"Which is?"
"Move back in with us."
"Melissa," he felt his breath quicken and his heart rate increase. He hesitated for only a moment before answering, "I have a better idea."
"Spence?"
"Can you come house shopping with me over the weekend?"
He heard her sharp intake of breath. There was silence for just a moment before she breathily repeated, "Spence," in such a way that his heart just melted.
"And Anna, of course."
"Spence," she glanced at the clock and knew her next patient would be waiting. "Yes. But I have to go. Call me again later tonight?"
"I will."
"Love you," and the call was disconnected before he could reply.
He floated on air all the way back to the conference room table and fell back to Earth when his phone rang again. It was Garcia, who he quickly put on speaker so everyone could hear.
"Tanya Franklin. She's a single mom, age 29, eight-year-old daughter named Amy. And, Margaret Marshall was her social worker."
At this revelation, Reid felt a twinge.
"Why would she want to kill these people?" Lewis asked.
Garcia continued, "The social worker was called in because the child was showing up at school without a lunch, without weather appropriate clothing. Ms. Marshall's investigation found that Tanya Franklin was seriously depressed and afraid that her child was going to be taken away. And we all know what the cycle of depression does. According to the report, which I am forwarding to your tablets now— remind me, Reid, to get you one too and I don't want to hear any arguments! You'll be able to Skype or Facetime with Melissa and Anna when you're on the road and I digress. Yes. The report. Tanya Franklin was given sole custody of the minor child, a baby at the time, after she'd split from the abusive husband back in 2009."
"Garcia? Do you have an address for Tanya Franklin?" Hotch asked her.
"Sending it to your phone now."
"Reid," Hotch prodded, "let's go talk to her."
CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*
Anna's afternoon at school went better than the morning did. She was exhausted and fell asleep in her seat. Mrs. Evans picked her up and laid her down on one of the two small couches that the Kindergarten room had set in a corner for Reading Time. She covered Anna with a blanket and on her way back to the front of the class, noticed another little girl, Sarah, asleep at her table. She repeated the process with the second child, letting the two of them nap for half an hour until it was Reading Time. The other children worked on printing until Mrs. Evans had them gather around the couches for reading. Anna and Sarah seemed recharged and ready to go. Mrs. Evans asked Anna to pick a story from the Story Shelf and the class settled in to hear 'The Lorax'.
CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*
"Is everything all right with you and Melissa, Reid? I hope you don't mind me asking," Hotch started.
"We're good, Hotch, thanks." He was thinking about the case, not meaning to be short with Hotch but didn't want his thought process interrupted. All the case facts ran through his head and finally, he voiced what he was thinking.
"Tanya Franklin doesn't really have a motive. What if it's the ex, Hotch? What if the unsub is her ex? Not her. He's angry because he lost custody. The judge and the social worker both had a hand in him losing custody. But the coffee shop employee doesn't fit into it."
Hotch considered this. "It's a good theory."
"There are two knives left in the set, Hotch. Tanya and Amy might be next." This thought was unbearable to Reid.
CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*
Melissa picked Anna up out of the bathtub and wrapped her in a towel. She'd bathed her a little earlier than usual, hoping to get a chance to talk to her about her recent behaviour. Melissa was wondering how to broach the subject when Anna unwittingly gave her the opportunity.
"Mommy, do kids have to have a godfather?"
Silently, she wondered where this had come from and Anna herself answered the unspoken question.
"Henry has a godfather. And a daddy. How come I don't, Mommy? Can Spencer be my daddy?" Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke.
Melissa hugged her close. "Is that what this has been about the last few days, honey? Your teacher called me today saying you've been very sad for days."
Anna sniffled and nodded. "Spencer said it was up to you," she said hopefully.
Melissa gasped. Oh my God. Anna and Spencer talked about this! And didn't mention it to me! "Anna, sweetheart, what exactly did you two say?"
"Henry hurted my feelings and I was sad and crying and Spencer hugged me and he hurted his shoulder and I asked him if he could be my daddy and he said it was up to you."
Realisation dawned on Melissa. This was what had happened at the LaMontagne house. She remembered hearing 'it's up to your mommy'; the part of the conversation about why Anna didn't call him My Spencer anymore that had occurred before she'd arrived.
"Anna, it's just not this simple. Spencer is a very good friend. But we can't just ask him to be your daddy. That's not fair to him. He's a special friend. A very special friend who loves you. Okay?"
Anna seemed mollified by this and Melissa sighed with relief. She put the child to bed and headed into the kitchen to make herself a cup of herbal tea and wait for Spencer to call at eight.
Melissa wondered if this made things awkward for Spencer. She worried that it could complicate their already complex relationship.
CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*CM*
