A.N: ok so I wanted to get this one out sooner, but life kept calling my back. I hope you still like it mostly case related though cause that part is coming to an end soon. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, added to favorites and alerts you guys rock and now on with the show.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but me and even at times that's too much…
Chapter seven
"Ya got anything for us Garcia?" JJ asked pressing the cell to her ear and walking away. She wanted to ask what had taken so long, but didn't want to prying ears of Derek Morgan around.
"I just got back into the office sugar pop," came Penelope's shaky reply.
"Penelope is everything ok you sound off?" concern laced her voice making it hit pitched. She glanced behind her seeing Morgan walk out the door following Hotch. However, Emily was standing behind her arms crossed over her chest.
"Nothing," she cleared her throat trying to dispel the shakiness and fear she felt, "everything's fine honey bun honest, just a bit of a run in on the way back."
"What kind of run in?"
"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little blonde head about. The case is more important."
"Penelope," JJ drug out her name shaking her head in frustration.
"Seriously gumdrop everything's fine, I'll call if I get any kind of information. I have my babies searching for Rebecca Miller now."
"All right then," she sighed resigned to the fact that Penelope wouldn't be giving up anything unwillingly, "oh one another thing."
"And that would be?"
She took a deep breath wondering how she would brooch the subject, finally deciding on being truthful, "Morgan kinda over heard the conversation we had earlier, he knows about the bruises, Pen."
"How?" she paused, running a shaking hand through her long red hair frustration building now pushing every other emotion from her body, "how did he find out?"
"He came up behind me while I was talking on the phone to you, eavesdropped, Emily to. We're just worried about you Pen."
"Damn gorgeous snoop," she muttered darkly to herself with a shake of her head, "did you tell him anything?"
"Just the same thing you told me," she responded glancing back at Emily, "I'm sorry Pen, but there wasn't much I could do, he was just there when I turned around."
"I get that Jayje I do, Morgan's just that sneaky sometimes can be quite as a church mouse when he wants to be," she returned a deep sigh escaping her lips, "it's all right really I have nothing to worry about. It's not like he's going to come charging home when the case is finished and ask questions, he's to wrapped around Tamara to do something like that. Besides it's not like he cares anyway…" she trailed off weariness filling her body as her computer beeped next to her alerting her to the fact that something came up. "I have something for you JJ one Rebecca. It's seems our little sweetie ran away from her home in Settle were she was staying with her dad. Her mother passed away when Becca was nine. It seems that she had family from her mother's side in Atlanta she was going to them."
"When did she run away from Settle?" JJ asked motioning for Emily to come closer and bring a pad of paper and pen with her as she put the phone on speaker.
"About three weeks ago, she must've been traveling the whole time to Georgia never stopping the poor dear, only to wind up dead by the hands of a mad man."
"Address for the relatives here in Atlanta and we're going to have to contact the father in Settle," Emily stated hand flashing across the stark white pad, hearing every word because of the speaker phone JJ had put it on.
"I'll," Penelope gulped, she'd never did something like this, but then the team didn't have the time to inform a parent of their child's death not when they were a thousand miles or better away, "I'll give him a call, when we hang up. As for as the address check your email all ready sent. I included Hotch to."
"Good idea he, Rossi and Morgan all ready hit the streets they can swing by the address," JJ stated returning the phone to normal. She didn't want to exclude Emily, but didn't want Penelope angry at her even more. "Will you be all right?" JJ questioned once more knowing she was being repetitive, but still worry creased her brow and filtered through her mind for her best friend.
"I'll be fine JJ promise if anything should happen I'll call you, Garcia out," she answered punching the end button, 'But it all ready has,' she thought resting her head on her crossed arms on the edge of her harsh cold metal desk.
Another thought entered her mind and she raised her head, pulling the tiny paper card from her purse and started a search one that she hoped would make her feel even a fraction better.
Meanwhile, Hotch's phone buzzed, signaling that he'd received an email. For the moment he ignored the sound focusing on the road a head of him and the directions that Detective Mayweather gave from the passenger seat.
