Chapter 11
"Garcia, can you give me the location of Sunnyside Day Care?" Hotch asked.
"Sure, but what for?"
"I'm picking up Anna," Hotch explained, "Denise thinks it will do me good to get some one on one time with her."
"Sir, that's excellent!" Garcia exclaimed, "you're actually ten minutes away from it. Turn left by the Mexican joint and look for the yellow sunbeam. It's big. You can't miss it. Apparently, it's "the best daycare in Louisville."
"Thank you so much Garcia. I owe you for doing all this personal stuff for me! Hey are you tracking Denise's phone?"
"Yeah, I am. So far, so good. Have fun with Anna!"
Hotch pulled up to the yellow sunbeam and parked there. He went to the front office and knocked on the door. He flashed his credentials in the window.
"FBI?" the woman asked. Hotch figured she couldn't be more than twenty-three. She had an innocent, almost child-like voice. The confused woman let him in.
"SSA Aaron Hotchner. I'm here to pick up Anna Rogers," he explained.
"Oh!" the woman exclaimed, "you must be Aaron! Anna's told me so much about you! She says you're a superhero who saves people from the bad guys!"
The FBI agent blushed.
"And you are?" he asked.
"I'm Rachel Reynolds, Anna's teacher. But everyone calls me Miss Rachel. Follow me, I'll take you to the Learning Room."
"Uh, Miss Rachel," Hotch asked, stopping her, "how is Anna? Has Denise told you what's been going on?"
Miss Rachel sighed.
"Yes. I heard about Six Flags. Gosh. That's awful. Anna told me you saved her from the bad guy."
"She's been having nightmares. Has Denise told you?"
"Yes. Agent Hotchner, there is something you should know. Anna has been drawing pictures of a man in a black mask ever since..."
Hotch felt sick to his stomach.
"Oh, God." His face went pale.
"Agent Hotchner, this is normal-" she started.
"Yeah, I know. I'm a profiler," he explained, "how much has Denise told you?"
"All I know is an escaped killer is targeting you guys. The man in the mask. Is he-"
"George Foyet," Hotch stated, deadpan. He handed his mugshot to Miss Rachel.
"Don't worry, Agent Hotchner. Anyone who looks remotely LIKE this man will NOT be allowed in here." All traces of that child-like voice was gone.
"We have four security cameras. Two in front. Two in back. We keep our doors locked. We also have a side entrance that ONLY I and the other faculty are allowed in. You need a code to access it."
They walked to the doors of the Learning Center.
"Miss Rachel. I can't thank you enough. I think of Anna like my own daughter. However, you do need to know this guy's MO."
"MO?"
"How he does what he does," Hotch explained, "he uses ruses to get access to his victims. He might pose as a cop, another parent, or even an agent."
"We know all the parents and if someone comes in we don't know, we ask for ID. Don't worry. Anyone who even vaguely looks like him will not be allowed in."
"Thank you," Hotch breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let me take you to Anna."
"Anna!" Miss Rachel called, " I have a surprise for you!"
"What is it?" Anna ran up to her.
"Aaron!" she exclaimed. He picked her up and twirled her around.
"Mama's at work, so I'm gonna take you home. Is that alright?"
"Yes! Can we go now Aaron?"
When they got in the house, Hotch asked, "Do you need a snack?"
"Not yet. Come on. Let me show you to my room!" Anna all but dragged him to the room on the right.
"These are my princess dolls. See? All lined up in a row." Very orderly Hotch thought.
"You're just like your mama, you know that?"
"I know. Mama taught me how to line them up."
"Your mama is a very good teacher," Hotch stated admirably.
"And here are my puzzles!" she exclaimed excitedly. She rushed over to them.
"Which one is your favorite?" Hotch asked.
"This one." She pointed to the princess one.
"Do you want to work on it? Together?"
"Yeah! Daddy and I used to do them when I was two. He taught them to me. But, he had to go to heaven."
"Here, try it this way," Hotch corrected gently. He gently maneuvered her hand to the right position.
"It fits!"
"So, Miss Rachel tells me you've been drawing pictures about the bad guy," Hotch stated gently. He wanted to ease her in this conversation.
"His mask. It's a black mask. It's scary!" Anna buried her head in the man's chest.
"Why is it scary?"
"Because he looked at me!"
"Anna, Anna, look at me," Hotch coaxed, "the bad guy's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. I promise you. I WILL get him." And I'll make him pay and beg for his life Hotch thought darkly.
"Okay," Anna gave a small smile, "you're a superhero. You get the bad guy. No bad guy hurt me or mommy or Aaron."
"That's right."
"Aaron?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you my Daddy? My real daddy's up in heaven."
"If you want me to be," Hotch answered.
"Please?" Anna begged.
"Okay," Hotch choked. He took the little girl into his arms and let tears roll down.
"Honey, I'm home!" called Denise.
"What is this? I Love Lucy?" Hotch asked as he gave her a peck on the cheek.
Denise went to her bedroom to set her stuff down. Hotch followed suit.
"So this is your room," Hotch observed, "it's pretty."
"Mama, mama, guess what Aaron and I did?" Anna ran up and asked.
"What did you do sweetie?"
"I showed him my dolls and we did puzzles!"
"That's great!"
"Mama, can I take this to the kitchen for you?" Anna asked, holding up her purse.
"Yes, thank you so much for your help."
As soon as Anna was out of earshot, Hotch blurted out, "Anna's been drawing picture's of Foyet's mask in daycare."
"Oh God!"
"She told me it scared her because it looked right at her. I told her I'll get the bad guy and he can't hurt her."
"Well, you will," Denise stated, "don't you doubt that for one second."
"Despite this, she's very happy. She..she.. asked me to be her father."
"Really?" Denise felt a few unshed tears well up.
"She told me her real daddy's up in heaven. She asked if I could be her daddy."
"What did you say?"
"Yes," Hotch cried.
"Oh, Aaron. You're so good with Anna. You will be an excellent father."
"But what kind of father will I be if I can't see Jack?"
"Aaron, look at me." She held his face in her hands, "Anna loves you. You are an excellent father to Jack. Now, I know I haven't met him yet, but you are so good with Anna. You are an excellent father to her. You are the same way with Jack. You WILL get Jack back and Anna and Jack can be brother and sister."
"Do you think Jack will like Anna?"
"Well, Jack likes superheroes and Anna likes princess and superheroes," she said turning to Hotch, "I think they will get a long just fine." They pulled each other in an embrace.
"Why Mama and Daddy cry?" Anna asked.
"Oh Anna," Denise said, "we're just happy."
"Come here, little girl," Hotch said, pulling her in the embrace.
"I love you mama, I love you daddy," Anna said. It seemed as if they stayed that way for the rest of the night.