Here is another bit of the story. Hope you enjoy it. Let's solve this puzzle.
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Chapter 3
They got into the car and start their way to the crime scene. Morgan was driving with JJ by his side and Emily in the back. JJ had her tablet with her, so she starts to lay the information for them.
"So... this last victim is Alexandria Robert, 64 years old. Lived alone since her husband died a couple of years ago; she was found by the delivery boy, Summer Connor 16 years old. Garcia called his boss and he has some deliveries in the area. We are meeting him there." They had all read the information in the conference room, but they usually brainstormed before going to investigate so they had a solid plan of what to do.
"This discrepancy in victimology is really bugging me. The sex, age and economical class are all different. Nothing Garcia found has linked them." It was making Morgan frustrated. It didn't make any sense, but it had to be related, the tortures were too similar to not to. "What about family? Did she have kids?"
"Yes. She had a daughter, Cecile Stone early 30's. She's married to Richard Conrad Stone. They are both lawyers for the same company. They don't live far, we'll drive there after."
"It's going to be hard to start a profile. There isn't a real pattern here."
"I think the answers will be in the phrase. Garcia is searching for any Italian connections this people may have, so we'll get answers." They both sight. It's going to be a long case.
"I hope so." He looks at the rear mirror and sees their brunette friend sitting quietly in the back picking at her nails. A sign of stress and it concerned him very much. The blond agent was also looking at their friend worriedly. She knew she shouldn't push her about it, but the more time passed more distressed JJ would get.
"Em." Jennifer tries to get her attention and only continue when their eyes are locked together. There was something deep in those brown eyes, but the blonde couldn't figure what it was. Worry? Tiredness? Confusion? She couldn't figure it out. "Are you sure you are okay? You've been so quiet all morning. Do you still feel sick?" Jareau could be a profile for a short period, but she had been with them for so long and she had picked on things. Not only it, Emily was her friend and she knew when the brunette pulled her walls to guard her feelings, like she was doing now.
"Honestly Jay, I'm feeling better. I think I was just tired." Emily smiled to her friend, but it didn't reach her eyes. It wasn't a complete lie. She was indeed very tired, because she couldn't sleep last night. But it wasn't the why she was distracted. Emily didn't know what would happen now. Would Danio reach her back? Would this case really be tied to the CIA's? How would she protect her friends from her past again? There were too many things in her head, but she realized in the worry of her friend that she had to put her compartments to work, because the cases being or not connected there were people dying and they need her doing the job. "I think if we had gone out yesterday, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed. You girls always wear me out." She chuckles remembering their many late nights.
"So Kevin must be relieved Garcia didn't buy the whole store." He grins happily seeing their friend finally losing up.
"Oh, you wish. We had to help her carry everything to the car." For the first time in the morning the smile reaches Emily's eyes as she and JJ laugh remembering their friend antics. "We just didn't hit the club later, but we spent the whole day shopping."
"Well, well...who would say that Emily Prentiss would tire for just carrying bags? I think you should train with me and the blonde more often." They laugh again forgetting for a second the problems they had to solve. They needed this. Last year had been cruel for all of them and it was now they were going back to their old selves.
"Shut up Morgan. I can kick your ass anytime and you know it." She tries to fake anger, but the smile still lingers in her face.
After that the mood in the car got better and they turned their attention back to the case. They were going to the crime scene and then talk to the boy. They hoped it would get them more close to the criminal mind. Closing in the place they could see a police car waiting for them, but even before the car came to a stop Emily cellphone start to vibrate.
Message: Il desiderio di colato non ci lascia mai, doe importa da quanto tempo. Se essa in Titanium 23hrs. *The craving for chocolate never leaves us, doesn't matter how long. Should find it in Titanium 23hrs*
"Is it Hotch?" The car had stopped and Emily was still inside, just looking ate her phone.
"No, It's..." Emily pauses slightly looking at her friend's eyes. She would always get caught in the ocean Blue of Jennifer Jareau, what made it difficult to lie right now. Breaking the connection the agent sighs thinking of an excuse. "Ambassador wants to see me tonight. That can't be good." She jokes trying to convey her lie.
"Agents..." They see the detective coming to them. He was wearing a jeans and button up red shirt. He had brown eyes and a serious look.
"Detective Jayden?" He nods and shakes Morgan's hand. "I'm SSA Morgan , these are SSA Jareau and SSA Prentiss. Were you who ran the scene?"
"Yes. The CSI worked the entire scene, but we tried to let it like it was before for you."
"We appreciate it detective. Is there anything you can tell us about the victim?" Emily put her phone away and concentrated in the case. They would need her expertise on this case, especially if it involved the Mafia.
