Chapter 5
Prentiss, standing beside the open driver's side door of the SUV, held open the door as she watched Reid buckle his seat belt as he sat on the front passenger seat. Something was and had been nagging her since she and Reid had left the hospital.
"Something troubling you?" Reid asked looking at his partner with her faraway look in her brown eyes. "Emily?" He asked when he got no initial response.
Prentiss awoke as if from a trance and shook her head to see the young agent watching her with a worried expression. "What? Did you just say something?" She started climbing inside the vehicle sliding behind the steering wheel and closing the door. She began buckling herself in.
"I said is something bothering you?" Reid repeated. "You've been a bit distracted since we left the hospital."
Leaning back in her seat, the raven-haired agent faced the younger man as she brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm not sure. It's just….did you notice how defensive Dr. Hunt became when we asked if we could look around and maybe speak with some of the patients and staff?"
Reid shrugged after a few seconds. "Not really. I mean, these patients expect complete privacy. It's the same way in Bennington Sanitarium where my mother is. The doctors there would probably have the same reaction as Doctor Hunt if you asked them to look around and speak with some of the patients or staff. It'd be considered an invasion of the patient's privacy."
"That's not what I meant," Prentiss said, exasperated. "What I meant was the amount of anger in his voice at our request. It was more than just an outright refusal. He actually seemed enraged that we even asked."
"He was wasn't he?" Reid asked now that he had thought about it. "Even the doctors at Bennington don't have that intense a reaction to a request like that." He looked at Emily as she turned the key in the ignition. "You think he's hiding something?"
"I don't know," Prentiss replied. "But I think we definitely need to check into it. Also, something bothers me about his interest in you." She saw Reid's eyebrows arch in confusion. "Don't ask me why yet because I don't know. But after what happened with Hotch, I'm not overlooking anything at this point." Giving the steering wheel a turn, she began pulling away from the curb.
Chief Madison parked his vehicle outside the home of Andrea Ackles with Rossi parking his SUV behind his. Then, the three men got out, and with Madison leading the way, followed him up the brick walkway of the dead woman's home to the front door.
"Nice house," Rossi commented glancing around at the outside and admiring the well-kept flower gardens lined up along both sides of the front door. "I understand Andrea lived alone?" he asked Madison.
"Yeah, she did," Madison replied. "According to her neighbors, she enjoyed tending to and working in her garden." He pointed to the rows of multi-colored flowers. "She planted and raised these flowers all on her own. Was always eager to help her neighbors if they needed it, and to use that old line, everybody liked her. She was a real sweet girl according to everybody." He opened the door of the small house and allowed the agents to pass inside. He stood nearby watching them look around at the furnishings and photographs on the wall. Morgan craned his neck to get a closer view of the framed photos; they were of a smiling Andrea with different people, some older and some younger. But in every photo, the young woman was happy and smiling.
"Doesn't look like a woman who would take her own life," said the black agent. "She looks very happy in each of these photos."
Rossi glanced at the photos before turning his attention to a framed certificate on the wall.
"Huh. She was honored by the local YWCA for her teaching swimming to handicapped youngsters."
"Definitely not a woman to take her own life," Morgan repeated as he glanced at the certificate before he followed Rossi upstairs with the Police Chief behind them. The three men looked around the bathroom and bedroom finding nothing of interest. They then returned downstairs, exited the house, and then headed in the direction of the garage where a yellow crime-scene tape was draped. Rossi and Morgan ducked under the tape and looked around while Madison stood on the opposite side of the yellow tape with arms folded, watching.
"Where's her car?" asked Rossi staring at the empty space where a car had once been parked.
"It's still in our lot," Madison replied. "Our people went over it with a fine tooth comb. Found nothing wrong with it whatsoever."
"And the cause of death was from carbon dioxide?" asked Morgan.
Madison nodded. "No doubt. Also, there were no needle or puncture marks anywhere on her body. No alcohol. No drugs. Well, nothing other than the anti-depressant she was prescribed. But there was no overdose or abuse of the medicine found. Those were the first things I had checked when we found her. I was thinking maybe somebody either drugged her before placing her in her car and turning on the engine, or maybe she passed out from drinking. No such luck."
As Morgan and Rossi ducked back under the yellow tape, they spotted a middle-age man they guessed was somewhere in his late twenties, walking towards them from next door.
"Chief Madison?" the man called out. The Chief turned slightly and glanced over his shoulder. He waved the man over.
