A/N- Disclaimer is in chapter one and anything in italics are thoughts, text messages, or locations. Please enjoy and please respond, it really does make my day. Enjoy!
Seattle, WashingtonThe team quickly made their way from the airport to the police station eager to get started.
"Detective Lutts, I'm SSA Jennifer Jareau," J.J. smiled as she extended her hand to the middle-aged detective, "We spoke on the phone and this is SSA Hotchner, SSA Prentiss, Dr. Spencer Reid, SSA Rossi, and SSA Morgan."
"I'm glad you're here," He said warmly before walking them over to their work room, "Everything we have is right here, though so far we haven't come up with much of anything yet."
"Detective I'm going to need you to take Rossi and myself to the last crime scene," Hotch said quickly not wanting to waste time with pleasantries, "J.J., Reid find out what you can as quickly as possible and then get back here and start going through this."
Both nodded and headed out into the parking garage.
"We should hit 2nd St, and then Wall St," J.J. said matter of factly as she got into one of the SUVs the police department were letting them use.
"Ok?" Reid said as he opened the map on the dash trying to locate the streets on the map, "You're going to want to take a left…"
"Put the map away," J.J. said as sweetly as possible, "If traffic is good we'll be there in a few."
"So you know Seattle?" Reid asked nonchalantly hoping to seem less curious than he was.
J.J. simply nodded not even bothering to look over at her friend.
Reid took her silence as a hint not to pry and simply sat quietly until they arrived at 2nd Street a little while later.
"Just let me do the talking," J.J. said firmly though she was nervous as all get out, she hadn't talked to anyone from the streets in years and wasn't sure if she still spoke their language.
Reid nodded curious as to how J.J. who usually spent most of her time in the office or in the various police departments would relate to prostitutes.
J.J. took a deep breath and walked to the first group of hookers she saw.
"Hey ladies," She said smoothly charm oozing off of her, "You working?"
"What's it to ya?" An older black woman asked harshly, looking briefly back at the two younger girls behind her.
"Just curious I guess," J.J. said with an attitude and tone Reid had never heard or seen her use before, "Can you ladies answer a few questions for us?"
"You from vice?" One of the younger girls piped up her eyes giving away how the street could age someone.
"What's your name?" J.J. asked the older prostitute.
"They call me Mama," She said putting one hand on her hip.
"Well, Mama you and I both know that if we were from vice, you'd either be on your way to the station or my friend would be 'working things out' with you in the back of our car," J.J. smirked though she was all too aware that things like that happened more often than one would like to imagine.
"What do you want?" Mama asked with just as much attitude as J.J. had.
"Do you know any of these girls?" Reid asked showing them the book with the dead girls pictures in it.
"That's Blossom," Mama spoke up pointing to the girl in the middle, "She works a ways down the strip, closer to the shelter."
"Did you see her last trick?" J.J. asked hoping one of them would be able to give a description of the unsub.
They all shook their heads in unison.
"Have you ladies seen anyone suspicious around or anyone hassling any of the girls who work this stretch?" J.J. asked the edge in her voice softening.
"Everyone hassles us," One of the younger girls spoke up twirling her side ponytail in her fingers.
"I know," J.J. said with compassion almost forgetting Reid was right there next to her.
"Killer Trick?" Mama asked taking another look at the book.
"Yeah, there's a Mad John prowling, so I need your ladies to warn all the working girls you can. I know you can't take care of everyone but if you see any orphans or settled girls try and warn them to watch their backs," J.J. said seriously hoping her slang was still current.
"I ain't gonna mess with a pimped girl but we'll talk to the orphans," Mama stared at J.J. intensely sure she had seen her somewhere before.
"Hey they all kinda look like Sapphire," One of the younger prostitutes said looking at the pictures again.
"Sapphire?" J.J. asked genuinely curious.
"Yeah she works the next corner, her and her girls work early morning and right before sunset," Mama said just as her mind connected the dots, "You know Sapphire."
"Me?" J.J. asked suddenly getting visibly nervous.
"I couldn't remember where I'd seen you before till now," Mama started with a smirk on her face, "Your Sapphire's sister Silver."
J.J. froze mentally wishing Reid away as she thought of a lie.
"Your sister used to show us the picture of the two of you in this locket she wore all the time," Mama smiled remembering how excited the young prostitute would get, "She used to say that when she found you the Merrick sisters would be unstoppable."
"Mama I'm a federal agent just trying to do my job," J.J. said as smoothly as she could as she ran a hand through her shoulder length blonde hair, "Thanks for your help." J.J. motioned for Reid to follow her as quickly as possible.
Reid quickly took the book back and hand each woman a card to call just incase they saw anything.
"I'll let her know you were here Silver," Mama called as the two climbed back into the black SUV.
"Orphan?" Reid asked as they settled into the car.
"It's a girl who doesn't run with a group or have a pimp," J.J. said in a distracted tone her mind on what Mama had said about the prostitute name Sapphire. There's no way she would do this. J.J. thought to herself.
J.J. sat behind the drivers seat quietly thinking of a lie though in all honesty she was unsure of what to say, "Reid…"
Just as he was about to answer his cell phone rang freeing them both from an awkward moment.
"Hey Hotch," Reid put the small cell phone up to his ear, "No we didn't get much… Just that J.J. speaks hooker like it's a second language."
J.J. swatted him firmly on the arm making him mouth 'oww'.
"Ok… Ok we're a few streets away… we're on our way," With that Reid hung up and looked over at J.J. "They found another body, in an abandoned restaurant on Wall Street."
"On it," J.J. stated as she pulled off the street and headed towards the newest crime scene.
As J.J. was driving Reid texted the teams Tech Wizard Penelope Garcia.
Garcia I need you to look up Silver Merrick, Seattle, Washington, age 18-25 at the time of her arrest fax the info to the station with specific instructions to be given to me… Reid.
He knew it was probably silly but the way J.J. had been acting along with the accusation 'Mama' had made got him thinking, which made him curious. Out of all of the team members J.J. was the only one with secrets left, secrets he was sure were trying to set themselves free.