[Criminal Minds] years before love

Chapter 109

Hotch brought Mia to the reception room, let her sit on the sofa, and handed her a glass of water, "I'm sorry I didn't find the drink."

Mia took a sip mechanically, then clenched the cup tightly, not speaking.

"Mia, last year you and a few friends stole a car and wanted to go to the city." Hotch pulled up a chair and sat in front of her, leaning forward slightly, "Do you remember?"

Mia obviously didn't expect this topic. She looked up at him in surprise, blinked her eyes twice, "Yes. But that's in the past... Uncle Bowden didn't pursue it, so it can't even be considered a case. Why do you ask this?"

"It was a weekend in December, Sunday to be precise." Hotch looked at her gently, "Mia, I can see that your father loves you very much. If you asked to play, your parents would not Refuse to take you into town."

He paused, watching Mia's face turn pale suddenly, fingers repeatedly scratching the cup in his palm meaninglessly.

"And the testimony didn't mention what you guys want to do, I guess, you just want to leave." Hotch hesitated for a few seconds, and still didn't choose to use physical contact to comfort her. He did have some guesses, but he didn't Know to what extent.He just slowed down his speech, almost word for word, "Mia, do you remember why you want to leave?"

Mia bit her lip, turned her head to look in the direction of the other room, where his father was, but quickly lowered her head again, and it took a while before she whispered, "That was an accident."

"Mia, I know this isn't a good memory for you." Hotch lowered himself so she could see his eyes more easily, "I'm sorry for making you think about it."

"That was horrible." Mia's tears were already rolling.

"I know." Hotch didn't push, but echoed softly, taking the water glass from her hand and handing her a pack of tissues.

"Can you promise me?" Mia looked up at him.

"what?"

"Don't tell Dad what I said, no, not just Dad, all of them, everyone in this town. Don't tell them I said it."

The reception room was not within the monitoring range, Hotch turned his head to look at the local police and Baker on the other side, he nodded, "I promise you."

"We shouldn't go there." Mia paused for a while, tears couldn't stop streaming out, she squeezed the tissue tightly, and said in a tearful voice, speaking faster and faster, "But the adults get together every week Playing together, never taking us, and they would lock the doors and draw the curtains, and lock us in the house—it’s not normal at all, people never lock the door even when they go out. We, we were just curious.”

"So, you saw that? You and your friends?" Even though he had already guessed, Hotch still felt his throat dry and could hardly bear to continue asking.

"We discussed it for a few months, and one day Tom said we could sneak a look, he knew how to get in." Mia looked up at him, sobbing, "In the middle of the night, we climbed through the back wall, and one of the windows wasn't closed properly. We sneaked back a corner of the curtain, and we saw—”

Mia shook her head, choked up, tears stained her face, "That was horrible. I wish we had never been there, I really wish we hadn't known anything."

Hotch put his arms around her and patted her on the back lightly, "I know, Mia, I know."

Mia cried for a while before looking up at him, "Is my mother's killing related to this?"

"Maybe." Hotch wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, "Mia, how many of your friends, I mean friends of your age, know about this?"

Mia took a deep breath, closed her eyes and shook her head, then moved her eyes to the distance, "Everyone. How can we hide it? Do you understand, they are... parents, they always say we should be like this It's supposed to be like that, but they turned out to be...that's...disgusting."

Finally she gritted her teeth and spit out the word.

Hotch thought quickly, waiting for her to calm down, until Mia's sobbing gradually stopped, and he said, "Mia, I need you to think carefully, do you know such a person. He is about your age, He's a strong, good kid who rides a bike, likes to play baseball, doesn't fit in very well, doesn't do very well, especially in math. He adores his mother and always talks about her like 'my mom said' Or the 'mum taught me' kind of thing... two or three months ago, he probably had some little trouble, like breaking up with his girlfriend."

Mia narrowed her eyes and thought for a long time, then raised her head suddenly, "It's not him."

Hotch frowned, "Who?"

"It's her." Mia corrected, "You mean Lindsey Bowden."