Chapter 4

"You know, when they put the icing on these things you can't really tell what they are," Booth said, holding up an animal cracker.

"If you don't know what it is, why are you eating it?" Brenna asked.

"I know it's an animal cracker, I just can't tell what animal it is."

Bones took the cookie out of his hand and examined it.

"It's clearly an elephant," she said, handing it back.

"How do you know?"

"I believe that protuberance on the side to be a trunk."

Booth looked at it for a moment.

"But if you turn it this way, it could be a monkey," Booth said, turning the cookie on its side. Bones let out an exasperated breath.

"Booth, why are we sitting here debating the species of your snack? Why aren't we questioning the suspect?"

"Did you notice him as they brought him in?" Booth asked.

"No."

"Well, let me fill you in. You will recall that this man has been picked up how many times?"

Bones thought a second. "32 times, according to Detective Spencer."

"And the look on his face when they brought him in said this was just going to be 33."

"So?"

"Look at him," he motioned to the interview room where Jason sat. "He's over confident, thinks he's going to walk right out of here. We let him stew a while and then go at him hard." Booth paused, shrugging. "Plus, he lawyered up pretty quick and his attorney is stuck in traffic."

"You know," Brennan huffed, "you could have said that from the start. Instead of going through your whole strategy to kill time."

"I'm also waiting for Detective Spencer to get back from Mister Morgan's apartment. See, while you were being all scientisty, I had a warrant issued to search his home for the murder weapon."

Just then a uniformed officer approached them.

"Agent Booth, there's someone here saying they have information on the Zacchara/Corinthos case."

"Put them in interview two and we'll be right there." Booth said.

The man sitting in interview two looked like a pillar of the community. Tailored suit, expensive tie, 500 dollar shoes. He was a picture of the Port Charles business elite.

"Sir, I'm Special Agent Booth and this is Doctor Brennan. What can we do for you?"

"My name is Phillip Sebben. I would have come forward sooner, but I was afraid for my life while Jason Morgan was walking the street. I was just watching the news and it stated that you had arrested Mister Morgan."

Brenna cut in, "Mister Morgan is in custody for questioning, he has not been arrested."

The man looked uncertain.

"Well, if I tell you what I know, can I get some kind of protective custody?"

"Tell me what you know and we'll see if it's necessary," Booth answered.

The man took a deep breath.

"It was about six months ago. I was walking my dog, kind of late, but I didn't want to get up in the middle of the night. So, we'd just turned the corner onto the next block when I saw a tall man, about 5"10' or 6 feet, in a leather jacket, with light hair loading two bodies into a car."

"You saw two bodies get loaded into car and waited six months to tell the police about it?" Brennan said. Sebben looked at her skeptically.

"Have you ever been to Port Charles? The man I figure I saw loading those bodies into that car has been arrested dozens of times, but is still walking the street. So, yeah, I kept it to myself. I didn't want to start my car with a boom."

"I get that you were afraid, but the police could have protected you then," Booth said.

"Not with Jason Morgan free. The police department is inept. They can't catch this bike thief, for God's sake! You think I'm going to trust hem with my life? When I knew the Feds were involved I figured I'd be safe."

"So, you're saying you believe Jason Morgan committed these crimes?" Brennan said.

"Yes."

"We'll need an address and a more detailed statement given to the officer who's going to come talk to you." Booth said, standing up.

"And you can get me that protection?"

"If you need it, I'll see what I can do." Booth answered.

Booth and Brennan left the interview room.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Brennan asked.

"I just saw a man in a very nice blue suit come in, who I assume to be Morgan's lawyer."

"Great," Brennan replied, "Let's go."

"First, we stop by Mac's office and make sure he gets a warrant for this new place."

That done they set off for interview one expecting to start questioning Morgan.

However, when they entered the interview room they saw a very pregnant woman in scrubs sitting across from Jason.

"Excuse me, Miss, how did you get in here?" Brennan asked.

"The door was open," was her reply. "Security is seriously lax around here," Brennan said, looking at the woman.

"Who are you, exactly?" Booth asked. "Elizabeth Spencer."

"Are you related to Detective Spencer?" Booth continued.

She sighed, "His wife."

"And you're visiting this suspect why?" the agent asked.

"He's my friend. And he didn't do anything."

Jason finally spoke, "Elizabeth, you need to leave now."

"I won't let them railroad you, Jason."

"Liz, please. Please," he begged, "Just go. I'll be fine. My lawyer will be here soon."

She took his hand, looking into his face. He looked back at her, the pleading clear in his eyes. The young woman looked heart broken, but stood and walked to the door.

"Be careful, Jason," she said sadly and walked out.

Booth and Brennan exchanged significant looks. Booth got his game face on and sat in the seat previously occupied by Liz.

"Are all your 'friends' that attractive, that pregnant and married to cops? Seems like that would be a bad idea," Booth said, goading the man.

"I have nothing to say with out my lawyer present," Jason said, tonelessly.

