04x06 - The Instincts

[bunniefuu]

There's a basement.

Damn.

Damn.

You sure it's him?

Who else could it be?

I just want to make sure.

Male. Approximately 6 years old. I'm sorry.

There's something in here.

What's that baby doing here?

J.J. Can't let her baby be at a crime scene.

Reid.

J.J.

Reid.

Sorry, I was dreaming.

Ha, no kidding.

We found a 6-year-old boy who had been abused and stabbed.

Your baby was at the crime scene.

I was trying to get him out of there.

Sorry.

It's ok.

You know, reid, simple dream analysis...

If there's a baby in your dreams, that baby's actually you.

I don't believe in dream analysis.

I don't know. It makes sense.

The case we're working on and the case in your dream both involve children.

Maybe your subconscious is telling you you want to sit this one out.

I don't.

Well, maybe you're just stressed out about going home to las vegas.

Did you tell your mom you're coming?

Why aren't we reviewing the case file?

I don't know.

Maybe because someone fell asleep on the jet.

All right, let's start from the beginning one more time.

This is ethan hayes. He was 5.

2 weeks ago he was abducted out of his own front yard.

Where were the parents?

His mom just ran inside to grab her purse.

When she came back, he was gone.

She wasn't away for more than a minute or 2.

Police found his body exactly one week later in the desert.

He was in a new change of clothes.

His nails clipped.

His hair was combed.

That's a lot of remorse.

No sign of sexual as*ault.

The medical report suggests he was smothered.

Unsub could see this death as merciful.

Who's the new boy?

Michael bridges.

Yesterday, he set out to walk by himself to a friend's house a block away.

He never showed up.

Are we sure these cases are even connected?

The unsub called each of the families.

But no ransom demand.

It was more like taunts.

He's telling them it's their fault that their child was taken.

Ok. So, we have an unsub who shows remorse and then projects his guilt onto the victims' parents.

And if we're lucky, 6 more days to find a boy before he's k*lled.

Criminal Minds Season04 Episode06 'the Instincts'

amos bronson alcott said, "who speaks to the instincts speaks to the deepest in mankind And finds the readiest response. "

Det. Ashby? Jennifer jareau.

This is aaron hotchner.

Thanks for getting here so quick.

Morning.

What can you tell us?

We've got an amber alert in effect.

Tip ne's being run through the precinct. His photo's on the wire.

Has the phone company been served with a caller subscription subpoena?

Yeah. We'll get a name and location if he's calling from a land line.

We'll also run the calls through our analyst at Quantico. She can triangulate cell calls.

We need to clear the area of official vehicles.

If the unsub happens to drive by, I don't want him to panic if he sees a heavy police presence.

Ok. I'll clear 'em out after we make introductions.

How are they handling it?

Separate.

Craig, amy bridges, these are agents jareau and hotchner from the fbi.

We just want to say how sorry we are for what you're going through But we're here to do whatever we can to try and get michael home.

I'm going to tell you what I told the police.

I don't want to know what happened to that other boy.

I just want to hear how you're going to find michael.

We understand.

No, you don't.

You're right. I don't know exactly what you're going through.

But I do know these cases.

And we're gonna need your help.

Of course. We know that.

Was it normal for michael to walk to a friend's house by himself?

What are you saying?

It's just a question.

No it's not.

Do you think we had something to do with this?

No. I don't.

If this was his routine, someone could have been watching him for some time now.

He'd only done it a couple times.

Amy and I had a fight about it.

I thought we were babying him.

I don't want him crawling into bed with us anymore.

And I thought he should be able to walk to a friend's house by himself, alone.

He was really proud of himself the first time he did it.

Excuse me.

I'm sorry. It's like she can't engage in what's going on.

It's all right. Everybody deals with it differently.

I need to know what happened to that other boy.

There was no bruising around his neck or face.

I'm guessing he used a pillow.

Was there any sign of a struggle?

No, but he would have been extremely weak.

Why's that?

This is where it gets weird.

He was noticeably thin.

And both his stomach and intestines were completely empty.

He was being starved?

It seems that way.

Ok. So, what's the weird part?

