Chapter 12
Week 04

Hotch settled across the table from Andrew Patterson. "Thank you for coming out Mr. Patterson."

"Anything I can do to get Laura out of this mess. I don't know what she did this time."

"This time? She's been in trouble before?"

"My wife has helped her out of a number of problems while she's been out here, issues with drinking mostly; you know how college kids are. Thankfully my wife knows a good lawyer out here; he's been very helpful over the years. He'd better be given what he charges."

"Do you have the name of that lawyer?"

"I'd have to get it from my wife, she handles it. I just pay the bills."

"We know you've been out to visit, has she ever talked to you about her problems when you're out here?"

"No, never. My daughter is an excellent liar, if she doesn't want to tell you she won't. My wife was always able to ferret out the truth, with her training and all of that. That's why Laura hasn't wanted to talk to her for years."

"I thought your wife was a patent lawyer, not a trial lawyer."

"She is. Well, was, but it's all the same."

"With all her issues out here why have you never insisted she return home?'

"She's over 18; she can do what she wants now."

"You could stop paying tuition."

"I'm not. That's her mother's money; it was set up in a trust, carefully invested. She was from an old California family, old money and all. I mean it's not extravagant by today's standards but it's enough, you know."

"Did you or your wife have issues with her choice of university?"

"Karen wanted her to go to Stanford, live at home to save cash. With Laura's intelligence she could have handled law school easily. But no, she had to go across country to pursue this…nonsense. It just seems like a waste but that's Laura for you."

"Why didn't your wife come out with you?"

"She said she was tired of Laura's antics, she probably ran off with some boy to get attention. She'll be back soon enough, probably pregnant and wasted to boot."

Hotch just blinked at him. "Sir, your daughter has been kidnapped against her will. She is in danger." Patterson just looked away and didn't answer. "I know this is hard to accept…"

Patterson sighed. "Agent Hotchner, I married my wife on impulse. Shannon had been dead for less than a year, Karen and I had been dating for all of three weeks, and the sex was…it seemed like a good idea at the time, I don't know why, but we went off to Vegas and I never signed a prenup….with the work I do a divorce would be…I don't…"

Hotch suddenly understood. "You don't want to anger your wife. You don't want her abuse to turn on you."

"If Laura would just stop causing all these problems we would be fine, you know. Just…please find my little girl. Please."

Homespun
Ithaca, NY

By the time they unpacked it all they had traced every order. Laura had been routinely placing orders in Martha's name, paying cash, and then creating items to be placed in the trunk. About two-thirds of the way through Garcia called back. "What do you have for me baby girl?"

"Okay, I did a thing and I got into her medical records. There is no indication anywhere ever of Laura Patterson having a baby. Period."

"You checked high school?"

"I did and nothing. She even went to an all-girl private school."

"Could she have had an abortion?" Blake asked.

Hickory looked shocked. "Not Laura. She would never."

"Then why would she have a trunk full of baby things?"

"Because these aren't all baby things," Hickory reached over and picked up a delicate, white lace length of knitted stuff. "This is a wedding veil. And that's a table runner and this is..." She picked up something that was skimpy and clearly meant for an adult female. "…well…"

All of a sudden Blake blinked. "It's a hope chest. She was making things for the future."

"Now that fits the Laura I know." Hickory nodded. "But why put it under Martha's name?"

Just what they needed. Another question.