suit with a white blouse. Her hair framed her oval face and the smile she wore. She held a pair of sunglasses in one hand and a file in the other. A gun rested at her hip.
"This is -" The officer began.
"Scotty!" Reid said happily.
"Dr. Spencer Reid!" She closed the distance between them and hugged him while the others gaped in surprise.
"Oh… Sorry Spencer, it's just been a long time." She stepped back and replaced her sunglasses.
"Um… It's okay." He'd gone scarlet.
"Who's this fine looking woman Reid?" Morgan asked looking like Christmas had come early.
"Shut up Morgan." Emily smacked his shoulder.
"Um… Well this is Detective Katherine O'Donnell."
"Pleased to meet you," she said with a slight Scottish accent.
"This is my team," Reid went on ignoring Morgan's smile. "This is SSA Jennifer Jareau, SSA Hotchner, SSA Rossi, SSA Prentiss and SSA Morgan."
"I'm glad you're here. I'm baffled by all the Edger Allen Poe similarities." She walked into the building next to Reid, but spoke to the whole team. "Not that I'm surprised, as it's the 150th anniversary of his death. There's been a citywide celebration going on all year. It's brought out the crazies."
"So you saw the resemblance too." Rossi asked her as they descended the rickety stairs to the basement.
"Yes… Poe was - is," she corrected herself, "A favorite author of mine. His poetry is good too. In fact, there's something I'd like you all to see when we get back to the station."
"What is it?" Hotch enquired.
"I'd prefer you see all the files together. I don't understand what it means. The mayor is freaking out, thinking that if this gets out in the press it'll put a damper on the festivities."
"Heaven forbid he interferes with the tourist trade." JJ quipped.
"That's my thought exactly." Katherine said.
"Now, this is where the last body was found. The coffin seemed to be hand made from pine. He buried the victim under concrete.
"He took the time to crack the concrete and dig a grave." Morgan said looking around at the large room full of old machinery and rusted scrap metal.
"Yeah… No one's around so he had the place to himself."
"What about the coffin?"
"Like I said, it looked like it was handmade. I have checked with every funeral home in the city. None of them carries this type of coffin, not even the economy models like the kind that they use out at Potter's field."
"Reid, I want you and Detective O'Donnell to work on the Edgar Allen Poe angle of this and victimology. Dave… You and Morgan go to the second crime scene. Prentiss and I will take the first one." Hotch ordered.
"Do you want to see what I wanted to show you?" the detective asked Reid.
"Yes, I'm very curious."
"I'll bet he is," Morgan whispered to Rossi."
"Enough Morgan," Hotch turned his scowl on the younger man.
"I guess I'll do whatever it takes to make sure this Poe thing doesn't get into the news."
"If you can do that you're a miracle worker." Detective O'Donnell smiled at JJ.
"JJ's got a special affinity with the press." Emily told her.
"Well that'll be welcome for sure."
They took a last look around the scene and then headed back up to the vehicles. "So Reid," Morgan stopped the young doctor with a hand on his arm. "Why do you call her "Scotty?"
"You'll have to ask her."
----
"Okay Spencer, here the pictures I wanted you to look at." Katherine said as she led him into the conference room at the south end of the police station.
"Hey O'Donnell…" A uniformed officer yelled from one side of the bullpen. "Who's your friend?"
"Shut up Weisenski!"
Two other officers catcalled as they walked by.
"Quiet you idiots. Show some respect for the FBI," she shouted over her shoulder.
"You don't have to do that." Reid said as the catcalls and whistles died down behind them. "I'm used to being stared at."
"I don't allow my friends to be treated that way. They can shut up or I'll have a chat with our Captain."
"I don't want to get you into trouble."
She opened the door, waited for him to enter and shut it behind him. "You're not getting me in trouble Spencer. My Captain doesn't tolerate behavior like that. The only reason they acted that way, was that Captain Sims at a meeting with the Mayor over these cases. You can look forward to pressure from city and state government."
"We've dealt with that before," he assured her. "Um Katherine, I'm sorry about calling you Scotty back there in front of my team. I was surprised."
"Have I ever complained about that nick-name?"
"No…"
"Then don't worry about it. Stop calling me Katherine. No one calls me that except my dad. I like Scotty better."
"It's a boys' name." Reid squeaked.
"So what? Let's just get back to the case. I'll talk to you later."
He looked at the white board she'd set up along the far wall of the room. "What's that?" He pointed at one of the photos.
"I was hoping you could tell me. We found one at every crime scene."
Reid touched the picture of what looked like a raven's feather." This was found near the bodies?" He asked.
"Yeah… Beyond the obvious reference to "The Raven," I don't understand the significance."
"Well, in Norse legend the raven is associated with thought and wisdom. Did you know a raven can be taught to speak?"
She shook her head and leaned on the edge of the table.
"In Greek and Roman mythology, they were associated with the light of thought or intelligence because they are very intelligent birds. They have been associated with Athena and Apollo. Did you know that legend says the birds used to be all white, but were punished by the Gods because they couldn't keep a secret?"
"Are you saying this guy's punishing those who can't keep a secret?"
"I don't know… Ravens also have the reputation as harbingers of death. They often scavenge on battlefields, eating the flesh of dead soldiers. I'm sure that's how they got such a bad reputation. Now the poem Poe wrote is full of symbolism. I read a paper about that poem. The bird repeatedly visits the man in the poem driving him to insanity with its answers to the man's question. The raven uses the bust of Pallas as a perch. Pallas was the goddess of wisdom." Reid leaned on the table next to his friend. "He says he's punishing them for their sins when he calls into 911. Now, I think that's just a diversion. I think that these men might have known something or seen something."
"Are you sure?"
Reid shrugged his shoulders. "It could just be more distractions for the police. We need to know more about the men. I need to figure out if they're connected."
"Well okay, how do we do that?"
"We call Garcia."
"What's a Garcia?"
"I'll call her and you'll see." Reid promised her as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed her number.