I wanted to determine if malnutrition played a part in his death.

So, I looked for evidence of starvation ketosis by analyzing some vitreous humor...

The squishy part of the eyeball... and I couldn't find any ketone bodies there.

Meaning?

He was getting nutrients somehow.

Through an i. v.?

There were no marks to indicate that.

Any idea what else could it be?

Honestly, I have no idea.

Not exactly a well-preserved scene.

It's the crime scene investigators.

They all want to play cop instead of just being scientists...

And they end up trampling on everything.

So, he suffocates the boy at another location, prepares the body, Takes him out to the middle of nowhere and dumps him.

Except there were no traces of the unsub's sweat on the boy's clothing.

What are you getting at?

Well, it's like 1,000 degrees out here.

If he carried the body, then he would have gotten traces of sweat on the clothes.

So, he wraps him in something.

No fibers.

So, he took the time to change the boy's clothing and groom him once he got here.

If he took that much time, he'd have to do it at night.

But you still run the risk of someone recalling your car once the body's found.

Not if you didn't have to park it by the road.

Well, you'd want to park a distance away from the dump site Just in case someone saw the car and came to see what you were up to.

Now, tell me this.

If you can drive out into the desert to dump a body, why not go in deeper, Where you won't be seen from the road?

Because he wanted to be able to drive by and see the body.

That's why he groomed him.

It's like he was preparing him for a funeral.

Yeah. I got it. Thank you.

Detective, the funeral for the first victim is tomorrow.

Do you feel comfortable asking the family if they'd be willing to open the service up to the public?

Why's that?

We feel if they do, there's a good chance the unsub will come.

I'll go speak to them.

Craig, we'd like you and your wife to consider being there as well.

Good. Anything.

I think you should talk to amy about it.

If it might help, there's nothing to discuss.

I understand. But, please, just... Discuss it with her.

When the police asked for a picture of michael, I couldn't decide what to give them.

I didn't know if it was right for him to be smiling.

Any choice you made would have been right.

My husband doesn't know what to do with himself.

He thinks we should be out there looking for him.

The best thing for you right now is to just let us guide you through this.

He thinks I blame him.

I'm sure that's not true.

He's right.

My son's been taken.

I'm completely frozen.

And now I'm blaming my husband.

I feel like a monster.

When they need you, you'll come through.

You don't even know me.

Call it intuition.

I found it when I came into his room, after he'd been taken.

We don't let him eat in bed.

I haven't moved it because...

I don't want him to think he's in trouble for breaking the rules.

You know what you're having?

It's... it's a boy.

Congratulations.

Garcia, you ready?

Ready.

Mr. Bridges, let's go back over what we discussed.

He's got my son.

Exactly. Just stay positive.

I've written down some important phrases...

We need to answer the phone.

Mr. Bridges, please.

I think amy should do this.

She doesn't want to do this.

No. I don't.

It's our experience that the parent that's least emotional is best.

Amy, you'll be great.

Just try to humanize michael at every opportunity.

He needs to see him as a person.

Try to keep him on the line as long as you possibly can.

The more he talks, the more he'll reveal about himself.

Hello.

Are you alone?

Um, my husband is with me.

Why are you just sitting at home when you should be out looking for your boy?

You're right. We need to do that.

He's better off with me.

Thank you for calling us to let us know michael's all right.

I didn't say he was all right.

I know. I'm... I'm just trusting that he's ok.

He's in a better place now.

May I speak with michael?

He doesn't want to talk to you.

He knows what a bad mother you are.

Your 3 minutes are up.

Garcia, anything?

It looks to be a disposable cell phone.

I couldn't triangulate the call.

But it did bounce off not one but 2 towers.

Meaning?

I know he's mobile.

And I know he's moving within the las vegas limits. He didn't travel outside the city.

It's just a start.

Like I said, the more he talks, the more we'll learn about him.

These are agents morgan and reid.

They'll be here all night just in case he calls back.

I need to lie down.

Of course.

You should go with her.

Yeah.

What'd you find out from the medical examiner?

We think that he's starving them.

But that doesn't fit with the care he takes with the bodies.

