Disclaimer: Not Stephenie Meyer and to be safe, I'm not Jeff Davis either. If was, I'd be thinking up ideas for a new series of Criminal Minds, rather than taking his characters qualities, putting them into Twilight characters and twisting them around for my pleasure.

Edward

It was Friday morning and we were still no closer to finding out who was harming these children. We had found Annie two days after she'd gone missing in a wooded area near her house.

One of the worst things about working cases with children was having to explain to their parents that their little boy or girl wouldn't be coming home. The agonising cries of the parents would always haunt me and I felt powerless to do anything to help.

There was no real way of telling what would happen between the two of them now. They would grieve but you could never tell if it would be together or separately. Some parents grieved together, putting on a united front and facing everything together but others couldn't handle being together anymore and split up, their relationship crumbling with their grief.

"Hey," I turned to see Jasper walking into the small conference room the local PD had with two cups of Starbucks coffee. "How you doing?" He asked, sitting down in front of me, pushing one of the cups towards me. I took it, giving him an appreciative smile. I took a sip, smiling when I tasted the vanilla in the drink.

"You remembered?"

"Of course." He smirked, taking a sip of his own drink. "How could I forget the drink of the only other person that doesn't drink it black?" I grinned, remembering the first day we'd actually met. "How are you doing?" He asked again and I sighed, shaking my head.

"I want to get this guy. I want to find this guy and find out what the hell's going on with this fucker." I took another drinking, not caring as the hot liquid scalded the inside of my mouth.

"Hey, we'll get him." He said softly, his hand twitching before he grasped his cup before lifting it to his lips.

"We can't guarantee that." I sighed and he nodded.

We both knew that there was no guaranteed chance that we were going to catch the unsub. It was something we risked with every investigation. They could get spooked and stop while we're here or pick up and leave before starting up somewhere else.

We had to make sure that he hadn't headed out of town. If he crossed state lines, he could disappear. We had to catch him before any more children went missing.

"We got results back on a spot of blood the CSI's found near where Annie James's body was found. They ran a DNA on it and turns out, it's male." We both looked up at Victoria as she walked into the room with a file in her hands.

"Well, that narrows it down to half the population of Columbus." I put my coffee down, running my hands through my hand.

"They're running it through CODIS now." She sighed, sitting down next to Jasper.

"But that only helps if the guy has a record." The two of them nodded, not saying anything. Nothing needed to be said. We weren't getting anywhere with the evidence. We needed to get back out onto the street where she disappeared. I said as much to the other two and they nodded. Jasper stood up as Garrett called me, nodding as he walked out of the room. "Fancy taking a drive?" I asked Victoria and she smiled at me, nodding.

I knew that this case had to be hitting hard on Victoria as well, possibly more than the rest of us. She had a little girl around the same age as all of the children that had gone missing. I knew that she had been calling home to talk to her more often than she did when she was on a case. I think it was to ease her own mind, letting herself know that her baby was safe.

"How are you holding up?" I asked as I pulled the car out of the station parking lot and turned in the direction of the street.

"It's hard." She sighed, looking out of the window. "It just . . . it's hard. I just keep thinking that . . ."

"I know." I whispered, glancing at her. She gave me a smile before she turned back to look out the window. We spent the rest of the drive in silence and I parked at the end of the street. "You take this side, I'll take that side?" I suggested and she nodded and we both climbed out of the car. I sighed, making my way over to the first house on the street.

I knocked on the door, waiting for someone to come to the door. I turned back to it as someone opened the door, a grumpy looking teenager, standing there staring at me. "Hi, your parents' home?"

"Who want to know?" He stood there, crossing his arms, clearly challenging me. I raised an eyebrow at him before pulling out my badge and showing it to him. "FBI. Your parents' home?"

"Mom!" He called, looking at my badge with wide eyes. I heard more footsteps from behind him and a slightly frazzled looking woman came to the door, looking at me.

"Can I help you?" She asked, wiping her hands on an apron she was wearing. "I mean, if you're selling something or trying to get us to sign up to something, we're not interested and-"

"I'm not selling or anything like that." I gave her a small smile, showing her my badge, just as I had my son. "I'm Special Agent Cullen with the FBI. Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about what happened here the other day?"

"About Annie?" She took a deep breath, blinking back tears. "What would you like to know?"

"Did you notice anything different about that day?" I asked, putting my badge back into my pocket. "Anyone you didn't recognise? A vehicle you hadn't seen before? Absolutely anything?"

She thought for a moment, still wiping her hands. She obviously didn't realise that they were already clean. "No. I'm sorry but . . . there wasn't anything different. After everything that had been happening, we'd started keeping a closer eye on who came and went from the street. We still try to, you know, especially around school time, you know?" I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, we're just trying to see if someone along here saw something. It's okay if you didn't but if you do remember, absolutely anything at all, no matter if it seems like it could be nothing, give the station a call." She nodded, giving me a watery smile.

