Chapter Fifty-Five-Revelations & Reality
"An idea, to be suggestive, must come to the individual with the force of revelation."~ William James
It was a short time later and Hotch was pulling into the Harrison's driveway. He parked the SUV and the three men climbed out of the vehicle, looking dapper as always in bullet proof vests. Hotch walked up the door and the two other men followed close behind. Hotch knocked and it wasn't long until Bob answered, wearing a navy blue terry cloth bathrobe over blue and white striped pajamas. He stared at the FBI agents with a look of obvious shock on his face.
"Agents! What are you doing here?" Bob asked, moving aside so the three men could enter his home.
"Mr. Harrison, is your wife home?" Hotch asked, his intense gaze burning a hole into Bob's face.
"Yes, no, I don't know," Bob said, looking flustered as Spencer and Rossi withdrew their guns and began a search of the house.
"Is that really necessary?" Bob asked. "I have a young child for goodness sake!"
"Yes Mr. Harrison, I am aware of that, but the well being of three other children is at stake," Hotch replied.
"I...I don't understand," Bob replied, with a look of such ignorance and confusion that feelings of sympathy and annoyance flowed through Hotch's veins.
"The house is clear," Spencer replied, emerging from the basement, his search of the house complete.
"Mrs. Harrison is no where to be found," Rossi added as he walked down the stairs and stood to Hotch's right.
"Mr. Harrison, I am only going to ask one more time, where is your wife?" Hotch demanded.
"I don't know where she is exactly," Bob said. "all I know is for the last few nights she has been going for walks in the evenings after I get home from work. She said she needed time alone to decompress."
"Do you know where she goes on these walks?" Rossi asked.
"No. She either goes when I'm at work or later in the evening. It's not something we really discuss and quite frankly, I don't see why my wife's habits are of interest to you."
"Your wife's 'habit' is of interest because that habit entails murdering innocent families out of jealousy and anger over losing her own," Spencer replied. He knew his words came out a tad harsh, but quite frankly he didn't care. The sight of those dead, tortured babies and Bob's stupidity were really pissing him off.
"You think...you think my wife is the killer? My Maggie wouldn't hurt a fly...what's wrong with you people?" Bob demanded.
"Your wife is annilating families because her own family was distrupted by your move last year. Be honest Mr. Harrison, how did Maggie really feel about leaving her friends, family, and job behind for you to come back to help run the family business?" Spencer asked.
Bob was silent for a few minutes before he began speaking. "Okay I admit, Mags wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of moving, but I had lost my job and offers weren't exactly pouring in. No one wants to hire a middle-aged college drop out anymore, so when Mom asked me to come home to help run the family business, I thought it was a great idea. Maggie is wondeful at sales, and I knew she would find another job in no time."
"A job she lost not to long after moving here," Spencer said. "your wife left a job she had and loved for fifteen years only to lose her next one in a matter of months. On top of that she unexpectedly became pregnant and was forced to leave her two other children behind because they didn't want to move."
"How did your wife feel about leaving Sam and Kaydence behind?" Rossi asked.
"She was understandably devastated, but the kids are seniors in high school and want to graduate with their friends and significant others. Mags understood that and that doesn't make her a killer."
"Mr. Harrison, when was the last time your wife was at the campsite, that you know of?" Spencer asked.
"A few months ago. Maggie isn't exactly a nature girl, so she felt little afinity for the place," Bob said.
"Well if that's true, how did Maggie know about the cobblestone walk way along the river bank, which is where the bodies of the last two victims where found?" Spencer demanded. "Maggie said, and I quote 'I'm simply too busy to make frequent trips and besides, I'm not really a nature girl. I can't really see myself skipping along the cobblestone walkway along the river's edge'. Mr. Harrison, Agent Hotchner spoke to your mother and she stated that the walkway was put in last week. How would your wife know about it if she hasn't been to the campsite in months?" Spencer asked, almost daring the man to lie.
"I...I don't know," Bob said, looking wide eyed at the men, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation when there wasn't one to be had.
"Many of the victims had names beginning with 'G' or 'M' and those letters are in yours and Maggie's name. The mother in the first family was named Maggie and the father had your middle name for Heaven's sake!" Spencer continued. 'your wife is killing these families because she feels hers was taken away and she's doing it at the campground because she holds your family business-especially your mother-responsible for the loss. Your mother made you get rid of the family dogs didn't she?" Spencer asked.
"Mother didn't want Holton and Aaden tearing up her house and felt that having two large dogs here was inappropriate," Bob said.
"Holton and Aaden were a German Shephard and Rotweiler weren't they?" Rossi asked.
Bob nodded and Spencer continued. "Maggie removed the genitals from the men and badly mutilated them because she feels angered and abandoned by your actions and feels you aren't man enough to be there for her. She did the same thing to the older boys in the last two families because they were trying to defend their families and is angry you didn't do the same for her. You have taken your mother's side over your wife's from the moment you were married. Your wife didn't want to move, but your mother needed you, so you came running, always needing to put mommy first," Spencer said, his tone thick with sarcasm and disgust.
