Think Again

I sat with JJ while we read through Earl Switzer's history, both as a plastic surgeon, and as a possible killer. My eyes occasionally wondered from my packet of paper to the walls covered with information, a weight settling in my chest.

"Do you think Hotch is mad," I asked.

JJ looked at me over her file.

"Like, mad at me because I did this without calling anyone.... He didn't seem to happy."

JJ gave me a very small sympathetic smile, "Hotch is a big fan of team work, but sometimes over looks the power of working alone. What you did was good, Kelsie. You helped find a suspect who was connected to all of the victims. Just don't make a habit of it, and you should be fine."

I smiled and gave a long sigh, "Thanks. It's just... I'm so use to doing that, I forget every team functions differently."

"You used to be a cop?"

I shook my head, "No, I um... was an assistant's assistant in a law firm. I stayed up all night finding leads in cases to further other careers, but not my own."

JJ smiled, "You should tell that to Hotch. He used to be a prosecutor."

I laughed, "I think talking about it to a prosecutor might strike a few chords. Unless he knew some lazy lawyers."

JJ chuckled and we turned back to our folders. I managed to flip the page before she said, "I've never seen Spencer latch on to someone this fast before.... What's going on between you guys?"

Looking at her I shrugged, "He invited me to join him for lunch, and I asked him to join me for ice cream. As far as I can see we're just trying to be friends."

JJ nodded, "Friends."

"Yes. Friends."

She nodded again and went back to reading.

"Is there something wrong with that?"

She shrugged, "It's just odd that you two are getting to know each other so quickly." She shrugged again, "He can be a little awkward sometimes."

I frowned, but didn't say anything. That was weird. I suddenly felt very exposed, like I just had one of my secrets told without my permission. Soon that feeling left and became the awkward realization that perhaps JJ liked Spencer. She wasn't wearing an engagement or wedding ring, and I hadn't heard of her being with anyone, so it made sense. She's known him longer, so her seeing us together might have been a threat.

The last thing I wanted was to step on people's toes.

Looking back at my folder, I finally found the date of death for our UnSub's first victim. Getting up, I wrote DOD Jun. 19 2005 on the board. The dates before then marked Earl's graduation date, the date he was hired for his first job, then the date our first victim disappeared.

"The gap between Earl getting hired and him killing is rather long," I said, "It seems like Los Angeles was the only place he's lived in for more than two years."

"How long?"

"Four."

"And the killings started six years ago?"

I nodded, "In LA."

JJ stood, and moved to grab Earl's history, "There was no mention of a girlfriend, or a fiancee?"

I shook my head, "Not that I saw."

JJ dialed on the phone, and Garcia answered, "Yes, Wonder Twin?"

"Hey, could you see if you can find anything unusual that happened in Earl Switzer's life six years ago?"

"Sure thing. Wonder Twin power activate!"

I looked at the board and then to the pictures of the victims, both before and after their deaths, "JJ, does this victimology seem weird to you?"

"There's no real patter... that is weird."

"Does that mean we're dealing with an omnivore?"

"God I hope not."

"JJ," said Garcia, "I'm sorry but I have looked and found nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. His life was as normal as it had ever been."

JJ sighed, "Thanks, Garcia."

"Wonder Twin power deactivate."

With a click we were disconnected.

"Well that's reassuring," said JJ as she turned back to the board, "So... there's no stresser... what does that mean?"

"Not a clue."

JJ's phone ran and she answered, "Jareau."

I stood by the board and waited for her to receive whatever information she was getting. I grabbed the folder for the next victim and began to read through the carnage. This victim, Bridget Anderson, was forty five when she died. Her face had been removed, as well as her eyes, and the skin on the back of her arms. I found her disappearance date, July 4, 2005, and the date of death, July 11, 2005. Writing her information on the board, I took her pictures off the wall of carnage and taped the to the white board. The picture on top was her before; the one on the bottom was her after.

"Thanks Hotch." JJ hung up and sighed, "The UnSub tied his victims to the table while they had their skin. Without it I'm guessing it hurt too much to move. As he went along, he cleaned and managed the exposed areas, disinfecting them. Harmony's body shows that she died of shock."

I sighed, "Alright." I moved to take off my hoodie, the idea that I had worn it all night finally began to bother me. Looking down at myself I saw my favorite band tee, a Fall Out Boy logo with robots. I felt incredibly under dressed and self conscious. JJ looked so pretty in her earthy blouse. The color bringing out the blue of her eyes and the nice blond tones of her hair.

