Blood and Battle | Criminal Minds (gxg)

Chapter 29

The next day I'm back in the conference room, crime scene photos tacked on bulletin boards while files spread across the tables. We've worked the case all night, taking shifts resting on the couch.

Now we surround the table to build a profile.

"Guys, look at this," Reid calls. He stands at the map of the city, the crime scenes marked with white tacks.

"What is it, Pretty Boy?" Morgan walks over.

Reid takes a thick red sharpie and draws a circle to connect the three crime scenes. "We already know the sites are in a three block radius, but we didn't check to see what was in the center." Reid draws a bright red X on a familiar location.

I peer closer at the map. "Shooters?"

"Our unsub could be a regular. Or an employee."

"Maybe it's Carli's bartender," Elle mutters to herself.

I shoot her a glare. "I could ask Riley for a list of regulars, confirm it with their receipts if we need to. And get the names of everyone that works there."

"Okay, you and Greenaway go, the rest of us will stay here and deliver the profile," Hotch agrees.

"I can do it alone, Hotch." I refuse to look at Elle.

"And I told you to do it together, make sure there's no mistakes."

Elle speaks up, "I can stay, Hotch. It's fine."

"No," Hotch commands. "Both of you. Go. That's an order."

Knowing I won't win, I stand and leave the room. I don't wait to see if Elle follows. We take the elevator in silence, the familiarity between us now gone.

When we get to the car I get in the driver's seat with Elle beside me. The first few minutes, I don't say anything. But eventually, I can't bear the silence any longer.

"I don't like this," I whisper.

"What?" She turns her head to me but I keep my eyes on the road.

"You. Me. I miss my best friend."

"Me too, C."

I relax as she tells me about one of her cases. Just like she used to, reviewing the details and asking for my input.

By the time we get to the bar, I smile as she laughs at something I've said. Maybe we will be alright.

"Elle?" I address her before we leave the car. She waits expectantly for me to continue. "Hotch is right. Keep me focused on the case, okay?"

She smirks. "You got it, C." She puts her hand on the door to leave but I stop her.

"And maybe, I don't know, try to be... a little nicer?"

She raises her eyebrows at me. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the nicest," she grins.

I laugh and finally get out of the car, and she does the same. We walk through the entrance and Elle follows me to the bar. A young guy with dirty-blonde hair, early twenties, stands behind the counter.

"Can I help you ladies?" He smiles as we approach.

"Yes, is Riley here? We need to speak with her," I tell him.

He's watching Elle but spares me a glance. "Yeah, she's in the back, I can get her." He turns back to Elle. "You sure I can't get you anything, darling?" He gives her a bright grin.

Elle flashes a smile. "Ask me again when I'm not on the clock," she says with a wink. I roll my eyes, suddenly annoyed.

His smile widens, satisfied with her answer, and goes to find Riley.

"You sure I'm the one that needs to stay focused?" I grumble, my voice bitter.

She smirks as I realize how hypocritical I sound.

"Never mind," I mutter.

Riley comes out a minute later. She wears jeans and a cropped Beatles t-shirt, her blonde hair flowing around her shoulders. Her lips part into a smile when she sees me. "Keep coming back for more, I see."

Elle elbows me softly in the ribs, and I blink, unaware I was staring. "Hey, Riley. I need a favor."

"You seem to need me a lot recently," she leans forward onto the bar, her hands clasped in front of her.

I smirk and do the same, our hands nearly touching. My voice drops in volume. "I'm going to have to repay all these favors eventually."

I hear Elle clear her throat behind me and I refocus my attention on the case. "Right. I need a list of all the people that work here and your regular customers."

"How regular?" She reaches under the counter, pulling out a pen and paper.

"People in here as often as everyday or every few days."

"Okay, I'll ask Jax to get you the payroll. There's only a few regulars, it shouldn't take long."

"Take all the time you need," I smile. Elle shakes her head. "But, uh, not too long," I stammer, "cause we got to catch this guy."

Elle tries not to laugh behind me. The man from earlier comes back to the counter, smiling widely at Elle.

"Jax, can you grab the payroll for me?" Riley addresses him. "They need a list of the employees."

"Yeah, I'll go ask Ian," he replies casually. "Ian's our boss," he explains to Elle. "Chill guy, pays well, spends a ton of time shut up in his office, but he gives plenty of vacation days so–"

"Jax! Now would be great," Riley prompts him with a smile. She shakes her head as he walks away. "Okay, here's everyone I can think of."

Jax comes back a moment later with a second list and hands it to Elle. "I hope this helps," he says kindly.

"It does. Thank you." Elle catches my attention, ready to go.

I nod and turn back to Riley. "Thank you."

"You owe me, remember."

I smile at the light in her eyes. "Trust me, I won't forget."

She leans forward over the bar and kisses me on the cheek. "Be careful, Carli."

"I will."

I can't help but notice the absence of butterflies in my stomach. The feeling I've come to associate with Elle.

Elle and I leave the bar together. As soon as we get in the car, she starts laughing.

"What's so funny?" I'm suddenly defensive, a blush rises in my cheeks.

"Nothing." She struggles to contain her laughter.

"At least I wasn't leading on a 24-year-old," I point out, trying to hide my smile.

"He started it."

We're both laughing by the time we exit the parking lot.

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a/n
y'all in the comments lmao
just a lil reminder (from the profiler view): scrawny was alive when Carli was at the bar, dead when she left, and Riley was with her the whole time
but...
:)