The Protector
A Criminal Minds Fan Fiction
Disclaimer: I own no names or places of Criminal Minds. Only the story is mine.
Chapter Three
Birmingham, Alabama
As the BAU team disembarked from the plane, a dapper young man met them on the tarmac.
"Agent Hotchner? Captain Stephen Hendrick."
"Nice to meet you, Captain. This is SSAs David Rossi, Jennifer Jareau, Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Dr. Spencer Reid, Jessi Clark, and Melinda Underwood."
"I'm relieved ya'll are here," he said in a Southern drawl. "I would have met ya'll at the station, but..."
"There's been another murder," interejected Hotch.
"Yes, sir. This time, the suspect took the time to dump the bodies in the fountain that sits in front of the deaf school."
"Have you got an ID on the victims?"
"Yes, sir. Alan Townsley, 30 and Sara New age 24."
"Any connections to the school?"
"We're not sure. We're having our people check into it."
"We'll have our technical Analysist check into it. Mean while, David, you and Prentiss go to the school and talk to the head admistrator. JJ, you, Clark, and Underwood go to Alan Townsley's home. See if he had any enemies. Captain Hendrick, is it possible to talk to Alan and Sara's family?"
"Shouldn't be a problem, Sir."
Hotch nodded his head. "Reid, Morgan, and I will interview the family at the station. Captain, we'll want to cordinate with your people as well as any county and state officials involved."
"No disrespect, Agent Hotchner, but may I ask why?"
Reid responded, "There's a high probably that county juristictions have been crossed. Not all of the students are from the greater Birmingham area."
"Oh. I'll everything set up."
"Thank you. All right. Let's get this UNSUB off the street before he kills again."
THE DEAF SCHOOL
Both Dave and Emily wouldn't admit it, but they both felt as out of of place as a woodpecker on a metal telephone pole.
"I can't imagine living in a world that's silent," Emily said.
"Never learned sign language?"
"You'd think I would with all my mom's postings."
Dave shook his head. It was no secret that Emily's mother was an American ambassador.
"Let me guess, " Dave replied, "The oppertunity never presented itself?"
"No. What's your excuse?"
"Hey, I'm Italian. Do I need one?"
Emily chuckled and led the way to the school's main office.
The office was spacious. A woman no taller than five even, walked up to them
"Can I help you?"
Emily and Dave flashed their badges. Emily said, "I'm special agent Emily Prentiss. This is special agent David Rossi. We're with the FBI."
A look of relief crossed the woman's face. "Oh. You're here about the murdered couple found in the fountain. My name is Reba Walker. I'm the head adminstrator here at the school. What can I do for ya'll?"
Dave replied, "The couple found in the fountain, Did they attend school here?"
"Sara didn't. But Alan did. It was a very sad situation. Sara's family didn't want her seeing because Alan was different."
"Let me guess," Emily interjected, "Alan's family didn't want him seeing Sara because she could hear."
"Exactly. It was almost a Romeo and Juliet sitiuation."
"Well, if Sara and Alan's parents objected to them seeing each other, How did they meet?"
"Sara was here serving community service. She'd hit a house while driving drunk. Alan was a student here, as was his parents before him."
Dave asked, "Can we get their files?"
"Of course." Reba walked to her filing cabinet.
"You don't keep them on computer," asked Emily.
"No. I haven't exactly embraced the technilogical revolution. And please, don't read into that."
One more question," asked Dave, "What does this mean?" He motioned to his throat with a jabbing gesture.
"That, Agent Rossi, in American Sign Language, means murder. The kids here maybe deaf, but they're not dumb."
"Thank you, Mrs. Walker."
ALAN TOWNSLEY'S HOME
The studio apartment was cozy. It was set up much like Jessi's apartment was, To accomidate a deaf person. Jessi noticed that Alan's home was sparcely furnished. She smiled. The life of a bachelor. As she looked thru Alan's desk, something caught her eye. A letter from Sara's mother. The things this woman had to tell Alan made Jessi's blood boil. No wonder Alan and Sara had to sneak around.
