• chapter warnings: spoilers for s2e11, mention of murder, prostitution, dead bodies, mention of Jack the Ripper, mental illnesses •
previously:
Penelope did not seem to believe him, but she let the topic go, turning back around to her computer. "Sure sure...," she whispered, "Oh Reid? She'd be a great fit for you."
•••
Spencer, Violet and Derek decided to pay Nathan Harris and his mother a visit.
The blonde woman opened the door for the agents, asking, "Yes?"
"I'm Doctor Spencer Reid with the FBI, and Agent Hankel and Agent Morgan. We're looking for your son, Nathan." Spencer introduced everyone.
"Why?"
Violet walked closer to the doorframe. "We just want to ask him some questions."
The woman seemed confused. "Well, not until you explain what's going on."
"Your son came to talk to me this morning about a murder case."
"Why would Nathan know anything about a murder?"
The boy obviously heard the agents at the door and he slowly walked up behind his mother, "No, Mom. It's true. I did talk to him." There was music blasting out of Nathan's room. "Do you mind if I speak to them alone?"
"We'll stay out here," Derek said. The mother agreed, "Okay."
Violet and Spencer walked with Nathan into his room. Spencer took a look around and turned down the stereo. "I knew if you were really good you'd find me."
Spencer looked at him, confused, "Is that why you were waiting for me? You wanted to get caught?"
Violet took over looking at the room as Spencer talked to the teenager.
"What do you mean get caught?"
The agent noticed Nathan's laptop being only halfway closed, so he opened it. "Oh," the boy panicked.
"Hey." Violet held him back. "Stay right there. Keep your hands where I can see them."
Spencer looked back up from the laptop, obviously disturbed. "It's just the text for a graphic novel."
"About killing prostitutes?"
The boy remained weirdly calm, "Yeah, Jack the Ripper. It's a famous case."
"This isn't a game, kid."
"I know."
Spencer sighed. "You knew specific details about a murder that hasn't been publicised."
"But I didn't kill her," Nathan tried to defend himself, "I just... I really wanted to."
•••
Nathan was taken in for interrogation. The team decided it was best for Spencer and Derek to talk to him.
Spencer sat on his chair, thinking silently as Derek paced around the small room.
"Nathan, if you didn't do it, how'd you know details of the murder?"
The boy was scared. "Cause I saw the body. It was early. It was before school. She was dressed in red, she'd been stabbed a lot and her hair was all chopped off."
"Where was that?"
"In an alley off of K Street. They take men down there for sex. I see them do it all the time."
Spencer finally spoke up, "What were you doing down there?"
The kid shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just sort of end up there sometimes. You know, I stay out all night and I just come back in the morning. And if my mom's at work I don't even bother coming home."
The boy seemed truly miserable.
"Why didn't you call the police?"
"I don't know."
Derek leaned onto the table. "Nathan, the prostitutes we talked to say you watch them."
"I've never touched them."
"Do you fantasise about having sex with them?"
"No, I told you. I think about killing them."
Derek looked at Spencer.
"Look. After the lecture I saw you at the metro stop a few times and I thought maybe you could help me."
"How?" Spencer asked.
"I don't know. I saw that body and I felt excited. And that really scared me."
This conversation wasn't going anywhere.
"Is it possible that you actually killed those prostitutes, but you just done want to admit it to yourself?"
"No." The boy's answer was stern.
"Then why'd you run away from me?" Spencer still didn't understand.
"
Because... I don't know, I thought you'd say I was crazy and there's no way to stop it."
Out of all the people in the world, Spencer was the one who understood him the most. Feeling out of place, being different from everyone else - these were all things that he was too.