I thought about leaving to change, but my phone rang, "Parish."

"Oh... I meant to call JJ." It was Spencer.

"Do you want to talk to her? I can hand her my phone."

"No.... Um.... Just... Earl wasn't at home, but from what we could see through the windows he wasn't the only one living there."

I frowned, "A girlfriend? You're on speaker."

"The layout of the room was still very masculine, no evidence suggesting a female presence in his life."

"So a guy?" I frowned harder, "A room mate maybe?"

"Possibly... but there is no other name listed under residency."

"You can still live in a place and not be listed," said JJ.

"Have Garcia check for any connection to a P.O. Box."

"Will do," I said, "See ya." I clicked the phone closed then opened it to call Penelope.

"Gasp! My first cell call from Kels! This is so exciting... what can I do for you?"

"Is there any way you could look up any connection to a P.O. Box?"

"Connection how?"

"A P.O. Box in Little Rock that is somehow connected to Switzer's house?"

"I don't think so, Kels.... P.O. Boxes are designed to not do that. Well not designed, but you get what I mean."

"Is there a way you could see if there is a Switzer who uses one?"

"That my dear child, I can do. There are currently eleven Switzer's living in the Little Rock area, but only one of them has a box. Carl Switzer. Checking for overlap."

I smiled, "Thanks Garcia. Send any info you find to Spencer."

"Done and done."

I hung up and called Spencer back.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Carl Switzer is the only Switzer in town to own a P.O. Box."

"That fits."

"Garcia is looking for connections, and will send you the information."

"Okay. Call us if you get anything else."

I nodded even though he couldn't see me, "Will do." Hanging up, I wrote Carl's name on the board.

"Okay now... who is he?" JJ asked.

"Earl's house looks like multiple people live there, but no one else is listed. Carl is the only Switzer in the area with a P.O. Box. Technically, unless it's on police or medical record somewhere, Carl can live with Earl without ever having to be listed."

"So we're thinking what on relation?"

I shrugged, "Room mate, friend... secret lover.... Anything is possible, assuming we're right."

After waiting for a few minutes, the phone rang and I answered it, "Hey Garcia, you're on speaker."

"Quick how are Luke and Leah connected?"

"They're twins."

"Right-o."

"Are you saying that Carl is Earl's twin?"

"No, but I am saying that Carl is Earl's Luke."

I thought about that for a moment then answered, "He's his brother?"

"Younger brother to be exact."

Hotch and Rossi entered the room.

"Okay, anything else?"

"Well, six years ago young Carl was enrolled to the same medical school as his brother, looking to be a plastic surgeon. However in February 2005 he was in a car accident that horribly burned him. He dropped out of school after that and now works as a janitor at the same hospital his brother is practicing in. From the looks of it, he's been living with him ever since LA. He has P.O. Boxes from Miami, the Hamptons, Chicago, Austen, Huston, NYC, and Scottsdale."

"Nice work, Garcia," said Hotch.

"Thank you, sir."

Hanging up he turned to me, "You look terrible."

I smiled, "Thank you, sir."

"I'm taking you back to the hotel."

I was about to protest, but my caffeine crash was starting and I knew I wouldn't last long before I was sleeping on the table. Grabbing my hoodie, I nodded, "Yes sir."

Following Hotch outside to the car, I slid into the passenger seat while he got behind the wheel. He backed out of the space then said, "I want you to know that I am not upset with you. The work you did was great, however team work is a vital part of this group. The next time you pull something like that, or are even thinking about it, call me."

I nodded, "Yes sir."

"Where did you learn to do that?"

I blushed, "A law firm. I was an assistant to a prosecutor's assistant. I helped many careers pulling all nighters."

Hotch nodded, "There are some lazy lawyers out there." Turning to me he added, "Just know that I'm not one of them."

I blushed again out of nervousness as I smiled at him, "Never crossed my mind."

He pulled up to the doors to the Best Western we were in and said, "Get some sleep. We'll call you if you're needed, or if we get any more leads."

I nodded, "Do you need help with a profile?"

He shook his head, "We've got it."

I smiled, "Thanks for the ride."

Closing the door, I entered the building. I looked around, noting everyone in the lobby before heading up the stairs. I reached my door and shut it behind me, turning the dead bolt and closing the slide lock. Closing the blinds, I set my jacket down on a chair, removed my jeans and shoes, then crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. I watched my phone for a while as it sat on the beside table, willing it to go off, but my system finally failed, and I went to sleep.