Truth and Lies

Chapter 27

** Morgan's POV **

"Why does it always have to be them?" I sighed as Hotch stuck their pictures on the board.

Garcia was close to having a depressive episode, not a nervous breakdown as we previously called them, and I repeatedly rubbed her back to comfort her.

"So, this attack appeared to be well-coordinated and planned, so the coffee shop must have been the target all along." Hotch started off.

"Not necessarily, I mean the unsubs could have taken all of the witnesses if they'd felt like it because they definitely had the leverage and the time, but they only took JJ and Emily." Reid contradicted.

"But who knew they'd be at that coffee shop?" I asked.

"That's what we need to determine, whether it was random or personalized. Reid and Morgan, go to JJ's house. Garcia and I will take Emily's apartment."

"But, Hotch, sir, I don't go outside. I-I" Garcia was getting nervous and Hotch gave her a reassuring half-smile.

"I know, Garcia, but we're running short on agents. And you know Emily well, so it will be useful. I'll be there with you, and we will not be taking any other cases whilst we're conducting our investigation." He said, and Garcia nodded, wiping her eyes and her glasses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, JJ's going through a lot then." I said to myself as Reid and I reached her house. There were two cars parked outside.

"Emily was here with JJ." He observed, and I walked straight inside without stopping.

"Morgan?" 

"Sorry, kid. What did you say?"

"Emily was already here. They must have walked together to the coffee shop."

"So if they were the intended targets, why wait for them to be in the coffee shop, full of customers and witnesses? It's quite risky, don't you think?"

"Unless they already planned it. They may have found a way to lure them to the coffee shop. If they were surveying them, they could have figured out a routine or something." I said in a monotone voice, looking around JJ's house.

We've been round many times, drinking and eating together, but now it felt different, weird, like I was a stranger to her. I picked up a framed photo that I'd never noticed before, the day that we all went to eat Chinese food and Reid was learning to use chopsticks. I fully understood how close we all were to each other, how much of a family we are to each other.

"Hey, Morgan, I think Emily's living here." Reid called from the bedroom.

"What?" He snapped me out of my trance.

"Look, there's a suitcase here and a lot of Emily's clothes. And cat pictures."

"I'll let Garcia and Hotch know."

"I wonder why they're living together." Reid asked aloud.

"Because they're going out." I sighed.

"Going out? Like on a date?"

"Yes, Reid, like on a date. Now is there anything useful here?"

"Not that I can see. I think the crime scene will tell us more than this."

"Right. I'll call Hotch then." 

I left Reid to it and stepped outside, gladly breathing in the fresh air. For some reason I felt extremely claustrophobic in JJ's house, like she was watching me everywhere I went, breathing down my back.