Something Missing
Daisy sat in the police station that afternoon, listening as Emily and the rest of the team filled in the various police officers and state investigators on what they had put together for their profile. None of it was new to her. She had already figured as much.
"He's specifically targeting these women…"
"Ritualistic in nature…"
"He's meticulous. He watches them and learns their daily routines and picks them up at a time that they are most vulnerable…"
"He leaves behind little to no physical evidence of himself…"
"He keeps them for up to 24 hours before killing them. There is evidence he tortures them, though we're not sure for what purpose…"
"He does show some mercy. Autopsy reports show that all of them were dead before he put them on the posts and burns them…"
"We have yet to determine exactly why he's choses these women, other than they are all from the same high school class. But we believe that he has some connection to the town…"
"We need to be focusing on what connects these women together. That will tell us who he intends to target next…"
She zoned out about half way through, her thoughts circling around the four women. Toni. Vanessa. Becky. Marley. Killed in that order. Something that kept sticking in her mind. The signs of torture seemed to lesson with Becky and Marley, which was unusual. Usually these guys got worse the more they continued. They became more unhinged. Their perp was exerting an extreme amount of control with each one. But inflicting the most amount of damage on Vanessa and Toni.
More and more, Daisy was coming to the conclusion that this guy was from town. He knew the everyone's reputation. Knew the town history. She glanced around the room, wondering if it was someone sitting there.
Her eyes then fell on the agents, studying them carefully. She met Spencer's eyes, shifting in her chair slightly as she quickly looked away. He had been studying her as well.
She couldn't help that out of all them, she found herself drawn to him the most. Perhaps it was his quirkiness. It reminded her of a co-worker at the Times. But at the same time, he left her unsettled. Almost as though he could read her mind. And she didn't like having anyone else in her head. It was already crowded enough with her own troubles.
"You're thinking about something. Do you think we missed something in our profile?" Spencer asked, causing her to jump slightly. She looked around the room, noticing that they had finished and were now talking with some of the officers.
"I… no. Well, I don't know," she said. "I just keep getting caught on why these women."
"Same," Spencer said, sitting next to her. Daisy frowned in concentration.
"I just keep thinking there's something I'm missing," Daisy said, falling back into the chair as she stared at the table. Something from lunch got me thinking…"
"Something like what?" Luke asked. Daisy shrugged.
"I don't know… I mean, you'd think a small town, it would be easy to figure this out," she said. "And the more I talk to people, the more I keep thinking that there's something that no one is talking about…"
"What do you think it could be?" Reid asked. Daisy kept staring at the table before shaking her head.
"I wish Grams were still here. She knew just about everything about everyone. She would know," she said with a sigh. She looked around the room, sitting up as Walker came up to her. "Sheriff… do you remember hearing about something, some sort of scandal, from the 90s?"
The man stopped and frowned a bit.
"Nothing that I can think of. That was before my time, but no one mentioned anything when I took over as sheriff," he said. Daisy nodded slowly, back to staring at the table.
"There's got to be something linking together the Reeds, Carmicheals, Abbotts and Rogers," she said. "I feel like this has got something to do with their families…"
"Did you get anything from their families?" Reid asked. She shook her head.
"They're just about in the dark as we are, well, no…," she sat up, frowning. "When I was talking to Becky's family… they mentioned something." She reached into her bag and grabbed her notebook, flipping through it quickly.
"I don't remember anything from your transcript," Reid said.
"Yea, you wouldn't," she said. "It wasn't part of the official interview, so I didn't put it in. I thought it odd but pushed it aside at the time." She came to a stop and looked up. "I remember when I went to the bathroom, I was coming back and overheard Mrs. Rogers ask her husband if he thought this was about – then she stopped. He cut her off, saying it wasn't related. I tried to circle back around to it, but they played dumb."
She then looked back at Walker, her eyes widening. "Ol' Mrs. Martens. She's still alive, isn't she?"
