Booth's POV

I was at a diner again with Clark when my phone rang. I saw who was calling and answered immediately.

"Bones, thank God –"

"How dare you, Booth."

I was ready to be yelled at. In some ways it felt good – I could get what I deserved and then move on.

"I know, Bones. I'm sorry. I'm –"

"You had no right, Booth. You had no right to talk to Sweets."

Back up. How did she know? Clark shot me a look and then buried his face in his glass of orange juice.

"I told you just one week ago not to talk to Sweets about me. And then you tell him about Falco before telling me? So I had to hear it from him?"

"Woah – hang on. You weren't answering your phone. How could I have told you?"

"That doesn't mean you had to tell him! I've always respected your privacy."

"Yeah, like that time with Hacker?" I snapped. Why did you just bring that up? Stupid! I put and elbow on the table and rested my head on my hand. "Forget I just said that, Bones."

"You're comparing your fear of hard-boiled eggs to my time living with a child pornographer."

"Just forget it, Bones."

"Screw you, Booth."

"Wait – Bones –"

She hung up on me.

"God damn it!" I yelled.

The diner quieted. Clark gave me a look.

I had to get back to D.C. I could not be having these conversations over the phone anymore.

"You know, Agent Booth," Clark started, "I'm not one to talk about personal affairs with my work colleagues –"

"Yeah," I said cutting him off. "Exactly."

Clark closed his mouth and raised his eyebrows. "Right," he said, and went back to eating.

Of course I regretted it a moment later. "Sorry, Clark. I'm – what were you going to say."

"It's not important," he said.

My phone rang, but it wasn't Bones.

"Booth," I answered.

"Agent Booth, I have good news," Harkins said. "We're bringing in Eddie Falco."

Clark came with me to the station this time. "I think seeing some of the suspects might give me ideas on cause of death," he said. I didn't care – I just wanted to get at Falco.

By the time I was striding the halls of the police station I was feverish with anger and my fist was itching for blood. Harkins looked like he hadn't got much sleep; his round cheeks were sagging.

"Falco's not saying much," Harkins said. "We're stalling on the lawyer, but I doubt you'll have any luck."

"Yeah, he's the one in control," I muttered.

"Well, we've probably got him on the child pornography, since the photos were taken in his house," Harkins said. "But we got nothing for the murder except Wilson's testimony. And the skeleton in the basement, I guess, but if we can't get some solid forensic evidence a jury wouldn't convict. Welcome to jury duty in the era of CSI."

"That's why I'm here," Clark said. "If you'll allow me to watch the interview I'm hoping for some insights."

Harkins looked over his shoulder as we walked. "What? A forensic geek out of the lab?"

"Yeah, that's how we roll," I quipped.

And then we were at the door; Eddie Falco was on the other side. I took a deep breath before I went in.

"Hello, Eddie," I said. "I'm Agent Booth with the FBI. You've got yourself some federal attention."

Falco crossed his arms and leaned back, doing his best to show disdain. He had a high-and-tight haircut from his army days, although he had been dishonorably discharged after a fight with a superior officer. His denim shirt fit his trim frame but his eyes were a little yellow from cigarettes. He didn't look any more stressed than when we had interviewed him over the bones found in his house.

He was not going to be as easy as Wilson. Wilson was a dependent personality, eager to please and easy to manipulate. Falco was used to doing the manipulating.

"I'm not talking without a lawyer," Falco said.

"Yeah," I said. "So I hear."

Falco just stared at me stonily.

"So your buddy Wilson flipped," I said. "Says you found him on the internet, offered him a boatload of cash for raping little girls on camera. Pretty good money-making scheme. You're aboveboard because you never touch the girls. Maybe you figured you were doing a public service, bankrupting perverts."

The same glare.

"You know we figure your wife must've known about it. Guess she liked what the money bought her. She must be a sick bitch."

Still no response. And I thought the man might actually care about his wife.

A muscle in my face jumped. I was already pissed off and my rage was just bouncing back off him.

"You want to know how the Postal Inspectors came to find your house?" I asked. "You and I both know you were too careful routing your IP to get caught that easy." I had his attention. He had thought his scheme was full-proof, and wanted to know where he had failed. His ego demanded it.

I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the pictures. I found a shot of Bones at the Founding Fathers, smiling next to Angela. So happy.

I sent the phone skidding across the table. Falco caught the phone automatically. I had him hooked.

"Do you recognize the woman on the right?" I asked.

He leaned and squinted for a second. Then he said, "Oh, that little smartass bitch." His face transformed into a snarl."I should've let her starve in that trunk. I should've fucked her with a knife –"

I slammed his head into the table and then threw them both backwards. Falco was on the floor and my fist was pounding against flesh and teeth.

I barely registered the sound of the door busting open, or the arms grabbing on my shoulders.

"Godammit, Booth!" I heard Harkins yell and I was dragged off Falco. I lashed out with a foot but Falco was getting farther away.

I was thrown against a wall. Three cops were looming nearby.

"Godammit, Booth, what the hell was that!" Harkins was yelling, face red as a tomato again. "Your little stunt could blow this case, asshole!"

My ears were ringing and dots spun in my eyes. I realized someone was still restraining one of my arms.

"Booth," Clark said. I looked down and realized he was the one still gripping me. "Think, Agent Booth."

"Consider yourself off the fucking case," Harkins snarled. "See him out of here," he yelled at someone else.

"This isn't what Dr. Brennan needs from you now, Agent Booth," Clark said fervently.

He was right. My fist was stinging and aching and my back was burning, probably thrown out as I was dragged out of the room. I looked back through the open door and saw Falco on the floor, hands extended helplessly and face caved in with blood.

"Yeah, I'm done here," I said.