the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

057. the capilanos

"Okay, okay. And by okay, I mean the abbreviation of the great state of Oklahoma, cause everything I'm gonna say now is not okay." Penelope says as the team walks in and sits at the table. "The unsub we are looking for killed last week in Colorado and then again last night in Oklahoma."

"Big mistake. Crossing state lines gives us jurisdiction." Rossi says.

"Attacking in two states is ambitious." Tara says. "Maybe he's a truck driver or has other work in the area?"

"I can check the highway serial killer database." Penelope says.

"So our latest victim, Mark Wilson, 35, was beaten to death in his home, like our first victim, Sam Franklin." Emily says.

"They were both hard working midwestern men." Penelope says. "Both homes were robbed, and you know that super sensitive side of your mouth part here? On both of them, it was cut."

"Are they smiling?" Rossi asks.

"How did he do that?" JJ asks.

"That's awful." Spencer frowns.

"This wasn't about inflicting more pain. I mean, they were already dead." Tara says. "He was compelled to do this."

"He's got a type." Luke says. "Strong married men with kids. It could be a surrogate."

"He's patricidal tendencies, shows power assertive behavior." Matt says.

"At first glance, he feels like a family annihilator attacking the home, but he's not killing the whole family." Rossi says.

"And he choose to destroy the heads of the household without an audience." Emily says.

"There could be some mercy in him after all." Bedelia comments.

"Well, that might be true with Sam Franklin, but with Mark Wilson, his 7 year old son, Dylan, saw the whole thing." Penelope informs.

"Oh, no." Matt sighs. "Is he talking?"

"Well, he was, but not anymore." Penelope says. "It's unclear what he saw, but he says his dad was killed by a clown."

"Maybe the unsub wore a disguise." JJ says.

"Or he's projecting something he fears. There's a word, even though it's not recognized by any dictionary or psychology manual, for the excessive fear of clowns -- coulrophobia." Spencer says.

"Well, whatever he saw, we need to find out if it was real or perceived. Wheels up in 20." Emily says.

+++

They walk up to Dylan's hospital room, his mom walking out to them.

"Hi. Ms. Wilson, we're Agents Reid, Reid, and Simmons from Quantico." Spencer says.

"Hi." She says.

"We're so sorry for your loss." Matt tells her.

"Before he stopped talking, he said he wish he'd called for help sooner." She says

"Irrational guilt, especially for a child, is common after a traumatic event." Spencer says.

"Is he gonna talk again?" She asks. "The doctors here can't tell me."

"Most likely, but what he's doing is called disassociating. It's a psychological form of self-protection." Spencer says. "You mind if I talk to him?"

"Please." She nods and steps aside, Spencer walking into the room while the other three stay in the doorway.

"Hi, Dylan." Spencer softly greets as he stands beside the bed. "My name's Spencer. I'm really sorry about what happened to your dad. I can't imagine how scary that must have been. I heard who you saw, and I was hoping..." Spencer takes a notepad and a crayon out of his bag. "Maybe you could draw me a picture?"