Chapter 10
"So, Dr. Reid, how is it working for the FBI?"
Spencer looked at the older man sitting across him at the table and searched for some proper words. Well, there were no proper words to describe dealing with serial killers and psychopaths, but one could sugarcoat the dark side of mankind. "It is hard. We have a lot of work and we travel often but it is really rewarding."
"What does rewarding mean?" asked Jimmy. Although with his mouth stuffed with chicken rolls it sounded more like 'waddas revadin mea'.
"Sweetheart, don't talk with your mouth full," scolded him Mrs. Hopkins. "Rewarding means it is worth the trouble. It's like having a dog. You have full hands of taking care of him and training him but in the end he will bring you news or slippers when you are too lazy, guard the house or cuddle with you in the cold weather."
"Are we getting a dog?" asked Samantha excited.
"No. The whole family has full hands of training you two," replied Tea.
"Teatrice," hissed Mrs. Hopkins to the ear of her daughter.
"What? You do cuddle with them in the winter and Julia already taught them to fetch a lot of things. Although we are still struggling with the guarding part."
"We do bring the mail every day," murmured Samantha to her brother who just frowned.
"We didn't we teach our kids that?" murmured Mr. Hopkins to himself.
"You did. You forced us to collect worms after every rainstorm for your fishing séances," replied Tea deadpanned.
The twins scrunched their noses knowing very well what their aunt was talking about.
"Oh, good, good. We are indeed good parents," Mr. Hopkins grinned. "So, Dr. Reid, do you have kids?"
"N-no," the young doctor stuttered chocking on a baby carrot. "I don't have children of my own. But I am a godfather of a six year old boy."
"A little boy, that's so nice. Oh, I wish there were more kids running around," sighted Mrs. Hopkins.
"I hate you for this," muttered Tea silently to Spencer.
"For what?" he replied confused.
"When are you going to have children? When I was your age I was already expecting Joshua."
"This," hissed Tea and put her fork down. God knows she might be tempted to use it as a weapon of mass destruction in conversations like these. "Mom, it is not really appropriate to have this talk in front of a guest," she whispered to her mother but the woman did not share her opinion.
"I'm sure you friend will agree than it's better for women to have kids before they turn 30."
Spencer looked up from his plate when he noticed he was included in the conversation. He glanced at the older woman seating two seats further who was expectantly waiting for his answer and then his eyes moved the desperate girl in between them.
"Kill me," she mouthed.
Spencer licked his lips and slowly looked back at Mrs. Hopkins. "Well, the age of woman is not the most important factor in pregnancy. Although it is generally good to conceive children in youth, the most essential element for smooth pregnancy and even upbringing is health. Both physical and mental. A lot of women wait until they are settled down, financially secure and emotionally ready to start a family. Actually in developed countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, or Korea the average age of first-time mothers ranges between 29 and 30 years. And this year nearly 128,000 children were born in US alone to first-time mothers who were 30 and older," he stated.
"Are you sure you are not the Chicago Hope kind of a doctor?" Mrs. Hopkins asked after a while.
"No I… I'm not a medical doctor. I do hold doctorates of Philosophy. Three of them, actually."
The silence that fell over the table seemed to be never-ending and more awkward than Spencer would have expected. Only Tea next to him grinned slightly behind her hand in delight that she escaped the attention of her mother.
Mr. Hopkins blinked at the young genius. "Why?"
"I, um, couldn't decide," the young agent replied although it was a little bit hesitant. "I liked a lot of subject so I pursued them all."
"And you still ended up working for the government?"
"Yes."
"Willingly?"
"Dad," warned him Tea.
"Just curious," the older man defended himself. "Had I his brain I would be either a head of a corporation or a casino habitué."
"Um, actually, Casinos are rather strict about their guests. Tricks such as card-counting gets people kicked out without their win and banned for life rather… quickly," informed him Spencer.
"Speaking from personal experience?" whispered Tea.
"Yeah," he nodded back.
"Well, look at that," spoke up Mrs. Hopkins after a while, "a clever young handsome man with a good honest job," she exclaimed in a very peculiar manner looking at her daughter who didn't paid her any attention.
"I'm sorry mom, were you saying something? I was too busy dying from the embarrassment," Tea hissed when she felt the gaze of her mother on her for longer than it was comfortable.
Mrs. Hopkins laughed and pinched Tea's cheek like her grandmother always did to random chubby kids. "I'm just teasing you. But before I'm 60 I want all my children to be settled down with a family."
"Oh, oops, we already missed that limit," grunted Tea trying to break free from the strong fingers on her face but they only pinched her harder.
