Hotch's Niece | Criminal Minds

Sherlock

"Was it just me, or was there something going on between you and Reid on the jet?" Emily asks, snapping me out of my trance. I'd been staring out the window of the SUV as the trees flashed by--Radcliffe Kentucky is actually very pretty.

"Um, I think that's just you, Emily," I blush.

We're in the car on our way to the dress shop, and Emily is driving. I suggested she should, but I told her it was because I'm only 18 and not because I just really suck at driving. Granted, I am only 18, but I am actually horrible at driving. Period.

Emily shrugs. "I don't know, Avery, it looked like you two were having a moment. And Hotch looked murderous, but really he always looks grumpy so he may just been extra-grumpy. Do you think Reid's cute?" she asks, and I nearly spew my coffee all over my fancy new dress-pant thingies. Granted, it was the coffee Morgan made for us on the jet, so it wasn't great and wouldn't be too much of a loss, but these pants were bloody expensive, and I really needed the caffeine right about now, believe me.

"Um, no!" I answer, but my gut clenches when I realize I may have answered that a tiny little bit too fast.

I don't think he's cute. Really, I don't. He's not cute at all, and that would be weird, I met him like two hours ago. I tell myself. But damn, he has really nice eyes. My mind thinks this is a wonderful time to remind me that his eyes are really nice. I don't think he's cute, I don't think he's cute. I repeat to myself once again.

"Oh-kay," Emily replies in a way that tells me she really doesn't believe me.

"I don't!" I protest, but blush again when those two words come out kind of whiny.

"Whatever you say, Avery. But you should have seen the way he looked at you on the jet today, like before you looked at him," she sighs, as if daring me to ask what she meant by that and face humiliation. I stay quiet, proud of my self control. I mean, I didn't think he was cute, but if someone said that a guy was watching you in a certain way, wouldn't you want to know what they meant by that? I most definitely did, but I had the restraint to refrain from asking Emily to explain.

"Anyways, what's the plan for when we get to the boutique?" I change the topic after a few moments of expectant silence. Emily smirks, eyes focused on the road.

"Well, I want to go in as if we're expecting the owner, if they're female, to not be the Unsub, but keep your eyes open for anything that might clue you in, or anyone who looks like they're paying a little too much attention to another client." Emily smiles at me when she sees that I'm a little nervous.

She, like JJ, is absolutely beautiful, with dark locks that fall short of her shoulders and bangs that suit her well. Both JJ and Emily absolutely rock the bang lock, but I know I never could. I don't know, I just think that you have to have either have light hair like JJ or really dark hair like Emily to look good with bangs.

"Also, we should scour for potential victims," I point out.

Emily nods. "And how do you propose we do that?" she asks, obviously intending for this to be a teaching moment.

"Look for anyone trying too hard to fit in and look like they have a lot of money, but are lacking in certain departments, similar to Jackie's nails, something someone who actually had a ton of money wouldn't do themselves. That's got to be how our Unsub is figuring out who her victims are," I state.

A thought surfaces before Emily can question my train of thought, and I speak up quickly. "No, our Unsub won't look like that too, she hates the women with a lot of money, and she hates women who try to be them even more. She will look completely out of place, although I can't see her actually going in the shop, she's much too smart. We'll see her hanging around the shop entrance a lot though, drinking a coffee or pretending to be reading a book. I doubt she has a cellphone, she's probably very poor or even homeless," I finish, and Emily scoffs, laughing.