Disclaimer: Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement. All characters and places are meant to be fictional.

Sweets' Plan for the Truth

Chapters 38: A Year Ago, Today

Booth led Brennan to the room behind the one-way glass window. They hadn't yet had a private moment to discuss the interrogation.

"Sweets! What are you doing here?" asked Booth. He would have thought the twelve year old would be milking sympathy at home as long as he could. Instead, there he was leaning on a pair of crutches looking like he was in pain.

"I stopped by before going home so I could give my statement. When I heard that you were bringing Travis Sherwood in, I decided to wait and possibly give you a hand with the interrogation."

"Are you sure you're up to it? I gotta tell you. You look like shit."

"Right. Thanks," mumbled Sweets. "I haven't had any pains meds since 9:00 AM. I'm capable of thinking clearly."

Booth and Brennan looked at him skeptically but nodded their approval.

"Fine," said Booth. "But you're staying here. I'll wear my ear piece."

Sweets nodded and watched them leave. The real reason Sweets was there was to observe their behavior. He was thoroughly geeked when Cam accidentally said too much about the agents commentary in their ear pieces.

Before Booth and Brennan even sat down, Travis snarled and proclaimed innocence. "You have nothin' on me. And I have nothin' to say about Joe."

"So, you're admitting Joe is guilty of something?" asked Booth.

"If he's guilty, I wouldn't have nothin' to say now, would I?"

"I would have to disagree. In fact, I could charge both of you with 14 murders."

"Whoa! I didn't kill 14 people." Booth didn't think he had, but the crack head didn't need to know that.

"Booth, his defensive body language changed a bit. He's angry that he's going down with his brother," said Sweets.

Booth said sternly with a hard glare. "And I have the best forensic anthropologist in the world that can prove it. Of course, if that number is low and there are more bodies, we'll find them. Dr. Brennan is that good."

Travis scoffed. "If that was true, you would've had the murders solved years ago."

"Is that a confession?"

"No, Agent Booth," he said with disdain. "It wasn't a confession."

"I wasn't working with Dr. Brennan back then, but I assure you she will find the answers."

Brennan leaned forward and rested her forearms on the table. "So, if I were you, I'd accept any deal you could get."

Travis just sat there and stared at Booth with a hard unmoving expression. Booth then heard Sweets in his ear piece again. "It's his brother that has spent time in prison. He'd never make it there. What if a night behind bars gives him a glance at what's to come? Maybe you could keep him for assaulting a federal agent and try again tomorrow?"

But Booth had another idea. "You just make yourself comfortable where you are. We'll be back."

Once in the room behind the window, Booth pulled out his cell phone and called Caroline.

"This better be good, Cherie. I'm in the middle of a good book that is a lot more interesting than anything that you're going to come up with that should cause me trouble."

Booth smiled even though she couldn't see him. He could still influence her with his charm and he was well aware of it. So was Caroline.

"And don't think about charming me. You have Ms. Rachel to suck up to."

"But Caroline, you have the winning personality that wins judges over all the time. I wouldn't want to waste such a talent."

She scoffed. "What is it this time, Cherie?" They both knew she would cave.

"I have Travis Sherwood in the interrogation room. He's not talking and neither is Joe Sherwood who we apprehended last night. I would like to let Travis go on bail for the assault of a federal agent."

Brennan furrowed her brows in confusion and looked to Booth for an answer. He covered the phone and simply said, "Ice Pick." Her facial expression turned to one of understanding as she remembered their case a few years ago with Cement Head. Sweets' still looked confused.

"That sounds too easy. What aren't you telling me?"

"Yeah, uh, he's a suspect in the murder of an agent last night."

"What? You've got to be kidding me, Cherie! You want a judge to let that man walk?"

"Not exactly. Bones and the squints will find enough evidence to convict him. In the meantime, we need Joe Sherwood to believe that his brother turned on him by offering information and taking bail for a crime Joe knows wouldn't allow such a thing… like the murder of an agent. I think Joe played the bigger role in all of the murders. Travis is an idiot that flunked out of Quantico. He couldn't make it alone if he wanted to. Joe is the mastermind of their crimes. Travis isn't likely to pose a danger without his brother. I know you can sweet talk a number of judges into doing your bidding. That's why I called you."

"He's not going to post bail no matter how small it is. Who are you expecting to do it?"

"Oh, I have my contacts. Don't worry about that." He knew the perfect crook to play along. He would have to play his cards just right, but he was confident it would work.

"Seeley Booth, you better be damn sure you and that doctor of yours get more than enough evidence to put both the Sherwood boys in jail."

"Do you really doubt they will?" asked Booth.

"I'm not the one you need to worry about having doubts."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

After explaining to Sweets about the case with Ice Pick and Cement head, Booth and Brennan walked back to his office to wait for Caroline's return phone call. As soon as they walked in, Booth knew it was a mistake. Memories from that morning flooded his mind. He needed to get them out of there.

"Hey, what about getting something to eat at the diner while we wait for Caroline?"

"It's so nice out. I'd rather enjoy the spring weather and eat on the mall."

"That's a great idea, Bones."

"Yes, I know. That's why I suggested it," she said with a smirk.

"It's been a long time since we've done that."

"You know how I dislike imprecise language. Actually, it's been one year since we last talked about it."

Booth halted his progress towards his office door. His eyes were wide with awareness as he looked at her. How had I forgotten this day? She obviously hasn't. What does that mean?

"Booth? You did forget, didn't you?" She looked disappointed. I've done enough to disappoint her the past few months. It needs to stop.

"Uh, yeah," he whispered. "But I wouldn't have if we'd returned when we expected to."

"That's reasonable," she answered as if she was unconcerned which only made Booth more concerned.

"You know what?"

"Obviously I don't until you tell me."

Booth sighed, but he couldn't stop a lop-sided grin from forming. "We'll let Perotta or Simmons handle Travis tonight. Joe is the person we want to deal with and we can do that tomorrow. I'll make the necessary phone calls."

A slow smile graced her face and he smiled back.

Author's Notes: Thank you NCISaddict77, mendenbar, and mommaj3000 for your reviews! I'm happy that the door mistake brought such amusement. LOL! Maybe we'll get another hot kiss in the next chapter?