Chapter 17
Exiting the elevator on the sixth floor, Prentiss, Reid, and JJ walked through the double Plexiglas doors of the BAU. The blond walked in the opposite direction from the others, and hurried to her office. Reid and Prentiss stopped at their desks long enough to gather several file folders on the Rohypnol rapist case, and headed to the conference room. Prentiss walked over to a whiteboard, and picked up a marker pen while Reid sat on the edge of the round-table behind her with arms folded across his chest. For the moment, he watched as Prentiss drew a line down the middle of the board. She labeled one side 'PROFILE' and the other 'UNKNOWN.' She looked around at the younger agent. "Let's start with what we came up with about our UnSub."
"We determined he is a power assertive rapist. He's white, between thirty-five and forty years of age, and in apparently good physical condition to be able to subdue grown men. He has a vehicle, probably a van or a truck in which to transport his victims. We also determined he was somehow able to get close enough to his victims to slip the Rohypnol into their drinks, or have somebody do it for him. That makes him very non-threatening in appearance. People feel comfortable around him."
Emily turned back to Reid again. "Victimology showed that Hotch resembles the other victims; he's tall, dark-haired, and in his forties," he said. Prentiss added that to the board. "He's also organized," Reid added. "He plans his crimes once he chooses a victim. His crimes are premeditated. And he left us no clues in Milwaukee or where Hotch was found."
"The medical examiner in Milwaukee found semen from only one person," Emily explained. "So that tells us the UnSub acted alone." She took a deep breath.
"And he had to stalk his victims to learn their habits," Reid added. "He's also a sexual sadist. He derives great pleasure in the rape and sodomizing of his victims."
After listing everything for the profile, the dark-haired agent took a step back to study the list. With a sigh, she moved onto the 'UNKNOWN' side. She looked back at Reid again. "Okay, what do we need to find out?" She turned back to the board.
"We need to find out what caused him to change his behavior when it came to Hotch," Reid explained. "He went completely off script when he attacked Hotch. He suddenly needed to have somebody Hotch knows help kidnap him. I mean, all this time he's worked alone. Why the sudden change in his MO?"
Prentiss shrugged as she glanced at Reid. "Perhaps he figured Hotch needed special handling."
"What do you mean?" Reid's eyes narrowed.
"He could have believed it might be easier to lure Hotch into letting his guard down if he was approached by a friend as opposed to a stranger."
Reid considered what Emily had said. "But that raises the question as to how he found out Wheaton and Hotch were friends. I mean, when Rossi and Morgan questioned him, he said the UnSub asked him if he was friends with Hotch. Wheaton lied to him. The UnSub then warned him not to lie again. That tells me our UnSub already knew Hotch and Wheaton were friends."
"Okay," Emily turned and wrote on the board again. "So we need to find out how the UnSub found out about Hotch and Wheaton." She stepped back to allow Reid to see the board.
Reid studied the list of 'UNKNOWNS' for several seconds. "Something just occurred to me. I think our UnSub is exhibiting all the signs of being a psychopath. When we were in Milwaukee, there was something that bothered me, even though Garcia found nothing when she did her search."
"What's that?"
"This guy didn't wake up one day and decide to kidnap, drug, and rape men. We figured he had done this before, and we just hadn't found anything. We need Garcia to check nationwide instead of just in Milwaukee and the surrounding states. We also have nothing to prove either the babysitter or Alana are dead. So unless we find a body, we have to assume they're both still alive. But I find it strange that the UnSub never mentions the babysitter when he threatens Wheaton."
"Need further research by Garcia," Emily wrote. She exhaled through her mouth. She looked at what had been written on both sides. Then, she moved closer again and wrote something else under the 'UNKNOWN' section. Knowing Reid couldn't see what she was writing, she verbalized as she wrote.
"We also need to find out what made him choose Wheaton." She turned. "He could have chosen anybody, but he chose Darryl Wheaton. Wheaton hadn't seen Hotch in years, so why choose him?"
Reid looked at her. "Wheaton was desperate for work and had a child to support," he explained. "He used that desperation for work to lure Wheaton, knowing the man would accept his job offer."
"I agree. But, if our UnSub already knew Wheaton and Hotch were friends, that means he had to have been watching them for a while. So my question is, how long had he been stalking them before he approached Wheaton?"
Reid's eyes narrowed. "We may have to go back to Hotch's days at Georgetown since that's where Hotch and Wheaton first crossed paths with each other."
Prentiss removed her cell phone, scanned her list of contacts until she came to Garcia's name. She put the phone on speaker.
"Office of the All-Knowing Goddess of Technology. How can I dazzle my raven-haired beauty?"
Emily smiled. "Garcia, we need, as Morgan always says, for you to work your magic."
