Hello again!!! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, it means a lot to me to get feedback!!! Chapter 21 is ready – wohoooo!
Chapter 21:
Hodgins was engrossed in his work, trying to analyse the particles they had found on the latest victim... precisely entangled in the hair of the wig she had been wearing. He had made a visual comparison to the soil of the park, where she had been found and was glad to see that it wasn't a match. That meant the particles were either from the place where the victim got killed or where she had been held hostage. The chances were high that both places were the same. And that Brennan was there too, hopefully alive.
He was preparing a sample for the spectrometer, when he suddenly heard the quick clatter of heels approaching. "We have a suspect, he may be on the Jeffersonian tapes." His fiancée yelled at him, not bothering to stop and explain.
"Who?" Hodgins managed to shout after her, but Angela was already gone, vanished around the next corner, clearly heading for her office.
"Marc Roberts" A deep male voice said from behind him. Hodgins jumped at the unexpected sound and nearly knocked over a microscope. "Dude, don't sneak up on me like that. That equipment costs... a lot!... Hold on... Marc Roberts... why does that name sound familiar?"
"He was dating Cam?" Booth offered.
Hodgins pulled a face. "And how would I know about that? Do I look like a girl?... That's not why the name sounds familiar..." His brow furrowed and Booth could practically see the wheels turn inside his head.
"He told Cam he was thinking of becoming a donator for the Jeffersonian. Guess he is... frequenting the same circles as you are." Booth pointed out another possibility.
Hodgins eyes widened. "Cirlces? Dude, I spend most of my time here! But... Roberts. Marc Roberts, right!!! The Lovell Mansion auction... I placed a bid for that too, but he really, really wanted it, he paid twice what it's worth for it. I may be rich, but I am not a fool... I am not paying a fortune for a house that needs renovation." Jack shook his head, recalling the auction a few months ago.
"Whatever... " Booth said, not entirely comfortable with Hodgins talking about buying an estate as he might be talking about... say buying a new pair of shoes. Or maybe socks. "Cam went on a few dates with him and he picked her up here once. So Angela thinks she might have him on the tapes an can compare it to what we have from the cameras near Brennan's."
"That... would be enough for a warrant?" Hodgins asked cautiously.
"I hope so... and if not... I will find a way." Booth said and by the way his eyes glowed dangerously and his fierce expression on his face, Hodgins had no doubt that he was going to do everything he could to get to Brennan. Break-in included.
"Well... I have to run this test now... tell me if Ange finds anything, okay?" Hodgins asked the FBI agent, who gave back a crooked grin. "You wont need a messenger, she'll make herself... uhm...noticeable." Booth said.
Hodgins chuckled. "True."
And during this little exchange they noticed that there finally was spark of hope again. They exchanged a small, almost cautious smile and then Booth left Hodgins to his tests and followed Angela to her office.
Half an hour later, Booth's and Angela's eyes were glued to the screen. They finally had found Roberts on the Jeffersonian tapes and now Angela was able to start the comparison software that searched for matches regarding body posture, height and movement.
Angela grabbed the armrests of her chair, squeezed them tightly and nervously licked her dry lips. 'It has to be him, it has to be him, God PLEASE, it has to be him' She repeated in her head over and over again, like a mantra.
She risked a brief side glance towards Booth and saw that he was as nervous and impatient as she was.
Then she heard a beeping sound, announcing that the software had found something. She took in a deep breath and her eyes fixed on the words on the screen. "Congruence 98.5 prob." was blinking in green letters. The man who had disguised himself as an electrician to get access to Brennan's building was Marc Roberts, with 98.5 probability.
"I nailed your ass, you bastard." She yelled and jumped to her feet and felt Booth rise beside her too. She watched how he looked at the frozen picture of Marc Roberts on the screen and saw hatred in his dark eyes.
"I will get you, you asshole." He hissed through gritted teeth and Angela knew, it was a promise he intended to keep – whatever the cost.
Angela went to the door of her office and yelled outside: "It's Roberts" to let her co-workers know that they finally knew who the Collector was. She did not wait to listen to the exclaims and gasps of Hodgins and the others, but returned her attention to FBI agent in her office.
Booth took out his phone, flipped it open and dialled Caroline Julian's number. A few moments later he said: "Caroline. We have a suspect, he matches with the guy who had access to Bones' apartment and another one. Marc Roberts. Get me a warrant to search his estates... please."
"Marc Roberts, got it. Estates, cher? As in big and plural?" Caroline's voice came out of the speaker.
"Yeah. Three estates in DC area. I need the warrant NOW... You know, he... he has Bones." Booth confirmed and Caroline gave back. "I'm on it, cher." Booth gave back a short: "Thank you." Then he closed his phone again and took in a deep breath.
"I'll call the FBI, I hope I'll get three teams... if not I have to choose which house to search first..." Booth said, and briefly closed his eyes. What if he chose the wrong one first? A few hours could decide if Brennan was alive or not.
His internal debate was interrupted when they heard Hodgins' exclaim from outside Angela's office. "Booth! I know where she is!"
Angela and the FBI agent exchanged an astonished look, then they hurried outside to see what Jack had found.
What did Hodgins find? Where is she and will they come in time to save her???
Next update this week!!!
Reviews make me very happy!