Even with Kevin's assistance, Garcia had a lot of work to do. She first pulled all available the tapes from the campus security cameras and gave them to Kevin to review while she began checking traffic cams in the area, going back four weeks. When neither of them could find anything, they began searching security tapes from nearby ATMs, both on campus and off. Again, they were unsuccessful.
Erin Strauss spent several hours that afternoon in a meeting with the Director of the FBI and his immediate subordinates, where the abductions were discussed, and additional security measures put into place. When she finally returned to her office, she promptly called Hotch and Reid to join her.
"I don't know what to say," she began when they were seated. "I'm the one who sent Dr. Nielson over to the Career Center to deliver those brochures. Somehow, I feel like this is at least partially my fault."
"With all due respect, Ma'am," Hotch told her. "You had no way of knowing the unsub would be in the area, let along that they would target Chris – Dr. Nielson."
"You sent her on purpose!" Reid exploded angrily. "You could have sent one of our people or mailed them or taken them yourself! You just wanted to show your authority by ordering her around!"
"Reid!" Hotch remonstrated.
"That's okay, Agent Hotchner," Strauss interrupted. "He's right. I should have sent an agent. They would have known how to deal with the situation. Because of me, we now have an unprepared civilian in danger."
"And, the best way to deal with this is to continue working the case so we can get her out of danger," Hotch told his supervisor as he stood up to leave. "If you will excuse us?"
As the two agents left Strauss' office, Reid turned to say something to her, but Hotch wisely pulled him away.