RUNAWAY
CHAPTER EIGHT...!

❝ LAVENDAR , SEASON NINE ❞

"A good friend of mine, Sheriff Peter Coleman down in Briscoe County, Texas, reached out to me about a possible case." Matt Cruz began to brief the team, "He's a former Texas Ranger, he's a good guy."

"Briscoe County?" Derek repeated, sharing curious looks with the team.

"Yeah."

"That's where Jennie works." Spencer informed, and Cruz furrowed his eyebrows.

"Who?"

"Hotch's daughter." JJ told the unaware man, "She's working there to gain some experience before joining the academy."

"Well, she'll be getting some experience with this case." Matt turned to the screen behind him, pulling up pictures of the latest victim, "Abigail Jones. Prostitute. She was found in a dumpster last night. . ."

—

JENNIE sat at her desk, typing up the finishing details of her paperwork, when she saw Vicky come up to her desk. She gave the woman a soft smile.

"You almost done with that?" Vick told her, looking down at the girl, "The guys and I were thinking of going out tonight, you in?"

Jennie looked up at her, "You know I'm underaged, Vick."

"Nobody said anything about drinking." Deputy Lorenzana put her hands up in defense, "We could go to that one place near the lake. You like that place, don't you?"

Jennie only had time to chuckle, when the two then saw Sherif Coleman walk out his office in a hurried manner.

"Hotchner, Lorenzana. Briefing room. Now."

The two girls looked at each other, with furrowed eyebrows, before following the man into the room he was heading into. There, they saw both Marty and Owen standing in front of the evidence board. The two's eyes widened when they stepped into the room, looking at the pictures.

"Deputy Hotchner— you submitted a proposal about a possible connection between the murders of Hannah Kelly and Lucas Wagner." Sheriff began.

"I submitted that proposal months ago." Jennie recalled, her eyebrows furrowed with confusion, "You said we didn't have enough evidence and it was out of our hands."

"That's what the Commissioner told me. But, you submitted it exactly six months ago, and it hasn't left my mind since." Sheriff Coleman admitted, taking a picture from the evidence board, and giving it to the girl to look at, "And last night, we found the body of Abigail Jones in a dumpster."

Jennie looked at the picture, "Same MO."

"Christ." Vicky muttered, as she looked at the picture over the girl's shoulder.

Sheriff Coleman nodded, "I contacted an old friend of mine. Matt Cruz."

"Matt Cruz?" Jennie repeated, "He sounds familiar."

"He's the new Section Chief down at the BAU in Quantico, Virginia." The Sheriff spoke, walking up to Jennie to mutter, "Your dad and his team will be here by the morning."

The man then left the room, leaving the deputies to look over the evidence on the boards.

—

"Morgan, you and Reid talk to anyone working the streets last night, and see if they saw something useful. Dave and Blake, go to the coroners office, see what you can learn there. JJ and I will go to the station with the Sheriff, and start interviewing friends and family."

—

       THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Jennie watched as Sheriff Coleman and Vicky escorted JJ and her father into the office. They were having a conversation before they walked up where Jennie was standing.

"How do you know Matt Cruz, Sheriff?" Aaron asked the man as they walked.

"He and I worked a few cases when he was working out of the Dallas field office." Coleman replied, before nodding over to Jennie "And I knew he was making a right call sending you guys here. This kid talks about your work at the BAU all the time."

Jennie shrugged, "It happened twice."

JJ and Aaron only had time to let out a short chuckle, as they took turns giving the girl a short hug. They could notice her tensed shoulders as they held their embrace, along with how her hands only lighting brushed their backs. They didn't have time to think much of it, when Jennie distracted them with a question.

"How was your flight?"

"Good. Short." JJ shrugged, "We're just glad we good get here as fast as we could."

There was a beat of silence, before Vicky perked up, "So, which serial killers that you guys caught was the scariest?"

"Vicky." Coleman warned her.

"It's okay," JJ, however, reassured, "Uh, cases involving kids are the toughest."

"Oh," Vicky nodded, "Oh, sure. Of course."

"Where would you like us to set up?" Aaron asked.

"Oh, right here." The Sheriff pointed behind them, pointing over to the evidence board, "And we got the boards right over here."

