CHAPTER 7

"Bones, let me do most of the talking and just follow my lead, okay? I know just how I'm going to approach this," Booth said as she parked on a side street. For once, she didn't argue with him. "And stay close to me." Booth in protective mode--for once she didn't seem to mind, for some strange reason. As they rounded the corner he put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into his side. He kept their pace slow and smiled down into her face, a smile she couldn't help but return.

"Hey, ya know where we can find Jasmine?" he asked as they approached a redhead in turquoise spandex pants and a white sequined halter top. Jasmine was Leticia Johnson's street name. "Friend told me she'd be up for a three way with me and my gal Roxie," he said, giving the hooker that half cocked, sexy grin. The hooker straightened and gave him a slow once over, smiling like it was Christmas. She completely ignored Brennan.

"Honey, you don't need to look no further, Chantal can take care of you," she drawled, cocking her hip and putting her hand on it. "Chantal will take real good care of you," she promised with what was supposed to be a sexy smile. Brennan felt her temper rising.

Tony looked up and down the block. "Uh, I don't know, my friend recommended Jasmine, said she was the best. What do ya think Roxie?"

Brennan eyed Chantal warily. "I don't know Tony. How do we know she don't have some kind of disease? I mean, ya can't be too careful these days." She looked the hooker up and down with a distasteful look on her face and Booth gave her waist a warning squeeze. There was no need to alienate their mark before they could get any information.

Chantal drew herself up, highly insulted. "I get checked regular. Girls that don't, don't last too long out here." She turned her attention to Booth, stepping closer to him and running her hand down his chest, stopping just short of his belt buckle. "C'mon, stud, let me show ya what I got. You won't regret it." Her hand started roaming back up his chest and Booth felt Brennan tense beside him. He gave her waist another hard squeeze, and she knew she was going to have bruises in the morning. She glared up at him and he decided it was best to end the charade before someone got hurt, namely Chantal.

Pulling out his shield, he flashed it at Chantal and her demeanor changed as she took a step back. She looked from him to Brennan and back. "Oh man, I knew you were too good to be true. My gut was tellin' me so, and my mamma always told me to listen to my gut."

"So did mine," Booth said quietly. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner, Dr Brennan. We need to know what happened to Jasmine. When's the last time you saw her?"

Chantal studied Booth's face, then looked furtively up and down the street. Nobody was paying them any attention. "She ain't been around for more than a month. Last I saw, she was with some white dude in a fancy Camaro. I figured she'd staked out a new corner, or maybe the guy set her up in her own place. Looked like he could afford it and the way they was all over each other, maybe it was true love." Chantal smirked and lit a cigarette.

"What did the Camaro look like? Did you get the plate?" Booth asked.

"Sht, what do I look like, a meter maid? All I know is, that was one fine, tricked out ride. Candy apple red with orange and yellow flames painted down the sides. Fancy mag wheels. Really hot." She took a drag on the cigarette, then snapped her fingers. "Wait, I think I remember the plate, it was one of them whatcha callit, vanity plates? Somethin' like 'hot stuff' or 'hot n wild' or was it 'wild stuff'? No wait, it was 'hot stud', that's what it was. I ain't seen it around since that night Jasmine took off with him." She picked a piece of tobacco off her tongue with one long crimson nail. "Say, is there some kinda reward in this? 'Cause I'm losing money every minute we stand here."

Booth tucked a c-note into her hand and smiled. "Thanks, Chantal, you've been a big help. Let's go, Bones."

Back in the car, Brennan was fuming. Booth decided to take the bull by the horns and head her off before she worked up a really big mad.

"Okay, let's have it. What's the matter?"

Brennan shot him a glare. "Dam hussy would have had you down on the sidewalk and your clothes off in a minute if you hadn't pulled your badge out. And I think you were enjoying it!" Booth took a moment to admire the flash of temper in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks. His Bones was jealous! Of a hooker! He smothered a grin that he knew would earn him a slug.

"No, Bones, I was doing my job. I didn't enjoy it at all. But we got the information we needed." He turned and saw she seemed to be calming down. "Come here," he ordered softly. She finally looked at him and he smiled his most charming smile. Her lips twitched unwillingly.

"She's lucky you stopped it when you did, because I was going to hit her if she didn't stop touching you." Thinking about pounding the hooker seemed to improve her mood. "She's also lucky I didn't have a gun. Dam purse was too small for it."

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm your gun, remember?" Then his lips were softly touching hers and she responded with a soft moan. When her tongue darted between his lips he thought he was going to lose it right there. He decided they needed to get going before they ended up in the back seat like a couple teenagers. Pulling away, he started the car, driving as quickly as he could to her apartment.