CHAPTER TWO: A PIPECLEANER WITH EYES !

3x07
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       IT HAD BEEN CASEY'S FIRST CASE AS AN INTERN AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE CASE PERTAINED TO BUT SHE WAS CURRENTLY SETTLING AT HER DESK, WHICH WAS NEXT TO EMILY'S. She had currently been looking at some paperwork and subtly listening to Reid's rambling and she knew that Morgan was getting irritated with his rambling because he had been staring up at the painters coming in and out of Rossi's new office and he stood up and began to walk up the steps to check it out when the last painter left.

"Where are you goin'?" Spencer asked as Derek walked away from him. "Taking back the last 5 minutes of my life." He noticed as Reid took notice of him walking up the steps to Rossi's new office. "You can't go in there." He said. "Don't you want to know about this guy?" Morgan asked.

"I do." Emily raised a hand and began to follow Morgan and Casey decided to follow behind. "Got it all memorized... his books, his bio." Reid recited in his hands. "Yeah, books have sold over a million copies." Morgan thought. "So?" Casey asked in curiousness.

"There's a million reasons not to come back, if you know what I'm sayin'." Morgan told as both him and Emily entered his office. Both Casey and Reid looked around Casey hit Reid's chest with the back of her hand and nodded towards the office. "Come on." She encouraged.

"We're not allowed." Reid said. "Come on, aren't you a little curious?" She asked, following Emily and Morgan up the office.

      "Huh," Emily began, looking at the empty office. "Taupe walls. That's a negative color. Cold, distant. You know, emotionally, taupe is linked to loneliness and the desire to escape from the world." Emily stated.

      "I just figured the guy's walls would be covered with plaques and commendations." Morgan said. "Huh, maybe he doesn't want to be reminded of past victories. It's a new chapter for him." Emily figures and Reid walks in the room.

     "What happened to the moratorium on inter-team profiling, guys?" Reid asks. "Come on, Reid, 'team'? I don't think this guy knows the meaning of the word." Morgan says. "Ooh, I found something." Casey speaks, she says pulling out a frame of ancient art. "Looks like some type of religious art." Morgan points. "Looks like an original." Casey points out.

       Reid walks towards the girl, looking down at the art, as well. "Definitely expensive." Casey added as Reid examined the frame. "It's Renaissance Art. If that's original..."
       "Is it?" Emily asks.
       "Well, he's got a lot of dough, I wouldn't be surprised if it is." Casey told.
        "I don't know, it's kinda hard to tell. Means he's into the classics." Reid said. "What else?" Morgan asks. "Uh, Italian, strict Catholic upbringing. Probably believes in redemption."

     Casey has her eyes set on the frame that she didn't even notice Rossi walking in. "Well, I believe in a lot of things." She and Reid had flinched at someone approaching behind them and Rossi continued.

     "Catholic, yes. Italian-American, 52 years. Strict upbringing, not so much. Now, the artwork, That's 15th century, original. Cost more than my first house. And as for the wall color, it's just a base coat. Painters will come in and finish tomorrow. Now, if you're all finished, I think JJ and Hotch are ready for us." Rossi looked at Morgan. "Isn't that how a team works?"

     Casey pursed her lips together in embarrassment and spoke before leaving Rossi's office. "Just so you know, not my idea." She told. "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't." Rossi said.

     Great, first day as an intern and I'm already in trouble. Casey thought as she began to walk up to the round table room. She took an available seat next to Hotch as JJ began with their new case.

     "Great Falls, Montana. Over the past 14 months, three women have been reported missing. Michelle Lawford, Jennifer Hillbridge, and Darcy Cranwell. All young caucasian brunettes." Casey notices Rossi walking in the room and he, of course, takes a seat next to him and Casey keeps her eyes focused up on the screen and then over at Reid and Emily, who are giving each other the same look.

    "After an extensive search, all were presumed dead by local authorities." JJ stated. "So at least we know he has a type." Emily added on. "And now there's a fourth woman, Angela Miller. This morning, she and her car went missing from a small grocery store while her husband and son were inside." JJ continued.

