Winnie

too close

"JJ had the forensic team get a DNA sample from the blood found at the scene." Hotch started the case briefing, "The blood matched to a known suspect in the murder case of Cassidy Brent, a 28 year old ER nurse. Winnie was working on her case along with several others when Peter Elkins broke in to steal the casefiles. What we need to do is figure out why."

Hotch sternly looked around the room, allowing the silence to stir ideas. 

Spencer looked at Winnie, her glasses sliding down her nose due to the fact she had been looking down the whole time. She had been avoiding eye contact with everyone for the past few days. She didn't like the feeling she got when they looked at her, like she was a victim, again. 

Reid looked up at Hotch, "He is most likely involved in more than one case, otherwise breaking in to steal the file would only make him more of a suspect." 

Winnie added, "He was also tearing apart my bookshelf, like he was trying to find something." 

"Was there anything for him to find?" Emily asked almost accusative. 

"No, its just a bunch of old boring books." Winnie ignored the undertone. 

Spencer refrained from rolling his eyes. He knew how much she loved those books. She had several copies of Shakespears collection of plays and other classic novels. The Narritive of John Green was a favorite they had in common. He had gifted her his copy of the book as a house warming gift when she had first moved into her apartment. 

"So what about Peter Elkins, why wasnt he arrested for the murder of Cassidy Brent?"

"There wasn't enough evidence to do anything other than hold him for questioning. The crime scene was spotless. Not even a hair out of place; metaphorically speaking." Winnie added to the conversation, looking up for the first time that day. "He was our strongest suspect because he and Cassidy were seen arguing in the parking lot of the hospital the night before her murder. They had been dating on and off for three years and from my research he seemed verbally and physically abusive."

"She was found dead in her apartment after not showing up for her shift. A coworker, Kelly Garret went to check on her." Spencer added. "In her bed, strangled to death but her body didn't have any self defensive wounds. It looks like the unsub tucked her into bed post- mordum."

"That could be Elkins guilt; he strangled her in a fit of rage and then when he had realized what he had done his guilty conscience convinced him that she would wake up in the morning, and so he tucked her in bed." Rossi speculated alloud. 

"Well, whatever happened we know he's guilty of one thing." Hotch said looking at Winnie's bandaged shoulder. "And every day that goes by is only going to make finding him harder." 

Winnie felt the eyes on her while she avoided every gaze. The attention made her shoulder feel heavy, as if the weight of the bullet was slowly making its way back through her body. The feeling didn't stop and soon the heavy feeling moved to her chest, her lungs tightened in response. Her heartrate increased a little at first until it made it's way to her ears. She could hear the beating, rushing blood ringing in her head. A growing ache started to set behind her eyes. 

I have to get out of here. She rationalized that the pain medication was wearing off and she needed another dose, but she knew what this feeling was and she had almost wished it was the pain of a bullet rather than this ache in her chest. 

What felt like hours sitting there and being stared at was, in reality, only minutes. Her mind was slowly sinking further into a pernicious state. She tried to steady her breath.

"Winnie, don't worry. We'll catch him." Spencer said reaching out to give her any type of comfort.

Winnie withdrew, "It's not him I'm thinking about."