Masterpiece

Of all the cases Dr. Spencer Reid had investigated on, he found this one the most interesting. One because this was finally a case Reid could use his infinite and random knowledge to solve a case. And two, the whole context intrigued the young genius.

There were three murders in New York one of the art capitals of the world. The victims were Art students from three different universities in the Metropolitan area. The victims were badly tortured before being placed at the “dumpsite”. This is where the case got interesting for Reid. The three bodies were placed in three separate museums in front of specific paintings.

Victim 1, a painting student at Parsons (a well known and expensive art school), was found at the Metropolitan Museum of art in front of Van Gough’s Madame Joseph-Michel Ginoux. The victim’s ear was cut off just like Van Gough’s, and was shot in the shoulder right above the upper breast mimicking Van Gough’s suicide. Though she was the only one of the three victims to be found alive, she remained in a coma at Mount Sinai hospital.

Victim 2, a Photography student at Pratt, was found at the Museum of Modern art in front of Diane Arbus’ Identical Twins In New Jersey, which was currently being displayed for a special exhibition. The subjects in photo reminded Reid of the movie The Shinning that stared Jack Nicholson and scared the living shit out of Reid. The victim was found dead and just like Victim 1, the victim’s death mimicked Diane Arbus’ suicide. She was overdosed with drugs and her wrists were slashed.

Then there was victim 3, Reid drew the most attention on this one, not because of the placement, but because of the subject that was in the painting the victim was placed in front of. The most recent victim an art history student at NYC was found at the Frick Museum in front of Hans Holbein’s famous Portrait of Sir Thomas More 1527. The team had yet to know about the details of this crime scene. But the thing about the crime scene was Sir Thomas More. Reid knew Holbein did not commit suicide so the unsub was using More as his muse for this crime scene. But why suddenly change from artist to subject?

Reid sat in the back of the BAU plane bound for New York with his laptop on the tray table. His first task was to learn more about Sir Thomas More. The young doctor had some idea of Sir Thomas and his life. He was a top advisor in the King Henry VIII’s court, wrote the famous book Utopia, was Lord Chancellor of England and was beheaded for not accepting King Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England. In the few minutes Reid searched for answers he only gained a minor amount more knowledge on the man, but nothing that could explain why More’s picture was chosen as the painting looking over where the body was placed.

The young doctor groaned in frustration annoyed, he didn’t have time to go the library to take out a book on Sir Thomas. That would be his first task.

Well Reid thought at least I finally will have a chance to see the New York public library.

Sitting across from Reid was Agent Derek Morgan who was not as fascinated in art as Reid was. While Reid’s expertise was to use his knowledge to solve a crime…Morgan’s expertise was kicking down doors and leading the way into perilous danger. While Reid was trying to figure out the meaning behind the details, Morgan contemplating who the unsub was.

Morgan quickly knew that first, the unsub was an Art Enthusiast because of the bodies being placed in art museums. Second, the unsub was a sexual sadist because he was only targeting women and brutally torturing them to death minus victim 1 who was still alive but unconscious. Third, the unsub was disorganized because of the messes left at the crime scenes. And finally because the bodies were placed in public spaces….the unsub wanted attention.

Because he had some idea on the unsub Morgan sat back on his chair while he watched Reid working, eyes fixated on the screen.

“Watcha doing there kid?” Morgan asked upon hearing Reid’s groan of frustration, “you’ve haven’t taken your eyes off that screen.”

Reid looked up at Morgan and sighed.

“I am trying to research a bit on Sir Thomas More,” Reid said eyes still fixated on the computer screen, “Figuring out why the unsub would place the body in front of a portrait of a man who died from beheading when before he placed the bodies in front of paintings of artists who committed suicide.”

Morgan lifted his eyes in intrigue and added another characteristic to his profile, the unsub was well educated if knew the information of how the artist died. But then his young counterpart mentioned that the third victim may have changed his muse from artist to subject

“So, the unsub must have ran out of paintings by artists who took their own lives so he must have done research and found that the subject in the painting committed suicide instead.”

His young co agent lifted his finger and shook his head, while he continued to look for any reason why Sir Thomas would be chosen to be a “witness” of a crime scene. He clicked.

“Negative, Sir Thomas was not only famous for writing Utopia, the most famous book which was used as a guide to set up some of the government systems that exsist today,” Reid said now clicking on a link that gave an analysis on More’s religious beliefs and practices, “But he was famous for being beheaded as a Martyr under King Henry VIII for refusing to agree that the King was supreme head of the church...”

Reid paused when a detail about More’s life stuck out to him, he indulged in self flagellation. In this practice men of the Catholic faith would whip themselves hopefully by shedding off their unruly skin. The young doctor wrote down a mental note to check if the body had any whip marks on her back.

“Thanks for the history lesson Kid,” Morgan said rolling his eyes, “but I don’t see how this has to do with the unsub suddenly changing his MO.”

Reid opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the familiar monotone voice of Agent Aaron Hotchner. Compared to his fellow agents Hotchner’s personality was dull and boring. His face was always so stern that not even his lips twitched in emotion. The team never knew whether he was happy or sad, brave or scared. It was often his emotionless personality that made his fellow agents think twice before crossing him. Reid and Morgan stared at the man dressed in a dark suit carefully.

“When we land,” Hotchner began, “I want you two to go to the Frick Museum to help process the crime scene, confirm that this murder is from our unsub. Also see if you can find anything that could tell us where and who the unsub may target next. There will be a car waiting for you when we land, we should be landing in a couple of minutes.”

Both men bowed their head in acknowledgement at their fellow agent. Hotchner walked off leaving the two men alone. Reid sighed closing his computer and packed it into his messenger bag whilst Morgan buckled himself up.

“Well Kid, it looks like we are working together again.”

Both men knew that this case would be unlike any other case they solved before.