"We're not talking about the case. We're talking about the pretty woman who just left."

Brennan took a seat in a chair off to the side to watch the fire works.

Jason sat there silently, eyes set in stone and ice.

"We got you dead to rights this time. You're not dealing with the locals here. We have an eye witness who saw you moving the bodies of Claudia Zacchara and your partner, Sonny Corinthos," Booth said.

Jason continued to sit, silently, his face unchanged.

"I can't remember Brennan, do they still have the death penalty in New York?"

Bones seemed to think a moment and then said, "No, Booth, I don't believe they do."

"Too bad for you, Morgan. Looks like you'll be doing a lot of very hard time. I fully intend to have the DA push for the max. And this is a federal case. That woman was tortured before she died, but you know that."

At Jason's lack of expression, Booth finally gave in and stood up.

"We'll be back, Mister Morgan. With more evidence to put you away. Think on that while you sit here waiting for your lawyer."

Jason just gave the Agent a look that conveyed a certain, message. Something along the lines of 'You can suck my-'

Booth and Brennan exited the interview room intent on going over the new house with a fine tooth comb.

Booth, Brennan and the PCPD descended upon 7611 Revello Drive. It looked like a modest house, in a modest neighborhood. But the inside was a revelation.

It had not been cleaned adequately after the killings, so along with being incredibly dusty, there was a stench.

Booth covered his nose and followed Brennan through the house. They located the master bedroom and the apparent scene of the crime.

Brennan went into 'squint-mode' and Booth let her get to work.

She took the room in and searched every closet, bin, nook and cranny.

"Besides looking like a murder was committed here, there isn't much in the way of forensics to the naked eye. The bed has been stripped and the smell evokes someone trying to clean blood with bleach. I need the PC CSU to spray the whole room with Luminol and dust every surface for prints."

"It's a big house, Bones."

"So, tell them to get busy."

As Booth walked out into the great room, he was greeted by Detective Spencer, who was looking happy as a clam.

"To what do we owe that face at such a grim scene?" Booth asked sarcastically.

Lucky's smile got broader and he handed Booth a picture.

"This is the weapon that shot Zacchara and murdered Corinthos."

"And?"

"And we found it in Morgan's house with his other guns."

"You're 100 sure this is the murder weapon?"

"It's the a match for the type of gun, and all we need is for ballistics to match the gun to the bullets taken from Corinthos' head."

"You sound awful confident there, Detective."

"Morgan's a killer, and after all these years of trying to convict him, he messed up and got caught."

After giving instructions to the CSU, which was greeted with grumbles, he went back to the master bedroom to talk to Brennan.

"I just got word from Spencer about the search at Morgan's."

"And?" she asked, not looking away from what she was doing.

"He's sure they have the murder weapon."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

"There's something off about a guy who's been so meticulous in his crime that he hasn't been caught in 32 separate investigations, and now he's leaving murder weapons in his home."

"You have an alternate theory?" Brennan asked.

"Not yet, but something is up. I can't put my finger on it, but it's like this case is wrapping itself up."

"That's an odd thing to say."

"Well, think about it Bones, there are two unidentified bodies, with only two missing people. These two happen to be involved in organized crime, we question the usual suspects and get nothing. Now suddenly we have an eye witness, a murder scene and a weapon. It's coming together too easily."

"You wanted it to be harder, Booth?"

"No, that's not what I mean, it's just…"

"Convenient."

"Yeah."

"Well, now that you lay it all out, it has been a rather fortuitous chain of events."

"That's a word, Bones."

She looked at him sourly.

"Shouldn't you be finding out if your suspect's lawyer has shown up so you can bring all this up with him?"

"You are so smart, Bones. I don't know what I'd do with out you."

Meanwhile back at the PCPD.

Jason was deep in conversation with his lawyer and Elizabeth, who had retreated as far as the parking lot, but couldn't bring herself to leave.

His lawyer, a Mr. Jameson said, "I find it highly inappropriate that the wife of the lead detective on the case should be here while we talk strategy."

"I don't care, she stays," Jason said,

Liz burst out, "He didn't kill anybody. He was with me, we've been having an affair for six months."

"Elizabeth, that was the kind of thing we weren't going to tell people."

"Why?" she asked plaintively.

"Because you are not going to be my alibi."

Liz stood, stomped her foot and put her hands on her hips and said, "You don't get to tell me what to do, butthead. You've saved me so many times and in so many ways, I'm saving you now. You hear that lawyer guy? I'm his alibi!"

Jason turned to his lawyer, "We will not be needing Elizabeth. I didn't do it, this time." He stood and crossed the room to take Liz's hands. "Besides, Lucky is crazy. If I'm still in here when he finds out, I can't protect you. I can't have that, I need you safe."

"I need to help you."

"Elizabeth, right before Sonny went missing, he signed his half of the business over to me. And then I sold the entire business to the Zaccharas. I've been cutting ties with the community for the last six months. From the minute you stepped into my life, I've been getting out of the business. I didn't do this, I'll be fine."

