"Good morning my lovelies," Garcia started, as she picked up the smart-board remote and clicked before continuing, "Well it might be a good morning for you, but not so much for three people in Shreveport, Louisiana. Okay, if I may direct your attention to the unfortunate woman on the left."
The agents assembled around the table gave Garcia their undivided attention as she recited, "Three days ago, the body of this homeless woman was found in a vacant lot which was once part of a vibrant shopping plaza in the downtown section of Shreveport. She had been stabbed multiple times and was found with a knife embedded in her heart. Oh. Ick."
"The second body," she paused to click forward to the next crime scene photograph, grimaced at its gruesomeness and continued, "Was found two days later, yesterday, in the same geographic area of the downtown. By the dumpster behind a coffee shop. Also stabbed to death, also with a knife embedded in her heart. She was twenty-six year old Ivy Lester, and she worked at said coffee shop."
Morgan, Rossi and Lewis all made preliminary comments about the crimes, wondering if the killer staked out the coffee shop for victims since the second victim worked there and the first one may have frequented the place.
Garcia spoke again, "And last but not least, Evelyn James, a forty-six year old family court judge was found dead in her home. She had been stabbed over thirty times and yes, that knife in the heart thing too." Garcia shuddered and looked away.
"Thank you, Garcia, you can get started by getting an ID on the homeless woman and seeing if there's anything that ties these three women together. We're going to Shreveport. Wheels up in 30."
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Anna sat by herself under a small tree in the schoolyard. She wasn't in a playing mood and the teacher wouldn't allow the children to stay indoors at recess time unless the weather was inclement. The sky was cloudless and the sun was shining, the only storm was Anna herself today. She'd been uncooperative during snack time earlier, leaving her garbage on the table and not tidying up the apple juice spill she'd made. In art time this morning, her painting was uncharacteristically dark, as though she'd smeared her mood on the paper. Mrs. Evans wanted to chalk it up to her just not having a good day, but the truth was Anna hadn't been her usual cheery self for over a week already and it was starting to affect other children in the classroom as well as being a matter of concern for the teacher.
Mrs. Evans watched her from the window. Anna was tearing at the grass beneath her and tossing the blades into the light wind. She swiped at her eyes with her shirtsleeve and after a few minutes, laid down in the grass and cried until the bell rang to summon them back to the classroom.
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Spencer tried calling Melissa again, and again the call went straight through voicemail. He frowned and decided to leave a message this time, lowering his voice so the others on the jet would not hear,
"Hi Melissa, it's me, Spencer. Missed you again. I'm missing you a lot actually lately. Um, we're on the way to Shreveport Louisiana for a case and I'm not exactly sure how long this one's going to take. I guess I'll see you when I get back. If you can, please give me a call back when you have the time." He lowered his voice even more and finished, "I love you. And Anna. Bye."
He put away his cellphone and JJ joined him, sitting down in the empty seat next to him.
"We could finish the conversation we started earlier," she invited.
Reid shifted his glance from his fingertips to JJ.
"I've already been looking for a house, JJ. But I haven't broached the subject with Melissa. Problem is we haven't had a chance to talk to each other, to be together for a week. I spent Saturday with Anna, but she had a spectacular meltdown Saturday night, and Melissa felt it would be better for all if I went home."
JJ nodded accordance with that decision. He waited for her to say something.
"Spence, you really need to talk about this with Melissa."
He sighed, "I've been trying! I keep getting her voicemail. She's working so much this week."
"You can't hold that against her."
"Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't. But I can't play phone tag trying to have a serious discussion."
"I'm sure you'll work it out." She patted his shoulder sympathetically.
Hotchner assembled them all together to go over the information they had thus far.
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