the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

021. hostage

"Last night, this girl, Gina Bryant, flagged down a police car in St. Louis. She was wearing nothing but a dirty nightgown and she was barefoot." Penelope says. "And she told them that she had been kidnapped when she was 8."

"That girl's gotta be 19 or 20 years old." Derek says.

"18. And they confirmed her identity." Penelope states. "She was a foster kid who disappeared 10 years ago."

"She's been in captivity this whole time?" JJ asks. Penelope nods.

"Long term hostage. That's rare." Rossi says. "We got another Ariel Castro here?"

"Funny you should say that. Not funny ha ha, funny weird." Penelope says. "She told the police that she was held captive with this girl, Sheila Woods, 15 years old, who disappeared from Nashville 7 years ago. Also she said there was another girl, too, but all she knows about her is that her name is Violet and she was older."

"I'm assuming you've checked the missing children's database." Rossi says.

"Affirmative. There's no Violet anywhere." Penelope says.

"Did Gina say anything about her captor?" Spencer asks.

"Just that his name is Tom and he was an older white dude." Penelope says.

"And where were they being held?" Bedelia asks.

"This house." Penelope shows a photo. "Gina took the cops there. They found Sheila. Sheila's at the hospital very ill with something yet to be determined. Violet nowhere to be found."

"It's probably safe to assume that she's with the unsub." Hotch says.

"Who owns the house?" Spencer asks.

"Oh, that's where it gets even weirder." Penelope says. "This woman, Clara Riggins. She's MIA, but her checking account is active, she pays her bills on time, and if my math is correct, she's 108 years old."

"I might be going out on a limb here, but I'm gonna bet she had nothing to do with the kidnappings." Rossi says.

"The real question's where is the unsub and this other girl Violet?" Derek asks.

"That's what we're gonna find out. Lewis is on a research assignment. Wheels up in 30." Hotch says.

+++

Bedelia, Rossi, and Derek are at the house and searching it. They're in the room the girls stayed in and see the broken window. Bedelia's chest tightens at all the blood stained on the mattress. She looks around at all of the drawings on the walls, managing to compose herself before she shows any emotion.

Rossi pulls a curtain aside and they find a large X shaped wooden post with wrist restraints that have blood on them from the girls struggling. 

Rossi and Derek go to the cabinet where blood is surrounding the handles. They pull the doors open to reveal multiple cuffs, paddles, and whips. Bedelia feels the bile rise up in her throat, but pushes it down, looking away. Her gaze falls onto a mattress with blood on it only making her feel worse.

+++

"Look what I found in the kitchen." Rossi says, walking in and putting a box on the bed.

"Bondage and torture porn." Derek says.

"Also found another toolbox in there." Rossi says. "That makes 3."

"Well, you saw the guy's woodwork. He's obviously good with his hands." Derek says.

"So maybe some kind of carpenter or handyman." Rossi says.

"Check this out." Derek walks over to the closet. "It could be OCD. I mean, his closet is just right. Clothes are perfectly folded. You can even bounce a quarter off his bed."