What Maisy Knew - A Criminal Minds Fiction

Chapter 3: A Little Voice

Derek parked the car at the Denver Police station and Maisy woke up immediately. Her eyes wide open and she looked scared.

"Shuuu it's okay. This is the police station. It's alright" JJ said throwing her arm around Maisy's shoulder.
Derek and Emily got out so JJ unbuckled Maisy and picked her up. She carried the girl inside the police station and Maisy was still stiff in her arms and had not yet spoken.

They walked in and when Maisy saw Hotch she hid her face on JJ's neck.

"Get her settled in there and try to see if she knows where Liza went" Hotch said and JJ took Maisy to another room.
She put the girl down on the couch and Maisy held her shirt.

"I'm going to sit right here next to you" JJ said.

Emily walked in and closed the door. The room had a glass wall, a big couch and a small couch, a tv and a few toys in a basket.
"Do you want to go pick one?" Emily asked as she noticed Maisy looking at the toys.
The girl hid her face on JJ's stomach the moment Emily started talking. JJ looked at Emily and they knew it would be hard to get her to talk but Emily decided to try anyway.

"Maisy, I know you're scared but we need your help" Emily said and the kid looked at her. "Only you can help us find Liza" she said. When Maisy heard the woman's name she hid again.

"Honey, I know it's scary but you can help us find her. And she'll go away forever" JJ said and Maisy looked up.

"Maisy, did you hear your mom say where she was going today?" Emily asked and Maisy thought for a while then shook her head no.

"Did she talk to your daddy about a friend she would visit, maybe?" Emily said and Maisy shook her head.

"Did your dad say something about your mommy going away?" JJ asked.
Maisy looked down and they knew the answer was yes.

"Maisy, you can tell us. He's not here" Emily said but Maisy shook her head no.

"He can't hurt you anymore" JJ said and the girl started crying and shaking her head no nervously.
"Shuuu it's okay. Calm down" JJ said but Maisy wouldn't stop doing that. So JJ pulled the girl to her lap and held her. "Shuuu it's okay. You're safe now." She told Maisy.

The child rested on JJ and started to calm down.
"We can watch a movie for a while. Do you wanna do that?" JJ asked and Maisy nodded yes.

Emily walked to the tv and found 2 DVDs on the top. "Cinderella or Wizard of Oz?" Emily asked the girl.
Maisy looked up and pointed to Cinderella.

"Good choice" JJ said with a smile.

Emily picked up a blanket and handed to JJ who covered Maisy up. The girl sat there and watched the movie. No one said another word till Maisy fell asleep 15 minutes into the film.

"I don't think she'll help us much" JJ said.

"She's 4. This is too much for her. She's terrified" Emily said and they stared at the sleeping child.
"Yeah. I'll talk to Hotch" Emily said and walked out.

"How did it go?" Hotch asked as Emily walked to them.
She shook her head no and said "she didn't say a word yet"

"Tell JJ to keep her company and try to get her talking." Hotch said.

"Where are the other kids?" Emily asked.

"CPS got them in the hospital. They will get here at any time now. Rossi is trying to locate another family member" Hotch said.

"There were no signs of abuse on them, Emily" Derek said.

"What? But Maisy...?" Emily said in shock.

"It seems like she was the target in the house" Hotch said and Emily shook her head in disbelief. "Go talk to JJ and see if you two can get something from her. She might be the only one who knows where Liza is" Hotch said.

Emily walked back to the room and she felt really bad for the girl. She couldn't believe the amount of trauma that child went through.

"So...?" JJ asked as she stroke Maisy's hair.

"Hotch wants us to keep trying. They'll work too but he said she might be the only one who knows where Liza went." Emily said.

Looking at Emily's face JJ knew that her friend had more information that she wasn't sharing.
"And..?" JJ said concerned.

"Hotch said there were no signs of abuse in the other children. Maisy was the only one" Emily said.

JJ looked down at the sleeping girl. "How can people do this to such a small child?" JJ said.

"Something on her triggered them. Maybe her age or ... who knows. These people are just..." Emily tried explaining.

"These people are monsters" JJ said.

"Yeah" Emily said.

Emily and JJ sat there talking about the case for about half an hour till Maisy woke up.
She jumped awake screaming.

****Maisy's nightmare****
"Mommy, why are you packing?" I asked my Mom when I walked inside her bedroom. "Liza, I'm Liza and That's none of your business Maisy" my Mom said and then ignored me. Suddenly daddy walked in "get the fuck out" he yelled and I ran out. He closed the door and started talking to mommy. I wanted to know why she was packing so I sneaked there again and heard from outside the door. "But ...onebridge?" I heard daddy say. "Yeah I'll see where I'll go from there" mommy said. Suddenly I heard a noise and ran to the stairs. I sat there and prayed no one saw me. Daddy walked passed me and I breathed out relieved. Julie started crying from the living room and daddy ran downstairs. "I can't stay in this house" he said and walked out.
.... I heard the car pull into the driveway. Daddy was home. I quickly went to the couch where Julie was laying down, she was still crying a little. When he opened the door I could tell he was drunk. I could recognize that smell every time. He walked to me and said "to your room" and I ran, I ran as fast as my legs could go. I sat on my bed and prayed he wouldn't come inside. But he did. He walked in and his belt was already on his hand. I stared at it and tried to think what I had done wrong this time but I couldn't remember anything so I asked "daddy, what did I do?". He looked at me and I instantly regretted asking. He walked to the bed and said "turn". "But daddy... I..." and that's when I felt. He slapped my back so hard I felt the air being sucked out of me. He made me turn and suddenly I let out a scream...
**** End ****

Maisy woke up screaming and JJ held her tight and rocked her whispering soothing words in her ear.
Hotch and Morgan ran in and Emily said everything was okay, so they left.
JJ managed to calm Maisy down and suddenly the girl said very low "done bridge"
Her little voice was so sweet.

"What did you say sweetie?" Jennifer asked.

"Done bridge" Maisy said louder now.

"Is there where your mom went?" JJ asked and Maisy nodded.

"What is done bridge?" Emily asked.

Maisy looked at her and said "I don't know" and bursted into tears.

"Shuuu it's alright" JJ said rocking the girl again and Emily went out to tell the team.