"Oh, that's—" JJ let out a bit of a forced chuckle, "That's full."

"Well, the whole force wanted to work on it." Vicky told the blonde, "We've had bad people down here, but we've never seen anything like this."

"Actually, Jennie had submitted a proposal a while ago. Something about the first two victims being connected. I've kept it on the back burner for a while, per request of the Commissioner." The Sheriff admitted, and Jennie stiffened a bit at the memory, "That was a mistake, and I own it. And I'm not about to let that happen again. So, we'll be following your lead on this one. You have our best men, Agent Hotchner. How can we help?"

"Have any of the family members come in yet?" Aaron questioned.

"Abigail's sister." Jennie nodded over to the waiting area, "Carrie Lawson."

"I told her to come at noon, but she got here at eight." Vicky told the agents, "Hasn't budged for hours. Not even to go to the bathroom."

JJ nodded, "I'll talk to her."

Vicky perked up again, turning to the blonde agent, "Ooh, can I sit in? I won't say a word."

"Um," JJ began, "You know, it might be more comfortable for her if it's just one on one."

Vicky quickly nodded, before placing a hand on JJ's shoulder, "Let me show you to the interview room."

Aaron watched as the two ladies left, "She's enthusiastic."

"She means well." Jennie attempted to defend her coworker.

"She does. They all do." Sheriff added, "I've only been Sheriff here a year, but it's the biggest case we've ever had."

Aaron nodded, "Let's get to work."

"You bet."

Aaron walked to the evidence board. The Sheriff followed behind him, patting Jennie on the shoulder to indicate for her to follow him too.

Jennie let out a small sigh, scratching the back of her neck, before walking behind her superior.

—

ABOUT NEARLY two hours into the case, and the mix of the BAU and Briscoe PD's only had a good lead of one of Abigail's clients. Mack the Knife.

"Could we be looking at a team doing this?" JJ questioned, standing next to Aaron and Jennie, explained to them what Abigail's sister said during her interview.

"There's an off-chance." Jennie held one of the photos of the victim's scars in her hands, "But, I mean, look at these cuts."

Aaron agreed with what his daughter was implying, "The signature of the cutting is too specific. And nothing about the crime scene indicates a partner."

"There's a fear plaguing this community seeping into their souls, making them meek."

Aaron, Jennie, and JJ's heads rose up when they heard a voice approaching them. They turned around to see a tall, male citizen walking alongside Vicky, as they walked up to the team.

Jennie sighed, and JJ noticed, muttering to the girl, "Who's that?"

"Don't know." Jennie shrugged, "But I ran into him at the grocery store a while ago. Not the type of guy you want standing behind you in line, let's just say that."

"Well, aren't the meek inheriting the earth, preacher?" Vicky questioned the man, as they finally made it up to the group.

"Yes, but not until their time."

Vicky pinched her eyebrows together, but nodded nonetheless, "Uh, Agent Jareau, SSA Hotchner, I'd like you to meet Preacher Mills. He runs a local—"

"Ministry." He shook the Unit Chief's hand, before reaching into his chest pocket to pull out a pamphlet, handing it to JJ, "If you're in town long, you should come hear His word."

"Oh—" JJ took it, "Thank you."

"Preacher has some information that he thinks might help the case." Vicky told the agents.

"It's about Lucas Wagner, the male victim."

"We can talk about this in the interview room," Jennie told the group, taking initiative to lead them, "Follow me."

Aaron, JJ, and Preacher Mills walked behind her, following her. Eventually, she led them to a room, holding the door open for them as they all passed her.

Soon enough, Preacher Mills sat in front of JJ and Jennie at the table, as Aaron stood behind them. They all listened attentively at the man's statement.

"My congregation started as a thought, or rather a dream." Mills began, "I imagined 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."

"Noble."

"Look, I neither judge nor devalue." The Preacher stated, "I embrace. And when I hug my flock, they whisper."

"What do they whisper?"

"Secrets." He continued, "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."

"And Lucas Wagner told you his secrets?" Jennie inquired.

"Yes." Mills nodded, "And it weights heavily on my heart. See, his daddy lost his job. His mama took gravely ill. So, in order to help out, he took to the streets with the other girls, so to speak."

