How Dare You [ReidxReader] - 2nd Edition

(22) love me more

TW: description of forced drug use by injection (heroin) and scarring.

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"Why would a dealer continuously call a costumer?" Hotchner asks.

Spencer looks at the phone logs: "Usually, the buyer calls the dealer, maybe once or twice a week, not the other way around."

Your head shoots up and you stare at Spencer. You know how he knows that, but no one else asks themselves how he does. Hotchner just goes on with his analysis of the victims.

Your eyes dart around the room, not one is batting an eye about what Spencer just said. Do they seriously think he just knows that because Spencer knows everything?

Yes, the unsub is escalating and the down time between kills is getting shorter, however, being under pressure cannot mean that you accept every proposition someone makes.

Not that you do disagree with Spencer, of course not, it's just that- whatever.

Taking a deep breath, you go back to the coroner's reports. Even though it makes you sick to your stomach, you look at the bloody track marks all women show. The crooks of their elbows are littered with red spots. Some of them, have blueish tints to them. Like the tip of the syringe was wiggled around.

All the women were healthy with no signs of prior drug-abuse. The doses they were given must have been absolutely overwhelming. Some of them threw up. You only see one explanation for that.

"They didn't inject the heroin themselves." You state.

Hotchner and the others turn to you.

"Why you think that?" Morgan asks.

"The wounds." You slide the pictures around. "These aren't injection marks of someone who used on their own accord. They struggled."

"Isn't that a bit of a stretch?" Rossi questions.

You shake your head: "The wounds are too big for just a needle. They must have moved their arm and it cut the skin. Also: the vomit. They surely hadn't used before."

Now everyone stares at you. Really? Spencer's comment was fine, but your observation raises suspicions? You cross your arms and lean back. Absentmindedly, you rub the inside of your elbows with your thumbs. They have been itchy ever since you first looked at the pictures.

"Byrne? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Hotchner gestures towards the adjacent office. You furrow your eyebrows and get up. You just said what you think. Why is that a problem? Everyone was bouncing ideas off each other.

Following Hotchner, you look at Spencer who seems just as confused. You don't fully shut the door, too stubborn to protect Hotchner's bullshit. "Sir?"

"I keep you on the team, because you are a good Agent." He starts. Oh wow.

"But you cannot let your personal experience influence your judgement."

"How else am I supposed to build a profile? You all work with your experience."

Hotchner's jaw clenches: "We use our professional experience."

"I worked for the DEA, what makes you think I don't speak from professional experience?"

You try your best to stay calm, but you can already guess what he is getting at.

"You really want to go there, Byrne?"