Chp. 5
Rather than offer an insight of his own as to what they should do about finding William Reid, Mark decided to treat this like any of the countless other briefings he'd received. Except this son of bitch was targeting kids; that tore it for Mark. Children were innocent. Society was supposed to protect them. Like you protected James?
"Deputy Rossi, do you have anything to add?" Hotch asked.
"uh…" Mark stalled for time as he pushed his dead brother to the back of his mind and focused on the case at hand. "Do we have any information on Diana Reid's location and their son, Spencer?"
"Spencer was found at Mr. Reid's residence by two of our agents. Our technical analyst is attempting locate Mrs. Reid now." Gideon interjected.
Mark nodded and took a sip of coffee to keep from having to say anything. As he was lowering the cup from his mouth, the speaker phone vibrated on the table and Dave answered it. "You're on speaker, Garcia."
"Who've I got?" said an overly cheerful female voice, at least in Mark's opinion. He figured a job like this would sour a person quickly.
"Hotch, Gideon, Max and Deputy Marshal Mark Rossi." Rossi answered. It felt strange introducing his son that way.
A pause. "Sorry for your loss, deputy."
"Thank you, Miss Garcia."
"Just Garcia, please." She said, paused a moment, then continued. "Mrs. Diana Reid was civilly committed by her husband, William, to a local mental institution in Las Vegas six months ago. William was granted custody of the couples' four-year-old son, Spencer. Records indicate that while Spencer is very intelligence for his age, he was developmentally delayed in some areas."
"Such as, Garcia?" Gideon prompted when she didn't volunteer any more information.
"Just one…" The agents could hear typing over the phone. "Aww, baby boy had trouble potty training and the specialist Mr. Reid took him to referred them to another doctor who specialized in speech impediments."
"That could be the stressor. Caring for a mentally ill spouse combined with a developmentally delayed child on top of it would drive anyone over the edge." Max said.
"Still doesn't lessen my desire to put a bullet in him." Mark countered.
Before any of the team could respond, Will came back with a grim expression on his face. Local LVPD uniformed officers had been searching for William Reid as well and the team expected LaMontage had information about him. "What's up?" Mark asked.
"Not good. A construction foreman found a body on his job site when he reported to work this morning. Description fits that of Diana Reid. Contacted her doctor and he said that William had come in a week ago and signed her out with a court order. Doesn't look like she's been seen sense," Will finished sadly.
"Hotch, Max, go with Deputy LaMontage to the scene and confirm that it is Diana. See if we can find anything on William Reid's location. Dave, you and Mark go to the hospital and strengthen the protective detail. When William finds out we have his wife's body, he may try to reacquire Spencer." With their marching orders in hand, the group broke up.
000
Spencer lay awake, scared, but calmer than he would've been if Emily hadn't been in the room with him. He wished he could've stayed awake, because when he was awake the nightmares didn't come. At least…some of the nightmares, anyway. His whole life had been a nightmare after his mother had been sent away. Spencer knew she was sick, but she was a good mom. She'd never hurt him or screamed at him, unlike his father. Spencer could feel eyes on him and turned to where Emily had stretched out in the recliner. He saw the FBI agent was watching him and she smiled when their eyes met.
"Hi, sweetie. What are you thinking about?"
"Scawed." Spencer said, not bothering to explain.
Emily looked at him with maternal concern. "You're safe, kiddo. I promise."
"I miss mama." He said in a small voice.
An idea struck Emily. "What does your mom do when you're scared?"
Emily smiled when Spencer's face brightened. "Sometimes when my fawter was gone, she wet (let) me sweep (sleep) wit her and telled me stowies to distwact me fwom bein' scawed."
"She sounds like a good mom." Emily said, being careful to stay in the present tense. "Would doing what she does help you not be so scared?" Spencer nodded in response and Emily could see tears in his eyes. Deciding to go with her gut, Emily lowered the railing on one side of bed and climbed on, being careful of the I.V. on Spencer's other side. Laying on side, Emily took Spencer's hand and put her other arm above his head. "Better, honey?"
"Tank you, emwy."
"You're welcome, Spencer."
They stayed like that for a few minutes before Emily spoke. "Would you like a story, hon?"
"Pweas?"
"Let me see…" Emily paused, then decided to go with the tried and true method. "Once upon a time…"
000
The familiar scene of red and blue flashing lights, police vehicles and an ambulance greeted the Marshal and FBI agents when they arrived at the scene where Diana Reid's body had been discovered. As their SUV stopped, Hotch turned to Will. "Has the body been positively identified as Diana Reid yet?"
Will glanced at the screen of his blackberry for any texts. "None yet, agent Hotchner."
Max, Hotch and Will got out and made their way to the police tape where the scene had been cordoned off. "John, is it her?" Will asked, not bothering to clarify.
Chief Deputy Marshal Gregory looked away. "She just identified ten minutes ago. The body is that of Diana Reid. She was shot once in the temple. Looks like a nine-millimeter or thirty-eight Special."
"I'll call Morgan." Hotch said.
"Ok, find me when you're done. I'll be with the body." Ryan said as Hotch pulled out his cellphone.
Hotch waited as the phone rang twice. "What's up, Hotch?"
"We found Diana Reid's body."
"Body? Aw, man. Hotch, tell me we're somewhere close to catching this son of a bitch."
"I'm sending Dave and Mark to help with security. William will most likely try to either get Spencer back or kill him."
"I'll let you know when they get here. Do you want me to tell Prentiss?"
"I hate to do it, but I think she should be the one to tell Spencer."
Morgan sighed. He hated to put Emily in this position as well, but Spencer trusted her. "I tell her."
"Ok, I'll keep you posted. You do the same from your end."
"Will do." Both men disconnected.
000
Morgan clipped his phone back on his belt and leaned against the wall. From the little he'd seen of Spencer, he liked the kid. The little boy didn't deserve all the evil that had been thrust upon him by a man who was supposed to protect him. Derek decided in that moment that between Emily, their team and himself, they would show Spencer that there was decency and goodness in the world.
Now or never. He quietly pushed the door open to Spencer's room and made his way in just far enough to see the bed. What Derek saw brought a smile to his face. Emily was sleeping next to Spencer in the bed, holding the child's hand. Quietly backing out of the room, the profiler thought that Spencer and Emily had both found what they were searching for and begun to build a family, even though they'd only known each other a few hours. Derek thought the little boy couldn't have latched onto a better mother figure if he'd tried.