A tap on her shoulder startled her. It was Melinda. "What do you have there?"
"Fan mail from Sara's mother. Apparently she thinks very lowely of Alan's condition."
"Condition?"
"His being deaf."
"Hey, JJ," Melinda said, audibly, "We have something here."
JJ came into the room. "What is it?"
Melinda handed her the letter. Then she began to translate for Jessi. "A hate letter from Mrs. New. Apparently Sara's mother thought her daughter would become deaf just being around Alan."
JJ sighed. "Why do people have such sterotypes for the deaf community?"
Jessi shrugged her shoulders. "It's the same with the deaf community. They have sterotypes for the hearing. But there are some of us who are trying to break thru those sterotypes."
"Like you, for example."
Jessi smiled. "I wouldn't call myself a pioneer. Just trying to make a difference."
JJ returned her smile and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a number.
"Wisest woman on the face of the planet, how may I help you?"
"Garcia, I need you to run a check on a Lori New. Nothing is insignificant."
"Do we like her for an UNSUB?"
"I'm not sure. Send any thing you get to Hotch."
"You got it."
As soon as JJ hung up with Garcia, she dialed another number.
"Hotch."
"Hotch, Underwood, Clark, and I are at Alan Townsley's apartment. We found a very nasty letter addressed to Alan from Sara's mother. she wasn't too keen on her daughter seeing a deaf person."
"We have her in the interview room. Have Clark and Underwood interview her."
"You think that's wise?"
"She's refusing to talk to any of us. Agent Clark may get her to talking. Have her, also, to bring the letter."
"You got it."
JJ hung up the phone and looked at Jessi. "Hotch has Sara's mother in interview. She's not talking. Hotch seems to think you can get her talk."
Jessi replied by nodding her head.
Melinda turned to Jessi. "I don't like the idea of you putting yourself in harm's way."
"Melinda, what's going to happen? I'm interviewing a suspect."
"What if something happens?"
"Look, you, Melissa, and my parents have got to stop babying me. I can do this."
"Fine."
JJ had seen the whole exchange of words. She didn't understand what they were saying, but the looks on their faces suggested they weren't happy words.
BIRMINGHAM POLICE STATION #541
Mr. and Mrs. Townsley were in the interview room when Derek and Spencer walked in.
Mrs. Townsly looked up at the two agents. She spoke and signed at the same time. "What is going on here?"
Derek responded, "Mr. and Mrs. Townsley, My name is SSA Derek Morgan and this is SSA Dr. Spencer Reid. We're profilers for the behavior Analysis Unit of the FBI."
"FBI," Mr. Townsley signed. "Are we in some sort of trouble?"
"No sir," Spencer replied. "We'd like to talk to you about your son."
Tears began to fill Mrs. Townsley's eyes. "Agent Morgan, we just claimed our son's body fifteen minutes ago. I can't do this. Can we go?"
Meanwhile, David and Emily and walked into the room where Hotch was observing Spencer and Derek interviewing Alan's parents.
"Anything?"
"Just that Alan's father was a student at the deaf school, and that Alan was born deaf. Alan met Sara on campus while she was doing community service on the campus."
"Hey," Emily said, "When did Morgan learn sign language?"
The other two looked into the two way mirror to see Derek communicating with Mr. Townsley.
"Mr. Townsley, I understand this hard for you and your wife. But we need to bring your son's murderer to justice. Did you know that your son was seeing a woman from the hearing community?"
"Yes. Sara was a nice girl. She'd made some bad choices. She was getting her life back on track by doing service at the school."
"What about Sara's family? Did they feel the same way?"
"No. Sara's mother hated anyone who was deaf. It killed her that her only child was consorting with someone who had a 'defect' as she so kindly put it."
"You had words?"
"She spoke to Mary. Mrs. New didn't think I knew what was being said, but..."
"You read her lips," Derek finshed for him.
Mrs. Townsley turned to her husband with wide eyes. "James," she signed, "You knew about that?"
