JJ and Emily had been driving for 15 minutes when JJ turns to say something to her wife. She frowns when she sees what looks like fear on the brunette's face. She is about to ask what's wrong when it hits her.
"Oh, fuck, Em. Let's go back. Morgan or someone can go with me."
Emily's hands tighten on the steering wheel. "Am I that transparent?" she asks softly.
JJ shrugs. "Maybe not to others but you are to me. Look, this may not seem really comforting coming from me but this isn't the same as Winslow. We're going to someone's house, we're not camping out, and we're not after a rapist with a particular predilection."
Emily nods. "I know all that. In fact, I was more worried about you when we left. It just kind of hit me when I got in the SUV." She rolls her shoulder. "Who the hell knows why but it did."
"Sweetheart, it's your first case back with us and we're heading into the wilderness. It would probably be stranger if it didn't give you pause." She reaches over and eases Emily's right hand from the steering wheel. "I swear to you, Emily Prentiss, I will not let anything happen to you."
Emily smiles and squeezes her wife's hand, her thumb stroking the wedding and engagement rings. "I believe you, sweetheart. Thank you."
JJ lifts their hands and kisses Emily's knuckles. She feels the tension leave her wife and knows everything will be okay.
At 2:30 the male agents on the team come together to discuss what they know so far.
"A whole lot of nothing," Rossi states to start.
Reid is busy flipping through information on jail employees that Emily hadn't gotten to yet. Suddenly he pauses.
"I know that name…" he mumbles.
Hotch looks at him. "What, Reid?"
"This name," he pulls out the brief on the man. "I know his name but not from this case. It's from a consult."
He sits back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. The other three wait patiently knowing he is reading through the reams of information in his mind to find the appropriate case. He suddenly leaps to his feet and races to one of the whiteboards. He starts to write in his own version of shorthand the pertinent details of the case.
Morgan reaches over and picks up the brief the young agent had dropped onto the table. He pulls out his phone.
"Garcia, can you do a deep run on Corrections Officer Sydney Vetch. Crosscheck him with your crime search."
Garcia types a few seconds. "Oh, you are so good, Derek Morgan."
"Wasn't me, Baby Girl. Reid found him."
"Then the Boy Wonder lives up to his name. Two years ago Vetch's sister was raped and murdered."
"By a John," Reid interrupts. "She was hooking to pay for her drug use."
Hotch nods. "And let me guess: Norma Stiles was one of her close co-workers?"
"No, actually," Garcia says. "But Barbara Vetch's criminal life is a mirror image to Stiles' criminal life. She was killed when the guy she was, uh, servicing, flipped out and stabbed her 5 times in the chest and several more times in her, oh ouch, genitals."
Rossi frowns. "So she was sexually mutilated. Our unsub hasn't gone down that road. If his sister's murder was the stressor why didn't he go that way?"
"Because to mutilate makes him as bad as the John. What happened to him, Garcia?" Hotch asks.
"Case went to trial and his lawyers of course put the victim on trial. Their case got a boost when the murder weapon was lost and the forensic evidence was found to have been compromised."
Hotch looks at Reid. "How did this come to us?"
"That's why the name jumped out. Sydney Vetch sent it to us. He had pulled out the information showing the suspect got off. He wanted us to find new evidence so the trial could happen again," Reid explains. "JJ and I worked hard on the refusal letter because we knew he was grieving. We had to explain Double Jeopardy and that the local police knew the killer but mistakes were made that are beyond what we can fix."
"That explains his race to the media," Hotch says. "He heard we were called in to find him when we couldn't come to find justice for his sister. Garcia, since I know by now you've already looked up his files, how tall is Sydney Vetch?"
"He lists as 5'8" which probably means 5'6" tops. Men always lie to appear taller."
Reid frowns. "I don't."
"Because you are above average in oh so many ways," Garcia replies, as the others grin.
"Current address, Garcia?"
"Already in your inbox, sir. And before you ask, no he's not working today."
"Of course it is. Good work, Garcia." As Morgan hangs up, Hotch looks at Reid. "So, is this what has you and Emily wondering what is missing?"
Reid frowns. "Honestly, I don't know. I won't until we speak to him."
"Then you and Morgan go speak with him. If you can agree to get him to come in, do so. If not just get what you can from him." After the two agents leave, Hotch looks at Rossi and sees the man doesn't look happy. "What?"
"A year ago he's asking our help. That means it has been at least that long since his sister's killer got away with murder. Why now? What is driving the spree to start now? That doesn't make sense to me."
Hotch considers this a moment. "You're right. Let's see what Garcia pulls up on the deep background. Maybe something in there will tell us why he waited so long."
