1) Force Distrust works as an auto-success in that it keeps the pickpockets from robbing him. Unfortunately, it's a failure on the information front since they all immediately begin arguing about how the money's being cut and get into a knife fight on the main street. There's blood, there's cursing, a kid starts crying, someone's screaming 'my leg' in the background like he's from a somewhat theme-fitting meme. It's beautiful.

2) Ooh, Alex is trying to be a mystery solver with his spooky birb. With the fact the birb's far enough behind to not get spotted, let's go with a DC of 12 to find anything interesting. Sound good?