Butterfly Kisses
Chapter IV
Derek came up to me after everyone had left the room.
“You don't exactly know me, Kenna,” he stated, “but, as long as you are here and involved in this case, you are my responsibility. I will protect you, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Derek,” I smiled. “You just want to get the position of my protector, huh?”
He laughed. “Hey, if that's what you want!” He put his arm around my shoulder. “Come on.”
We walked out of the conference room to see only Spencer standing in the middle of the lobby.
“Everyone left to go and get some sleep for tomorrow” he said.
We piled into the other SUV that was left. As Derek drove, I got a text from Hotch.
“I prefer Derek as the protector, but take your pick.”
“I choose Derek AND Spencer,” I replied with a smile.
~~
The next day, I awoke to the sound of Derek snoring as loud as a tractor outside my bedroom door. I took my bed, while Spencer took my floor. Last night was the best I slept in a while, all because Spencer talked to me until I fell asleep. It was nothing personal, but it made my night.
“Breakfast!” Mom screamed through the house, the smell of bacon reaching my nostrils.
~~
We drove back to the police station. Everyone, except Spencer and I, went off to interview the families of the victims.
“So,” Spencer asked, “what can you tell me about the victims? Possibly when they started to cover up their flaws?”
I thought a bit, but then started. “Nichole has been dying her hair since we first started middle school, because she hated her black hair. Nathan was a scrawny kid until we started sixth grade. Kids would pick on him, but then he joined the wrestling team and bulked up, obviously with the help of steroids. Kollin became self-consious of his teeth, because they were an old white color, and, once his parents became rich when he was in fifth grade, he started whitening his teeth and never went back. Some people loved Abigal's eyes, but many made fun of her once they learned that is was caused by albinism. They started calling her 'albino', so, in sixth grade, she got colored contacts,” I rambled.
“That's good, Kenna,” Spencer smiled.
~~
Once everyone was back, Spencer and I told them what we found.
“The victims weren't perfect,” Spencer stated. “Nathan took steroids and went to the gym every day, besides Sunday. Nichole constantly dyed her hair. Kollin got his teeth whitened every time he noticed their shine dulling a bit. Abigal wore colored contacts to cover up her albinism.”
Everyone stared at him like he was insane on that one.
“Abigal had albinism, albino purple eyes,” I stated.
Everyone nodded and 'ah'ed.
“But,” Spencer said, “we believe that these people were not only kidnapped because they covered up their flaws, but because of what they did to Kenna.”
Everyone looked at me.
“They all made fun of me,” I explained. “Once we were in high school, I became the target of bullying to some. Abigal said my eyes were an ugly green. Kollin said my teeth were disgusting. Nichole said my red hair was hideous. Nathan said I had flabby upper arms and fat thighs.
“Kids are so damn cruel,” Emily said.
“Well, Nathan was right on the arms, but my thighs are only large because I play sports!” I stated.
Everyone laughed.
Spencer then broke the worst news. “We think the unsub is in love with Kenna. He kidnapped these people because they were fake and bullied his 'perfection'.”
“Kenna,” JJ said, seeing my facial expression, “honey, is there anything you need to tell us?”
I sat there, thinking, but knew I had to tell them. “There was this girl when I was in school,” I stated. “She seemed to always know everything about me. Where I went the day before, what I did, even what I ate! Her name was Kylie Morris. She was popular with the victims, until she started to defend me from them. She then became my friend. That's when the stalking behavior began.”
“You don't exactly know me, Kenna,” he stated, “but, as long as you are here and involved in this case, you are my responsibility. I will protect you, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Derek,” I smiled. “You just want to get the position of my protector, huh?”
He laughed. “Hey, if that's what you want!” He put his arm around my shoulder. “Come on.”
We walked out of the conference room to see only Spencer standing in the middle of the lobby.
“Everyone left to go and get some sleep for tomorrow” he said.
We piled into the other SUV that was left. As Derek drove, I got a text from Hotch.
“I prefer Derek as the protector, but take your pick.”
“I choose Derek AND Spencer,” I replied with a smile.
~~
The next day, I awoke to the sound of Derek snoring as loud as a tractor outside my bedroom door. I took my bed, while Spencer took my floor. Last night was the best I slept in a while, all because Spencer talked to me until I fell asleep. It was nothing personal, but it made my night.
“Breakfast!” Mom screamed through the house, the smell of bacon reaching my nostrils.
~~
We drove back to the police station. Everyone, except Spencer and I, went off to interview the families of the victims.
“So,” Spencer asked, “what can you tell me about the victims? Possibly when they started to cover up their flaws?”
I thought a bit, but then started. “Nichole has been dying her hair since we first started middle school, because she hated her black hair. Nathan was a scrawny kid until we started sixth grade. Kids would pick on him, but then he joined the wrestling team and bulked up, obviously with the help of steroids. Kollin became self-consious of his teeth, because they were an old white color, and, once his parents became rich when he was in fifth grade, he started whitening his teeth and never went back. Some people loved Abigal's eyes, but many made fun of her once they learned that is was caused by albinism. They started calling her 'albino', so, in sixth grade, she got colored contacts,” I rambled.
“That's good, Kenna,” Spencer smiled.
~~
Once everyone was back, Spencer and I told them what we found.
“The victims weren't perfect,” Spencer stated. “Nathan took steroids and went to the gym every day, besides Sunday. Nichole constantly dyed her hair. Kollin got his teeth whitened every time he noticed their shine dulling a bit. Abigal wore colored contacts to cover up her albinism.”
Everyone stared at him like he was insane on that one.
“Abigal had albinism, albino purple eyes,” I stated.
Everyone nodded and 'ah'ed.
“But,” Spencer said, “we believe that these people were not only kidnapped because they covered up their flaws, but because of what they did to Kenna.”
Everyone looked at me.
“They all made fun of me,” I explained. “Once we were in high school, I became the target of bullying to some. Abigal said my eyes were an ugly green. Kollin said my teeth were disgusting. Nichole said my red hair was hideous. Nathan said I had flabby upper arms and fat thighs.
“Kids are so damn cruel,” Emily said.
“Well, Nathan was right on the arms, but my thighs are only large because I play sports!” I stated.
Everyone laughed.
Spencer then broke the worst news. “We think the unsub is in love with Kenna. He kidnapped these people because they were fake and bullied his 'perfection'.”
“Kenna,” JJ said, seeing my facial expression, “honey, is there anything you need to tell us?”
I sat there, thinking, but knew I had to tell them. “There was this girl when I was in school,” I stated. “She seemed to always know everything about me. Where I went the day before, what I did, even what I ate! Her name was Kylie Morris. She was popular with the victims, until she started to defend me from them. She then became my friend. That's when the stalking behavior began.”