Wild Horses by believesvueo – Chapter Seven

"And now I am told that this is life. That pain is just a simple compromise. So we can get what we want out of it…"

Just as Emily predicted, another body was found.

Both JJ and Morgan waved them over to where the body was found.

Emily crouched down to look at the body. And just like the other bodies found along the highway, the marks left on her body and the way she died were the unsub's MO.

Hotch looked around the local police officer's faces and there was no doubt that they are frustrated and angry that they have yet to catch the guy and let alone not have the information they need to catch the guy.

Emily walked over to Hotch and called JJ and Morgan over to join them.

"Emily, how did you know that another body would be found today?"

"Because there's a pattern. And as soon as we are done here, we all need to go back to the precinct and present a profile."

"But we don't have enough, Emily."

"Yes, we do Morgan. Emily found more when we went to the first dump site. We also have narrowed down the places these women frequented. Emily, do you have any idea yet what this guy might be? His background?"

"Obviously, he's a white male. Based on his victims, we can assume that he's between the age of 25-40. I have a hunch as to what he does or what triggered the killing but I am not 100% sure yet, Hotch. But I think it's a strong hunch but I will discuss it with you more when we are in car before I present it to the team and to the local police."

"Morgan, JJ, we will leave two here with the police officers. I'm going to call Reid and Rossi to meet us back at the station and discuss with them Emily's theories about the unsub. Once, you are done here, head back to the station along with the police officers. I'll need to talk to the Chief about gathering everyone at the station."

"Alright Hotch. Give us an hour or two to finish up here. And we will meet you there."

As soon as they got inside the car, Hotch dialed Rossi's number to inform them that they are heading back to the station and that both JJ and Morgan are with the other officers processing the latest body found. He told them to meet them back at the station. He mentioned that Emily has theories but wanted to discuss them with the team before presenting it."

"So what are your theories Emily?"

"Well, Hotch I believe that he's local and that he has lived here all his life. I'm a bit perplexed as to what he does exactly for a living but I think he is either a guy who works with computer, an IT guy, extremely shy and insecure. My other theory is that, he comes from money, raised by a single parent. I think his mother left him and his father because she wanted a life for herself. His mother didn't want to be a trophy wife any longer so she left him and his father. After his mother left, he and his father moved back in with his grandparents. They are rich. I don't think he ever got over his mother walking out on him. She was a loving mother who used to watch the Sunset with him and wakes him up to see the Sunrise. So when she left, his father and his grandmother fed him lies why his mother left. I think she recently died and that triggered the killing. So I will need for Garcia to look into rich families in the area and also recent death in the past three months. He is alone now. And he has this big house all to himself."

"I think you might be onto something, Emily."

"You really think so? I wasn't sure but I guess we can discuss it with Rossi and Reid."

"Well, based on how he kills these women, there's a certain care in how he leaves their bodies. He takes them and keeps them for 4 days and on the fifth day, he kills them and leaves their body during Sunrise. But when we look at the brutality of the way he kills them, obviously, there's a certain love-hate feeling he has for these women. So I do think that the trigger had to be someone he truly cared for but also one who truly hurt him. So if you are correct on this one, it's his mother."

"After we present the profile, we'll need to discuss going undercover in the places we discussed earlier."

"Leave that to me to talk to Chief Crane. After we present the profile to them, we will all go back to our hotel to change and then get dinner. And then after dinner, we will get a good night sleep. We need to plan this operation and it has to work. Or else we will be looking at another body or bodies on Monday. In order for this to work, we will all need to be 100%."

When Emily and Hotch got back to the station, Reid and Rossi were already waiting for them.

Hotch told her to join Rossi and Reid in the conference room while he talks to Chief Crane.

Emily presented her theories about the unsub to Reid and Rossi.

After an hour, JJ and Morgan joined them.

Chief Crane had called all his men involved in the investigation and gave the floor to the BAU to present their profile.

Emily did most of the talking while the rest observed. Reid interjected with his profile on the location while Garcia conference in the names of possible unsubs she found on the database.

Hotch looked at each of the officer's faces as Emily spoke. He felt a certain pride as he watched the men and women listen to her and nod in agreement with her. It wasn't very often that they work with the local police who cooperated fully with them. But since the Chief knew her and they appreciate that Emily once lived in this area and they could feel her sincerity, he knew that they felt she is one of their own.

His attention turned to Detective Michael Smith, a man, whom he realized has been secretly in love with Emily for so many years. He didn't need to say it because his eyes and his actions gave them away. He could tell he was a nice guy, a decent guy but he isn't about to give way to him to have Emily. He will fight for her, if he had to. He didn't want to be like Michael Smith who never spoke his feelings because his best friend was also in love with the same woman. No, he is never going to be that guy. He will have no regrets.

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