❛𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬❜ - 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐝

ACT FIVE

FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA — CHARLIE WILKINSON'S RESIDENCE

"Hotch and JJ are on the way," Reid told them after clicking his phone shut.

He was in the passenger seat while Morgan drove, and Vivienne was in the back, her mind racing through scenarios of what would happen once they arrived at Charlie's home. They'd already gone to his work, where he no-call, no-showed, so with a quick call to Garcia, they got his address and were on the way within a matter of minutes.

Vivienne couldn't reject Hotch's orders, knowing full well that if anyone had been informed of her restrictions, it would've been the Unit Chief. Callaway may not have told Rossi to keep the information confidential as it was meant to, but Hotch was someone who needed to know, especially if she was called out of the Cyber Division to assist his team. Considering this, she couldn't fathom why he'd send her out with Morgan and Reid to track Charlie down, as no matter what scenario occurred, she'd need a gun — it was protocol, and she couldn't follow it even if she wanted to.

"Mint?"

Startled out of her thoughts, she noticed Reid offering a small tin to her. He was twisted in his seat so he could look at her, and his smile almost made Vivienne's worries seem ridiculous.

She grinned, tilting her head with furrowed brows. "Are you... trying to tell me something, Reid?"

Morgan snorted, but Reid's features twisted into one of confusion before realization colored his face a few seconds later. "What— no, I was just trying to— you looked nervous, and I— stop laughing, Morgan!"

"You don't offer a girl a mint when she never asked, kid," he pointed out, chuckling as a red-faced Spencer tucked the tin back into his pocket with a pout. "Come on, haven't I taught you better?"

"Sorry, Spencer," Vivienne giggled herself, trying to contain her amusement when Reid's embarrassed gaze shifted to her. Her lips stretched into a smile as she held her hand out, her eyes stating a soft apology for inadvertently teasing him. "I'd like one, thank you."

His smile was still bashful, lips in a straight line that almost looked like a smile as he brought the tin back out. He dropped two mints in her palm, and she muttered a ginger 'thank you' before sitting back and popping them into her mouth, her eyes back on the scenery outside of her window while Reid stared at her for a few seconds longer.

When he settled back in his seat, he pointedly ignored Morgan's teasing glance, choosing to copy Vivienne by watching the trees gradually increase on their way to Charlie Wilkinson's house.

Hotch and JJ were pulling up not long after they arrived, and they waited for Hotch to catch up to them before any of them approached the house. When the Unit Chief was near enough, he told JJ and Morgan to go to the door, and the two left while Reid and Vivienne hung back along with the sheriff, who'd ridden with Hotch.

Chrissy was the one who opened the door, and Vivienne's eyes immediately strayed down to her belly. "She's not showing yet," she commented, drawing the rest of the team's attention. "That must mean she hasn't passed her first trimester."

"It coincides with the timeline of the first kidnapping," Hotch voiced, glancing over his shoulder at the padlocked barn just a couple of feet away from the house. "Do you think Chrissy knows?"

"I think she won't be surprised."

Vivienne's answer was short and firm, reminding Hotch that despite her youthful appearance, she was still the protege from the Cyber Division whose case history was far more extensive than anything he'd seen for her age. He nodded, accepting her answer, and unholstered his gun from his hip to check the chamber.