"If he is, in fact, our unsub," Rossi finishes.
Hotch sighs. In case Vetch isn't the man, he sits down so he and Rossi can continue to pour over the briefs on the flagged workers.
Due to a car accident on Route 18 it is nearly 3 p.m. before Emily and JJ reach Willamina. They text Hotch to let them know how far behind they are as Emily starts to follow the directions to the remote home of Judith Porter. She finally turns onto the dirt driveway (that she nearly missed) and creeps her way up to the cabin in the woods.
"Yep…just like the Friday the 13th movies," JJ mutters.
Emily just chuckles. As she gets out of the SUV, a woman in her late 60's steps out of the house, a shotgun in her hands. Emily immediately throws her hands up.
"Whoa! Mrs. Porter, I'm SSA Emily Prentiss, this is SSA Jennifer Jareau of the FBI. We need to speak with you about Norma."
"She's dead. My neighbor already told me."
"Yes, ma'am. We're very sorry for you loss," Emily says. From the corner of her eye she can see JJ frozen on the other side of the hood of their vehicle. Though JJ's hands are up, Emily knows her wife is calculating the shot she would have to take if the shotgun is raised. "We have some questions about her that we hope can help us find her killer."
"Figured one of those bastards she fucked for money killed her," she says bluntly.
Emily shakes her head. "No, ma'am. She was killed by a vigilante who for some reason felt she needed to be removed from the streets."
Judith studies the two women a moment then lowers the gun to her side. "Come on in. Not sure how much I can tell you but I'll try."
Emily nods. "Thank you, ma'am."
She and JJ exchange a relieved look and follow the woman inside. Emily takes a moment to study the cabin. Though small it is cute and Judith obviously has all the comforts she wants. A small table holds a CB and a radio. An old fashioned record player sits in the corner with a stack of albums beside it and one still on the turntable. Simple needs for a lady looking for a simple life.
"This is nice," JJ breaks the silence. "Very quaint."
"Well, it's not much to some but to me it's home. Now, what might I be able to tell you about Norma?"
Emily and JJ sit down on the loveseat as Judith sits in the armchair.
"When was the last time you spoke to your granddaughter?" Emily asks.
"It was…three…no, four weeks ago. She'd been arrested again. Needed bail money because she still owed her bondman from the last time so he wouldn't pay again."
"So you bailed her out?" Emily confirms.
Judith sighs. "I shouldn't have but I did. She is all I have left, Agents. I kept thinking 'maybe this is the time'. I wished for it. I offered her money for rehab. I offered to let her live here to get away from all the drugs and other stuff she was into down there." She pulls a handkerchief from her pocket and starts to play with it. "But she wasn't ready to get well. And now…now she's finally at peace. Or at least I hope she is."
"I'm sure she is," JJ agrees kindly. "Did she happen to mention anyone that made her nervous? Or had maybe been harassing her?"
Judith thinks a second and shakes her head. "Only the usual. Men who were rough or who thought $20 gets them whatever they want. And a couple of times she got behind with her dealer." She looks up sharply. "Don't you dare judge me but I bailed her out with him, too. She couldn't heal if that bastard killed her. At least…at least that's what I told myself."
"It's hard to help someone when they won't help themselves. But it's even harder to let them fall," Emily says compassionately.
Judith smiles. "Thank you. So you see, Agents, as much as I wish I could point you in the direction of the person that killed Norma I just don't know what more to tell you."
"What about the name of her dealer?" JJ asks.
"I only know him by the name she called him which was Striker. Not sure if that's a real name or a street name. She did have one woman she was, well, for lack of a better word, friends with. Another hooker named Mimi. I doubt that was her real name, though. They were in jail together last time and Norma asked if I would bail her out, too, since she has a 2 year old son." She shrugs. "What the hell…I did. Maybe she'll turn her life around before she ruins her little boy's life."
Emily and JJ stay for 10 more minutes but it becomes obvious the woman has no more information that could help them. As they stand to go, JJ hands her a business card.
"If you think of anything else, please contact me or Detective Ortiz in Portland."
"I will. Can you…you make sure I'm told who did it if you find them?"
JJ smiles. "Of course. I'll do my best to contact you personally."
Emily and JJ walk out to their Suburban just as it starts to rain. Emily groans.
"The woods and rain. Karma is kicking my ass today for my faults," she mutters.
JJ just smiles. Judith waves to them as the agents start the drive back to Portland. JJ pulls out her phone to let Hotch know what they've found out but she has no signal.
"We really are in the middle of nowhere."
Emily nods. "Yep."
She turns the wipers up to max as the bottom drops out and the rain pounds down on them. Emily leans closer to the steering wheel as if that would help her see better. JJ looks out and up.
