Author's notes:
1) Yes, this is the same case I referred to in the "Nudity" and "Sand" chapters in my "Alphabet Soup" series.
2) Yes, the skeleton in Chapter 1 is the same from the "Yearning" chapter of the same story. I put too much thought into it to let it go.
3) I intend to use those prior chapters while writing this story, but I will not be completely bound by them. I will probably rewrite those two chapters to make it fit the longer story.
4) There will be naughty humor, but no smut. Sorry, I feel more whimsical than frisky this time.
5) Reviews and comments are fuel for the writer's ego, and keep him writing.
Chapter 2
"All right, Booth, just what kind of case do you have for us? Jaywalking? Grafitti? Some Congressional littering scandal? Just what's so important?"
Booth cocked an eyebrow. "Bank robbery, actually. And a particularly nasty one. So far, he's wounded four people in three robberies - luckily, he hasn't killed anyone so far, so no bodies for you, but we want this guy bad."
Bones quickly got serious. "All right, this is a serious case. But I don't understand how we can be of help without a body."
"I said we don't have a body, but we do have evidence." He held up his briefcase. "And the FBI's lab hasn't been able to get anything out of it. I'm hoping you folks can pry something out of it the in-house squints missed." He put the case on the table, opened it, and pulled out a CD and a bagged shoe. "The CD has all the surveillance video we have of him, and the shoe... well, let's just play the video." He handed the CD to Angela, who popped it into her computer. "Play the one marked 'ATM,' please, Ange."
The Angelator flickered, then started playing. The video was the typical jerky, low-resolution clip one usually got from security cameras. It showed the view from the front of the bank. After several seconds, a running figure entered the view and started running across the street - only to be struck by a car. The blow was a glancing one, though, and the runner got back to his feet and resumed fleeing - albeit more slowly and with a decided limp.
As the video ended, Booth resumed speaking. "And that's how we got the shoe - the impact knocked it right off him, and he didn't bother to pick it back up. If you watch the rest of the videos, you'll see him shooting those three people I mentioned - in each case, he fires twice in short succession. That's why the initial investigating agents nicknamed him 'Double-Tap Donny.' He also shoots to wound, not to kill, but one nearly bled out and another will never regain full use of his leg. This guy's a particularly nasty piece of work, and we want him before he actually does kill someone."
Bones nodded. "He's not as vicious as a lot of the other people we've captured, but I can see your concerns. And I can see how Hodgins and Angela can help you, but where do I come in?"
Booth nodded. "Remember that case with the bounty hunters? You saw Braverman take that fall, and diagnosed his injury and predicted that he'd need medical attention. I figure you can take a good look at that video and maybe tell us just what happened to him when he was hit by that car."
"I see. Also, in that video, he was wearing a mask. I'm presuming that you have no video of his face, making identification difficult?"
"You got it. I tell you, this guy's good."
"I'll have to work with Angela, but I think that if she can enhance the videos a bit, I might be able to help you there, too. From that video, he appears to have somewhat unusual bodily proportions. If we can clear it up, we might be able to get some distinguishing physical characteristics."
"There, you see? You don't always need a corpse to help."
"That was never the question, Booth. I know my own abilities, as well as that of the rest of the team. The question is whether or not we could be of assistance, but whether this was worth our time and effort. And I have to say that I think this case is."
Hodgins interrupted them. "If you don't mind, I'll just take that shoe. I think there are all sorts of things it can tell me under my instruments." With that, he took the shoe and left for his own lab.
