And What She Found There
Cee-Cee Hodgins pushed through the door of the Jeffersonian Institue, a small piece of paper on which was written a name was clutched in her hand. Cee-Cee had recently discovered that her son worked as an entomologist in this very facility. She got directions from the janitor and made her way through the building to the office of one Dr. Camille Saroyan, Head of the Forensic Division. Cee-Cee knocked on the door, just below the nameplate.
"Just a minute," called a voice from within. As she waited, Cee-Cee contemplated why her son, Jack, had chosen this moment to divulge his secret career. Johnathan Hodgins, Cee-Cee's recently deceased husband, and Jack's father, has been very opposed to Jack going into a career in the sciences. Being from a wealthy family, Johnathan believed that science should be left to those of lesser standing. While Jack had been in Denver for his father's funeral, he had revealed to his mother, and the rest of the family present, that he was, in fact, a scientist. He gave Cee-Cee the name of his work place and had invited her to come visit him in Washington the following September. So now Cee-Cee Hodgins was standing in front of Dr. Saroyan's office, waiting to surprise Jack with her visit.
"Come in!"
Cee-Cee opened the door and walked into the office. Camille Saroyan was sitting behind a desk, typing quickly on a laptop. Dr. Saroyan looked up, the bangs of her brown-black pixie-cut hair fell over her eyes. She lifted a hand and brushed them away.
"Can I help you?"
"My name is Cee-Cee Hodgins," Cee-Cee said, "I believe my son, Jack, works here?"
Dr. Saroyan nodded and smiled. She studied the older woman in front of her, dressed in black slacks and a blue sweater, graying auburn hair cut shoulder length. Dr. Saroyan reached into a drawer of her desk and pulled out a small card before standing up.
"Follow me. They're working on a case right now, but I don't think he'll mind,"
Cee-Cee was about to ask what she meant by 'a case', but Camille had already swept past her and was walking down the hall. Cee-Cee rushed to keep up. They arrived at a large room and Cee-Cee could see Jack, two women, and two men standing around a small table.
"What have we got?" asked one of the women. Her chestnut-colored hair was swept back into a ponytail and she stood, arms crossed, in jeans and black dress shirt.
"I found some residue around the hole," answered one of the men, a young one with a mop of brown-blonde hair that rested on his forehead and over his eyes, "I also found some all down the right side of the clothing remains."
"And?" the woman prompted.
"Silicone," Jack answered, "It was silicone powder, and probably used to be a gel."
"It seems," continued the second woman, Asian by the look of her face, dark-brown locks flowing freely about her face, "that a sharp object was used to puncture a bag with silicone gel inside before the perp used it on her head.
"And that means…" asked the second man, an official looking guy wearing a black suit.
"Implants," the pony-tailed woman completed, "The killer had a problem with this woman because she had breast implants, so he punctured them then killed her."
"But why was there residue on only one side?" asked the younger of the two men. The woman frowned and shook her head.
"Can't know for sure, but I don't like the look of that hole in her skull. It's too perfect and round."
Cee-Cee was about to turn to the woman beside her when Camille spoke up.
"As fascinating as this is, Hodgins has a visitor," she gestured to me with her head, "Swipe this card before going up those stairs unless you want everyone to be quarantined here for the night." She added to Cee-Cee before striding away. Jack smiled as Cee-Cee swiped the card and walked up the stairs.
"Hey, mom," he said, "I thought you weren't coming until next week."
Cee-Cee smiled brightly as she embraced her youngest son.
"I decided that you might want a surprise," she said warmly, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Aren't you going to introduce us, Hodgins?"
"You know, Jack, it really is impolite not to--"
"Shut up, Zack,"
Jack shook his head fondly.
"Mom, this is the team. Special Agent Booth," the man in the suit, "our forensic artist, Angela Montenegro," the woman with the loose hair, "and our forensic anthropologists, Dr. Temperance Brennan," the other woman, "and Zack." The younger man frowned.
"It's really not fair that Dr. Brennan receives a title and I don't" he said, "I have a doctorate too, you know."
Jack rolled his eyes and smiled.
"Fine. Dr. Zachary Uriah Addy,"
The young man, Zack, winced.
"Did you have to say Uriah?"
"Yes,"
Cee-Cee smiled and shook their hands.
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Cee-Cee,"
"Hate to break this little reunion," Dr. Brennan said, "but you all have work to do. Angela, try to find out who our woman is and what she looked like. Zack, find what weapon could be used to make such a perfect hole. Hodgins, check around the hole for any materials that would help Zack with his investigation. Move it people!"
Cee-Cee sat in a chair in the corner as they rushed to obey.
---------------------------
"Sorry about this morning with Brennan. She can be kind of rude when there's work to be done," Jack said, as he Cee-Cee and Zack slipped on their coats.
"It's fine, dear," Cee-Cee said with a smile. "Do you take Zack home?"
"Actually he lives with me," Jack answered, "You see--" he began.
"Oh in the apartment above the garage!"
"Actually--"
"How nice!"
Zack stifled a laugh at Jack's failed attempts to explain their relationship. Jack scowled.
"Shut up, Zack. I'm trying to do this!"
Zack quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, you're not doing a very good job, are you?"
"What would you suggest I do?"
Throughout this whole exchange, Cee-Cee was watching the two men curiously.
"I suggest that you show her rather than try to tell her,"
"Tell me what?" Cee-Cee queried with a frown.
"Well, um, I--" Jack stuttered. Zack grinned and Jack pouted at him.
"May I?" Zack asked politely.
"How abou--"
Taking advantage of Jack's open mouth, Zack interrupted him with a rough kiss. When they broke apart, Zack was grinning, Jack was blushing, and Cee-Cee's mouth was open in shock.
"Well," Zack said cheerily, as if nothing had happened, "can we go home now? I'm starved!"