Starvation would be a form of t*rture.

There's no sexual as*ault.

The t*rture could be a substitute for the sex act.

I'll coordinate with rossi and prentiss.

We'll call you if there's anything new.

Couldn't find any evidence of forced entry.

Why would that matter?

'Cause it means he most likely knew his attacker.

Reid?

Get 'em off. Morgan!

Get 'em off! Get 'em off!

Morgan, get 'em off me! Get 'em off me! Get 'em off me! Get 'em... morgan, get 'em off me!

Reid. Reid. Wake up. It's morgan.

What the hell's going on?

Sir, ma'am. Everything's ok.

You wake us up screaming, you think everything's ok?

I understand we startled you. And I'm sorry for that.

You're the f. b.i.

You're right. I'm really sorry.

Sir, please, go back upstairs and try to get some rest.

It was just a misunderstanding.

Everything is fine, I promise you that.

Are you ok?

It was a dream. I'm really sorry.

Was it about michael?

No.

I've been afraid to close my eyes.

I'm scared I'll see him die.

Ma'am, I know it's hard.

But I need you to go upstairs and try to get some sleep.

Please.

I am sorry for the disturbance.

I'm making everything worse.

Reid...

These cases get to all of us.

I'm losing it in their living room. And I'm dreaming...

I'm dreaming about dead kids and covered in leeches.

What the hell is scaring you?

This boy's gonna die and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

I can't do this. I'm sorry.

What are you doing?

I'm not going to the funeral.

We talked about this.

No, you talked. I listened.

Please, tell her this is our only chance.

We feel like it's a viable plan.

You're asking us to go to the funeral of a 5-year-old boy.

We're going to watch them lower his body into the ground.

And the same man who k*lled him has our son.

If the man who took michael is there, your presence might just startle him.

We're looking for anything that might draw him out.

I can't watch them bury a child knowing that we're next.

We feel like this plan has a reasonable chance of success.

What do you consider a reasonable chance that I will ever see my son again?

10%? 20?

I can't give you numbers.

You could.

I understand if you can't do this.

But if you can, we need to talk about who we're looking for.

We believe the man we're looking for is white.

He's probably in his late 20s to mid-30s.

Judging by the quality of the clothing he put his first victim in, We believe he comes from a middle-class background.

This is not someone who is going to be at the funeral in a high-end or well tailored suit.

He also might be paying a lot of attention to the parents of the most recent boy to be abducted.

Watch for anyone whose focus is on them instead of the service itself.

We also believe he may drive a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

Pay extra attention to those mourners.

And memorize license plates.

This unsub dumped his last body far from the city.

And yet, he didn't try to hide it.

In fact, it was close enough to be seen from the road.

That tells us he's trying to separate his actions from himself.

Yet, he wanted to be able to drive out and visit the body.

This is about remorse.

Which is why we believe there's a good chance he'll be there today.

Ok. If you sense someone looking at you you need to tell us.

We're conditioned to feel fear.

The little hairs on the back of your neck?

They tell us the truth.

J. J. Will stay here.

If the phone rings, she'll say she's a family friend and that you're at a funeral.

You can do this.

Hey, kid, we're almost ready to go.

You know, they're right.

Odds are we'll catch the unsub when he dumps the body Or when he tries to snatch another kid.

I know the odds, reid.

It's weird. Some things never go away.

When I was a kid, every boy I knew had piles of dinosaur toys.

Not you?

I had books and notebooks.

My mom filled hundreds of them with poems by w. s.merwin, songs by bob dylan.

She liked it when I memorized them.

She was convinced that they were watching us and writing songs about our lives.

Basements are the first part of a house to be built, right?

So if you're having recurring dream about a basement, Kinda speaks to the core fundamentals of who you are as a person.

I thought you didn't believe in dream analysis.

Freud's been discredited but jung still has his merits.

My dream. The dead boy.

I've been having different versions of it since I was a little kid.

You know, nobody would think less of you if you took a little time off to get your head together.

I just want to find this boy.

There's a very full crowd here today, Which I believe is part of the natural outpouring of grief over losing someone so innocent.

