07x20 - The Company

[bunniefuu]

Hotch: Previously on "Criminal Minds"...

Is my baby girl on that beach?

One of the victims that we found fits Cindi's general description.

Morgan's cousin fled a stalker.

So whenever unidentified female remains turn up, he gets that call.

I know you, Derek.

There is something, isn't there?

My auntie spent years obsessing over Cindi's last few hours.

It's k*lling her, Rossi.

I'm never gonna know, am I?

He picked out her picture.

She's dead.

[Sobbing]

[Telephone rings]

Woman: Hi. Leave a message after the tone. [Beep]

Hey, mom, it's me.

They're all out of the 2%, so I got 1% instead.

And let me know if an extra 1%

makes that much of a difference and I'll stop at Jewel or something all right. Bye.

What--

Hey!

Hey!

[Honking]

Cindi?

Oh, my God.

[Horn honks, crash, brakes screeching]

[Horn honking]

[Shouting]

Somebody call 911.

Hurry!

[Ringing]

Hey. Everything all right?

Derek, you need to come home.

What's wrong?

Is it ma?

It's Desiree.

She's been hurt.

[Groans]

[Chuckles]

is wearing his nasty-ass cologne.

Well, hey there.

Where's Mom?

I sent her home.

I wanted her to get some rest.

Desi?

What were you thinking?

Who were you chasing?

I didn't see the driver.

But the passenger...

Yeah?

It was Cindi.

Aunt Yvonne's Cindi?

Yes.

Desi...

She's dead.

I swear to God, she was as close as you are to me.

Closer.

You gotta listen to me.

Sometimes our mind plays tricks on us.

We invent things.

It's why eyewitness testimony is unreliable.

No. When I got her to look at me, she didn't just recognize me, she said something.

[No audio]

She said "I'm sorry."

Now, would I invent that?

It was her.

[Ring]

How's your sister?

She's awake.

She's talking.

Good.

Morgan, take as much personal time as you need.

Hotch...

I think I might have a case out here.

What do you mean?

Look, I need to come clean about something.

I lied about someone being dead.

I'm sorry?

Last year, that fisherman unsub that was dumping the bodies in the Atlantic, he claimed that my cousin was one of his victims.

Falsely. You deduced he'd never met her.

I told my family it was him.

Cindi had been missing for 8 years and my aunt needed closure.

And even though I kept looking, I lied, Hotch.

I lied because I wanted my family to move on.

But now there's evidence she's alive.

You still there?

We're on our way.

What did you do?

♪ Criminal Minds 7x20 ♪

The Company
Original air date on April 11, 2012

♪

Morgan: "Worse than telling a lie is spending your whole life staying true to a lie."

Robert Brault.

So your cousin fled Chicago 8 years ago because a co-worker was stalking her?

Yeah, a guy named John Hitchens.

Cindi and Yvonne came to me and asked me if they should be worried.

Her emails and phone logs showed classic stalker behavior.

Reid: Multiple messages every hour.

Gifts he sent which she later returned.

That would enrage a stalker.

But until they become violent, they're smart enough to skirt the law.

Human resources at the investment bank wouldn't do anything, and Chicago P. D. couldn't.

So Yvonne and I convinced Cindi to move.

She contacted us from Charleston on her way to Savannah.

And then she was gone.

And Hitchens blew his brains out two weeks later in Chicago.

That was good enough for the local P. D. to conclude that he'd k*lled her.

Except for one major detail.

We never found the body.

If his endgame was su1c1de, he wasn't organized enough to dispose of the body that permanently.

That's why I never stopped looking.

I just didn't think that she would surface right back here in Chicago.

We need to reopen both cases.

Both Cindi's disappearance and Hitchens' su1c1de.

The discrepancies in each would explain her current behavior.

Morgan, I need to talk to you when we land.

I can't wait.

Auntie, what are you doing here?

Your older sister called me about the accident.

She also told me what Desiree saw.

Look, auntie, we don't know anything for sure yet.

Derek Morgan, what is going on with my daughter?

Please.

[No audio]

Rossi: Detective Palmer, what do you have?

I wish we had more to give you.

You know how missing persons cases are.

Actually, there's quite a bit here.

These were found in Hitchens'

apartment after the su1c1de.

Some were blown up from the original film stock.

So if Hitchens took them, he didn't zoom in on Photoshop.

