Disclaimer: See chapter 1

xxxxxxxx

It was 10:15 am and the sun reflected brightly off the windshields as the team was making its way to Kayleigh's apartment, the ink not yet dry on the search warrant Judge Leroy Cummings had just signed, verifying that there was indeed probable cause to search the residence of one Kayleigh Beresford for a knife, a muddler, a tazer, the antidepressant medication Nardil, used in the death of Gail Nevin, and, since Kayleigh's mother had had one for a short time after her accident, any equipment necessary to insert a nasogastric tube.

"Reid," Morgan said as he steered one of the SUVs toward their destination. "Are you really okay with this?"

"Yeah Morgan, why wouldn't I be?" Reid looked out the passenger side window. "We had enough probable cause to convince Judge Cummings."

"Come on Reid," Morgan turned his head momentarily to look at his teammate, wishing Reid's sunglasses didn't obliterate his eyes. "You've been this woman's staunchest defender yet you want us to search her place?"

"Well, if we don't find anything, it'll be good, right," was all he would say.

Rossi, Hotch, JJ and Prentiss were in the lead vehicle that turned onto Ivy Road. "Dave were you surprised when Reid suggested the search warrant?" Hotch asked.

"Yes, but I have a feeling he's up to something."

"What do you mean up to something?" Emily asked from the back seat, unable to hide the note of suspicion in her voice.

"He made a good case for probable cause because of the evidence we have which, really, except for the hair, is circumstantial at best. But I have a feeling it's just a means to an end for him," Rossi replied.

"A means to an end," JJ shook her head, confused.

Rossi sighed. "Look, I know that you all picture Reid as the baby brother who needs protecting in this little family you've created and, to a point, he plays along but he can be devious and manipulative when it suits his purpose. I'm sure nobody has forgotten West Bune and Owen Savage. Somehow, I think we've all just played into his hands. Don't forget, he's a master at games and strategy."

"You don't think he plans to destroy evidence or something, do you?" JJ asked.

"No," Rossi assured her. "I think he just has his reasons. He wants something in that apartment and the search warrant is simply a legal way to get him in."

xxxxxxxx

The team entered the building and were met by the super, Gil Fielding. JJ had called ahead and informed him that they would be executing a search of apartment 311 pursuant to a search warrant issued by Judge Cummings. If Miss Beresford was not there, he was to be there to let them in.

"I've never seen anything like this in all the time I've been a super!" The balding man in his fifties with the beginnings of a beer belly exclaimed.

"We're sorry to have to do this," Hotch said as the seven people squeezed into the elevator and Reid pushed the button for the third floor.

They walked down the hallway and stopped in front of apartment 311 and Hotch knocked. There was no answer so he knocked a second time. "Miss Beresford, federal agents, we have a warrant to search this apartment." The door to 311 remained closed but the team could hear other doors crack open just enough for one curious eye in those apartments to take in the activity down the hall. Hotch nodded at Gil Fielding who plucked one key from a mass of keys on a ring in his hand and opened the door.

"Thank you Mr. Fielding," Hotch said, effectively dismissing the man. "We'll take it from here. We'll let you know when we're done."

Six people entered Kayleigh's living space. "Nice apartment," Emily said.

"Nicer than anything I had in college," JJ agreed.

"Let's split up," Hotch ordered. "JJ, you and Prentiss take the bedroom. If we're wrong, she'll probably feel better knowing it was two women going through those personal things. Rossi and I will check in here…"

"I'll take the computer room," Reid broke in.

Hotch stole the briefest glance at Rossi who nodded almost imperceptibly. "I guess that leaves me with the bathroom," Morgan said as they separated for their individual duties.

xxxxxxxx

Emily opened Kayleigh's closet. "Nice boots," she shuffled through the clothes hanging on the rack. "This woman has good taste in clothes."

"Yeah, the things in her drawers are pretty classy too," JJ agreed, "though nothing that's indicated in the warrant. I always hate this, going through someone's life like their total existence is the sum of their possessions. Uh oh," she said as she opened the drawer in the nightstand.

"What," Prentiss turned from the closet, "did you find something?"

xxxxxxxx

Morgan went through all the bottles in the medicine cabinet. The Tylenol bottle did appear to contain Tylenol and the Midol, well it was stamped right on the pill so he guessed it was the genuine article that apparently relieved cramps, backache and bloating. No wonder women were bitchy. Where would she hide something in the bathroom? He removed the lid of the toilet tank, nothing there. He opened the vanity and eyed a box on the shelf. He really was not thinking of going through a box of tampons looking for evidence was he? Stranger things had happened he thought as he opened the box.

xxxxxxxx

Hotch and Rossi had found nothing in the kitchen and living room. There were knives to be sure but the woman who kept this house didn't seem like the type to use a knife to commit a murder and then bring it back to use in the kitchen. The china cabinet, hall closet and the entertainment center had all left them empty handed.

"Found something in the bedroom," JJ said as she and Prentiss came into the living room.

"W…what…you found something?" Reid said as he raced from the computer room. His eyes looked wide enough to pop from their sockets. Clearly, actually finding something had never entered his mind.

"Oh, it's not evidence of any kind and completely out of the scope of the warrant," Prentiss replied. "Apparently, Kayleigh keeps a journal."

"The question is," JJ asked, "should we read it?"

"N…no, I don't think so. Those are her private thoughts and even if there was something in there, we wouldn't be able to use it in court," Reid stressed.

"So we can't use anything we read here for evidentiary purposes," Rossi interjected. "We can still find out the way she thinks, who she might turn to if she's in trouble, where she might go. I say we read it."

The team looked at Hotch who thought for a moment and then sternly nodded his head, "Read it."

xxxxxxxx

Kayleigh begrudgingly swallowed some orange juice from a straw in a glass held by Joyce. She'd wanted to spit it in the woman's face but she'd been so thirsty that she couldn't allow herself that luxury. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked Joyce. "You can't keep me here forever."

"No, that's true. This is such a dilemma since I'm really not an evil person. I only wanted to kill those whose thoughtless actions had hurt others. I don't want to have to kill someone who's basically innocent but nonetheless you're a threat to my mission. It also wouldn't do for them to find your body yet, when I'm not finished. Then they'd know you weren't the one. No, can't have that." She opened a cupboard in the kitchen and reached to a high shelf coming back with Kayleigh's wallet. "I still have work to do. I have a trail to lay." She grabbed Kayleigh under the arms and pulled her back to the broom closet, duct taping her mouth once again. "Have to go now, have fun," she shut the door and Kayleigh was once again enveloped in darkness.