Up in Flames | Spencer Reid x Reader |

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Punisher

"(Y/n). (Y/n)? Honestly, are you deaf? (Y/n)."

If it was scientifically possible, you felt like you had just returned from a black hole that vacuumed you into another realm for the past several minutes. You battered your eyes a few times before they finally fell on the most aggravated woman on the planet. "W... What?"

"What the hell was that? You were urgently calling me a few minutes ago and now you're sitting here like a dumb turkey. What's the matter with you?"

"I..." You stammered, shifting slightly in your seat. "I don't exactly know."

Casha remained at the entryway for a second or two before her brows loosened and she rolled her eyes. You supposed she was expecting some sort of answer or continuation in the conversation but you really had no clue as to what was happening to you. Maybe an episode? Who knew. All you could remember is thinking about some distressing event that happened to you.

By the time you realized what was faltering through your head, the blonde already bolted out the doorway in a feisty pace. You staggered behind the woman, finally mustering your thoughts and words together to speak. "Wait, Casha, we need to talk—"

Just as you curved out the frame, a nippy and reticent pair of eyes met yours, once again, tugging you out of your train of thought. "Well, Dr. (L/n), we need to talk too." Detective Belekzer interrupted, his face broadening with a smile that owned false good cheer. "I hope you can wait a few minutes to speak to Dr. Casha?"

Your eyes trailed towards the blonde woman who was staring profoundly at you both. The expression of distress made it clear that she knew exactly what was going to happen. You swallowed hard, but remained solemn as you nodded. You uttered nothing till the two of you were in the comfort and silence of your room. However, you did steal a glance at your colleagues who stole glimpses through the glass windows. "So you're here to speak about the same thing you mentioned the other night right? You're to accuse me—"

"Accuse you of what?" Mraz interrupted as he stumbled through the door. He looked disheveled as he pushed his frames up his parrot shaped nose. You obviously were too dumbstruck to answer. Belekzer noticed that almost immediately so he perched into the conversation, just in time to save your arse. "Dr. Mraz will be joining our investigation to aid us with backup information in case we need it. You wouldn't mind that, would you?"

You shook your head.

"Well, take a seat, (Y/n)." He grew informal to weaken whatever shield you put around yourself. The fact that he knew you outside of these four walls had been an advantage for him, specifically to identify the culprit for his case. When you finally found yourself comfortable in your seat, the olive man resumed. "So you know this issue is not a priority for the state, but the absence of a file in the top forensic department obviously seems concerning to a lot of people. This investigation, as you may have already guessed, is not full blown. It means, I, as the man appointed for the inquiry, will simply do a bit of research and get the files back to where it belongs. Understood?"

"Of course."

"Good. To start off I'd like to ask where you were on October fifteenth around mid-day afternoon. Specifically around four?"

You assumed a character of thoughtfulness before you responded. "Usually Casha and I head out for a smoke break around that time. I remember we had a late lunch that day. So I wasn't at the office." You had made that up. Yes, you did go out with Casha often for smoke breaks but you didn't bother heading out for lunch that day. The case with the arsenic poisoning required you to tighten your schedule. You coaxed your companion into following along with the lie, so the possibility of getting caught was not profound.