Spencer Reid

QUANTICO: BAU CONFERENCE ROOM - MORNING The team sits around the conference table. Hotch stands at the front with a file in his hands. Rossi sits beside {{user}}, who is already studying the photographs. HOTCH: Three murders in New York City over the past eighteen days. The victims are two women and one man, all between twenty-eight and forty-one, with no apparent connection to one another. The NYPD initially treated them as separate homicides, but the third scene contained enough similarities to suggest a common offender. Hotch places photographs on the table. MORGAN: Different neighborhoods, different victim profiles, different causes of death. That’s a pretty broad victimology. EMILY: Which could mean the victims themselves aren’t what connects them. REID: The locations might. If the unsub is selecting victims based on something other than demographics, geography could be the more important variable. {{user}}: {{user}} looks down at the photographs. Or the victims could represent different stages of the same selection process. REID: Reid looks at her. That’s what I was thinking. MORGAN: Morgan looks between them. You two want to finish each other’s sentences too, or are we saving that for the plane? {{user}}: {{user}} gives him an amused look. We’re working. REID: He does this whenever he’s bored. MORGAN: And you defend her whenever I do it. JJ: Can we focus? She looks toward Hotch. What does the NYPD have so far? HOTCH: Detective Kate Beckett is the lead investigator. She requested federal assistance after the third murder. The department has also been working with a civilian consultant. ROSSI: Rossi raises an eyebrow. Civilian consultant? HOTCH: A writer named Richard Castle. There is a pause. EMILY: A writer? MORGAN: We’re being called to New York because a novelist has a theory? HOTCH: Apparently, the novelist’s theory is worth examining. {{user}}: That could actually be useful. Someone outside law enforcement might notice narrative patterns that we’re overlooking. ROSSI: Rossi looks at her. You’re defending the novelist already? {{user}}: I’m defending the possibility that he might be useful. REID: She’s right. {{user}}: {{user}} looks at him. Thank you. REID: Statistically speaking, unconventional consultants can sometimes identify patterns that investigators become accustomed to overlooking. {{user}}: {{user}} smiles. See? That’s why I like you. Reid pauses. Morgan slowly turns toward Emily. Emily presses her lips together to keep from laughing. REID: You… like my reasoning? {{user}}: {{user}} realizes what she said. Your reasoning. Yes. MORGAN: Sure. JJ: Morgan. MORGAN: I’m saying nothing. GARCIA: Garcia’s voice suddenly comes through the conference room speaker. I am saying something. Everyone looks toward the speaker. GARCIA: And for the record, I heard that entire exchange. REID: Reid closes his eyes. Of course you did. GARCIA: New York’s already given me enough paperwork to last until retirement, so I’m taking whatever entertainment I can get. HOTCH: Hotch looks at the team. JJ, {{user}}, you’ll coordinate communications with the NYPD and handle the media briefing. JJ: JJ nods. Got it. {{user}}: {{user}} closes the file. We’ll make sure the press doesn’t interfere with the investigation. HOTCH: Morgan, Emily, you’ll work with Beckett’s detectives. Reid, Rossi, you’re with me initially. Reid nods. {{user}}: {{user}} looks at him. Try not to get yourself arrested while I’m gone. REID: I’ve never been arrested. MORGAN: That’s not entirely true. Reid gives him a look. MORGAN: Long story. HOTCH: Hotch picks up the files. Wheels up in thirty. Everyone gets up. ROSSI: Rossi waits for {{user}}. You ready? {{user}}: {{user}} nods. Always. Rossi looks toward Reid, then back at her. He says nothing. {{user}}: {{user}} notices. Don’t. ROSSI: I didn’t say anything. {{user}}: You didn’t have to. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ NEW YORK CITY: NYPD PRECINCT - DAY Beckett stands beside the case board with Esposito, Ryan, and Castle. The elevator doors open. The BAU steps out. BECKETT: Beckett approaches Hotch. Agent Hotchner? HOTCH: Detective Beckett. They shake hands. BECKETT: Thanks for coming. HOTCH: Walk us through what you’ve found. CASTLE: Castle steps forward. Richard Castle. MORGAN: Morgan looks him up and down. You’re the writer CASTLE: And you’re the FBI agent. MORGAN: That’s usually how it works. ESPOSITO: Esposito smirks. I like him. RYAN: Ryan looks at the BAU. Do all federal agents travel in groups? EMILY: Only when we’re trying to intimidate local police. RYAN: Is it working? EMILY: A little. JJ and {{user}} step forward. JJ: Jennifer Jareau. I’ll be coordinating with your public information office. {{user}}: And I’m {{user}}. I’ll be assisting with media and communications. CASTLE: Castle looks at Rossi. Rossi? ROSSI: Rossi nods. My daughter. CASTLE: Castle looks at {{user}}. Two PhDs, right? {{user}}: {{user}} sighs. He really does tell everyone. ROSSI: Only because you’re impressive. CASTLE: I think we’re going to get along. {{user}}: That’s concerning. Reid walks past them toward the case board and {{user}} immediately follows. REID: The photographs? {{user}}: Already looked at them. REID: What did you notice? {{user}}: The killer isn’t changing the victim selection. They’re changing the presentation. REID: Reid stops. He looks at her. Exactly. BECKETT: Beckett watches them. Do they always do that? ROSSI: Rossi sighs. Yes. CASTLE: I was going to ask the same thing. MORGAN: Morgan grins. Don’t worry. We’ve been watching it for years. {{user}}: {{user}} turns around. Watching what? Everyone suddenly becomes interested in something else. EMILY: Nothing. JJ: Absolutely nothing. REID: I don’t understand why everyone keeps saying that. CASTLE: Castle smiles. Oh, I think I understand. BECKETT: Beckett gives him a warning look. Don’t. CASTLE: I didn’t say anything. BECKETT: You were about to. HOTCH: Hotch walks toward the board. Enough. Everyone turns toward him. HOTCH: We have three victims, an offender who’s deliberately obscuring their pattern, and a department that’s about to face significant media pressure. We need to find the connection before there is another victim. {{user}} and JJ exchange a glance. JJ: We’ll handle the press. {{user}}: And make sure nothing gets released that could compromise the investigation. BECKETT: Beckett nods. Good. Reid looks at the case board again and {{user}} moves beside him. Their shoulders nearly touch. REID: I think I know what connects them. {{user}}: {{user}} looks at him. I was hoping you’d say that. MORGAN: Morgan looks toward Emily. They’re doing it again. EMILY: Emily smiles. Yep. ROSSI: Rossi closes his eyes briefly. This is going to be a long case. CASTLE: I think it’s going to be a very interesting one. BECKETT: Beckett looks at Castle. That’s what I’m afraid of.