Never Together Nor Apart

[Chapter 87]

[Lily is 43 weeks (10 3/4 months); Alana is 20 weeks (4 months); Noah is 5 weeks (1 1/4 months)]

Hotch's POV:

"10 year old Daniel Lanham was reported missing—went on a camping trip with with his father last November. His remains were just discovered by hikers in Pennsylvania," Garcia reports.

"That's really close to the Appalachian Trail," Reid points out.

"The Rangers are the ones calling us in," Garcia adds.

"The trail covers 14 states and is nearly 2,200 miles long. It's a miracle he was ever found," Reid continues.

"I don't think he was supposed to be," I retort.

"The unsub could have left him for the elements, but he wrapped him in plastic," Dave notes.

"Remorse?" Alex offers.

"Think he bonded with the kid?" Dave questions.

"If he's an opportunistic offender, probably not," Alex admits.

"What are the chances that Daniel was his only victim?" Morgan ponders.

"Not good," Reid sighs.

"Garcia, will you let the rangers know that we'll be there within the hour?" I ask.

"Yes sir, will do," she calls out.

*time skip*

"Guys, I started a geographic profile on the assumption that the Appalachian Trail is this unsub's hunting ground," Reid informs us of his work.

"We got lucky with Daniel. I doubt we'll find anymore bodies," Alex shrugs.

"Parents think their kids are lost, but what's worse, he has them," Dave sighs.

"Hiding out in the middle of nowhere," Morgan agrees.

"Well, Pennsylvania Police considered Daniel's Father a suspect. They interviewed him several times," Kate reads.

"Without a body they can't charge him," I nod.

"Well, he appeared to be obsessed with finding his son. He even went back into the woods dozens of times following Daniel's disappearance. He claimed he was searching for him," Kate adds.

"All right, we'll start with Daniel's life. He's been exposed to a large suspect pool. Community, school, family friends— we can't rule anybody out," I direct.

*time skip*

"Agent Hotchner?" An older man asks.

"Ranger Turner," I presume, extending my hand, "this is Agent Rossi, Dr. Reid," I announce.

"I'm, got out some of the maps that we use for search and rescue. Just let me know what else you might need," he offers.

"Do you have the M.E. report on Daniel?" Dave wastes no time asking.

"Yeah. It got here just before you did," he hands it over.

"Is Mr. Lanham here?" I refer to Daniel's father.

"He's in my office. We've had him in half a dozen times," he replies.

"Look what happened in March," Dave hands me the file.

I take a quick look at it before entering the office to speak with Mr. Lanham.

"Mr. Lanham, I'm Agent Hotchner with the FBI. I need to ask you some questions. Mr. Lanham, you went back to the same spot where Daniel went missing every weekend from November until mid-March," I begin.