puzzles of a heart | spencer reid ✓

four

The air was crisp in Nashville, Tennessee. The autumn scent of dried leaves and bronze-tinted nature whipped by the dark SUV, and the half-rolled down window invited the chilled breeze inside the interior of the car. The sun peeked playfully by the edges of the clouds, shining enough light but not the powerful rays it used to during the warmer seasons.  

Squished between Rossi and Valeria, Spencer was fidgeting uncomfortably at the closeness of the bodies. She was leaning against the window and watching the passing scenery while Rossi had his journal out, scribbling a few words at random intervals. At the front sat JJ and Morgan, each discussing details of the case. The rest of the team were in the car behind them, and Spencer's mind couldn't focus no matter how hard he tried.

He was assigned to interview the second victim's family directly after checking in at Nashville police department with the rest of the team, and Rossi and Valeria would be accommodating him. He half-listened in on JJ's annoyed tone on the phone call to the press bombarding their arrival in Tennessee and snuck a few glances at Rossi's notebook, there was nothing of importance.

They met in the stuffy conference room set up by the Nashville police department and was out into another car by the early afternoon; this time, Rossi driving, Spencer in the passenger seat and Valeria in the back, awfully quiet. 

"How are you feeling about this victim's family, Reid?" Rossi asked nonchalantly, his fingers loose around the steering wheel.

"I'm honestly not sure, I mean, they sounded cooperative on the phone with JJ." Spencer was skimming through the files again, "however, the reactions they had to finding out about the news of their daughter was especially dramatic. It's written here-"

"Wouldn't that mean they'll surely be accommodating?" Valeria spoke for the first time since the flight, she wasn't much talkative with them two but had thrived with Morgan and Prentiss. "Okay, their daughter was murdered in cold blood and others are going through the same thing. Wouldn't that mean they'll do whatever to catch and avenge their daughter?"

Spencer was surprised at the suddenness of her input but swiftly replied: "no, because once we start suggesting that they could be a potential suspect in the case, they'll going to turn their backs on us."

"Why would they be suspects?"

"Because 54.3% of homicides are caused by someone the victim knew, like neighbours, family, friends, acquaintances. And 24.8% by family members. It's only standard procedure to investigate the families and profile them as well. It'll be foolish to assume that they're innocent. So your statement was quite-" Spencer searched for the word, "off."

"Right, sorry genius," she mumbled with a hint of embarrassment. In the rearview mirror, Spencer spotted her exhaling and scrolling on her phone out of boredom again. 

"Ms Quinton, you're new to this. That was a fair observation." Rossi promised her and had given Spencer a 'can you be any nicer to her? this is her first-day' glare before continuing. "With Reid helping you, you'll be a brilliant profiler intern by the end of these weeks."

"I can't guarantee that, you know-" 

Rossi swerved sharply left to shut Spencer up, and he does. He wasn't sure why he was always blabbing the thoughts he had, but never with the sentimental workings of his head. It was always knowledge or facts or a statement. Perhaps he was just extremely adept at suppressing his emotions and overwhelming everything else with logic and reasonings. Either way, he was not doing well with the team's additional member.

---

"No, sir, I completely get what you're saying," Spencer was getting impatient and he brushed a hand over his messy hair. He was sitting in the cushy chair of the second victim's family home facing the grieving parents in a state of desperation and gloominess. Rossi paced around them and Valeria lingered beside him with a timid expression. "We're just asking if it was like her to go out for nights at a time?"