Chapter 6:

Brennan was looking out the window at the passing trees as Booth deftly guided his car through the morning traffic. She was just about to ask Booth for the third time this morning why she couldn't have a gun, when his cell phone rang.

"Booth." He said as he deftly avoided a pedestrian.

"Hey, buddy, it's Hawk."

"What's up, something wrong?" Booth asked, his internal alarm going off in his head.

"Nope, just a change in plans." Hawk paused for a moment. "Do you know where Angela lives?"

Booth sighed and turned away from Brennan. "You didn't." he said softly. "Tell me you didn't sleep with her."

There was a long pause.

"You did." Booth sighed again.

"She's a nice girl, Booth and I like her." Hawk said, his voice getting soft now too. "I understand your feeling protective and all, but she's a big girl and can make her own choices."

"I've got Bones with me." Booth said. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thanks, partner."

Booth hung up and sighed again.

"He slept with her?" Brennan asked.

Booth looked at her, surprised.

Brennan shrugged. "It's a small car, Booth."

Hawk was waiting for then at the curb, with Angela standing beside him, arm in arm. She waved and smiled at Brennan, who gave her a sick smile back and waved. Hawk climbed into the back seat and smiled at Booth, who turned and regarded him with probing eyes for a few moments. Hawk held his gaze, his face a mask.

Booth turned around and placed a hand on Brennan's leg as she took a breath and started to turn in her seat. Booth shook his head, slightly and Brennan turned to stare out the front window.

They drove in silence to Silver Spring, a small suburb of Washington, where families were the norm and the streets were clean and lawns were well kept. At the end of a small cul-de-sac, Booth parked the car and stepped out. Hawk stepped out too, and Booth motioned for Brennan to stay in the car for a moment.

Brennan was fuming and Booth was wondering how long she could hold it in before she exploded. Booth turned to face Hawk.

"What's Dr. Brennan doing here?" Hawk asked as he checked his sidearm.

"It's normal for her to come when I question suspects." Booth said. "Do me a favour and keep that in your pants okay?"

Hawk examined Booth for a moment and smiled. "You're upset about Angela and I?"

Booth nodded. "A little, I just don't want her to be hurt."

Hawk nodded. "And I don't want to hurt her."

"Glad we have that straightened out."

"Was there anything else?" Hawk asked, his face a mask to Booth.

God that's annoying! Booth thought.

"No." Booth replied. "We should be fine." He suddenly grinned. "You suddenly go after Hodgins and I'll have to shoot you."

Hawk laughed. "If I go after Hodgins I'll hand you the weapon myself."

Hawk led the way up to the house and Brennan got out of the car and followed with Booth.

"What was that about?" Brennan asked. "There was enough male posturing involved that I thought you'd sprout feathers."

Booth glanced down at her and frowned in confusion.

"Never mind." Brennan said. "Everything okay?"

Booth nodded. "Once we get Cowl on a plane with Hawk back to Canada everything will be back to normal."

Brennan nodded. "Whatever normal is around here."

Hawk had reached the door and was waiting for Brennan and Booth to climb the steps before he knocked on the door. A few moments later it opened and a man in a dark blue suit stood before them, his hair neatly trimmed and combed, he had obviously just shaved as he reeked of Old Spice. Joseph Cowl was 6 feet tall and 35 years old, but the way that he held himself made Booth feel like that man was 10 feet tall and bullet-proof. He stepped aside and invited the three visitors in with a smile.

"Thank-you for letting us speak with you, Mr. Cowl, I realize you didn't have too." Booth said. "I'm Special Agent Booth, with the F.B.I., this is Sgt. Hawks with the R.C.M.P. and this is Dr. Brennan, who is consulting with us on this case."

Cowl nodded and examined each of them in turn, smiling at Hawk as he offered his hand, but then motioning them to seats without taking it. "Please have a seat." Cowl said, his voice was rough and deep, as if he had been smoking for many years, but the room was smoke free. "What can I do for you?"

Brennan remained standing and looked at the shelves that were fixed to the wall by the fireplace. Some long carvings were laid on them, she stepped closer and examined them.

"Agent Booth here has a couple of questions that he'd like to ask you, and I should first say that you have the personal thanks of the Chief of Protocol of the Canadian Foreign Service." Hawk said as he watched Cowl, who was watching Brennan.

Booth was examining all three of them with a nervous feeling in his stomach. "I was wondering, Mr. Cowl if I could ask you where you were three nights ago?" Booth watched as Cowl's eyes never left Brennan.

Brennan picked up one of the carvings and examined the end of it.

"Please, Dr. Brennan, don't handle those, they were very expensive." Cowl said as he stood, Booth and Hawk both stood as well.

"Booth," Brennan said, totally oblivious to the scene around her. "This is a human rib."