     "This morning?" Reid asked. "Montana's requesting our help?" Rossi furrowed his eyebrows. "Forty minutes later, state troopers spotted Angela Miller's car on the highway." JJ took a seat as Hotch continued. "And when troopers tried to apprehend the driver, he blew himself up with a grenade, putting one of the troopers in the ICU."

      "Are they sure that she wasn't in the car with him?" Reid asked. "They went through the wreckage and it appears she's still missing." JJ said. "Troopers get a look at the guy?" Morgan asks.

      "Caucasian, stocky, brown hair, mustache. Early forties. He has a scar on the left side of his face." JJ described. "Do you think Angela Miller's still alive?" Morgan took a seat next to Hotch and looked at him. "Since the other missings were never found, we don't know, but he only had her for forty minutes, so we have to assume she is." Morgan looks over at Casey, who hadn't said a word about the case and perhaps, she didn't really have anything to say. I mean, this was her official first case and she was only an intern. What could she say that sounded smart enough to say?

         The team had taken the jet down to Montana and Reid was mapping out and coloring with markers but Casey had been too wrapped in her own mind to care. Reid had looked up once and took notice of her breathing and her closed eyes. "You okay?" He asked. Casey opened her eyes and hesitantly nodded, "I just... uh, have a thing... with heights, I'm fine, though. I'm fine." She assured and looked anywhere else but outside.

       "You know, I could have gotten you a coloring book at the airport." Emily joked as Reid continued on the map. "I'm creating a topographical map, weighing down and geocoding all key locations looking for algorithms." Reid explained and Emily nodded, "Yeah. That's exactly what I thought you were doing."

        "It's called a jeopardy surface," Hotch interfered, making himself some tea. "It's a way of narrowing down where the unsub could reside."
"And by default, where he may be stashing Angela Miller." Reid told. "You know, it says here the guy had a fully loaded gun, so we know he had options. Why the grenade?" Morgan asked.

       "He wants to be remembered. And he wanted to be sure To take as many cops with him as possible. He knows he's out gunned. So he waits. Times it to the last second. Boom! There are some very committed people in those parts." Rossi explained. "Who love their fire power." Hotch nodded in agreement. "Almost as much as they hate us." Rossi said and Morgan leaned back in his seat. "Militia."

        "And they're heavily armed." Reid said. "Yeah, but hand grenades?" Emily asks. "It's not uncommon for militia members to have military experience. Oftentimes, they resent the structure and they get discharged, And they form their own paramilitary governments." Reid explained.

      "Dental records are on their way to Garcia. I'll tell her to check the military first." JJ spoke. "Prentiss and I will go meet the husband." Hotch said. "I can walk the other abduction sights." Morgan volunteered. "Everybody else, set up base, work on geographical profiles. Willows," Casey looked up at Hotch. "I want you to join Rossi, JJ and Reid and help with the profiles."

Casey nodded, "Got it, boss." She had received a look from Hotch because of his new nickname, 'boss' and she ignored it but he continued.

"Establish contact with the locals, and tread carefully. They'll be watching us."

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       As told, Casey joined JJ, Reid and Rossi down at the station and kept her eyes on the file, trying to figure out the case herself. "Hi, this is Agent Jareau with the FBI, and—" JJ walked in and she had sighed. "That's the third time I've been hung up on."

"Try not saying FBI." Rossi advised. "Who was that?" Reid asked. "Contact for a local militia newsletter." JJ said and Reid nodded to Rossi's statement. "Yeah, drop the FBI part."

"A woman is missing, from their community. Don't people wanna help?" Casey added on to the conversation. "They do want to help," Rossi told. "The missing woman, not us."

JJ's phone began to ring and she picked up and began: "Go ahead, Garcia." Garcia's high voice pitched through the phone. "You were spot on, crime fighters. Military records match. Francis Goehring, 42 years old. Did a year in the army but for a bad conduct discharge. Highlight of which was an arrest during a bar brawl in which three other people were hospitalized. He also appears in the federal database for... get this, aggressive militia groups." Garcia explained.