"Nothing we hadn't sent to you. She lived alone, but was well known by her neighbors; said she was very friendly." They entered the house and start to walk into the living room where the body was found. It was a large living room with stairs to the second floor. It had a couple of desks, which were open with all content spread on the floor. The couch in front of the television was out of place giving space for the chair where the victim was found. "The body was tied to that chair. She was gagged, the radio was on and the window and curtains were all closed." Jayden started to relay how he found the scene.
"It's probably all countermeasures. The way he tortured her he couldn't let people hear it and get suspicious." Morgan was analyzing closely the chair. He could picture the woman there, fighting so hard against the restrains that left marks on the floor, because of the chair. He could see her eyes full of pain as he beat her, probably begging him to stop. He looks up from the chair to see Prentiss turning on the radio. The sound of Eric Clapton comes out and Emily ejects the CD and started to look for its case, but it was not there.
"The case is not here. He probably brought it with him. We should see if something similar was found in the other crime scenes."
"Was it dusted for prints?" Morgan asks.
"Yeah, not found. We tried to let things like we found for you, but everything is cataloged to be sent as evidence."
"It really helps detective. He made a mistake or this is part of his signature. It'll help the profile." Emily says standing looking at the papers in the floor. The living room was a messy.
"How the CD helps if there isn't a print in it?"
"If it's part of his signature we'll find it in the others crime scene too. It probably is important to him. We'll look for why this song is significant to him. If he forgot here he's getting least careful and probably going to make more mistakes." Morgan starts to explain. The detective was an experienced one. He worked the scene right and knew what the FBI needed in this case, but looking at things like they did was different. They had to think like the criminal, they had to interpret their behavior through their murders to narrow the list of possible unsubs.
"It'll also give us a look at his back ground, he's approximately age." Jayjay continue from where Morgan stopped. "Like the phrase here." She pointed at the wall behind a desk. "It shows us his probably a well-educated man. Learned another language or is a foreign." They didn't want to talk about the Mafia relation yet, because they hadn't any real evidence of it. Jennifer walked a little closer to the desk and saw something on the floor beside it.
"What's this in the floor? Looks like vomit." Jennifer asked kneeling to see it better.
"Yeah... the delivery boy got sick seeing the body." His phone starts to ring, so he excuses himself and leaves to answer.
"What was he looking for?" Emily asks to herself looking at the paper spread on the floor. "He searched all the draws; I wouldn't be surprised if upstairs was also like this. He probably tortured her so she would give it to him, but what could it be?"
"It wasn't for money. Her wallet is here with cash and all her credit cards." Jennifer gets it from the floor and looking for anything that could be missing. "Her ID is not here." They start to canvass through the paper on the floor, but found nothing significant.
"Let's see the rest of the house then talk to the neighbors." Morgan states going into the kitchen while Emily and Jennifer go up the stairs.
There wasn't much to be found in the others rooms. They were all a mess, but didn't seem to be something missing. It appeared he didn't find what he was looking for. They talked to the neighbors and nothing out of ordinary came through. She was a lovely lady, very friendly. Had a group of friends her age that usually get together to tea some afternoons. Some say it was to gossip about the neighborhood too.
"Agents, this is Summer Connor. He found Ms Robert." The boy swallows remembering the scene and starts to pale a bit.
"Thanks to talk to us. I'm Jennifer Jareau and these are Derek and Emily." The boy shakes his head acknowledging them. "I know it must have been horrible seeing that, but if you could tell us what happened it would be very helpful." The blonde talks kindly to the now very pale boy.
"Ok...I had the gro-groceries she asked yesterday afternoon. I knocked at the door and saw it was open. Ms Robert never lefts the door open...because of the danger out there, you know?!" He closes his eyes trying to get the sick feeling to go. "I called her name, but she didn't answer. There was music playing, so I stepped in and saw her sitting in the chair...oh god..." He starts to breathe deeply trying not to puke in front of the agents.
"It's okay. Breath slowly. There's no rush." Emily put a reassuring hand in his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Derek and Jayden stay back, just watching the two female working with the boy. They could always talk with younger people easier than the others. They were always gently and empathic when needed, but they could also be though when needed.
"I thought she just hadn't heard me, but when I came close there was so much...so much blood. I didn't know what to do."
"Did you do other deliveries that morning?" Emily asks and is answered by a nod. "Did you see anything suspicious? A car that isn't usually here, or a man walking around?"
"Not really, The street was really quiet. There wasn't anyone different, just the same ones I see every time." They see the boy don't have anything more for them, so they thank him and go to their car then head to the daughters house.
