Dopamine || Reid

CHAPTER SIX

I'M LEAD INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM. When we arrived in Scottsdale Arizona everyone was paired off and deployed to whatever assignment Hotch had given them. Prentiss, and Rossi left to visit the homes of the contractors who were stationed at the site to get their reports, and then to the hospital to speak to the medical examiner. JJ has been busy gathering any and all of the departments evidence, as well as speaking to every officer who so much as heard of the case. Morgan, Spencer and Hotch went to investigate the dumpsite.

Detective Sanders, one of the detectives on the case, brought into the conference room a large whiteboard, some pens, along any files and photographs relating to the case that JJ managed to dig up. Penelope didn't come with us this time, staying at Quantico eagerly awaiting our call. Meaning I am here alone, in a room at a police department in a city and state I have never been to. Waiting idly on a call from anyone to get an assignment.

It's great.

My fingers tap against the wooden table, as I stare at the photographs. The latest victim seems to have been dead for only a few weeks, she is a caucasian female, probably around the age of thirty. The last I heard there are already waves being made in finding her family. The other bodies being so decomposed, is going to make it much more difficult to identify.

After a good three hours of having nothing to do but attempt to read the limited case file, I find myself reaching for my phone, unable to resist not knowing what the team was finding out. It took less than fifteen seconds after the screen clicks on for it to begin vibrating along the tabletop, almost as if the simple act of engaging the devise made the call come through.

I sit up straighter, excitement making my heart race at the thought any new information the team has gotten that hopefully will allow me to do something productive.

"Someone is wasting their time." A voice I haven't heard in over two months coils dangerously in my ear, freezing my excitement over instantly. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"I... I uh.." I don't know what to say, the call taking me completely off guard and bringing forward a suffocating mix of emotions. I hush my voice to a whisper feeling the urgent need to explain myself, as I stand from the table, glancing at the bustling precinct before closing the door. "We.. I'm not meant to audibly check in for.. two more months? And I'm... I have to wait for an assignment here. I have only been on a few c... I-I don't have it all figured out yet."

"That sounds to me like an excuse. You know what I told you about excuses." He coo's with the click of his tongue.

Absentmindedly I glance out the window that overlooks the police department, paranoid someone will come in.

"We have uh- fifteen more seconds." I cringe at the waiver in my voice.

I have not missed them. I have not missed this feeling. He's not even in the room and yet I still feel as if I'm being made to swallow shards of glass. I can hear my heart drumming in my eardrums as I hold my breath waiting for what comes next.

"I called to tell you what a good job you've done."

"Really?" The question hesitantly leaves in a breath of relief.

"Hm. For whatever reason they all seem to like you." A backhanded compliment, the only ones he ever seems to grant. "You seem to be going decently. For now." The crude chuckle on the other line spikes my anxiety.

My stomach entangled in barbed-wire, each breath cutting into my lungs as the familiar taste of blood kisses my tongue at how harshly I bite my cheek.

"Thank you."