Sorry for the long wait in updating. Life comes at you fast was written for me! Between one-shots and three other stories, plus bad weather and an emergency (not mine!), I put this on the back burner and forgot about it until I got that one review. Special thanks to J-to-the-Essica for giving me that kick in the backside.
For those not familiar with my writing, it's not in error that I switch from first name to last between or in chapters. If the team is at work or in the field, their last names are used. If they are off duty, first names are used.
All the stats concerning arsonists were taken from the FBI arsonist profiling site. Any mistakes are all mine.
Through The Fire
Prentiss poured herself a cup of coffee and added in a packet of Splenda. Stirring the hot liquid, she set the spoon down and took a cautious sip.
Monday at the BAU. The start of another work week where anything that could happen usually did…and on Hotch's watch. Taking another sip, she walked over to her desk and sat down. It had been two days since her run with Morgan and three since Dave proposed. And she was still torn as to what to do in regard to both. She needed to come clean with Morgan- he was going to know something was up when he noticed her ring was gone.
Sighing, she turned on her computer and while it booted up, began flipping thru the folder on her desk. Even though Strauss had squashed the thought of the team investigating the local abductions and murders, she kept a file on everything she could get hold of. Reading the autopsy and police reports, she tried to get an idea as to where to begin a profile, but gave up. Maybe if she could come up with something strong to point law enforcement in the right direction, Strauss might let them find the son of a bitch who was getting his jollies killing women.
Deep in thought, she didn't see the figure approach. "Long night Princess?" Morgan asked in a teasing tone.
Startled, Prentiss jumped out of her chair. "Jeez Morgan, you scared the hell out of me!" Covering her heart, she threw him a glare.
"Sorry. Another case?" He nodded toward the folder.
"No. It's just something I've been doing on the side."
"May I look?" He reached for the papers. She nodded. "The abduction case?"
"Two of the murders took place five miles from my brownstone, so I thought I might look in to it."
"This is the murder case that JJ was approached to take but Strauss shot down?"
"I thought I might look over it and see if I can come up with a workable profile we can present. Seven murders- four prostitutes and three other women have been murdered, but no one seems to care."
"What's the MO?" Morgan sifted thru the papers.
"Nothing. At least nothing that stands out. He strangles the prostitutes and leaves them virtually untouched, but with the other women he rapes them, stabs them- not necessarily in that order- beats them, and leaves them naked."
Morgan looked at her in surprise. "Are we talking about the same UNSUB?"
"I believe it is."
Closing the folder, he set it down. "It sounds like two UNSUBS. I can see if he was doing that to the prostitutes, but that he isn't doesn't seem normal. Usually an UNSUB has an MO and sticks with it."
"But every now and then an UNSUB can change."
"You think he's trying to throw the police off?"
Prentiss took a sip of her coffee. "Wouldn't put it past him since the local LEOs refuse to call us in. I hate to think what it's going to take to get someone to wake up and smell the coffee."
Morgan sighed. "Whatever it is, it's going to have to hit home in a way they never saw coming."
"I shudder to think."
JJ came over to where they stood. "Hey guys, we just got a case in from Washington. Arson at car lots. Hotch says we leave in twenty."
"An arson on Monday. Is there a better way to start the week?" Morgan replied, tongue in cheek.
"A free trip to The Evergreen State in November. I forgot to pack my all weather coat," Em groused.
"Come on guys," JJ ordered gently.
"I'm right behind you." Prentiss walked over and poured her coffee down the drain. Walking over to her desk, she grabbed her go bag, opened it, and stealthily shoved the DC murder folder inside. Once they were briefed, she could go over her notes. She was missing something, but what?
"Okay, so catch this," Garcia spoke up via the computer screen. "I cross referenced all arsons in the Seattle area over the past two years and of the twenty seven that targeted business- fifteen were construction sites, eight were modular home lots, and four were car dealerships."
"Do you know who were behind the fires?" Hotch asked.
"I do. An off-shoot of the local environmentalist group out of Portland was behind most of them. A lot were copy cats."
"Did anyone die?"
"Most of the fires were committed after everyone went home, but three firefighters were killed in the construction site fires and a security guard was killed when the fire threw a spark on the trailer were he was staying out of the cold after making his rounds." She typed some more. "Oh, that's not good. His wife was pregnant with their fourth child when he was killed."
Morgan looked at Hotch who looked at Rossi.
"Has this car dealership been hit before?" Rossi asked.
Garcia shook her head. "No. In fact, when the others went up, this one managed to avoid being hit."
"Find out if any other fires match this one. Whoever has done this now has done it before, but until we know where…"
"I'm on it. Garcia out." The screen went blank.
"A serial arsonist? Where do we begin to profile that one?" Morgan asked.
"Well, we know that ninety percent of arsonists are white males in their twenties with IQ's between 70-90. They come from broken homes and suffered physical abuse," Prentiss commented and scanned her folder with the current case.
"That's only half of the statistics," Reid spoke up. "The other half are teen-agers between 12-19. They start out with small fires usually around the age of three because they like fire. And now with the internet, they can learn how to set fires and remain unknown."
"Reid's right. The internet helps kids who are already harboring anger toward a parental figure or anyone in authority who might be 'suppressing' them thru verbal or physical abuse," Morgan agreed.
"It's proven that profiling arsonists is pretty tricky because no one particular arsonist fits," Rossi added.
"It could be an inside job to throw off law enforcement. Three suspicious fires in two cities at two car lots. Sounds strange to me." Prentiss shook her head.
"Prentiss, Morgan, when we land, I want you to go to the last two crime scenes. Reid, I want you to stay with JJ and gather all you can about the recent fires. Dave and I will go to the first. Maybe the police missed something that can tell us who this guy is." Closing his folder, he looked at the team. "I would suggest that you guys get some rest so we can get on the case the moment we land."
"The chief of police in Spokane is waiting to meet with you Hotch," JJ read off her blackberry.
"Good. Tell him we'll be there as soon as we land," Hotch directed. JJ sent the message.
As everyone settled back, Em pulled out her murder case folder and studied it. Deeply engrossed she didn't see that Rossi's eyes were trained on her. Or that Morgan was carefully watching the senior agent.
Neither Prentiss nor Rossi saw the slight smile that tugged on Morgan's mouth.
