𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪 𝓳𝓪𝓷𝓮 ➢ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓉𝓌𝑜

"Yarborough called you in?"

Agent Hotchner nodded. "You guys have any leads yet?"

"We just received the case five minutes ago," Mara said, extending her hand. "Detective Tate. Lead detective on this case."

"I thought there were more than two members of the BAU." Archer chuckled, standing behind Mara.

"The rest of the team is looking at the crime scene, Agent Jareau will be here any second."

The Doctor stepped forward, looking at the pictures hung up on the board. "That particular mask is know as a false face. It's most commonly worn during Halloween and Mardi Gras."

"Her face-" Mara says, stepping forward, examining the pictures. "He mocks it. Then, he destroys it."

A blonde woman entered the room, introducing herself as Agent Jareau, their media liaison. "Local media had the story."

"He'll run." Mara quickly said.

"What do we know about the victim?" Hotch asked her.

"Michelle Colucci was single, lived alone, no boyfriend and no ex-husband," she explained to them. "She was an architect. Friends and co-workers say she's a classic workaholic."

"Basically a loner who rarely went out of the house." Answered a new arrival, Agent Morgan.

"You think maybe a stalker?" Agent Prentiss suggested.

"It could be that the UnSub met her casually and made her part of some kind of fantasy. He tries to act on it and she rejects him?" Morgan shook his head.

"So he tortures her, out of anger?"

Mara stepped forward. "Masks often represent a state of mind. This one's blank, expressionless. Correct if I'm wrong but that doesn't coincide with anger."

Dr. Reid stepped forward. "It's hard to imagine he did this out of anything less than rage."

Mara took a step back, feeling as if she should let the professionals take the lead. This case was above her head and she didn't want them to think she was smarter than she actually was.

"Detective Tate?" Archer stepped forward. "We got another flier. Enid White. Her roommate called us this morning. Enid never came home after walking her dog last night."

"She's missing," Mara said. "He wallpapered the neighborhood with fliers for two blocks around their apartment. Outside."

"That's different." Dr. Reid said.

"Dave, do you mind walking the disposal site with Yarborough?" Hotchner asked his team.

Agent Rossi nodded. "Morgan, you and Prentiss go to Michelle Colucci's house. JJ and I will talk to Enid's roommate."

"Reid, work on the geographical profile and victimology." 

The team parted, each going off to get as much information as they could to help find Enid White.

"Geographical profile?" Mara asked, following Dr. Reid to the board.

"The process analyzes locations connected to the crime to determine the most probable are in which the UnSub lives."

Mara nodded, watching him draw circles on the map. "How can you only do that with one murder and a kidnapping?"

"We use where the victims were taken and where they were dumped, this usually means that this is his comfort zone," Dr. Reid explained to the detective. "He'll continue killing in this zone because he's comfortable in these zones and is afraid to get caught if he changes the area."

Mara nodded. "So, that means that he more than likely lives in this..." she draws a large circle on the map. "Area."

"That's right," Reid nodded. "You catch on quickly."

Mara was staring at the crime scene photos, trying to pinpoint why she felt so off about them.

"Water," Mara mumbled underneath her breath. "Obliterates a body. Destroys evidence. You weren't in that long, were you?"

"She had rocks tied to her to weigh her down," Reid said from beside her. He had been listening to her mutter under her breath. "But she floated to the surface before there was any other damage."

"The salient point is that this was the first thing the UnSub wasn't good at."

Once everyone returned, Mara watched them create any theories. He was a stalker. Watched for a day or two before striking. These women were in a set routine. Nothing a stalker liked more than routine.

She sat at the round table and stared at the board, hoping something would connect these dots for her.

Reid's phone started ringing, he immediately recognized it as Garcia and answered. "Garcia?"

"I've been running all of Enid White's credit cards," Reid put her on speaker so everyone could hear her. "She made a purchase at 9 a.m. this morning."

"This morning?" Hotch furrowed his eyebrows. "What'd she buy?"

"A shotgun."

"She can buy a gun that easily?" Morgan raised his eyebrows in shock.

"There no license or waiting period for most rifles or shotguns," Mara answered from her seat at the table. "Is there video surveillance of gun sales in sporting goods store?"

"There's supposed to be," Garcia answered. "I'll call the store to find out if it was Enid or the UnSub using her credit card."

"Detective Tate?" Archer called my name, making me turn around. "There's an urgent call from a woman on one."

I picked up the phone, motioning for one of the FBI agents to come over too. "My name is Enid White."

"Where are you, Enid?" Mara asked her and Hotch ordered Garcia to do a trap and trace.

"The news reports said that the police didn't believe the other woman when she saw the missing fliers."

"That was a mistake." Mara answered and Hotch scribbled 'one more minute' on a notepad.

"I have a gun," Enid replied. "I don't think I can stay away very much longer."

Mara shoved the phone towards Hotch, pressing the mute button for a second. "She needs to hear from someone else. You. She needs to know the FBI is here and helping."

Hotch nodded and took the phone. "Enid, this is Agent Hotchner of the FBI. We believe you, and we want to help you. Can you tell us where you are?"

There was hesitation. She was thinking whether or not she was safe. "El Royale Motel. Room 6. I saw the fliers. Hurry, please. He's gonna kill me."

"Don't move, we're on our way." Hotch said and hung up the phone.

They all jumped into the big black SUV's and drove to that motel as quick as possible but when they got there, it was already too late.

She was gone.