JJ hung up giving Daisy, Sophie and Pete the good news. She was certain her team would come. Until then she would begin working the case with Pete and to do that she had to go down the station.
Sighing internally she freshened up riding with Daisy to the station using the time to catch up with her old friend.
At the station she began the preliminary stuff setting up the murder board mapping the locations, blue for abduction sites or last seen positions, green for dump sites drawing lines between each connected pin. With so many cases it was clear the target area as huge, this unsub was definitely mobile and had a vehicle that could transport people. In such a close knit community where people would notice someone knew it had to be somebody who fit in. With so many murders they would be high functioning, educated they would know the area really well. JJ sighed it described most of the local population very few people moved into the area, it was the kind of place where whole generations lived and nobody trusted outsiders. It also fitted with a local that the majority of bodies that had been found were outsiders all between the ages of 25-42.
The abduction sites were varied some people were abducted from bars, others were on the road. With 10 victims taken each different within a 100miles radius it was no wonder the cases hadn't been linked.
Interestingly it had always gone girl boy girl boy with no deviation. The girls all indicated they had been raped pre mortem, but no semen found, the unsub probably used a condom. She studied the photos. From the bruising the girls were kept alive a while but the boys killed almost straight away. The boy's murders were more violent with a lot more rage while the girl almost looked as if they were asleep. The girls were always naked the boys fully clothed. None of the victims were in relationships with each other. All the girls had blonde hair and blue eyes, the boys were varied, from black to white blonde blue eyes. This was definitely about the girls which raised the question why kill the boys?
JJ studied the location the bodies were found, all on tracks not too far from the road. All the tracks were used regularly so the bodies were found within hours of them being dumped. This unsub wanted them found. Suddenly something caught her eye in one of the more recent photos of Devon Harts, black 30 years old, married 2 kids. On a tree not too far away something was carved. JJ tried to look closer at it but couldn't get a good view. Luckily it was one of the nearer dump sites.
Calling Bill they planned to head out first thing the next day. Truly exhausted he dropped her back at Horizon. She had a brief catch up with Kat who was just as exhausted before bedding down.
The alarm woke them at 0600 promptly. JJ groaned it was inhuman to get up this early on a Saturday. Stumbling into the shower she felt somewhat more human, a coffee from the staff kitchen did the rest even if Peter was shooting her evils. He had never been able to get her over this addiction. She had given up drugs and smoking, the caffeine was staying.
Grabbing breakfast Bill arrived. Not having time to finish it JJ grabbed what she could carry. Running to the car juggling breakfast she cursed as on the way Hotch rang. Handing Bill the plate of food she reached for her phone. The plane was leaving and would arrive in 5 hours. Penny had no luck identifying any connecting factor between the victims but she was still checking.
JJ hung up as the signal went. It was one disadvantage of the mountains the lack of signal. She used the time wisely to eat her breakfast. They soon pulled up at the murder site. It was times like this that left JJ in wonder it was beautiful tranquil if she didn't have the murder photos with her she would struggle to believe that anything bad had happened here. Using the photos to orientate herself she noted the dump site was visible from the road this unsub wanted his work found. Remembering what drew her attention to this crime scene she made her way across the track. There etched into the wood of a tree was a message
She was mine
JJ called Bill over. He took a photo of the inscription
"We need to go back over the crime scenes see if any others have messages." JJ ordered not angry at the police, none of them ever had investigated murder before or any real serious crime. This was new to this area.
"Ok I will ring around, we can go to a few more that aren't too far away." Bill offered. JJ accepted. They drove to 2 more both female victims crime scenes no matter how hard they searched there was no message to be found. Checking the clock JJ suggested they went back to the station knowing the team would arrive soon and expect her there.
Adding the new information to the board JJ couldn't help but shiver the female victims all looked a little like her it was almost scary. She was confident this wasn't a current Horizon kid but maybe it was a past kid. JJ began writing a list of all males at Horizon she thought capable that she had pissed off it was a long list then expanded it to any male from her street days to just before the BAU.
Stopping she surveyed it such a long list and that was just the men. If she added women it would probably be double, Jules would top that list for sure. She folded the list into her purse. Chasing up a few leads before the team arrived. The neighbouring police forces reported that they had found messages but only at the scenes of the male victims all saying the same thing.
She was mine
It was obviously important to the unsub. Before JJ could analysis it further the team arrived and JJ was being hugged by an excited Garcia. She briefed the team as thoroughly as possible including the newest lead.
"Reid analyse the locations, Garcia set up what you need, Morgan Prentiss interview the families" Hotch began
"I already lined them up for you in order of victims" JJ offered,
"Thank you Rossi and I will go to the crime scenes and abduction sights, Police Chief could you show us around?" Hotch asked
"Sure" Bill agreed.
"What about me?" JJ asked slightly confused as to why she had been excluded
"You have a talk to give in 30 minutes" Hotch reminded. JJ smiled she had totally forgotten about that.
"Ok I better go,"
"Take one of the trucks" Hotch ordered. JJ nodded secretly glad none of them would come with her. Some of the things she discussed were private and could only be understood by Horizon kids.
