Running

Chapter 2

The Jamesport police station is a drab old brick building, slowly chipping away. We walk through the glass double doors and walk right into a reception area, although Hotchner immediately guides us farther into the building. I find myself standing in a room full of desks, and a weird feeling begins in the pit of my stomach.

Never did I ever think I'd be back in my hometown. Let alone in the same room where I was questioned by police officers about my father, who despite me wrongfully lying for him, went to prison for child rape and molestation. Apparently daddy's little girl wasn't so special...

A man all too familiar walks towards us with his hand outstretched.

"Hello, I'm Chief Cosner. I'd like to thank you all for coming."

"No problem," Hotch begins. "I'm Agent Aaron Hotchner, this is David Rossi, Emily Prentiss..." he goes on to name the others, but Cosner's eyes are on me the entire time. He cocks his head at me and before Hotch can even give my name he smiles.

"Eleanor," he says. I give a tight lipped smile in return and subtly shake my head, only enough for him to see, and he discerns my message flawlessly, turning his attention back to Hotchner.

"We set up a room for you and prepared all of our information. Right this way..."

He leads us to a room with glass walls. Inside is a round table and rolling whiteboards with magnets.

"I'll warn you now, this time of year people don't rise until after nine. I'd suggest waiting till then before you go questioning anybody."

"How?" Reid asks. "More than 26% of people wake up between 6:30 and 7:30, and as well as that it's mid May. The sun alone should wake everybody up."

Reid's face shows genuine curiosity but Cosner just laughs.
At that he exits the room, but not without sparing a glance for me.

We all sit down and begin flipping through paperwork.

"He knew your name," Reid says, looking up at me.

"Small town," I shrug.

Nobody here knows my past. Hell, nobody here even knows my real name.

We spend the next hour sitting here before Hotchner has come up with a plan.

"We can't just sit here. Prentiss and JJ, you two go to Farrah's abduction site. Rossi and Morgan, you guys go to Kayden's abduction site. And, Elle and Reid, you go to Payton's. I'll stay here and speak to the former detectives on the cases."

Without another word we all stand up and leave the room.

Right as I exit, I hear a loud voice coming from the other side of the room. A familiar voice. I look over to see Seth Laymen standing with two officers, yelling that 'he wants to see her, and by God he's going too.' My eyes go wide.

Cosner comes out of nowhere and grabs my arm, and right as he does Seth turns our way.

"HEY!" he yells, taking a running step towards me before the officers shove him back and Cosner pulls me to the back exit. Reid following.

"HEY! YOU BITCH, GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!"

When I don't turn around he laughs.

"Aw, you're gonna run away from your problems. JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS DID, YOU COWARD! ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WAS YOUR FAULT!"

By this point I'm out the door, although I'm sure he went on. Reid is bug-eyed. Completely shocked as to what happened just now, but oblivious to the reason.

"Hey kid, don't listen to him. Nothing that happened back then was your fault," Cosner murmurs to me. He was one of the original detectives on my fathers case ten years ago.

I shake my head, but don't argue. Cosner goes back inside and Reid raises an eyebrow.

"What the hell was that? Who was that?"

"Seth Laymen, and, nothing. Let's just go," I say. I plaster on a fake smile and begin walking towards the black SUV.