Sex, Secrets, and Videotape
Chap. 4-Videotape
1100 Hours
Home of William and Elizabeth Reid
Somewhere in Las Vegas
Spencer
I stand and fly into the hallway, where I had seen a phone sitting on the table, but Dad exit's the room he's been holed up in, cordless phone to his ear. He spots me, and JJ, who was right behind me, and mouths to me.
"Elizabeth." I put my hands up in a timeout signal, and he stops and looks at me.
"Put it on speakerphone." JJ already has her phone out and has dialed Hotch; I can hear his voice booming down the line, telling her to call Garcia immediately. She hangs up with Hotch, and dials Garcia, and I am amused that JJ has her on her speed-dial. I tune into the conversation that Dad and Elizabeth are having, and notice that Elizabeth's voice sounds odd-sort of faraway.
"Daddy? I'm just so scared." I speak over Dad, causing him to grimace at me, but I don't care. He doesn't know what to ask.
"Elizabeth? This is Spencer. Can you tell me where you are?"
"I don't know. My mind is kind of foggy. I am in a basement or something. He's tied me up." I realize that she is drugged, and I continue.
"I need you to just talk as long as you can, OK? One of my coworkers is trying to track your phone signal." I hear her start to sob lightly.
"Ok. I don't have much battery on my cell. He left my bag here, and I was able to get a hold of it."
"Who is "he?"
"Clint. Clint Meyer. He offered me a ride to the Morris's yesterday, and that's all I remember." Just then, I hear Garcia saying that she has the signal pinpointed. At the same time, a loud crash comes from Dad's phone line, and then it goes dead. I turn to JJ.
"Call Hotch or someone. Wherever she is, she's been drugged. She was struggling to speak." JJ nods, and dials Hotch, and relays to him the information. She relays to us that Garcia had called Rossi and gave him the co-ordinates of the cell signal, and he and Seaver were already headed there. I sigh, relieved, and turn to Dad. JJ interrupts.
"Actually, Spence. Mr. Reid. Agent Hotchner has requested that you two return with me to the police department. There's been a development. Apparently, there's a film." I inhale sharply, as we file out of the house. Dad hands me a set of keys.
"Use Elizabeth's car. The police department returned it yesterday." I nod, and gesture to JJ. She nods at me, and takes the keys, and I am glad that she is able to get my gestures. She follows Dad through town back to the police department, and we are both quiet. I think she understands that I want to be left alone.
1300 Hours
Las Vegas PD
Finally, we pull into the parking lot, and Dad rushes into the building. JJ and I are a little slower; we know that when unsubs send in videotape, it is NEVER good.
When we arrive in the meeting room, I am greeted with grim faces. Even the normally scarily-perky Garcia, who is on video chat on Morgan's laptop, is grim. She speaks when she spots me.
"So the scum-sucking maggot of a perp posted a video to ViewTube. It's pretty graphic, but I'll show you if you want. Basically, he's boasting about his kills, and has taped it. Sexual assaults and all." I inhale sharply again, and look at Dad, who looks like he will pass out. I reach out for him, but JJ is faster, and settles him into a chair. It is quiet for a moment, but then Hotch speaks.
"I think it's a good idea for you, Mr. Reid, to sit this one out. I can have Agent Jareau sit with you." JJ nods, and I help Dad to stand up and he follows JJ out of the room. I worry for him, in this moment, because he told me that he was having heart problems. I hope that he is strong enough to handle this. Hotch turns to me, though, and speaks.
"Are you sure you want to be here to see this?" I nod. I suddenly feel as if I have to see this, that there is something I need to see, need to know.
"Yes. Thank you. Did JJ tell you that Elizabeth phoned?" He nods.
"Yes. Rossi and Seaver are going now." I sigh in relief.
"Great, thanks. Let's do this." He looks me over again, and then turns to his computer, clicks a few keys, and brings up a video website. He pushes another button, and suddenly, very disturbing images appear across the screen.
The images are grainy; clearly, he is NOT the next Tarantino, but it's his narrative that is more shocking. He literally says everything that he is doing as he does it, and does it in a tone of voice that suggests that he finds it really hilarious and believable.
