the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

027. devil's backbone

"Two years ago, 12 year old Adam Morrissey vanished on his way home from school from Franklin, Virginia." Penelope states. "At the time, he was living with his mother, who had just gone through a bitter divorce."

"I remember this. His mother and local authorities believed he was abducted by his father and taken to Mexico." Rossi says.

"Yes. And then 3 months after that, 13 year old Jimmy Bennett went missing from Richmond, Virginia, 75 miles away." Penelope says. "He was in foster care because both of his parents were drug addicts. He had runaway once before, so police assumed that it happened again."

"The cases were thought to be unrelated until last night." Hotch says.

"That is when prison guards at Fletcham Correctional Center intercepted an incoming package containing the clothes both boys were last seen in." Penelope says.

"DNA samples from skin cells found on the clothing were confirmed to match the missing boys, so we know the items are authentic." Hotch says.

"And there's dried blood on the clothes." Tara says. "That's not a good sign."

"Who was the package being sent to?" Spencer asks.

"Antonia Slade." Hotch informs.

"You don't say." Rossi comments.

"She was a serial killer captured 15 years ago, right?" Tara asks.

"The Runaway Killer. She was a clinical social worker and she started this runaway hotline in order to lure her preferred victims, young teens, to her home." Rossi says. "Gideon was on that case."

"It says here that she lived with her long time lover, Phil Garmin, who shot himself when police arrived." Spencer says. "They found 9 bodies -- 5 girls, 4 boys -- wrapped in plastic, encased behind the drywall of her basement. All the victims had been shot in the back of the head."

"It drove Gideon crazy that she never talked about the murders after her arrest. She never explained why she did it." Rossi says.

"And she never has." Hotch says.

"Any information on the package itself?" Tara asks.

"The package was postmarked in Roanoke. The return address was the prison." Penelope says. "When police went to question the post office, no one could recall who sent it."

"Okay, I'm going to ask the obvious question here, but do we really think these boys are still alive?" JJ asks. "Based on the clothes, I'd say it doesn't bode well."

"Well, there is the timing of the package." Spencer says. "I mean, why send it now, two years ago the kidnappings, if the boys have long been dead?"

"Someone might be trying to replicate one of Antonia's crimes." Rossi says.

"The boys were too young when they were taken, but they'd be the right age now." Tara says. "What if Antonia's orchestrating this entire thing from behind bars?"

"We need to talk to her." Hotch says.

+++

""All work and no play makes Agent Hotchner a dull boy."" Spencer reads. "She's always refused visitors until now. So why play a mind game?"

"To be honest, did she really have a choice with us showing up?" JJ asks. "Maybe her silence was a form of protest."

"It could be a gender bias. And Hotch represents the establishment." Spencer says. "Plus I'm sure she hasn't forgotten that the BAU put her away."

"It could simply be about power and control." Hotch says.

"Now, that's true. I mean, she chose victims she could easily dominate, and even after she was arrested, she withheld information to maintain control." Tara says.