Chapter 4

Merry Christmas, I hope you all have a lovely day with your families and friends

By the time we had arrived back at the station it had become clear to Morgan and myself that it wasn't the first time this unsub had committed a crime, it is as though he had learnt from his mistakes he definitely wasn't new to this. The crime scenes were too perfect and the lack of trace evidence only strengthened our theory.

Money had been taken from the latest victim the family had confirmed that they kept around twenty thousand dollars in the safe. When will people learn, keep your money in the bank at least then it is semi safe and your home is more safe due to the fact temptation has been removed. Although they lived in separate neighbour hoods there seemed to be a slight connection or maybe it was just a coincidence that they too had a business before they'd retired.

"What did you find out?" JJ asked us as I handed her the cup of coffee.

"Not a lot, despite all the blood there was nothing other than a foot print left at the scene." Morgan said as I took a seat pulling the file in front of me so I could read through the notes again.

I placed my phone on the table as I hit her number placing it on speed dial "Yes my little crime fighters how may I assist you today" I couldn't help the slight chuckle as he voice drafted through the speaker.

"I need you to run a search" before I finished her voice cut me off

"That's what I do best"

"Can you go back a year to eighteen months, looking at breakings"

"I'm going to need a bit more than that" Garcia she as I chuckled slightly.

"Look for anything that had little evidence. Does that help" I teased slightly.

"I'll hit you back" with that she cut the call

It wasn't long before Rossi and Hotch had joined us, Rossi placed the tray down which consisted of coffees for each of us and a bag containing sandwiches for us all. Hotch handed us all a copy of the medical reports which now had some more details regarding the latest victim.

"The stab wounds were enough to kill Mr Tong the coroner commented that the blow to his head was uncalled for. He also stated that even though the wounds are deep and long the knife wouldn't be more than ten inches long" Hotch said as he placed the pictures on the board which showed the injuries in more detail for each victim. The stab wounds on each victim were the same long gashes with jagged tears on the skin.

"Any idea on the knife that was used?" JJ asked as I studded the wound tracks some more.

I pulled the laptop out pulling up a web browser, I knew I had seen these types of wounds before a long blade with some type of hook on the end, back when I lived in the countryside in Ireland I had seen these types of patterns.

"It's a bill hook also known as a beet knife," I said as I turned the screen around allowing the rest of the team to see the picture. "It was mainly used as a leatherworker's knife for cutting hides. Similar were also used for other sheet materials such as linoleum, rubber. I haven't seen one in years but I have seen those stab wounds before, many farm workers would cut themselves when using the knife as the sharpe blade didn't need that much pressure to cut through the hides it would slice through your skin like paper"

"Do you know where someone could purchase this?" Hotch asked I gave him a slight nod before I answered.

"EBay, amazon and any agricultural shop will stock them, it isn't a common knife though you would have to be use to handling one, and the handles are always made of wood which will become slippery once it is wet hence so many accidence with them."

"These crime scenes are too organised" Rossi stated.

"That was our thought we think he has been at this longer. Although something made him kill this time" Morgan said as he took a swig of the much needed coffee.

"Maybe he was surprise by the victims?" JJ asked.

I shook my head slightly "The way in which he entered each crime scene points more to he knew they would be home, the whole window had been taken out at the first crime scene each house had, had the phone lines cut, the entry point on the second house was through the garage door and from the mess in the garage it looks as though he had been there for a long time"

"The safe in the second house needed a code to access it looks as though they were surprised in the bedroom, it would have been easy for him to get the husband to comply, only his finger prints were found on the safe." Morgan said as Rossi handed us our sandwiches.

"I think we are looking for a white male" Reid said as he drew lines on the map.

"What makes you say that?" JJ asked

"Well if it's a beet knife the majority of the farmers in this area are white,"

"That's a big jump" I couldn't help comment although in the back of my mind I knew he was correct.