She took the direct route up to the school aware that she could be a target. Once there she was greeted again by Peter but this time with Kat. They led her to the talk although they all knew they really didn't need to. JJ took a deep breath this was always hard, she sat in one of the leather chairs with about 30 students gathered round. Peter, Sophie and Kat had joined them
"Hey my name is Jenifer Jareau, JJ, but I once was Shelby. I was one of you, a Horizon throw away kid. Unlike a lot of kids I never tried to run away from here, I knew what was out there I knew this was better." JJ took a deep breath making eye contact with Peter for strength.
"I was sent her because my step dad abused me, he raped me from the age of 10 until one day I couldn't take it anymore I ran away onto the streets. I survived the only way I knew how to, I sold my body and coped by doing drugs." JJ paused needing to take a breath to steady her nerves
"One day I watched my best friend OD and didn't help I just stole her ID, her money and her drugs, 2 weeks later I decided to find my real dad. He raped me two then sent me here. When I got here I felt safe, there was something about it, they expect you to be you that's it. Not perfect but you." JJ smiled,
"I rebelled, feeling safe is hard, I knew one day it would go and I needed to be ready" Some of the kids nodded
"I kept up my old behaviour, if you ask Peter or Sophie or Kat they'll tell you I was such a mess, I smuggled in so much that's why you get checked so much and so often now, I guess I was waiting for them to throw me out and if I broke the rules they would do it that much sooner and it would hurt less" JJ apologised,
"Is that why is it called a Shelby search?" one kid asked, JJ glared at Peter who pointed at Kat
"Candles, cigarettes, that dress, and the teabags" she recalled
"Yeah" JJ had the decency to look sheepish, "I was a loser and I thought I was always going to be a loser. We all were. Who would want us we are damaged?" there were murmurs of agreements.
"My sister killed herself, my step dad had been abusing her too. My mum was also arrested, my dad refused to continue paying the fees for Horizon so I was sent to live with my Aunt in the real world out of the bubble. I wasn't ready nowhere near ready. I got addicted again this time just to coffee." Everyone laughed JJ waited for it to die down before continuing "I stayed off the drugs got a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. Afterwards I joined the FBI and now work the Behavioural Analysis Unit" JJ smiled thinking of her team
"But I wasn't the only success story in my team Kat you all know, Scott played professional football and now is a school teacher, Jules is a fashion designer, Daisy is a Coroner, Erza is a pharmacist, Auggie the boy who couldn't even read when he came here is now a lawyer. We have our scars, you have yours. We learn to carry them to live with them we learnt that because of Horizon"
She finished and let everyone process what she had said. She didn't mention the failures or the on-going struggles these kids needed hope.
"Any questions?" she asked nobody put up there hand except Peter, not waiting for her to acknowledge him he asked
"How did you smuggle in those things?" JJ's face fell as she remembered sleeping with the delivery driver until he had moved and a new one started, at first it was fine but he got creepy quick and she had got serious with Scott.
"I will tell you one day" JJ promised.
After that the flood gates were open some asked about College and coping with pressures there, others about the FBI and bad guys. It finished when supper was announced. JJ checked the time
"No I'm going to be late for dinner with Scott and Jules Sophie can you ring them let the know I'm on my way and I'll call my team tell them not to expect me back tonight." JJ begged Sophie nodded
"As long as you come back before you go" Sophie made her promise. JJ easily agreed. She got in the car driving to Scott's. Stepping out the car she got struck by 2 small figures.
"JJ you came" the oldest Ben said
"Of course I did I promised your dad didn't I?" JJ told him lifting Hannah onto her hip and taking Bens hand leading them inside.
"JJ" Jules called. JJ took a moment to have a good look at her friend. Her hair was now with red stripes intermingling with her cropped brown hair spiked up. She was a healthy weight with a size 2 figure that was a lot fuller than it had ever been at Horizon.
"You're looking beautiful" JJ complimented hugging Jules as they squished Hannah between them.
"You to JJ" Jules said as JJ put Hannah down.
"Dinner is ready Scott is just serving" JJ followed Jules into the dining room, accepting a half glass of white wine. Scott brought the food in Roast lamb with garlic potatoes and steamed veg. JJ was quietly satisfied with how full Jules plate was as they were with how she interacted with them, she was far more open now than she had been.
Finishing the meal JJ went outside kicking the ball around with Ben and Scott as the light set. She competed with Scott trying to convinced Ben to play soccer instead of football she went inside admiring Jules new collection and watching Hannah practice her dance moves.
It was a fun night of normality one that JJ sorely needed. Turning down offers to stay the night she headed back to the hostel. Driving along the roads at night was always slightly unnerving especially knowing an unsub was targeting women looking like her. 5 miles from the town the car suddenly stopped. JJ groaned why here why now. She dug out her phone from her pocket it showed no signal. Typing out a text to Garcia 'Car broke down north highway 5miles out' she began searching for a signal knowing a text took less signal to get through than a phone call. Stepping out the car she began checking the engine trying to diagnose the problem when she spotted headlights approaching. She waved the driver stopped. Relieved but still cautious JJ approached wishing she had her gun with her but it was safely at the police station she had left it there knowing she was going to Horizon then Scott's house.