"I'm sorry Mary. You and she were in the sitting room. I stood there reading your conversation." He turned to Derek. "Agent Morgan, can you give us closeure for Alan and Sara's deaths?"
"We'll try to bring this bastard to justice."
Meanwhile in interview room two, Jessi and Melinda had walked and sat down. Melinda sat directly in front of Jessi. This was common. Jessi had to be able to see Melinda in order for this interview to work.
"Mrs. New, My name is Agent Jessi Clark. This is Agent Melinda Underwood. We're here to talk to you about Sara."
"They couldn't send a normal person in here?"
"You weren't speaking to a hearing person. Now it's my turn. Did you know that your daughter was dating a young man who was deaf?"
"Sara had no brains whatsoever. I tried to talk sense into her. But she wasn't listening. She was convinced that Alan was the one."
"Why did you try to stop her from seeing Alan?"
"I didn't want defected grandkids!"
That remark went thru Jessi like an arrow on fire.
"Defected grandkids? Do you have a problem with the deaf community?!"
Morgan had just stepped out of interview room one and saw what was going on in room two. He ran into room two as Jessi was rapidly signing to Lori New.
"This isn't good," Derek told Hotch. He walked into the second interview room. He looked at Melinda. "Get her out of here."
"What the hell do you think I'm doing?"
Melinda managed to pull Jessi out of the room. Derek sat down in front of Lori New.
"I'm sorry about that."
"What was it that she said to me?"
"I'm not comfortable repeating what she said."
"You know sign language?"
"Yes. There are some of us willing to try something new. What was it about Alan you didn't like?"
Lori sighed and tears filled her eyes.
"Mrs. Townsley?"
"When I found out I was pregnant with Sara, I was already a mother to a five year. My son was..."
"Deaf?"
"Yes. I wasn't ready to have a second child and have a son that was deaf."
"What happened to your son?"
"He was sent to a special boarding school in France."
"Did you kill Sara and Alan?"
"No! Why would you even ask that question when I just claimed my daughter's body?"
"I'm sorry Mrs. New. But I have to ask to hard questions."
Later that afternoon, Derek confronted Jessi.
"What happened back there?"
"I'm so tired of the labels, Derek. I'm so tired of the looks and the thought that one day someone will become deaf just by being around a deaf person. It's as if being deaf is like the new leprosy."
Derek smiled. "Do you still trust me?"
"Why?"
"You want to take a ride?"
"Where?"
"The deaf school. I want to show you something."
As Jessi and Derek started for the door, Melinda stopped them.
"Where are you going, Derek?"
"Jessi will be fine with me. We're headed down to the deaf school."
"I'm not so sure.."
Jessi put a hand on Melinda's, her look telling her that everything was fine.
Derek smiled at Melinda. "Trust me. Everything will be fine."
BACK AT THE DEAF SCHOOL
Derek had looped Jessi's arm thru his own. It thrilled him to have her so near him again. So much had taken place during the course of their failed marriage. Derek felt so responsible for everything.
They stopped at a little garden that had 'went to sleep' during the winter.
"Why are we stopping here, Derek?"
"You remind me of this garden."
"Huh?"
"You were vivaious and alive until you married me, then you've been in a never ending winter. I feel like I'm to blame for every bad thing that has ever happened to you."
Jessi placed a hand on Derek's face.
"I don't blame you. Derek, there was no predicting what would happen with us, with Caleb. I'm honored to have shared my life with you, even if it was only a few years."
Derek looked into her midnight blue eyes. He wished he could fix her ears so that she could hear his voice. He leaned down and kissed her.
The two never knew it, but they were being watch. Watched by a woman. A woman who was a former student of this illustrous campus. She knew that the Feds were looking for her. They just didn't know who she was. More than likely, they hadn't even put the whole thing together. Now she'd found her next project. This one would be her greatest and most likely her last.
When Derek and Jessi got back into the black SUV, neither knew what hit them.
The woman who had been watching them, had snuck into the back of the truck and pistol whipped them both.
The girl smiled. Yes, this would be the finest perfomance yet.