"They should have seen it coming," whispered Mr. Hopkins and shoot the young agent opposite him a meaningful look. "Women. Never mess with their personal life or age."
One is never too old to learn something new, pondered Spencer. Maybe it was time to visit library and check some books on the psyche of the female gender.
It took some time but Tea finally managed to pry away the older woman from her cheek. "Now that we already met the embarrassment quota for dinner I hope we can move on and have some dessert without talking."
"Dessert," exclaimed the twins simultaneously.
"I smell a chocolate pudding."
"Chocolate pudding," the kids cheered again.
"With turnip."
"With- NO!"
"Teatrice!"
"Couldn't help it, sorry. But I saw you crack a smile," Tea grinned and pointed an accusatory finger at her mother who just brushed it away and rolled her eyes. Both women stood up to collect the empty plates. "Sorry for witnessing all of that," she whispered to Spencer as she leaned over him to pick up his nearly empty plate. "You don't like spinach?" she eyed the green leaves at the edge of his plate.
"Not particularly," replied Spencer rubbing his hands awkwardly.
"Now that's why you had trouble with all the stairs at my place." she smiled slyly.
Spencer smacked his lips together feeling a little flush crawling up on his cheeks. Sure, spinach was one of the most healthiest food know to mankind for its many vitamins, anti-oxidants and other numerous benefits. But there was also a reason why it ranked in the top list of most hated foods. Maybe Tea didn't read the list for he saw her picked up the dark green leaves from his plate and stuck them in her mouth before she placed the dishes in a sink. He was ready to give her a lecture about germs when she sits down next to him again but all his intent disappeared upon noticing the glass cups of rich brown chocolate substance.
Mrs. Hopkins and Tea brought them the chocolate dessert and the kids didn't even wait for others before they jumped at it. Looking around Spencer noticed he had bigger share than others. He glanced next to him and even Tea who suffered from sweet tooth like him had less in her glass.
"Rule number five: always spoil the strangers in the house," she whispered to him when she noticed his looks. "Bon appétit."
Now at that he is not going to complain. He nodded slightly and waited patiently for Mrs. Hopkins to sit down before tasting the dessert. It melded on his tongue and it took a lot of will not to grin like an idiot. He often grinned at the cakery when Tea gave him a new cake. But she was already used to it and there was no one else to look at him. But with a table full of people it was hard to keep down his dancing taste buds. He chose to verbalize his mind instead.
"The pudding tastes divine, Mrs. Hopkins," he praised.
"Oh thank you, dear. It is a family recipe, from my grand grandmother. Stick close to us and you'll get more of it in the future," smiled the older woman at him basking in pride.
"That's how she got me to marry her," confessed Mr. Hopkins. "And how did you two met?" he asked looking at the two young adults.
Spencer glanced at Tea to let her explain but she did not look all too happy to share the story. She twitched on her seat and pursed her lips. "We, uh… we met at a park," she replied after taking a quick glance at him too.
"Park?"
"Yeah, park. You know the places with trees and pavements and people."
"We do know what a park is."
"Then why did you ask?"
"Because you rarely go to a park?"
"That's not true," Tea opposed dourly. "I spend a lot of time in a park. Mainly when I'm stuck with the twins." She immediately clamped her mouth shut after sharing that particular piece of information.
"Oh, were you with the kids when you two met?"
"She was watching over them on the playground," replied Spencer when it seemed the girl next to him was not going to respond. He heard something oddly similar to a whimper coming from her and maybe that along with her scrunched nose was giving him a rather obvious clue that he said something horribly wrong.
"Oh, Tea, the twins and a police. That reminds me on a funny story," exclaimed Mrs. Hopkins swinging her spoon.
"Uh, please, don't," begged Tea.
"Oh don't be such a grump. Dr. Reid, do you want to hear it? But I will have to make it appropriate for kids."
"Sure," nodded Spencer.
"No," hissed Tea at the same time.
"No one asked you. So, it was a beautiful Wednesday morning. My oldest daughter Julia went into an early labor with the twins. No one was expecting it to be so early and her husband was still at work. She started to panic so she called Tea to drive her to the hospital. They live close to each other. But when Tea came she started to panic too so they called me. But I'm a mother of three so I was cool."
"You shuttered in the phone, you were far from cool," corrected Tea.
"Shush. So I came too and Tea drove us to the hospital. But my sweet bundle of nerves here kind of ignored all the traffic regulations and soon enough the police went after us. There we were, Tea driving 200 miles per hour in the morning, Julia screaming at the backseat from the horror…"
"She was in pain," hissed Tea.
