Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds
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Rossi rushed into the viewing room and handed the letter over to Hotch, he saw the urgency and read it quickly, he looked up and left the room. He went into the interrogation room.
'Penelope... this letter... why didn't you come to me?'
'I didn't put two and two together... I was going to but when I made the verification that I needed to believe it.'
'Okay... but Jacob? Isn't that one of your brothers?' She nodded her head. 'Were you aware he could do such a thing?'
'No... I mean I hadn't seen him for years but I was told he had been to the hospital and he was angry but I never had him down as the one to do this...'
'This would make sense, plus he has no ties to McClusky except through you so he would be the last person we would look for.'
'He wouldn't do it to set me up would he?'
'No... I think he did this out of revenge... I mean it does end, Once a Garcia, forever a Garcia... he felt he was protecting you.' Hotch stood up. 'I'm going to get your brother here and then we are getting you out.'
'Thank you.'
'It's nothing Garcia... I don't believe you did this.' He then left and Penelope placed her head in her hands.
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Hours later, Jacob Garcia was led in, guilty man walking was the look on his face. He was place in an interrogation room not far away from Penelope. For now she had to remain in the room, isolated, while the team did everything they could to find out the truth. Little did she know Derek didn't want to get involved with that as much, he wanted to keep an eye on his goddess.
'Jacob Garcia did you send this letter ot Penelope Garcia?'
'I did.'
'How did you know the case would be reopened?'
'I'm an officer, I keep an eye on things like this... I made this a prominent watch.'
'Why?'
'Because my sister was involved.'
'But she hadn't heard from you for years... how did you find out?'
'It was on the news... 23 year old woman found on road side severely beaten... the likeness given was too uncanny to not be Penny.'
'How long had she been in hospital before you saw her?'
'Over a week.'
'What state was she in?'
'She was still comatose.'
'How often did you visit?'
'Not often... that once was basically enough after that I didn't go.'
'What did you do?'
'I plotted.'
'Plotted what?'
'The death of the man who did it to her.'
'How were you certain it was him?'
'I know people too... it wasn't hard when I asked around... he was a smug bastard... I found him, and where he did it... it took me nearly 3 months but I did whatever I liked to make it slow.'
'Did you know your sister was being done with this murder?'
'What! Why?'
'Because she had motive.'
'I did this though. Not Penny... she spent most part of 6 months in and out of hospital' He looked at Hotch and Rossi. 'I kept up to date secretly... I needed to make sure she was okay... I knew she would never allow me to help directly so I kept an eye out.'
'Oh right.'
'She had no ability to do this... she had hardly any ability to look after herself. I DID this.' He reinforced.
With that Hotch and Rossi left the room, evident to sort some matters out. They found the detective asking more questions to Penelope.
'Can we borrow you detective.' Hotch smiled at Penelope and closed the door. 'We just got your confession for you.'
'Who from?'
'Jacob Garcia... sender of this letter, you have an almost written confession there.'
'I don't care.. . this proves nothing.'
'Plus we just got you a recorded confession.'
'How?'
'We have Jacob Garcia in interrogation room 4.' Hotch and Rossi gave the detective a glare. 'I think you need to be releasing a certain person now.'
'I'm not convinced.'
'Well maybe not, but your evidence of motive just fell through with a huge confession so you either let her go or we get you done for misconduct of a federal agent.'
'You wouldn't.'
'Wouldn't I?'
'Or me.'
'Fine... but if this is genuine, I will give my sincerest apologise.'
'It's a water tight confession, its right and now you cold case just got closed... maybe next time you should look more rather than pointing the finger the first moment you get.' The detective nodded and headed for interrogation 4.
Rossi got Derek out of the viewing room, while Hotch went to Penelope.
'Come on, let's get you home.'
'Are you for real?'
'Your brother just confessed everything... that makes you innocent.' He saw her look at him. 'Come on let's go and get a drink.' She stood and dropped the photo's she was holding. She walked out and got pulled into a hug by Derek, she accepted it willingly and clung on like her life depended on it.
'Come on baby girl...' He said as he kissed her head. 'I'm going to stay with you tonight okay?'
'Okay.' She said quietly, if a little withdrawn.
Derek then took her hand and led her out after Hotch and Rossi; they found the remaining three members in seats looking completely frustrated. 'Come on you three let's go and get a drink.' Hotch trying to get some enthusiasm into them. His face told them that they would have to wait until later to be told the details. As they were walking out to their SUV's, Hotch pulled Penelope away. 'If you don't want to tell them that's your choice, if you do I'll support you all the way.'
'Thank you sir, but I think it's time to tell them, its unfair to not after today.'
'Penelope are you okay?'
'Yeah, I just don't feel great at the moment.' She said quietly again.
'Sure you want a drink or do you want to go home?'
'It's just a head ache, I'll be okay... one drink and if it continues I'll catch a cab home.'
'Not without Morgan you aren't.' She rolled her eyes at him and he laughed slightly. 'Come on we have 5 worried faces staring us out.'
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'To freedom... I think is the cause of our toast.' Rossi said raising his glass in the air, they all followed suit but Penelope felt it was useless, she was not in the mood to celebrate, all she could think about was what happened.
She plastered a smile on her face. 'I say to not be a murderer.' They all agreed, knowing it was bothering more than her happy exterior showed. She looked at them all. 'Thank you.'
'Penelope Garcia! It was nothing, we help one another.' Hotch said happily, he had promised to her her out and he would not have turned his back on that until justice was officially and properly served.
'Family is what it is.'
'Yeah family.' They all said and a proper smile grew on her lips which made them smile with her, whatever Penelope shared with them, didn't matter, they were all guilty of skeletons, but together they have shared and together they would stick by one another.
