Are You Profiling Me?

Chapter 3

We touch down in New Orleans and prepare to go off on different tasks.

I end up in an SUV with Hotch heading to the police station. Neither of us speak between the time we leave the airport and the time we arrive at the police station.

That changes when we enter the Sheriff's office at the station. "You're working on this case?" My Father asks looking at me and I nod. "You're one of the possible targets, for all we know this psycho was trying to lure you back to town to get you." He tells me. "Which is exactly why she's the best agent to have working on the case. When he discovers she's working on the case, he won't be able to resist. He will make a mistake and contact her and when he does we'll be waiting. I know when you look at her you see your daughter, I have a son myself. But when I look at her I see a strong, capable woman who climbed through the ranks of the FBI at an unbelievable pace overcoming every obstacle thrown at her. I assure you, she can handle it sir." Hotch says staring at me. I break out eye contact to look at my dad who looks like he's contemplating.

"You do not go anywhere without a police officer or one of your fellow agents by your side, do you understand?" My Father tells me and I agree. "Can you show us where we can get set up at?" Hotch asks him and he nods.

He leads us to the conference room where a couple of boxes sit on the table. "This is all we have so far, we were hoping your guys could help with that." He says and Hotch nods. "Hopefully something in here reveals our unsub." He states.

I open a box pulling out the different pieces of evidence and paperwork. I sit down and pull out my glasses to begin going through the paperwork. Hotch sits down beside me, occasionally our hands brush against each other when we're reaching for something, but I don't let him see how such a small touch from him has such an effect on me.

After my third cup of coffee something crosses my mind. How did the unsub get that photograph? It wasn't a public photo from a newspaper article or something. That was a personal photograph that was in my desk drawer in my bedroom.

Every now and then he looks over at me as if he wants to say something but quickly changes his mind and looks away. Finally I can't take it anymore and I look over at him. "Do you need something Hotch?" I ask, wondering what he needs to say so badly. "I'm sorry." He says and I look at him dumbfounded. "Excuse me?" I ask confused. "I'm sorry I lead you on." He tells me and I look at him in disbelief. "It's fine Hotch. I actually have a lead we need to follow up on so we better hurry." I tell him, focusing on the case. I stand up and put on my coat. "O-Okay." He says in quiet voice. It's soft like there's no fight left in it. I've never heard his voice break and it honestly breaks my heart.

We exit the police station climbing into the SUV and I buckle up as Hotch starts the vehicle.

--

We arrive at my Mothers house and I quickly unbuckle my seatbelt as my Mom and Step Dad walk out of the house. "Lauren sweetheart, what're you doing here?" She asks me confused. "Judith and Arizona were murdered. We're investigating it and they found a photograph on the bodies that I left in a drawer in that house." I say gesturing to the house and she looks horrified. "Somebody was in our house?" She questions, I nod and she looks at me with a look I couldn't describe if I'd seen it a thousand times. "Somebody is threatening you?" She asks and Jay, my Step-Dad just rubs her shoulders. "It's fine Mom, we're putting a profile together to catch him." I tell her truthfully. "Ma'am I am SSA Aaron Hotchner. I assure you your daughters safety is one of our top priorities while we're here. May we please have a look inside?" Hotch asks and she nods. "I guess. Jessie is in her room, maybe she'll know something." My Mom says.

We go inside and I lead Hotch to my old room. I open the door and immediately move for the desk. I open my desk drawer where I kept the photograph and pull out the contents. "Anything?" Hotch asks and I shake my head. "The photograph is gone." I tell him. "There's small chunks of wood missing from the window frame. Someone broke in here and got the photograph. If I were the unsub the easiest way into the house would be through a window. Minimal noise, easy getaway, and it's directly into the room he wants entry too." He tells me, someone clears his throat behind us and I turn to see my step-dad. "Can I speak with you Agent Hotchner?" He questions and Hotch looks over at me before nodding. He follows Jay out of the room. "Lauren, sweetheart, how are you doing?" My Mom asks coming in the room. "I'm okay." I tell her. "Your sister wanted to be a cheerleader, did she tell you?" She asks and before I can say anything Jessie comes in the room. "I told her how unfair you were being. It's not even the same coach she had." Jessie states and I feel my stomach turn at the memories, making me feel sick.

--

Hotch's POV

"I'm assuming whatever you wanted to speak to me about is something Lauren doesn't want you to tell." I tell him as we enter the living room. "You're correct. She won't tell you she's stubborn as hell, takes after her mama. But I think it might be important." He tells me. "When she was fifteen she began acting weird and started covering herself more if that makes sense." He says, he's not saying what I think he's saying is he? I feel my anger bubbling up but I can't let my feelings interfere. I take a deep breath to calm down before speaking. "Who?" I ask simply. "Her cheer coach. Arthur Winston." He tells me. "She didn't want anyone to know, none of the girls did. So us parents confronted him privately. A few times after that neighbors caught him sneaking around outside our house and he got charged with that." He tells me.

"Thank you for telling me. You're cooperation is appreciated." I assure him excusing myself from the home. I walk over to the SUV and pull out my phone dialing Garcia.

"Speak and be heard." Garcia answers. "It's Hotch, I need everything you can find about Arthur Winston." I tell her and hear her typing in the background. "Yes sir I will get right on that." She tells me. "And Garcia? Come to me with whatever you find on him." I tell her. "Absolutely sir. Garcia out." She says hanging up the phone.

"Hey!" I hear and turn to see Lauren walking towards me. "What's going on?" She asks me. I have to ask her, what she knows might help us solve the case. "I need to ask you about something, and I know it might be uncomfortable but it could have to do with the case." I tell her and see her expression and demeanor change, she becomes more guarded. "What did Jay tell you?" She asks me. "He told me about Coach Winston assaulting you when you were younger. He told me it happened to the other girls as well." I tell her a pained expression becomes evident on her face and I just want to wrap my arms around her. "He watched us shower, no one on the administrative staff thought anything of it because he could say he was just making sure we weren't behaving inappropriately." She tells me. "Luckily our parents believed us and they apparently scared him enough he stopped. At least for awhile. I know he was caught creeping outside the house and arrested for it." She says as a tear slips out of her eye and she wipes it away with her sleeve.

Her phone goes off and she pulls it out of her pocket, looking down at it. "The rest of the team is back at the police station. We should probably head that way." She tells me and I pull her into a hug. She freezes for a second, not reacting before wrapping her arms around me and holding on. "We should head back to the police station." I say and she nods pulling away with a sad look in her eyes. "Let's go." She says.