Mystery & Suspense
From Edgar® Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Max Allan Collins
Based On The CBS television show hailed as "The network's best new offering."—Wall Street Journal
Watched by nearly 18 million fans weekly
The bodies of three young girls are discovered in the woods of Bemidji, Minnesota, the result of barbiturate poisoning. Unable to identify the victims, the local police turn to the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Profiler David Rossi learns that the girls disappeared more than ten years ago from Georgia. Further investigation reveals that the perpetrators have been involved in a cycle of kidnapping and murder for close to twenty years—and are about to start again…
Read the first Chapter from Criminal Minds: Finishing School (Continued...)
A part of Jareau hoped that Hotchner would let them check into their hotel and catch one last good night's sleep, because she could anticipate what kind of hours were coming; but she knew better.
Predictably, Hotchner said, "We might as well get started right away."
Garue raised a finger. "One more thing, while I'm thinking about it—Bassinko Industries likes to consider itself a part of this community. So don't be surprised if they send someone around to talk. The bodies were found on Bassinko land, and that's the sort of press they don't want. I wouldn't be surprised if they send you a sort of . . . liaison. Or maybe envoy is more like it."
Hotchner nodded. "JJ here usually handles that kind of thing."
Jareau—who had dealt with cops, media, angry parents, and a thousand things worse than a company hack—said brightly, "I'll gladly meet with him or her."
Inside, the tiny lobby held a bulletproof-glass enclosed cubicle with a door on either side. One was marked BEMIDJI PD, the other SHERIFF'S OFFICE. The uniformed policewoman behind the glass waved at Garue and pressed the button unlocking the latter door.
Only a couple officers were working at desks in the outer bull pen; the light was off in the sheriff's office and the chief deputy's. Garue led them into a conference room, flipped on the switch and fluorescent lights in the ceiling flickered to life.
"Let's get our equipment set up," Hotchner said, "make sure everything's ready for tomorrow—want you all to get a good night's sleep, and then tomorrow, we'll hit the ground running."
They all knew their jobs, and in less than an hour, the conference room resembled their own back at Quantico. A white board on one wall was filled with questions written by Rossi and Hotchner, Prentiss and Jareau had set up the laptops and established contact with Garcia to make sure their computer communications were up, Reid was using a bulletin board on another wall to display the crime scene photos. While they all did that, Morgan added equipment to what had already been provided in the SUVs.
Once Hotchner was satisfied, they climbed into their Tahoes and followed Garue's Durango to a chain motel, a four-story building overlooking Lake Bemidji, the reason the town sprang up here in the first place.
In her room, after she'd unpacked, Jareau stared out across the black lake, four stories below, stars glinting off its choppy surface as windblown waves worked the water.
Beyond the far shore, she could see lights from the east side of town. Somewhere here, among all these peaceful houses with their glittery little lights and drawn curtains, lurked a killer.
The BAU team would get a good night's sleep, have breakfast, then begin the hunt.
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Read more...Read the first two books in the series:
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