Stars | Aaron Hotchner

23

Rossi, Ashley, Reid, Aaron, and I all stood in the back of the church as everyone filed in.

"We just came from the last victim's house. The unsub used the garage as access. Maybe a remote door opener made to be universal." Morgan said as he and Prentiss walked up to us.

"Police are saying it's random but how could you randomly find a woman so vulnerable? Garcia's going over backgrounds again, trying to highlight anyone with tech experience." Prentiss said. JJ came walking down the center aisle to join us.

"She's also doing a full workout on Brinkman and Ruiz. They had that kind of access. Had anyone seen Ruiz?" Aaron asked.

"I saw him a while ago," Rossi said.

"He set up everyone filling out forms, but I haven't seen him since," Reid said.

     "We need to ask for help differently. Tell people that we're looking for someone who might have seen something rather than someone who did something. No one thinks that their friends or neighbors are capable of this." Aaron said, his eyes peeled on the crowd.

     "We should get started," JJ said.

     JJ and Aaron walked down the center aisle, and JJ took her spot behind the podium at the front of the church. Aaron stood behind her and off to the side. JJ cleared her throat.

     "We're hoping that someone may have seen something and not even realized it. Maybe you have a neighbor who takes their trash out late or works on his car in the garage. Anything that might put someone outside at an odd hour, and give them the opportunity to see something." JJ said to the crowd.

     "Is there anything we can help you look for?" I said quietly to Ashley.

     "It won't be overt. The kids probably won't be afraid of Dad." She responded.

     "They won't? These guys have explosive tempers don't they?" Morgan asked, leaning over.

     "Definitely. Anger wasn't normal in my house. Usually, when it happened it was an anomaly. A surprise. If anything my father was overly solicitous. Too nice. And if I wanted anything, bicycles, toys, dolls, all I had to do was ask. In groups, he always held my hand. Sometimes so tight that it almost cut off the circulation. But I can never remember him putting me on his lap, or holding me in any way." Ashley paused, looking around at the crowd.

     As she talked, my eyes were peeled on the group of people in front of me. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, there were families hovered together afraid for their community.

    "He always had these talks with me. He was terrified someone would take me." Ashley continued.

     "Because he knew what was out there," Prentiss said, looking over at Seaver.

     "Yeah, men like him," Morgan added.

     I peeled my eyes off the crowd to give Ashley a meaningful smile, which she returned.

     "You know, maybe this man recently bought gifts for his kids. My dad used to buy me things all the time." Ashley said.

     "What kinds of gifts?" Parents asked.

     "Anything. Everything." She passed, her face lost in a thought.

     "Ashley?" I asked. Her head snapped to me and our eyes met.

     "My whole life, there was only one thing I wanted that I couldn't have." She said, our eyes locked.

     "Which was?" I asked.