Chapter 25-Suspicions and Plans

JJ chewed her lower lip after Jack's last words. She tried to decipher exactly what the little boy meant by it. To get the truth, she realized she had to choose her words carefully, as Jack was only five, and might have trouble understanding. After all, children weren't always the most reliable at giving information to the police or adults.

"Jack, honey, I want you to look at me."

The little boy raised his head again to stare into JJ's blue eyes. He loved her blue eyes. They were always so full of life. He saw love and concern showing in them. She smiled tenderly at him which made him smile at her.

The blond realized she had Jack's complete attention. "Jack, I need to ask you something, and I want you to tell me the truth. Can you do that, sweetie?"

"Yeah. Daddy always said I shudn't tell a fib."

JJ nodded. "And your daddy was right. So I want you to tell me when your mommy said she was going to hurt your daddy." The little body tensed in her arms. "I promise whatever you tell me will not be told to either your aunt or your mommy."

Jack sniffled and wiped his arm under his nose. He chewed his lower lip for a few minutes. "She was on the phone."

"When did she say that?"

"Before daddy became an angel."

JJ listened carefully and paused to figure out what to say next. "Jack, I understand it's hard for you because it's your mother. But do you remember at all what she said on the phone?"

Jack shrugged his small shoulders. "I don't know. I sorry."

JJ smiled and looked at the child's tear-stained face. "Don't be sorry, Jack. You did just fine." Her heart was breaking for the child.

"I did? Even if I don't member what mommy said?"

"Yes, you did, sweetie." JJ hugged Jack tightly, and the child wrapped his short arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. He buried his face against the crook of her shoulder. "And we're going to find who hurt your daddy soon. I feel it."

"You do?" he raised his face and looked at the woman.

JJ nodded and smiled. "And once we do, we're going to make sure your daddy knows that you helped catch the bad guy who hurt him. You'll be a superhero like your dad."

Jack's face brightened. "That's what Uncle Derek told me."

"He's right. You're working the case just like your daddy. " She remembered Hotch telling the team once how Jack hid in a chest in his home office claiming he was working the case with him.(1)She recalled how that image brought a smile to her boss's face. JJ tickled Jack causing the boy to giggle happily. It comforted her to hear Jack giggle now as only a child can. She remembered Hotch always tickled his son just to hear him giggle. Whenever his son laughed, it made him laugh as well. She figured it was the least she can do for the little boy right now. "Jack, tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to ask your mother and Aunt if it's all right for you to spend the weekend at my house. Henry misses you and would love to spend time with you."

"Henry!" Jack ecstatically cried out as he clapped his hands. It showed how happy he was to hear Henry's name. JJ knew how much Jack loved to spend time with his younger friend. Also, she wanted to get the child out of this house so he can be a kid again. Secretly, she suspected Jack might say more if he didn't fear his mother or aunt overhearing.

JJ laughed. "I'll ask her before I leave today. I promise." That said, she hugged Jack close to her and allowed the little boy to bury his face in her chest as he hugged her. She cupped Jack's face in her hands and gazed into his eyes. "I have to go now, sweetie." She kissed Jack on the top of his head, and he scooted off her lap and sat beside her. The little boy watched the blond woman get to her feet and walk toward the door of his room.

"Aunt JJ?"

As she grabbed the doorknob, JJ paused and turned back toward Jack. "Yes, Jack?"

"You won't forget, will you?"

"Forget what, honey?"

"About askin' mommy and Aunt Jess if I can spend the weekend with Henry?"

JJ chuckled. "No. I promise the minute I get downstairs, I will ask her. I'm sure she'll say yes. I love you, Jack. Bye."

"Love you, too, Aunt JJ. Bye." Jack waved at her as he spoke. He frowned after JJ walked out of the door after waving goodbye herself.

JJ hurried downstairs where she found Emily and Reid comforting Haley. Her eyes told them she needed to speak with them as it was important.

Emily patted Haley on her back as the woman looked at her.

"I'm sorry," Haley replied tearfully. "But this entire thing has thrown me for a loop. To think I had a brief affair with somebody who killed my Aaron. It's just too much to absorb right now."

"It's all right," Prentiss replied. "But if he should contact you again, all we ask is you tell us right away."

"I will," Haley promised. She looked up at JJ. "Is Jack all right?" she asked. "You were with him for awhile."

JJ smiled. "He's fine. Haley, would it be all right if I picked Jack up Friday afternoon and brought him to my house so he can spend the weekend with Henry? My son misses Jack and keeps asking about him. Besides, it might be nice for Jack if he spent time with Henry. And it would be good for Henry as well. I'd bring him back here Sunday evening after dinner."

Haley wiped her fingertips across her cheeks. "Sure. I have no problem with it. And I doubt Jess will. Besides, it'll do Jack good to have fun. Things have been tougher on him. He worshiped his daddy so much, and he won't talk to me unless he has to, or there's nobody else here. I have no idea what to do for him anymore. Perhaps you can help him over the weekend, JJ?"

