"Zachie, there's a change of plans; we're all going out to the Diner tonight, ok?"
"Oh, that's fine with me."
"Good," I smiled as I hugged him, "because we're going whether you like it or not."
He laughed as I pulled him along towards the door. The summer evening air was cool with a slight wind. I snuggled my body into his arm as we walked hand in hand down the streets to the Diner. As we walked in, Sweets took notice of me and Zach.
"I knew you two were going to start dating sooner or later." He said with a sigh.
"Psychology can't determine compatibility!" Angela said.
"Then how do you have such romantic insight?" he retorted.
"Intuition." She said with a mock huff as we all laughed.
The rest of the evening at the Diner was filled with laughter and cheer, when we began to disperse for the night. Hodgins drove Zach and me home, and when we arrived, I let Hodgins go inside ahead of me. I shut the door in front of me and ran back to the garage to go to Zach's apartment. Upon letting me in, Zach's lips were on mine. Our tongues danced while we began to undress. When we were both half-naked, I stopped.
"What is it?" Zach whispered.
"I think this is moving a bit to fast, Zach." I said.
"I didn't really notice, but I guess you're right." His adorable puzzled look surfaced.
I tackled him to the bed, "Then let's just sleep okay? I love you, and I don't mind just being here with you one tiny bit." I smiled as we snuggled up under the covers.
"I love you so much, Alice."
"I love you too Addybear."
We snuggled together and drifted off to sleep.
************************************************
Zach's alarm clock beeped as we groggily awoke.
"Mmm… Zack? I'm gonna go get dressed over at my apartment, ok?" I said with a yawn.
"That's fine, I'll see you in the car."
I knew that Zach and I always got up far earlier than Hodgins, so I tried to be extra quiet when I was making my way up to the attic. Suddenly, I heard a voice from behind me.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A robed Hodgins said, coffee in hand as Angela came out of the doorway next to him. I suddenly realized that I still was wearing my clothes from yesterday and that my hair probably looked terrible.
"Oh my gosh, Alice! You kissed him once yesterday and now you're having sex?" Angela asked astonished.
"No! We did not have sex! We kissed and talked and went to bed. Nothing more."
"Uh-huh, that's what they all say, Baby." Hodgins said with a smirk.
I shot him a glare before ascending the stairs to my apartment. I hopped in the shower and then grabbed some clean clothes. Picking up my bag, I descended the stairs to the kitchen and ate a Poptart and some juice before heading out the door. Zach climbed in the back of Hodgins' car, followed by Angela and Hodgins climbing in up front.
"We all here?" Hodgins asked jokingly.
"Why wouldn't we be?" Zach asked with his adorable puzzled frown.
"Never mind Zach…" Hodgins chuckled as we pulled out of his driveway and went off to the Jeffersonian.
************************************************
"Peter Thomson, 74, had a limp because of a birth defect. Cause of Death, fatal gunshot wound to the head after being tortured with some sort of machine at an Iron processing factory." I said to Dr. Brennan and Cam.
"There's almost no insect activity because most of the tissue was gone, but in the remaining flesh, many lifecycles had already occurred, so this guy died quite a while ago." Hodgins added.
"His file says that he went missing about 9 months ago." Angela put in.
"Okay, great. Now we just need to find who killed him." Booth said swiping his card before coming up on the platform, "Bones, you'll come with me, talk to his daughter in Maryland. Rest of you squints, see if you can find anything else!" he said, dragging Dr. Brennan away.
"Great work everyone, especially you Ms. Owens." Cam said smiling at me.
I blushed "Zach helped… and please call me Alice."
"Alrighty then. Let's get cracking! Look over everything, explore some theories. Zach and Hodgins, remember that you MUST have my permission to do extensive experiments. You can do little things just fine, but if it involves anything that can blow up, bounce, or in any way potentially harm someone you need to talk to me first. Understood?" She said harshly.
"Yes ma'am." Hodgins said, hands in the air. I turned to the computer and began looking at all sorts of machines used in Iron processing that might saw grooves in a lateral pattern. I spent the better part of the morning looking through machines until I found one. I called Dr. Brennan.
"Brennan."
"Dr. Brennan, I found the machine that the murderer used on Peter Thomson."
"That's great! What is it?"
"It's used to saw apart large slabs of molded iron into rods for use in buildings. The murderer pulled the victim's arms out before the machine could saw completely through them."
"Okay, thanks Alice!"
Zach walked over to me, "Ok, I've been practicing saying this a couple ways, but I think I'll just be direct. Do you want to go out to dinner with me tonight?" He looked at me with puppy eyes.
I smiled and pecked him on the lips, "Yes I would. Where were you thinking?"
"Hodgins told me about this sushi place…"
"Sounds great Zachie! We can get ready together and then borrow one of Hodgins' cars… wait, neither of us drive…"
"I already asked Angela if she'd be willing to drive us and she said yes, so we don't have to worry about that."
"Great! Let's get back to work, ok?" I smiled, squeezing his hand and turning back to the bones on the table. I thought to myself about all the facts we had. This guy had no enemies. His only daughter is happily married with two kids. His wife died three years ago. He is considerably wealthy. That could be motive for the daughter… but Booth said she was super dainty and such so I don't think she could handle blood…
I called up Booth.
"This is Booth."
"Where does Mr. Thomson's daughter's husband work?"
"I don't know off hand, but I can ask, we're here with him." I heard him ask the question to the man, "He says he works odd jobs, but mainly at an auto body repair shop, why?"
"Ask him where he worked 9 months ago."
"Ok…" he asked the question, "He didn't have a job back then."
"Ugh… Ask him if he's ever worked in some sort of iron processing facility."
"Ok" again, the question, "He worked at one in the next town over for three years, WHY?"
"Because he has motive and ability. Does he perchance own or use to own a 9mm handgun?"
"Yes, we already checked that…"
"Well then I think you have our murderer."
Zach butted in, "I think you should check their finances and see how much money they came into when the victim died."
"Alrighty then. Thanks squint squad!"
Just before he hung up I could hear him getting his handcuffs out of his belt.
"High five, Zach!" I held up my hand. We high fived and went to tell Angela and Hodgins that we'd found the guy.