Cold Hands ✔️

twenty seven

chapter 27; that'll leave a mark

"What do you mean she's not there? They were sitting with her in her office, and they still managed to lose her?" Anger seeped into every word. My hands came up to rest on my head, looking around the law firm's lobby. JJ gave me a sad look, which makes me more on edge.

"Someone came in and asked her to look at something. The officers were told they can't follow because it can breach the client's confidentiality. They believe it to be her." JJ's arm came up to my arms and brought them down, forcing me to make eye contact with her.

"Adeline, we will find them." I softly shook her off.

"As much as I appreciated that, JJ, I need answers, not promises." I brushed past her and walked towards Rossi and Hotch near the doors.

"What's our next move?" I questioned, breaking their conversation.

"JJ, Morgan and Reid will stay here and look at her office and talk to the coworkers. The rest of us should go to the sheriff's office." Hotch told me. He sounded professional, but after working for him for a while I can tell his tone is softened.

"Sir, I'd like to go to my parents house. There may be something there to help." It was a long shot, but maybe there was something there that we could use. A day planner, wall calendar, notes, anything. Hotch nodded.

"Alright. You and Rossi head there. Come back when you're done." 

I thanked Hotch and swiftly left the building. Rossi drove silently as we made our way to my parents house. I thought over Belladonna, and a cold chill ran up my spine when I thought of what she might do. She couldn't kill them, could she? If she did, then she'd lose me, which isn't what she wants. She won't, I rationalized with myself. She couldn't, not as much as I could help it.

The neighborhood was picturesque. It could do with some white picket fences, but every lawn was a brilliant green and the air smelt of fresh cut grass. All the houses looked like they had a fresh coat of paint and their landscaping was immaculate. My parents house was no exception, you'd expect as much from a lawyer and a dentist. The grey house soon came into view, its teal door making it stand out. Rossi parked in the empty driveway.

"Is this where you grew up? Looks like not a lot of kids here." Rossi asked as I bounded up the steps. I reached into the lantern next to the door and retrieved the spare key.

"No, they moved here when I moved out. I think they wanted to-" I trailed off when I noticed the door was already unlocked.

I quietly grabbed my gun and brought it in front of me, Rossi following suit. The door quietly swung open as I stepped over the threshold. I veered to the left in the living room, looking over the couches and in the curtains. Rossi kept straight towards the kitchen. Since the kitchen looped around to the living room, I started towards the staircase.

The stairs didn't make a sound as I ascended, and I silently prayed to every god I knew. Once I reached the stairs I started with the bathroom across from the staircase, finding it to be empty. I crept towards the master bedroom at the end of the hall, checking the hallway closets as I went. My heart beat faster as I approached the door. I nudged it open with my gun and swung into the space, pointing my gun in the room.

"Rossi!" I shouted, lowering my gun and using one hand to cover my nose. I heard Rossi's footsteps as I walked closer. I turned to face him as he entered the room.

"We have a problem." I told him, motioning down at Andrew who lay dead at my feet.

"You call it a problem. I call it a solution." Rossi sighed, moving closer to the dead problem.

"My mother will be furious at the stain this has created." I knelt down to look at the victim closer, noticing the cuts on his chest.

"I'll buy her brand new carpet if she wants." Rossi muttered. "So, this must be the Raven's doing. Although Andrew and Vincent we can presume killed the last few, I can see the difference in the styles. The Raven cut deeper than the other two, and more precisely. The cuts to his chest looks like that."

"Although the fatal cut wasn't to the chest. Look." I grabbed a glove from my pocket and moved the shirt collar to expose the neck. 

"Why not like the other ones?" Rossi asked.

"He wasn't a part of the equation. This isn't mimicking anything, this is Belladonna herself." I stood from Andrew, grabbing my phone to call the team. Now with Andrew gone, and Vincent now in jail, that meant Belladonna had control over both my parents. How could she control both of them with no help? I mulled over this question in my head while my phone rang.

~~~

"What's the end game here? She want's Adeline, but then what? We never profiled suicide, the narcissism and ego wouldn't allow it." Morgan's question started the gears in our heads as we regrouped.

"No, but we can't rule out murdering me. I'm the final piece, it could all lead up to that." I said aloud. To anyone outside our group it may sound like I was being cynical, but we had to think like this.

"Or it could be as she said, taking away everything Adeline holds dear. She wants Adeline to feel as she does, alone in this world." Prentiss threw out there.

"Let's think, where would she take them? She has to have a secluded space to control two grown adults. Baby Girl," Morgan spoke into the phone, "I need you to work fast."

"Faster than the Earth travels, I am way ahead of you." Her keyboard was the only sound for a few seconds as we let her work in peace. 

"Unfortunately, abandoned places is a long list. I've got 21 in that town alone. Anything to narrow it down?" 

"Look for places that were owned by her family, uh the high school, popular hang out spots..." Reid blurted out, looking at the map on the table before us.

"Okay, there are 2 within a 5 mile radius of the high school and 1 about 8 miles out of a skate park."

"Garcia, what are the names of the places by the high school?" I asked.

"That would be the Bennet Enterprises and Sylsvery Paper Co." 

"Bennet Enterprises. That's the family name in Pride and Prejudice." My favourite book, of course it would be fitting for her end game to be there.

"Everyone, gear up and let's go." Everyone quickly moved from the room before Hotch could even finish. I walked up to him.

"Please sir, I need to go." I begged, not wanting to be left behind again.

"Adeline, I'd never ask you to sit out from this. Just remember that we follow it by the book." He gave me a pointed look and I nodded curtly, confused by the look. That was a story I'd need to ask the team later. I quickly left the room to grab my vest.