"My father had just past away and mother needed me," Bob said, feeling defensive.
Spencer was just about to respond when everyone heard a squeeking sound coming from the stairs. Everyone turned around to see little Abby Harrison, standing on the staircase and rubbing her eyes. She was wearing a pale pink night gown and holding a teddy bear in her hand.
"Abby, go back to bed," Bob said.
"Where's Mommy?" Abby asked, walking down the stairs and approaching the group of men. Suddenly, Abby's eyes widened with excitement. "is she still playing the game? Ohh, I can't wait to get my present!"
"Abby, what is this game your talking about?" Spencer asked, lowering himself so he was at her level.
"You're the FBI agent that Mommy says knows everything!" Abby said, looking glad to see him.
The men smiled slightly and Spencer continued. "What I would really like to know about is this game. You tried to tell me about it when I came to visit you and Mommy, but Mommy wouldn't let you finish. Did she tell you to keep it a secret?"
"Yes, but you're sort of like a cop and Mommy says not to lie or keep secrets from cops. I'll tell you about the game if I can see your badge again," Abby said.
Spencer reached into his back pocket and handed the child his wallet. As she studied the badge, she continued speaking. "To play the game, mommy tells me she is going to a secret, secret place to get me a present, but I have to stay in my room until she gets back and I'm not allowed to leave my room or look out the window. Then when she gets back I get my present."
"How many times have you played the game?" Spencer asked.
Abby thought for a minute as she counted out loud. "One...two...three. Three times!" Abby said, holding up three fingers.
"And when did you play the games?" Spencer asked.
"The first time was last night. I got up to go potty when I saw Mommy leaving the house. She said she was going for a walk and if I went to sleep and didn't tell daddy she left I would get a present. The second time was when I was when I was watching Sponge Bob on TV."
"The ME put time of death between four and six o'clock, so that means your wife left home around two o'clock so she could make her way to the lake undetected and lie in wait for the Maxwell family," Spencer said.
"I saw Mommy walking away from the house. I wasn't supposed to look out the window, but I did anyway," Abby said, her eyes glimmering with mischief, blissfully unaware of the fact that her beloved Mommy was a serial killer.
"Do you remember which way your mommy was walking?" Spencer asked.
"Hmmm...that way!" Abby said, pointing west, which was the same direction in which the campsite was located.
"What kind of gifts did Mommy bring you?" Bob asked, his face turning grey.
"She gave me a pretty pink jump rope and a big ol' teddy bear!" Abby exclaimed, holding her arms out as wide as she could get them.
"Abby, would you like to show us your presents?" Spencer asked.
Abby nodded and led the men upstairs to her bedroom, which was every little girl's paradise with its bubblegum pink walls with pony wallpaper border and unicorn bedding and curtains. Abby handed Spencer's wallet back to him and opened her toy chest, lifting out the pink jump rope he saw earlier that day.
"That's...that's one of the jump ropes from the gift shop! We just got that shipment two days ago!" Bob exclaimed, feeling sick to his stomach.
"And there is my teddy bear!" Abby said, pointing to a teddy bear identical to the one shown in the Smith family crime scene pictures. Spencer walked over to the bear and picked it, the distinct scent of Downy fabric softening traveling up to his nostrils. Although fibers found on Mrs. Smith and the children were consistent with those of the teddy bears given to the children by the Harrison family, there was no evidence or blood or bodily fluids or skin tissue on the bear found in the tent and Spencer now knew why.
"Abby, did your Mommy wash this teddy bear before letting you play with it?" Spencer asked.
Abby nodded. "She said it got a little dirty in the special place and she had to wash it first."
It was at that moment that Hotch's cellphone rang. He promptly answered and it was quickly made apparent that he was talking to Morgan. After speaking for a few minutes, Hotch hung up and looked at the other men.
"Mrs Harrison was apprehended and she is on her way to the police station. Morgan and Prentiss caught her just as she was sneaking into Mr. and Mrs. Churchill's tent. She was carrying a large butcher knife in her hands with the campground insignia on the handle," he added, looking pointedly at Mr. Harrison.
Bob sunk onto Abby's bed and gathered the little girl close, hugging her as close to his body as possible. As the reality of the situation finally outweighed Bob's desperate denial, Hotch looked over at Spencer.
"Morgan said Mrs. Harrison would like to speak to you," he said. "she indicated she would feel more comfortable confessing to you."
Spencer nodded and walked out of the bedroom, curious about what Mrs. Harrison had to say. As he left the room, he looked over his shoulder at Mr. Harrison, the image of the broken, defeated man clutching his oblivious little girl making his stomach tighten. He shook his head and walked down the stairs, knowing the dispair in Mr. Harrison's eyes would haunt him for a very long time.