I went through the same routine with the next six houses, all of them saying almost the same thing. They hadn't noticed anyone or anything different on the street at the time. They hadn't seen anything that could help us. I looked at Victoria, who appeared to be having the same kind of luck as me.

None.

Good thing we weren't in Vegas right now. I would not be any good in a casino.

I knocked on the next house, surprised when a little boy answered the door.

"Adrian!" A panicked voice behind him called out and I noted that apparently, the little boy hadn't been given permission to open the door. "How many times, you don't open the door without me or your Dad with you."

"Sorry, Mom." I could hear the exasperation in his voice.

"Can I help you?" She asked, stepping in front of her son.

"Yeah, I'm Special Agent Cullen with the FBI." I showed her my badge and her expression relaxed a little. "We're just going up and down the street trying to find out if anyone saw anything the day that Annie went missing. Whether there was anything or anyone different on the street, if anyone saw Annie talking to someone when she was walking from her neighbours house back to her home?"

"I don't remember. I'm sorry." She shook her head, looking upset.

"I saw her." The little boy piped up and we both looked at him. "She was walking down the street."

I looked up at his mother who looked back at me. "Do you mind if I come in?" She nodded, opening up the door wider and I stepped inside. "Thank you, Mrs . . ."

"Grassier. Would you like anything to drink?" I shook my head, giving her a small smile. "Through to the living room."

I followed her and her son through to the living room, sitting down on the sofa she indicated. She sat next to her son, smiling down at him.

"Hey, Adrian, is it?" I asked, remembering her calling his name when he opened the door and he nodded. "You said that you saw Annie when she was walking back home?" He nodded back again. "Where was she?"

"Umm . . . she was in between her house and Mrs Taylor's. Mrs Taylor takes her to school and brings her home sometimes. Other times her mom takes Robbie and Sarah."

"Was there anyone else with her?" I asked, looking up at his mom, not wanting to upset her any more than she seemed to be already.

"I was getting some water when I saw her." He shrugged and I gave him a small smile.

"May I?" I gestured towards the kitchen and she nodded. I stood up and walked through to the kitchen, standing in front of the sink. I knelt down so that I was around Adrian's height and determined that he could still see out of the window clearly. He would have seen Annie as she walked past and anyone that might have been with her. "Did you see anyone with Annie when she was walking home from Mrs Taylor's?"

"Just Michael."

"Michael?" I looked to his mother.

"Michael Roper. He and his father live on the end of the street. His mother passed away a couple of years ago. Cancer." I nodded, knowing how much cancer could affect not just the patient but everyone around them as well.

"What number?" I asked, pulling out my phone.

"2109." She said softly and I nodded, quietly thanking her before letting her know that if she or Adrian remembered anything to get in contact with the police department.

I walked out of the house, calling Victoria. She picked up almost instantly. "I found someone that was with Annie just before she disappeared." We met up on the street outside the house that she had just been in. "Little boy, Michael Roper was seen with Annie just before she disappeared. He lives in a house at the end of the street with his father."

"Let's go." She nodded and we walked towards the end of the street. We made our way up the driveway before walking up onto the porch and knocking on the door. "Car's in the driveway. Someone's home." I nodded, looking at the door as it opened.

"Can I help you?" The man at the door wasn't anything to really look at. He was thin, wiry, no real build to speak of. His hair was slicked back and he looked like he'd just stepped out of the shower. Surprising for four o'clock on a Friday afternoon.

"Special Agents Jordan and Cullen. We're with the FBI. May we come in?" We both held up our badges and he stepped back, letting us into the house. "Is Michael around at all, Mr Roper?" He looked surprised that we knew his name. He really shouldn't, should he?

"Is everything okay?" He asked, walking to the stairs and calling for his son. "What's going on?"

"We just need to ask Michael a couple of questions." I gave him a small smile, watching as who I guessed was Michael walking down the stairs. He stopped as he saw Victoria and me standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Do I have to go?"

"No, you can stay." I nodded and he breathed a sigh. I could have sworn that there was relief in that little sigh. "Hi, Michael. We need to ask you a couple of questions."

He looked over to his dad, who nodded and he walked down the last couple of steps, walking into what I guessed was the living room. We all followed him through and sat down in various seats. His dad stood behind him.

"Michael, someone told us that you saw Annie just before she disappeared," I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Um . . . I saw her when she was walking to her house. She looked upset so I asked her if she was alright." He shrugged as though this was run of the mill.

"What were you doing walking around on your own?" Victoria asked and he looked towards her.

"I had to go and get something from Adrian's house." He said quietly and I looked at Victoria.

"Did you see Annie on your way back?" I asked and he shook his head. "Was there anyone else around while you were outside?" He shook his head again. "Alright. That's all for now but we might need to come and talk to you again."