Garcia stretched her fingers, preparing for what was to be asked of her. "These magic fingers are the magic wands. What dost thy raven-haired beauty wish from moi?"
"We need you to check out a few things for us."
"Is this related to the sickos who attacked my liege?"
"In a manner of speaking."
"Your wish is my command, my beauty. Lay it on me."
"When we were on the Rohypnol rapist case, Hotch had you check the Milwaukee area and surrounding states for similar crimes and you found nothing. I want you to check VICAP this time for any crimes that match those of the Rohypnol rapist."(1)
"Anything else, my fine furry friend?"
"Just one more thing. I also need you to check Georgetown University around the time Hotch was a student there."
"And what am I looking for exactly?"
"You're looking for any students who may have been reprimanded, suspended, or expelled no matter what the reason. And pay particular attention to anything involving sexual and/or physical assault. Also, find out if during Hotch's time there, were there any unusual events or occurrences which took place."
"What do you mean by unusual?"
"By unusual we mean anything happened during Hotch's time there that wasn't normal," Reid added. "Or anybody who may have given him problems."
"Rest assured I shall leave no stone unturned," Garcia responded. "I will seek out any slime balls out there to be found. Garcia out." The call disconnected. With a shake of her head, Prentiss tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder. Then she and Reid both sat at the round table to start going through the files in front of them.
Morgan parked the team's SUV outside the Columbus hotel and climbed out from behind the steering wheel, Rossi from the front passenger seat, and Moeller from the back seat. They stood and studied the building's exterior.
The hotel, from what they could tell, had probably been glamorous in its heyday, but time, weather, and age had taken its toll on the place. But despite its worn exterior, the place still looked well maintained. The trio walked inside and to their surprise, the interior looked much better. The walls had a fresh coat of pale yellow paint which went well with the gold carpet. The furnishings looked brand new and the assorted potted plants were dust-free. The two agents and detective walked to the front mahogany desk. A rather young-looking desk clerk glanced up from his magazine, annoyed at the interruption. That is until he saw the men hold up their credentials. He swallowed hard. Two feds and a cop? What could they want?
"Nice place," Rossi remarked. "We're agents Rossi and Morgan of the FBI. And this gentleman is Detective Moeller."
The desk clerk, magazine forgotten, straightened his posture. "Always glad to help the police. What can I do for you gentlemen?"
"Well…" Morgan looked at the ID tag on the clerk's jacket. "…Mason…we're hoping you can help us."
"How can I help the FBI and the police?"
Rossi stared at the kid. "We'd like you to look in that register of yours, and tell us the name of the gentleman occupying room 631?"
The desk clerk reached over and pulled the register book closer to him and thumbed through it until he found the page he wanted. He ran a finger down the list until he found the listing.
"This is it…room 631. That room is assigned to a Mr. Andover. I can ring him if you prefer."
Rossi smiled at the desk clerk. "That's okay. We want to surprise him. So don't tell him we're here." His smile sent chills down Mason's spine as he watched the trio step into one of the elevators. He released a breath he had been holding when the elevator doors closed.
The elevator ride to the sixth floor was a silent one, as neither spoke. Suddenly Morgan made a sound and shook his head.
"Something wrong, Derek?" asked Rossi with a glance.
"This doesn't make any sense to me, Rossi."
"What doesn't make sense?" asked Moeller now looking at Morgan as well.
"That the UnSub would be in his hotel room waiting for us to arrest him," said Morgan.
"Maybe he figures after attacking a federal agent, he knew every cop and fed would be gunning for him," replied Moeller glancing between the agents.
Rossi shook his head. "I have to agree with Morgan. Something's not right. An UnSub this organized who avoided capture, wouldn't just sit and wait for us to show up and arrest him."
Moeller sighed. "Guess we'll find out when we get there. Who knows? We might get lucky on this one."
Rossi looked up at the glowing numbers above them. "Somehow I doubt that," he muttered.
The elevator stopped, followed by a 'ping' as the doors hissed open. The trio walked out of the elevator and checked the apartment doors before turning left and walking down the hall. They turned the corner and continued down the carpeted corridor until they found room 631.
"How do you want to handle this?" Moeller asked the agents softly.
Rossi reached inside his jacket and pulled out his credentials. "Since we have no idea what this guy looks like, it's best if we act like we just want to ask him a few questions. Hopefully that will lure him into a false sense of security. Also, we don't know who else might be in there with him."
"Also, if we go in there with guns drawn, and he has an innocent person with him, that person might get hurt. Rossi's right." Morgan grabbed his own credentials as did Moeller. Morgan knocked on the door. There was no answer. Morgan knocked again, more loudly this time. They heard movement on the opposite side of the door and waited. They then heard the sound of a door being unlocked and held up their credentials. When the door opened, the three got the surprise of their lives.
VICAP stands for Violent Criminal Apprehension Program.