Disclaimer: I own nothing
A/N: Thanks to all who continue to make my day with their reviews and those who have added the story to their alerts.
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Morgan was looking at the white board. "Stella Cohen was the first victim; he pointed to a picture of a naked body cut in numerous places. Then, six days later, the second victim Moira Peters is found; seven days after that, Debbie Shamanski; eight days later Shannon Buckley and six days after that Glenda Ronafeld. There doesn't seem to be any escalation in the time between the murders and all of these murders have taken place in the last twenty-seven days and now she's probably taken another one. What happened a month ago to start this woman killing," he asked as he took a seat at the table?
Reid's cell phone rang, "Reid," he said as he quickly swallowed a mouthful of the Boston cream donut he was eating.
"Hi Agent Reid," a little voice said, "It's Fletcher."
"Hi Fletcher," the team turned to look at Reid as he talked to the child.
"Did you catch that lady," the boy asked, "the one I told you about."
Reid shut his eyes and sighed, "No Fletcher, not yet."
"Why, don't you know where she lives? Why don't you just go get her?"
"Well, you see Fletcher, we don't have any evidence and you can't arrest someone without evidence."
"But isn't an eyewitness, evidence," the boy sounded confused.
"Yes Fletcher, but we don't think we'll be able to use the sketch," Reid explained to the boy.
"Why not, I don't understand," the boy sounded baffled.
"Okay, um, the team feels that since you saw the deputy commissioner's picture just before you gave the description, the memory might have been from that and not from what you saw via your telescope, especially since there was an upset just before when I had to pull you out of the way of that prisoner. Do you understand?"
"Uh huh, I get what you're saying. I'm not lying Agent Reid and I'm not wrong. That was the lady I saw." The boy steadfastly stood by his statement and description. "Do you believe me?"
"Yes," Reid replied. The team watched as Reid talked to the boy and explained everything to him about the adrenaline rush and the effects of the hormone on memory. From the detail the profiler put into his discussion, they found it hard to believe Reid was talking to an eight year old child. "Well Fletcher, we'll have to do that. Okay. Bye."
"We'll have to do what Reid," Morgan said after Reid closed his cell and returned it to his pocket.
"Fletcher understands why we aren't using the sketch although he says he is not lying and he is not wrong," Reid reported to the team.
What did you mean with we'll have to do that," JJ repeated Morgan's query?
"Well, Fletcher asked since we couldn't use the sketch had we checked to see if the lady owned a blue van." Reid looked at them all. "He's right, if the sketch is out, shouldn't we at least check something else instead of dismissing him totally."
"Reid, listen man, I know you like this kid and you kind of identify with him but he's eight years old and kids at that age have a lot of imagination," Morgan told his partner while he was spinning a pen in his hands.
Reid got up from his chair, pacing the room. "Yeah Morgan, I do identify with this kid. No one in this room or even in this building understands what his life is like, but I do. Imagination, hell yeah, I'm sure he's got a great one. It's a benchmark trait of all geniuses. Look at Walt Disney, you don't think he had a lot of imagination. Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, you name me a genius and I'll show you evidence of their imagination, but do I think Fletcher would use his in a situation like this, no, he's got enough brain power to understand the severity of the situation. I think we should check for a blue van, can't hurt." He pulled out his cell phone again. "Garcia…"
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A titanium Toyota Camry drove into the alley behind 1432 Windhaven Drive. Mickey Donovan exited the vehicle quietly and surveyed the yard and the neighborhood. He walked along the cobblestone path to the front door of the modern stone fronted two story home and rang the doorbell. He studied the ornate front door featuring a large oval window with smoky beveled glass and embossed calla lilies. Theresa opened the door and Mickey thought 'woo hoo, aren't you a lovely little enchilada.' Theresa looked questioningly at the man. "Yes Senor," she said.
Mickey could see the look of fright on the woman's face and it was so damned alluring. He pulled his badge out of his inside pocket and flashed it very quickly, knowing this frightened woman would never question him. "Neil Fitzroy," he said, "SFPD. The FBI has some more questions for the boy and they sent me to get him."
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Reid's cell rang again and he checked the call display as he answered, "Garcia, have you got something for me?"
"Sorry sweet thing, I checked vehicle registrations on both Muriel Dressler and her husband and there is no blue van registered to either of them."
"Okay Garcia, thanks for trying." He closed his cell and returned it to his pocket, looking dejected.
"No blue van I take it," JJ said from her seat at the table. Reid shook his head.
"Hey man," Morgan stated, "Maybe you should just forget about this kid. You're getting too close to this. I mean it's messing with your head and we need that big ole brain of yours to solve this thing."
"I'm good Morgan, I'm fine. I'm doing my job aren't I?"
"I think what Morgan means," JJ added sympathetically. "Is that you're concentrating too much on the boy and not on the case."
"I am not!" Reid said defensively. He looked at his teammates who eyed him skeptically. "I am not!" He repeated.
"Reid," Hotch remarked, "It's obvious that you've felt a connection to this boy from the moment you met."
"It's totally understandable," Emily added. "You two speak the same language. You get each other in a way none of us can."
"And Reid, you know you do have a history of getting a little overly involved with people on a case," Morgan reminded his partner.
"What do you mean a history," Reid wanted to know.
"Well Reid, it wasn't me soaking wet in my clothes, kissing Lila Archer in that pool in LA." Morgan giggled at the memory. Reid's face flushed crimson as the others in the room looked at him. Prentiss and Rossi both raised their eyebrows. Prentiss seemed surprised but intrigued while Rossi looked surprised but amused. JJ was uncomfortably embarrassed for her friend while Hotch's mouth set in to a grim line of annoyance.
"Ooh Reid, do tell," Emily begged.
"It was nothing," Reid said with his head down. "I fell into the pool."
"Well that would explain the wet clothes part of the story," Rossi said with a grin.
"I didn't k..kiss her. She kissed me, and I tried to explain to her about transference and everything but she didn't appear to be listening." The team all had their heads down attempting not to laugh at the young profiler's predicament. Reid protested, "It's not my fault that…" when there was a knock at the door. Reid, glad for the interruption, jumped up and reached the door in a couple of long lanky strides and opened it to see Officer Grayson standing nervously in the hallway.
"Oh good, Dr. Reid, there's something you need to hear!"