Reid My Mind

2. Chess

la thune - angèle

"Wrong."

"What?"

"If you move the queen like that I win in three moves," Spencer commented, matter-of-fact.

"Ugh." I groaned dramatically put my head on the table in front of me. The BAU's private jet had taken off an hour before and was currently soaring over Ohio. Soon we'd be in Maine, investigating the case of 11 missing persons.

"You're not even trying." His tone wasn't scolding, it was more entertained.

"Yes, I am!" I protested, lifting my head. Ok, maybe I had been distracted the last turn. I was worried about the case.

"Worried about the case?" Reíd asked casually. Damn, that kid was good. I gave up the ruse.
"Hotch is making take point on interviewing the Zhangs," I confessed. Those were the parents of the latest victim. I twirled a piece of hair absently around my finger.

"You'll do great," Reid assured.

"I don't know... You guys always know the right thing to say. What if I offend them or ask the wrong questions and that's why we can't find the unsub? You know?" I couldn't quite make eye contact with him, embarrassed. Instead, I let the lock of hair fall and pushed it behind my ear.

"Morgan will be with you. He'll help you if you get stuck," Reid promised. I nodded. Behind us, Emily shifted positions in her sleep.

"Ok," I said, grabbing my queen and sliding her back to her previous position, "What about..."
I moved it the opposite direction, then back immediately, seeing that that too was a mistake. Reid's face caught a small smile and he placed his hand over mine. Wordlessly, he slid the queen over to the side, capturing one knight and setting me up to capture another. I groaned.

"How did I not see that?" His hand was warm and soft.

"It takes practice."

"Says you, 'Boy Wonder'," I challenged, "You probably exited the womb knowing how to defeat the old master."

"Not you too."

"What?"

"'Boy Wonder,'" Reid said with a hint of distaste. I smirked.

"If the shoe fits, Reid." He tried to look annoyed, but his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Don't worry, I think I'll leave the nicknames to Morgan. It's your turn."

~~~~~

"Do you think the father was a little cold?" I asked Morgan as we walked out of the Zhangs' mansion.

"His son just went missing," Morgan replied.

"Not to us. About his son."

"Maybe. He was a prostitute. They were likely estranged."

"But the mother said he lived nearby. I think the father and son both knew this was coming." Morgan considered me.

"That would explain why he donated all his possessions before he disappeared. He might have been getting threats." We made our way into a police car.

"Back to the station, please," Morgan said to the driver.

Then to me: "We need to tell Hotch."

~~~~~

When we were a few minutes from the station my phone vibrated with a call. It was an unfamiliar number.

"We've got another body," Reid said when I picked up.