Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Got nothing.

Flint, Ohio

"This means he was either looking for closure or Jesus. If it's the former we're looking into his religious past as well as the past of his church, priests, and other people connected with religion – that could get ugly. If it's the latter we're looking into his psychological past, and trying to find what made him look for religion again, as well as why he lost it in the first place. That could get ugly. Either way this is ugly… Father Stubbs, Claudas Stubbs. Father Claudas, why is that name familiar?" Magdalene Burgess was again at the station before the rest of the team, she was pacing back and forth in front of the glass boards, one had massaging her temple the other holding a tape recorder. On the table were all of the notes from the pervious day. Hotchner cleared his throat and Noelle looked up sharply at the sound.

"G' morning." She wearily wished them.

"It sounds like you've had some thoughts on the case." Gideon observed. "What leads you to believe its closure or Jesus?"

"You want to listen to me, the conspiracy theorist?"

"You do have a theory, don't you?" Gideon pressed.

"What is this, the question game?" she asked cheekily.

"Do you want it to be?" Magdalene sighed.

"Your notes say he was raised a good Catholic boy with a single, religions mother. He was an alter boy and in the choir. Up until he was about thirteen he spent a lot of time at church. The girlfriend now says he couldn't get hear a church or a priest without an episode of some kind. But the friends say his sole purpose for coming home was to go to church. Quite a turn around." She said talking with her hands. The team nodded, she was smart.

"I'd like to meet the priest if I may."

"Of course." Gideon nodded.

"Why don't you, Reid, and I visit the church? Morgan and Gideon do some digging into his medical records. J.J. and Elle – I'd make another pass with the friends after we get in his head." Hotchner said, the plan was agreed upon.

Saint ----- Church was a large brick fortress with a glass front. They mounted the stairs leading to the doors, and as they did so Spencer felt Magdalene tension ever so slightly. Was she nervous for the interview? Or was there something else, below the surface, what Gideon had deemed 'complicated'? The lobby of the church was bright, full of stain glass light, and empty. The trio walked across the room and down the hall. The Narthex was on the right and had a handful of people saying prayers and lighting candles. They entered quietly. Hotchner first, then Reid, followed by Magdalene.

"How can I help you?" the priest was of average build, around thirty, and bobbed up and down like one of those little red headed birds that drank water.

"I'm Aaron Hotchner. Theses are Doctors Spencer Reid and Magdalene Burgess." Hotchner said gesturing to each respectively.

"We're with the FBI's Behavior Analyst Unit, investigating the death of Sean Hyman." The priest had a look in his eyes as he shook Magdalene's hand. Spencer wondered at his expression. Was he afraid? What would instill fear in his heart, Magdalene was barely coming to his (Spencer's) shoulder and she was in heels.

"Ah, yes Sean, such a tragedy, his mother, what she must be going through. I'm Torrance Piltcher." Magdalene put a hand on Spencer's shoulder, he bent slightly and she rose on tip toes.

"Ask him to explain the mass." Her request tickled his ear. He found it strange but complied with the suggestion.

"Father Piltcher, we were called to investigate a black mass, could you explain the ceremony to us?" Spencer only half listened to what the man of God said. He was watching Magdalene listen to him. Her face was blank but her eyes were an open book. She was formulating opinions he couldn't wait to hear.

"Did you know Sean? Was he likely to fall into all 'that'?" She asked winking; Spencer returned focus to the priest.

"I did not know him as well as I would've liked, when I arrived he was unfortunately drifting away. Then he left for school. Father Stubbs helped raise him." Father Piltcher said with reverence.

"Claudas Stubbs?" Magdalene asked.

"Yes, did you know him?" the vicar asked excitedly. Spencer could tell he enjoyed talking about the man.

"Personally I did not, but the name does ring a bell." She said, her tone was light, she was angling for information. Magdalene Burgess would make a decent profiler.

"Father Claudas was a great man, a good man, a man we lost recently. He will be missed." He's got some sort of a hero worship complex about the guy Spencer thought, how would that color their information? Unfortunately the interview didn't go much longer and information couldn't even been collected colored. Father Piltcher was soon called away and the FBI took their leave. As soon as they got into the car Magdalene was dialing.

"Saint ----- College, Helen speaking, what can I do for you?"

"Hiya Helen, can you get me Father Everett?" There was hold music, Magdalene put a hand over the speaker and told them,

"I've got to figure out who this guy is, hold a sec." Hotchner nodded and the ride began back to H.Q.

"Hey E, 's me." Magdalene informed the man on the other end. "I'm peachy – the feds are very nice – well, I'm touched that they missed me… wait they did WHAT? I'm sorry… I'm sorry… you know what just put it on my tab… I'll just buy you a dinner – several times over you're right." She was laughing, the manner was very different than the one in the church, not that Spencer minded, he was losing his senses either way… "I have a legitamit reason for calling, have you heard of Father Claudas Stubbs?" there was a Charlie Brown style reply from the other end punctured by sound effects representing a nod.

"E," she sighed, "You're diplomacy is refreshing but give me the truth!" there was more low noise. "Thank you – take care… I will, you too – bye" She hung up. "Still can't nail me for delusions, Father Claudas is up for all sorts of acclaim and awards and has been fast tracked because of his recent death." She told them. Spencer and Hotchner nodded with a look exchange, they were going to have to do more digging. The rest of the ride was quite as the passengers got lost in their analysis. Hotchner called ahead to tell Gideon that another background check needed to be run, but aside from the phone call the conversation was none.

So tell me what you think...

Streakie