Booth stood outside Sterling's vehicle knocking on the window and holding out his badge until the Interpol agent rolled the bullet proof glass plate down.

"I told you you'd come knocking. What can I do for you?" Sterling smiled.

"I appreciate the cooperation. Tell your friend, here, to get this car out of the handicapped spot while you and I have a little discussion downtown." Booth insisted pointing to the lackey in the passenger's seat.

"There's no need to go downtown. I'm completely willing to answer any questions you have right here."

Booth gave a slight nod. "I really must insist. You know how it is, protocol and all."

"Am I under arrest?" Sterling asked him.

"Consider yourself a person of interest. FBI gets a little suspicious when outsiders provide information about a victim that has yet to be identified."

"Does that mean Spencer's been officially identified?"

Booth said nothing as he opened the door inviting Sterling into the backseat of the vehicle that Sweets was parked in. Booth came around and sat behind the wheel watching for the Sterling's vehicle to show movement before pulling out.

"I'll take the distinct lack of an answer as confirmation." Sterling stated from the backseat. "So, Spencer's really dead? Wow! I've been known to underestimate him from time to time, but could have sworn it would take more than that to put him down. Who is this kid? Is it take your child to work day?"

Sweets continued to look at the window as the man ranted, giving him more than enough to identify the best route in obtaining the information they wanted from him.

XXXXX

On Nate's command Sophie waited for Booth's vehicle to pull away before approaching the entrance of the Jeffersonian. Nate stood just inside the door.

"Have you seen Parker?" Sophie asked her.

"Not yet; what did you think you were doing coming here?" Nate questioned her.

"I had to find…"

"Parker, really?" Nate interrupted her. "You didn't think I could handle that? You shouldn't be here; you shouldn't even be in this town."

"You shouldn't be alone." She countered. "And I am here, so let's find our thief before she causes more trouble."

Nate shook his head as he directed her towards the lab.

"Do they know…?" Sophie was hesitant to ask before the glass door slid open.

"No; not yet." Nate answered. She figured as much; he would have said something had there been news to report. Sophie walked towards the table. Nate stopped her before she had the chance to set off any alarms. Daisy worked studiously studying the marks located on the bones and jotting down any irregularities.

"Is that..?" Sophie attempted to maintain composure.

"Sophie." He stated calmly pulling her into his chest as the tears started to fall. Up until this point Eliot's death was a hypothetical; the only person that had seen the crime scene was Nate. He was the only one that had to process the blood, flesh, and bone. Suddenly Sophie became very aware of why he pushed so hard to keep them out of it as she felt her knees start to shake beneath her.

"It's not him." Parker stated from the upper level standing in the lounge area looking down at the others. "Sophie, wipe those tears away, and Nate before you say anything the facts agree with me."

Nate watched Parker climb over the railing as Cam's eyes widened while the girl jumped the story straight onto her feet like a cat hitting the ground level.

"What the…!" The pathologist looked over the ledge to see her approach her teammates.

Parker looked up with a confused glance. "It's not like it's a moving train… although, that would be fun."

"Parker, what do you mean?" Nate asked still holding the distraught grifter.

"I mean that Eliot wouldn't have slept through someone breaking into his garage to tamper with his truck before hiding out in his backyard. It wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe the bomb was placed earlier, when Eliot wasn't there." Sophie countered.

"If he wasn't there he would have been using his truck." Nate responded.

"See." Parker pointed at the mastermind.

"There was a storm, a lot of noise." Sophie insisted.

"Which only means it would have been harder for Eliot to sleep through it." Parker argued; not explaining how she knew that particular fact. "It's not him."

"That hardly concrete." Nate stated.

"Maybe this is." Brennan responded as she approached them shouting up to the division head. "Cam, will you tell Angela that I have the skull constructed?"

"Absolutely." Cam nodded.

xxxxx

Sorry so short, it's been a long week. And yeah… kind of cliffy.