Normal People - Strange Encounters Book Two

Chapter 7

Spencer paced back in forth in the dimly lit hallway of Chester Prison. For months he'd been wanting this moment, to come face to face with Christopher Regino. Now that it was here, he didn't know what he was going to say.

"Reid, you good?" Derek asked, concern evident on his face.

Spencer nodded, meeting his eyes.

"Let's do this" he said as he gave the officer nearby a nod. He opened the door to the interrogation room. Spencer took a deep breath and held it, watching Derek walk in first. Turning the corner he was met with the face of Christopher Regino.

"Doc! Long time no see. You look tired, bud. Things not going so well on the personal front?"

Without saying anything both agents took seats across from him, Derek setting his arms on the table in front of them.

"Tell us who is assisting you, who's going after Amelia?" Derek said. Spencer saw Christopher's jaw twitch at the mention of her name.

"Agents, I told your pals when they were here a few months ago. Leelee must have decided she didn't like being tied down and bolted, poor girl" he said, faking concern as he leaned forward in his seat.

Spencer held his breath, willing himself to keep calm. He reached into the file and laid out the two photos of the pharmacists.

"Do you know these woman?"

"You already know that I do, Spence" Christopher replied, Spencer grimacing at the use of the nickname. "Lovely women, very smart. They worked with me at CVS down South Philly."

Spencer didn't respond, instead laying out another photo.

"And her?"

Again, Christopher merely glanced at the photo. "Ah, Ananya. A great lay, real feisty, kinda how I'd imagine Amelia to b-"

Spencer slammed his hand down on the table, Derek also moving to the edge of his seat.

"You do not get to speak about her like that."

"Don't I? You obviously need something from me, it's not the other way around here fellas."

Derek pulled the last photo out, slapping it down in front of them.

And there was the reaction they'd been waiting for. For the first time, Christopher's cocky demeanor broke and his eyes widened slightly. His lips parted before he could stop the automatic reaction, and Spencer heard him give a sharp inhale.

"Alycia Smyth. Know her?"

They watched him struggle to regain control. "Nope, never seen her before."

"Really? Cause we have records of correspondence for at least.. two years, wow. That's probably your longest successful relationship to date, huh Chris?" Spencer spit out, reveling in finally catching him in the lie.

Christopher set his jaw. His eyes slowly dropped to the table, and his demeanor withdrew significantly. Derek gave Spencer a look, and head into the hallway while pulling out his cellphone to call the team and let them know to focus their attention on Alycia. Spencer collected the files and placed them in the folder before standing.

"You're not gonna stop her. She's gonna get Leelee, she's gonna get you. You can't stop her" he said as a sick grin.

Spencer stood and leaned down, his hands on the table, lowering his face inches from Christopher's.

"Not only am I gonna stop her, but if she lays a hand on Lee, or her family, or my team, I'm gonna kill her, Christopher." Christopher's eyes narrowed at Spencer but he turned around and slammed the door before he could get a word out.

♡

Arriving back at Quantico, Derek and Spencer head into the conference room to regroup with the team. They found Emily and JJ back from Philadelphia, and Hotch and Rossi walked in just after them. Penelope stood at the screen, itching to get started.

"Alrighty-roo, I've found a lot out while you folks were out and about. We're gonna start here.." She sent a headshot to the screen. "So, Derek called me and the ladies and let us know to focus on Alycia Smyth who, Emily and JJ discovered, has skipped town. Parole officer hasn't heard from her in over a month and her last known address hasn't been inhabited in quite some time. So, I did what I do best and dug. This man" she pointed to the screen, "is Glenn Morris. Former gun for hire around Philadelphia, also happens to be Alycia Smyth's half brother."

"What does he have to do with any of this?" Rossi asked.

"Funny you should ask." She sent a new photo to the screen, Morris dead in the middle of a living room floor. "Glenn Morris was found dead this morning."

"Where?" Spencer asked, holding his breath.

"Maine, but I think this is a good thing. A lot of pieces are starting to fall into the puzzle that is Maine. So, once I knew to dig into Alycia I put feelers out on her known associates which included her brother. I guess mischief runs in their family. This guy was shot dead this morning by 82 year old Gladys Kirby, of Boothbay Harbor. Gladys claims he was trying to rob her, so she shot him. Seemed pretty cut and dry."

"But...?" Derek prodded.

Penelope sent case files from the Boothybay Harbor PD to the screen. "I stumbled upon this statement from an Eliza Turner, 25, seems to be a caretakers for Gladys. The only thing is, I have no record of an Eliza Turner living in or near that part of Maine or employed by anyone else in the town. So, she's a ghost."

"W-"

Penelope held a finger up. "Oh, I'm not done. After some digging, a signature with the name Eliza Turner popped up from the code used to hack my system. This Eliza chick is the one who helped Lia hack me. Okay, now I'm done."

The team sat with the information, Spencer tossing the name Eliza Turner around in his head. For some reason, it was so familiar.. but there was something else.

"That'd explain the line from the letter, 'the winter hit hard here'. The winter's in Maine are nothing like they are here" Spencer mused aloud.

"But also.. this shows that Alycia Smyth knows Lee is in Maine" JJ said, a look of concern written across her brow.

Spencer's knee bounced rapidly under the table.

"Hotch.."

Hotch gave him a nod. "We're going to Maine. Garcia, call Boothbay Harbor police and give them a heads up. We're not sure what we're walking into. Rossi, stay back with Penelope to coordinate. Everyone else, wheels up in 30."

a/n

we love a wheels up moment 🛫

decided to shake it up and publish this in the morning bc I'm laying in bed editing. still gonna publish a chapter tonight around 8 as usual, too. ✨