As the team's two SUV followed Sheriff Larkin's cruiser into the parking lot of the strip mall, the first thing the agents noticed was a roped off area surrounding a small, dark blue compact car in the middle of the lot. A deputy was standing guard while two members of the Crime Scene Investigation Department were busily going over it.
"Looks like we're in the right spot!" Hotch observed as he climbed out of the driver's seat.
"The witness?" JJ questioned, looking towards the stores.
"I would assume she is in that store over there," Hotch nodded towards a unit in the middle of the mall. "I see a deputy standing in front of it. Let's go!" He led the way across the lot.
"And, Reid – " Blake climbed out of the other vehicle and began leading the way towards the roped off area.
After Hotch and JJ had shown their credentials to the deputy stationed in front of The Music Box Store, they were allowed inside where they found Cindy Lewis sitting behind the counter talking with another deputy.
"Ms. Lewis?" JJ asked as she walked towards the back of the shop.
"Yes," the woman looked her in the eye. JJ smiled as she immediately took a liking the older woman in her flower print dress.
"I'm Agent Jareau and this is Agent Hotchner," JJ showed her credentials. "And, as you can imagine, we have some questions for you."
"I'll be glad to help any way I can!" the woman declared. "I didn't see a whole lot, but I'll do anything I can to help catch this guy. Women shouldn't have to walk around constantly looking over their shoulders!"
"I agree with that," Hotch told her. "Now, why don't you start at the beginning?"
"I was back here at the counter working on the books," Cindy began. "And, when I looked up to take a break, I saw a man in the parking lot standing next to a car with the trunk lid open. Something looked off, so I got up and walked closer to the front window so I could take a better look."
She stood up and led the way to her front window to demonstrate.
"That was when I realized he was moving what appeared to be a body," the woman shuddered. "Picking it up off the ground and stuffing it into the open trunk. I didn't hesitate - I just picked up my phone and dialed 911."
"And we're glad you did," JJ assured her. "The sooner we can get working on a case like this, the better our chances of catching the guy responsible."
"Okay, you saw the man and you saw his car?" Hotch asked. "How good a look did you get?"
"I 'kind of' saw him," Cindy replied. "His car was over there, and it is a bit of a distance so I didn't get a really clear view of him. However, I did get a good idea of what his car looked like.
"Although, I didn't get a license plate number," she added sadly. "When he pulled out of the lot he used the far entrance and I couldn't see it."
"She already told us which way the car went," the deputy interjected. "And we have deputies combing the area. We have also notified all officers in the surrounding jurisdictions to keep a look out."
"Good!" Hotch responded.
"Now, I know you didn't get a particularly good look at the man," JJ was calling up pictures on her cell phone. "However, we do have two pictures I would like to show you. Take a look and see if you think either of them resembles him."
JJ held up her cell phone with a picture on the screen. "Now, here is one," she said as Cindy carefully examined it.
"And, here is the other," JJ called up another picture.
"What do you think?" Hotch asked. "Do either of them look like the man you saw?"
"Let me look at the first picture again," Cindy requested.
"Okay," she began after taking a second look. "The first picture definitely is not the man. The second picture does look like him, but I wasn't close enough to get a really good look so I couldn't swear to it."
"Sheriff, our witness tentatively identified Steadman," Hotch was speaking into his cell phone. "We need to put out an all points bulletin."
"Now, the car," JJ followed up. "What can you tell us about that?"
"That I did get a good look at," the woman replied. "It was a rather large sedan in an ugly brown color. It was at least 10 years old, maybe more."
"Good – Thanks!" JJ concluded the interview. "You have been a great help and we really appreciate it!"
"Just one thing," Cindy asked hesitantly. "That woman he had – Was she already dead when I saw her?"
"We don't think so," Hotch told her.
"There is a good chance she is still alive," JJ added. "And, we are going to do our best to get her back!"
"I hope so!" Cindy said fervently. "I keep thinking that if I had just looked up a minute or two earlier – " She shook her head regretfully.
"If it makes you feel better," JJ told her. "I don't think there is anything you could have done. Once someone like this makes up their mind to act, they don't let anything get in their way."
"You will let me know – either way?" Cindy asked hesitantly.
"Of course!" JJ assured her.