"…and the police after us. Do you think she stopped? NO. We ended up in a chase with all the flashing alarm lights and them screaming at us with microphone to stop and such. Thank God they somehow saw we were just women and not some bad boys gangsters, so when the police was already driving next to our car they only rolled their window down and signalized us to stop. And Tea, I still remember as if it happened yesterday, Tea rolled her window down too and shouted out loud 'get the flick out of my way you flicking ripshots, we are in a flicking difficult labor you flicking momflickers!'"
"I did not say that!" opposed Tea offended.
"Oh yes you did," laughed Mrs. Hopkins and looked at Spencer. "For every curse she used she had to serve a day of community service. They accompanied us to the hospital when they saw that we had, indeed, a very pregnant woman on the board. I just managed to send my girls to the hospital building and let me take care of the police officers because Tea was about to scratch their eyes out when they tried to stop us and talk to her. I swear to God it took me a lot of time to assure them she is not bonkers. So in the end they just asked for her ID and within a week she received an order from court to serve 11 days."
Mr. Hopkins smiled at his daughter fondly remembering the hideous orange vest she wore while picking up trash from around the parks all across the DC. He never again saw her wear anything remotely similar to that color. His wife then started a new tradition to tie the twins' birthday presents with a bright orange ribbons and Tea never missed the opportunity to send her mother a look of utter resentment.
The twins often heard that story and maybe that was the reason why, despite all the nicknames and vegetable threats, she was their favorite relative. The most favorite was actually Julia because well, she was their mother and she made those tasty pancakes and buys them toys and tells them bed stories; but Tea was pretty much close second. Their dad was third because even though he played football with them and swayed them in the air it could not compare to the funny aunt that makes cakes as her profession.
"11?" whispered Spencer to the very unamused Tea.
"I was very concerned about my sister and the kids," she replied with quite a pretty shade of rosy on her cheeks. She flicked her eyes at him and saw him crack a small smile.
"I would give you only 10," he hummed silently so only she could hear.
There was something very satisfying about watching people roast in their own embarrassment. People, that for the first time in those three long decades, were not him. It was rather an odd occurrence. So when he saw Tea snapped her lips into a thin line and lower her eyebrows into a painful grimace he did a very Morgan thing at such occasion and smiled like a Christmas came early.
Tea hid her bright face and lowered deeper into her seat wishfully wanting to disappear under the table but that traitor of a mother poked her into rib with a hiss to sit straight.
"That's so un-lady like. Do you want back problems? You will end up like Quasimodo… or my cousin Bettie."
For all the love she had for the people around her, sometimes it was far too hard not to strangle them. Somewhere deep within her throat she released a sound that was some kind of a mixture of agonizing whimper of an hurt animal and a growl of a she-bear who is about to jump at anyone who comes near her cubs. "For what did I deserved this?" Tea mumbled but the chocolate cup to which the question seemed to be directed at played dumb.
"Oh, well," he mother started sarcastically, "do you remember 20 and something years ago?"
"Oh, gee. Let's see if you can come up with something better than I did."
"How about that time when Joshua had a birthday party with clowns and you…"
"Ok! I surrender!" Tea hissed. Not even the twins heard that story. And there was no chance in hell that she will let it slip in front of someone that did not shared the same DNA as she.
Spencer smiled silently at the antics of the females next to him. Somehow it reminded him of a relationship he shared with Morgan. Like the older sibling teasing the younger one immensely but still wanting the best for each other.
Maybe he possessed telepathy or it was simply a fate but the second his mind shifted from Morgan to the whole team the phone in his pants buzzed; rather startling him.
The noise at the table ceased upon the sudden movement of the young agent. Spencer checked the ID and looked up at the curious glances of the Hopkins' family.
"Excuse me, that's our technical analyst. I have to take it," he said already rising from his chair.
"All the notes are in the kids' room if you need them," reminded him Tea not sure whether to accompany him or to leave him to deal with whatever he needs to talk about with his people himself.
"Ok, I'll be there," he replied hastily a made an awkward exit from the kitchen.
"Do you got him?" Was the first question.
"That's only yours wishful thinking, genius," replied the quirky voice of Garcia.
"None of them was our Unsub? Are you sure?" asked Spencer incredulously.
"They all had alibi. I checked and rechecked and it's pretty much bulletproof."
Spencer pursed his lips looking around the hallway trying to think of something new. "What do the others say? Any new profile?"
"Give me a few seconds and I'll redirect your booty call into group session aaand you're in, welcome to the Garciaholic Anonymous group."
"In other words you are on speaker, stray kid," came the voice of Morgan.
"Uh, ok. Is everyone in there?"
"Yes," replied Blake. "The suspects are clear."
