Gone too Soon
Chapter 9 Empty Promises
Hotch and JJ got to the clinic to the doctor they were going to visit Dr. Bellanger to get some answers from him. They stopped the FBI car outside and turned the key to turn it off. They took the key out and opened the doors as they stepped outside of the car. They closed the car doors then started walking the distance of the parking lot as they got to the front doors.
They opened those doors as they went inside the clinic. They walked inside as heads ended up turning to them as they stuck out in a distance. If you look at them through the perspective of an outsider, outside of the FBI you could tell they were either cops or federal agents just by the way they dressed.
They walked through the halls until they got to the elevator pushing the up button. It took only a minute ninety seconds for it to come as it dinged and opened up. They stepped in and they pressed the button to the third floor of only five floors for the clinic excluding the basement.
Both Hotch and JJ stood there waiting as the elevator was moving slowly at a steady speed but as fast as it could. Finally it dinged at the third floor stopping and they stepped out into the main lobby of the third floor. They looked around at the scattered floor of people where it was loud with people talking and doctors working. They walked up to the help desk where a young woman in her middle twenties was sitting.
"Can I help you?" asked the woman who looked up and had a name tag on her breast bone that said Janet
"Yes we are the FBI we need to talk to Dr. Bellanger." said Hotch as he took out his badge showing it "Where is he?"
"He's doing some research at the moment. I can call him to come here." said Janet
"Please." responded Hotch as he nodded
Janet picked up the phone as she called for Dr. Bellanger to come to the front desk. Both Hotch and JJ stood there waiting as they started ticking the moments and minutes that went by. They thought he would be there quickly and right away when he heard and got his name called to come to the front desk on the level. They continued to wait as Hotch looked at his watch on his wrist wondering how much longer it was going to take.
Hotch indicated to JJ to go over to the waiting area to go and sit down as they don't know how long it's going to take for the doctor to come. They sat down anticipating the wait. JJ crossed her legs and started moving one foot repeatedly while Hotch leaned forward as he put his hands together. They stayed there like that hoping that time would come and go quick and that the doctor would come.
But he still wasn't coming at all. Five minutes had gone by and he wasn't there. Ten minutes went by and he wasn't there. Fifteen minutes went by and he wasn't there. Twenty minutes went by and he still wasn't there. Twenty-five minutes went by and he still wasn't there. Finally a half an hour later both of them got fed up as the doctor still hadn't come. Hotch got up from the chair and walked over to the help desk.
"Janet where is Dr. Bellanger?" asked Hotch right there
"He hasn't come." replied Janet confused
"No it's been thirty minutes and he hasn't come." said JJ right there
"Doctor." said Janet as a doctor came walking by and he heard his name and walked over to them "Where is Dr. Bellanger?"
"He left . . . about thirty minutes ago." told the doctor
"Just when we got here and he got the call." said JJ
"Excuse me who are you?" asked the doctor
"FBI agents Hotchner and Jareau." said Hotch right there
"Why would he flee?" wondered JJ as she looked at her superior
"I don't know. Thank you doctor." said Hotch to the doctor who nodded then left
Both Hotch and JJ stood there perplexed as they couldn't believe that the doctor fled from the place and is running from them. The only way he would be doing that is if he either has something to hide or he's the pyromaniac and killer they are looking for. So which one is it? Is he the, unsub or is he just hiding something that he thinks warrants a visit from the FBI?
They thanked Janet and left the room as they went to the elevator. It opened up as it dinged. They stepped inside and pressed the main floor lobby button. The elevator moved going down making one stop on the second level letting someone come in. Then it started moving again as they got to the main level and they got out. They walked through it until they got to the main doors and walked outside of the clinic.
They got to the FBI car as they opened up the two front doors and went inside sitting on the seats. Hotch in the driver's seat and JJ in the passenger's seat. Hotch turned the key in the ignition as he started it. He pulled out of the lot wondering where they needed to go. They deduced to go to Dr. Bellanger's own house and look there. There could be answers there to where he might have gone or better they could find him hiding there from them.
They ended up at Dr. Bellanger house as they got to the driveway and stopped the car once again. They went out and went to the front door of the house calling to him then they went inside. JJ indicated that she was going over to the office as she opened a door to the side. Hotch went forward as he went to the kitchen, living room and dining room combination. It looked immaculately put together and pristine. He walked around the rooms as he was observing everything he could come close with. He found some photos of the doctor and his ex-wife. He knew that the ex-wife wasn't in the picture because the only pictures the doctor has of her are old photos. The rooms seemed empty with no personality what-so-ever as the wife took it all with her.
He stepped into the kitchen as he opened the cabinets one by one seeing that everything had a place but it was dusty. He most likely didn't use the kitchen at all. It proved to be true when he opened up the door to the fridge where there was no food and nothing in the freezer. He sighed as he closed it.
He went over to the stairs and walked up them to go to the second floor of the house. He got into an elongated hallway with about six-seven doors that all lead to a different room. He opened up three spare bedrooms, the bathroom, the laundry and a library. He was impressed that the house, housed a library and it proved to be a great size as well as it held book shelves against the walls all around the room with two library-esque book shelves in the middle. He knows one thing's for sure and that is if Spencer Reid was alive he would love this room more than anything. He sighed as he left the library and went back into the hallway.
