He and She

by Skater3

When the BAU receives a request to investigate a possible serial killer in Woodbine, Iowa, it appears to be a routine case. However, when the team arrives on the scene, they find an unexpected surprise and Reid finds himself with the opportunity to make a life changing decision. Sequel to "Missing".

19. Chapter 19

"Hotch?" Hotch and Reid were sitting at the table in the conference room, going through the old files, when Reid suddenly spoke up.

"Yes?" Hotch looked over at the young genius who appeared to have taken an overwhelming interest in the wall in front of him.

"You and Hailey were married for a number of years, weren't you?" Reid asked, turning his head to look at his boss.

"Yes," Hotch had an idea of where this conversation was going.

"How did you know that she was 'the one'?" Reid questioned.

"I really don't know," Hotch replied slowly. "We met in high school and I just knew. I never stopped to think about it."

He hesitated a moment before asking, "This is about Emma and you, isn't it?"

"I don't know what to do!" Reid moaned. "I know what I think I want, but I don't know if it is what she wants, and I don't like feeling like this all the time!"

"Well, I probably am not the best person to give relationship advice," Hotch admitted. "If you remember, Hailey divorced me. But, I would advise that if you are interested in pursuing a relationship with Emma you let her know before it is too late."

"Too late?" Reid questioned.

"In case you haven't noticed, Emma is an intelligent, relatively attractive young woman who works surrounded by men," Hotch pointed out. "For all you know, it may already be too late."

"Well, when she comes back here, maybe I do need to talk with her," Reid conceded. "In the meantime, we need to take another look at the initial wound each victim suffered."

"The initial wound, you mean the one through the heart?" Hotch flipped several pages in the file he was holding. "What are you seeing?"

"In the first victim, Missy Logan, the initial wound was at an extreme upward angle," Reid held up the file he had been reading. "And, from the position of the body when it was found, the assumption was that she was bending over when she was stabbed. In the second victim, Amy Richardson, the initial wound was only slightly at an upward angle and, as for Dawn Sheldon, the wound was almost vertical, maybe even trending slightly downward."

"The unsub was getting taller – Maybe growing up?" Hotch surmised. "They were a child and Missy Logan was bending over to speak with them when they committed the first murder. And then, as they grew taller – We need to revise our profile."