Enjoying Your Company //

chapter five

Spencer's POV:

Its been three days since I last called Vanessa. Still no answer. My fingers tapped beneath my broiling anxieties, impelling me to calling again. Voicemail.

I leave my apartment, on route to the 'Bottomless Bookshop', convincing myself I could run into her there. I walk through the doors, tracing down the store until I found the literature/poetry section we first met. The chairs, empty. I press my lips together, something just didn't feel right. I shift around the department, seeing an elderly employee, pushing a cart.

"She's not here today." She said without reverting her gaze from the book, placing it along the shelf.

"I'm sorry?"

"Vanessa. Sweet girl, usually comes in twice a week, but hasn't been by in six days now. We tend to gibber about Greek deities to one another. I do hope she's alright." I felt my heart sheer.

"Right. Thank you." I politely pass by her, straight for the door.

•••

Most everyone was gathered in the round table room. I sat indisposed, re-reading Vanessa's copy again, listening to the teams banter as we waited for Hotch.

"You can't be serious," Emily scoffed with a loosely impressed look.

"Look ladies, I don't know how you spend your Saturday night, but I know how I spend mine." Derek confessed leaning back in his chair, sipping from his mug.

"I know how I'm gonna spend my Saturday night." Rossi chimed.

"Oh we all know how you spend your Saturday night. Cigar, Brandy, and a couple of Burt Reynolds movies."

"Only the good ones." Rossi winked.

"What about you, pretty boy?" I kept my mouth shut, finishing my paragraph. Derek kicked my chair beneath the table. "Hey, Reid." I flash my eyes to my team, waiting for me.

"I'll probably go to another Korean film festival.." I tuck my lips.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Hotch apologized, walking in with Garcia.

"Okay lovies," Garcia started the slideshow. "This is Zoe Hart, 22 year old female from Seattle. She moved here when she started college at Virginia Tech, and was found in Langley, along with another two victims, Allie Brody, and Cathy Dennings, both 22. Both Langley residents."

"Cause of death was different for each victim?" Emily asked flipping through her case file.

"Zoe died of severe strangulation, Allie starvation, and Cathy blood loss." Garcia's face twisted uncomfortably. I scanned my finger along the side of the page absorbing its every word. Each female had been sexually assaulted, genitals were brutally mutilated, strangulation bruising left on their necks. All dark haired, blue eyed, approximately 22+, same height and weight average. All the victims were addicts: GHB, Ketamine, Heroin.

"Their legs were cut. Most likely a form of torture."

"Well clearly he's a sexual sadist, the act of stabbed genitals says a lot." Prentiss exhaled.

"Duct tape residue was found on their mouths and wrists." JJ spoke.

"Is he drugging these girls or are they just high risk victims?"

"Most likely it's a combination of the two." I say flipping a page, when my heart stopped. "There's another girl missing."

"That's correct, boy genius. Vanessa Quinn, 25, went missing from her home in Virginia. Her mom reported her missing all the way from Canada." My eyes lingered on Vanessa's photo. Her blonde peek-a-boo highlights ruining my capability to work my mind. The conversation continued without me.

"How long as she been in the US?" Prentiss inquired.

"She got her citizenship two years ago, moved to Virginia shortly after." 

"He broke into her apartment?" Morgan's voice shifted to a low key.

"That's a complete shift in MO."

"Why weren't we notified sooner?" Hotch asked.

"Local PD wasn't sure her kidnapping was even connected." Garcia said softly. I felt Morgan's hyper fixation burning a hole in my forehead, but I was stone, incapable of looking away.

"Vanessa looks an awful lot like the women in the photos." Morgan corrected with an irritated tone.

"She may be his primary target." Rossi compiled.

"How long ago was she reported missing?"

"Six days." My stomach dropped, bile climbing up inside my chest.

"How long does he keep these women?" JJ asked in compiled agitation.

"Each girl was different. He had Zoe and Allie for two weeks, and Cathy for one." Garcia informed.

"Either way. If she's being tortured she won't have long. Everybody stay close." I felt everyone's weight shift as they single file left the room. Hotch stopped, turning back. "Reid." I shot up, standing from the empty table. "Everything all right?" He asked, looking me over with a gleam of suspicion.

"Yeah, fine, I'm fine." I pushed passed him, making my way to the restroom. My hands clenched the marble sink, arms shaking as I lift my head to see myself in the mirror. I shut my eyes, thinking about Vanessa. The bathroom door opened and closed Derek stood looking over at me. I felt sick.

"Reid." He stepped towards me apprehensively. "What's wrong kid?" The churning in my stomach boiled.

"The missing girl." I took in some air, trying not to lose my lunch. "Is Vanessa." I took in a few harsh breaths. "Sorry I'm gonna be sick." I say, pushing through an empty stall.