It is also a reminder that there is another boy out there who is in danger and need of our prayers.

Let's take a moment and pray for that boy.

For his safe return.

He's here.

Why aren't you helping me?

Spencer, pay attention.

Reid. What's going on?

I've been here before.

In the name of the father, son, holy ghost. Amen.

Let us take comfort in the gospel according to matthew. Chapter 18.

"at that time, the disciples came to jesus and asked, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

"he called a child, whom he put among them and said, 'truly I tell you, "

"'unless you change and become like children, '

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. "

Whoever becomes humble... '"

Are you a friend of the family?

Uh, no. I just read about it in the paper.

And you decided to come to the funeral?

Yeah. It was sad. I love kids.

I wanted the family to know that people care.

And videotaping it? Who's that for?

We're gonna take a walk.

And we're gonna do it very quietly so as not to disturb these people.

Where were you on the days Ethan Hayes and Michael Bridges were abducted?

I was home.

Don't you need to ask what days those were?

Am I under arrest?

No. You love kids.

You're just helping us with an investigation.

So, you have no right to search me.

Why? What would we find?

Oh, do you like videotaping other things besides funerals?

How's it going?

He's nervous. They're trying to pin him down.

What's that?

You mind giving us a minute?

No, sure.

I had one of the detectives pull it.

The name Riley Jenkins mean anything to you?

No.

Think.

Back to when you were a little boy.

I had an imaginary friend named Riley when I was little.

Riley Jenkins.

He was m*rder*d right here in las vegas when he was 6 years old.

My math says that you would have been around 4 at the time.

He was found him in the basement of his own house, behind the dryer.

He'd been sexually abused and stabbed.

Where can we find Michael Bridges?

You are trying to frame me.

You k*lled Ethan Hayes, and you're holding Michael Bridges.

No.

Then why were you videotaping a funeral?

Does death excite you?

Oh, wait. That's it. Death gets you off.

I told you, I don't touch.

No. You just k*ll 'em and find new ways to watch him afterwards.

I am not sick.

I think you are.

And I think you desperately want to tell us exactly how sick you really are, walter? Don't you?

You want us to search your computer and your home because it this eating you up inside And you know you need to be stopped.

I never would have molested that boy!

Which boy?

The one from the funeral.

Hotchner.

He doesn't know details of the m*rder.

You sure?

He assumes the boy was molested.

All right. Thanks.

He's not the one. I'm sorry.

You said it looked good.

I was hopeful. I'm sorry.

But he was videotaping that funeral.

We believe he's a preferential sex offender.

But he doesn't have michael.

How many of these people are out there?

More than you want to know.

Hello.

Put the fbi on.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I saw them there at the funeral.

Put them on!

This is special agent Aaron Hotchner.

You were trying to trick me.

You were trying to lock me down but you arrested the wrong person.

Why don't we just slow down and talk.

We only have 3 minutes.

No. We have as long as we want.

That's not the rules.

Ok. You're right. Your rules.

It was good of you to go to the funeral today.

You must have really cared about ethan.

I loved him.

His parents didn't deserve him.

I took good care of him.

Is that why you bought him the new clothes?

They put him in those silly blue sneakers and lime green oxford.

He hated those!

Well, maybe when you're good enough to bring michael home, You can tell his parents what he really likes.

No. He's never coming home.

I saw that so-called mother.

She looked right at me.

She knows he sleeps better with me.

I don't know who you are.

But please give me back my son! Please. I'm begging you.

I'll do anything. Just don't hurt my baby. Please!

Your time is up.

You were trying to trick me.

No one was trying to trick you.

You were trying to lock me down but you arrested the wrong person!

Would it be possible for us to work in private for a while?

He was at the funeral. I told you.

He was at the funeral, and you arrested the wrong man.

I don't think it is a man.

Did you hear the way she described the clothing?

She said the blue shoes. Lime green oxford.

A male wouldn't reference specific details like that.

I think reid's right.

She talked about what the child wanted.

How he slept. How she took care of him. She said, "i loved him. "

A male unsub would have emphasized the competition, not the care giving.

He would have talked about how he was smarter than the f. b.i.