"Morning, Dewey," Madison said. He then gestured to the two profilers. "Dewey, these are two of the FBI agents I was telling you about….David Rossi and Derek Morgan. Gentlemen, this is Dewey Mason. He lives…lived, next door to Andrea. He found her body and called us."
"Mr. Mason," Rossi said as he shook the man's hand; Morgan shook it next. "Chief Madison tells us you were a friend of Miss Ackles?" asked the older profiler.
Wrapping his arms around himself, Mason shrugged. "I moved next door about three months ago," he explained. "She was a tremendous help to me when I moved in."
"How so?" asked Morgan.
"Well, she organized some of the neighbors to help me move my belongings inside and my first night here she invited me to her house for a home-cooked meal seeing as my gas stove wasn't turned on yet. She was a very sweet girl. I had no idea she was…." he didn't finish.
"Was what, Mr. Mason?" asked Rossi crossing his arms.
"You know…." Mason continued, somewhat embarrassed. "That she had mental problems."
"You mean because she was troubled?" asked Morgan, his eyes narrowing.
Mason nodded. "Well, yeah. I mean, who would have thought such a sweet girl would end up killing herself?"
"That's the second time you said she was a sweet girl, Mr. Mason," Rossi pointed out. "Sounds like you had a crush on her perhaps?"
"I didn't….I mean, maybe….well, I did like her," said Mason, caught off guard by Rossi's question and that he had been found out. "But she was troubled, y'know. I couldn't get involved romantically with a troubled girl."
Morgan shook his head sadly. "Tell us about finding her body."
"I already told the Chief," said Mason.
"Now tell us," Rossi said in his authoritative voice.
Mason swallowed hard. "Well, it's like I told Chief Madison. I was sitting on my porch and saw Andrea leave her house. She waved to me and told me she was going into town. That she had an appointment I think. I saw her go into her garage and I went back inside. I had a TV dinner in the oven, and after it was done, I sat down and ate it. I then came back outside to sit on the porch again, and that's when I heard a car engine running and smelled fumes. Anyway, I left my porch and approached Andrea's house and noticed the fumes smelled stronger as I neared the garage and the sound of the engine was louder too. I opened the garage and went inside, and the whole garage was full of fumes. That's when I saw Andrea in the front seat of her car. I ran back inside my own house and called 911."
"You didn't see anybody hanging around Miss Ackles garage or house prior to her leaving and entering the garage?" asked Morgan.
"No sir," said Mason. "Not a sole. Then again I was inside for about an hour eating my lunch."
"Did Miss Ackles ever tell you or complain she was being threatened or hounded by anyone?" asked Rossi.
Mason shook his head. "No, sir. Far as I could tell, she got along with everybody."
Rossi sighed. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Mason."
Glancing at the police chief, Mason nodded to the two agents, then turned, and headed back to his house.
Doctor Hunt, with his daughter-in-law behind him, walked into the room and found his son standing beside the bed on which the patient was apparently sleeping.
"How is he?" asked Hunt as he came closer, removing his stethoscope which was draped around his neck.
"Sleeping, father. He was a bit restless earlier, but he's calmed down since." Ron Hunt glared at his wife's smirking face. He stood aside as his father approached the bed and after placing the ear plugs of the stethoscope in his ears, placed the round disc against the sleeping man's chest and listened.
"His heart and respiration are good." He stood up and gazed at the unconscious man's face. "I got rid of the FBI, but I've a feeling they will be back." He looked at his son. "Get a wheelchair. We must move Adam from this room, and into the hidden laboratory. Tomorrow morning we will begin the experiment."
"Yes, father," Ron answered as he walked away. Seconds after he left the room, the doctor turned to his daughter-in-law.
"After Mr. Hefner is secured in the lab. I want you to check and make certain everything is ready for the experiment tomorrow. I don't want any delays. Also, make sure we have a good supply of the drugs on hand and that the electroshock equipment is working. I have to erase his current memory first. I don't want Adam to have any recollection of who he is, or of his friends or family. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Jack," replied Daria. "I'll see to everything at once and make sure all is in readiness for you." She smiled sweetly when her father-in-law caressed her cheek with his hand in a loving fashion. Seeing the door open, Hunt quickly dropped his hand to his side just before his son rolled the wheelchair into the room Positioning it beside the bed, Ron locked it so it wouldn't move, then he and his father together released the restraints. Then, the two men dragged the unconscious man off the bed and got him into the wheelchair where Adam's head lolled before falling onto his chest. Doctor Hunt fastened the strap across the man's chest to keep him from slipping out of the wheelchair.