"Aggressive militia groups. Is there any other type?" JJ states. "Uh-Huh. That's your federal government at work. We specialize in redundancy." Garcia tells. "You see a last known address?" Rossi asks. "A compound just outside of town. It's coming your way. Oh, he also has a wife that doesn't appear to live with him. Diane Marie Goehring, lives in Shelby, a few hours away." Garcia informs the group.

"Have the state police bring in the wife. Reid, Willows and I will go make friends with his neighbors." Casey widened her eyes at Rossi. "Thanks, Garcia." JJ tells before she hangs up. "You want me to come with?" Casey asks, catching up to Rossi and Reid. "Well, how else are you gonna learn how to be an agent?" Rossi asks and Casey follows Reid and Rossi.

      Rossi had Reid and Casey go down to the place where Francis Goehring resided and Reid took the liberty in knocking on the door and Casey stood hesitantly behind him, feeling as if she didn't really belong in the moment.

      A man approaches the door with a scowl on his face. "What the hell do you want? Can't you read?" Casey looked over at the 'No Solicitors' sign. "I'm not a salesman, we're with the FBI." Reid pulls out his badge. "FBI? You're not serious. You look like a pipecleaner with eyes. I could snap you like a twig." Casey held back her laughter and realized that he was pretty twiggy.

     "But then, he isn't alone," Rossi came up and stood in front of the two youngest members, flashing his badge out for the man. "We're here because this was the address listed for Francis Goehring."

      "I haven't seen him in months." The man told "We'd like to see his residence." The man completely ignored Rossi and was about to shut the front door but Rossi immediately opened up the screen door. "Francis Goehring abducted three women. We're looking for a fourth." Rossi held up a picture of Angela Miller. "He took her while her husband and son were in a store. This isn't about us, it's about a woman from your community."

     Casey saw as the man gave in. "I'll show you his place." He had passed through the three and looked over at Reid. "Piece of advice, pipecleaner, way you're wearin' that gun... beggin' someone to take it off you." Casey looked at Reid and then follows behind Rossi and the man.

     He had lead them to an house that Rossi let himself and the two members in. Casey looked around and noticed that it looked pretty vacant. "Mostly just junk mail. Catalogs for firearms... survival preparedness." Reid told, looking down at the papers in front of him. "He doesn't sleep here." Rossi said. "Postmarks are new. He probably just uses this address for mail."

      "Odd choice of reading material." Rossi said, picking up a book. "Uh, speaking of reading material, I've, uh, read all your books." Reid said, starting up a new conversation. "Thanks."

      Casey took notice of a chest and went down on one knee. "Um... one thing that always kind of struck me as odd is that you really just sort of glance over Ruby Ridge." There's a look on Rossi's face. "I mean, you don't—you don't have to tell me, I—" Reid mentally kicks himself in the head for that one. Rossi kneels beside Casey as she opens up the chest and looks at what's inside it. He picks up a picture of Francis and a woman.

      "Picture seems old." Casey pointed out. "It's part of a past life. We need to find where his new life is." Rossi stated and looked at Reid. "How's that map of yours coming along?"
       "I've got it narrowed down to about a 30 mile radius." Reid informs. "Well, Hotch seems to think he was on foot. That's a long walk." Rossi says. "I'm still refining it." Reid states as Casey lifts up the inside of the crate and lifts up a bag underneath and sees tapes stacked alongside one another. "Rossi." Casey says and points down. "Hello." Rossi picks up a stack. "Home movies. Good find, Willows."

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       After watching the tapes and speaking with Goehring's wife, the team had found out where Francis could've been hiding the bodies. Over at his wife's late parents' land. Casey grabbed a pair of sunglasses and headed down to help find Angela Miller.

"Sheriff, let me know when they've swept the house for explosives. In the meantime, check the perimeter. Let's find her." Hotch ordered and Casey began to walk around. "Angela? Angela Miller?" Everyone began to call.

