Her phone chimed but she decided she'd check it once she was back in the car. Walking up to the house she noticed a 4x4 Suburu Outback in the garage, perfect for trekking up in the mountains where they had found the bodies. But she had also noticed nearly everyone in Boulder seemed to drive one, so again, it didn't seem too out of place.
She knocked on the door and waited.
"Can I help you?" the man asked. He was mid 40s, golden blonde hair, green eyes. Handome, JJ thought as she smiled and flashed her badge.
"Harold Yates? I'm SSA Jennifer Jareau from the FBI. Can I ask you a few questions?"
"Is this regarding the bodies they found up in the woods?" Yates asked. "All the students are talking about it at the university, especially in my department."
"Yes sir, it is. May I come in?"
"Oh, of course," he answered as he opened the door and motioned her into his home.
It was bigger on the inside, beautiful wood floors, two stories, with an open living room accentuated with a large fireplace in the center of the room. Cozy, ideal mountain home.
"Sit," he said as he sat in the arm chair next to the couch.
"No thank you, this won't take long," JJ replied. "Did you know any of the students that were discovered?"
"Well, I can't say that I knew any personally. I had seen a few around campus but I wouldn't know them by name," Yates replied. "It's a shame. Beautiful girls, all of them."
Odd choice of words. "And can you tell me where you were the night of November the 15th?"
"Wait, am I being interrogated?" Yates asked as his entire demeanor changed.
"We are simply asking some people around campus who were connected to the Jonbenet Ramsey case about their whereabouts the night Jessica Tunnel was abducted," JJ replied as she took in every movement Yates made.
"Jonbenet?" he questioned. "I was an intern at the Denver Post when that story broke. I would hardly say I was 'connected'. Nevertheless, I feel like I should contact my lawyer before I answer any other questions."
"Sir, you're not being charged with anything," yet, she thought.
"Still, I'd feel more comfortable consulting with my attorney before we continue," he replied flatly.
"If you could just tell me where you were that evening then we can wrap this up," JJ smiled as her gut clenched a little.
"I was on campus, probably grading in my office," Yates finally admitted.
"And your office is about 10 minutes from the soccer field?"
"Look, my TA can attest to my whereabouts," Yates said as he pulled out his phone. "His name is Robert Crenshaw, I can give you his phone number."
"That won't be necessary," JJ lied. She knew Garcia could get a hold of his teaching assistant and they would call him in separately to check Yates' alibi.
Listening to her gut feeling, she decided to wrap up the interview. Just as she began to stand to go, Yates' phone rang.
"Excuse me," he said as he checked the caller ID, "I need to take this."
JJ nodded. It would give her time to sort of scout out the house while he stepped away. Yates stepped into another room, presumably his office, and shut the door.
JJ walked around the living room. Tidy for a bachelor. She ran her finger across the mantle, it came back dust free. Extremely, tidy. She noted a few pictures on a table near down the hallway of Professor Yates and some of his female students. Graduation pictures, mostly. All blondes. Then she saw it, a picture of Yates and the third victim, Heather Lowry. His arm draped across her shoulder, her forced smile, something was off about the picture. It wasn't on campus. He lied about knowing any of the women.
Just as the office door opened, JJ turned quickly to find Yates merely feet away from her. She pointed at the photograph, "I thought you didn't know any of the women."
He looked at the picture for a second, "I'm sorry you had to see that."
He produced a fire poker from behind his back and struck JJ over the head. She crumpled to the ground. He duct taped her wrists and feet together and covered her mouth. He hoisted her over his shoulder and took her out to his SUV and loaded her in the trunk.
JJ woke up, swimming into a blinding light. She knew instantly she was restrained and bound to the chair she was sitting in. Stay calm.
"Oh good, you're awake," Yates said happily.
JJ scanned the room, they were in some sort of shack. Maybe a hunting shack by the looks of it. There were pictures on the wall of the women that came before her. She counted each one. Sixteen. There were twelve more bodies out there yet to be discovered. He had been killing a lot longer than they had expected.
Stay calm.
"I'm so lucky," Yates grinned, "You're beautiful. Just like Jonbenet, just like the girls. You're perfect, just like a beauty queen."
JJ shifted in the chair to try and find any weak spots in the restraints.
"No, no," Yates said seriously, "None of that now. You're secure, I assure you. I'm going to take such good care of you. You're going to look amazing."
He crossed the room and held a mirror in front of JJ, "I'll do your hair, your make up, your nails. It will be just like a day at the salon!"
Stay calm.
He began to run his fingers through her hair and JJ kept from wincing as he trailed over the spot where he had hit her. He took the time to braid her hair as he hummed, nearly giddy with excitement.
"You're a little old for my taste," he admitted. "But you'll be an adequate Christmas present. The other girls struggled, they didn't appreciate my pampering. They had to be taught a lesson. You won't fight back, will you Jennifer?"
Stay calm. JJ shook her head.
"Good, I'm going to take the tape off your mouth," Yates explained. "If you scream..." He produced her gun and waved it in front of her. "I'll have to teach you a lesson as well."
She nodded again.
He did as promised and removed the duct tape that had previously been covering her mouth. "There you go."
"You really promise to pamper me?" she asked, playing along.
"Oh, I promise."
"How long have you been pampering women?" she asked sweetly.
"For years now," Yates said as if it was the most common thing in the world. "It took me a while to perfect my craft. But you? Naturally blonde?" He leaned in and smelled her hair, "You're just amazing, Jennifer."
She cringed internally every time he said her name. Stay calm, don't show him your disdain.
"You and I are going to have so much fun," he smiled as he leaned in and kissed her. JJ closed her mouth and tried not to react. The more she struggled, the more likely she was to get hurt. She needed to play along long enough for the team to find her.
She looked at the pictures on the wall again. She needed the team to find her.