timeless, spencer reid [ 1 ]

056. corazon

"Yeah. Yeah." Spencer says. "Um..." He clears his throat as he gets up and sits by Bedelia. "The Afro-Caribbean syncretic religions began with slaves, who mixed their traditional religions with Catholicism in order to camouflage them. The elements in this altar... look to me like Santeria." He opens the file to some photos and puts them on the table.

"It's a Yoruban based religion developed in Cuba. Practitioners worship Orishas, deities that roughly correspond with Catholic saints." Spencer explains.

"And what about the shells?" Derek asks.

"Let's see." Spencer opens a book. "This is Ellegua, the deity of the crossroads, a trickster and the impartial enforcer of justice." He hands the book to Emily.

"So, is the unsub sacrificing the victims to him?" Ashley asks.

"None of these religions openly call for human sacrifice, only animals." Spencer says.

"We need to determine whether these killings are part of an existing ritual." Rossi says. Bedelia's eyes stay on Spencer as he gets up and goes to where they keep food and drinks. She gets up and follows him, walking to stand in front of him.

"Hey." She quietly says, frowning when she finds him rubbing his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Spencer says. Bedelia gives him a look. "I'm fine."

"Come on, Spence." She mumbles. "You've passed on coming over for, like, two weeks. That's a little concerning."

"I just haven't been in the mood." Spencer shrugs.

"Spen--"

"I'm fine, Bedelia." Spencer harshly whispers.

"Fine." Bedelia mumbles.

"This the line?" They're interrupted by Ashley walking up.

"Hmm?" Spencer turns to her.

"Uh, for coffee. Sorry." Ashley says.

"I was just leaving." Bedelia says, forcing a small smile as she walks past the two.

+++

Bedelia, Spencer, and Derek are walking around the neighborhood.

"Hey. What's the matter with you?" Derek asks Spencer. "You're not gonna make a bunch of facts about the area and the demographics?"

"The Allapattah neighborhood is named after the Native American word for alligator." Spencer informs.

"There you go. There's the kid I know." Derek says. "All right, 5372 Seminole Street. This can't be it."

"Excuse me, sir." Spencer walks over to a guy that's chopping up meat. "Do you know where the community center is?"

"It's down there." He points. "This is Seminole Alley." He says something in Spanish.

Spencer roughly rubs his eye behind his sunglasses.

Bedelia notices, but refrains from asking, refusing to let him snap at her again when she just wants to help.

"You okay?" Derek asks the genius.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He says. "A lot better than that goat." He says, walking off.

Bedelia and Derek look at the table, the goat's head visible.

"Yeah, you got that right." Derek comments.

+++

"Victor was my best friend. We were like brothers." Mercado says.

"We're sorry for your loss, Mr. Mercado." Derek tells him.

"He was sick for a long time, but he was finally feeling better." Mercado says.