We watch in stunned disbelief as a young man strangles the most recent victim-Amina Karshani, who is tied to a column in what appears to be a workshop, and then sexually assaults her as she falls limp and lifeless. While he strangled her, she had been screaming, begging for her life, for him to stop. He just laughed and told her that she deserved that, and that no girl as dirty as she was should live, because she "stained the name of pretty brunettes." I look in horror at Hotch, who is grimacing and has his jaw set tight. Finally, he shows the dump site, and the cold way he simply dropped the body in the early light of dawn, like a heap of trash, and drove off into the distance.
The next scene is a clip of Elizabeth, as he hits her in the back of the head in his car with a large, heavy ceramic coffee mug , and she goes unconscious-likely the reason she couldn't remember what had happened. I watch, almost in a trance, as the boy carefully carries her limp body to an unmarked workshop in a woodsy area. He speaks into the camera as he does, telling the world that this is his granddaddy's workshop, but that the old man had passed the year before, and his mom had forbidden him to go there. He continued, saying that an abandoned building in a familiar place was the best place to hide your prey, because it was harder and less obvious for the police to find. I hear Morgan grunt at that, and I find that I have tensed, and that I really, really want to hit this kid.
The next scene is a close up of Elizabeth, and I am struck again by our resemblance to each other. He laughs again, describing his prey.
"And here is the lovely Liz Reid. Sorry, people, this one is not a cheerleader. But it's even better, because she's smart. It'll be fun to see just how smart she is once she figures out what I am going to do with her. But I am afraid that you must wait, dear audience, because it's school time for me. But don't worry about our little genius here, I have something that will make her stay." I watch as he puts a pill into a bottle of water, and shake it up, before shaking Elizabeth awake.
"Drink this, sweetie. You're OK. This is the basement; you weren't feeling well, don't you remember? You can rest here for a bit, and then I'll call someone to pick you up." She nods, and downs the bottle of water he'd given her before she starts to stand. He shakes his head, all smiles, and puts her firmly back down on a makeshift bed.
"Sleep now, Lizzie. You will be fine. Just a little something for the heartache, OK? Rest. You'll be fine." I watch as Elizabeth's eyes droop, and she falls into the mattress, and he leaves the room. It goes dark as he shuts the door behind him, leaving Elizabeth alone in the dark, damp workshop. The video clicks off, but I notice that there is an update. It is silent for a moment, then I turn to Hotch and speak
"That is quite disturbing. Thank you for asking my father to step out." Hotch looks at me, and then at the now-blank screen, and then back at me. He nods.
"I'm sorry, Reid." I just nod again, and Morgan speaks.
"I'll kill him. Just say the word, and once Rossi and Seaver bring him in, I'll take a clean shot." I shake my head.
"No, I want this kid to have to suffer like these girls did. Prison will do that." Hotch shakes his head.
"Calm down, both of you." Just then, his phone rang. I listen carefully.
"Hey, Rossi. What's up?" Hotch's face changes, and he speaks to Morgan and me.
"There's a situation. Suit up and let's go. Reid, I may regret this later, but I suppose you can come along if you like." It is my first instinct to say yes, but I pause for a moment to really think, and then realize I am OK. I look to Morgan, who just stares back at me. I sigh, but nod.
"I can handle this." Morgan nods to Hotch, and then hands me a vest. I slip into it, zipping it over my shirt, and then I retrieve my weapon and gun belt from my bag, which is sitting in a chair where I'd tossed it when Dad, JJ and I had shown up. We file out of the anteroom, and into the Bullpen, where the JJ is sitting with Dad, who himself is sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, and pale. I look at JJ, and cross to where she is sitting.
"Is he OK?" She looks up me, and shakes her head quietly, motioning for me to follow her. We step away, and she speaks to me.
"I don't think he is. Is there someone I should call?" I shrug.
"His paralegal, I guess. She might know who his doctor is." I give her the number and then head out with Morgan and Hotch.
1400 Hours
Somewhere in Las Vegas
We race across town, heading for the spot where Rossi and Seaver are already waiting. Apparently, Clint Meyer had returned to the workshop, and Seaver had followed him, and now he was holding both her and Elizabeth hostage.