Casey had lured herself over to dirt when she looked over and saw someone laying on the ground. "Morgan!" Casey called and Morgan walked over to her and called for Hotch and Rossi. He knelt down to check her pulse as the two men walked over to them. "She's gone."

"Two exit wounds, upper torso." Morgan informed. "I promised her son we'd find her alive." The sheriff spoke beside Casey and Hotch. "What is it?" The sheriff took notice of the look on Rossi's face. "She's still warm."

"Look at the blood, it hasn't dried yet." Morgan said. "This is recent. Very recent." The sheriff looked down in disbelief. "How is that possible?" He asked. "Goehring didn't do this." Casey said. "He's got a partner." Hotch added.

After the discovery, Hotch ordered for JJ, Emily and Reid to get down there now and when they finally did, they trailed over on the map. "Angela's been dead for no more than half an hour. The partner was just here." Hotch informed. "He can't have gotten far. We set up road blocks within a 40 mile radius."

"Sheriff, somebody around here must know who Goehring's partner is." Hotch tells. "We should try Goehring's pals, the militia. Maybe they can help." Rossi assumes. "Militia leader is Harris Townsend. He owns a bar called The Horse Post." The sheriff says. "I'd suggest sending Morgan." Rossi tells Hotch. "What?" Morgan questioned. "All due respect, Rossi, But you've got an entire team to pick from. You're choosing me? Are you serious?"

"No offense, but do you really want to do that?" The sheriff is even doubting Rossi's decision. "It's either that or Casey goes." Rossi tells and Casey looks at the man in disbelief. Morgan and Casey exchange a glance and Morgan scoffs, deciding to go. "Take JJ with you." Hotch tells. "They know we're here. But you're the last face they expect." Rossi says. Morgan sighs and looks over at the blonde woman. "Let's do it, JJ."

The two walk off and Hotch turns his attention back at the sheriff. "Sheriff, we need to get into the house."

"Not until I get the all clear. Goehring blew himself up. God knows what else he's got in there." Hotch sighs, "Search what you can until we get in. Anything to build a workable profile."

Casey decided to go with Emily and took notice of the roses planted in the ground. "I haven't heard anything from you yet, Willows. What do you think?" Casey took a minute to calculate and took notice of how the roses were. "The roses are different." She says.

"But they're roses. They all look one in the same." Emily tells. "Not quite." Casey says, looking around and she takes her glasses off. "I have a theory, but I don't know." She tells. "What's your theory, Willows?"

Casey noticed the different heights, they all had their different things, but they were still the same roses and why were three recently planted? Casey looked ahead and called over Rossi, Hotch, Reid and the sheriff.

"There are three sections of roses, different heights, different levels of maturity. Do you get where I'm going with this?" Casey asked. "Three different women." Hotch nods. "These appear to be the most recently planted. The tags are still on them." Casey bends down and looks down at the ground and Emily spoke: "Guys..." Reid took notice of what Emily was looking at. "Carrion beetles." He said. "Like in a cemetery." Emily told.

"Sheriff, let's get some shovels. We need to start digging." Hotch says and Casey feels relieved that she doesn't feel as useless anymore as she did before. She receives a pat on the back from Emily.

     They had entered the house when they got the all-clear. "Didn't find any explosives, nothing rigged, but be careful." The sheriff told. "Odd," Rossi began. "Goehring kept his house almost cozy." Casey got her gloves on and looked around. "Hotch?" Rossi called almost immediately and Rossi had showed him un-spooled tapes.

      Casey had followed Emily and Reid into the kitchen. "'One, all actions must serve to please the Master. Two, insubordination will result in punishment...'" Emily had been reading off of a taped-up paper. "This is his new manifesto."

      "Notice the "master" is singular and capitalized, emphasizing there's only one dominant partner." Reid explained. "So his partner is more of a servant." Casey thinks. "Or a serf." Reid takes a picture off of the fridge of Goehring posing in the desert. "Watching the house, minding the lawn, helping him abduct women..."

