Hi everyone! Hope you've all had a fabulous week! Thanks for reading!
Lenika08: Hotch toma tiempo para construir relaciones-le gustará clara pronto.
Lea: Haha I love writing about their friendship! I sometimes chuckle at it myself. Thank you! Hotch is a hard person to crack and I didn't want to rush it with him. Hope you like this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!
Happy reading!
Chapter Twenty.
After our food arrived I opted for a bath, I had to bring my bag in with me because I'm pretty sure Reid wouldn't be very comfortable with a women walking round in a towel. As I waited for the tub to fill, I sat on the floor with my hands in my bag – searching for fresh underwear and my sweats.
"Hey Clara?" Reid knocked on the door and I looked up, shouting my reply so he could hear me over the sound of running water.
"What's up?!" I stood, folding my clothes and putting them neatly on the counter beside the sink alongside my toiletries.
"I've just got to head downstairs a second to meet Morgan. He doesn't want to come to the door in case he's followed."
I pulled the door open, crossing my arms. "Sure, just be careful okay?"
"I always am." He replied, smiling before turning away and walking out the room -shutting the door firmly behind him. I let out a deep sigh, turning back into the bathroom to turn off the taps, my fingertips swirling the water and bubbles around.
"If only I had some wine…" I muttered before slowly turning around with a slightly smug grin on my face. "Mini bar…" I walked out the bathroom and crouched down, opening it up to find a small bottle of rose wine. "There is a God." I breathed before grabbing it, picking up another small glass to go with it.
I walked into the bathroom, pouring the wine into the glass before undressing and stepping into the hot water. I let out a pleasured sigh, sinking deeper into the water to dunk my head – my fingers brushing through my hair before resurfacing. I didn't have a bath tub at home so it's moments like this where I try and relax the best I can and the wine certainly helps.
"Hey Morgan." Reid spoke as he approached, making his colleague aware of his presence.
"Reid, hows everything going?" Morgan kept his eyes looking around the place before handing Reid his go bag which he left at the station. "Red okay?"
"She's doing alright, I think she's more angry than scared right now." They moved to sit at one of the tables in the lobby, making sure to face the entrance.
"Do you really believe that? It could all be for show." Morgan sat back in the chair, looking at Reid. "That last victim was messed up bad Reid, we found out that she's been missing for months, she was pregnant when he killed her."
"Months? The previous victims were kept for at least two weeks, what's so special about this one?" Reid asked, his fingers tapping against the edge of the table. "It is possible that the latest victim was actually the first, the others were just play things, he did what he wanted and then he got rid of them." He paused "Is there anything more about this girl that is different to the others?"
Morgan took out his phone, looking at some files he got sent there. "The first victims that were found were American, the last girl was British."
"He kept her the longest because she most resembled Clara." Reid tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.
"I'll call the rest of the team. You should head back up." Morgan stood, giving Reid's shoulder a slight tap as he walked past. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Keep us updated!" He called after him before he stood, walking down the hall and toward the elevators.
I hummed to myself, taking sips of wine every so often as I let the hot water relax my tight muscles. I felt so bloody useless with this case, I just don't understand why I can't figure this out? I let out a groan, my head rolling back against the rim of the tub.
"Think." I growled, my hand hitting my forehead gently. "I moved out my flat, I walked straight into a taxi and headed to the airport." I paused, starting to recall the memories. "Once at the airport I went through security, still no conversation or interaction with anyone." I closed my eyes, dropping back into the memory.
I was now sat at the bar, grabbing some food and a few drinks to get me through the flight. Everything appeared pretty normal, my eyes scanned the airport around me, my gaze briefly drifting over peoples faces – my eyes landed on a newly wed couple who were going on their honeymoon. They were so loved up, hands wrapped around each other's waist as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes.
"Gross." I rolled my eyes, turning back to my vodka tonic.
"Not a fan of the romance huh?" A deep American accent came from my left, causing my head to turn. He wasn't terrible looking but it wasn't that which caught my attention – it was the shear size of the man. He must have been at least six foot two, maybe three? And he was built like the hulk. I'm not joking when I say that it looked like he could rip out his shirt at any moment.
"Uh no, not particularly." I turned back to my drink, swirling the ice round the glass before taking another sip.
"That's your third one. Shouldn't you slow down?" He asked, genuine concern in his voice. Yet again I rolled my eyes, crossing my leg over the other as I swivelled on the stool.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was counting." I grabbed my glass and tipped the rest of the liquid down my throat, my hand sliding the strap of my bag onto my shoulder. "If you'll excuse me." I stood, walking away from him. What a freak, what kind of guy sits in an airport bar counting how many drinks a person has.
The next part of my memory moved to when I began to board the plane, I was stood at the front of the plane – looking down the queue of people who refused to move so it would allow others to move past and take their seat. I muttered a swear word under my breath, briefly paying attention to the air attendant directing me to my seat.
"Thanks." I whispered, moving down the right side of the plan – gripping onto my bag as I searched for my seat. "Here we are." I looked down the aisle into economy, my eyes drifting over a few more faces before I slumped down into my seat.
I paused at this part, rewinding to when I looked down the aisle. That creep at the bar was there again, his face partially hidden by the person standing in front of him. I moved forward to when I was waiting for my luggage, he was there again – watching from within a crowd of tourists. I fast forwarded again to when I placed my luggage in a taxi, my eyes looking up to across to the bus station across the street. There he was again. It's him…
My eyes opened, my body sitting up right which caused some of the water to splash over the sides of the bath. "I need to speak to Reid." I climbed out the bath, grabbing the towel and quickly drying myself with it. "It has to be him…" I whispered, pulling on my yoga pants. "He was the only one…" I grabbed my baggy t-shirt, pulling it on over my head before scrubbing my hair with the towel.
"Hey Doc you back yet?" I called as I excited the bathroom, looking around the room. I picked up my phone, scrolling through my contacts before the door knocked. "Thank god."
I strode across the room, my hand turning the handle and opening the door. "Shit…" I quickly tried to slam it shut but his boot stopped it.
"Don't be like that!" He shouted, pushing his way in causing me to stumble backwards against the table, my ribs slamming into the side. "I've been waiting for you." He whispered as he walked in, which made my body react and turn to run and dive across the bed, my hands fumbling to get my gun.
"I didn't ask you to!" I screamed as he grabbed at my ankles, dragging me back toward him. "Get away from me!" He pressed his body against me and I kneed him in the groin and smacked my elbow into his eye socket – allowing me the room to scramble across my bed again, my body tumbling over the side as my the gun fell into my hand. I fumbled with the safety and aimed it at an empty space, my heart racing as my gaze scanned the vacant room.
"Come out you coward!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my stomach turning as I fought to control the urge to throw up. I stood, slowly searching the room with my gun still raised. "He's gone…" I whispered, lowering the gun as I let out a shaky breath.
"Clara?!" Reid called and I jumped, my gun aimed straight at his head.
"Spencer…" I looked at him, my breathing ragged. The adrenaline pumping round my body as I slowly lowered the gun.
"What happened?"
"He found me…"