Running

Chapter 5

Loud and yet muffled voices come from the glass room, although due to the fact that Spencer drew the blinds, I am unable to see any of the many hand gestures I'm sure are being thrown around.

"He got you good," Miller says, her tone soft. "But it'll only be a bruise. As for your arm though?"

She grazes my bicep and I yelp in pain.

"It's not dislocated, that's for sure. But you should definitely get it checked out."

I nod and glance around the room. We aren't much closer to figuring out who our UNSUB is, but I'm sure that since my father just attacked me, he'll be at the head of the list.

"Do your coworkers know about Raymond?" Miller asks, and I shake my head.

"I-I didn't think it was necessary. I changed my last name years ago. I left. There was no need to bring up the past, but now every time I do I feel like puking..."

"Well, I'd call that a simple case of having not moved on."

I laugh, but she's right.

"You know. I didn't remember anything of what'd he'd actually done to me. It was always fuzzy. But now? Now I remember it all..."

"Is that why you lied for him all those years ago? Because you didn't remember?"

Miller wasn't a cop at that time, although in a small town, news spreads like nobody's business.

"No-He-he was my dad, how could I turn in my dad? And I know I should've, it'd been happening for four years, but I never knew he had others. If I did then I wouldn't have lied and I would've come out sooner, but I had no idea... and now Seth blames me for what happened to his sister, and for some reason I believe him. I could've ended my own suffering years ago and saved so many other kids' lives from going to shit, but I didn't. Because maybe he wasn't all that bad- I mean, my family didn't even know about it until I was questioned. And I understand now that sixteen year old me was a terrible lier."

She gives me a reassuring smile.

"Nothing was your fault. And honestly? I don't think Seth even thinks it is. He's been fine, all these years, but then he heard you were in town and decides to go ballistic. But I remember him as a child. He always wanted attention, and I guess some things don't change..."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Somebody clears their throat from across the room and I look up to see Hotch peaking through the door, beckoning me in.

"Oh Miller," I say as I stand.

"Yeah?"

"Do they have the Raymond Grace file yet?"

"No, I don't believe they do. You want me to get it for you?"

"Could you?"

"Of course, go on ahead, I'll bring it to you in a minute."