She was cold and sat shivering even though the Virginia night air was very humid and heavy. Her body felt numb; she felt no pain from the bruises that covered her body, or from the headache that pounded behind her eyes, from all the crying she had been doing. She had curled herself up into a small recess of her mind so the outside world couldn’t touch her. That’s how they had found her; shivering, numb, and unresponsive on the front stoop of her apartment building, first the EMTs, and then the firemen and Police, and finally FBI agent Derek Morgan.
“Babygirl,” He had been calling to her and gently shaking her, trying to gain her attention, since he had arrived on the scene. He had gotten the call at around 11:30 from Garcia’s neighbor, Mrs. Reilly, whom Morgan had asked to look out for Garcia after she had been shot, and to call him if there was ever any kind of disturbance at Garcia’s apartment. So there he sat nearly an hour and a half later trying to get her to talk to him and she just looked through him as if he weren’t there.
“One of the neighbor’s identified her, she lives in the apartment.” Morgan overheard one of the policemen say as the policeman and another officer approached. “Ms. Garcia, my name is Det. Jameson and this is my partner Det. Reynolds, and we need to ask you a few questions about what happened here tonight.” The words fell on deaf ears as Garcia continued to stare off into nothingness.
“Detective, my name is Special Agent Derek Morgan and I’m with the FBI,” Morgan introduced himself as he instinctually flashed his badge.
“Who the hell called in the FBI?” Reynolds called out to the other officers that were canvassing the scene, but only got shrugs in reply.
“I’m not here on official FBI business, Ms. Garcia is a co-worker and a very close friend of mine. She’s apparently in severe shock and she really needs to get to a hospital.”
“We need to ask her a few questions first.” Jameson said as he licked his fingers and leafed through the pages of his small notebook he held, seeking out a clean page.
“Look at her,” Morgan pointed down at the despondent woman seated before them. “Does she look like she can answer any questions?”
“Well she’s gonna have to tell us something if she doesn’t want to be taken into custody.” Jameson added.
“Taken into custody for what?” Morgan asked in a demanding tone as he stepped in between the two detectives and Garcia as if readying to fend them off if they tried to take her away.
“Murder, Agent Morgan.” Reynolds stated as he handed Morgan the Polaroid picture he had taken earlier. Morgan took the picture and instantly recognized the body.
“Damn,” Morgan murmured out and then threw a sorrowful look down at Garcia.
“You know him?” Reynolds asked having gauged Morgan’s reaction.
“Yeah,” Morgan answered as he handed the picture back. “His name is Kevin Lynch. He works with us at Quantico and he’s Gar…Ms. Garcia’s boyfriend.”
“Well that could explain the scene,” Reynolds spoke directly to his partner, but the words made Morgan scowl. “Maybe they had a lovers spat, things got outta hand and she whacked him.”
“Whoa, whoa what the hell are you talking about, my Babygirl didn’t kill anybody.” Morgan stated matter-of-factly, and Jameson’s brow rose high at Morgan’s words.
“There were only two people in that apartment, there was no signs of forced entry, no signs of any kind of struggle. In fact it was quite a romantic scene, you know except for all the blood and brain matter all over the wall…oh and all over Ms. Garcia.” Jameson’s words made Morgan really take a look at Garcia. He had been so focused on seeing her and making sure that she was ok, he hadn’t noticed that she wore only a nightie and the red splatters on it was blood and not some design or pattern. “Add to that the fact that we have a recording of a woman who called 911 from this exact location stating that she had killed her boyfriend.” Jameson said. “Now I don’t know how you ‘FBI’ boys do things but to us ‘lowly’ local boys this would be a text book case for a crime of passion.”
“We ‘FBI’ boys,” Morgan popped back with attitude. “Investigate and collect evidence and then leave it to the courts to decide who’s innocent or guilty.”
“Fine, we’ll investigate and we’ll start by taking Ms. Garcia into custody.” Jameson declared as he waved over one of the female officers.
“She needs to see a doctor.” Morgan protested again.
