AN: Kara and John are the only characters that are mine, although John is a jerk. Thank you for the reviews!
John Radcliffe's eyebrows drew together over the hands which were clasped together at the bridge of his nose. If he knew he was being scrutinized from the other side of the two way mirror, he showed no sign.
Hotchner spoke to his colleague from the observation room, "You know you shouldn't be the one to conduct this interrogation."
"And you know that I'm going to," with that he turned and entered the small, dank room.
Radcliffe started talking right away, "Agent Rossi, have I done something wrong? Because if I have, I don't know what it is."
"Well, let's see," Rossi said, making a show out of opening and browsing through a file folder. "For starters, you lied to FBI agents when you said that my daughter speaks about me during class."
"She's mentioned you before."
"Uh-huh. Then you lied to her via text by letting her believe that she's a suspect."
Radcliffe rose quickly from his chair. Without looking up from his file, Rossi said, "Sit down," so he sat.
"I'm pretty sure lying to your daughter is not a crime," he said.
"True, but it makes you look awfully suspicious," Rossi closed the file in his hands and looked the professor in the eye for the first time since he entered the room. "Why are you so suspicious?"
Fear overtook his face and he was starting to sweat. "You really think I shot up my own office? I have a pregnant wife at home. Why would I do that?"
"No. I think you had someone else shoot up your office, and mine. You tell me why."
"I wouldn't. I didn't. This is crazy!"
"Then explain your relationship with my daughter."
"There is no relationship! Did she tell you there was?"
Rossi opened his file again and read, " It's John R. heard what happened ur house. Hope ur ok I met ur dad. Cant blieve he thinks ur involved. I dont I think I can help. Can u meet? Come to the CoffeeBean. Ill b w8ing," then he closed the folder and glowered at the suspect in front of him.
Radcliffe blanched, "OK. That was stupid, I admit it. But I was just trying to get more information about what had happened and I figured Kara would have it. I swear I didn't do anything to hurt you or your family."
"You don't think insinuating to Kara that I thought she was somehow involved hurt her?" he stood, "And here I thought you were supposed to be a psychologist. Never contact her again," he left the room.
Hotchner spoke as soon as Rossi returned to the observation room, "What do you think?"
"I think he's an ass, but he didn't do this." They continued staring at the downtrodden man for a few moments. "Maybe we should look at Roger again."
"Garcia found nothing on him. He is still in LA. Phone and bank records show no mysterious contacts. Why don't you and Erin take Kara home. Let the rest of us work on things for a bit."
"It's getting late. Send everyone home. We can all come back and look at it again tomorrow."
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At some point during the ride home, Erin made the transformation back into a wife and mother. She was casually dressed and in the kitchen, which showed no trace of the previous night's misdeeds, cooking a simple pasta dinner. Dave hadn't arrived home yet. Agent Morgan was driving him back to the campus to pick up Kara's car. Kara sat at the counter with a soda and watched her mother.
"Do you want to help?" Erin asked.
"Not really, but I will if you want," Kara answered. She knew she probably should have said yes, it would have been the polite thing.
"That's ok, I got it. It's kind of nice having you just watch me. Reminds me of when you were little. Of course, then you always wanted to help."
"I remember. It seems like such a long time ago, but also like it was just yesterday."
"Mmmmm . . . time can be funny like that."
"Do you think we are safe?" she was running her finger around the rim of the glass.
Erin was reaching under the cabinet for her colander when the question was asked, and she chose to answer in a nonchalant manner as not to further frighten her daughter, "Yes. I told you earlier. The house is probably safer now than it has ever been. The alarm is on. There is an officer outside. David will be home soon."
"Where is your gun?"
Erin flipped the pot of pasta into the colander in the sink, "Honey, I'm not going to need my gun. We are fine."
"But do you know where it is?" Kara was eyeing her mother intently, looking for any sign of deception.
"Of course I do," she said as she transferred the pasta into a serving bowl.
The house alarm beeped loudly and Kara jumped from her seat. Erin rushed to her side, "Kara, it's fine. It's David." They stood and listened as the front door closed and the alarm code was beeped in. Kara held her breath until she saw her stepfather enter the kitchen.
The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. He walked to her and hugged her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Everything is ok. You're safe." She wanted to believe him.
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He found her in his office in the late night hours as he knew he would. She was fingering his crystal decanter of top shelf scotch and acted like she hadn't heard him, but he knew she had.
"If you want a shot, all you have to do is ask," he said.
"I don't," she turned to face him.
"I thought you might stay away from this room for a while," when his only response was a shrug he continued, "a shot might help you sleep."
"I don't want to sleep."
"You need to."
"I don't want to let my guard down."
He kept his distance in the doorway, "There is a guard outside, the alarm is on, and your mother and I are here to guard you from the inside. This seems like the perfect time for you to let your guard down."
"Do you think my father did this?"
"I don't know. There is no evidence that he did. Please," he moved close to her and placed a hand on her cheek, "get some sleep and we will all look at this fresh in the morning. OK?"
She nodded and as he placed a kiss on her head, she fought back the tears that were threatening to spill. She would go back to bed and try to sleep, but she could not let him break her resolve.
