Thank you for your many reviews, it's always nice to see people following my stories... By the way, I haven't received any suggestions for the next story I should write. I am looking for a prompt challenge for my next H/P story. Do not hesitate to PM or tell me in a review if you'd like me to write on a specific idea.

"Garcia, did you get any further with investigating the life of our latest victim?"

The screen of the laptop suddenly filled with Garcia's face as she sat down in front of her webcam. Her voice echoed through the jet. She wished a good morning to the whole team. She hadn't been there at the briefing but had been filled in by JJ over the phone.

"Dear friends, I found… absolutely nothing, I'm sorry to say. Like our first two victims, Lindsay had a flawless life. No criminal record, neither in the family or boyfriends. She was studying international politics at Emory, had a part-time job besides as a waitress. She never filed in any claim, never had any fine…"

"Could you locate his boyfriend the night of her death?" Morgan cut in. He was the closest to the screen, facing Hotch on the other side. The rest of the team was either standing or sitting randomly in the plane.

"Ah, the boyfriend…" Nervous typing was heard through the computer as Garcia checked her research again. "Nope, my love. He is out of the picture. Was spotted by CCTV of a bar at ten thirty that night. And from that same camera, we know…" She paused to look at her screen again. "… that he went out of that bar – not alone, if I might add – at two o'clock."

JJ sighed. She had just come back from the kitchen area with two mugs of coffee in hand, and handed the second mug Rossi.

"So much for that… What about her work? The second victim too worked as a waitress…" The blonde said, taking a sip from her hot beverage.

"I can see what you're driving at," Garcia answered with a light tone, "but their paths never crossed. They worked at two different bars, in different areas of town."

Rossi and Morgan looked at each other. Each time they thought they had a lead, things didn't fit. It had been like this since the morning and their first overview of the profile. There seemed to be no common point whatsoever between Chloé, Eva and Lindsay, the three victims, except their age (between 24 and 30) and the way they died.

"Maybe we should concentrate on the profile again." Prentiss shot in, leaning back into her seat. "We profiled the unsub as a solitary man, between 25 and 45. He could very well be a client of the bars the girls were working in. Did the first victim had a side job too?"

Hotch looked at the brunette. He was astonished how quickly she could switch off her feelings and turn back into working mode. He himself had had many difficulties focusing completely on the case since they had had their latest conversation in his car. It had been followed by a long silence until they had reached Emily's apartment building. Emily obviously didn't want to talk anymore – or she thought that she might break down if she said one more word. Either way, when they had arrived, the brunette had literally jumped out of the car, muttering something about being quick. Hotch had used the fifteen minutes she had left him there to think about his conversation with Rossi. The man had managed to raise suspicions within Hotch. Had Emily told him everything?

"Hotch?" He snapped out of his daydreaming and looked Reid in the eye.

"What?"

"I said, have you had any chance reaching local police?" The younger agent looked at him strangely. "I thought maybe we should check whether other waitresses had filed in claims for assault or harassment."

Hotch nodded. "Garcia? Can you call local PD and check that? I think the one in charge is Detective Peterson." He recalled from the original files. When he raised his head, he met the curious gaze of Rossi, who had visibly witnessed the man's confusion. Hotch shot him an angry look and the elderly agent looked away.

"Ok Boss man" Garcia called out and finished the video-conference. The team settled back into its routine. They still had over two hours flight programmed, and would have to wait for Garcia's research results. So Reid changed seats with Hotch so they could play a little chess, and JJ sat down comfortably in her seat to start a new book. Rossi, who had seen Hotch – who was walking to the front of the plane – yawn for the third time in the last hour, came to stand by his seat and patted his shoulder.

"You should sleep a bit."

"Stop being so patronizing. We have a killer on the loose…"

"… once again," Rossi cut in. "It's no news, and we need a unit chief who is at his best when we land. So use the next hour to sleep."

Rossi was sent away by an angry Hotch, but seemed satisfied as he looked back and saw his friend finally close his eyes and lean back into his seat. He then went onto his next mission: find Emily, who had gone to the kitchenette to refill her mug of coffee.

"Can I have some, too?" he said, stretching his arm to fish another cup above the coffee machine.

Emily looked sideways and acknowledged his presence with a nod. She seemed even more tired than Hotch, thought Rossi as his eyes travelled from the bruise on her jaw to the one on her wrist. She had been careful to wear a long-sleeved blouse, but the bluish color came to light when she used her right hand to pour coffee in his cup.

"So, wanna tell me what really happened?"

Emily chuckled but there was no humor in her grin, rather irony.

"You're direct, at least, Rossi." She avoided his gaze and looked at her smoking coffee instead. "I told everyone this morning."

"Emily, I talked with Hotch. I know about the assault, I know about the car accident – which you forgot to mention…"

"I didn't want the team all over me when we have a case in our hands." She interrupted calmly.

"… Anyway. What I want to know is why you haven't told the whole truth to Hotch."

The brunette chocked on her beverage and turned around, trying to read Rossi's mind. He was probably the best profiler when it came to assessing his colleagues.