“And she will, I’ll have officer…” Jameson paused to read the female officers nametag. “Officer Williamson here escort Ms. Garcia to the hospital and guard her until the doctor’s give her a clean bill of health, and then we can take her downtown, to our station for an interrogation.”
“Can I ride along with her?” Morgan asked even though he knew he was overstepping the bounds, and that it was against procedure.
“Come on agent I think you know the answer to that.” Det. Reynolds said and Morgan could only close his eyes and sigh out his frustration before opening his eyes again and nodding at the detective. “If you want to go to the hospital that’s fine but you know you won’t be allowed to go anyway near her until we’ve had a chance to talk with her, considering right now she’s our only witness and possible suspect.” Morgan had to swallow down his angry words at hearing Garcia referred to as a suspect in Lynch’s murder. He stood silently and watched as two paramedics placed Garcia on a gurney and strapped her down. He moved up beside her and grasped her lax hand in his grip.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital Princess don’t worry we’ll get this all straightened out, I promise.” He then lifted her hand to his lips and placed a chase kiss to the back on her hand. He felt both Reynolds and Jameson watching him closely but he didn’t care. After a few more second of stroking Garcia’s hand Morgan finally released her and allowed the paramedics and officer Williamson to take her away.
“Guess we’ll see you at the hospital then,” Jameson said as he and Reynolds passed heading to their car intent on following the ambulance straight to the hospital. “And don’t worry we’ll take good care of your Babygirl, or do your prefer Princess?” He tossed out the pet names he had heard Morgan refer to Garcia by. Morgan just placed his hands on hip as he glared at the detectives. After watching the two detectives drive off Morgan pulled out his cell phone and dialed out as he walked to his truck.
“Hey Hotch, It’s Morgan I’m sorry for calling you so late but I need your help man. It’s Garcia I think she’s in trouble.”
By the time Morgan had arrived at the hospital Hotchner was already there waiting for him, along with Prentiss and Reid.
“Thanks for coming guys,” Morgan greeted with a weary smile.
“Of course, Garcia is one of our own and you know we always take care of our own. Rossi is still at that convention in NYC and JJ in on assignment in California, but I’ve contacted both of them and they say they’ll be here as soon as they can.” Hotchner stated.
“Is Garcia ok?” Prentiss asked worry evident in her voice.
“I honestly don’t know,” Morgan answered with his brows arched as he shook his head. “She seemed so out of it, she wouldn’t talk to me, hell it was like she didn’t even know I was there.”
“Sounds like catatonia,” Reid finally spoke and the others threw him a confused gaze. “It’s a syndrome of psychological and motorological disturbances first described by German psychiatrist Karl Ludwig kahlbaum. Catatonic patients will sometimes hold rigid poses for hours and will completely ignore any external stimuli.”
“But why would Garcia be like that, you know how bostrious and bubbly she usually is.” Prentiss asked.
“Well given what Morgan said happened tonight I’d say Garcia witnessed or even experienced something so traumatic that her mind can’t handle it, and so it’s shut itself off from reality.” They all turned to look through the open door of the hospital room that housed Garcia, who was being assessed by a couple of doctors and several nurses. “Somewhere in her mind Garcia’s awake and most likely reliving a happy memories.”
“What makes you so sure, are you a doctor?” Jameson asked as he and Reynolds, who had been standing nearby waiting for the doctors to speak with them, moved closer to the BAU group.
“Yes.” Reid replied simply.
“I’m Special agent Aaron Hotchner,” Hotchner spoke as he extended his hand, which Jameson and Reynolds shook, respectively.
“I’m Det. Jameson and this is my partner Det. Reynolds.” Jameson said and Hotchner nodded and then began introducting the others.
“This is Special agent and Dr. Spencer Ried and Special agent Emily Prentiss.” Hands were shaken along with the introductions. “We’re all co-workers and friends of Ms. Garcia. Please know that we are not here on FBI business but I am going to be representing Ms. Garcia.” Hotchner added and the two detectives threw him confused looks. “I’m also an attorney.” He explained.
