Disclaimer: None of them are mine.
AN: Thanks for the reviews, they are always much appreciated. My apologies for any typos in this but I wanted to get this up before watching year 10 sit an exam. Hopefully there will be more later. Enjoy :o)
Chapter 11
As the two agents pulled up at the station, a sinking feeling set in as they noticed a group of reporters beginning to form. "There goes my idea of a press free day." JJ muttered. They got out of the SUV and headed into the station, managing to avoid too many questions from the press. As soon as they got through the doors Hotch called them into the back room.
"The press got tipped off about our involvement. JJ I'm going to need you to prepare a statement. A press conference has been arranged for 11am. Reid, Prentiss…I want you two to head out and talk to that counsellor Garcia identified last night."
The team dispersed. Reid and Emily made their way out to the SUV. "So what do you think the chances are of either the counsellor being our unsub and admitting to it or telling us who we are looking for?" Emily asked hopefully.
"Statistically speaking…"
Emily cut him off before she got bombarded with fact and figures. "Reid, it was a rhetorical question. It's way too early for statistics." Emily started the SUV and drove to their destination. The drive over was quiet as Reid was no doubt still calculating some statistics about counsellors and crimes, even if he didn't share it with the brunette.
They walked into the offices and made their way to the reception desk. "We're here to see Mr Connor." Emily stated.
The blonde behind the desk didn't even look up from her computer screen. "Do you have an appointment?"
"No."
Before Emily could continue the blonde had cut her off, "He's fully booked today and only works on an appointment system."
"I'm sure he can fit us in." Emily held her badge in front of the computer screen. She watched as the blonde glanced at the badge and then finally over at them. She then reached for the phone.
"Mr Connor, there are two FBI agents here." She waited as he spoke to her. The agents unable to hear the other side of the conversation. "Yes sir." She hung up the phone. "You can go through."
The two agents walked through into the office. It was your typical counsellors office. A couch and an armchair on one side of the room. There was a bookcase against the wall which was no doubt filled with various texts that were never used. On the opposite side of the room was a desk. A middle aged man was sitting at the desk working on a file. Noticing the entry of the two agents he finished his sentence and placed his pen down before standing to greet them. "Good morning Agents…?"
"Prentiss and this is Dr Reid." Emily filled in for the man.
"A pleasure to meet you both. Please have a seat." He gestured to the chairs by the desk. The two agents sat down as he resumed his earlier seat. "Now, what brings you here?"
"We are investigating a series of murders and believe you might know the unsub." Reid answered.
"What makes you think that?"
"All of the victims had links to you. Either their partners or themselves saw you for counselling at some point in recent months." She handed him a list of names of the victims. Watching his response.
The man looked at the names on the list and seemed genuinely shocked. "All of these women are dead?"
"Yes. Could you tell us anything about them or why they were coming to see you?"
"They were all seeing me for relationship issues. They all stemmed from having jobs that took them away from the home for long periods. Career verses family situations." He handed the paper back to Emily. "I'm afraid I can't divulge any more information without the consent of their partners, I hope you understand."
Emily nodded. "We believe that the man who killed these women is known to you. He might be a patient here or work here."
The man took his glasses off to clean them. "There are only the two of us that work here."
"How about a cleaner or janitor?" Reid asked.
"Mrs Jeffries is our cleaner. I'm assuming that you are not looking for a woman in her mid 50's." He stated, not having missed the fact that the agents had mentioned a male in their questions.
"If nobody else has access to your office then it must be a patient." Emily guessed what the reaction to the next question would be before asking. "Could we have a list of all of your patients?"
His green eyes looked up at her and he placed his glasses back on. He was quiet for a moment as he contemplated what was being asked. "Can I trust that if I supply you with the names, they will not be used for any other purpose than catching this man?"
Both Emily and Reid were surprised. They had expected a flat out refusal unless they obtained a court order. "Sir, I can guarantee that our only interest is in catching this unsub before he hurts someone else."
He nodded before turning to his computer. A few moments later a list printed out which he handed to Emily. The agents thanked him for his help and turned to leave. As they reached the door he called after them, "I hope you catch him soon." Emily turned back, "So do I. Thank you again Mr Connor."
Once outside the building, Emily pulled out her phone. "Hey Hotch, we have a list of all the patients. We're on our way back now." She listened to his reply and then hung up her cell.
As they got back to the station, Emily took the list into the back room to fax to Garcia. She saw JJ sitting at the desk. "Hey."
"Hey Em. You get anything?"
"We have a list of all the patients but won't know anymore until Garcia does some digging for us. You doing ok?" The brunette looked up from the fax machine to give a visual examination of the blonde.
"Yeah. Better than yesterday." She offered a small smile. "Once I get this press conference done then I'll be good."
Emily nodded and then looked back at the fax machine as the transmission started to send. She opened up her phone.
"You have reached Mystic Myrtle, which area of your life would you like a reading on?"
"Hey Garcia. I've just sent you a fax of names from the counsellor. I need you to work your magic and see id anything interesting pops up about anyone."
"Consider it done my brown eyed girl."
Emily closed her phone and noticed JJ smiling. She was about to ask JJ what the smile was for when Hotch walked in. "Ready JJ?"
"Just finished Hotch." JJ stood and made her way out of the room to give the press conference.
JJ came back into the team's make shift conference room after she had finished talking with the press. She made her way over to one of the chairs and sat back. She was glad of the empty room for a while. Deciding that a coffee was called for she made her way over to the pot and poured a cup. Just as she was heading back to her seat to relax for a few minutes, her phone rang. She didn't bother checking the caller ID, assuming it was one of the team. "Agent Jareau."
"JJ, I thought you were away on a case." The southern drawl came through the phone making JJ stop in her tracks. She hadn't thought about the fact that Will might see her on TV giving the press conference.
"I am on a case." It was all she could muster up as a reply. She didn't want to be having this conversation, not now. She wasn't ready. She silently wished that Emily was there. There was just something calming and reassuring about having the brunette near by.
"You could have come home last night. Where did you stay?" His voice sounded genuinely concerned and almost hurt that she would choose to stay away without needing to.
JJ was quiet for a moment. Not sure she wanted to tell him where she was really staying but unable to think of an alternative that would be plausible. "I'm staying with Emily."
"Oh, I see. JJ, will you meet me later tonight? Just to talk?" There was a note of desperation in his voice. There was no hint of the person she had encountered 2 days ago. He had obviously taken her silence as a negative thing. "Please JJ?"
"Ok. I'll meet you after work." Part of her was screaming at her not to go. That this whole thing was a terrible idea but there was the other part that needed to go. She had to hear what he had to say for himself. If only to get some kind of explanation in her own mind as to what had caused such a shift in character.
"Thank you." The relief was clear in his voice.
"I'll call you later." Without giving him a chance to say anymore, she hung up the phone. It was only then that she noticed her hand was shaking as the coffee threatened to spill onto the floor. She put the cup on the table and then sank into the nearest chair. The conversation replaying itself in her mind.
