The Butcher's Mind

And then there were two. Chapter 7 is a bit long sorry

As always I do not own any part of ABC, CBS, or Criminal Minds. For entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to person's living, dead or fictional is purely coincidental.

Thanks,

Cinny

Chapter 7

"Cut that crap out!" Rolland Fleischer yelled at his younger brother Merritt. Merritt had drawn a clown's face on the girl.

"What do you care, I'm the one who gets them cleaned up, it'll wash off." Merritt Fleischer yelled back. They were in a hidden part of their basement, which was set up like an old time Jail house. The only difference was the surgical equipment, large three compartment sink, and the stainless steel table in the middle of the room. Merritt walked over to the cage, a 6 by 6 foot room closed off on three sides, by cinder block walls, with a bared front. The door was held shut by a thick chain and lock. Three more cells were positioned along the south wall of the basement.

"Hey girly, you want something to eat? Merritt taunted."

"GO TO HELL!" she screamed at him.

"This here, honey is Hell and I'm your savior." Merritt laughed and spit a stream of chewing tobacco at her.

"Come on Rolland get on with it this ones ready". He jumped up, standing on the bottom rail of the bars. The sound of a saw vibrated off the walls, and Tara Zellner screamed.

Detective Filipek called Hotch and told him about the other two bodies being discovered. After he hung up with Randy Filipek, Hoch tapped on Rossi's door. "We have a fresh crime scene I'd like you to take a look."

"Sure" Rossi replied. "We'll take the jet."

Everyone sat on the plane working on various things. JJ talked quietly on the phone getting information about Tara Zellner the latest girl to go missing, while Hotch and Rossi sat together. Morgan and Prentiss were seated at the table playing cards. Reid watched Julianne from across the jet as she sat alone on the bench seat reading the note Spencer received. She kept mouthing the words to herself, over and over, stopping ever now and then, making a puzzled expression. He got up and walked over to her. She made room for him on the bench. He sat down and she swung her feet over his lap sitting with her back against the arm rest, using her knees as an impromptu easel. She wasn't thinking about how close they were sitting, or how intimate it looked. Spencer swallowed, his mouth had gone dry and he tried desperately to clear the lump in his throat. He coughed and looked at her, he was afraid to move from fear that he would touch her. He didn't think he could handle any kind of contact while she sat this close to him.

She began reading the words of Shakespeare softly to herself. Reid said, "What's bothering you? Say it out loud." Reid started the passage, quoting Romeo's part.

"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?"

Julianne continued reading Juliet's. She looked into Reid's eyes as she spoke, neither of them looking back at the sheet of paper.

"What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?" Julie said.

"Th' exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine." Reid added. He struggled with the words, not because of them but because of what they meant to him.

"I gave thee mine before thou didst request it, And yet I would, it were to give again." Julie took a breath in a ragged breath. She had her mouth open slightly and she licked her lips waiting for Spencer to continue.

Spencer paused a moment, seeing her wet her lips like that stole his breath and he was afraid his voice would waiver. Something in his soul said, this would change how he felt for the rest of his life. Barely audible he said. "Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?"

"But to be frank and give it thee again. And yet I wish but for the thing I have. My Bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep. The more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." As always Julie's heart skipped a beat when she read those words. She had wanted so desperately for them to mean something in her life, and at that moment she felt like they could.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, mesmerized, as Julianne and Spencer read from Romeo and Juliet.

Suddenly Julianne stood up. Spencer sat there with his hand over his heart. For once in his life, he finally understood Romeo and Juliet. He knew without a doubt what it felt like, to be willing to give your own life for someone you loved.

Hotch watched as Julianne and Reid spoke to one another. He could not help the feeling of irritation that washed over him like a tidal wave. Yet he didn't show it.

Julianne paced "Spencer, have you read this?" she asked stopping briefly. Morgan and Emily, who sat quietly trading glances between each other and Spencer and Julianne, were snapped out of it by Julie's pacing.

"Many times, my mother would read Romeo and Juliet to me as a child." Reid replied

"NO I mean this letter."

Yes, why?" Spencer asked.

"Some of the typing is italicized." Julianne mentioned.

Spencer sprung to his feet, "Let me see." He looked over Julianne's shoulder at the letter. How, did I miss that, he wondered. He took the paper from her, and a pen, scribbling on it.

Julianne addressed Morgan, "It spells something. I think we need to get Garcia in on this and have her run it through the computer."

"Don't need to, the computers here" Morgan pointed at Reid.

"I've got it!" Reid sat down at the table with everyone gathering around. "There are 32 letters that are italicized. It's basically a word scramble, if you separate the constants and vowels with the most common ones here." He scribbled. "You can form the words" He frantically wrote and to Julianne's astonishment he came up with a probable answer. Close to you my dear, one will die. The killer had targeted one of his team. Now all Reid needed to do was figure out which of these ladies he had chosen.

When everyone was departing the jet, Hotch put his hand on Julie's arm guiding her off to the side. "I can be assured this relationship will not get in the way of you work. Also you are aware of BAU protocol." He let go of her and walked away. Julie was shaken. She called Strauss. After spending sometime on the phone she joined the team.

When Julianne came over to them, Emily noticed the stress on Julianne's face. She walked over to talk with her, "Everything ok?"

"It will be I just quit." Julianne said. Emily, wide eyed, looked at Julianne. She didn't know how to respond.

Moments later Hotch's phone rang. "Hotchner" He barked into the phone.

"Aaron what is going on? Can't you handle this team?" It was Strauss.

"I do not have time to guess what you're talking about, but you and I both know how capable I am of running my team." Hotch was about to hang up, when Strauss said.

"Then tell me why your team is running around like chickens without their heads, and why Julianne Weaver just quit. Straighten this out, because she is staying with this team!" Strauss hung up on him.

Hotch looked over at Julianne, she was standing with Prentiss. He knew he was being unreasonable. They never had anything but an attraction seven years ago, and he was married at the time. There was no way to tell if a relationship would have developed further, had he been single back then. He needed to straighten this out. The first thing he would do is apologize to Julie. He knew what a wonderful woman she was, and Reid of all people deserved some happiness.