"I can try," JJ said. "The problem may be Jack suspects you had something to do with his father's death," she told herself.

"I appreciate it. Thank you. I'll mention it to Jess so she won't plan anything with Jack for this weekend. Thank you, JJ."

JJ smiled. "You don't need to thank me. You were married to Hotch and Jack is your son with Hotch. That makes you, Jess, and Jack part of our family."

Emily bit her lower lip. "We really need to get going. We have other things to do before we can arrest Beth Clemmons and perhaps this Chris Hayes for Hotch's death."

Haley called on all her inner strength to keep from reacting to hearing of Chris's possible arrest. She can't allow that to happen. She can't allow them to arrest her lover; she loved him too much to let this happen.

"We'll keep you updated on the investigation," Prentiss replied as she and Reid got up from the sofa. Haley followed the three agents to the front door. She opened it for them.

"I'll text you when I'm on my way Friday to pick Jack up," JJ reminded her.

Haley smiled sadly. "I'll be expecting you." She then let out a deep breath. "I still can't accept Chris is involved. But facts don't lie, I suppose. If he's guilty, I want him and that witch arrested."

"They will be," Prentiss assured her as they walked down the steps and Haley closed the door behind them. She quickly hurried to the phone and snatched the receiver. With a quick glance at the stairs to be sure Jessica or Jack weren't in sight, she dialed Chris's phone number. She began to panic when he didn't pick up after the forth ring, and was about to hang up and redial when there was a click.

"Miss me already, babe," a familiar voice answered cheerily.

"Chris, it's Haley. I have news."

"What's happened?"

"Three members of Aaron's team were just here. They suspect you of being involved in Aaron's murder."

Chris was glad Haley wasn't able to see him roll his eyes. You stupid bitch! "What happened? What did they say?"

"They found out about you and your friends being arrested the day Aaron died. They also know that you work with Beth. Chris, what are we going to do?" Haley started to panic. She glanced at the stairs again nervously. "Tell me what to do."

"You are going to calm down, babe. They can't connect us to anything. All they have are suspicions. They can't prove anything. Besides, I told you I am going to make it look like it was all Beth, didn't I?"

"Yes you did."

"Then you gotta have faith in me, Haley. They will believe Beth not only poisoned Aaron, but murdered him two months later. Try not to worry. Everything's under control." You are a good fuck, sweetheart, but I gotta get rid of you before you give us away. After all, if he found her, he could easily find another bed-mate to replace her. He just had to do it in a way that wouldn't bring attention to him. When the time was right, that is.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps we can get together this weekend?" Haley asked teasingly. "My son's going to be away the entire weekend and I'll be able to con my sister. I'll be free the entire weekend."

"I'll let you know." Chris rolled his eyes again. The woman was insatiable as well as a fool. "Gotta go, love. Got things to do. Bye." As he hung up the phone, he smiled at the redhead smiling at him from under the covers of his bed. "Now where were we?" he chuckled crawling into bed with her.

Haley hung up the phone and smiled. She turned around planning on heading upstairs to check on her sister, and froze.

She was face-to-face with the last person she expected to see. With hands on hips, and his version of the Hotchner stare, was Jack.

Kevin Lynch took as much time as possible to drag out his research of Aaron Hotchner's history as a federal prosecutor. In one way, he was glad Hotchner had such an extensive history as a prosecutor. Lynch found the history quite impressive as he estimated the man had a 99% success rate. And out of all his cases, he had handled twenty-two drug cases; twenty of them he won. Determined to follow Strauss's orders, he focused on the two he didn't. Of those two, one guilty man never made it to trial. He was a small-time drug pusher named Clyde Stemmer. As Lynch continued to read the history, he dismissed the case as Stemmer committed suicide while in prison. He had been arrested for selling cocaine to teens at the local high school and somebody had ratted him out. It was his second offense. "You can't prosecute a dead man," Lynch told himself.

But it still seemed like something Strauss might want, so he couldn't overlook it. She might say that Hotchner took over Stemmer's business of cocaine dealing to high school kids.

The other was more promising. A big time drug dealer named Mercer Duncan had been arrested for the manufacture and distribution of PCP, cocaine, and methadone. He was rumored to have the biggest drug lab in the city. It was during Hotchner's third year as a prosecutor. It had also been the fourth biggest case of his career. But during the trial, there were rumors that Duncan had dropped hints to Hotchner that he would make him a wealthy man if he would throw the case. And from what Lynch figured, Hotchner wasn't interested in any deals or bribes. He wanted to put the bastard away, especially because he sold to kids.

