I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters. Just a big fan.
Chapter Three
Reid walked into the Woodinville police station, Josselyn's hand still gripping his own. J.J. and Rossi looked up. "Who's this?" Rossi asked. Reid looked down at the little girl.
"This is Josselyn. Josselyn, I need you to go with my friend Jennifer for a few minutes. She's going to get you something to eat. It's okay, she's a good friend of mine." Josselyn hesitantly let go of Reid's hand.
"Come on, sweetheart. I bet we can find you something really good to eat." J.J. took the little girl by the hand and walked her out of the room.
Rossi looked up at Reid. "Care to explain?"
"Hotch and I went to the Robins' home and found her hiding in a bedroom closet. She says she knows the unsub, but before she could tell us who he is his voice came over the intercom in the room, said if she tells us anything he'll kill 'them'. She hasn't spoken a word since."
"Her family, perhaps? We know she's not part of the Robins family, they're all dead. But how did she get in their house?" Rossi was perplexed.
"I don't know, this case is getting stranger and stranger. Think about it: the unsub sends us a cassette tape, which means he's not technologically savvy. But then he's able to override the Robins' home intercom system to send a message to Josselyn not to talk to the police." Rossi's eyes widened with alarm.
"What if he didn't override the intercom system?" he asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What if he was simply using it?" Reid suddenly realized what Rossi was suggesting.
"Oh my god. He was using the intercom from another room. He was in the house!" Reid pulled out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial. "Hotch! We think the unsub was operating the intercom from somewhere in the Robins' home! He's there!"
"Got it, thanks." Hotch slammed his cell phone shut and drew his gun. He made his way down the hall, careful to clear each room before moving on to the next. Nothing upstairs. He slowly walked downstairs, gun drawn. Detective Miller had arrived, and looked at him quizzically.
"What are you – " Hotch raised a finger to his lips, signaling the detective to be quiet. The detective took the hint. Hotch walked through the bloodstained living room, then the kitchen. Nothing. He was confused. Where was this guy? Hotch saw a door leading to the basement. He signaled the other officers to follow him. He threw open the door and pointed his gun down the staircase. Slowly, he descended the stairs down to the basement. It was dark. Hotch pulled out his flashlight and held it with one hand, gun in the other. He sighed.
"Clear!" he shouted. Detective Miller walked up to Hotch.
"You mind telling me what that was about, Agent Hotchner?" Hotch ignored the detective's obvious irritation.
"I think it would be better if you told me which one of your men has murdered two families, kidnapped another, and intimidated a witness, Detective."