He's an old-school shutterbug.

Reid and Prentiss, check Hitchens'

photographic background.

Even 8 years ago, most people had gone digital.

The g*n Hitchens used to k*ll himself was traced to this dealer.

Local guy. Completely by the book. No record.

The .44 was the only g*n in Hitchens' possession.

That's a big g*n to k*ll yourself with.

We should talk to the dealer, find out what his mindset was when he bought it.

[Cell phone rings]

Hey.

Hey.

Um, I sent you the case file Chicago P. D. sent me.

I got it.

Yeah. So there's that.

Bad, huh?

Yeah. Yeah.

It's pretty bad.

Penelope, can you just talk to me?

Uh-huh.

Yeah, what about?

I don't care.

Just--just talk.

Ok, um...

[Nervous laugh] Um...

What?

I--God, this is the first time in my life I don't have anything to say.

Except that I'm--

I'm here for you.

Ok, Derek? I'm right here.

Yeah, I know you are.

The g*n was bought 8 years ago?

At least, if not longer.

Here we go.

Oh, yeah.

There he is.

John Hitchens?

Hitchens?

No, ma'am. The fellow who bought this piece was Malcolm Ford.

Hmm.

Excuse me.

Well, maybe the g*n traded hands.

Malcolm Ford sold it to Hitchens, and Hitchens sh*t himself?

Or he never sold it to Hitchens at all. He used it on him.

So I guess the real question here is, who's Malcolm Ford?

We're leaving.

Ready.

Wait.

Put this in the glove box.

Good day.

Hey.

Getting away for the weekend?

Just headed up to the cabin.

Ah. Have fun.

Will do.

Malcolm, do we have to do this?

Maybe she didn't recognize me.

Maybe. But we can't take that chance.

So Cindi had two stalkers.

No, only one. Ford fits the profile better than Hitchens.

Ford had multiple as*ault and harassment charges, all filed by ex-girlfriends and random women he met.

And Garcia found credit card purchases for black and white photographic equipment for Ford.

So this guy k*lled Hitchens and then set him up.

Behaviorally it would make sense.

If Ford was stalking your cousin, he would have seen Hitchens as competition, so he kills him and he plants the photos to throw off your investigation.

Hotch, I want to bring this guy in and question him personally.

Garcia just sent us his address.

Morgan.

Have you told your aunt about any of this?

She, uh... Yeah.

We need to know how Ford found Cindi.

So you need to ask her.

Is that it?

That's it.

FBI!

It's clear here.

JJ: Clear.

Reid: Clear.

Guys.

The house is empty, but there's evidence of a woman living here.

JJ: Looks like they both packed up in a hurry.

They were trying to cover their tracks.

What the hell is she doing with this guy?

Hello, you two.

You must be Cindi.

Dominic has told me so much about you.

This is Dominic and is wife Suzy.

They're gonna help us out.

Cindi? You have permission.

Thank you for all your help.

Please let me know if I can be of service.

Impressive.

Can we hide the car?

Yeah. There's room in the garage.

And I've been in touch with a guy who can get you into Canada.

We're not going to the cabin?

Why don't I take you inside?

Right this way.

Let me give you the tour.

How long you been married?

12 years.

Want to know the secret?

Communication.

He talks, I listen.

Down here, sweetheart.

This is my room.

You can take the bed.

I wouldn't do that.

What is it?

It's a head box.

He would take my cousin's head and put it through the hole, and then he'd...

Morgan, we need to deliver a profile.

Why, Reid?

We know who the unsub is.

We need to deliver the profile.

I've had lots of servants, but none like her.

How'd you do it?

Told her about The Company and what they'd do to her if she didn't behave.

Hmm.

Oh. There's one number programmed on here.

He'll get you to Toronto tonight.

He a company man?

You can trust him.

Auntie...

Do you know that man?

Yes.

He went to the church Cindi and I went to.

Did you talk to him?

He talked to us.

Is this him?

Yes.

Most stalkers have the delusion that the woman that they're after wants to be with them.

But not this man.

He lays low and he follows you.

He watched us pack up Cindi.

And then he kept watching her all the way to Charleston.

But if he brought her back here, why didn't she try to escape?

After 8 years in captivity at the hands of Malcolm Ford, we believe Cindi Burns'

ego has been shattered.

As a result, he could afford to give her some degree of freedom and trust that she would stay with him.