"Take him to the hidden lab, Ron, and make sure he is strapped onto the table and ready for tomorrow."
"Right away," Ron replied as he released the chair and rolled it away in the direction of the door. Reaching the door, he looked over his shoulder. "You coming, Daria?" he asked.
"I'll join you in a few minutes, sweetheart," she purred. "I need to go over some things with Jack first." Seeing her husband nod, she watched him push the wheelchair until he was gone, and closed the door behind him. She then turned and faced Doctor Hunt with a seductive smile and wrapped her arms around his neck while he enveloped her in his. Hunt then plundered her mouth, forcing his tongue into her mouth and could feel her youthful firm body respond to his administrations. He then slid one hand down her back until it rested on her butt, and gave it a squeeze, feeling her press herself against him eagerly. After a few minutes, they both came up for air.
"You are too good for that son of mine," Hunt said looking into her eyes. "But you're perfect for me. I will make you famous when my experiment finally works."
"You really think this Adam is the right one?" Daria asked with a tilt of her head.
"I do. He will help us prove that the human mind can be erased clean and have different thoughts planted into it thus creating a different person entirely. But first we must put him in a completely catatonic state and then erase his mind."
"But what if what happened to the others happens to him?"
Hunt smiled. "Don't worry, my dear. I already have a new candidate in mind if we lose Mr. Hefner. He's an FBI agent I met earlier today. A genius in fact."
Daria playfully hit Hunt's chest with the palms of her hands excitedly. "Who is he? Have I seen him? Tell me."
"He was in my office earlier today. His name is Spencer Reid. He has an IQ of 187 and has an eidetic memory. If we lose Adam, we will simply replace him with Spencer Reid." He gave his daughter-in-law a quick peck on her forehead. "But you'd best be going. We don't want Ron to become suspicious."
JJ was writing some information down on the board with her blue magic marker when she heard the door open and glanced around to see Prentiss and Reid enter.
"Where's Morgan and Rossi?" asked Prentiss studying the board.
"They're not back yet," the blond replied taking a break and facing the two agents. "How'd you make out at the hospital? Anything?"
"Not really," Reid replied with a chuckle as he sat down at the table. "But Emily thinks Doctor Hunt there might be interested in me."
JJ's eyebrows arched. "Well you are a genius. Who wouldn't want to study your mind?" she teased.
Prentiss then went on to explain Hunt's reaction to her request for her and Reid to speak with some of the patients and staff..
JJ shrugged. "I admit his reaction was a little extreme. But I don't see how what he said indicates he's interested in Spence."
Prentiss pulled out a chair and sat down with a toss of her hair over her shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing. It's just that with what happened with Hotch, maybe I'm just being over sensitive."
"Probably," JJ replied with a grin.
"Ha, ha," Reid said sarcastically. "Very funny. At least I have somebody maybe interested in my mind. Not like Chief Madison is with you."
"What are you talking about?" JJ asked with arched eyebrows, looking at the youngest profiler.
"Oh come on," Prentiss said, looking at the media liaison, incredulous. "You mean you didn't notice the way Chief Madison was looking at you when we first showed up?"
"You're both crazy," JJ replied disbelievingly. "I'm not interested in Chief Madison."
Prentiss smirked. "You tell the Chief that? Because he's sure interested in you."
JJ shook her head and pushed a strand of long, blond hair over her shoulder. "I think you're both crazy. Can we please get back to this case?"
"She's in denial," Prentiss said looking at Reid.
"Obviously," Reid replied with a smirk.
"Forget it," JJ replied with an exasperated expression as she turned back to the board and continued writing the information beneath each girl's photo. "I have to finish this before Rossi and Morgan get back."
Becoming serious, Prentiss stared at each woman's photo independently. "All these women dead," she said. "Somehow I can't help but wonder if we're overlooking something that could tell us who killed them."
"And who took Hotch," Reid chimed in looking equally serious but at Prentiss.
"You think the same people who killed these women also took Hotch?" asked Prentiss.
"I do," Reid replied gently. "I just have to wonder what they're doing or have done to him seeing they've had him for three years, and we haven't found any trace of him or even a body."
"You think Hotch is still alive after all this time?" JJ asked looking around, pausing in her work. Her bright blue eyes looked at both profilers sadly.
"Strangely enough, I do," Reid replied. "I have to believe he is. To think otherwise would make his being missing more difficult than it already is." He looked back and forth between the women. "Why? Don't both of you think Hotch is still alive?"