Soulmates

Chapter 4- Burning Bridges and Validation

TW: talks of Sexual Assault and Murder, Kidnapping, Suicide Language and one instance of attempting Sexual Assault (Nothing is shown though)

They dug throughout the night finding 22 bodies. Ryan had called Joshua to ask him to stay with the kids knowing he wasn't gonna go home anytime soon. He looked at the excavation site with a sense of sorrow, the coroner confirmed all of the bodies were female. Three of the bodies we're fresh within the last 2 weeks. Others the coroner estimated went back as far as four years. 

Ryan regrouped with Hotch Rossi, Prentiss, and Morgan. Hotch started off "They found another body far off, near the edge of the forest line, judging by the state of decomposition the coroners are saying it's been here the longest." Rossi sighed "That makes 23." Ryan hung his head "And with Hannah and Jessica we can add this Unsub's victim count to 25." he said 

Prentiss hummed, "This guy has to have pretty powerful friends if he's been able to get away with kidnapping, Raping, and Murdering 25 women." Morgan nodded. "And to be able to get Russell to fabricate evidence to frame an innocent man."

Reid and JJ came up to the group, "We got another body right near the creek." Everybody sighed, "And then there was 26." Rossi said "This guy is smart enough to commit his crimes but not get too much attention." Morgan stated. "Ryan nodded."Which means he is well Organized, probably very intelligent."

Reid then spoke up."And he is definitely a sadistic psychopath with how Hannah Lewis and Jessica Willows were beaten as well as raped. It shows that he wants them to suffer before killing them." JJ hummed "Which in this case would make him a Anger Excitation Rapists." 

"So we're dealing with a sexual sadistic psychopath who is well organized, highly intelligent has friends or at least is someone in the police department." Prentiss summarized. "Well if anything we know now who to look for and now that we've found the bodies it's a start to getting Higgins off of death row." Ryan said 

"Christensen!" a voice rang out Ryan turned and saw who the voice belonged to. "who's that" Prentiss asked, "Shepherd he was Russell's partner, and the guy with him would be Byron Gingham the chief of detectives." 

Byron Gingham was man Ryan neither liked nor respected. The definition of a beaurecrat. Gingham was always more worried about the public's perception of the police department Ryan he was about solving crimes. Especially since it helped out his wife who was the mayor of Baltimore.

Ryan sighed and turned to the team. "Excuse me while I have to take a trip to the woodshed." Prentiss gave him a worried glance while the others gave him sympathetic looks. 

Ryan walked to Shepherd and Gingham. Shepherd spoke first "What the hell is this? Why didn't you inform us that you were gonna go digging around in Savage River State Forest? And could you explain to me why I got a call from the Hannah Lewis's family about you re-questioning them about their daughters murder and believing that we caught the wrong guy." He asked loudly 

Hotch picked his head up at that and looked at Prentiss and Reid, the latter avoiding eye contact while Prentiss just shrugged. Ryan could tell he was probably gonna talk to him later on. As if I don't already have enough to deal with.

 "Before Russell was killed he told me that he helped fabricate the DNA sample that was used to convict Samuel Higgins." Shepherd 's eyes widened while Gingham's face remained impassive, "He also told me that he did it because someone higher up in the Baltimore Police Department told him too." Gingham's Eyes narrowed. " First you tell us that one of our own tampered with evidence and now you're saying someone else in the department told him too, since when have you become a conspiracy theorist Christensen. " He asked