The Element of Surprise

Identity - Part 4

Emily, JJ and Spencer joins the team at Goehring's house the moment Hotch called them to inform them of Angela's death. The entire place is crawling with officers and forensics now, all hard at work at barricading the crime scene and collecting as much evidence as they can find. I join my team at one of the police vehicles while Hotch updates them of what we know so far. And it seems I was right, after the coroner came to collect Angela's body, he confirmed that she's been dead for no more than half an hour. However, that also means the person who killed her was just here before we arrived.

"We set up road blocks within a forty mile radius," the sheriff points along the map on the car's hood.

"Sheriff, somebody around here must know who Goehring's partner is," Hotch says, removing his shades and hooking them onto his shirt pocket.

"We should try Goehring's pals," Rossi suggests without me needing to probe him to, "The militia. Maybe they can help."

Much to his dismay, Derek gets send to question the militia leader with JJ - Rossi's idea, of course. And while we wait for the sheriff's men to sweep the house for explosives, Rossi and Reid head for the barn to see if they can find anything that might help us find the partner. I would've gone with them if Hotch didn't call me aside.

"How's everything going?" He asks once we're alone in the rose garden.

"I think he suspects something," I tell him the truth, using what happened in the sheriff's office for an example. "But I think all in all he's getting a hang of things. He seems a lot more open and controlling when you're not around, though."

"Highly expected," Aaron breathes a laugh. It lasts only a second, though, and back is the ever stoic face, "Anything else I should know?"

My thoughts go back to that asshole pervert who insulted Spencer and me earlier. I wonder should I tell Hotch how Rossi placed himself in front of me instead of Reid. Of course, it could be a coincidence, or an act of chivalry, I don't know. But I have to admit, it was kind of nice of him to block that man's view of my body.

Perhaps it's better if I keep it to myself. "No, that's all I can think of. Should I continue with the, uh, favor, sir?"

"If you think it's necessary. Good work, Agent Presley."

Hotch walks off to speak with the sheriff once again, leaving me among the rosebushes to relish in the fact that he thought I did a good job. I'm a sucker for approval, it seems. It has nothing to do with low self-esteem or being a teacher's pet. When one works for the BAU and have to keep up with a group of insanely intelligent profilers everyday, one tends to gobble up approval as if it was the first meal one's had in weeks.

Not soon after Hotch joins the sheriff, Rossi and Spencer exits the barn to report back what they found. From afar, I take a moment to admire the confidence in the senior agent's steps. He walks as if he owns the crime scene, dark hair swept back, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and shades hanging from his shirt pocket. I'm not sure whether it's the confidence or his clean-cut appearance that's making my stomach do weird things, but I'm sure to ignore the feeling and avert my eyes to the rosebushes, studying them as if they're the most interesting things in the world.

And perhaps they are.

Furrowing my brows, I can't help but notice the strange pattern in the roses. Feeling like this might be a clue, I call over the rest of my team. As soon as they enter the rose garden, I point out what I discovered, "Look at this, there are three sections of roses; different heights, different levels of maturity. And we know Goehring abducted three different women in the past." I crouch beside the shrubs at my feet, "These appear to be the most recently planted, they still have their tags." However, as I part the stems to get to the tag, I accidentally lift a part of the bush out of the soil for two or three beetles to scurry from the earth.