Are You Profiling Me?

Chapter 4

Lauren's POV

"Hey." I say entering the conference room at the police station. "What did you find?" Hotch asks everyone. "The bodies had stab wounds to the point of disfiguration. It turns out the only way they were able to give us I.D's was through dental records." Emily says. "And the dump sites weren't just dumpsite. Police indicated the crimes happened there. The water washed everything away. I get the feeling something spooked our unsub in the middle of his second crime." Derek adds.

"So it's a crime of passion which explains what the unsub said to you. Does that book have any significance for you?" Spencer asks and I shrug. "Think back to when you were a teenager it had to have some meaning to you." He encourages me. I think back trying to remember the memories I suppressed of that time period.

It clicks into my mind and I look up at Spencer. "I remember us complaining about our English teacher assigning it to us." I tell him truthfully. "After cheer practice?" Hotch asks and I feel my stomach drop as I nod slightly biting the inside of my cheek. "What's going on?" Rossi asks confused. "We think we figured out who the unsub is. His name is Arthur Winston, he was our cheer coach. He had a thing for cheerleaders apparently." I say and silence falls as realization sets in. "Oh sweetheart." Derek says walking over to me and pulling me into his arms. I allow him to hug me and wrap my arms around him as well. The phone goes off and he pulls away, pressing the button to accept the call.

"Hotch? I found a lot on that man you asked about. Arthur Winston was coach of the Westside High School cheerleading team for fifteen years until he abruptly retired. A few months later he was arrested for being a peeping tom. Apparently he had been stalking one of his students for a few months and give me a second." She says and typing can be heard in the background. To me it's faint over the sound of my heart pounding against my chest. "The family who reported him was the...Fannings. Oh Lauren I'm sorry." Garcia says. "Anything else Garcia?" I ask her. "Yes apparently a few days after his last lock up he wound up in the hospital with a... broken penis and two ruptured testicles, as well as three broken ribs. That's as far as it goes about him. Other than a short report filed by the police where he stated some football players from his school did this to him. That is all they could get out of him, they had to give him every pain medication in the book. They did say he mumbled something about a prince. The detective who handled the case was William LaMontagne Sr." She says and JJ and I look up at each other. "You got an address baby girl?" Derek asks her. "Already sent it." She says hanging up.

"Let's suit up." Hotch says and we all follow suit, getting prepared to go arrest Winston. Something just feels too easy about this though. I can't explain it.

I put my vest on and make sure it's tight enough. "I didn't even know Will knew about it. We never told anyone besides our parents." I tell JJ as I check my gun to make sure it has ammo. "It makes sense, from the stories I've heard he's always tried to protect you. He'd figure out something was off and why and he acted." She tells me and I nod. "Are you ready?" Hotch asks and I nod. "Let's do this." I say ready for this to be over. We gather police officers to go with us before making our way out to the SUVs and squad cars.

"You're riding with me." Hotch says and I nod climbing into the passenger seat of his SUV.

--

We arrive at the address Garcia gave us and all quickly and quietly pile out of the vehicles. I pull my gun out and cock it. In the event we start shooting, I'd rather be prepared. "Lauren you and Reid cover the back. Do not split up under any circumstances." He says in a commanding tone and I nod.

Reid and I go to the back of the house and clear it before waiting for this man to come out. "Why didn't you tell me? I mean we've been friends for six years and roommates for five. I would've helped make you feel safer. You're a good person, you deserved better." He tells me and I smile at him. "Thank you Spencer." I tell him. There's rustling in the house as footsteps approach the back door and I press myself against the wall. The door swings open and I raise my weapon but it's just Hotch. "Oh it's just you. Where the hell's Winston?" I ask him. "He must've caught wind of us being here. He's definitely our guy. T-There are pictures of you and the other girls." He responds and I feel sick. "What else can we do?" I ask him wanting to put this motherfucker away.

"There's nothing else we can do today besides give the police our profile." He tells me. "Hotch..." Morgan says in the doorframe. "We found the photograph. Lacey's crossed out." He says and my heart drops.

Hotch looks over at me and thinks for a second before speaking "It's possible she's still alive. He kept the other girls for two weeks." I nod in agreement. He's right. I look up at the house examining it, my eyes squinting at the setting sun. "Besides it's obvious he isn't keeping her here. It's a suburb, the houses proximities are too close together. If he was keeping them here somebody would've heard something." I explain. "We'll get officers to speak with his neighbors, see if they've noticed anything suspicious or have any information on him we don't already have. In the meantime, we really should head back to the station and pack up for the night." He states and I nod. "Yeah maybe we'll find something with a pair of fresh eyes." I say before we head around the house to the SUV's.