Disclaimer: I don't own any but the characters I have created.
So….I decided to start another story. I'll keep going with the Briggs case but not as frequent. I feel that more of you enjoyed my first story instead of my newer one. My knowledge and experience with horses brings a different twist to Bones cases. I think more of you enjoyed reading something different. So to get to the story, I randomly had an idea while I was supposed to be studying, and I had to get started on it. It's in the same timeline as the rest of my stories. The story takes place after season 5. This story takes place after A Horse of a Different Color and runs concurrently with History in the Making.
New Readers: If you haven't read any of my others stories you won't feel left out! I'll fill in some background as this story plays out. But I have to recommend A Horse of a Different Color if you like this one
I'm kind of excited about this story. Please, please review and let me know what you think of it!
1986 Stakes Winner This Thing of Ours, Groom Found Dead
The 1983 stallion, This Thing of Ours, was euthanized on February 14, 2000 after complications from surgery to repair a shattered fetlock*. Suspicions arose after many allegations were made towards the management of Champion Farms previously known as Harmony Farms. John "Red" Redding, was This Thing of Ours groom from the day the horse began training until the day he was humanely euthanized. Many said the horse and John were inseparable. John was found dead this morning in his Louisville apartment. Cause of death is still under investigation. This could potentially open up a new investigation to twelve year old mystery.
Above the hustle and bustle of the diner Booth heard his phone ring inside his coat pocket. The sound broke him away from the front page of the newspaper. He quickly flipped it closed and slapped it down on the table as he scurried to find his phone.
"Booth." He said as he always did into the reliever of his touch screen cell phone. He had just got done reading the front page to Washington Post Brennan had brought to their daily coffee date. Booth waited for an answer as he looked up at Brennan who had taken the messily closed paper from Booth's side of the table to hers. She didn't notice that he was staring at her. It had been weeks since Booth had gotten drunk and upset about the Briggs case. Booth hated thinking about Agent Briggs. Booth for so long always thought Briggs's death was his fault. Booth endured months of therapy and desk duty to try and cope with the lost of his replacement partner after Brennan left to go on a dig in Ethiopia.
Caroline had been the one to bring the old team back together. She had come up a case dealing with a horse and human murder. Booth even went all the way to Ethiopia to get Brennan. He noticed that Brennan had evolved in a good way. She was more open and willing to new things. She was also more open with her emotions and trying to understand other people. They had talked about their feelings toward each other multiple times during that case. Every time they made progress they seemed to take two steps backwards. Recently, Brennan was asked to help clear up movement that was made on Agent Briggs case. She had lied to him about it. He had yelled at her and was upset. That was their current predicament; they hadn't talked about that night. The Briggs case had gone stone cold again. The case hadn't had any movement in months. Booth was always looking out for something new on the case but he couldn't give up other cases just to work on one. Sweets had told him it couldn't consume his life. After many disagreements Booth had reluctantly agreed to let agent McCormick work on it. This was agreed upon once agent McCormick agreed to update Booth frequently on details and developments.
"Agent Booth, did you read the paper this morning?"
"Good morning to you too, Caroline." Booth looked at the paper and then at his black coffee as he stirred sugar into it, "I glanced at it." He lied; he had read the whole front page.
"You had to have glanced at the front page." She said obviously annoyed with Booth's comment.
Booth smiled, he knew he was getting at Caroline, "To amuse you, sure I read the first page very very intently. What's up? I know you want something." He joked taking a sip of his coffee. He hissed softly as the steaming hot coffee burn his tongue and scorched his esophagus as it made its way down.
"You and Dr. Brennan going to take this one?" Caroline knew Booth all too well. The thought of reopening a case that never was solved was what Booth and the Squints did, they solved impossible cases. That's why Caroline had come to Booth.
"Taking what?" Booth asked, "A Case? The front page news is all about some horse and his…" Booth leaned forward and read the text again, "His groom doesn't sound too serious."
"Did you skip over the decade long mystery part?" she questioned.
"Why has this become FBI business?" Booth asked as he straightened out his purple tie, "You know reporters…they try and spice everything up to make it interesting to read."
Caroline laughed annoyingly, "Agent Booth, the police in Kentucky couldn't come up with an answer. Didn't you read that it was an unsolved case? They need a new set of trained eyes."
Booth sighed and cracked his knuckles while he thought it over, "The remains have obviously been moved, Bones is definitely not going to like that."
Brennan looked up at the mention of her name and scrunched her nose at the point Booth had made. She didn't look back at the paper but leaned in over the table obviously intrigued in the conversation Booth was having with the prosecutor.
"Cherie, I had no choice in that matter. Once I was informed the body had already been moved to the city morgue." Caroline had explained to Booth.