"Will you really need to talk to him again?" His father asked, walking with us to the door.

"Mr Roper, Michael was the last person to see Annie before she disappeared. There could be something in that." He sighed, nodding again. "We'll be in touch if we need to talk to him again."

We walked out of the house and down the street towards the car. We didn't say anything as we walked down the street.

We climbed into the car and I started the engine. "So what did the first kid say?"

"That's what's confusing me." I muttered and she looked at me, clearly confused. "The kid that told me that he'd seen Michael with Annie, was Adrian." Her eyes widened a little at my words. "We're missing something here." I turned off the engine, pulling the keys out, quickly. "I'll be right back."

I opened the door, quickly crossing the street and making my way towards the house where Adrian lived. I knocked on the door quickly and it was opened almost instantly by his mother.

"Hi, again, just quickly, did Michael Roper come round to the house on Monday afternoon?" I asked and she looked at me confused.

"No," she shook her head, her eyes widening. "No, he didn't."

"Alright." I nodded, turning away from her. "Thank you."

"Okay."

I turned and made my way back towards the car, smiling at the confusion that was etched onto Victoria's face.

"What was that about?" She asked as I climbed into the car. "Edward?"

"Michael Roper was lying." I stated simply, looking over at her as I turned the engine on again. "He didn't go to the Grassier's that afternoon. We were duped by a ten year old."

"What do you want to do?" She asked as we made our way back to the station. That was the million dollar question. What do we do?

"Let the rest of the team know and find out where they want to take it from there. " I shrugged and she nodded, looking back out the window. "We need to find out who this was. Adrian, the little boy said that he saw Michael talking to Annie out his window and Annie went missing just after that."

"Not much of a time frame. They had to be quick." She nodded and I let out a breath.

We made it back to the station quickly, making our way inside. We called the team into the small conference room I'd been in this morning before heading out with Victoria. Victoria closed the door and I knew that was probably the best idea. The local PD might feel like we were isolating ourselves, freezing them out but we didn't want them to know that we were suspecting a child of withholding evidence from us. We didn't know how well that would go down and we weren't going to risk it until we knew for sure what actually happened to Annie.

We told them what we'd done, canvassing the neighbourhood again, going from door to door, asking if there was anything that people might have seen that they didn't think was important. I told them what I'd learned at the Grassier's house and how we'd then gone to see the Roper's afterwards. I then told them about how I'd asked Mrs Grassier if Michael had actually come to their house that afternoon and her subsequent answer.

"So the kid was lying about going there?" Jake asked and we nodded stating that we thought so. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Maybe he thought that he'd get in trouble."

"Or he could have seen something he wasn't supposed to and didn't want anyone else to find out." Jasper suggested, shrugging lightly. "Fear is a powerful motivator."

"We don't know why the kid lied, all we know is that he did. I don't think it's a good idea to head back there tonight, I mean, we could overwhelm him and that could cause him and the dad to get defensive on us and we don't want that." We looked at Garrett, nodding.

"Let it rest for tonight and head back out there first thing in the morning?" I asked and Garrett nodded, flipping through the files.

"Make sure you get there before they have a chance to take off for the day. We want to get to them as quickly as possible." We all nodded. "Who wants to be the one to tell them?" Garrett nodded towards the window and we all glanced towards them to see the PD's officers trying to look busy but clearly trying to figure out what we were doing in here.

"I will." I sighed, taking one for the team. "I won't be telling them anything other than the fact that we have two witnesses who saw Annie before she disappeared. Not going to say anything about him withholding information or anything like that."

They all nodded and we all stood up, gathering our files and making our way out of the room.

"What's going on?" As if he could tell that it had been decided that I was the one that was going to divulge the information, the Police Chief walked over to me.

"We've got two witnesses that saw someone talking to Annie just before she disappeared. They're both children. We're going back out to talk to them in the morning." He seemed satisfied with that answer as he nodded and walked back towards his men.

"Well, that went better than expected." Jasper chuckled and I shook my head.

"How did they know that I was the one that got stuck with telling them what was going on?" He looked at me, confused and I laughed. "He just like . . . gravitated towards me. How did he know it was me?"

"Maybe he likes you." He laughed and I mimicked gagging, making him laugh even more. I couldn't help but smile. "Why do you think the kid lied to you?" He asked and I shook my head, not knowing why he thought that lying to us by saying he'd gone to Adrian's house would be a good idea. Even at ten years old he had to know that we would find out he was lying. Was he scared of something? Did he think he was going to get in trouble for telling us what he knew? Maybe he saw who took Annie and was afraid of being next if he talked.

Wouldn't know until we talked to him.

"I don't know." I sighed, looking over at him. "But I'm going to find out."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

So, why do you think the little boy lied?

Theories?