We pull up to a nondescript field behind a large, imitation-Tudor home in the valley, and I spot Rossi immediately. Someone had alerted the PD, and I also see the detectives, in vests, guns pointed at the building. We fly out of the vehicle, and Rossi speaks quickly.
"He has Seaver. Said he'd send her out if we left." Hotch nods.
"Who's the negotiator for the department?"
"Detective Ratcliff. She's having no success." Hotch strides to where the woman is standing, and we follow behind him. I hear him speak to the woman.
"Let me have a go at it. I need you to phone your captain, and pull the SWAT team out of here." The detective looks surprised, and then she looks at me, and Morgan, and we both nod at her.
"Yes, sir." She steps aside, after handing Hotch a megaphone, and turns away. I listen, moving into a huddle with Rossi and Morgan.
"Mr. Meyer, this is FBI Agent Aaron Hotchner. Please, let's talk, like men should. Ask the female agent you have to put you on her cell phone. You have three minutes or we're coming in."
Morgan speaks to Rossi and me.
"Two of us need to take the backside, and someone needs to go in. Especially if Hotch is unsuccessful." Rossi replies.
"You want to be the hero today, kid?" He is speaking to me. I grimace, but shrug.
"I can." They nod.
"That's the plan, then. Get Seaver out first, then the girl." I nod again, and we resume our waiting stances: weapons drawn, ready to fire if needed.
Just then, Hotch's phone rings, and the three of us troop back to where he is standing and listen as he puts the phone on speaker and begins to talk to the boy.
"This is Clint Meyer. I told the police that I would let the bitch go if they left." Hotch, who appears calm and collected, replies.
"I have sent the police away. It is only me, you, three other agents, and Ms. Reid." I can hear Seaver speak to the boy.
"You're outnumbered, kid. Let me go. Let me take Liz with me." I hear what sounds like a slap, and then Clint Meyer speaks again.
"Shut up. This is a man's job. Just be quiet." I glance at Rossi and Morgan, who are both clearly upset, and then back to Hotch. He speaks again.
"Would you let Elizabeth speak to us?"
"No." This time, I hear Elizabeth's voice in the background, sounding as faraway as it did in the first phone call.
"Please, Clint, let me talk to them. I will tell them-it was a misunderstanding. I understand now that you only hid me because you love me. I thought I didn't like you, but I was wrong. Please, please, let me tell them." I smile suddenly; she's doing well, though I doubt she's had any formal hostage training. The phone makes noise, as if someone drops it, and I hear Elizabeth's voice again.
"Did you hear that, Agent Hotchner?" Hotch responds.
"I did. Thank you, Ms. Reid. That was fantastic. Can you try to convince Mr. Meyer to let the agent go?"
"I'll try." I hear the phone go fuzzy again, and then Elizabeth's voice, loudly and clearly.
"Clint, please, let the agent go. I think we should talk, and I don't really want her to hear what I have to say."
"No. She'll tell them what I did to you. They won't understand."
" *I* will tell them. They will understand. Please, won't you let her go?"
I hear a sigh, and I can't tell who it's from. It falls silent, and then a female scream comes as the door to the workshop opens slightly, and Seaver rushes out. Rossi grabs her, and leads her to where Hotch is standing at our vehicle. She sits quietly in the rear passenger's seat, and I can see her struggling to even out her breathing. I hear speak, although I think she's trying to be quiet.
"She asked about Dr. Reid. I think he's drugged her; she's really out of it. But she's calm." I have moved to the car, and I speak to her now.
"Did he hurt you?"
"He hit me." I nod, and notice that Rossi has already called for backup and an ambulance. She continues. "Who is she, Reid?"
"My half-sister."
"Mmm. I'm sorry. Look, if it helps, she's OK, and he seems to be having trouble getting the upper hand. She's strong, physically, and athletic. She's giving him a good run for his money. I think you'll all have better luck just storming in there and pulling him out. Send in Morgan and Rossi; he seems like the type to cower to muscle."
Hotch nods, and looks at me. I shrug. He raises his hands, and motions for Rossi and Morgan to come to him. Once they arrive, he speaks.
"Ok, here's what we're going to do. Rossi, you'll go around back. Morgan and Reid, you'll bust in, and Morgan will make the arrest. Reid, get the child and get the hell out. By then, the ambulances should be here, with the detectives, OK? Keep in touch with each other."