"And I'm on the line too," spoke up JJ from the Takinski house. "Got any idea, genius?"
"Not really."
Morgan muttered something but it did not quite reached Spencer's ear.
"We need a new profile," cut him off Hotch.
"If the obvious didn't work than we need to think outside the box," came the deep voice of Rossi.
"Well, first of all the victims were not random. They were a specific type and the Unsub knew the order of birth and their location. So he came in contact with their personal information."
"We need a list of everyone who could come in contact with those information of all three families. Plus everyone who could peek into such documents, like secretaries, nurses or a family if someone brought their work home," instructed Spencer.
"Checking and that's abouuuut nine people plus five families and seventeen by-the-way people that could easily come in contact with the infos."
"Cross out everyone who lives, works or studies more than 3 miles away from the Ancostia River and its branches."
"That's four primary people, two families and eight by-the-way people."
"Cross out everyone under the age of 17 and over 35."
"Nine people."
"Find their photos and match it with the description given by Lucas."
"Brown hair, about 5'11 and maybe a beard… that's three. A 34 years old Henry Collman working at Civil registry; 24 years old Jonathan Wells, the son of counselor Miranda Wells; and a 29 years old Laboratory assistant Patrick Yang."
"Any chance of any of them coming from twins?"
"None whatsoever."
"Make a deep background check on all three of them," ordered Hotch.
Spencer grabbed the notes he scribed down during the translation. "Had any of them problems with drugs or some kind of mental issue?" he asked while looking down at the underlined scary eyes words.
"Jonathan Wells seems to be a little bit fishy. Introvert, barely finished school, now unemployed. Permanent address is still at his mother."
"Dig further."
"Further, further, further and…oh."
"What?" Half of the team asked at once.
"The mother - Miranda Wells moved to America 13 years ago. She lived in Québec, Canada before under the name Miranda Cote and according to her Employment Insurance she had not just one, but two kids."
"Twins?"
"No. One year apart. But from what I see on the photos they could as well be twins. Andy Cote drowned when he was 6 in a lake near his house. He and his brother Jonathan were watching the stars late at night."
"Was it an accident or were there any marks of struggle?"
"Accident. The report says Andy was average swimmer but he had a deep scratch on his leg probably landing on a stone as he fell into the river. Jonathan tried to save him but the flow was too strong that night and Andy in his state was not very cooperative."
"That sounds familiar."
"Garcia, send us the home address and also contact on Miranda. She may know where he is and if he is mentally stable or not."
"Sending to you annnnnd done."
"Morgan and Rossi, you are going with me to the Wells house. JJ, meet Blake at Miranda's work and get her home. Reid, you may return back."
"Is Lucas going to see him and confirm it?"
"I wouldn't recommend it," said JJ, "even now it looks like a long hours of therapy. I don't want to expand it to years."
"He won't need to," assured them Hotch. "A proof enough will be if we find Austin alive."
There were two clinks and Spencer found himself on the phone alone with JJ.
"Spence, when this is over, I will have a talk with either you or Garcia. The subject will be the same. Who do you want me to pick?" she asked with a rather chipper voice.
"You know you can talk to me whenever you want to," replied Spencer immediately.
"I know, but now I don't want to talk to you, I want you to talk to me."
"A-about what?" he asked with an unsettling feeling crawling around him.
"Oh, that sounded like you do know what about. See you later." Beep
Good old mother bear JJ.
Dammit.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. For all those ladies who are already moms or expecting I wish you all the best.
Kinda spolier
Have you seen the latest episode of Criminal minds? I went to download it but then I saw all the scary comments guessing who is going to die and what not so I check the trailer for the finale and holy shit! I hate hate hate cliffhangers. I'm not going to watch the 23rd episode until I see the end of 24th episode. I need to make sure everything is alright before watching it whole. I think Erica Messer said no one is going to die but what the hell did she mean with 'you won't believe which profiler would say goodbye forever'. I think it will be kinda like someone of the main characters decided "well, this is way too much and I need to be there for my family" (Hotch, JJ) but I checked and the only one who did not sign a new contract is Matthew Gubler. But Reid is important to the team, they would not solve anything without him. Mfguaggffffffffffffffffffff
Is it only my wishful thinking that the 'profiler' would be Sam Cooper from the spin-off who would show up and get killed? Because seriously I can't image some from the main cast leaving forever. (Although I can imagine Hotch ditching the profiler thing and instead becoming section chief instead of Cruz, but that doesn't explain the 'forever' thing)
I'm rambling, huh?
I'll stop now.
So. This is the 10th chapter. I thought if you liked some particular scene from this story (any chapter) you could tell me and I could draw some images.
Chapter 11: May 21st