“Great, so what the FBI will only take you if you have some sort of alias or secret identity, so what are yours, Wonder Woman and The Green Lantern?” Reynolds asked Prentiss and Morgan with a chuckle.
“No,” Prentiss replied as she looked at the man with distain. “What’s yours, being an asshole?” The smile quickly faded from Reynolds face.
“I don’t want you speaking to my client before I’ve had a chance to speak with her first.” Hotchner interjected.
“Normally I’d be cool with that Agent Hotchner, except I’m pretty sure Ms. Garcia didn’t call you here to represent her.” Jameson said with a satisfied grin on his face.
“Well I certainly hope that your department doesn’t make a practice of interrogating a dispondent suspect without legal representation present Det. Jameson.” Hotchner’s usual scowl seemed to deepen a bit. “As for consent I do have a power of attorney that Ms. Garcia applied for a couple of years ago, in the event that something were to incapacitate her, I was to step in and make decisions on her behave, being that she’s an only child and both her parents are dead. She has no other living relatives. Please know that I have no intentions of hindering your investigation in any way, but I do plan to represent my client to the best of my abilities. So until she’s able to speak with me I must ask that you and your other officers have absolutely no interaction with her.”
“Fine, but I don’t want any of your crew here interacting with her either until we’ve had the chance to speak with her.” Jameson stated.
“Understood,” Hotchner agreed.
“What? Come on Hotch…” Morgan protested in an uproar.
“Morgan you know that while an investigation is ongoing that a suspect cannot have interaction with others until the investigator have had their initial interrogation.”
“That’s only after the suspect has been charged.” Morgan threw out.
“Oh she’s been charged,” Reynolds held up the warrant that they had called in and gotten brought over to the hospital for them. “The only reason we haven’t read Ms. Garcia her rights yet is because it doesn’t look like she would understand them. The D.A. insisted that we wait until she was more lucid, that way the case can’t get thrown out on a technicality.”
“You know what I’m sick of you guys, you’ve already tried and convicted her.” Morgan said, his hands itching to punch both of the detectives in their faces.
“No Sir, we just investigated and collected some pretty incriminating evidence against Ms. Garcia, which we’ve handed over to the D.A. Now we’ll just leave it to the courts to decide if she’s guilty or not.” Reynolds repeated Morgan’s earlier words, but in a taunting manner. “You just make sure you don’t go into that room until we’ve spoken with her and given the ok. We’ll have a guard posted at that door 24/7 and they have orders to arrest anyone, other than the hospital staff and her lawyer, who try to enter that room.” With that said Reynolds and Jameson left out.
“Dumb motherfuckers…” Morgan mumbled out as he stared at their retreating backs.
“Morgan they’re only doing their jobs.” Hotchner said calmly.
“No Hotch they’re on a fucking witch hunt here.”
“You really think so? Put yourself in their shoes Morgan, with the information you know, evidence you’ve seen so far who would be the initial suspect in this situation?” Morgan stared at his boss in disbelief, as Prentiss and Reid remained silent. Both knew in their hearts that Garcia couldn’t have killed Lynch but they couldn’t argue with the evidence, and it was their jobs to follow the evidence.
“Come on Hotch this is Garcia here, you know she didn’t do this.” Morgan continued his defense.
“Yes I do know that, because I know Garcia. However Det. Jameson and Reynolds don’t know her and they’re just doing their jobs.” Morgan blew out hot air through his nose as he placed his hands on his hip and threw his head back a bit, and stared up at the ceiling for a moment to calm his anger. “I want you to respect their investigation, you can’t go in with Garcia until they’ve approved it.” Morgan threw Hotchner a heated glare. “I’m sorry but that’s an order.” Hotchner then walked off and entered Garcia’s room to speak with her doctors.
A Crime of Passion by Pari
Story Note:
This is a story that just popped in my head last night. I know I probably shouldn't have started a new fic while I still have 'Constant Cravings' out there, but I couldn't help it. I actually might finish this one before Constant Cravings since I've pretty much worked it all out in my head already and written most of it down.