Disclaimer: Nope, just checked, still own nothing related to Criminal Minds
A/N: Thanks again to all who make my day with their reviews and to those who add the story to their alerts.
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It was late when they arrived back at the hotel. Allie was in much better spirits than she had been when they left after having talked things out with her father. Spencer had been very quiet since leaving the lounge, and had barely spoken on the ride back to the hotel. Coming out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth, Allie found him sitting on the bed, his back to the headboard with his long legs crossed in front of him. He was staring blankly ahead.
"Hey, what's up," she said, sitting beside him. "Why is this man frowning?"
Reid gave her a little grin. "I'm just thinking."
"About the case," she asked?
"No," Allie waited silently for him to continue. He seemed to be struggling to find the words. He looked at her and then down at his hands. "You, uh, you've been talking a lot about babies the last couple of days. Mark was teasing me that you were thinking about it and I…"
"I think about it," Allie admitted. "These two days are not the first time I've thought about it."
"In general you mean?"
"No, not in general, specifically, with you." Reid nodded, refusing to look at her. Allie continued, "I would like nothing more than to have a baby with you. I love you." She was silent for a few moments then carried on. "However, I know you have issues. I know you worry about the genetic probabilities a child of yours might face. I know you worry about being a good parent when you didn't have good parent role models. I also know you worry about bringing a child into a world you see the very worst of. He looked at her and she was overwhelmed by the sadness that he normally tried to keep buried in the depths of his soulful eyes.
She cleared her throat. "But I also know you are a good man," Allie went on, trying to keep a rein on her emotions, "And you have overcome so much. I've seen you with Evan. I've seen how you give so completely of yourself for him, how patient you are with him and he's just your little brother. How much more would that be magnified with your own child?"
"Your chances of ending up like your mother are, what, ten percent. If you were giving that statistic in a profile you'd say chances are low, one in ten, but because this involves you personally, you act like it's already a foregone conclusion. And what if the worst happens someday? Do you think you'll be sorry you were ever born? Do you wish your mother had never had you because you might, I repeat might, get schizophrenia someday? Your child might end up having schizophrenia one day or your child might end up having one of the millions of diseases that are out there or your child might end up being beautifully, wonderfully normal. For every couple that has a baby it's a crapshoot."
Reid looked about to speak but she put her hand over his mouth. "I've seen how you try so hard to keep what you do away from Evan and I know you would do that for your child but, like Evan, you can't protect him from everything. In the end, you just have to try and make sure your child has the skills to cope with the bad if and when it happens."
Reid chuckled, "How did you get to be so smart?"
"Well, you see, I hang out with this guy, they say he's a genius but some days, hmm, I don't know about that. He's kinda…" All talking ceased as Reid claimed her lips.
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The team had barely gotten to the hospitality room on Saturday morning when Reid and Allie arrived. Morgan was thinking that they both looked very happy for some reason when his cell rang. JJ was trying to keep up with the results from the fax machine that was spitting them out almost faster than she could retrieve them. It reminded Rossi of an old episode of I Love Lucy and he smiled.
JJ handed each result off to a member of the team. Allie shouted, "The bullet that killed Drake Holloway came from Doug Kullman's rifle."
Morgan got off the phone, "That was Garcia; she's got Daryl Kullman in Grand Central Station on the day Laurel Jamison died."
Rossi read his report, "The cat hair found on Laurel's body is a DNA match to the Kullman's cat. We need to get a warrant for Kullman's home and Daryl's place at Ohio State and look for the knife."
Reid said, "The clostridium botulinum Daryl ordered is a match to that recovered from Marla Felstead's body."
Hotch reported, "The GPS information says that Kullman's vehicle was a block from Brian Dalton's residence at the estimated time of the drowning."
A voice in the doorway added, as Emily walked in, "The guy at the deli remembers the day Pam Mcphee died. He was also able to identify Daryl Kullman's photo. He said he'd been coming there for a couple of weeks before Pam's death. He saw them run into each other. Daryl always bought a pastrami on rye until the last two times he was there when he bought the same sandwich as Pam. The guy wondered why he changed."
"Hotch, do you think this is enough to get the judge to order an exhumation of Lorne Kemp," Reid asked?
"I'll call the judge right now, but, yes Reid, I think we've finally got enough." Hotch walked over to a secluded part of the room and placed the call while the others waited impatiently. After speaking for a few minutes he rejoined the group, saying, "The judge is issuing three warrants. Two for the knife, one at the Kullman house and one for Daryl's place at Ohio State. He's ordering the exhumation of Lorne Kemp and he issued an arrest warrant for Daryl Kullman."
Hotch looked at his young agent whose ability to see patterns where most would think none existed, had culminated in them ferreting out a man responsible for six murders. "Well Reid, let's go get him."
The team filed out leaving Allie alone in the room. She had wanted to go with them but, this time, was not allowed. It was a funny feeling. She knew Spencer faced danger every day but he had never left her to head directly into a possibly dangerous situation.
The team spoke little on the drive over and when they arrived at the Kullman home, Hotch, Reid and Prentiss went to the front door while Rossi, Morgan and JJ went around the back in case Daryl tried to bolt. Mrs. Kullman answered the door and Reid looked to Hotch, waiting for him to execute the warrant but the unit chief yielded to his young teammate with a nod. Reid turned to Mrs. Kullman informing her that they were from the FBI and producing his ID as did Hotch and Prentiss. "We have a warrant for the arrest of Daryl Kullman."
"He's not here," the woman said.
"Excuse me Mrs. Kullman but I'm afraid we'll have to enter the residence and find that out for ourselves. We also have a warrant to search these premises for a knife used in the murder of Laurel Jamison." Reid produced the warrant, but Marie Kullman was reluctant to let them in.
"I'm calling my attorney. You just can't barge in here and do whatever you please. I don't care who you think you are," Marie Kullman replied indignantly.
"Mrs. Kullman, you are well within your rights to consult your attorney but we still have to execute this warrant." Hotch informed the irate woman who stormed off to the telephone.
She returned shortly, saying "He's coming. He said not to touch anything until he gets here."
The team waited but this time it was no surprise that Marie Kullman opened the door to Lloyd Graham. "Mr. Graham," Reid nodded.
"Spencer," Allie's father replied as Reid handed him the search warrant. "Marie, they're looking for a knife. There may be several that look like the kind they're looking for. This warrant entitles them to take all knives they feel fit the description of the murder weapon."
"But Lloyd, can't you do something to stop them?" Daryl's mother enquired.
"No Marie, their warrant is valid and I have to abide by it." The team turned to start their search but turned back as Reid approached Lloyd Graham.
Reid informed Lloyd, "We also have a warrant for the arrest of Daryl Kullman. We'll be putting out an APB. If you know where your client is, I strongly suggest you surrender him."