(The Corpse on the Canopy)
A/N: This chapter is rated T for violence and violent imagery. Remember this story is AU.
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I don't own Bones.
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The body was found lying at the foot of the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial as the sun began to rise over the horizon. Horrified calls were placed to the District Police who after inspecting the gruesome body, contacted the FBI.
Standing near the body, Booth made a few quick notes about the crime scene while Brennan, Cam and Hodgins studied the remains.
"This has to be Pelant's doing. He did this." Hodgins stared at the body that was devoid of skin and knew that this was another message. "Whoever this is, Pelant did the same thing to him as he did to Xavier Freeman. It can't be anyone else."
Booth heard the fear in Hodgins's voice and he understood what going through the scientist's mind. "Settle down there. We don't know anything yet. Let's find out who this is first and go from there."
"The body has not been handled the same as Freeman's body." Brennan was certain she was right. "True the skin has been removed, but the mandible is still intact. The body has been laid out, but it wasn't posed like the one on the canopy. No holes have been cut in the muscle."
"You're right." Cam moved the body to verify what Brennan was saying. "This skin was removed, but this is different. He was alive while the skin was removed. Or at least he was when the process was started. Freeman was dead when his skin was removed."
Disgusted, Hodgins glared at the body. "Oh my God. Pelant is escalating this. He's not just torturing people, he's . . . he's."
Booth placed his hand on the top of Hodgins' shoulder. "Cam and Bones are going to tell us who this is and then we're going to be closer to catching Pelant . . . Just do your job Hodgins."
"Right." He was afraid for his family, but Hodgins knew that panicking wouldn't help anyone and it might give Cam a reason to send him home. "I'm alright. I'm fine." His voice quavered, but he continued to collect particulates.
Relieved that Hodgins was calmer, Cam continued to study the body. "Male, in his early thirties. No signs he's been in the military like Freeman or at least no obvious combat injuries . . . we'll know more once we get him back to the Lab."
Removing her gloves, Brennan stood up. "Whoever did this is methodical. I agree that Pelant probably did this, but I feel we need to keep an open mind in case there is someone attempting to mimic Pelant."
"Yeah, my mind is open, but you have to admit, this looks like the work of Pelant." He knew that Brennan hated to assume anything, but Booth couldn't see how this could be the work of anyone else. As far as he was concerned, Pelant had done this and the sooner they caught him the better.
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"Pelant didn't do this." Stunned, Cam stood in Brennan's open doorway. "We ran a DNA test and it came back a match . . . the victim is Christopher Pelant."
Astounded, Brennan turned her chair to stare at her supervisor. "You're certain?"
Stepping into the room, Cam placed a folder down on Brennan's desk. "Pelant was a convicted Felon. His DNA is in the system. When it came back as belonging to Pelant, I ordered the test be done again. This is the second results. The body found at the Lincoln Memorial is Christopher Pelant."
She had not expected this news. "We'll have to let Booth know right away . . . and Hodgins and Angela."
"I've already called Booth. He's on the way over here." Cam sat down on the chair in front of Brennan's desk. "This is not what I expected when we found the body at the Memorial. Christopher Pelant had a very powerful enemy."
"One that did not hesitate to kill him in a gruesome manner." Brennan flipped the folder open and studied the tests. Not that she doubted Cam, but she read the DNA tests and they were exactly as the coroner had said. "So now we have to find the killer of Christopher Pelant."
Amused with Brennan's expression, Cam smiled. "Personally, I'd like to give the guy a parade."
"Except the murderer did flay Pelant while he was still alive." Brennan shook her head. "Killing Pelant this way makes the killer just as terrible as Pelant was. The public is in danger if we allow someone like that to walk amongst us."
"Yes, you're right." Standing, Cam reached over and took the folder back. "Still, I may have a celebratory drink tonight. Pelant was a monster and I say good riddance."
She understood Cam's happiness that Pelant would never kill again, but she did see a fault in Cam's logic. "But have we traded Pelant for another monster?"
"God, I hope not."
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Carl Fairburn found Max Keenan at the coffee shop across the street from where the old conman lived. "We have to talk."
Surprised to see Carl, Max placed his cup of coffee on the table. "About what?"
After he was seated, Carl leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Pelant is dead." Carl watched Max carefully even though he didn't expect to see any reaction and not disappointed, he didn't get one.
The silence hung in the air for a few minutes. "I didn't kill him." Max shook his head. "Someone shoot him or did he screw up and let Booth find him? Did Booth shoot him? Should I send a congratulations card?"
"Someone kidnapped Pelant and . . ." Carl stopped speaking and gave his coffee order to the server. Once he was gone, Carl leaned on the table. "And Pelant was tortured before he died."
