Free Finishing School by Max Allan Collins

been at this long enough not to be outraged or even shocked, though he wasn’t proud of that. ‘‘Anything else?’’
    â€˜â€˜Well, our boy Billy is in violation for leaving Arkansas without informing the state he was moving to Minnesota. Likewise, he’s in violation in Minnesota for not registering with the local PD when he became a resident.’’
    â€˜â€˜No wonder he was nervous when he was questioned at the scene,’’ Reid said. ‘‘What can you tell me about the two girls in Arkansas?’’
    â€˜â€˜Understandably, their parents tried to keep this quiet. The girls didn’t have spotless records themselves—underage drinking already on the books. That’s why nobody complained when Rohl pled to a lesser charge.’’
    â€˜â€˜That makes sense,’’ Reid said. ‘‘But, of course, you’ve dug deeper.’’
    Garcia grinned and pretended embarrassment. ‘‘Why, Dr. Reid, you’re paying attention.’’
    Reid smiled back at her shyly. He realized Morgan would have had some witty comeback, or some flirtatious remark, but that wasn’t his way.
    â€˜â€˜Both girls were blonde,’’ she said. ‘‘Like your Minnesota victims.’’
    Now Reid was frowning. ‘‘Maybe he’s escalating.’’
    â€˜â€˜And it’s probably already occurred to you that they were in about the same age range as your victims.’’
    Nodding, Reid said, ‘‘Kwitcher, or rather Rohl, isn’t a very large man. From what Morgan has said, our UnSub probably isn’t physically imposing.’’
    â€˜â€˜The girls in Arkansas seemed to have been party types; nothing like force was involved.’’
    â€˜â€˜True. And that might be the case here in Minnesota. It’s not the sex that requires force—it’s possibly panicking or even premeditatively deciding to clean up after the fact. The girls ‘party’ willingly, but wind up murder victims after.’’
    Garcia was tilting her head. ‘‘The autopsy reports came in on the three girls.’’
    â€˜â€˜What have we got?’’
    â€˜â€˜Cause of death was opiate poisoning. Insects tested from the decomposed bodies contained high amounts of codeine and thebaine.’’
    â€˜â€˜Hydrocodone,’’ Reid said, eyes tightening. ‘‘Prescription pain reliever.’’
    â€˜â€˜That’s right. The girls just went to sleep and never woke up.’’
    â€˜â€˜Nonviolent,’’ Reid said. ‘‘Another sign that this UnSub loved his victims.’’
    â€˜â€˜ ‘Loved’?’’ Garcia asked, obviously uncomfortable with the characterization.
    â€˜â€˜In his own special way. This goes along with his method of disposal, dressing them up, the coats, wrapping them in blankets and sheets of plastic. In some way, he thinks he’s protecting them.’’
    Garcia shook her head, her distaste obvious but unspoken. ‘‘Still nothing on identification of the girls. I’ll let you know as soon as I have something.’’
    â€˜â€˜Thanks,’’ Reid said. ‘‘I’ll tell Hotch.’’
    Garcia disappeared and Reid went to tell their boss about what he had learned. But already he was having his doubts about Kwitcher—a guy who picked up underage party girls at convenience stores could hardly work up ‘‘love’’ for them, as reflected by the UnSub’s ritualistic burials.
    Or were these girls representative in Kwitcher’s mind of some single lost love from his past?
    Â 
Emily Prentiss felt a shiver run up her spine, but whether from fear or just the cold, she could not say. She certainly had on enough clothes—over her sweater she wore a Kevlar vest, and over that a navy blue Windbreaker with FBI emblazoned in yellow, front