She studied the particles carefully, reaching for a magnifying lens. She examined the dirt embedded in the bones, and reached for the reports that had been left on her desk. She placed the fragments carefully back on the table, and if her fingers lingered longer then usual over them, she failed to notice it. She switched the tape back on.
"Most of the bones have not been recovered. Given that what little soft tissue remains bears the marks of wild animal teeth, I surmise the remains have been scattered over a wide area by local scavengers."
She stopped and swallowed a couple of times, closing her eyes tightly. Then she continued.
"The soft tissue is greatly decomposed. Given the state of these bones, I would conjecture that the body has lain out in the open for a period of at least six months."
"Missing? What do you mean, missing?"
"I mean exactly that, ma'am. Agent Booth left his motel room at approximately nine pm last night and hasn't been seen since." The sheriff said patiently.
"But...what are you doing to find him? I mean, where did he go? Why can't you find him?" she was almost screaming, panicking even, and the sheriff patted her, trying to calm her down.
"We think he had a lead and went out to follow it."
"Alone?He wouldn't do that. He knows better. There's a serial killer out there after him! Do you know that?"
"We know that." he said soothingly. "We have search parties scouring the woods, the rivers, we've got the description of both Agent Booth and the suspect, out to all the local law enforcement agencies. We'll find him, ma'am, I promise."
He walked away to rejoin the search, leaving Temperance clinging to the counter. She suddenly felt weak at the knees, and sank to the floor.
"You have to find him." she said, to no-one in particular. "He has to come back. He promised."
"He promised."
Temperance placed the bones gently into a box. She labeled it carefully. She washed down the table. She switched off the lights. She walked back to her office, and wrote up her report. It was late, so late it was now early morning, but still she didn't leave, didn't rest, didn't stop, until she'd written the last line.
'In conclusion, I identify these remains as being those of...'
She paused a second, suddenly reluctant to write the words, but then she picked her pen, and wrote firmly on the paper.
"Agent Seeley Booth."