He opened the last door which ended up being the master bedroom and it wasn't what he expected. Unlike the whole house which was immaculately put together, pristine but dusty this room was a complete mess as it needed an overhaul done to it. The walls were filled with muck, yuck and uck. The floor was filled with trash, knickknacks, pens, pencils, paper, books and everything he could think of. He opened a door to the walk in closet and saw that resembled the master bedroom to a T with the exception of clothes being everywhere in the closet whereas there wasn't any in the bedroom. He opened the last and final door in the bedroom to the bathroom.
It actually was a lot better than the bedroom itself and the closet. The bathroom wasn't a disaster at all but totally clean and spotless. The only thing that was a bit of a mess was the countertops for the sinks with his, own products that were everywhere.
He sighed as there was nothing in the bathroom, closet or master bedroom that could help them out to find him. He isn't in the house and the house wasn't giving them any answers to what and where he could be. He went out of the bathroom going to the bedroom when the door opened and JJ entered the master bedroom.
"Whoa!" said JJ right there in shock
"Yeah you should see the closet it's just like this." said Hotch
"Well this seems to be the only place in the house that has personality." replied JJ as she pointed at it "Find anything Hotch?"
"No you?" responded Hotch
"The only thing viable I was able to find was that he's a workaholic." told JJ
"He used to be married so there's an ex somewhere." replied Hotch
"Do you think he's our unsub?" wondered JJ
"No but he's either hiding something from us or he might even know the, unsub. Not sure which one yet." told Hotch
They walked out of the bedroom and into the hall as they went down the stairs. They didn't know where he is at all. But they know he could be the key to finding out more. He's the only connection they have with all the victims who have become dead and Gail Nixon who's in the hospital with second and third degree burns.
They were going to go back to the precinct as they were going to regroup with the rest of the BAU. They finally got somewhere but they still need evidence to back everything up.
Jill came back to the precinct as she was running from the last spot of the fire that happened. She grabbed the door as she hoisted it opened and ran inside of the precinct getting to the conference room and stopped. She was panting and out of breath as she went from there to here without stopping. It was a long run and she can normally handle them but this one took its toll. Her chest was heaving as she placed her hand to her chest to calm herself down and to control her breathing as well.
She looked up as she found Derek there but noticed that Rossi and Emily were back from the hospital. They must have gotten back when she was out at the crime scene. She stopped her deep breathing exercises and got up as she looked at them and grabbed herself a; water. She drank almost the whole bottle as all that running dehydrated her as well as got her out of breath.
"Where did you go Jill?" asked Derek out of the blue "You seemed weird when you left."
"Derek just told us about it." said Emily right there
"Sorry it felt like I was seeing visions of my dead parents and well they brought me out of here." told Jill
"You're parents are dead?" replied Derek not believing it
"Yeah I was three and my brother was only a few months old. I don't know what happened to him." responded Jill as she looked at the ground
"I'm so sorry." said Emily
"It wasn't your fault. It was the job. They both worked for the FBI and they were out in the field when they lost their lives." said Jill
She saw Derek look at her in remorse as he didn't know at all about her parents. How could he, she never told them. He has been both hard and tough on her. Maybe now that he knows the truth that he will start to lighten up and start to treat her fairly. She knows that losing a friend is hard especially when they feel like family. But she came in taking the place of someone who died that worked for the team. She doesn't blame Derek for being skeptical, rude, and tough and giving everyone the cold shoulder. He's still dealing with the aftermath of it all.
She set the water on the table then put her hands in her pocket as she was digging in it. She clutched onto the cubic zirconium as she placed it onto the table in front of her. The others were confused as they went over to look at it closely not knowing what it's supposed to be or what she put on the table. They still weren't sure what they were looking at or where it came from.
"I ended up at the last crime scene this was here." Told Jill
"What is it?" wondered both Derek and Emily as they grabbed it
"Cubic Zirconium. I can't believe I was so stupid. Do you know anything about cubic zirconium?" responded Jill
"No." said the three of them truthfully
"Cubic Zirconium is flammable it's what caused the fire in all the vehicles. Just put it in the gas tank and boom instant fire. I was wrong with what caused the fire we aren't looking for someone in a chemical engineering." said Jill right there as the others all look at her
"So who are we looking for then?" wondered Emily
"Most likely blue color, a factory worker who has a background in fires or explosives." exclaimed Jill
"I'm going to call Garcia." said Derek as he got up and got out his cell phone
He left the conference room as he called Garcia to change tactics in finding the, unsub. Jill stood there as she looked at Rossi and Emily who were both looking at her and smiling. They seem to be warming up to her a lot more and she hit a nerve with Derek. He doesn't seem to be what he was like when they first met that morning. They seem to be slowly moving in a whole new direction of a different work friendship.
Her hands were on her hips and she smiled at herself. She was happy with herself as she was able to figure out her mistake. That's what life is about that when you make a mistake you realize it and you change it. She knows that sometimes you just need to work hard and trust your instincts.
