Redemption | Criminal Minds

Chapter 6

THE OFFICER WITH rimhorn glasses whose badge reads Tucker backs up, raising his hands in defeat as Derek flashes his credentials.

The officer I knocked to the ground, his badge proclaiming Willow, looks like a cornered animal, his eyes wide as he also notices the badge.

"Come on; we mean no harm sir," Willow blurts, his eyes narrowing angrily when he looks at me.

"I bet you didn't; now, where is your superior?" Hotch as the team calls him, pipes up from behind us.

"Uh-she's inside sir," Tucker replies, brushing imaginary dirt from off his uniform.

"Not anymore; is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?" A furious woman exclaims from the now open front door, her arms crossed defensively in front of her.

"I would also like to know; do you usually have such a prominent drug problem with your officers ma'am?" Hotch questions the blonde as I toss her the tiny bag of coke.

"Willow, Tucker; inside; NOW!" The blonde growls, sending them scurrying.

"Sorry about that; I'll make sure they are taken care of, but we're just so understaffed with everyone out on patrol for the killer," She sighs, running a hand through her blonde pixie cut.

"We understand; do you have a spot where we can set up?" JJ questions kindly.

"Yes, please follow me; I'm Sheriff Kelly by the way," She replies, looking at me curiously as what looks to be recognition flickers in her stormy grey eyes.

"Do I know you?" Kelly questions as we enter the quiet and sparse station.

"Damnit, I think she went this way!" The blonde police officer screams from outside my hiding spot in the bushes.

"Kelly, we need to wait for reinforcement; there's no telling what kind of weapons she has..." A soft voice pipes up as I attempt to catch my breath in the silence that follows.

"Wilson; she killed a navy admiral under my watch; her killing me will be much better than going back empty handed!" Kelly growls.

"No, I don't believe you do," I reply quickly.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were understaffed," Derek whistles.

I also find it odd that there are only 5 police officers at a station that polices a fairly large city.

"Nope, I wasn't'; but I'm glad to have the help of the FBI," Kelly smiles tiredly, showing us into a small conference room.

"So, did you know any of the victims?" I question bluntly as I open the case file.

"I knew Richards, she played at a police benefit last year; god, she was talented," Kelly muses out loud.

"Any significant others?" Hotch questions the woman gruffly.

"Yeah; a boyfriend who works down at Java Joes on Church Street; William Hill," Kelly replies, rocking on her heels, seemingly deep in thought.

"Alex and Morgan, why don't you go check out the boyfriend; Rossi and Reid, go talk to the families of the victim," Hotch orders.

"Got it," Derek and I reply in unison before making our way to the car.

A woman with a dirt smudged face blocks the car, staring up at us in anger.

"I'm hungry!" She announces, standing from her spot.

I yank a ten dollar bill from my pocket and place it in her hand gently.

Her fingers close around the bill and she scurries off into the cafe across the street.

"Nice thing to do," Derek comments as he climbs into the driver seat.

"Good for connections; may need her help later," I reply simply.

*Time Skip*

I climb out of the car and stretch, my muscles screaming at all the sitting I've been doing today.

I'm usually always on the move, whether it be scouting a location or committing a felony. You know; brisk exercise.

The coffee shop we have arrived at displays colorful posters in its picture windows and my stomach grumbles as I notice the pastry poster advertising the sweet treats for $1.50.

"Food!" I exclaim as I skip towards the door.

"Alex, we aren't here to eat..." Derek warns as I throw open the double doors and waltz inside.

"Come on; one won't kill you and I haven't ate anything since yesterday aside to a couple m&m's Derek!" I whine pitifully, gazing up at the menu.

"Fine, but after we question William; ok?" Derek sighs in reply as I bounce happily.

"Oh William!" I whistle, trying to find the man.

"Are you looking for me?" A guy with a neat looking manbun pipes up as he rinses out a coffee cup.

"Yeah, FBI; mind if we ask you a couple questions?" Derek replies, flashing his badge to the man whose eyes widen in fear.

He bolts and I grin happily at the opportunity to squeeze in some exercise before I eat.

I slide over the counter, knocking over a rack of coffee cups that crash to the ground in a mess of porcelain shards.

William slams the exit door behind him as he darts from the shop, but I luckily catch it before it can latch.

He's fast, weaving in and out of traffic like he's done this before. Unluckily for him; I've also done this before.

I tackle him to the pavement just across the street and hold all my weight on him, which isn't much with my slender 120 pound frame.

He's easily 200 and has twice the muscle mass so he attempts to buck me off him before resorting to landing a sloppy punch to my arm.

"Didn't your mother tell you never to hit a lady or did you ignore that when you killed Tiana Richards?" I growl, holding my ground as Derek runs up behind us.

"Wait, Tiana is dead?" William cries out, causing Derek and I to exchange the same confused look.