Chapter 2
The Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab, Monday at 11:30 am
Zach and Brennan had removed the body from the iron maiden and now the remains were spread out on a separate lab table. Hodgins was griping that he had to ladle the body fluids out of the torture device instead drilling a hole and draining it. Of course drilling a hole would have ruined the artifact and Brennan reminded him of that.
"Bones, can I talk to you?" Booth cut in as the two anthropologists were trying to catalog the parts and arrange them properly.
"Sure. Zach continue with this and I'll be right back," Brennan said. The young man nodded and continued on. The two partners headed to the world-renowned author's office and closed the door behind them.
"Listen I know that having someone working here being a killer is an uncomfortable thing but I need to know if you and the team can still be objective," Booth told her.
"As much as it pains me to admit that there is a another killer working here, I'm sure we can remain focused," she promised.
"Good, you know I don't question you or the squints but I know that at trial, things will be skewed and they'll try to make it look like Gorgonzola did it," he said. His partner didn't even bother to correct him. The look on her face made him a little worried.
"Are you ok Bones?" Booth asked.
"I'll be fine. My stomach is just a little upset," she told him.
"Mine would be too after opening that thing," he gave her a slight smile before continuing.
"I'm going to make some phone calls and then I'll come over and see what you have." Brennan nodded and the two left the office. The forensic anthropologist headed back to the platform and Booth quickly made his way to Angela's office. He did have to call Cullen to alert him to the situation but he also had something to discuss with the forensic artist.
"Come in," Angela called after hearing someone knock on her office door.
"Hey Ange, can we talk?" Booth asked.
"Anything for my favorite FBI agent," she smiled. He smirked and sat down on her couch.
"I have something I want to ask Bones but I'm not sure how to go about it," the words surprised the forensic artist.
"You, Mr. Look at My Cocky Belt Buckle, don't know how to ask Bren something?" She tried to contain her laughter.
"Listen Ange, we aren't talking about some woman we're talking about Temperance," Booth got all serious.
"I'm sorry hun but I just never imagined you having trouble with the ladies," the forensic artist said.
"I want to ask her something but I know how she gets about the whole "male dominance" thing and the archaic system," the FBI agent explained.
"You do have a point but you know I've seen her change since you two have been dating, I'm sure that she'll at least hear you out before going into her whole spiel," Angela assured him.
"I guess I just wanted some reassurance. This step would mean our relationship would be out in the public and we wouldn't be able to work together anymore," Booth said.
"Well if you think you're ready for that leap than go for it," she smiled.
"Thanks Ange, I'll talk to you later," he smiled back and then headed out to make his phone call. The forensic artist just shook her head and returned to her computer screen. It was so funny that both partners would turn to her for advice after dating each other for so long.
Out at the platform, Hodgins was almost done scooping the body fluids out of the iron maiden when his ladle hit something. He knew that it wasn't one of the still very sharp spikes that lined the inside walls of the instrument of death. Knowing it was too dangerous for him to stick his arm in there he tried to scoop it out with the ladle. When success was achieved, he looked at his find.
"Dr. Brennan you'd better come take a look at this," the entomologist called over to his boss.
"What is it Hodgins?" She asked without looking up from her work.
"How many holes did our vic have in him?" He wondered. This caused both Brennan and Zach to look up.
"We haven't figured out how many yet, why?" The senior forensic anthropologist inquired.
"Because I think I just found something that could have made holes of it's own," Hodgins pulled what looked to be a nine-millimeter pistol out of the ladle.
"I found it in the bottom of the maiden," he said as Brennan walked over to look at the weapon.
"What is a gun doing in there?" She wondered.
"I don't know but that should narrow our suspect pool," the bug man postulated.
"Yes it could," Brennan agreed.
"Got anything for me Bones?" Booth asked as he swiped his card and entered the platform.
"Nine-millimeter," she told him as Hodgins put the slimy weapon into an evidence bag.
"I'll have the lab clean and run the ballistics if it'll still fire. Cullen says that we're clear to move ahead with the case. Cam had better be brought up to date. She'll have to tell Bancroft what's going on," her partner said.
"The last time he was here all he managed to do was threaten Angela. He's just an annoyance," Brennan shook her head.
"Careful Bones if you want to keep your job," Booth told her.
"Finally I'm not the only one who think Bancroft is a useless pile of crap," Hodgins piped in.
"Yes well Booth has a point too though," she noted.
"Doesn't mean I can't have my opinion. He even gets close to Angela and he'll find out how much I dislike him," the entomologist said. This made Booth chuckle slightly and then he took the evidence bag with the gun in it.
"I'll let you know what the lab gets off of this," the FBI agent said.
"I'll call you in case we find any definitive bullet holes in our victim," Brennan promised. Booth nodded before turning and leaving the platform. He walked outside the lab and immediately picked up his phone. Poking the keypad, he texted his partner.
"Be careful, I'll see you later and we'll talk."
To Be Continued…
