Title: The Couple from the Burbs
Author: Mana
Rating: PG/ K (rating may change)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Pairing: B/B (later on)
Spoilers: None…let me know if you see one.
Summary: The remains of a couple are found leading to a whirlwind investigation before the killer can strike again. Will Brennan and Booth have to go undercover to find the killer before another couple winds up dead? Will Brennan and Booth be that couple?
Authors Notes: I would really like to hear what you guys think! Please R&R
The Couple from the Burbs
"What's the verdict, Bones," Special Agent Seeley Booth asked as he bounded into the Jeffersonian Institute seeing his partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan, hunched over a set of skeletal remains. She looked up at him, a dismal look in her eyes, and moved her gaze back down to the body. Booth ran his ID card through the card reader located at the bottom of the platform. After the satisfying beep, he hurried up the stairs, tapping the file folder in his hand against his thigh.
"The victims were both shot at close range," Brennan started, looking up towards the skull and pointing to a large hole in the frontal bone. "There is evidence that the victims' hands were also bound. There are small fractures along the triquetrum and lunate which would indicate that the victims were struggling against some kind of restraint, though I can't be sure what, as of yet." She looked up at Booth, shaking her head. "It looks like an execution style killing."
Booth nodded, looking from his partner to the remains lying on the illuminated table. Looking over her shoulder, he saw the other skeleton behind her, lying bare against its table. The pale bones seemed to glow in the bright lights of the lab. "What about her?" He gestured his head to the body behind Brennan. "Same thing?"
Brennan nodded turning and bending down slightly over the victim's wrist. "Yes, although I think she may have been killed first. There isn't as much damage to her wrist as there is to the male's." Standing, she turned back to him. "I think that he was made to watch, and struggled against his restraints more as she was shot."
Booth looked down at the bodies, his lips forming a thin line. What a horrible thing to witness. "Do we have an ID?" he asked, not looking up.
"Angela is working on running her facial reconstructions through the database. Hopefully she'll have something for us soon," Brennan replied quietly.
No sooner had the words left her mouth, than the aforementioned artist, Angela Montenegro, rounded the corner and walked onto the platform. "I have their names. They were a married couple from Arlington, Virginia: Joseph and Tricia Schwartz. They've been missing for 2 years." She held up the pictures and report, handing them over to Booth.
"They were last seen entering their house, February 13th, 2006," Booth said, reading the missing persons report. "No one saw them after that night and according to this, no one saw them leave their house and or anyone enter."
He looked back at the bodies, now identified as Joseph and Tricia and shook his head.
"How could two people just vanish from their home with no one the wiser?" Angela said, her gaze locked on the bodies.
Before Booth could reply, his cell phone rang, the shrill sound piercing through the silence that was hanging between them.
"Booth," he answered. His eyes closed slightly in an elongated blink and his teeth peeked out, biting his bottom lip as he listened to the caller. "Yeah, thanks. We'll be there in an hour," he finally said, flipping his phone closed. Looking up at Brennan, he said, "They found another set of bodies in the woods outside of a neighborhood in Arlington. Get your gear."
Brennan nodded, walking past him to her office. Booth looked up at Angela, who returned his gaze with a small sad nod.
The bleak sunlight filtered through the trees, as Brennan and Booth made their way through the dense trees. From the road, this area had looked like everything around it, well-kept and landscaped, snow melting against the beautiful trees. However, as they ventured further into the untouched forest, the human effects waned. This was woodland that hadn't seen any development, and likely wouldn't for a number of years more.
"The bodies were found by a kid out riding his 4-wheeler," the local police officer said as he guided them through the underbrush. "Apparently, he ran right over one of them."
Brennan scowled slightly. That meant there was going to be damage to the bones that wouldn't coincide with how they were killed. She only hoped that it was to an area of the remains that wouldn't clash with cause of death.
The officer slowed as they entered a slightly cleared area, with a bright blue 4-wheeler to the side. A young man bundled up in a large jacket was standing with a group of officers, obviously being questioned. In the middle of the clearing, yellow tape was tied in a circle by the surrounding trees.
Brennan moved quickly, ducking under the tape and squatting down bending her head to look at the remains. Gently pushing the snow aside, she found the pelvic bone. "Female," she announced. "Late 20's to early 30's." She reached over to the other side, pushing the melting snow away from the other body. "This one is male, 30's." Looking up at their skulls, she made quick work assessing the hole in the front. "They were both shot," she said, turning her attention back to Booth who was quickly writing everything down in a notepad.
"Same thing," he muttered, looking up from the pad to her. She nodded imperceptibly, and looked back down at the couple at her feet.
Well? Should I continue?? What do you think? Click that button and let me know!!