Chapter 16

A Few Weeks Later In Washington D.C.

Booth strode into the Medico-Legal Lab. Hodgins looked up from his microscope and smiled at the FBI Agent. Booth gave him questioning look and walked over.

"A smile? I didn't think we were that tight." The G-Man said.

"Well, we aren't. I'm just glad you're here. Brennan is in one of her moods. So maybe she'll cut me some slack if you're here." The entomologist retorted.

"What kind of mood?" Booth asked. Before Hodgins could answer the FBI Agent heard what the entomologist meant.

"Hodgins!" The shout was shrill and loud. Quickly, scientist stuck his face into the microscope and said,

"I'll have those results for you soon." Booth knew that wasn't a good sign. The case they had worked on in Florida had gotten to her and now her own civil suit was grating on her. She had been distant the last few times they had gone out for dinner and had refused to come back to his place afterwards. With not even so much as a cuddle session, he was starting to get nervous.

"Booth, you'd better not have another case with you. I'm too far behind on this work that Goodman needs done." Brennan's shrill tone made him jump.

"Bones, relax. I don't have another case. I just have news about the one we finished a few weeks ago." He replied. She gave him a look and stalked back into her office. Quickly, he followed her.

When he walked in, she was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. Obviously upset but not willing to talk about it, Brennan was trying to keep her emotions from causing her to throw up.

"Temperance, what's going on? You almost ripped Hodgins a new one out there." Booth asked. The use of her first name caused her to remove her hands from her face and look up at him. She saw the concern in his eyes and got up from her chair. Moving to the windows, she closed the blinds. Then she slumped onto her sofa. Booth sat down next to her and put his arm around her. Brennan let out a sigh. She had missed the contact.

"Tell me, what's going on. I don't want you to have a heart attack or get an ulcer. You're too young for that." Booth hoped this would allow her to open up. Another sigh escaped her lips and she said,

"Tell me your news first." Booth rolled his eyes and began.

"Louisiana agreed to let Florida have the first crack at Robert Wove. His trial started two weeks ago and they hope to wrap it up by the end of this week."

"Is the insanity plea going to mess his sentencing up?" Brennan asked.

"Well I'm not sure if this jury will allow him to go to a Mental Hospital or if they want to see him die for what he's done. However, it is very unlikely that a mentally unstable person will make death row." Booth said.

"He killed two men and his own father and attempted to kill his mother. I don't care how unstable he is he should pay for his crimes. A mental institute will not change him for the better. He's still a murderer." Brennan shook her head.

"Yes, he is and I hope they give me a life sentence because that's the opposite of what he wants. The death penalty would just make him happy. He wanted to die out there on that boat and I could have given him the satisfaction that he wanted but I took the other route." Booth said.

"Still, we weren't in time to save his father." Brennan reminded him. Booth shook his head. He remembered what the doctors had said at the hospital in Florida. The bullet had pierced Andrew Wove's left lung and blood had filled the organ. He'd seen the look on the paramedics' faces as they loaded him into the ambulance, trying to keep him alive but they knew it was no use. He had lost too much blood by the time they'd gotten to him and Andrew Wove essentially choked on his own blood. Booth did not envy the police officers that had to tell her that her husband was dead and that her son killed him. That poor woman lost her entire family within a few months.

"Well, I think it's your turn." Booth said after a few minutes of silence.

"My agent hired this lawyer and so far the man who violated my privacy seems to be winning. The publishing company wasn't able to find out how he found out because no one the guy works with is talking." Brennan let out the information and Booth could feel her holding something back.

"Don't those guys have to sign a contract saying they can't release any private information? I mean can't the publishing company fire him for breaching a contract?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Brennan suddenly had an idea. She leapt up off the couch and grabbed her cell phone. Pressing the speed-dial button for her agent, she waited for her to pick up. After a brief discussion, Brennan hung up and came back over to Booth. She sat down next to him and smiled.

"I have to be in court in an hour. Would you care to take me?" A look in her eyes made her request hard to deny.

"I can drop you off on the way back to the office." He could tell she knew something that he didn't but he wouldn't push it. Brennan moved her left hand over to his face and turned his head toward her.

"I know that lately I've been…" she paused.

"Cold, distant, unfeeling…" Booth smirked as she punched his arm.

"Anyway, why don't we get together after court today? I promise to tell you all about what happens." Again that look in her eyes. Booth wasn't sure what it meant but he was pretty sure he was going to find out.

"What do you think they're doing in there?" Angela asked, despite having a good idea she wanted to know if Hodgins and Zach had caught on.

"I hope Booth is calming her down. I don't know if I can take her shouting for much longer." Hodgins said. A smile crossed Angela's lips.

"What else would they be doing?" Zach asked, a confused look on his face. Hodgins rolled his eyes. There were plenty of things they could be doing but he would rather focus on what he and Angela were doing later.

To Be Continued…