JJ nodded, "Lucas was a male prostitute."

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

"Then why was he arrested for solicitation?" Aaron asked the man.

"The judge liked his parents. He wanted to save them the embarrassment." Preacher began again, "You see, we walk through life pretending to be one thing, when we're really 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 heard a whisper about Mack the Knife?" JJ asked the man.

He shook his head, "No, that name means nothing to me."

—

THAT NIGHT, Jennie sat on the edge of the desk in front of the evidence board. Her eyes scanned it, moving to each picture, repeating the process over and over until she could hear footsteps behind her.

"Go home, get some rest, kid." Sheriff Coleman spoke, with JJ behind him, grabbing his coat from off the desk, "We'll continue this in the morning."

"Got it." Jennie spoke, but she didn't move from her spot, "Night, Sheriff."

"Night, Hotchner."

As he made his way out of the room, JJ went up to the girl, sitting beside her on the edge of the desk.

"You've built quite a life for yourself, here." JJ began, looking at the girl who's eyes were still focused on the pictures, "That's good."

"Mm." Is all Jennie replied with, with a small, tight smile.

JJ continued to look at the girl, her eyebrows pinching slightly, "Okay, Jennie. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"This is your first time working a case with us. I thought this was something you've been waiting to do since you were little." JJ told her, "I thought you'd be more excited."

"I am excited." Jennie quickly reassured the blonde, "It's just—"

The girl paused, before sighing as she looked back up at the evidence board.

"I just wish it were under different circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

"JJ, I noticed the connection between Lucas Wagner and Hannah Kelly. Before anyone else." Jennie began explaining, "I had a hunch, and I let it go."

The blonde furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head, "You were ordered by a superior to drop the case. There's a difference."

Jennie disagreed, "I could've fought harder. And then maybe Abigail Jones would still be alive."

JJ's eyes softened at the girl, "Honey, it wasn't your call. And all you can do now is make sure you fight hard to find this unsub. That way we can save the lives of others before it's too late."

Jennie finally looked at the blonde, a small, thankful smile forming on her lips. The blonde wrapped an arm around her, allowing Jennie to lay her head on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault, JenJen."

"I know." The girl nodded, "But, it feels like it is."

"I know." Jennifer sighed, "But it's not."

Jennie took another pause, before letting out an exasperated breath.

"I know."

—

        THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Jennie rode with Sheriff Coleman, Rossi, and Spencer to check out the latest crime scene. A new victim, Tabitha Ryerson, was found tied to a tree, with lacerations on her back. Once arriving at the crime scene, the sight of the fellow officers at Briscoe PD attempting to free the corpse from the tree made Spencer, Sheriff, and Jennie rush out the car, with David following behind them.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Spencer yelled at the officers, stopping them from messing with the scene, "What are you doing?"

"Owen, don't touch anything!" Jennie told the man, who was standing right next to the body.

"Well, we took a bunch of pictures just like you ordered us to." Owen defended, only making Jennie have to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"I ordered you to not touch a damn thing."

"We need to look at this crime scene undisturbed." Spencer began, "Do you mind not standing here? Thanks."

When Owen moved out the way, Jennie went over to him, muttering, "Seriously?"

"I didn't know!"

"I didn't know." She mocked him, and he rolled his eyes. Over the course of ten months, the two had grown to bicker like siblings.

"He's escalated his cuts." Rossi's observation brought Jennie's attention back to the case, "They're not only bigger—"

"The cutting was done post-mortem. It was the gunshot that killed her." Spencer spoke.

"How can you tell?" Sheriff questioned.

"The lack of blood flow and scar tissue. Not to mention the precision. " Jennie answered, her eyes scanning the lacerations, "If she was alive when this was done, it'd be a lot more blood. A lot more messy, too."

Rossi's lips curved up slightly, in a prideful manner.

"In this case, it's probably not S&M then." Jennie knelt down next to Spencer to get a better look of the corpse, "It's symbolic."

"Symbolic of what?" The Sheriff questioned, Jennie only shrugged.

There was a moment of silence, before Spencer's eyebrows pinched, "Do you guys smell that?"