"Course, she is. That woman'll probably live forever just to spite her family," Walker said.
"She would know," Daisy said.
"Who's Mrs. Martens?" Reid asked, mentally going over everyone around town that she had filled them in on. Daisy looked over at him. "Is that the same Martens that you mentioned before?"
"Yep, she is. One of the town's matriarchs along with my grams. Between the two of them, they knew just about everything about everyone. She might know something," she said. "I can go talk to her."
"What makes you think this is even a lead?" Emily asked. Daisy looked over at her.
"It's… I know it's just a hunch, but I really think it's something," she said. "And if there is anything we're missing, Mrs. Martens would know."
"I can go with her," Reid said, standing. "At worst, we waste an hour. At best, maybe we find something." Emily thought it over a bit and then nodded.
"Go. But no more than an hour. We need you back," she said. "Both of you." Daisy reached down and grabbed her bag.
"Come on, Spencer," she said, not looking back. He quickly moved to follow her. She pulled on her jacket as they walked out and passed her car.
"Where exactly are we going?" he asked. "Shouldn't we take a car?"
"Don't need it. Going to the big Victorian on Main Street. Mrs. Martens has been there since the dawn of time," Daisy said. Reid struggled to keep up with her, finding the short woman moved surprisingly fast for her small stature.
"Your accent's coming back," Reid said. Daisy stopped and looked up at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Just an observation," he said. Daisy shook her head and kept walking. "Are you sure she'll be there?"
"If she's not dead she will be," Daisy replied.
They walked quickly and soon enough were standing outside a wrought iron fence surrounding a big house.
"Looks like someone's taking care of the old girl," Daisy said, pushing the gate open and walking down.
"She have family here?" Reid asked.
"Yep. Two sons, both married. Some of her grandkids stuck around as well," she said as she made her way up the stairs to the porch. She rang the doorbell and then waited. After a few moments, there were footsteps and a figure could be seen through the glass.
A woman opened the door, her eyes wide as she saw Daisy and Reid standing there.
"Well, I'll be. I heard you were in town, Daisy. Was wonderin' when I'd run into you. Haven't seen you at church," the woman said, her voice warm, though her eyes were judging. Daisy smiled.
"You know my family was never the church-going type, Mrs. Martens," she said. "How's Steve and Lizzie?"
"Oh, you know them. Doing good. And who's your friend?" the woman said, taking in Reid.
"This is Dr. Spencer Reid," Daisy said. The woman's eyebrows rose as she looked back at Daisy.
"I knew you'd find yourself a doctor or lawyer or somethin' running off to the big city," she said, smiling, though there was a level of fakeness to it. "Suspect you heard that Lizzie's husband is runnin' for state office? 'Bout to have us a politician in the family." Reid cleared his throat as Daisy shifted on her feet, her cheeks tinted in pink.
"Um, Dr. Reid is here with the FBI team that's investigating the, um, unfortunate events that have been happening lately," she said, her voice dropping in volume. The woman looked back at Spencer, now looking at him in a different light.
"I see," she said. "I'm not sure what help I can give ya. I've already spoken with the sheriff. Nearly everyone in town has. That dear Marley was part of our church congregation with her husband. That poor little girl of theirs..."
"Actually, we're here to talk to your mother-in-law," Daisy said. "It's just… it's been such a long time that I thought I would stop by and say hello. Grams'll likely skin me alive if I didn't. And well, Dr. Reid thought he'd come with me. Needed some time away from the police station, if you can understand." Mrs. Martens raised a manicured eyebrow at Daisy, almost as though she didn't believe her. But politeness and manners won out.
"Well, I suppose there's no harm in that. Though I have to warn you… Mama's getting on in years and her mind's not quite what it used to be," she said, stepping back and letting them in. "We've been trying to get her to move in with us for years, but she insists on staying here. We've got a nurse that comes by when we can't and Stevie keeps the yard lookin' good."
