Losing Control [ spencer reid x reader ] ✔

25. Little Dove

"We have a case?"

You rush into the roundtable room, Spencer on your heels. Prentiss turns around in her chair, nodding at you. You raise your eyebrows as you sit down next to her, Spencer sitting next to you. The rest of the team files in, JJ coming last.

"There have been a series of shootings in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the first one occurring Tuesday night, with subsequent shootings on Thursday, and one on Sunday."

Gatlinburg? Your blood runs cold.

"A spree killer?" Rossi asks, flipping through his tablet.

JJ nods. "The first was at a park, the second was at a bank, and the third was at a diner. The local PD had trouble connecting all of them until they realized one common factor."

Spencer tilts his head. "The unsub doesn't harm the children?"

"Not a single one. Most of the killings have been men, only a couple have been women."

"Maybe the unsub is targeting the men," Prentiss says. "He might've suffered a recent stressor caused by a male that's triggering these attacks."

"And he's guaranteed a kill by targeting public places," Morgan wonders aloud. "What time are the attacks usually occurring?"

"Between eleven and one pm—lunch time." JJ raises her eyebrows.

"Times when places are guaranteed to be busy," Hotch says. "Did any survivors see what the unsub looked like?"

JJ shakes her head. "They all say the same thing—black mask, black clothes. No other description."

"Garcia, check the surveillance cameras from the bank or the diner and see if you can find anything," Hotch orders.

"Ask and you shall receive," she quips, standing up and exiting the room.

"Y/l/n? You've been pretty quiet."

You look up, tuning back into the conversation. "Oh, uh, I need to call my dad."

Prentiss' eyes widen. "That's right, you're from Gatlinburg."

You look at Hotch and he nods. You excuse yourself and exit the roundtable room, pulling your phone out of your pocket. You press your dad's contact and hold the phone up to your ear, holding your breath.

After two rings, his deep voice comes through the phone. "Honey! Hey!"

You exhale, a smile breaking out on your face. "Hey, dad."

"What's up? How're you? You usually don't call twice in three days."

It's true. You've had weekly phone calls with your dad since you started college—he wanted to be kept in the loop of your life. Your last call had been Saturday; you'd told him about the team's reaction to your engagement—which he is super excited for. It turns out, Spencer had actually called him when he bought the ring and basically asked him for his blessing. Super old school, but he'd gotten it nonetheless.