Waiting

Waiting
Chapter 2

The next day we walked into another crime scene. This one was just as bad as the pictures the local police had sent us. I walked around trying to get a feel for what this guy was thinking. There were many factors that I need: how did he get in, what weapons did he use to subdue her, did he know her. There were no signs of forced entry so her knowing her attacker might be an option. Walking outside I looked around until I found a huge spruce tree and stood by it.

‘He stood here. Watching. Waiting.’ I thought to myself. He watched her for a long time. Looking at the ground I saw cigarette butts laying on the ground, at least five of them. ‘He was here a long time.’ Looking up I saw that from this angle the unsub had a perfect view into the house including the bedroom, which was in the front of the house off of the living room. I walked around to the back of the house to find the sliding glass door was unlocked and open.

“Hey was this door already open when you guys got here?” I asked the first officer.

“Yeah we didn’t touch anything. Crime Scene already went through everything, said it didn’t look forced.”

“Thanks man.” I turned my attention back to the door. ‘So this is how you got in. The only unlocked door in the house. Careful and patient.’

Shaking my head I walked back into the house to let Hotch know what I had found.

“Hotch, this guy stood outside in the front watching her for quite some time. Cigarette butts confirm that, there’s at least five lying by the spruce tree outside. The back sliding glass door was unlocked and open when the first officers arrived. This guy knew what he was doing. He’s beginning to escalate I mean it was three women in six days now he just added another one. So know that’s four women in seven days. If he keeps this up it will be a woman a day.” I looked at Hotch hoping that wouldn’t happen, but this guy left us virtually nothing. The only thing right now that we had to go on was the five cigarette butts laying on the ground outside and hope that one of them had enough DNA to help us catch this bastard.

“Morgan call Garcia and have her find if there are any registered sex offenders in the area. New or otherwise.” I nodded my head and walked outside to call. It rang twice before someone answered and it wasn’t Garcia.

“Yes, gorgeous. Garcia has stepped out of her haven for a moment what can I do for you?” My girlfriend asked.

“Hey babe, I need you to find out all the registered sex offenders that are in or around Newberry, Massachusetts.” I asked watching every face that I could see. This guy might decide to inject himself into our investigation. Doubtful, but you never know.

“You mean Newberry, Massachusetts as in the Newberry, Massachusetts that my god was born in?” I had to laugh at her question.

“I thought I was your god baby.”

“Well, you are but he’s a god as well. Just so you know I only worship you.”

“Yes, it is the same Newberry, Massachusetts and yes if I run into the man I will make sure to get an autograph. Now can I have that list honey.”

“Oh right, here we go. There are twenty-five in the town alone and about five on the street the victim lived on.” She gave me all the names of the sex offenders.

“Now not all of those are rapists. Some are child offenders. Sick bastards, preying on children. I don’t know how…” I effectively cut her off.

“Sorry babe but how many convicted rapists are there in this area?”

“Two.”

“Thanks babe.”

“Be careful Derek. I love you.”

“Love you too, Harlie.”

I walked back into the house, Hotch and Reid were both in the bedroom, I followed their voices. “Hey guys I just talked to Harlie and she said that there are two convicted rapists in the immediate area, and guess what they live right next door to each other. How is that for a coincidence?”

“What are their names?” Hotch looked away from the poor woman’s body and looked at me.

“Well there’s Norman Shankle and Reed Mason. Both live on this street about three or four houses up that way.” I pointed North.

“Well lets go see what Shankle and Mason have to say. Lets go Reid. Morgan stay here and finish up.” With that both Hotch and Reid left leaving me alone with the body. The woman was definitely worse than any of the other women. She was bound and strangled like the others but this one looked like he took his time. No play and leave. He stuck around. When he was done playing he cut her throat just enough to make her bleed heavily and watched her. Then when he got bored he raped her again and then strangled her putting an abrupt end to her life.

‘Harlie’s right this guys or guys is a sick bastard. I hope we get them quick.’ I thought as I walked back to the living room. I told the first officer and Detective that they could take the body away. I head back to the station to talk to Elle and Gideon.

Hotch and Reid came into the station not that long after with Reed Mason in tow. I saw the way that he looked at Elle and JJ. I wanted to strangle him. I was just really glad that Harlie wasn’t there. She fit the profile of the victims. Pretty, long black hair, fair skin, eyes. She also lived alone. This guy was looking at Elle and JJ with hatred more hatred then I had ever seen before.

We talked to both Shankle and Mason neither had been home at the time of the incident but only Shankle had an alibi. A good one at that. He was with his parole officer half the night and half the day today. Mason on the other hand wasn’t home but didn’t have a rock solid alibi. He had only been paroled for a week and a half. Plenty of time for him to have started raping again.

It only took an hour to get the guy to confess but we had all the evidence to corroborate his confession. I don’t know how she did it but Elle had gone in and taken care of it. She pissed him off enough for him to completely give himself away.

“Jeez, Elle you were really going at him.” I said when she stepped out of the room.

“Yeah, well I want to go home and I know that you want to go on that long, long lost date with Harlie. I know that it keeps getting cancelled. So lets head home.”

“Yeah, Home.” I smiled and walked with her out of the police station towards the SUV that was going to take us to the airport. I would be seeing Harlie in a few hours.

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‘The time is up the time is now, you can’t see me the time is now’ I heard my cell phone ring and I looked at the screen before answering. It was flashing Derek. Smiling I answered the phone.

“Hey Handsome.” I answered.

“Hey Beautiful. I’m on my way home. You want to go out for dinner?” He sounded tired but hopeful.

“Nope.” I replied.

“No?” He sounded shocked that I had said no.

“No!” I replied once more.

“Why not?” I could hear a little hurt in his voice.

“Well, I was thinking that since I’m already heading home that I would order us some food and we could eat in. That way we could spend some time together. Alone. With no one to interrupt us. I’ve got something important to share with you. Once you get here I’m turning my phone off.”

“Okay, you had me worried for a minute. That sounds good. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” He yawned as he finished speaking.

“Get a little bit of sleep handsome. You might need all your energy.” I smiled as I hear him groan.

“You shouldn’t do that to a man. It’s cruel and unusual punishment. You could get into trouble.” I laughed at him before speaking again.

“Okay baby I’ll see you in a couple of hours. So get some sleep. I love you.” I said smiling.

“Okay, I love you too.” I could hear exactly how tired he was by the sound of his voice. I shut my phone and grabbed my purse. I walked out of the BAU waving slightly at Penelope before walking to my car.