Chapter 9
Baton Rouge Hotel 11:00 am
Brennan knocked on Booth's door and waited for him to open it. The FBI Agent opened the door with his cell phone plastered to ear.
"Uh huh." He said, motioning for Bones to enter. Booth scribbled some information down in a little notebook he carried.
"You're sure?" He asked. Brennan raised right eyebrow and watched his movements. Even though he was just pacing and writing, his movements were strong and full of purpose. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot waiting for him to get off the phone. Finally a few minutes later, she heard,
"Thanks Sam. I really owe you." Sam answered something that made Booth smile and then he closed the phone.
"Good news?" Brennan asked.
"Susan Wove's family lives in Orlando, Florida. Her father, Andrew Wove, is an anthropologist, specializing in Native American cultures and societies." Booth told her.
"So he would know about the Miccosukee and possibly even studied them." Brennan said.
"Oh it gets better. When the Judge dismissed the case against Horner and Smith, her father shouted that everyone in that courtroom would regret their decision." Booth gave her more details.
"So you think that he's the one throwing the criminals in the alligator infested waters. He knows better than anyone that that would not get his daughter back. His behavior is completely illogical." Brennan wondered.
"Bones, his daughter was raped and murdered. I know no matter how illogical it might be, if someone murdered Parker, I wouldn't stop until I found his killer and made sure the perp paid the price." Booth said.
"Yes but we both know, you'd never take the law into your own hands. A man with no criminal record and no criminal experience just doesn't snap and start murdering people." Brennan argued.
"That's where the Wove's son comes in. Robert Wove has been tried and convicted of grand larceny and assault." Booth retorted.
"His crimes escalated. Logically the next step would be to attempted murder not torture and murder. Say for some inexplicable reason Robert Wove and Andrew Wove decided to do as you suggest, why would either one come out to the bayous near Baton Rouge?" The forensic anthropologist asked.
"I don't know but something tells that second body is Max Smith." The FBI Special Agent said.
"It would be useless to speculate until I get a call from Angela. In the meantime, I think we should make a trip out to the bayou where the body was found. Agent Jackson might be right. There maybe another body out there. Plus we need to see who lives out there in order to test your 'anthropologist turned torturer and murder' theory." Brennan commented.
"Bones, I'm not having you or me jumping into alligator infested waters when a trained police diver almost lost his life. We can take a boat out there and question the locals." Booth said. Brennan was about to continue the argument but Booth didn't let her. He had already picked up his phone and was making a call.
Baton Rouge Bayous 12:00 pm
Booth and Brennan sat in the small swamp boat. Their guide, Louis LaCroix, worked the tiller on the vessel and had promised to take them to the locals who lived on the edges of the bayous. He spoke French and could also speak the different dialects of the Cajuns living in the area.
Brennan was silent most of the ride while LaCroix and Booth talked about the area, its peoples, and its animals. She kept to herself, remembering Dr. Graham Leger and his horrible murder. He had been crucified to the wall, his face was cut off, and a mojo bag hung around his neck.
This case didn't involve any voodoo but she still had a shiver run up her spine. The images of Dr. Leger's death flashed in front of her. The New Orleans police had wanted to arrest and convict her of murder. So maybe the jump from anthropologist to murderer wasn't that far of one.
"Up here through the clumps of Cyprus trees are some locals. Louis said we'll stop and ask them some questions." Booth said as he sat down next to her. He had raised his voice to be heard over the sound of the boat's motor. Brennan nodded and shifted in her seat. Booth wondered what was bothering her but he knew better than to ask her now.
Louis cut the motor a few minutes later as he brought the boat alongside the other boats in the water. The men in the boat stared at each other and muttered something in their native language. When he returned a reply, they immediately shut up. Booth spoke to Louis to translate for him but one of the men cut him off.
"You're here about the body in the swamp." He said it as more of a fact than a question. His English was heavily accented and Louis had to help.
"Yes, we are. What can you tell us?" Booth asked.
"The other day I was out in my boat and I saw the alligators move from their places among the patches of land. This was strange since they normally don't move for anyone unless there is something for them to eat." The man continued.
"Did you see anyone else around?" Booth asked.
"There was no one around but I saw what the alligators were after and moved in to see what it was. The alligators were eating a man. I was going to stop them when I realized the man was dead." The man told them. Booth went on to talk to him while Louis and Brennan tried to get the others to speak up. Finally one of them did. Louis translated for the forensic anthropologist,
"Once the alligators have you they don't let go." Temperance nodded, that statement confirmed that the men were superstitious and that the alligator was sacred to them.
"Ask them if they know anyone who has lost a forearm recently." She told Louis. When the guide and translator said this a look of fear crossed their eyes and they refused to answer. Louis continued to try to get them to respond but they refused.
Booth turned to them and cocked a half smile. He nodded to Louis and the guide said good-bye for them. The guide returned to the tiller and turned the boat around as the group returned to civilization.
To Be Continued…