The suspect was being arrested just as the jet touched the ground, so the BAU wasn't present during the arrest.

Morgan went in to talk to him, first. The kid.. sory, man.. looked easy to intimidate. Morgan was good at that.

"Spencer Reid," he started, looking menacing and leaning over Reid. "You're in a lot of trouble."

Reid didn't respond.

"You're being charged with the murder of seven women. Did you know that?"

This time Reid did respond. "I'd like to speak with my attorney."

Morgan groaned.

The lawyer – Melanie Grint – arrived within an hour. She and Reid talked quietly for twenty minutes or so, before she knocked on the door of the interview room. "My client and I are ready for you," she said as the door opened. "He asked me to say that he won't talk to the agent who was in here earlier."

Hotch and Rossi exchanged looks. "I'll go in," Hotch said. "If the color's the problem, Italian probably won't help either."

"Mr. Reid," Hotch said. "My name is SSA Hotchner and I'm with the FBI."

Reid considered him for a moment. "It's Dr. Reid. And do you mean, former prosecutor Aaron Hotchner?"

Hotch didn't let his surprise show. "Yes."

"You're good," Reid said, nodding. "Or at least – you're reasonable. I read a few of your trial transcripts. You don't charge people with irrelevant things. May I explain something?"

"Of course," Hotch said as he sat down.

"I'm not a racist. I just don't like the way the agent who was in here earlier behaved. May I alert you to something?"

"If you want," Hotch replied mildly.

"I have not yet been given the Miranda warning. You may wish to rectify that."

THAT was new.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning, if you wish. If you decide to answer any questions now, without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Do you understand?"

"I do understand these rights, Agent Hotchner," Reid said. "I wish to exercise my right to have an attorney present, and I am exercising that right. I have consulted with an attorney before saying anything that might have been incriminating under circumstances where I had been given a Miranda warning. I do not wish to exercise my right to remain silent. I may wish to have an attorney present during questioning in the future. I also understand that anything I say or do may be used against me in a court of law."

Hotch nodded. There was way of misunderstanding that. "You're Dr. Reid?"

"I am," Reid said. He was skittish now. "I received my doctorate last year and hope to receive a second one this year."

Hotch nodded. "Did you kill your mother?"

"No," Reid said. "And just in case you think I'm a delusional Angel of Mercy killer – no, I didn't kill her illness, either." His voice wavered slightly, in sadness.

"Your mother was schizophrenic," Hotch stated.

"She had schizophrenia," Reid corrected. "I assume your next step is going to be introducing all circumstantial evidence. May I introduce my circumstantial counter-evidence first?"

Hotch raised his eyebrows and waited.

"She'll be admitted at Bennington Sanitarium in twenty-six days. She'd be, at least.." Reid's voice trailed off. "I already made the first payment. The place does not come cheap and I'm not rich, so I wouldn't have arranged for her care, nor would I have paid for it, if I wasn't planning on.. making use of it."

"Noted," Hotch said dryly. "May I ask why you wanted to have a lawyer present during the questioning? She hasn't said anything so far."

Reid shrugged. "I wasn't planning on it. Then you send in an agent who was practically trying to feel me up from behind, and I thought it might be a good idea."

Hotch blinked. Sure, it could be seen that way, he supposed, if someone leaned over you in that way, but still.

"I'm perfectly capable of speaking for myself – I know the letter of the law at least as well as Melanie does," he said with a small nod to his lawyer. "But if you slip poison in my coffee, I'd really like to have a witness."

Hotch stopped himself from raising his eyebrows. "I didn't take you to be arrogant."

Reid thought for a moment and turned to his lawyer. "Title 18 of the United States Code, section 2340. It's the start of chapter 113C."

Melanie thought for a moment. "Isn't that about the definitions of torture?"

"1."torture" means an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control; 2. "severe mental pain or suffering" means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting from— A. the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering; B. the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality; C. the threat of imminent death; or D. the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality; and 3. "United States" means the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States."

Reid shrugged a little self-conscious. "My memory is pretty good. And I also wanted someone to make sure Mom doesn't get buried until I'm out of here."

Hotch nodded. "Alright. Do you recognize this woman?"

He slid Reid a photograph.

"She was on the news, murdered on the 18th of April. Her name is Sue Timberlake, there was something about a need for medication said in the press conference. She's from Vegas. I have never personally met her, nor do I know anyone who has. At the 18th of April, I had breakfast and dinner in public places, having lunch in my dorm room. I posted a letter around four o'clock. I was working on my dissertation for my Chemistry PhD. So I don't have an alibi you can confirm."

"We will verify that with campus security."

Reid blinked. "I attend Caltech, Agent Hotchner. Caltech relies on the Honor Code, not on security, to enforce good behavior. As a result, the security is pretty lax. But if you want to.. go ahead." Reid shrugged.