𝓼𝓪𝓯𝓮 ➣ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽𝔂-𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓻

When they arrived at the station, everyone updated each other. Hotch and JJ talked to Abby's sister and the preacher in town, finding out that her sister had gotten a phone call from her before she died, talking about a they coming to get her.

"Could this be a team?" Mara suggested.

"The signature of the cutting is too specific." Hotch said.

"And nothing about the crime scene indicates a partner." Rossi pointed out.

An officer came up to the group. "Everyone, I'd like you to formally meet preacher Mills. He runs the local ministry."

"If you're in town long, you should come hear his word." The minister said, shaking everyone's hands.

"Oh, thank you." JJ said awkwardly to him.

"Preacher has some information that he thinks might help the case," the Sheriff said. "It's about Lucas Wagner, the male victim."

Mara and JJ stepped to the side, listening to what the preacher had to say about his so called information. "My congregation started as a thought, or rather a dream. I imaged a place where everyone could come to hear the truth without being judged, and I didn't care whether you subscribed to the old testament or the new testament. All that I required was that there was love in your heart."

"That's noble." JJ commented.

"Look, I neither judge nor devalue," he said. "I embrace. And when I huge my flock, they whisper."

"What do they whisper?" Mara asked.

"Secrets," he answered, stepping closer to the two agents. "They tell me about the things that are rotting their souls. The affairs they've had, the money they've stolen, the lascivious thoughts that permeate their sick minds."

"Did Lucas Wagner have secrets?"

The preacher nodded. "His daddy lost his job, his mama took gravely ill. In order to help him out, he took to the streets with the other girls, so to speak."

"Lucas was a male prostitute." JJ connected. 

"And he didn't discriminate with his clientele."

"Then why was he arrested for solicitation?" Mara asked.

"The judge liked his parents, he wanted to save them the embarrassment," he answered. "You see, we walk through life pretending to be one thing when we're another. And like the opposing sides, truth is a magnet and it sticks to you. There's no steering clear of his law."

"Have you by any chance hear a whisper about Mack the Knife?"

"No, that name means nothing to me." He said, almost angrily. Almost disgusted.

"Well, thank you," JJ said to him. "That info is very helpful."

"If you hear anything that may pertain to the case, we'd appreciate it if you'd let us know." Mara smiled gently at the man before heading to where the rest of the team was set up.

"What'd you find at the ME?" Mara asked Reid.

"Only that their ME isn't an actual ME, he was elected his position." Reid explained as they walked over to the coffee maker.

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was," he shook his head. "When we asked what type of knife Abigail was cut with, he said a sharp one."

"Small town, they don't get these kinds of murders around here."

"Didn't run a rape kid or a tox screen, we have to get the other bodies dug up in order to confirm our signature."

"Well, this isn't going to get any easier."

Reid and Mara stood at the table while the others looked through files, Morgan and JJ's eyes flickering between the two. JJ and Morgan shared a look and smirked at each other.

In the FBI, they tell you to trust that feeling in your gut and something was telling Mara to not make things official with Reid. Mara couldn't help but think that it's because she knew that it wouldn't be easy being in a relationship with him.

Mainly because of her, she thought. She knew that being with her would only cause frustration and pain in Reid. She didn't want him to fall in love with her and regret it. She couldn't take that.

JJ smiled as Mara slapped his arm as he made a stupid joke, something JJ still found odd. Reid had trouble making and understanding jokes but between them, he cracked jokes like it was no problem.

JJ knew it was because he was comfortable with her. He loved her enough to know that she wouldn't judge him.

They stood there pretending to just be friends when all the while, everyone in the room could plainly see that they were only existing for each other.