Normal People - Strange Encounters Book Two

Chapter 3

"Words, Garcia. Elaborate please" Emily asked, settling her hip against the edge of one of the desks.

Typing furiously, Penelope dug into files as more and more boxes blinked up on her screens. Spencers eyes scanned over them all quickly, trying to find a clue that this really was Amelia.

"Okay.." Penelope said, sitting back and starring. The blinking had stopped, and photos of four women blinked up on the screen. Two wore white lab-coats, one looked like a candid photo, and the last was a mugshot. A fifth photo was hidden underneath them, rocks and water showing around the edge of the women's photos.

"I'm not entirely sure what we're looking at but.. these were somehow planted in Amelia's case file. In the recent files. I know logically, I love our dear Lee, but I don't think she could've done this herself."

"She has help" Spencer said softly, more to himself, but everyone heard him and nodded their heads in agreement.

"Garcia, get info on these women and come back to the conference room. We're going to continue going over this letter, and hopefully these pieces combined will give us some answers."

Hotch turned and left Penelope's office, heading back to the conference room with the rest of the team in tow. Spencer lingered back, looking at Penelope's screens.

"Uh, Garcia.. can you click that photo?" He asked, pointing to the photo underneath the headshots. He sucked in a breath as Penelope enlarged it, needing to lower himself into the seat next to her.

"That's her, isn't it?" Penelope asked gently. The woman in the photo had her profile to the camera, which captured the image from a distance. She wore her thick hair in a long braid down her back, almost hitting her waist now. She wore a thick looking white thermal with denim overalls, and a green ball cap tugged low over her face casting a shadow. She stood on a rocky shoreline, overlooking a body of water as a held a pendant that was worn around her neck.

"Can you zoom in?" Spencer asked in a whisper. Penelope hit a few buttons, enlarging the photo. She heard Spencer's breath hitch in his throat. He let out a short laugh, partially caught in his throat. "It's her."

"You're sure?" Penelope asked, not wanting him to get his hopes up but also agreeing.

"That hat, it's an eagles hat. This photo, based off the docks, I think it's in New England. It'd be rare for someone to sport Eagles paraphernalia there, as Lia told me countless times." He let out a small, breathy laugh at the memory. "But also.. that necklace. I gave that to her the last night we were together."

Penelope looked at him out of the corner of her eye before sending that photo to his email and closing it out. "Alright, Amelia's clearing trying to let us know she's okay. Let's head back into the conference room." She gently laid her hand on Spencer's shoulder, urging him up.

Back in the conference room, the team read and re-read the letter.

"Mr. Vernand, does the summer when you were 20 have any significance to it?" JJ asked.

Edgar thought a moment before shaking his head. "I was out in California for the summer with my brother, visiting family. I'm not sure.. I don't know why Leelee would reference it though."

Spencer paced, staring at the screen. "Something about that line is bugging me. I can't figure it out."

Emily flipped through their case files, pursing her lips. "Wait, you guys.. Penelope, pull up the file from December 31st." Penelope sent a few files to the screen, Spencer turning and inspecting them.

"The playlist. She didn't actually mean the summer when Edgar was 20 and the author was 19.."

Emily stood next to him, nodding. "The last lead we had was her Spotify account being active. We wrote it off as a hack, but the playlist she had listened to was 'summer 2019'. What if something she's trying to tell us has to do with that summer?" She asked, glancing over to Edgar.

He ran a hand over his brow, thinking.

"I'd have to think. Nothing is standing out to me, when she wasn't working Lee was always traveling when she could especially in the summer. I.."

"It's okay, Mr. Vernand. That's what I'm here for" Penelope responded, typing away at her computer. "I'll look into her activity that summer, but it's gonna take me some time to gain access."

Hotch nodded. "Okay, let's take a break. Wrap up the last set of case files this afternoon, then we're reopening this. Report back in two hours."

Spencer walked with Edgar to the bullpen.

"Hungry? I know a spot nearby with great bar food. Thought maybe we could both use a drink, too" Spencer gave Edgar a small smile.

"That sounds great, Doc."

They gathered their things and left the building, both getting in Spencer's car and driving in silence. They settled in at the bar, Edgar ordering two beers. They clinked their bottles together and each took a long swig.

"The government doesn't care if their employees drink on the clock?"

Spencer chuckled. "No, they probably do" he responded, earning a laugh from Edgar.

"So.. you know that last part of the letter was about you, right kid?"

Spencer fiddled with the label on the beer bottle, slowly peeling it off. He recalled the last line; "Please give your cat, Doc, all of my love. Let him know I miss him."

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm mad at her too, you know. Thick ass skull, my daughter has. I'd like to think she didn't get it from me, but I know better." Edgar picked up a fry from the plate that had just been set in front of him.

Spencer held a fry between his fingers, rolling it around. "I don't know why she didn't just.. tell me."

Edgar looked at the young man next to him. He knew how hard he had taken it when Amelia up and left, about how much he thought he could've fixed things.

"If it were me, and I saw a photo of Lee like she had seen of you" he shuddered at the thought, remember how vulnerable Spencer had appeared, the knife glinting in the photograph," I would've ran to protect her too, hijo. We're not familiar with the government like that, if she thought this threat was real.. she wasn't gonna risk you, or me, or anyone else above herself."

Spencer knew what he was saying was true, but that didn't make the information any easier to cope with. Edgar's phone rang, and he glanced at the screen before answering.

"Hey, hermano.. yeah, I'm in Quantico now. Mhm..mhm.. no, not yet. They were able to figure a few things out.. yeah, we think it was her.. no, something about two summers ago, 2019, but that's all we've got for now.. okay, will do. Bye." Edgar sighed as he hung up his phone.

"How are they? And your parents?"

"As good as can be expected. My mom and Denise haven't been taking it too well, but mi padre doesn't really realize what's going on and the girls just think that Lee is on vacation." His phone rang again, and he rolled his eyes before answering.

"What did you forget now? Oh, Denise.. uh, yeah I'm actually with him now.. of course, un minuto." Edgar held the phone out to Spencer, an eyebrow raised in questioning. "It's Denise. Said she needed to talk to you?"

Spencer wiped his hands off before grabbing Edgar's phone, holding it by his ear. "Hello?"

"Spencer, hi. Uh, it's Lee's Aunt Denise."

"Of course, hi. How have you been?" He asked, not sure why she felt that she needed to talk to him.

"Fine, listen. Chase mentioned Edgar said something about the summer of 2019?"

"Yes, that's a lead we're working on right now."

"Spencer, I think I know where she is."