For the Love of a Daughter (A Criminal Minds Fanfic)

Chapter 17: I Think I'm Losing my Mind now

Aaron had practically locked himself in his office while he went over the case file and autopsy reports. There had to be something that they were missing. If only he could figure out what it was. He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes landed on the clock across from him. It had been eight hours since Aria was abducted and they had nothing.

Come on Hotchner. Focus. Aria's depending on you to find her.

He glanced at the autopsy report of Halle Roberts and compared it to Alyson Stevens. Their cuts and bruises differed here and there but the major things were the same. The words shattered right knee cap due to repeated blunt force trauma caused by unknown object stood out for him on both reports.

"Why would he do that?" He asked himself as he made a note of it. He flipped to the autopsy photos again. Aria's face flashed in front of him causing him to roughly slam the report closed.

"Wow. What did that file ever do to you?"

Aaron looked up to find Dave standing by the door.

"Don't you ever knock?" He asked as he rearranged the files on his desk.

"I did. You didn't answer." He said then moved towards the desk. "What are you doing, Aaron?" He asked when he spotted the autopsy reports.

"Trying to find a lead." He stated simply.

"By torturing yourself?" He asked, knowing that he was probably picturing his own daughter's dead body while looking at the autopsy photos.

Aaron shook his head. "I don't know what else to do, Dave." He sighed dejectedly. "There has to be something that we're missing."

Rossi was just about to say something when Hotch's cell phone rang. Aaron pulled his phone out his pocket, looked at the caller ID, then placed his phone on the table, making no move to answer it.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Dave asked.

Aaron sighed. "It's Aimee."

Dave frowned. "That's not an answer."

Hotch shook his head. "I can't speak to her right now."

"Why not?"

"Her parents want to offer a reward to anyone who has information on where Aria might be." He said before his phone stopped ringing.

"And that's a problem because..." He prompted.

"Aria's not the only one missing Dave. What about Stephany? You and I both know that the Dawsons' can't afford to put up reward money. They have two other kids they need to see to." Aaron shook his head then sighed.

"How much are they offering?" Dave asked.

"Fifty thousand dollars."

Rossi blew out a breath. "That's a little steep."

"Exactly." He replied as his phone started ringing again. Aaron groaned when he saw it was Aimee calling yet again.

"Let me talk to her." Dave told him.

"Be my guest." He said as slid his phone across the desk towards Dave.

Hotch sat back and watched as Dave spoke to what he assumed to be a very pissed off Aimee as he paced back and forth. Aaron zoned out after a few minutes. His eyes landed on the framed photo of himself and Jack. He realised that he needed to print and frame one of Aria as well. Or one with her and Jack together. Yes. That would look good on his desk. A little reminder of why he did this job. To make the world a safer place for them. But it wasn't safe enough for Aria.