A Love Like No Other - Aaron Hotchner

The Edge of Uncertainty

The next morning, we regrouped at the Arlington precinct, and everything felt like a race against time. Sleep hadn't come easily after the late-night conversation with Hotch, but his words still echoed in my mind, urging me to push forward. I had to keep moving, even when the path felt uncertain.

We had gathered in a briefing room, coffee cups littering the table, as Reid and Morgan updated the team on the analysis of the partial plate. It hadn't given us a definitive ID yet, but it narrowed the suspect pool down significantly to about twenty vehicles. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"Garcia's still running the cross-check on known offenders," Morgan said, his voice steady. "But we're also looking into anyone connected to security system companies that operate in this area."

I leaned forward, feeling a faint spark of hope flicker to life. The unsub's approach - posing as a door-to-door salesman - meant he had a reason to come and go without raising suspicion. And it meant he'd been here before. He was hiding in plain sight, and it was only a matter of time before we uncovered who he really was.

Hotch stood at the head of the table, his gaze sharp as he considered the information. "Emma, i want you and Reid to head to the local office of a security company that operates in this area," he said, flipping through his notes. "We need to cross-reference their employees against Garcia's list."

I nodded, grateful for the task. It felt like a way to contribute something tangible, to make progress instead of sitting in the precinct and feeling the weight of helplessness. Hotch had given me the assignment without a second thought, and i appreciated the trust, even if it came with a new layer of pressure.

The security office was a nondescript building in an industrial part of town, and it looked as unremarkable as its surroundings. Reid and i walked in, flashing our credentials to the receptionist, who directed us to the back office.

As we waited for the manager to meet with us, Reid tried to make small talk, likely sensing my tension. He rambled a bit about the origins of different home security technologies, throwing in statistics about how people in suburban neighborhoods often felt safer with visible security signs even if no actual systems were installed.

"Fascinating," I murmured, trying to offer a smile. But my mind was elsewhere, fixated on the image of Lily's bedroom, the careful staging, and the unsettling feeling that the unsub had been watching, planning.

The manager - a portly man with thinning hair and a wary expression - ushered us into his office. He seemed nervous, but i wasn't sure if it was because of the nature of our visit or if he had something to hide.

"We're here to follow up on an investigation involving one of your employees," i explained, keeping my voice firm. "We believe there may have been unauthorized activity under the guise of door-to-door sales."

The manager frowned, clearly uncomfortable. "We have strict protocols for our sales reps," he said. "But if there's been any misconduct, i'll cooperate fully."

Reid handed him a list of names provided by Garcia - employees who fit the unsub's profile based on the rough description from the neighbor. "We need to know if any of these individuals have worked recently in the area near Lily Marsh's residence."

The manager took the list and glanced over it, his brow furrowing as he scanned the names. "Some of these are active sales reps, but..." He hesitated, and i felt my pulse quicken.

"But what?" I pressed, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.

He cleared his throat. "One of the names on this list - Evan Kepler - was terminated last year. We let him go after multiple complaints from homeowners. He... had a tendency to be overly persistent, which made some people uncomfortable."