"You know that's not my style." Max picked up his scone and looked at it. "If I want someone dead, I kill them. I sure as hell won't torture them. I'm not a sadist."
Amused, Carl waited while his coffee cup was placed on the table in front of him. Once they were alone, he shook his head. "You gutted Deputy Director Kirby and torched his body."
"Yeah, but he was dead when I did those things." Max took a bite of his scone and placed the rest back on his napkin. Once the scone was swallowed, Max sighed. "I was sending a message to some very dangerous people, but I'm not a monster. Kirby was dead when I lit his body up."
"Do you swear that you had nothing to do with Pelant's death?" Carl wasn't sure whether he should believe Max or not.
Placing his hand over his heart, Max knew that Carl probably wouldn't believe him. "I swear on the life of my granddaughter that I didn't kill that murderer . . . Look, when did Pelant get himself killed?"
"Four days ago." Since Max was a conman, Carl felt that Max's word was questionable.
"Okay, six days ago I flew to Coos Bay, Oregon. I didn't get back until yesterday." Max shook his head. "A friend of mine went into the hospital for open heart surgery. I went to check on him. I wasn't here and I didn't kill Pelant. I have plane tickets and hotel receipts, plus I'm sure the cameras at the airport will show me leaving and coming back and if you're real suspicious, there are probably cameras at Bay Area Hospital that will show me there."
Since Max appeared to be innocent, Carl felt a sense of relief. "I'll have someone check into your story. It better hold up."
Annoyed, Max picked up his cup of coffee and sipped some of the brew. "You know, being in the FBI has changed you. You're too suspicious for your own good."
"I think I have a right to be suspicious considering I got my job by replacing Kirby, the man you killed."
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With a sense of relief, Hodgins called the detective agency he had hired to follow around his family and his co-workers and terminated their service. After promising a bonus to the detectives that had put in the time, Hodgins ended the call. "Best money I've ever spent. I'm just sorry I didn't have them following you around all the time, Babe. If I had, Pelant wouldn't have drugged us and place that body in our bedroom or touched our child. That was my fault."
Filled with relief and grateful that their problems were over, Angela hugged her husband. "I've told you before, Jack. Stop apologizing for what Pelant did." She kissed him and smiled. "I know this sounds terrible, but I'm glad he's dead. I've never said anything like that before, but I mean it. He was a horrible human being and he killed five people. Three of them inhumanely."
Slowly shaking his head, Hodgins assured his wife. "No, you're not terrible. That man was a monster and we won't ever have to worry about him again. It's done."
"Except we don't know who killed Pelant, but we know how he killed Pelant. It was worse than what Pelant did to Freeman." Angela sat down. "We need to find him Jack. Whoever killed Pelant did the world a favor but he's no hero."
"No, he's no hero, Angela."
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Fairburn had Agent Morris Harris check Max's story and found out that the old man had told him the truth. Now that his cousin by marriage was no longer a suspect, Carl felt more relaxed. "Booth, I had Agent Harris check into where Temperance's father was just in case he was involved in Pelant's death and Harris found out that Kennan was in Coos Bay when Pelant was murdered . . . I remember what he did to Deputy Director Kirby and I wanted to make sure that this wasn't Keenan's work."
Standing in Fairburn's office, Booth had not expected this from his boss's boss. "I never really believed that Max did this. Torture isn't something Max is known for."
"Well, I had to be sure." Fairburn had called Booth into his office to pass on what he had found, or rather what Agent Harris had found. "Anyway, now you can use your resources and look elsewhere. Do you have any suspects?"
"Not really." Booth hated to admit it but so far, he didn't have a clue who to go after. "Pelant killed five people that I know about. I'm looking at the relatives of the victims, but so far I haven't found anyone that might have done it . . . Xavier Freeman was a mercenary and it's possible that his employer took care of Pelant or maybe one of his friends, but whoever did it, didn't leave any evidence behind . . . I'm looking at Tom Molner, the owner of Serberus but he wouldn't have had to do this. He has hundreds of professional mercenaries working for him. Some of them are dangerous people."
Not surprised, Fairburn leaned back against his chair. "You may be right and it might be Tom or someone that works for Serberus, but we'll probably have a hard time proving it."
"I won't give up though." Booth was determined to find the murderer. "Whoever killed Pelant is a sadist. He needs to be taken off the streets as soon as possible."
"I agree with you." His phone rang, Carl picked up the receiver. "I have to take this call, Booth. Keep me informed."
As he walked towards the door, Booth overheard Fairburn begin his conversation. "I was wondering if I could get you to come in for a quiet chat. No this will between you and me . . . Whenever you have the time."
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