Heurism | Spencer Reid¹

CHAPTER TEN: OUT OF TIME

"Now those memories come back to haunt me, they haunt me like a curse."

     — Bruce Springsteen

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"That was JJ," Reid says solemnly. He and I sit in the back seat of the car, leaning between the front seats with his phone in hand. "They're holding a press conference with the Copelands, calling for the 'witness' in a green SUV."

"Anything?" Gideon asks.

I haven't spoken since we left the riverside. My eyes remain fixed on the road ahead. In my periphery, I can sense him watching me. "Can't be sure."

"Damn it. We need to get there now." Russet puts her foot down and the engine hums.

It isn't long before we pull up in the parking lot of the police station. Hurrying inside, the sound of rising voices greets us. "Did you find Billie? Is my daughter dead?"

"A body was discovered—"

Striding in, Gideon cuts Hotch off before the situation can get more out of hand, "It's not Billie. The body that was found was much older. It's been dead for a number of days, looks like maybe a junkie or an overdose."

Mr Copeland turns on us, eyes wide and bloodshot. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I saw the body myself. It's not your daughter."

"My God. I can't. I can't..."

Elle is soon at Mrs Copeland's side as she begins to sob. She leads the way out of the room. I consider following but my feet don't shift. I keep a hand in my pocket, picking at the foil on my pack of gum. My mind is still on that body, on the river. It takes my best efforts to listen to the others. "What the hell was that about?" I hear Gideon ask.

"A reporter asked them about the body," Morgan replies.

"Probably heard it on a scanner."

JJ grimaces. "I should have prepared them for that."

He is quick to shut down her guilt. "We didn't have anything to tell them yet."

"Look, can we stop with the pointless conversations?" My outburst comes before I can stop it. Everyone stops to look at me. Suddenly aware of how tight my chest feels, I swallow thickly and adjust my collar. Gideon's eyes are on me and I do everything to avoid them. My tone softens. "Billie has hours left. The more time we waste, the more likely it is that it will be her body we find in that river."

My explanation doesn't minimise their surprise. Hesitating, JJ approaches. "Sully..."

Her hand rests on my shoulder but I shrug it off. "Shut up, I'm fine. Not that any of us should be. Another kid is gonna die if we don't do something now."

She stares at me, baffled. Gideon is the next to try. He stops in front of me, making no attempt to touch me. He doesn't need to, his eyes commanding my attention. "Are we good?"

"I—"

The firmness of his voice is coupled with a patience I am all too familiar with. "Are we good, Sully? Do you need a minute?"

"I—" I shut my eyes tight, shaking my head. "No. No, I'm okay. Just... the time pressure. Let's do this."

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