I nod, and draw my weapon, ready to spring. It falls silent as the three of us approach the building. Just then, Hotch's phone rings again, and we stop to listen. I hear Elizabeth's voice again.
"Sir? Clint is trying to run. He has a gun."
"Ok. What kind?"
"A big one, like you'd use for hunting, I suppose. Or killing girls." I smother a chuckle, and listen for Hotch's reply.
"Thank you. Where is he now?"
"In another room. I think it might be a storage room or something. He has a bullet-proof vest, like on TV, too."
"Ok. We have three agents surrounding the building, and the police detectives are here now. We have an ambulance. What we're going to do is let him come outside, and then arrest him. I need you to wait for the signal, and then follow the agent out. I'll send in Spencer, ok?"
"Ok. I can do that. Is the lady agent OK?"
"Yes."
"Good. How is-" the line goes blank, and Hotch gives the time out signal. We gather around him, and see the Detective's gathered around.
"Ok. It sounds like the boy is going to make a run for it; he must realize that we've closed in. I have told Ms. Reid to wait behind, and one of us will go in after her. I want everyone to be on alert, this kid will most likely not go down without a fight. I need Morgan and Reid to go in. Detectives, I need you at their flanks. Rossi and I will go around back. Please ask the EMTs to stay back until I give the signal. If you have to, take a shot, but let's try to get this girl out of here safely. Any questions?"
I shake my head, and notice that the others do the same. I smile at Seaver, as an EMT helps her out of the car and into a waiting ambulance. I hope she is OK, but I don't have time to worry. I take a deep breath, and prepare to follow Morgan. We take our stance, and move forward as two columns; Morgan and I up front, and both detectives behind us. From somewhere, I hear a phone ring, and the police captain's voice, but I cannot make out the words.
We are just outside of the workshop door when we hear a scream, and then a tall, large male figure clad in black jeans and sweatshirt rushes out of the building and heads straight for us, a shotgun in hand. He aims at Morgan, who is able to duck out of the way as Detective Montoya takes the shot. I see the boy fall to the ground, and Derek's voice speaking to me.
"Go get her, Reid. Hotch and Rossi are coming around." I rush into the building, and the darkness startles me for a moment. I fumble around, and then a light comes on, and I come face to face with Elizabeth, who is sitting on a makeshift bed in a corner, feet bound with rope, dirty, but otherwise, apparently OK. I speak.
"Are you OK?"
"I think so." I nod, and move closer to her. I can see that her dress is torn, and her hair is matted. He's hit her, repeatedly, because her lip is swollen, and she has cuts and bruises on her arms. I fish in my pocket for my pocketknife and cut the rope on her feet, showing that she had ligature marks.
"Can you stand up?" She takes a tentative movement, and then I see her stand, and notice that she is quite tall. She smiles at me.
"Thank you, Spencer. Is the female agent OK?"
"Seaver? Yeah, I think she's just in shock, but she seems fine. Let's get you out of here. The EMTs will look you over, and then you could possibly go home."
She nods, and I surprise myself by extending my hand. She takes it, and lets me lead her out of the building, and to a waiting EMT. As we are walking out of the building, she speaks again.
"Is dad OK?"
"Yes. He's back at the police department with another agent, JJ."
"Good. Tell her his cardiologist is Dr. Fisher at University Med." I nod, and say that I will relay this information as the EMT takes her hand and leads her to one of the ambulances. I see Hotch, and head where he is standing, and he nods at me.
"Good work. Seaver is fine; they gave her something for the shock, and are going to keep her overnight for observation. Apparently, the kid hit her, but didn't do much damage. He is critical, though the detective didn't kill him. Your sister will likely be in the hospital overnight, as well. Maybe you should ride along? JJ and your father will be meeting us there." I nod, and reply.
"Thanks. I will ride along, if that's OK." He nods, and I find the ambulance that Elizabeth is in, and poke my head around the door.
"Do you want me to ride along?" She smiles, and replies.
"Sure. Thanks." I climb in, and settle myself onto a bench as the techs secure the doors, and we begin the trek to the hospital.
End of Chap. 4