Never Together Nor Apart

[Chapter 79]

[JJ's 31 weeks (7 3/4 months); Lily is 33 weeks (8 1/4 months); Alana is 10 weeks (2 1/2 months)]

Hotch's POV:

"Okay, I hate to rush but we really need to get to Wisconsin, also known as the lovely badger state, home of milk and cheese. Heaven to me, hell to the lactose intolerant," Garcia rambles.

"And mosquitoes the size of an impala, I swear on my life," Dave adds.

"Oh, good to know. Ok, two weeks ago, Madison P.D. found the body of Mary Healy. Three nights ago, they discovered Donna Rayburn and this morning, the body of Emma Zika was discovered by her friend, they were supposed to go on a jog together. All three women had their wrists tied to the bed with scarves and they were sexually assaulted before they were strangled," Garcia informs.

"Patterns on the neck seem to be from a quarter-inch rope," Reid observes.

"Yeah, the abrasion marks aren't very textured. The cord material could be something like nylon," Alex suggests.

"Madison P.D. found the same DNA on all three victims, and it says here that the unsub's not in codis," Morgan reads.

"Middle class suburb. He's either a member of it or he blends in," I state.

"Burglary isn't a motive. At Emma's, he ignored $200 cash on the dresser and a box full of expensive jewelry," Reid points out.

"Any sign of forced entry? Maybe he came in through an open window?" Kate offers.

"No to both. Maybe the unsub used a ruse to get in," Morgan suggests.

"That's possible. Could be part of his M.O. so he's less detectible," Kate agrees.

"Maybe he knows when they go to sleep or he lies in wait," Alex gives another idea.

"If that's the case, it would take time. He's patient," Dave nods.

"Cell phone activity shows that Emma was home for hours. Did he watch her the entire night?" Reid wonders.

"Whether he knows the victims or not, he's hit his stride and he's not gonna take time to cool off. Wheels up in thirty," I order.

*time skip*

"All three victims were born and raised in the Madison area and no priors," I state.

"Mary Healy was a dentist, while Donna Rayburn was a logistics manager, both were 27 and single," Alex informs.

"And Emma Zika, the latest victims, was a chef. She was 30 and married," Morgan continues.

"Married? That could be an escalation to what he desires most," Reid suggests.

"They lived three miles from each other, but their social and work lives don't overlap," Kate adds.

"So then the neighborhood itself might be the connection to him," Alex offers.

"Getting in and out of a house undetected is tricky. We still haven't ruled out a ruse," I remind.

"With this combo of balls and skill, it can't be his first time killing," Dave points out.

"Then Garcia should search for any past high-risk victims in the area," Morgan states.

"We should see if any of the victims were in phone contact with the unsub," Kate adds.

"Alright, Dave, you and Reid go to the medical examiner. Morgan and Kate go to the newest crime scene, Alex and I will interview friends and family at the station," I give them their assignment.