MOCKINGBIRD | Spencer Reid ✔️

⠀⠀⠀ three

"And who do you think got it for him?"

Scout stifled her argument in her mouth. There wasn't any point, her mother was going to be right whether she liked it or not. And she really didn't like it at all.

"I wish you would stop acting like your father was a saint. He was the person that got us into this mess without a way out. And then he had to go and get himself killed, leaving us to clean up his mess."

She boiled, "He only did it to fix the shit show you put us through. Or did you forget how you landed in that wheelchair?"

Her mother glared.

"Call him. Or I will." She spat before wheeling herself into her room.

Scout felt her head throb. This was too much stress. Having to carry her mother's wellbeing, take care of the house, and work too barely make rent was getting to her.

It was all feeling so pointless now.

With her phone in hand, she pressed the green button next to the number on her and held her breath. Maybe she could pass out and fall on her head. Maybe she could get amnesia. Or maybe he wouldn't pick up.

"What took ya so long?"

Shit.

"I got held up at work."

"Don't lie to me, girly. You know I'm smarter than that."

"What do you want, Xander?"

"What's the rush? Let's catch up a bit. How's work?"

"Fine."

"Not in a talking mood, that's alright. What about your mother?"

"What about her?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation, Wiley."

"Okay, then let's talk. What do you want?"

"Watch your tongue."

Scout huffed, "Fine, okay."

"Now, I want you to keep an eye out on some people at your little job. My employers are really interested in a man named Rossi, ya heard of him?"

"No, I'm not exactly the social butterfly."

"Yeah, well you're gonna have to be this time around."

"So what do you want me to do? Poison his coffee?" I said half jokingly.

"No, just be friendly with him."

I scrunched my eyebrows, "Why?"

"Look, this is a need to know project and you-"

"Don't need to know. Got it."

"Smart girl. There's a file of him under the mat of your front door, that's enough information to get on his good side and chat him up. You'll need to be casual about it, discrete ya know."