SSA Aaron Hotchner is stepping down from his Unit Chief position for a 6-month period due to an assignment in overseas. To his temporary replacement comes SSA Alexandra Barnes, Chief of the Child Abductions Unit. Both Hotchner and Barnes have their...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
~~~
I saw the latest victim to the hospital and stayed with her while she was examined. Her name is Kate Nelson. It turns out she was on her afternoon run when an older woman stopped her asking for directions and that's the last thing she remembers.
I sat with her basically all night. In the morning and with her permission, I guided her through a cognitive interview and more things came back.
As she was talking to the older woman, she was standing on the pavement but by the side of the street. A black van stopped behind and before she could even acknowledge it, its side door opened and a masked man pulled her inside and hit her in the head.
She woke up dizzy in the middle of the woods, freed her hands that were tied behind her back with tape and started running. She remembers him yelling and chasing her as soon as he realized she stood up but stopped after some time.
When I got all that, I called Hotch and he sent JJ to stay in the hospital so I could return to the station. Everyone else was waiting for me in the conference and I told them everything Kate told me.
"This is wasting my time" the detective interrupts me.
Everyone in the conference room turn their heads towards him. "Excuse me?" I ask
"Kate Nelson, right? I bet she was drinking again last night" he answers
"I don't think so. All her tests came back clean" I explain
"Whatever. She is not trust worthy" he starts and moves towards the door.
I take two steps to the side and I stand between him and the closed door. He stops and stands right in front of me probably thinking he is intimidating just because he is taller. "Tell me detective, is there a reason to why you're rejecting everything coming by a woman?" I ask keeping a straight face.
He laughs and I raise my eyebrow. "It's because you often overreact just for the attention. Like you are doing right now, sweetheart"
"Maybe I am overreacting. I can't decide since I stayed up all night doing your job for you"
"Please. You interviewed a drunk girl"
"She wasn't drunk, I have her medical files right here" I remind him
"Then what happened? An old lady is working with a serial killer?" he asks
"That's what we are trying to answer and you're here wasting our time. You are literally walking around with a coffee cup all day!"
"Agent Barnes..." Hotch calls for me to stop but I ignore him.
"No, enough. The FBI is off my case!"
"You can't do that. We are in Iowa, in case you forgot. Two of the women we found were from Wisconsin and one from Minnesota. Crossing state lines makes it a federal case. We are actually doing you a favor. So, go take a walk and come back when and if you are willing to cooperate with us" I demand.