"Let me ask Bones." Booth stated before taking the phone away from his ear. He pressed the mute button and set it down on the table. He pointed to the front page. He then tapped his finger on the front page article, "They want us on this case." He informed her, "Bad thing is the remains had been moved from the crime scene."
Brennan raised her eyebrow and her eyes danced with excitement, "This could be a great opportunity to work in the field with horses again. Do you remember how fascinating the other case was?" Brennan questioned, "Although I'm not very pleased with the fact the remains had been moved."
"Yes or no Bones?" Booth asked again, "I know you want to take it…" he joked as he took a bite of his apple pie.
"I have a lot of work at the lab but this case is captivating." Brennan nodded looking down at the text again before looking back up at Booth, "Sure let's take on the case. We haven't had a murder in a couple weeks."
Booth smiled, "Awesome!" Booth unmuted his phone and spoke with Caroline again. After multiple minutes of Booth and Caroline discussing details he hung up, "Finish up Bones, we've got a plane to catch in a couple hours."
"I already have a bag packed at the lab." Brennan explained as her phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her winter jacket and looked at the caller id, "Cam." She informed Booth before answering it. Brennan talked swiftly with Cam as they discussed protocols and discussed some things Booth wasn't sure about. Brennan hung up the phone and sighed slightly, "This is going to be a slightly different case."
Booth leaned back and finished the rest of his now cooled coffee, "What's that?"
"Cam and Hodgins have to come with us." Brennan began, "They need to come and gather evidence then come back to DC. We'll meet them at the lab."
"That's fine." Booth said looking over at Brennan, "Is there something else that we need to do?"
Brennan took a long breath looking conflicted, "There is someone else I would like to call on the case. I didn't mention it to Cam but I think his expertise is crucial."
"Colfax?" Booth asked but he knew that would be Brennan's answer. Dr. Duane Colfax had been the veterinarian that helped Booth and Brennan solve their previous case. He had been very beneficial and after standing up to Brennan he got her approval.
Brennan nodded as she put her grown out bangs behind her ear and out of her eyes, "He is brilliant and you have to admit he helped us tremendously on the last case."
Booth wiped his mouth with the napkin and placed it back on the table, "I completely agree." Booth mentioned to the waitress for the check, "You want to call him?" Booth asked as their waitress dropped off the check. Brennan reached for some money, "I got it Bones." He pulled money out of his chestnut leather wallet and paid the bill, "I'll go grab the car while you talk with him."
Brennan nodded indicating that she was already speaking with his receptionist at his office. Booth weaved his way through people. He fished his keys out of his pocket and pushed through the glass doors that creaked as he pushed them open. Once he was outside he rounded the corner and popped the lock on his jet black SUV. He jumped into the soft, tan, leather seat and put the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life. He looked both ways on the two way street before he pulled out of his parking spot. He rounded the block and pulled back up in front of the Royal Diner. Brennan was already waiting for him. He noticed that she was already off the phone. He thought for a moment as she stood in front of the diner if she was going to bring up that night that night or if he was going to have to. Brennan had been very good at covering her emotions. He knew that about her since the beginning. The two of them really just kept missing their time. He blew out an aggravated breath and ran a hand through his spiked hair and waited for Brennan to get in.
"He's in, he'll meet us at the lab. He just had to contact another veterinarian to cover his clients while he's working with us," Brennan instructed as she put her seatbelt on. Brennan was really excited to work on another horse case.
Booth noticed how Brennan looked excited to be on another case like this one, "You excited for this case Bones?" Booth asked, "You look like you're ready to jump out of your skin."
Brennan looked at him and nodded, "Although it is not possible to jump out of my skin I do see your point. Yes, I am excited to work on this case. I love an opportunity where I can learn something new. I am brilliant but it is refreshing to know that I can still learn things. I enjoy working with Dr. Colfax. He is a very knowledgeable veterinarian."
Booth and Brennan talked while Booth weaved through traffic to arrive at the lab in record timing. He thought that using his siren and lights would have been a better option. Hodgins, Cam, and Dr. Colfax were all waiting inside the sliding doors of the lab when Booth and Brennan pulled up. Cam emerged first, and to Brennan's surprise she didn't look upset with the executive decision Brennan made to add Colfax to the case. Booth looked in to see Hodgins kissing Angela good bye before they parted ways. Each of them loaded their supplies and equipment into the back of the Sequoia. Jack was the last one to climb into the SUV. They all waved bye to Angela before speeding off to the airport.
Please let me know what you think! The next chapter will definitely get more into the case!
If there is something horse related that needs explaining it will have a * by it. I will explain at the end of the chapter.
Fetlock: A horse's ankle