But during the trial things fell apart for the former prosecutor. His star witness recanted his testimony as did two other witnesses. Also, important evidence mysteriously vanished and was never found. Without his witnesses and evidence missing, Hotchner's case became weak, and was dismissed by the judge, for which Hotchner was livid. The man was a drug dealer and deserved to be behind bars. Hotchner started his own investigation as to what happened to destroy his case, but found nothing. Meanwhile, Duncan hinted to anyone who would listen that the prosecutor had thrown the case without ever coming out and admitting it.

An immediate internal investigation of the DA's office had begun based on those rumors, and that included everybody involved in the case. The final results of the investigation showed Duncan had paid someone in the DA's office, the police department, and people to intimidate the witnesses to recant. It was also determined that Aaron Hotchner had done nothing wrong or illegal, and was in the clear as to any wrongdoing on his part. To Lynch, it was obvious that Duncan had wanted to get back at Hotchner. But he suspected Strauss would twist things to suit her needs. Lynch decided as he finished investigating Hotch's background, to check into Duncan's to see what the man had been up to since his escape from going to prison.

What he found didn't make things better. Duncan had been arrested several times for drug distribution, but no witnesses ever testified against him. So he never served any time in prison. It was rumored that a year ago he had taken on a partner in his business; a silent partner. Rumors were that it was somebody with inside connections with law enforcement. But no proof was ever found. Still, rumors continued to persist that it was somebody who carried a lot of weight. Lynch suspected Strauss would interpret that to mean Hotchner was Duncan's partner. He hoped Rossi knew what he was doing when he asked him to turn this evidence over to Strauss.

Lynch quickly emailed everything he had found to Garcia before he printed it all out for Strauss. As he grabbed the printed sheets, he grabbed his cell phone and left his desk. Now if he could only come up with something as to why he had no info on Doctor Spencer Reid.

"I have to lie. I have to lie. I have to lie," Lynch said over and over as he rode the elevator upward. Fortunately he was alone in the elevator. He hadn't been able to come up with what to say to the woman. If she didn't buy his lie, he and Hotchner's entire team might lose their jobs. But he also realized Penelope would never forgive or speak to him again, if he didn't help protect Hotch and Reid from Strauss's evilness. Before long, the elevator reached the floor in question, and Lynch walked out. He slowed his pace and entered the outer office. He guessed the woman's secretary had probably left early as her desk was neat and clean. He swallowed hard, knocked on the inner door, and waited until the order to 'come in' was given. He opened the door and walked inside, still having no idea what he was going to say.

Strauss was busy with case files, and looked up from what she was doing. "Mr. Lynch."

"Ma'am," Lynch nervously replied standing just inside the office in the doorway.

"Close the door and come in," she insisted.

"Yes, ma'am." Kevin closed the door and slowly approached the woman's desk. He felt like a deer entering a lion's den with a pride of ravenous lionesses waiting for their prey to come closer. He was tongue-tied, and when he opened his mouth, no words would come out.

"Well, Mr. Lynch?" Strauss arched an eyebrow. "Do you have what I wanted or don't you?"

"Uh…yes, ma'am. What I mean is I completed my research on Agent Hotchner like you asked and, well, he only handled twenty-two cases involving drugs. And of those twenty-two, he lost only two. Well, not really two. He uh…one never got to trial. The other one he lost."

"Let me see."

Lynch handed her the printouts. "Uh, ma'am…"

"Yes?" Strauss replied while she continued to study the pages.

"I really think you're wrong about Agent Hotchner. I mean…"

"I'm not interested in what you think, Mr. Lynch," Strauss hissed glaring at him this time. "I've known Agent Hotchner longer than you, and just let me say he's not the man everybody thinks he was. So I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself."

"Yes, ma'am."

With a satisfied smirk, Strauss resumed reading the pages. "And what about Doctor Reid?" she asked, again not looking at him.

Lynch swallowed the growing lump in his throat. "Uh…yes…well, y'see, ma'am, I spent so much time researching Agent Hotchner's background that I haven't gotten around to Doctor Reid yet. That is, I haven't begun researching him yet."

"That's all right, Mr. Lynch. I'm mostly interested in Agent Hotchner." A sickening smile suddenly appeared on her face. "So this Mercer Duncan is still alive, I see."

"Yes, ma'am. I thought you might want info on him as well. That's why I haven't started researching Doctor Reid yet."

"You've done well." She faced Lynch. "Now I suggest you begin your research on Doctor Reid. I want everything you find on him by this same time tomorrow. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. Uh, ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"Might I ask what you intend to do with this info on Agent Hotchner?"

Strauss smiled evilly. "No you may not. You're dismissed, Mr. Lynch. I suggest you return to work and keep quiet."

"Yes, ma'am." Kevin hurried from Strauss's office as fast as his wobbly legs could carry him. He couldn't believe the woman had bought his lie. Now he had to find a safe place so he could phone Agent Rossi.

(1) The reference to Jack hiding in a chest in Hotch's home office, and to Jack working the case like Hotch, is from 100, Season 5.