"This looks like it may last a while."
"Uh huh."
JJ looks at her wife. "You okay?"
"We're on a dirt road in a downpour. Flashfloods and washouts are words dancing in my head."
"Oh. Right. We'll the paved road should be just ahead."
Emily nods but barely breathes until she finally does turn back onto the state road from the private drive. She is still creeping along due to rain causing very little visibility. After a while she shakes her head.
"Something's wrong. JJ, get out the GPS."
JJ glances at her wife. The slip of using her initials tells her Emily is really concerned. She pulls out the unit and turns it on. She frowns.
"You missed a turn, honey."
"FUCK! I thought so. Anyplace I can turn around?"
"Uh, there's a turn off a little ways up the road. You should be approaching it…now."
Emily slows even more until she sees the small road JJ had found. She turns onto it, planning to do a three point turn.
The mud has other ideas.
The Suburban jerks as the front end sinks into the muck.
"SON of a BITCH!" Emily hollers.
She puts it in reverse but can't get the traction she needs to back out. She engages the 4-wheel drive and tries to drive forward but only gets the front AND back tires stuck. She turns off the engine and drops her head back onto the headrest.
"We're stuck."
JJ is shaking her head. "NOT funny, Prentiss! Get us the hell out of here!"
"Jen, we're stuck in the mud. We're not getting out without a tow."
JJ whips out her phone…still no signal. She digs in her briefcase for her personal phone. Still no signal.
"No. No. No. No. I am not dying in the woods in the rain because some serial killing, hockey-mask wearing freak is out there!"
Emily slowly turns her head, unable to stop a giggle. "Jennifer, we'll be fine. We just have to wait for someone to drive by or the rain to let up. We'll be fine."
JJ grabs Emily by the collar. "NOT if a serial killing, hockey-mask wearing freak is out there!"
Emily slowly uncurls the fingers from her jacket. "Jennifer, there isn't. And even if there is we are FBI agents with side arms, a shotgun, and tear gas. We'll be fine. Take a deep breath, sweetheart. We are going to be fine."
"The computers! Their aircards will- -"
"Be as useless as our cell phones, honey," Emily concludes.
JJ slumps down. "Fuck. You're right. What the hell do we do?"
"We could pop into the backseat and make out," Emily suggests.
JJ rolls her eyes. "So not happening when I am in fear for my life."
"It would take your mind off of the fear."
"Prentiss, you're not getting laid in an agency vehicle so forget the fantasy."
Emily sighs. "Fine. Then I'll pop in the back and stretch out. From the clouds overhead I'd say we're here for a while."
She unhooks her seat belt and jumps over into the backseat. She has just stretched out when she sees JJ starting over.
"What are you doing?"
"You are so not leaving me alone up here!"
"I'm only 2 feet away!"
"That's 2 feet too far!"
Emily stops her. "Wait! Okay, just wait a second."
Emily pops into the back cargo area. She wrestles with the middle seat and drops it down giving them plenty of room to stretch out. She grabs the two emergency blankets and turns to her wife.
"Come on."
JJ scrambles over the seat. Emily folds up the blankets like pillows and lies down. JJ nestles into her arms. Emily feels the blonde shivering. She kisses her forehead and reaches for the blanket JJ isn't using as a pillow. Together they drape it over themselves. Emily strokes the arm JJ has across her stomach.
"Jennifer, we will be okay. I promise you."
"I'm sorry, Emily. I just…hate the woods."
Emily bites her lip, thinking a minute. "In Winslow would you have- -"
"In a heartbeat, Emily. I'd have gone to keep you safe since you were the unsubs type. I'd have had nightmares for weeks so it's really no different than what happened since you went."
Emily pulls her close and kisses her gently. "Thank you, Jennifer. I love you so much."
"I love you, too." After a moment she sighs. "I'm glad we called the kids while we were stuck in traffic. At least they won't be worried about us."
Emily nods. "Me, too. Jen, Hotch knows where we are. Even if no one happens by us he'll realize something's not right when we don't get back in touch with him by 5 or so."
JJ starts to respond but just then thunder rocks the vehicle. JJ clenches her wife even tighter. Emily holds her as tightly as possible, loving the feeling of protecting her wife.
"I've got you, Jennifer. Nothing will happen to you, sweetheart. I promise. I've got you."
She starts to softly sing to her wife, trying to comfort her the way she comforts their children. It takes a bit longer but JJ does finally fall asleep. Emily sighs in contentment. Regardless of the fact that they were stuck in the middle of nowhere, there is no place Emily would rather be than cuddled up to her wife.