"Turn left here, and pull up to the curb, we'll walk from here," Mayweather's deep southern voice spoke pointing to the street corner in front of them.
Hotch did as instructed and pulled up to the curb, the sight in front of him turned his stomach, one that was almost as bad Detroit had been. Homeless men and women, children and teenagers all mingling around the short paved street, huts constructed of cardboard and old clothes, grocery carts and even one with a wheelbarrow. He shook his head slightly knowing this bunch would be a tough nut to crack, they were by nature or ingrained in them from years on the street were a skittish group afraid and weary of the cops no matter how much they wanted to help.
Before they got started, Hotch took his phone from his suite jacket pocket, flipping through various emails until he came to the last one. Reading over the words quickly, he then surveyed the three men in front of him, "Garcia found something."
"Well don't leave us on pens and needles here Hotch spit it out all ready," Rossi grumbled facing the younger man a hard edge to his eyes.
"Seems Rebecca had ran away from Settle to join family here in Atlanta she left about three weeks ago."
"Any mention of how she traveled?" Morgan questioned, stomach clenching painfully at the mention of her name.
Hotch shook his head catching the look, but for now anyway ignoring it.
"Did she send an address, we need speak with them see if they knew Rebecca had come to them," Morgan also put in itching to call the red hared beauty, but tramped down that thought.
"That she did," Hotch answered motioning for them to start walking, "one were finished here that's our next stop before calling it a night, unless there's more bodies before then."
"Let's hope the latter doesn't happen," Rossi tossed in taking the offered photo of young Rebecca.
An hour later and tons of questions asked, they were no closer to finding any information about the teen then when they started. Frustration showed on all four men's faces as they loaded into the black SUV.
"Hey copper," came a teenager's loud yell gaining their attention.
Mayweather glanced at the other three men, before turning around to face the lanky youth, recognizing him from the many times he had to bust him, in years past. "Martin somethin' I can do for you."
"Not for me, but I can for you," he responded light blue eyes glittering with intelligence that went unused for a long time. It wasn't that Martin was a bad kid just messed up with the wrong crowd and the lack of proper family has sent his life in a tail spin.
"Well spit it out," Mayweather growled.
"That girl," he motioned to the picture in the older mans hand, "she was out here maybe two days, before getting picked up. A guy mid and late twenties he'd come around here often looking for teenagers always askin' for ones around twelve and thirteen never any older. I think he promised to take her somewhere, to some house or something like that. Did something happen to her?"
"You could say that, thanks for the information, Martin," he stated pulling his wallet out and handing the younger man a twenty.
"Martin was it," Rossi exclaimed from beside the detective. The youth nodded, "Do you remember what the guy looked like by any chance?"
Thinking a minute, Martin shook his head, "Not really mister, he'd always stay in his car, an old Pontiac Firebird, black in color I think '92 model but that's just guessin'."
Rossi nodded and stepped back into the SUV watching Hotch and Morgan do the same only Mayweather held back.
"Get you're self most dinner with that kid," he advised before following.
"One part was right," Hotch voiced from the driver seat.
"Yea the age, but it still doesn't get us any closer to finding the unsub," Rossi tossed in a deep frown marring his face.
"We can at least give a profile, maybe someone, somewhere knows this man," Morgan exclaimed looking out the window watching the scenery pass by the glass car window.
Twenty minutes into the drive they pulled into the driveway of a well kept two stories brick house, two car garage, door open with teenagers playing basketball in front.
Morgan walked a few paces down the driveway, before Hotch's deep voice met his ears, "Find something?"
"No just," didn't know what to say at first, "need to make a call," he flashed the cell phone in his hand.
Hotch nodded and followed the other two up the cement drive.
"Oracle of all knowing and powerful at your service," Penelope answered without looking at the caller id. When she did her breath caught in her throat, maybe she'd been wrong after all.
End note: I know evil *laughter*…
