Chapter 4 -
He looked around the dimly lit garage, it was a compromise, necessary to move from his larger workshop after the bodies had been found. It contained the everything he required, and as he looked up at the cross a silent prayer crept through his mind. As the Amen crossed his lips his gaze moved back towards the large metal contraption.
"Why did you do it? Life is so precious and now you have left me no option."
There was movement and the vague attempt to make a noise but his contraption was perfectly adequate to stop both attempts. He found no joy in what he was about to do to her but he knew that in the eyes of the righteous he was following the path they had laid out for him.
The smile was still evident on Rebecca's face as she sat in her car, quickly hitting the all too familiar number as she drove away.
"Hey."
The voice was sleepy and drowsy and Rebecca knew that Tara had had a disturbed nights sleep.
"Morning sweetheart."
"Rebecca?"
"Unless you've had someone other than me and Garcia call you sweetheart recently?"
Rebecca smiled and hoped that the light hearted banter wouldn't upset Tara when she was obviously feeling vulnerable.
"Sorry you woke me up."
"I could tell. Tara what's up sweetheart?"
Rebecca listened carefully as she heard the heavy sigh leave her girlfriend's mouth.
"Sorry it's just this case."
"Well I just had a wonderful breakfast with your dad."
Rebecca smiled as she remembered the conversation at breakfast.
"How is he?"
"Really good Tara, he said that when you have a weekend free he wanted your help with his latest project. I promised him that the next weekend when you weren't working we would come down."
"Oh thank you so much, I really needed to hear that."
"I know Tara, are you sure you're ok?"
The line went silent for a few moments, instinctively Rebecca slowed down and pulled into the car park of a nearby diner.
"Tara?"
"Sorry."
"It's ok, I am just worried about you. Will you ring me tonight?"
"Of course, and thank you for going to see my dad. I love you."
"Love you too Tara, take care of yourself."
Rebecca spoke softly as she finished the call. She knew that she had to trust Tara to talk to her when she needed to and that the rest of the team would look out for her to.
JJ knocked softly on the hotel room door, it was still early but she knew Tara well enough to know that she would be up and ready for the day ahead.
"Hi JJ, everything ok?"
Tara managed a tired smile as she held the door open and allowed JJ to enter before the two of them sat down on the bed.
"I had an early morning call from Garcia."
Tara raised an eyebrow as she looked carefully at JJ, knowing that whatever had caused Garcia to call early in the morning wasn't going to be good news.
"We need to go and talk to the families of the victims. We have found that all of the victims went to family planning clinics and had abortions at some point."
JJ let out a heavy sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Well I don't suppose they talked about it but yeah we had better follow it up."
JJ nodded in agreement as she stood up and looked carefully at Tara.
"Come on let's go and grab coffee and some breakfast and then we decide on who we are going to speak to first."
JJ watched as Tara sat in the SUV, her shoulders slumping forward as she took her place in the passenger seat. JJ took a deep breath as she walked around and sat down in the driver's seat, but looking across she also knew that there was nothing to gain by trying to speak to Tara. Instead JJ reached and made a call, starting the car as she waited for an answer.
"Hi JJ, everything ok?"
"Hi Dave, we have just met with the last family are you at the station?"
JJ concentrated on the road in front of her but she could still sense Tara's uneasiness next to her.
"Yeah Luke and Tyler are here too."
"Ok we will be back in about ten minutes and then we can regroup."
"No worries we will make sure there is coffee ready for you both."
JJ smiled as she finished the call, stealing a glance at Tara who had her lips pursed and was staring out of the passenger window.
JJ watched as Luke finished talking, they had found some tyre tracks and they were definitely linked to the unsub, although they were common they were all hopeful that Garcia would be able to work her magic.
"Ok there's nothing more to gain we might as well head back and get some rest. Tara?"
JJ watched as the men all nodded in agreement and quickly walked out of the room, leaving JJ with Tara as she moved to sit next to the older woman, gently putting her hand on top of Tara's.
"Hey you, come on why don't you and I go and get something to eat?"
JJ smiled softly as Tara slowly brought her gaze up and looked into JJ's eyes.
"Sorry I'm not good company at the moment."
"Pfft, you're always good company Tara! Come on let's go and get some burgers, we don't need to talk if you don't want to but we are going to eat!"
JJ smiled as she watched a small smile creep across Tara's face as a small nod accompanied it.
"Yeah that sounds good, thanks JJ."
"Hey I am being selfish here Tara, I need food too!"
A yawn crossed Emily's mouth as she closed the door behind her. She hadn't meant to be so late but an urgent issue with one of the younger agents had caused a meeting with HR and her lateness in getting home. Quietly Emily stowed her gun and badge away in the safe before she walked through towards the kitchen, smiling as she saw Hannah sitting at the table working on her laptop.
"I am so sorry Hannah."
Emily walked behind the young woman and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's fine Emily, you know that I don't mind. There's some pasta in the fridge if you want to warm it up?"
"You are amazing Hannah! Was everything good with Libby?"
"Yes she had a good day at school and done her homework without too much fuss!"
Emily smiled as she warmed up the meal and poured two glasses of red wine before she sat down at the table, pushing a glass over to Hannah.
"Here, it's too late for you to go home anyway now."
"Thanks Emily."
Hannah gratefully took a sip and smiled, it had become a regular occurrence for Hannah to stay over if Emily was late home, she had some clothes stored in the spare room and it was an arrangement that worked well for both of them.
"How's the assignment going?"
"Good thanks, I should've started it yesterday but it will be in on time."
Emily smiled and nodded her head, Hannah was wonderfully disciplined with her studying and her good habits had finally started to rub off on Libby.
His right hand reached up towards his neck and gently caressed the cross that hung around his neck. He watched the two women smiling and laughing as they devoured their burgers, the anger quickly boiled up inside him. That they could find happiness when there was such despair around them, he knew then that he had to leave, his sacrifice was ready for its journey. He now knew that the path was going to change, that the only way to enlightenment and release was to look at those who found happiness in the depths of despair.