"Not really when you consider that most farms are handed down generation to generation and then take into account that a person would need a lot of skill to use that type of knife, which must mean he grew up being taught how to use it and in turn developed the necessary skill."

I couldn't help the slight chuckle as I listened to him "Okay point taken" I mused slightly giving him a soft smile.

"Wouldn't farm hands be taught how to use it though?" JJ asked. I waited for Reid to start again but for once he stayed quite as he turned looking at the map again trying to work out how many farms were in the area and also how many in neighbouring towns.

"Yes farm hands would be taught how to use it, but it takes a lot of skill and practice and not many farmers would allow them to practice, the amount of injuries that may happen is just a law suit waiting. Which is something no farmer would be able to pay without selling the property" I gave her a soft smile as she began to look between both me and Reid.

"I think Reid may have been cloned"

I couldn't help the slight laugh as Reid turned around with a confused look on his face. "I believe if I was to be cloned that would make Emily a man that resembles me"

"Oh boy" I heard Morgan mumble.

"It's late we will meet back in the morning I suggest that you all get a good night's rest meet back here at 8am unless we get called" Hotch said as we started to straight up the table.

The ride back to the hotel room was quite like always sometimes we would talk about the case, sometimes about plans for the weekend and other times when we have seen the worst of what society has to offer we fall silent. There are no words for what we have seen no joyous words to lift our spirits because we all know it can get so much worse before we catch the unsub.

We each split off into our own rooms hoping that we will have some rest and not mulling over the case, which was normally something I tended to do, but like I have said before this case is different everything has to matter.

"I am going for a shower, why don't you ring the children" JJ said as her hand rested on my shoulder, I nodded against her as I leaned in slightly.

"Do you want to talk to them after your shower?" I asked even though I knew the answer.

"Yeah, I'll be out in ten" I couldn't help but chuckle JJ's ten meant twenty in all fairness but I give the children their due they can keep me entertained long after she comes out of the shower.

I hadn't even noticed she had come out of the bathroom I was too engrossed in listening to Henry and Julie talking about what they had done in school, who they had played with after school not forgetting what they had eaten or the fact that Auntie Penelope had called round to see them. Their voices soothed my soul but it also saddened me as well.

"Go have a shower" her voice was so soft and gentle as she spoke, I bid goodnight to the children before I handed JJ the phone giving her chance to hear what they had been doing all day. It always amused me that they had to tell us separately about their day even when we came home at night they couldn't tell us together, sometimes I wondered if it was because of our jobs and they always knew one of us can be hurt.

They had both seen me black and blue the odd gunshot wound, JJ when she got hit over the head it is kind of funny in the fact that the second time she was hit was with a shovel which now has been the standard joke between the team. Whereas Morgan and myself is normally because the unsub have attacked us and we've had to use force. Though most of my bruises come from Morgan and myself sparring in the gym.

I allowed the water to wash away the feelings I had swirling in my mind, I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that JJ knew something was wrong or something was weighting heavy on my mind, but I can't tell her.

By the time I have come out the bathroom JJ is already in bed, my nightwear gently placed on the small chair waiting for me the hair dryer left plugged in so I didn't go to bed with wet hair. Which I was a bugger for not drying my hair. I looked over at her the small lamp casted an amber glow onto her skin making her features stand out more than ever, I am so lucky to have her at my side, so honoured to call her my wife.

I make my way over to the bed gently lying beside her before wrapping my arm carefully around the back of her neck allowing her head to rest on my chest, my fingers run gently through her hair as the other runs circles on her bare arm. I smile as I feel her muscles twitch under my touch. Now normally I wouldn't dream of making love while we were on a case it was an unwritten rule we had since the first time we did make love on a case the walls weren't as thick as we thought and I had taken three whole days of Morgan teasing me, but right now I didn't care I would take the teasing and whatever else he gave me. I wanted her to know how much I loved and cared for her. Like I said before everything has to matter every little detail needs to matter.