[Criminal Minds] years before love

Hotch called back, and Rossi and the police did find some traces in the room and were gathering evidence.

After a brief tidying up, James Payne refused to go home to rest and insisted on returning to his office.He sat on the sofa, staring at the ground with his head down.

"You can rest for a while, we are not in such a hurry." Hotch couldn't bear it, and handed him a glass of water, "It seems that you haven't slept well these days,...it's not all your fault."

Payne held it in her hand, just shook her head, "No, I can't sleep."

"If you don't mind, we have temporarily used this as an office location."

"Anything." Payne replied, staring at the photo behind him.

"Aren't you aware that he wants to commit suicide at all?" Hotch looked at the display board covered with photos, carefully comparing the two cases, "Or did you feel any changes in him?"

"Change?" Payne frowned, looking over at him. "Me and Carrie don't go home very often, neither does my son."

"Your wife said he joined a group." Hotch looked back at him.

"He accidentally dropped a brochure with CL written on it. My wife tried to pick it up for him, but he quickly snatched it away and got angry... saying it was a group manual."

"What kind of booklet?" Hotch stared at the list of exhibits.

"Blue, about the size of a notebook, it looks old." Payne buried his head down again, choked up, "I thought it was some kind of club. That's not it, is it?"

"I'm afraid not." There was no such item on the list, Hotch replied softly, shaking his head.

"Look, I've had so many opportunities to stop him.  … How am I going to face Carrie."

Hotch was silent for a while, and comforted, "Anyway, she went to Agent Rossi, and I believe she doesn't believe that you killed your son. Uh, is there any problem between you?"

Payne gave him a suspicious look, "Me and Carrie? No, we're fine. What's the problem?"

"Nothing. It's just that kids usually feel the tension between their parents." Hotch paused, not continuing.

"I don't have a problem with Carrie, I love Carrie, she does too, it's just...we're too busy." Payne spoke a little reluctantly, and after a while he pulled himself together and asked suddenly, "I guess you're not married yet?"

"not yet."

"Think about it before that. At least until you have kids." Payne touched his ring and smiled wryly.

Hotch looked away unnaturally at him, "Payne, I don't have any plans of that kind yet."

"Me and Carrie, I don't know how to put it, every moment we spend together, there is love and passion for each other, I know I love her. But love is not life... My son, I know he always Getting into trouble, talking back to me, running away from home, having little problems, but he never—had no criminal record, I thought it was just adolescence rebellion, maybe when he grew up we really didn't have enough time with him." Payne His eyes stared blankly forward, "There will never be a chance to make up for it now."

"Where's the note he gave you?" Hotch asked suddenly after thinking for a long time.

"Maybe it's still on the table? Or...has been thrown away by the cleaners as waste paper?" Payne was taken aback, thought for a while, but had no memory at all.He only remembered that he was stunned when he saw that piece of paper. No one knew better than him the tension between his son and himself.He immediately realized that something had happened, and he just directed his subordinates to find a way to confirm the location of his son, and then rushed out, not remembering where the piece of paper went.

Hotch rummaged on the table for a while, but found nothing, took out his flashlight and scanned around, and finally found the piece of paper in the corner of the table, hesitated, but still handed it to Payne after taking a picture.

Payne clenched what was in his hands, ignoring the tears in the corners of his eyes.

Hotch suddenly asked, "Agent Rossi is your...?"

Payne looked up at him sharply, "Who is he to you?"

"Mentor," Hotch replied quickly. "He, uh, cares about you."

"We used to be friends." Payne fell silent after a brief question and answer.

Hotch didn't say anything, and continued to mark the similarities between the two cases.

"Carrie, David and I used to be friends." Payne spoke again after a while, "Detective, have you ever fallen in love with someone recklessly for no reason?"

Hotch's men paused and turned to stare at him.

Payne and him looked at each other for a few seconds, then smiled inexplicably, "Never mind, there is no other meaning."

"No—" Hotch's answer was interrupted by the opening of the door, and both of them focused on Rossi who pushed the door open.

And Rossi stopped at the door, looking at Payne.The atmosphere was a little delicate for a while, and no one spoke.