Which is why it's going to be very difficult to get Cindi away from her captor.

We believe she's suffering an extreme form of Stockholm syndrome.

Like that girl from the seventies, Hearst.

Patty Hearst, that's right.

So is Cindi gonna start robbing banks now?

No. He's done something a lot worse.

He got her to believe in The Company.

What's The Company?

It's a sadomasochistic role play scenario, a game, essentially, in which a cabal of men tell their submissives they can trade their slaves at their whim.

If you displease your master or try to escape, the company will find you, k*ll you, and k*ll your family.

The voluntary submissives understand that it's just a fantasy, but Malcolm Ford has gotten Cindi to believe it's real.

How?

This was dated 3 years after her abduction.

Which means for the last 5 years, her only reality was his unending abuse.

Then he gave her this.

This is a sl*ve contract.

She signed her name.

Ohh...

My baby girl.

The documentation we've found on the company informs our profile and will inform your manhunt, because it might point to where Malcolm Ford is now.

The language on their contract speaks of an underground network, which tells us that he has a few men he trusts.

Which means that what started as an S&M game could now be a ring.

All right.

He said this is where he'd pick us up.

Stop it.

Right now.

Yes, sir.

[Sobs]

I think it's time for a lesson.

No! I'll behave, I promise.

Please, I'll behave, I promise.

You had your chance.

Huh? Huh?

[Choking]

I want you to get that damn cabin out of your mind, ok?

'Cause we're not coming back.

Is that clear?

[Chokes] Clear.

Hmm?

Yes.

[Coughing]

Now go get me something to eat.

[Cell phone rings]

Stop.

I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking you got nothing left.

But that's not true.

You got family.

Malcolm, please, he's not a thr*at to us.

But you are.

And when you think about your next step, I want you to think about this.

I got eyes on him right now.

One phone call from me and he's dead in 30 seconds.

Is that what you want?

Hmm.

That's what I thought.

[Alarm beeping]

What's going on?

You said you wanted dinner.

It was an accident.

Sir, what's the problem?

My wife forgot to put this back.

Ma'am, I'm gonna need to check your purse.

No. It's just a misunderstanding.

Ma'am, please come with me.

Look, we're paying for it, ok?

It's a misunderstanding and we're leaving.

I just thought I was doing what you told me to do.

Malcolm, please.

I'm really sorry.

We can make it if we leave right now.

We'll just go.

We can leave right now.

Don't you come at me.

You're gonna pay for this.

[Sirens]

Garcia, did you get a hit?

Yes. A 911 call at a grocery store identifying a couple matching their description.

Now, Hotch and the g*ng on their way, but you guys are closer.

Take a left.

I got it. Hang on.

I see him.

There he is.

[Siren]

Get out of the car and put your hands where I can see them.

Put your hands behind your head and get on your knees.

Is there a problem, sir?

What do you got, Morgan?

Nothing.

What do you mean, nothing?

The car is empty.

Morgan?

Agent Derek Morgan?

Ha ha. Well, well.

Where is she?

Where is who?

Where is she?

Derek.

Get up.

Officer.

Where are you going?

I'm going to ride back to the station with him.

Oh, no, you're not. You're gonna stay here processing the scene.

Rossi, come on.

No.

[Cell phone rings]

Yeah.

Wow.

Baby, I'm sorry.

It's been a long night.

Ok, Mr. Snappy.

I was just letting you know that I sent the grocery store security camera footage to your tablet.

You're welcome.

Ok, out with it.

Where's your head at presently?

Honestly, I'm trying to figure out why I'm not back at that police station trying to break this son of a bitch.

Ohh...

What are you doing?

What was that for?

For thinking that this is about you.

Penelope, it is about me.

He called me out by name.

[Loudly] Ohh!

Will you stop doing that.

Well-- seriously, Derek, seriously-- you know, in the entire time I have known you, you are like the glistening hero in the movie of life.

And now, just because some guy, some ass-hat guy decides to call you out by name, you think you have the right to get all weird and decide "this time it's personal"?

Really? Derek, did you ever stop to think that said ass-hat is exhibiting this behavior just to get under your skin?

As a matter of fact, I have.

Ok, you know, well, a real hero would roll with that instead of tripping over his gigantic ego.

And as a wise black man once told me, baby girl, you be trippin'.

