Alone
Sorry again for skipping a day- but thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, it literally makes my day hearing your feedback. Anyway, onwards to Chapter Five! - Cassidy
Reid entered the conference room first and immediately sat down, only mustering a momentary glance at his teammates before grabbing his bag to dig out the case file. Hotch followed him in meeting JJ's same concerned eyes that had cued his exit a few minutes earlier. Hotch began to brief Rossi and Morgan on their latest victim. Morgan interrupted him,
"Wait, ADD John Wolf? Didn't he just retire, like, 6 months ago?" Reid answered, not looking anywhere in particular, but certainly not at Morgan,
"5 months and 13 days ago," Morgan looked at his young friend questioningly— it wasn't uncommon for Reid to know random facts like that, but still. Reid debated with himself, internally whether or not he wanted to admit his relationship with John to the whole of the team; they did deserve an explanation as to why he was acting so strangely. Reid thought, I'll just inform them of John's situation and hopefully they'll make the assumption themselves and I won't have to explain any further.
"He was clean for 21 years and has sponsored several other addicts into successful recovery. He attended and ran weekly meetings, specifically, for addicts working as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs," The rest of his colleagues stared at him, not out of judgement but out of understanding, with JJ being the first to make the leap. Just then Reid had an epiphany as to how they might find their unsub, "Wait, so if we're operating on the idea that our unsub goes to different meetings to pick out his victims then that's where he would've had to have met John, therefore he'd have to be apart of one of those professions," Rossi challenged Reid's statement,
"Not necessarily, couldn't he have just lied his way in?" Reid rebutted,
"Because there's so much degradation for addicts in jobs of this nature the meetings are fairly exclusive— attendees are required to present their badge upon entering, so I mean unless this unsub made a fake badge— which is unlikely— I think that's where we should be looking". Hotch picked up right after his last sentence,
"Good, Garcia I want you to search for any law enforcement officers, firefighters, or EMT's convicted of drug abuse or possession and/or who may have been fired or quit within the last 3 months— that could be related to drugs; Morgan and JJ, I'll have you go to the crime scene, see if our unsub left anything new; and Rossi, you can go check out the victim's meeting again, hopefully you'll have more luck this time; and Reid, you and I are going to stay here, Clara Wolf will be here in an hour," As the group got up to execute their jobs, Reid pulled Hotch aside,
"Send me instead of Rossi, they're not gonna talk to him, they might talk to me," Hotch had considered this, he just didn't know how okay Reid would be with going back there,
"Are you comfortable with that?"
"Yeah, no I'll be fine— I know these guys" Reid assured. Hotch tried to read his agent's face for any signs of nervousness and then asked something he'd been wondering about for the last few days,
"When's the last time you attended a meeting?" Reid was caught off guard by the question, but understood why he'd asked it— depending on how long the unsub had been scoping out the different programs, Reid could potentially be in jeopardy. Reid answered reluctantly, looking down and then back up to meet his colleague's eyes,
"I, uh, went a few times after Gideon, the last one six weeks ago. I… it just— it brought back memories of when he left, you know, when I was just getting over the… drugs, and everything," There it was, the first actual uttering of the word— drugs, "John, actually was uh, he— I talked to him… about it" Reid's eye's returned to the floor, ears burning red. Hotch could sense Reid's shame,
"You don't need to explain yourself, Reid. I understand… You were right in seeking solace in your friend who could relate. Don't ever feel embarrassed for wanting help. I'm sorry., again, that you lost such a reliable confidante." Silence hung in the air all for but a minute before the unit chief spoke again, "You can go to the meeting, ask around, see if someone's noticed anyone who just started the program or was exhibiting odd behavior, maybe even if John had just started sponsoring someone new," Reid nodded as Hotch then proceeded to try to catch Rossi before he left. Reid was feeling a strange mixture of things, he was still shaking, his headache was back, he was anxious, but he also felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Finally opening up to one of his teammates about his drug addiction and having them be supportive and understanding was amazing. Not that he thought they'd be judgmental of him, but maybe more that they might pity him, or try to push him into discussing the details beyond what was comfortable for him. Hotch didn't do that. There might've been some concern, but no pity. He might've asked questions, but respectfully so and unobtrusively. Reid gathered his belongings and left for Pillar Baptist Church, where the BCC meetings were held.
After Hotch informed Rossi that he'd be interviewing Mrs. Wolf with him, he thought back to the past two and a half months since Gideon's death; how had I not noticed Reid struggling? Did I just mistake the signs for grief? Whatever had happened, he surely was not going to neglect his youngest agent again. Now that this unspoken secret had been spoken about, he would be able to inquire more directly about Reid's wellbeing and hoped the doctor would be receptive of his aid.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, don't forget to follow/fav/review :D - Cassidy