29. Knew Her

buzzcut season - lorde


"So, you going to tell us who gave you that hickey, you player?" Morgan pressed Reid on our way to the latest victim. A car cut us off and Morgan slammed the breaks, cursing under his breath.


"Cmon, Pretty Boy, spill the beans."


Spencer, who was in the backseat to my shotgun, groaned audibly. Morgan laughed.


"That's right, a gentleman never tells," Morgan said as if he was some wise and all-knowing Jedi. I was desperate to be done with this conversation, so I felt considerable relief when my phone rang.


"It's Hotch," I informed the car. Then, I picked up.


"Davis," I said, more out of habit than necessity.


"Are you on your way?" Hotch asked.


"About five minutes out," I told him. We spoke for a few more seconds, then he said we'd meet at the police station.


"Apparently, they've got an I.D. for us at the scene," I divulged to Morgan and Reid once I hung up.


"That's good," Morgan said and clicked on the radio.


"Hey Reid," I said, "Listen." I turned up the volume. The first notes of Rocketman sounded in the car.


"Elton John," he observed.


"Mhm." Morgan shot me a look, but I waved him off. I was busy making fake nice with the guy I was secretly in love who didn't want me. I didn't have time for Morgan's insinuations.


The radio intoned, "And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no, no, no."


I didn't even like Elton John that much, I thought to myself.


"Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact, it's cold as hell," I sang absently.


"Didn't know you could sing, Davis," Morgan teased.


"I can't," I replied. Past us streamed convenience stores, gas stations, dilapidated houses, like the passenger window was a T.V. screen. This wasn't the wealthy part of D.C., that was for sure. How could so much money be only blocks away from this poverty? No one our unsub was angry.


"Sounds like we need to have a karaoke night," Morgan said. I laughed at the thought.


"BAU karaoke? Suddenly I have an image of Hotch singing a Madonna song," I told him.


"I'd pay to see that," Reid chirped.


Morgan pulled the car up to the curb of the latest crime scene. We stepped out, greeted the local police, and walked up to the body. We were below an overpass. There was trash The body was covered with a sheet, but when a crime scene tech pulled it back I felt every muscle in my body tense. I couldn't move. Reid noticed.


"Maya?" he asked, "Maya, what's wrong?" I didn't answer. My spine was as stiff as a broomstick.


"Is there an I.D.?" I asked numbly. I felt like throwing up.  The crime scene tech checked his notepad before he answered, but I knew the answer before he said anything.


"Eliza Lavigne." Like a curse lifted, my body yielded.


Eliza. My friend from college. One of my best friends. She had tutored me for Organic Chemistry. She had laid awake with me for hours while we complained about the RAs for our dorm. She had walked me home when she found me strung out on a park bench, beaten black and blue by my ex-boyfriend. Eliza. Max and I were talking about her days ago.


"Maya-" Reid tried again. He was saying my name an awful lot lately for someone who wanted nothing to do with me.


"Can any of you drive me to the police station?" I asked the police offers standing around the body.


"I can," a young officer said quickly. He was young. Red hair.


"Thank you," I said simply, and followed him like a dog on a leash.


"Maya, I'll come with you," Reid offered. The red-haired officer stopped in his tracks. I looked at Reid over my shoulder and shook my head.


"I'll see you when you guys get back," I said firmly.


Back at the station, I thanked the officer and walked in through the front doors perfectly composed. In fact, my face betrayed nothing as I walked past JJ, Prentiss, and Rossi into the women's bathroom. I checked to make sure I was the only one in there, which I was. Then I stepped into a stall, closed the door behind me, and cried.


Eliza. How did this happen? I didn't even know she was in the area. Silent tears flew freely down my face as I stared at the tile wall in front of me. Eliza's pallid face hung in my mind. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this job. Oh fuck, I had to tell Max. Jesus, how was I supposed to do that.


The door of the bathroom opened, manning me jump. I used the sleeves of my sweater to dry my eyes and tried to remain still.


"Maya?" Prentiss asked.


Well, no use hiding now. I opened the door and stepped out of the stall.


"Morgan texted us. What happened?"


"I knew her." Past tense. Prentiss' brow furrowed as she made sense of my words.


"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." All I could do was nod solemnly.


"Do you need to go home?" Emily asked. I almost laughed.


"I don't think I could if I tried." I drew a shaky breath and observed the expansive mirror that hung above the sinks. There, in front of the white tile walls and grey stall doors was me. At least my eyes didn't look too red.


"Hotch will keep you out of the field," Emily warned.


"Fine by me."


"Okay. You better go out there. Reid is worried sick," she said.


"Reid's here?"


"He got here two minutes after you did." I suppressed the ride to roll my eyes.


"And Morgan?"


"Still checking out the scene. He'll be back soon," she explained. I was glad. I was going to catch this bastard if it was my last action on Earth.

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