"Okay, Garcia, what do you have for us?" It was mid-morning and the BAU team was filing into the conference room in response to a summons from Garcia.
"My weirdness alarm went off this morning," Garcia replied. "You know," she continued when she noticed their blank looks. "The program I have set up to monitor the Atlantic Seaboard area looking for anything out of the ordinary."
"And what exactly showed up?" Rossi questioned patiently.
"It was in a small fishing town in Maine," Garcia had a map up on the flat screen and was pointing. "Wilson's Creek by name. It appears that earlier this week someone showed up there and bought out their local general store."
"Bought out the local general store?" Morgan questioned. "And this is important - ?"
"What exactly did they buy?" JJ interrupted.
"Everything," Garcia declared. "Lots of fabrics and sewing notions, baby and children's clothes, toys, and underwear in all sizes," she itemized. "And, it is important because two weeks ago, at a thrift store just outside The Hamptons, the exact same thing happened. Only that time they bought men's work clothes as well at women's jeans and all kinds and sizes of t-shirts."
"How did they pay?" Lewis asked.
"Judging by the bank deposit slips, cash," Garcia told them regretfully. "And, yes, I also checked for security cameras. However, seeing as how both purchases occurred in very small towns, there aren't any."
"So we don't know what they looked like or where they came from," Morgan said slowly.
"They must have blended in with the locals," JJ pointed out. "Or someone would have called the sheriff."
"Hum –m – m -," Reid was humming.
"Okay – What is it, Genius?" Rossi demanded. "I can tell when you are thinking – I just can't tell what."
"If someone had a group of people, including children, being held in one place, they would need to clothe them as well as feed and entertain them," Reid was thinking hard.
"And staging a quick raid of this type of a store in a small town would probably provide them with what they need without raising suspicion," Lewis pointed out.
"No one would question ready cash," Morgan contributed. "However, the cash itself might tell us something. Any idea if we could get some of it to examine?"
"I have no idea," Garcia had her laptop already set up. "Let me contact the bank managers in question and see what they have to say."
"We should also interview the store employees," Rossi suggested.
"And, assuming they came by boat, the people at the local marinas," JJ added.
"Okay, how do we go about this?" Reid had gotten up and was standing in front of the evidence boards. "This is quite a distance from Quantico and I don't think we'll get approval from the higher-ups for this trip." He put two new pins into the map. "Also it expands our search area to the north. We may have to include the area around Bermuda."
"This is a missing Federal Agent we are talking about," Garcia complained.
"But we don't have any definite evidence that ties this to Hotch's disappearance," Morgan pointed out. "And without that – "
"Good, everybody is already in here," Cruz said as he walked through the door and into the conference room. "We have a new case. Ms. Garcia, if you could call this file up and put it on the flat screen." He handed Garcia a piece of paper.
"Excuse me," Rossi s stood up. "I won't be able to join you this time."
"May I ask why not?" Cruz asked.
"Family business," Rossi replied. "Up in the Northeast. I need to get there ASAP."
"I see," Cruz looked around at the rest of the team. "And, might this have anything to do with Agent Hotchner's disappearance?"
"Family," Rossi repeated firmly. "And I have a lot of vacation time coming."
"I'm sure you do," Cruz replied evenly. "And, if your family needs you – "
"They do," Rossi was moving towards the door as he spoke. "I just need to grab my 'Go' bag and I'm on my way."
"Tickets are being sent to your phone," Garcia whispered as he walked past her. "And keep us updated."
"Now, is there anyone else who can't make it on this case?" Cruz looked around the room. "Good - Ms. Garcia?"