She didn't have any information to add, so after receiving a call from the ME they turned their way to the morgue.
The smell is always the first thing we come upon. It mixes of disinfectant and putrefied flesh hard to forget. Emily could remember when she was still a rookie almost losing her stomach content because of it. The image bothered her, but it was her olfactory sense that really affected her, especially the smell of fresh blood. It's a synesthesia; the visual, the smell and the taste that it left deep-seated in her brain. It's like going to a murder scene for the first time, smelling the fresh blood and feeling its metallic taste even being far from it. You can never forget. But she knew how important it was, seeing what the bastard had done to his victim, feeling the rage, all his feeling through the victim and to direct it to her will to catch him. Understand his methods to try to prevent another victim to suffer from it. The bodies were the only way murder victims would be able to tell us what she went through, their only way to try to guide us to the right path, so they can have justice. So they can have a little peace.
"Dr. Joshua Hale?" Morgan led the way to the ME. A man probably in his 50's, middle height and white hair. He lifted his head from the file and taking his glasses off looked at the entering agents.
"Agent Morgan I suppose." They shake hand and the African American introduces the others. "I've just putted the bodies on the gurneys. Shall we see it?!" He gets up to guide them to the next room. He takes the sheet from above the body. "Well this body was in better shape than the others. She wasn't so heavily beaten, however she was the only with post-mortem bruises. See those?" They could see the bruises on her torso in different colors. The blood had been cleaned from her face and it could be seem that it wasn't beaten like the others. A leg seemed to be broken under the burns and a finger dislodged.
"Why would he keep torturing her after she died?" JJ put the question in all their heads out.
"Maybe she died before giving him what she wanted and got him angry? The cause of death is the same as the others, asphyxiation?"
"No, see these burns here in the arms and legs?" They nod having seeing it on the others too. "They are electrical burns. Like in the others I think this was caused by a stun baton of sort. I think he let it on her for too long what caused a cardiac arrest."
"She died from a heart attack?!" It was more an affirmation than a question, but the doctor still answered.
"Yeah. She was older them the other victims, more prone to cardiovascular problems. The others died from asphyxiation, he used a plastic bag." He simulated with his hand how he would put the bag in their head and squeeze de bag. "Horrible way to die, by the way." He shrugged his shoulders and faced them. "Do you need anything else? I have other cases to work on." They shook their head and saw him leaving.
"Well, delightful company, don't you think?"
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They were all gather in a room in the police station when the 3 profilers finally get there. Reid stood in front of a map, now full of studs on the victim's homes. On the board beside the map the pictures of the victims before and now with all kinds of information. Hotch and Rossi were on the table with many folders.
"How nice of you to join us." The Italian profiler looks at their arriving friends. He hoped they had had more lucky than he and Reid.
"Well, many places to be, many people to see, you know the drill..." SSA Jareau jokes sitting beside him. She gets the mug in front of him and takes a big gulp. "Thanks for the coffee." He lifts his eyebrow at her, but she only smiles putting the mug back. Before he can say anything else Hotch turns the attention back to the case.
"So, what did you find? What the family and neighbors had for us?"
"Well, like in the others, the house was a mess. He was definitely looking for something." Emily says examinee the board. "Her family and friends didn't have much to say, said she was friendly, always chatting with everybody. Passed many hours just observing the neighborhood, they said she liked a good gossip."
"Well that's another discrepancy... The first victim, Christopher Lewis, was exactly the opposite. Family said he was always on the cellphone, never really caring for much talk. And the second, the mechanical, we talked to neighbors. He didn't have a family, but it seems he's involved in some kind of illegal drug traffic. Not a very friendly guy." Rossi relay to them. They had talked to family, friends and neighbors and they seemed more like to themselves. Seemed they were more of loners.
"There are more differences." Morgan sat down massaging his neck while talking. He's was feeling very frustrated. "She had some post-mortem bruises and the cause of death was also different."
"She didn't die from asphyxiation like the others?" Reid stopped looking at the board paying all his attention to his friends. He was staring for much time to the map trying to find some sort of pattern, but it was useless. It seemed all so random.
"No. He didn't get a chance to, she had an infarction. It didn't give him the chance to uncover whatever he was looking for maybe it enraged him, so he continued beating her."
"Rossi, did he leave a CD on the scene?" JJ asked getting up to write on the board their new information.
" No, but the officer noted something that he thought strange. The radio was on and the part of CD was open. Someone took it out of it."
"He's losing control, getting careless. It wasn't about anger. He didn't measure how much she could take, like he did with the others. The Unsub forgot an Eric Clapton CD at the scene. He's making mistakes." She turned back putting the information on the board. Maybe now they would have an idea where to turn their lights.