So I tell you what-- why don't you call me back once you've gotten off the self-absorption train and decide to be a real hero, the kind that Cindi is waiting for.

I am hanging up on you.

Hey, Detective.

Yeah.

Is this what my cousin stole?

Well, according to the manager.

She said it was an accident.

No.

No.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

How's it going?

He hasn't asked for a lawyer yet.

He's baiting us.

Which means we need an interrogation strategy to throw him off.

He's expecting Morgan.

So then I get home and, of course, he's still up past his bedtime.

Uh. Ohh. It reminds me why I'm not married.

Oh, well, neither am I, technically.

Oh, yeah, you're right.

That's true.

Do you guys ever--

Oh. No, I really don't need a man to tell me what to do.

Yeah.

Excuse me.

Shh.

Uh, the adults are talking.

When it's your turn to speak, I'll give you permission.

Ok? So, anyway...

Yeah. Any sleep?

Uh, no. Of course not.

Uchh.

What are we doing here anyway?

Oh, yeah.

Um...

Oh, ok. So, yeah.

Mal, you want to confess now or just go straight to prison?

Look, my wife and I had a disagreement in that store.

Whoa--wife?

You're married?

No. This is about John Hitchens.

His su1c1de is looking more like a m*rder and the g*n traces back to you.

Ok. Uh, let's go talk to this wife.

He's not talking.

I don't know who this Hitchens person is, but if you had anything, you'd charge me already.

You're here because of Cindi.

Caught us.

You know what?

This is my favorite part.

This is where you hang yourself with your own tongue.

So, please, keep talking.

What are you doing here?

You got a baby at home being raised by a man you're not married to.

What are you doing here?

Well, it's work.

But we make it work.

Where's Cindi?

Huh. Work.

I know all about work.

Negotiating who does the dishes, fighting over who folds the laundry.

Except Cindi and I never fight.

She knows her role.

After you b*at her into signing a contract.

What we have is a bond you know nothing about.

But I'll tell you about it.

If you ask permission.

Come on.

You're curious, aren't you?

You want to know our secret.

Please let me go back in there.

No.

His guard is down.

He thinks he can manipulate me.

We can't give him what he wants.

We need to keep him off balance.

Then let me go in.

I can get in his head.

The way he got into yours?

Look, I know I have no right to ask this, but please just trust me on this.

I can break him.

What time is it?

You know what that is?

My dinner.

The time?

When I was growing up, my dad worked midnights.

My mom worked pretty late, too.

So me and my sisters had a lot of dinners at Cindi and my aunt's house.

It was kind of fun.

Because you get to eat the stuff that you don't always get to eat at home.

Stuff like this.

Same label, same everything.

It feels like 10:00, maybe 10:15.

Let's say 10:15.

So when Cindi stole this, it was no accident, Malcolm.

She was sending a message to me.

A message?

For 8 years you b*at her down to where she could barely look up.

But when my sister saw her at that intersection, Cindi knew.

She knew I would come for her.

So she was letting me know that she's still in there, that she's alive and she's waiting.

She wouldn't do that.

Oh, yes, she would.

She had a whole storeful of food to choose from, Malcolm, and she chose that.

She fought you for as long as she could, and now she's fighting you again and you can't handle that, can you?

What time is it?

You know, it's funny that you keep mentioning the time.

You had 20 minutes from the store to your arrest.

You knew we were coming.

Why didn't you run?

You could have easily got away, but you didn't.

So something must have slowed you down.

Cindi slowed you down, didn't she?

And you knew you couldn't be found with a crying, bleeding prisoner in your car, so you kicked her to the curb.

You wish it could be that easy.

But it's not.

Then explain it to me.

What don't I know, Malcolm?

You don't know what she became.

You don't know the love she had for me.

Had?

You just said "had, " past tense.

You have a love if she's alive.

You had one if she's dead.

What did you do to her?!

Morgan.

No. No, you didn't have enough time to dispose of the body properly. We know that.

And we will find her.

Morgan, out.

And when we do, I will personally nail your ass to the wall.

That's what time it is, bitch!

Is it 10:30 now?

Bet it is.

Yeah. Feels like 10:30.

What was that for?

I was in control.

I wasn't gonna hurt him.

Someone's retained a lawyer on Malcolm's behalf.

He didn't invoke.

I did.

Cindi.