The officers began to try and identify  the smell.

"Lavender." Rossi observed.

"It's mainly around her legs." Spencer told the group, causing the Sheriff to question him.

"Why would he do that?"

"Reid, could you look into that?" Rossi asked the man, "We can't trust the coroner to follow through."

"Yeah." Spencer nodded, beginning to make his way to the car.

"Deputy Hotchner," Sheriff Coleman nodded towards Jennie, "You tag along with Agent Reid. See if you can find anything."

Jennie nodded, getting up from her knelt position, making her way to the car as well. Rossi glanced over at Sheriff Coleman.

"We need to deliver the profile."

—

"We believe the unsub we're looking for is a white male in his early 30s. While his MO is that of a sadist, we think there's an underlying pathology of what we call a wound collector."

"A wound collector is someone who uses a lifetime of sleights, grievances, and wrongs as justification for violence. Examples can be as large-scale as Hitler scapegoating the Jews for the Holocaust."

"Or as common as an abusive husband blaming his wife as an excuse to beat her."

"This unsub is low-key, almost submissive in public. He has to be to attract the prostitutes."

"But his real nature will be revealed in the safety of isolation. This is the type of man who would anonymously express himself online by raging against how these women are filled with disease and filth, how they deserve what's coming to them, probably to cover for the rejection of a woman or spouse who's wronged him."

"Which means the unsub probably has a working-class or part-time job. It gives him the time to plan and execute the murders."

"Tabitha Ryerson tells us he's losing control. He killed her in her home and then transported her body to the woods so he could mutilate her post mortem. The public nature of the display was a message."

"To who?"

"To us. This is a small time, and he knows the FBI is here investigating his crimes. He thinks he's showing us that he's smarter than we are."

"He's also showing us his wounds. There's part of him that wants us to stop and punish him for his crimes."

—

"LAVENDER."

Jennie spoke, flipping through countless papers, as she and Spencer sat alone in the evidence room. She shook her head.

"Why lavender?" She questioned, with a sigh, "I mean— people sometimes use it to symbolize healing, or purity? But, I don't know. Nothing is really adding up."

Jennie looked over at Spencer, seeing him read from a few papers in front of him.

"Anything?"

"No." He shook his head. Jennie sighed once again, continuing to look through her own papers. It was silent for a short moment, before the man spoke up again, "So, why do you work here, anyway?"

Jennie's eyebrows pinched together, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, no offense, but this place is a bit..." Spencer began to trail off, "I'm just wondering why someone of your skill set would choose to work here."

"I don't know. Its complicated." Jennie shrugged, "I mean, it's not like the people I work with aren't skilled themselves. They've just— never had a case like this, I guess. I grew up with this sorta stuff, so it comes more naturally."

Spencer knew she was holding something back, but nodded nonetheless, "I heard about your first case here. The theif-turned-murderer."

Jennie looked at him with a confused expression, "How did you hear about that?"

"Garcia undermines how much she pays attention to your life here in Texas." Spencer spoke with a soft chuckle, "She saw it on the Briscoe PD website. Pretty impressive how you connected the Benzene as the COD."

Jennie let out a chuckle, shaking her head, "I got lucky that day. I'm not always like that. I have this other theft case I've been working on. This guy robbed a church of some money and crucifixes. Its such a small town, with limited churches, or congregation centers— so you'd think it would be an easy solve, but I'm not even close to solving it."

There was a bit of silence in the room following their conversation, as the two went back to reading the papers in front of them.

However, one thing that Jennie said stayed in her mind.

"Churches." She broke the silence, and Spencer looked at her questioningly, "What if these killings are symbolizing something religious? The bible had notable mentions of spikenard."

"Spikenard." Spencer began coming up with the same conclusion as Jennie, "The Greek name for Lavender."

"Exactly."

"Then took Mary a pound of ointment of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." Spencer recalled the verse.

"Gospel of John, 12:3." Jennie nodded.

Spencer stood up from his seat, and began to gather the papers in front of him, before nodding over to Jennie.

"Let's go tell the others."

—

AUTHOR'S NOTE

hey bffs...😇😇

new chapter out tmr!!!

word count.
3322.