"But, what is the importance of this CD? Is it only a countermeasure or is it important to him? Is it part of his M.O.?" Rossi asks out loud.
"It has to have significance, because he took with him to both crime scenes. He's organized." Hotch says.
"This isn't the only thing important to him. He took her ID too, like the others. Why take it after they are dead? Is it trophies to him?" Emily sat beside Derek putting a hand on her head. She was feeling the beginning of a headache.
"Could be... If this was about the torture he could want a reminder of it, but then why search their place?" The genius couldn't see much logic in this guy works. They worked with sadist that had their goal in hurting, seeing people suffering. Worked with murder that just had the death their finality. But this guy they couldn't figure out what was his real intent. Was it the tortures? What was he looking for? What could this people have to him?
"There must be something in common linking them. Why would he choose these victims and what is he looking for? " It disturbs them. And it only increased Emily's worry about everything, because the more they looked more it seemed that their better bet was the phrase and she wanted more than anything that it's not connected to the mafia. Not connected with her past.
"We should distinguish functional torture from the sadistic variety. The former is calculated to extract information from the tortured or to punish them. It is measured, impersonal, efficient, and disinterested. The latter fulfils the emotional needs of the perpetrator."
"These are functional torture. There is no escalation, no sexual component, he tortures them all they can endure then he kills them." JJ looks to her colleagues and see their annoyed demeanor.
"Okay. What do we have so far?" They had to get everything together to discuss it further, seeing everyone lost made Hotch try to make them see they had actually advanced in the case. They were going to solve it.
"Male, late 30's to 40's. He's well educated, has to be no challenge, harmless, otherwise the neighborhood would notice. He's fit, organized, methodical. He brings all he needs to the crime scene, the rope, the stun baton, the plastic bag, the CD. However, he is losing control. If he didn't find what he's looking for, he's going to kill again soon looking for it." Morgan summarized the profile they have so far.
"We are forgetting something. What about the phrase? This is of importance to him. It's his message. Did Garcia find anything regardless..."
"Oh, I see you are talking about me. Don't worry Mama got here. I came to bring news, work and food, for those brains of ours." Everybody chuckled. Garcia could always bring a smile to their faces, no matter how hard was the case. She was what really grounded them sometimes. There were four people coming into the room with her; two bringing box with files and the other two with box of food. Morgan got up kissing the tech in the cheek before going to the food.
"Have I told how much I love you today, baby girl?"
"Yeah Penelope, you are always taking care of us." Rossi gets up and also takes a place beside Morgan to eat.
"Oh, I see I made the right decision. How do you would live without me I don't know." She smiles widely. She's just happy she could help them.
"Not sure we can, Pen. Not sure we can." Emily stands and hugs her friend.
"So, do you wanna eat first or I can begin while you dig in?" They just look at her and she just continues. "Okay then, I should have imagined." She starts to get her computer ready while they make a plate and take case files. "So, my crime fighters I still couldn't find anything in common between the victims, but I'm digging deeper."
"What about the phrase? Did you find anything different about it? Any other significance?" Agent Prentiss asked hurriedly and it didn't go unnoticed by her friends. But now was not the time for that.
"I think you nailed it the first time." Garcia started to put pictures on her computer. "I talked to Sargent Agatha Terence Fletcher and she gave me a very important piece of information. A family come from Italy about a year ago to DC. The Stancato's are believed to be the main distributer of drugs in DC."
And it became true. Her past comes to hunt her present again. Emily closes her eyes and sights. What should she do? She had some information about these drug traffic group and she could get more. She could tell them about the CIA agent, they would help, they are the best in their field. She would have to tell them about Danio, so he wouldn't get in the cross fire. She would have to talk to him first, see if it would compromise him. Emily never would put him in jeopard. Never.
"But this isn't their first rodeo. They work for a Italian mafia guy, Dom Ciccillo. All the information I digged are in your tablets and what the police had in the family is in those boxes." Garcia puts Dom Ciccillo phto on the screen.
"What about the victims? Were they connected to the Mafia? Do they have Italian realtions?" Jennifer Jareau finally sits with them to eat on the table. Her stomach was annoyed with the smell, but no food coming to it.
"None. Zilt."
"Damn it. They must have something linking them." Morgan express their all frustation. "This is gonna be a long night."
"Garcia, I need you to look for shopes where the rope and the stun baton are sold. Everyone else, let's eat and look through the new information." Hotch directs his team and start to eat with them.
It was indeed going to be a long night. For one of them more so than the others.
