Exit Wounds: Final Part

                                    

                                          
Just like you predicted, there was another murder the next morning. This time, Joshua's mother was found dead at her house. Joshua has been in custody this whole time so he doesn't know he's also lost his mom. It's going to break his heart once he knows. You know he's a good kid. You look at Carol's body which has her intestines splayed out everywhere around her. This was angry. The same yellow energy surrounds her, further solidifying your theory that your unsub is a minor. You touch her forehead with a gloved hand and see the unsub gutting her maliciously.
"The neighbors saw the door open and called it in," Sheriff Rhodes sighs.
"He went from ambushing people in public to home invasion. That's a pretty big change in MO."
"This one is personal and angry. Look, her intestines are splayed out everywhere. The blood on her face is smeared, not splattered. He played with the body. He mutilated her."
"If this guy is killing people leaving town, why didn't he attack Kat Allen?" the sheriff asks.
"Because we had her in protective custody. He couldn't get to her, so he moved on to another target," Hotch says.
You look behind you and up at him with worried eyes.
"Believe me now? Joshua couldn't have done this. Our unsub is a minor."
"Fine. We'll do it your way," he nods.
"Carol was scheduled to be at the tavern tonight. How did the unsub know she was here?"
"He was stalking her. He chose Carol for a different reason. Why? What's changed?"
You, Rossi, and Spencer go back to the station where Joshua is. He stands up from inside the holding cell and Deputy Flack lets him out.
"Did you guys finally realize I'm innocent?"
"Joshua, please have a seat," she says.
"More questions?" He does as he's told. "Are you serious? I'm telling you, I didn't do this."
"We know that, son."
He finally recognizes the shift in energy.
"What's going on?"
"Josh, the killer struck again last night," Deputy Flack says, trying to keep her tears in.
"Oh, God. Who did he get?" He looks around and notices you're only talking to him. "Why are you guys only telling me this? Where's my mom?" None of you say a word and he connects the dots on his own. "No. No. No. No, no, no, no. No, no, no, that's impossible. She was just here. I--I just talked to her!"
"I'm sorry Joshua, she's gone."
"No, you're lying to me," he cries.
"I wish we were."
"I need to see her."
"Not right now. You don't want to think of her that way. Joshua, we know you need time to mourn, but the fact of the matter is, the man who did this is still out there, and we think that you can help us find him."
"You had me locked up while she was--I could have helped her!"
"If you had gone to her, there's a good chance you'd both be dead. Now, we need your help."
"Why me?" he sniffles.
"The murders began when you returned to town. Up until now, he's only targeted people who were trying to leave but for some reason, with your mother, it was personal. The pressure's on. The FBI is here. In that situation, a serial killer who wants to finish what he started, goes after the true target of his cause."