Bragged about not being caught.

We could have been looking at both men and women...

The statistics are overwhelming.

Women abduct newborns.

Men take children.

Garcia.

I'm right here, sir.

Will you run the license plates the police gave you And find any that might be registered to a woman.

That would be... Zero.

How's that possible?

Transcript almost reads like she's been institutionalized.

You mean she's crazy.

She described herself as being "locked down" not "arrested" or "put away. "

Plus, most mental facilities are very rigid about the amount of phone time they allow per day.

I think her talking about only having 3 minutes isn't her rule to us.

It's what she's been institutionalized to think of as normal.

Garcia, can you get records of women released from mental institutions this past month?

She most likely has some trauma in her case file... possibly the death of a child.

I'm sorry. I can't do that.

To protect patient privilege there's no central database.

I could hack each hospital individually, but even then, Most diagnoses are kept separately by the different doctors.

I think I might have a way.

Dr. Reid. Your mom didn't tell me you were in town.

She doesn't know I'm here.

I'm working on a case.

And I actually thought you might be able to help us.

Of course.

You've read about the recent child m*rder and second abduction?

Yes.

We think the person responsible is a woman.

She would have been institutionalized.

But we believe she may have been released within the past few weeks, Just before the first abduction.

What can I do?

I'm assuming you have a good working relationship with the administrators at other hospitals.

I know no one can open their files.

But if you wouldn't mind just giving them the profile, that would be a tremendous help.

She's delusional. Fueled by grief.

Very well might have lost a child of her own, probably around the age of 5.

I'll see what I can do.

Spencer? What are you doing here?

I'm here for work.

We're investigating the m*rder and abduction of two 5-year-old boys.

I don't like the idea of you working on things that are so sad.

I know.

You're so thin.

I was going to come see you the second we solved the case.

What else is going on in there?

Nothing.

Don't lie to your mother, spencer.

We know. We feel things.

Try to remember the moment when you felt someone's eyes on you.

I don't know.

Yes, you do.

At one point you said, "he's here. "

When was that?

It's her.

Garcia, the blonde in the middle. Do you have her?

Got her.

Isolate the image. Run it through vicap. See if we get a hit.

On it.

Did I know a boy named riley jenkins?

Riley jenkins...

He was a story you made up.

No. No. He was a real kid who was m*rder*d when I was 4 years old.

Oh, I think you're mistaken.

I've been seeing things.

Don't say that.

I've been having dreams about his death since I was little, mom.

You were always a reader.

It affected your dreams.

I remember, when I was 4, we went to a funeral.

Your uncle daniel's, maybe?

I also remember we moved houses.

And you and dad argued about it.

And you told dad that I was in danger.

Because you were.

Why... why did you think that?

I don't know. I just knew.

I told you. A mother knows.

We're animals, spencer. We feel things.

I'm sorry. I talked to the heads of 9 different hospitals.

There's no one who matches your description.

Thank you for trying.

You know, if this person has an axis-1 condition, Her release wouldn't be as important as whether or not she keeps to her medications.

All right. Thank you.

Again, thank you very much.

I went off my medication when I was pregnant with you.

I spent every day in terror, but I made it.

And it was beautiful. I had you.

Oh, god.

What is it, baby?

Women abduct newborns. Excuse me.

I don't understand.

Doctor, would it be possible for a woman to convince herself That a random 5-year-old child's actually her own newborn?

If her psychosis is strong enough.

And, again, if they'd stopped taking their medication, absolutely.

Thank you. Thanks.

Hotch, I'm pretty sure I know why the medical examiner was so confused.

I think she's breastfeeding them.

Mommy's here. There we go. There we go.

There ya go. Mommy's here.

Get some sleep now, ok? Mommy's here.

Hit off the woman on the video. I ran it through vicap. Her name's claire bates.

She was institutionalized 3 years ago after she assaulted a fellow secretary at a law firm.

By that I mean, she bit off part of her ear.

Do we have an address?

There's no last known.

Try running the license plates again.

Got it. No, wait. That's no good.

What's wrong?

It's registered to her father.

He lived in reno, but he d*ed 2 years ago.

