PSYCHOPATHY; criminal minds [S. Reid]

Chapter twenty//Someone You're Not

IT SMELT DAMP AND MUDDY, ALMOST LIKE GRASS AFTER A DOWNPOUR OF RAIN. Under my feet, the ground felt flimsy, kind of bouncy. The back of my head hurt and was pressed against something wooden, probably a pillar or wall, with my hands pulled behind my back and my wrists joined with a rope. It felt lose though, badly tied.

I fidgeted my hands slightly and the rope fell, giving me free movement again and I pulled the cloth from my eyes.

Above my head was a tall roof made from wood- a barn. The floor was covered with thick hay and straw and wooden crates were stacked around the walls. There was little light, the only light being from cracks in the boards of the walls.

I swallowed and then remembered the button Hotch had given me. My fingers fumbled in my pockets, searching for it but I couldn't find it. I searched the floor around me briefly with my eyes before spotting it half hidden under some hay.

On all fours, I hurriedly crawled towards it. As the barn door creaked open, I moved quicker, snatching the button in my hand before backing up again and watching the figure approach me.

Daniel was tall, even far taller than me despite being tall myself. He carried a metal tray in both of his hands that looked rusty and fogged up.

"Here." He said, kneeling down to be eye level with me and placing the tray in front of me. I took it from him.

Daniel looked at me with a certain admiration, tilting his head as his beady eyes studied me. He reached forward with his right hand, pushing some of my tangled hair behind my ear and brushed his finger down my cheek. I flinched, never letting my eyes leave him and not moving my hand from the button that I had pressed about ten or so times now and continued to do so.

"Charlotte, we're home." He hummed, a small smile turning up on his lips. His words shook me to my core. Daniel then reached his hand out to me. "Come on, let's go inside the house."

I thought about it for a moment but I placed my hand in his and followed him out of the barn and into the house. I had studied Daniel for years, I knew what triggered him and what kept him calm but Charlotte was a new subject. From what I'd learnt about Daniel, I figured it be best I played along for the moment.

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3rd PERSON POV

Back at the station, the BAU were checking their guns, rushing around with Hotch's orders. Officer Scott was speaking through to Lillia but was getting no reply.

Scott listen closely to the other side of the call, hearing a clatter. "Lillia? Miss Davis?" They repeated but still got no response. "Sir!" They then called over to Hotch. "Something's wrong."

Hotch leant over Officer Scott's shoulder, a firm hand on the desk and his eyebrows narrowed as he listened to the call. Spencer was stood not far behind his boss, anxiety running through his veins as he listened to the call that was no on speaker.

There was first nothing as Hotch tried to speak to Lillia and then there was far too much noise. It sounded like a struggle, grunts coming from both Lillia and the man in her apartment.

Spencer flinched when a scream became muffled, the rest of the team's heads snapping in the direction of the call.

Hotch turned to face his team, his expression ever so serious. "We need to go. Now!" He exclaimed and they were on their way in SUVs to Lillia's apartment with police following behind.

It didn't take long for the team to arrive at the crime scene. The door was left open and, in the kitchen, the phone was laying on the floor.

Reid, with Morgan, headed over to the bedroom. The skinnier man immediately spotted the chipped paint on the door frame and pointed it out to Morgan, white rubber gloves covering his hands.

Morgan instructed two of the police officers to collect an evidence sample of the paint on the floor as he and Reid entered the bedroom.

Hotch and Rossi took the kitchen whilst Prentiss searched the living area.

Emily Prentiss picked up the knife that lay on the living area carpet. There was small amounts of blood on the blade and carpet, definitely leaving a stain on the white wool.

"Hotch." She called over, getting the attention of the two oldest men. Emily showed them the knife just as Reid and Morgan exited the bedroom, a sinking feeling taking over the younger man.

"Is that blood?" Rossi asked, despite already knowing the answer. Prentiss nodded.

Spencer swallowed the lump in his throat, one question running through his mind. Was it Lillia's?

Morgan noticed the man's expression and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She probably tried to defend herself. It's more than likely Daniels." He reassured but didn't fully believe himself.

Whilst the team searched Lillia's apartment for any thing they could use to find her, JJ was on every TV across Washington with a photo of Lillia Davis beside her.

"If anyone has seen this woman or has any information on where could be, please call the number on your screen. Any information is useful, please...reach out."

In front of her where she spoke, crowds of the public and news reporters pushed each other to get the best view of JJ and her report.

She didn't share every detail on Lillia's sudden disappearance, only the vital things like where she was last seen, the general time frame of when she went missing, her name, age and her profession. However, with the specific information given, people still had their theories.

Camera's flashed and news reporters pushed their mics closer to JJ. Pens and pencils scribbled notes on paper for later use.

"Is Dr Davis' disappearance linked to the other four women that have gone missing?"

"Do you have any suspects?"

"Was this Daniel Butcher?"

The questions quickly began to overwhelm JJ as she hurried her way out of there with police escorts and back into the station where she was soon on call to Garcia.

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