      "Okay, so if his partner is a serf, what are the female slaves for?" Emily asks. "Oh, I think I can answer that." Rossi adds, approaching the three.

     There had been another room in the home. A room where the woman had been tortured and Casey cringed at this 'sex dungeon' she was looking at. "Now we know why the victims were taken so far apart. They tortured them. It took time for them to die." Reid explained.

      "This is where he kept them." Hotch added. "The blood's fresh." Casey had picked up some weird device and examined it, wondering what in the world she was holding. "What the hell is this?" She asked, holding it up.
       "The Pear of Anguish." Reid informed and Casey made a face. "Ew, ew, ew." She dropped the device and cringed. "I see why we've got gloves now."

"I've got something here." Rossi lifts up the mattress and reveals more torture devices "Homemade torture tools. They covered the floor in something. The bodies are probably wrapped in whatever it was." Rossi sighs. "They must have kept these women in that box for months. Judging by these tools, there will be a considerable amount of mutilation. We need to do what we can to help their families give a proper burial."

The group had given the profile to the department, revealing that he may be in crisis after Goehring's death.

Penelope had finished going over all of the tapes. "That's it. The whole tamale. Every horrific frame. I'm done."

"No luck seeing the partner?" Emily asked. "No. He's— I scanned every frame. He's holding the camera." Casey knew that Penelope hated looking at stuff like that. "You ok?" Emily asked. "No." Penelope answered. "I'm sorry." Emily said and Penelope hung up. "I'll make it up to her with a sleepover." Casey said.

Emily looked and clicked on the computer. "This is Jennifer Hillbridge, the second woman abducted." It was hard looking at these tapes to Casey, especially with what she resonated it with. She sighed, looking away but she heard almost everything.

"The cameraman frames Goehring, but never her." Reid speaks. "Watch." Casey looked for a moment and saw what Reid was saying. He never stays on her that long. The cameraman was more interested in Goehring. "He's lingering on his biceps like he's caressing Goehring's body." Emily stated. "Why the hell?" The sheriff asks. "The unspooled tapes... that wasn't to destroy evidence. It was from jealousy."
"He's in love with Goehring." Casey tells, reading both Reid's and Emily's minds. "He's teaching him how to tie the perfect knot." Reid looks as the video continues. "So he can be the perfect serf." Emily adds. "It would be part of his servitude to clean his house, help abduct girls, bury  the bodies, get supplies, plant the roses."

"He had to buy roses, and a lot of them." Emily says. "Someone must have seen him." The sheriff assumes. "Let's get to the nurseries."

Casey had gone down to one shop after the other and finally stopped at one where she was able to get her answer. "We're looking for a man in his twenties. He keeps to himself. Avoids eye contact. He's about 5'7 to 5'8, blonde, he would have purchased soil, gardening tools... buys quite a few rose plants. Anybody ring a bell?" She asked.

"Yeah, I know who you're talking about." The man who had been talking to Casey nodded. "Henry. He's not a customer." He grabs a picture from his bulletin board. "Henry Frost. Here. He works here." Casey looked down and he's just as the team described. "Great, thank you. I need an address."

In the end, the group had gone to his trailer, only to discover that he destroyed any evidence of himself and that he transformed into Goehring. He had taken a woman hostage at a gas station and taken her up to the desert. The team was left to try and get him and he ended up dying in the process.

What mattered was that he was stopped and he could no longer hurt any more women — along, with Goehring. This first case was enough for Casey to handle. She just wanted to go back to the BAU, fill out her report and then go home and get some sleep.

hey, lovelies!
it's three in the morning but it's saturday and i had time on my hands! i honestly think this is turning out great and probably even better than when i written it before! s3 is one of my favorite seasons in the show so i'm pretty excited for how this is going to turn out!
i have soooo many tricks up my sleeve for these upcoming episodes and seasons!! y'all are not ready!
thank you for reading and i love your support so much! 💕
-mya <3