"The father of my child is not going to prison," she teared up and shouted.

Just then the door opened and Lucky walked in just in time to hear her declaration.

Back at Revello Drive.

Brennan has focused on prints through out the house, specifically in the master bedroom.

Between a tech and herself they'd managed to come up with a few partial and latent prints. It was now time for the two investigators to start running the prints through AFIS.

Booth and Bones headed back to the PCPD lab. Unfortunately, on their way through the building the heard a commotion coming from interview one that needed investigation, as it sounded like Detective Spencer and their prime suspect.

"You're lying," Lucky said, as he stared at them.

"She's not lying, I'm the father of her baby," Jason stated flatly.

Liz said, "It's the truth, it's not your baby. It's Jason's."

"You told me this was my baby!" Lucky yelled, "You swore to me."

"I lied to you because I'm afraid of you. Of what you'd do to me and this baby if you found out the truth."

"I think you're both lying. I'll take a paternity test to prove it."

"If that's what you need-" Liz started and then changed her mind. "No, wait! How high are you? We haven't had sex in over six months. I've been with Jason all that time."

"You lying whore!" he shouted in her face. Causing Jason to lose his cool entirely and grab the other man by the arm to move him away from Liz. This caused the enraged Lucky to swing on Jason, landing a blow to the man's jaw.

Just then, Booth and Brennan walk in.

"Detective Spencer!" Brennan yelled as Booth crossed the room to get between the two men.

"Spencer, I'm going to need you to leave, now," Booth said, menace in his voice.

Lucky seethed, face gone red with rage. But he took a deep breath and did as the Agent said.

As he turned to leave he threw out, "They're going to nail you to the wall, Morgan. And I hope I get to see it." With that he slammed the door and was gone.

"Are you all right, Mister Morgan?" Booth asked.

"Expect a complaint of harassment and police brutality first thing in the morning," Jameson said.

"Nice to see you, Mister…" Booth questioned.

"Jameson, Ashley Jameson, esquire. Mister Morgan's attorney."

"Yeah, I figured that out. So, now we can have a proper conversation." He eyed Liz. "Is Mrs. Spencer staying?"

There was an awkward glance between Liz and Jason, the attempt to convey her desire to stay and his intent that she leave almost palpable. In the end, Jason gave in, realizing he needed the Agent to help protect Liz until he could get himself out of this.

"She's staying," Jason said, and sat with Liz next to him, his hand in hers.

"Well, normally I'd ask her to leave, but I want to know what just happened," Booth said.

Jason sat silently.

"I mean this is the second time I've come in here to find Mrs. Spencer 'visiting' with you." Booth said.

Liz wrinkled her nose.

"Could you call me Elizabeth, Liz, even Miss Webber? Just please stop calling me Mrs. Spencer," Liz said.

"You are married to the Detective?" Brennan asked as she took a seat as well.

"Technically, yes. Emotionally, no. Physically, definitely not. I should have left Lucky a long time ago."

"Do I take it to mean you are involved with Mister Morgan?" Brennan continued.

Jason and Liz looked at each other and Liz turned to look at Brennan.

"Yes, I am with Jason. I love him. And you're not sending him to prison. He's the father of my baby and was with me when Claudia Zacchara and Sonny were killed."

"Well, there's my clients alibi," Jameson said.

"It's not that simple, Mister Jameson. There is an eyewitness, that puts a man matching your client's description moving Zacchara's and Corinthos' bodies, presumably on the night they were killed."

The lawyer tried to interrupt.

"Let me finish. The murder weapon was also just discovered in Mister Morgan's home. Ballistics has matched it to the bullets taken from Mister Corinthos' body."

"That gun could have been planted," Jameson said, "What is the motive you're working under?"

"Well, from what I gather, Mister Corinthos was having an affair with Miss Zacchara. There was an attempt on Mister Corinthos' life that put a bullet in the head of Mister Morgan's nephew and Miss Zacchara was allegedly connected to it. That would be a damn good reason to kill them both. Your partner is sleeping with the woman who put his own son in a coma? I'd be pissed!" Booth said.

"And as to means, you're client's not a teddy bear. So says the 32 previous arrests on his record, at least one for murder. I say, your client found out Corinthos was still sleeping with Zacchara after her alleged involvement with the shooting came to light. He followed somebody, found them together, shot Corinthos and beat Zacchara to death. Next stop, the forest, with decomposition and forest creatures to finish the job. You want me to go into opportunity? Because you know her statement won't stand up to any serious scrutiny."

Mac then opened the door and motioned Booth and Brennan out.

In the hallway, Mac hands Brennan and Booth a copy the AFIS report each.

"Is this right?" Booth asked, eyes wide.

"Finger prints don't lie," Brennan said. "He was there."

Booth looked at Mac.

"How do you want to handle this?"

"Let's do it the official FBI way, no mistakes," Mac replied

Booth and Brennan looked at each other and headed back into the interview room.