"How kind of him," Daisy said as they walked into the foyer and Mrs. Martens shut the door behind them, then started leading them down the hall.
"It really is a lovely home, Mrs. Martens," Reid said, looking around the house.
"Been in the family for generations," she replied, her heels clicking against the wood floors. "The Martens were one of the first families to settle in the town back in the 1880s. Been here as long as Daisy's family." Reid looked down at her, though she kept a neutral face.
"Seems there's a lot of history here," Reid commented. "I find it fascinating." Mrs. Martens chuckled.
"And just where are you from, Dr. Reid?" she asked, glancing back at him.
"Las Vegas originally. But I'm based in D.C. at the moment," he replied.
"You certainly are a long way from home," she said. "Just like our Daisy here. Run off to become a famous reporter and all. We're all still wonderin' if she's ever gonna settle down. Goodness knows I don't know how your mama handled it, God rest her soul."
"Mom handled it just fine," Daisy said, bristling slightly. "She was the one who suggested New York." If Mrs. Martens was uncomfortable, she hid it well behind her gentile laughter.
"Your mama always was an interestin' woman," she said. "Should be no surprise she landed the most eligible bachelor in town." She glanced back at Reid. "Daisy's daddy graduated the same year as I did. We were a couple years ahead of Angie – Daisy's mama - in school." Reid looked over at Daisy again, finding her struggling to keep a calm face.
Then they stepped out into a large sunroom. In a corner surrounded by large windows sat a little old woman with white hair covered in quilts.
"Mama! You've got some visitors!" Mrs. Martens said loudly and slowly as she led them over. "It's Daisy White and a friend of hers from out of town."
"Blast it all, woman, I'm not deaf!" the woman said, glaring at her daughter-in-law. "And I'm not your mama either. How many times do I need to tell you to call me Gladys?" Mrs. Martens kept her smile in place. The elderly woman then looked at Daisy and grinned. "Sake's alive, you look more like your mama every time I see you. Get over here and let me give you a hug." She held her arms out as Daisy walked over and leaned down, hugging her. "Now, you two youngin's have a seat. Shelly, why don't you see about getting us some tea."
Daisy quickly sat in the chair closest to Mrs. Martens as Reid sat in the chair next to her.
"Hope you don't mind sweet tea, Mr. Reid," Shelly said.
"It's Dr. Reid," Daisy said, looking over at her coolly.
"Sweet tea is fine," he said, smiling at her. With one more cold glance Daisy's way, she turned on her heels and strode out of the room.
"Well, that should keep her out of our hair a few minutes," Gladys said as she reached out and took Daisy's hand. "Dare say she still hasn't forgiven your mama for marrying Jacob White. Still thinks she stole him from under her nose and doesn't realize there was no way in hell that man was going to marry her."
Daisy chuckled, seeming to relax as soon as Shelly had left the room. Gladys reached out and patted her cheek.
"Still givin' folks hell, I take it," she said. Daisy nodded.
"Doing my best, Mrs. Martens," she said. Gladys looked passed her to Reid.
"And just who is your friend?" she asked.
"This is Dr. Spencer Reid. He's with the FBI," Daisy said. Gladys nodded her head as the smile faded slightly.
"It's bad news, what's goin' on. All those girls getting killed like that. Just about torn this town up," she said. "Just this Sunday, I thought Meryl Campbell was going to run after Mabel Richards with a cake knife, saying her good for nothing son was behind it all."
"Who would that be?" Spencer asked, leaning towards her. Gladys waved her hand in the air.
"Oh, it's nothing. Danny hasn't been around these parts in a good five years. She forgot he moved off to Florida with that mistress of his shortly before his divorce was final," she said. "Just folks talkin' and draggin' up any dirt they can. Even if it's ancient history. Dare say the last time this town was this worked up about somethin', it was the day your daddy and mama announced their engagement."