Garcia, pull up birth records.

If she's really breastfeeding, then she must have just given birth.

Here we go. Claire bates...

Gave birth to a son 3 weeks ago.

What is it, garcia?

Social services removed the baby from her care after a 7-day evaluation.

That's why she holds the boys for 7 days.

She's recreating the loss of her baby.

But she's taking 5- year-olds.

Her psychosis must be projecting her baby onto any children she can get access to.

Garcia, can you read us the social services report?

"while it is admirable that patient stayed off anti-psychotic medication for the health of her fetus, "

"we strongly believe that due to a history of violent and delusional behavior, There is a significant risk to the child if she is granted guardianship. "

"therefore, the child shall be a ward of the state until such time a full-time guardian can be established. "

Is there an address?

2509 brookside avenue.

J. J. Will stay here with you.

We'll call with any updates.

Tell reid where we're going.

Watch yourselves.

If she's truly delusional, she'll have moments of clarity where she realizes what she's done.

Morgan and I'll go around back.

Prentiss and I'll take these doors.

Claire!

Stop, claire!

She's going out the back.

Careful. She's got the boy!

Hotch, we got her!

She's going to the garage!

Claire, back away from the fire and put him down.

My baby's dead.

No, he isn't.

He's being taken really good care of by someone else.

Just like you need to take care of this boy.

I kept healthy.

I did good.

We know you did.

We just need you to step away and put the boy down.

My baby's dead.

No. He isn't, claire.

Let us prove it to you.

Do you have a clean sh*t of her?

She's not armed, rossi.

If he's still alive and she drops him in the fire, we may not be able to save him.

Do you have a sh*t?

Yes. I got one.

I've got michael! I've got michael!

I got ya.

No, don't do it!

A doctor has to check him out, but you can be with him the whole time.

He should be able to be back in his bed by tonight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You're gonna be great.

I know.

You know, this is about as good a day as we're gonna get on this job.

I know.

And yet you're still thinking about a boy you're not even sure if you really knew.

When I was 4, my mother had a sense that I was in danger.

Reid, your mother wasn't well.

I know facts about the case.

Reid, you've got a photographic memory.

Odds are, you saw the story.

He was just a kid like you.

And it caught your imagination.

I don't really think that you believe that.

You wanna know what I really believe?

I believe you could have done anything in the world with your life and you chose to do this job.

Your man carl jung says our unconscious is the key to our life's pursuits.

Yeah. Yeah.

So, for whatever reason, that case was stuck in your brain all these years And it not only led you to this career choice but to the same city where your mother lives And for us to have the opportunity to save this child.

Yeah.

Like I said, this is about as good a day as we're gonna get, man.

Enjoy your moment.

Hotch, do you think it would be possible to wait until tomorrow to return home?

Do you think you could find something to do in las vegas for the night?

Bob dylan once said, "i think the truly natural things are dreams, which nature can't touch with decay. "

I'm proud of you, spencer.

For what?

Saving that boy.

How'd you know?

I told you. A mother knows.

Dr. Norman gave me permission to sleep on the couch in your room tonight if it's all right with you.

If anyone tries to keep him in here any longer, I'll scratch your eyes out.

One night only.

It helps if they think you're crazy.

They don't argue.

"Shelter From the Storm"... Bob Dylan

♪ 'twas in another lifetime one of toil and blood ♪
♪ when blackness was a virtue, The road was full of mud ♪
♪ I came in from the wilderness ♪
♪ a creature void of form ♪
♪ come in, She said, "i'll give you shelter from the storm. " ♪
♪ And if I pass this way again you can rest assured ♪
♪ I'll always do my best for her on That I give my word ♪
♪ in a world of steel-eyed death and men ♪
♪ who are fighting to be warm ♪
♪ come in, She said, "i'll give you shelter from the storm. " ♪
♪ Not a word was spoke between us ♪
♪ there was little risk involved ♪
♪ everything up to That point had been left unresolved ♪
♪ try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm ♪
♪ come in, She said, "i'll give you shelter from the storm. " ♪

FBI.

Put your hands in the air.

Show me your face.

Dad?