The Room Upstairs

Chapter Five

Cass stared at Reid, then at the pendant in his hand.
"It- I'm..."
"You're the last living descendant of the Hill family, which means the estate is yours."
"But where did you...?"
"I went and spoke to your uncle," Reid admitted. "He wants to make things right with you before he dies."
"And he gave up Mom's pendant," Cass said softly.
"It's more than your mother's pendant," Reid said. "It's the Hill family heirloom. Carved to lead the descendants to the hidden fortune."
"Fortune," Cass echoed, leaning against the barn wall.
"Miss Sherwood, you could afford to hire a farmhand," Evan spoke up.
"Hire?!" Cass spluttered. "You're not walking out on me, are you?!"
"I'm an old man," Mr. Carter said, surprised. "There are plenty of young lads who could do a much better job."
"But none of them know this farm half as well as you do," Cass disagreed. "Mr. Carter, I want you working this farm as long as you are able to stand."
"Miss Sherwood, it is an honor," Evan smiled.
Cass turned to leave the barn, then paused.
"Besides," she added. "Liberty is expecting Buck's puppies."
"She's what?!" Evan gaped, turning to his Border Collie.
Cass strolled out of the barn, laughing as she went.
"Hey, Cass!" Reid called, running to catch up. "There's something else..."

"Under an old maple?" Cass asked uncertainly, glancing over her shoulder at Reid.
"That's what Rick said," Reid confirmed.
Cass slid a shovel into a loop on her saddle, stepped into the stirrup and swung her leg over Dolly's back.
"C-come on," she said distractedly, reaching a hand down to help Reid onto the horse.
"Wait, me ride Dolly?!" Reid gaped.
"Reid, you will get on the horse."
Reid hesitantly took her hand and she helped him onto Dolly's back.
"Hold onto my waist," Cass instructed.
Reid didn't argue, and clung to Cass as she started Dolly into a canter across the field. Buck bayed excitedly, taking off after his mistress.

"I think this is it," Cass said, staring at an ancient maple. She help Reid slide off Dolly, then jumped down herself.
"It's pretty secluded," Reid agreed.
"We came here for picnics when Mom was alive," Cass said curtly. "Have a sniff, Buck."
The German Shepard nosed around the bottom of the tree for awhile, then yapped and started pawing at the soil. Cass hefted her shovel and took a breath before digging into the soft dirt. Within a few shovelfuls of soil, a woman's fractured skull had been uncovered. Cass stared at it for a long time.
"We should... we should alert someone. Get this into the open," she murmured, dropping the shovel and walking away.
Reid called Garcia.

"How's our heiress?" the tech analyst asked.
"Tell Hotch we've got a body," Reid said grimly.
Garcia didn't say a word, and Reid hung up.

"You okay?" Reid asked, sitting down on the grass beside Cassidy. Buck was anxiously licking her face.
"I'm a psychopath," Cass shrugged. "I don't feel okay or upset."
"You weren't always like this, Cassidy," Reid said. "When she was alive, you weren't a psychopath. You must feel something!"
"I feel like I wish I'd poisoned my father's alcohol," Cass grunted.
"Well, that's something," Reid sighed. "Look, the others are on their way, we'll get everything clear, then we'll find that fortune!"
"Yeah," Cass nodded.
"Cass, we're going to find that fortune, then you'll have all the money you need to keep this farm running. You can clean your upstairs and use your whole house again, and you'll never have to work-"
"But I like my job," Cass protested. "I'm doing fine like I am. I don't want a fortune."
"Rossi's got money and still works," Reid pointed out. "You might be able to lower his ego a little bit."
Cass smiled faintly, and looked up just in time to see the other members of the BAU cone over the hill with a CSI team.

JJ went straight for Cass and hugged her, then Garcia gave her a squeeze.
"You okay, kid?" Rossi asked.
"I'm in your tax bracket now," Cass said bluntly.
Rossi gave her a smile and a hug, then stepped aside so Prentiss could get to her.
"Everything's gonna come together," Emily promised. "You'll be all right."
Cass nodded, and Derek looked her up and down.
"What's this about having money?" he asked.
"I don't know," Cass admitted.
Derek snorted, and pulled Cass into a quick hug.
"Cass," Hotch said. "We're all here for you."
"I know," Cass nodded.
"Good," Hotch said.
The whole group shared in a hug, and slowly headed back to the farmhouse, Prentiss leading Dolly along beside them.