Tangled Up in You (The Story of Us Book 2)

Chapter 38- Homophobes and Closets

The team just stares at her for a moment before Morgan speaks. "What the hell just happened?"

Amanda smiles one of her award-winning pageant smiles. "Kellan went to Caltech with Spencer and me. As you know, I collected blackmail information on everyone that was shitty to Spencer because he wasn't as popular as some people."

"You mean everyone that was shitty to people like Spencer?" Aaron asks.

"Yeah, that's what I said," she states, looking at him in confusion before shrugging and continuing. "Anyway, I usually got it with the offer of sleeping with them after but Kellan never did. Everyone thought he was just smarter than the rest but it turns out he was just already hiding something that he didn't want me to know about. Too bad for him, I always go above and beyond for my friends and I found the secret he was hiding and got it on film. Now we'll get complete cooperation. You're welcome."

"Isn't blackmail illegal?" JJ asks, having entered the room while Amanda was in Kellan's office.

"Depends on what you're using it for. Harassment, interfering with a federal investigation, and bullying are also illegal so if I'm using the blackmail to prevent another illegal act, is it really blackmail?" Amanda proposes and everyone looks confused.

"It's better if you just don't think about it. Besides, we have a murderer to catch," Spencer says and Amanda perks up.

"Actually, two killers. With a typical dominant/submissive partnership."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Aaron questions and Rossi is the one to respond.

"The crime scene. After Amanda threatened to brutally beat and eventually murder the officers, suddenly they were tripping over themselves to help her with any and everything they could." Emily puts her hand out behind her back at the news and Amanda slaps it with her own so Aaron can't see but Spencer hears it and chuckles quietly as Morgan continues with the discovery.

"Once we took in the blood spatter we realized with a slit throat, there would've been more if there was nobody in front of her but less blood if someone was in front of her."

"What do you mean?" JJ queries, not understanding how this is possible.

"Someone was holding her up," Amanda explains. "Emily," she commands and the brunette walks over to her and stands in front of her allowing Amanda to stand behind her. "Morgan." The man walks in front of the two agents and mimics slashing her throat. Emily moves to collapse from the blood loss and Amanda grips her tight, holding her up. "See, as you can see, some of the blood got onto the dominant unsub, the one who likely has the trauma in the room and slit the women's throats but the submissive unsub held her up so she wouldn't fall forward and get all her blood on the first unsub."

"How can you be sure that it's a dominant and submissive relationship," Hotch asks.

"Because the slices on the throats are the same," Spencer answers, realizing why Amanda had asked him what he found. "They punctured the lungs so they couldn't scream and then beat them based on their bad deeds before slitting the throat. If both parties were dominant, the method of killing would likely differ, changing the scene, but it's the same room every time and the exact same slicing pattern on the throat. Even if the submissive studied the path across the prostitute's throat, it wouldn't be the same unless it was the same unsub."

"But if the other unsub is submissive why is he helping if he doesn't get to kill. Usually, that's how the dominant pulls them in, by letting them commit the act and then placing them in the submissive role," JJ points out.

"Amanda actually had a theory about that as well," Rossi states and everyone turns to the blonde.

"Well, one of the detectives on the case that I threatened had a note talking about the 'sins' the prostitute had committed and how she was a whore and how she fucked too many guys and too many girls and how she was wrong and they were doing Charlotte a favor by killing her."