timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

059. coda

They're all in the round table room, waiting for Emily. They turn as she walks in.

"Traffic. I'm sorry." Emily says.

"Let's get started." Hotch says.

"Okay. 10 year old Sammy Sparks of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, showed up at his elementary school this morning covered in blood." Penelope says. "When police got to his house, they found that his parents, Charlie and Alison Sparks, were missing."

"Well, forensics indicate that at least one of them was injured. And by the looks of it, it was pretty severely." Derek says.

"Has there been a ransom demand?" Emily asks.

"There's been no communication whatsoever." Penelope says.

"Then why call in the BAU?" Rossi asks.

"New Orleans is hoping we can interview Sammy." Hotch says.

"No one's talked to the witness yet?" Spencer asks.

"I don't understand. If Sammy was covered with blood, there's a good chance he could identify the unsub." Ashley says.

"Sammy's autistic." Hotch informs. "Getting him to tell us what happened isn't gonna be easy."

+++

"Good morning, angels." Penelope greets. "New information to report. The blood at the crime scene matched type to Charlie Sparks, so we can assume that he is the injured party."

"Well, shell casings by the door says he was shot." Derek says. "Are we looking at a robbery gone wrong?"

"No robber would break into a family residence before the start of school and not expect to find people home." Emily says.

"No, I think he came for Charlie and Alison Sparks. He planned the abduction and then gained entry to the house." Hotch says.

"But the scene is frenzied, disorganized." Rossi says. "He didn't think it through."

"I hate to say it, but could Sammy be our unsub?" Ashley asks.

"I don't think so. What's the number one motive of kidnapping?" Rossi questions.

"Financial gain." Ashley says.

"Yeah, well, if that's the case, they are barking up the wrong money tree." Penelope says. "The family runs a music store that's been Sparks owned since the 1940s, but business is down and a loan against the house is the only thing keeping that store afloat."

"The unsub should have done his research." Rossi says.

"Well, he may have. This area was devastated by the oil spill. A little bit of money would go a long way." Emily says.

+++

A cop lead Spencer, Bedelia, and Rossi into the room where Sammy is.

"Hi, Sammy." Spencer softly greets. "I'm Dr. Spencer Reid. What are you drawing?"

The cop puts his hand on Sammy's shoulder making the boy shriek and lean away from the cop before beginning to rock back and forth.

"Some autistic children don't handle touch well." Rossi tells the cop. He nods and leaves.

"It's possible that witnessing his parents' abduction pushed him into emotional overload and he shut down." Spencer quietly says. "Look at that." He points to the large notepad on Sammy's lap.

"Is he trying to tell us something?" Rossi asks.

"Sammy." Spencer sits on the coffee table. "We're looking for your mom and your dad. Did "L" take them?" Sammy starts to draw the L in the air instead of on the notepad.