Daisy blushed slightly and didn't meet Reid's eyes, but she could feel him studying her.
"Surely it wasn't that big," she said quickly. Gladys laughed loudly.
"Certainly put a bee in the bonnet of nearly every single woman near his age," she said. "Mercy, your grams and I had so much fun watching all their heads explode. Then they went and lived in Boston for a few years before movin' back home."
"Grams certainly liked to stir up trouble," Daisy commented.
"Oh, it was our favorite pastime," Gladys said. "I certainly miss havin' her around. Your mama and daddy too. They were all good folks."
"I miss them too," Daisy said softly. Gladys smiled and patted her cheek again.
"You're so much like 'em. All of them," she said. "Wasn't right how you lost them all."
"Well… think I did okay on my own," Daisy said.
"That you did. They were all so proud of you. I am too. Even got Stevie and some of the great-grandkids to teach me out to use that blasted computer of mine so I could follow your stories and such. Off writing things at the New York Times," she said, beaming. "Just wish you could come visit more often, but I know you keep busy."
Daisy nodded.
"Actually, we came to talk to you about something," she said.
"What is it?" Gladys asked. "I might be old, but my brain's still sharp as a tack."
"Do you remember something happening in town back in the early 90s? I would have been around kindergarten maybe," Daisy said.
"What sort of thing?" Gladys asked, seeming to be thinking back.
"I'm not sure, but it wouldn't have been anything good," Daisy said. "Something involving the girls that were murdered?" Gladys went quiet a bit, tapping her bottom lip with her finger.
"You know… I do recall somethin'... I was still working at the high school back then," she said. "Yes… there was somethin'. Got the whole town in a hoopla, it seems. Then suddenly it was over."
"What was it?" Daisy asked, leaning forward.
"Gladys, do not tell me that you're telling tall tales again," Shelly said, returning to the room with a tray full of glasses.
"I do not tell tales," Gladys said, frowning at her. Shelly laughed as she stepped over and placed the tray down on a table and started handing out glasses.
"Course you do. Just the other day you were telling Stevie about someone stealing your roses," Shelly said.
"I know my own roses, Shelly. And a bush was missing!" Gladys said. Daisy straightened up, gripping her glass as she frowned at Shelly for derailing the conversation.
"Still, it might be useful for our investigation," Reid said.
"I don't see how Gladys could help you there," Shelly said, sitting in a chair on the other side of Gladys.
"You were saying there was something," Reid said, looking at the older woman.
"Well, yes. There was some rumors goin' around town back then," she started.
"But they were just rumors," Shelly interjected. "The sheriff looked into at the time and found there was nothing there worth investigatin'. Really it's not worth bringing up or wastin' your time on."
"But did it involve Marley, Vanessa, Becky and Toni," Daisy pushed.
"I think-"
"Mama, please. Let's not waste their time," Shelly said, hushing her. "In fact, I think it's about time you took your afternoon nap."
"I am not a child, Shelly. And what did I say about calling me mama," Gladys said.
"It is time for your medication. Now come on," Shelly said, pushing out of her chair and reaching down to help the old woman up. "Let's get to it."
"Some days I swear you're runnin' me into the grave," Gladys complained. Daisy sat silently as she watched the two women leave the room.
"She knows something," Daisy said. "Both of them."
"I'm getting the same feeling," Reid said. Daisy stood abruptly, leaving her glass on the table and started walking towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" Reid asked.
"Out of here," she muttered. Reid followed her, looking around the house. Once outside, Daisy kept walking.
"Daisy," Reid said, grabbing her arm and turning her around. "If they are hiding something that big, why wouldn't we have found it by now?" She looked up at him.
"You'd be surprised just what a town like this can hide," she said, turning on her heels. "And whatever it is, I'm going to figure it out."
Sorry it's been a bit! Got caught in work and forgot to post!
Thanks for reading and following!