The Bone Artist
Chapter Seven
ELM377 & Interest Me
The smell of bacon and eggs awoke Booth. He opened his eyes to find himself on the couch with the living room ceiling staring at him. He sat up and wiped a hand over his face.
"Booth are you awake?" called Brennan from the kitchen.
"Bones?"
She walked out of the kitchen in one of his white shirts, tousled hair and long bare legs.
"Uh, Bones, why are you here?"
"I stayed with you last night, don't you remember?"
He peeked underneath his blanket.
"No, did we uh... did anything uh?"
"How do you like your eggs man?" called Noel from the kitchen.
"Noel? Why is Noel here? Oh God, did he sleep here, did you and he uh...?"
"I don't know what you are trying to say."
"Bones, what the Hell is going on?" Booth stood up and the blanket slipped off revealing his boxer shorts. He quickly snatched the blanket around his waist.
"Noel gave you Vicodin last night after the yoga session, helped me get you on the sofa, and you fell asleep there. I slept in your bed because I didn't think you should be alone, and Noel let himself in this morning. That fake rock is a stupid hiding place for your key, Booth. You may need to change your lock."
Booth sighed and walked through to the kitchen.
"Hey man, nice socks. How's that Vicodin hangover? I've got some little purple pills that may help with that."
"Noel I am an FBI special agent, and you are offering me drugs?"
"Booth, I think you're sending mixed messages. You were demanding drugs last night anyway - Herbal man, herbal. Sit down. I made you breakfast"
I'm dreaming. Any minute now, the alarm will go off, and I will wake up. In my bed. Alone.
Booth pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. Brennan sat next to him.
"This looks good Noel" said Brennan.
"Yeah, I like to cook, you know, get creative with ingredients- make up dishes"
Booth poured himself some coffee.
"Oh God, the brownies - did you eat the brownies Bones?'
"Yes."
"And did you have funny dreams? Hallucinate talking smurfs, anything like that?"
"No. But you may have. Judging by the amount of talking you were doing in your sleep. You kept saying something about silky hair and soft skin over the bones."
"You know dreams are our sub-conscious desires pushing our bodies into a spiritual journey," said Noel.
"No they are not. Dreams mean you're sleeping."
"Whatever man, eat your pancakes."
Booth glanced at Brennan's bare legs as they brushed against his.
"Bones, why don't you go and get dressed."
"Hey, don't dress on my account Bones." Noel swept his gaze from head to toes.
"Don't call her Bones."
"Why not that's what you call her?"
"Bones go get dressed."
"Alright, alright I'm going."
"Mung bean boy - behave yourself. She's my partner."
"Yeah I'm hearing you dude. So how are you feeling this morning? Enlightened?"
"Not particularly. Yesterday was a complete waste of time. We have no suspects and I have a bad back and you in my kitchen."
"Suspects for what?"
"We found a young woman murdered. She was a yoga teacher."
"Seriously man? Wow. Who was she?"
"Melinda Jameson ever heard of her?"
"Oh no, not Melinda. She was the best. I really liked her. She was helping me produce my hemp products. I assume you have questioned her husband"
"What's his name?"
"Martin? No, Michael? That's not it. Wait. Got it. Robert. Robert Jameson."
"Where would I find this guy?'
"Yoga retreat, up in the black forest."
"Great."
Brennan re-entered the kitchen. Noel fixed his eyes on her blouse. "You look good in grey."
"Hey,eyes off her. I tell you what. How about you do a little surveillance?"
"Depends, is there a financial incentive for this surveillance and will the person I'll be surveilling be female?"
