the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

065. luke

"3 victims in 3 days -- Rick Salazar, Michael Williams, and John Reynoso." Penelope says. "Each was shot in the back of the head with a .40-caliber pistol."

"They lived in different states running south along the eastern seaboard." Emily says. "John, the most recent, was in nearby Bethesda, Maryland."

"Execution style. Could be professional." Rossi says.

"You know, most assassinations are one and dones." Spencer says. "Hit men acquire a target, execute them, and then disappear. Killing multiple victims without changing his M.O. exposes him and makes him trackable."

"The victims were seemingly average people with normal middle class lives." JJ says. "Nothing here says they would be targeted by a hit man."

"Yeah, killing random people's just not what a hit man does." Tara says.

"If they're moving this fast, they must be working off a list." Luke says.

"What if all 3 victims are key witnesses to a federal crime?" Matt asks. "That would put them on a list."

"As would witness protection." Rossi says.

"Garcia, start running through the witsec database. I'll reach out to them and the U.S. attorney's office, see if there's any overlap." Emily says.

"Got it." Penelope says.

"We should also consider that our unsub might not be a hit man, that he's operating off a list of victims based on their perceived transgressions." Spencer says.

"A moral enforcer." JJ says.

"Well, either way, we need to assume there are other targets." Emily says. "We'll run the case out of here until we can predict his next move. But based on speed, we will have to work fast."

+++

Emily, Bedelia, and Spencer are waiting for the elevator.

"Guys, bad news." Penelope says, walking over.

"A fourth victim already?" Emily asks.

"Paul McEntee, Arlington, Virginia, just south of here." Penelope informs. "He's an accountant, lived alone. I sent all the files to your tablets and phones."

"Any luck with witsec?" Emily asks.

"Not yet. And I've been scouring any pertinent FBI databases. Nothing there, either." Penelope says.

"Two kills in less than a day. He's speeding up." Bedelia says.

"Well, if our unsub's a hit man, he's moving fast to avoid detection." Emily says. "He might be near the end of his list."

"I'm still not convinced he is a hit man." Spencer says. "If he's a vigilante or a moral enforcer, the shortening cooling down period could be a sign he's losing control."

"Spence, you, Dave, and Tara go to Bethesda. Luke and I will head to the M.E.'s office, take a look at the latest victim. B, you, Matt, and JJ go to Arlington."

The elevator dings and Spencer motions for the two women to get on first and he follows them.

+++

"They told us to go to the bedroom." Matt says as the three walk into the room.

"That's weird." JJ says.

Bedelia watches one of the techs walk out of a room that's in the closet.

"I'd say that's weird." Bedelia says, pointing to the space where a light is coming from. The three walk over and go into the small room where the guy was killed.