The Push in the Partnership
Chapter 4
Agent Perotta walked through the doors of the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab later that afternoon accompanied by several techs and containers of evidence for her latest case. Just inside the door, they were greeted by Dr. Saroyan, who, to Perotta's surprise, seemed to be expecting them.
"Where is the victim's body?," Cam asked.
Perotta smiled and pointed behind her. "Right behind us." Cam nodded and walked toward the metal push cart carrying a covered box. Perotta opened her mouth to enquire about Dr. Saroyan's day, but the other woman was no longer paying any attention to her. Her focus was now on the case.
Perotta narrowed her eyes in confusion. She couldn't figure out if the Jeffersonian team just didn't like working with anyone but Booth, or if they were still upset about what happened when Booth had been taken by the Gravedigger. Maybe they just didn't like her. But everyone seemed to be acting much more distant toward her than the last time she'd worked with them. She sighed and began walking toward Dr. Brennan's office.
Brennan was seated at her desk when she heard a knock at her door. She glanced up from the file she was reading. "Hello, Agent Perotta. Has the case evidence arrived?"
"Yes." She looked around the office. "Is Agent Booth here?"
Brennan stood and walked past Perotta to exit her office. "No. Booth had some business to attend. However, he should be returning soon."
Perotta nodded and followed Brennan to the forensics platform. "May I come up?," she asked.
"Of course," Brennan answered, swiping her security access card. "You'll have to be granted access while we're working together." They mounted the steps together and began working.
Brennan watched as the FBI techs began uncovering the remains of their victim. She had read the report and seen the crime scene photos, but to see the remains positioned in such an obviously deliberate was very interesting.
"Whoa! Dr. B, have you ever seen anything like that?," Hodgins asked, pointing to the remains.
Brennan bent to examine the bones. "Actually, apart from the fixed position of the skeleton, at first glance there doesn't appear to be anything outwardly unusual about these remains." She looked over to Hodgins and smiled. "But the positioning is fascinating," she agreed, her voice sounding almost girlish. Hodgins smiled back at her, equally excited.
Perotta looked from Hodgins to Brennan and shook her head. "You guys really like your jobs, don't you?"
Brennan gave her a quizzical look, and opened her mouth to comment when Angela interrupted. "Sweetie, Agent Perotta was just commenting on how excited you and Hodgins are about this case." Brennan nodded in understanding and turned her attention back to the remains.
Brennan took her time with the remains. Giving them her full attention and respect, as she always did. All thoughts of Agent Perotta hovering around the edges of the platform pushed to the back of her mind as Hodgins, and Vincent Nigel-Murray helped her untie the remains from their fixed state of the lotus position. When the bones were released from their forced position and laid out on the exam table, Hodgins took the wire ties to his workstation and Vincent peered down at the remains on the opposite side of the table from Brennan, taking in every detail of each bone.