Oh, my God.

Stop.

You're not to speak to her or Malcolm Ford without me present.

What the hell is this?

You're holding my client on suspicion of kidnapping.

As you can see, the victim's alive and well.

Kept against her will.

No. He's my husband.

Now drop the charges.

Cindi, why are you doing this?

Because I love him.

We've been clear that we would like all charges dropped.

We still have some questions about John Hitchens.

And Mr. Ford has explained that the g*n that Hitchens used to sh**t himself was stolen.

He even filed a police report.

So, what else do you need to know?

We need a new plan.

We can't hold him.

There's one more thing.

Wait.

I can't talk to you.

No, no. It's ok.

I trust you.

Baby...

Let me just...

Let me just look at you.

Oh!

What has he done to you?

He loves me.

You call that love?

I have to go.

I have to make him dinner.

That's not her.

That is not my daughter.

You did good.

You mean it?

Let's go to the cabin.

Rossi: We need to rethink the profile.

This ain't Stockholm.

It could be battered wife syndrome.

No, it's not.

Morgan, the way they hugged each other, I--I think she genuinely loves him.

I'm telling you, that's not the woman I know.

She wouldn't do that.

So what is it, Derek?

Why would she behave this way?

She said she needed to cook dinner for him.

Is that what you cook for your husband?

Would you make that for will?

No. I might for Henry, though.

Exactly.

When I was growing up, this is what Cindi and I ate.

This exact brand.

Hotch, what did your mom make you for breakfast?

Oatmeal and orange juice.

What do you make for Jack?

Oatmeal and orange juice.

Same brand.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

She might have been cooking dinner, but it was not for Malcolm Ford.

You think they have a child.

Yes, I do.

We didn't profile that.

There's no evidence of one in the home or in their lives.

Unless Ford keeps the child from her to keep her in line.

I mean, that fits the profile.

It's a stretch.

It's the only theory that would explain her behavior.

All right, Morgan.

Prove it.

You want me to file a harassment suit against the FBI?

No, I don't.

I just have a couple more questions about the case.

Actually, these are questions that only you can answer.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how a woman could be held prisoner for over 8 years and retain a lawyer so quickly.

I mean, how could she do that, unless Malcolm told her where to go?

Malcolm and I know each other. So?

Except he needed a lawyer who understood the delicacy of his situation, didn't he?

So I did some digging.

And I found out about your mail order bride from Russia.

If I sat her down and I asked her about The Company, what do you think she would tell me?

[Clears throat]

Ok, look.

I'm a negotiator, so let's negotiate.

Do you know where they keep the children?

Yeah.

You better tell me where it is.

You want us to wake up the boy?

I'll do it.

Mama?

Hi, baby.

It's not Christmas.

What are you doing here?

We're gonna go with daddy on a little trip, ok?

Let's get your shoes.

Come on. Move, move.

Let's go.

[Sirens]

[Indistinct]

Go, go, go!

Go inside.

We are in position.

Unit one has suspect in custody.

Where's Malcolm Ford?

[Speaking Lithuanian]

Clear.

My God, how many do they have here?

Secure the kids.

Mommy!

Cindi.

Come on, baby, talk to me.

Cindi, it's Derek.

Cindi, wait!

Stop!

He's gotten you to believe in a lie.

The company is not real.

I know. Derek, step aside.

Let's go home.

Ok?

Hi.

Malcolm Ford, you're under arrest for kidnapping, child endangerment, and the m*rder of John Hitchens.

So, um...

Can you tell me that secret now?

Anthony.

Come here.

This is your Uncle.

He's come a long way to meet you.

How you doing, Anthony?

My name's Derek.

You ready?

♪ Be still and know ♪
♪ that I'm with you ♪
♪ be still and know that I am here ♪
♪ be still and know ♪
♪ that I'm with you ♪
♪ be still, be still, and know ♪

I am so sorry.

♪ When darkness comes the words I said ♪
♪ be still, be still, and know ♪
♪ when you go through the valley ♪
♪ the shadow falls down in front of you ♪
♪ if morning never comes to be ♪
♪ be still, be still, be still ♪
♪ if you forget the way to go ♪
♪ lose where you came from ♪
♪ know I'm standing beside you ♪
♪ be still and know I am ♪

There's my hero.

♪ Be still and know that I'm with you ♪
♪ be still and know I am ♪