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Chapter 14

Seeley Booth awoke with a start. For a moment, he was disoriented; he scrubbed his hand over his face and yawned. Then it all came rushing back. Bones was gone. No one knew where she was. She was pregnant with his baby, he had to find her. Glancing around the room, he recalled he was in Minnesota. He checked his watch – it was after 9am! He had to get in touch with that attorney.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and stretched, his neck cracking loudly. He peeked out the window; it was already sunny and probably hot and humid again. He had to get going, somehow he knew he was running out of time.

After taking a fast shower, and shaving, he checked out of the cheap motel, and drove to Jack Roethel's office. It was a small brick building in a semi residential area; large old oaks lined the streets. It was hot and humid; the radio predicted a high of 90 with a heat index of 110. Thank God for air conditioning.

He pushed open the glass door of Jack's small office. A young man sat at the front desk, typing away at the computer before him.

He turned and smiled, "You must be Agent Booth, and Mr. Roethel is expecting you, last door on the right" he pointed down the hall to where the office was.

Booth nodded at the young man and head down the hall to where he was directed. The office door stood open, and inside he found a very tall, large balding man, what hair he did have was salt and pepper. He was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. No dress code here obviously, Booth surmised

Jack turned, hearing Booth enter. Two quick strides and he was in front of him, his hand thrust outward, Booth accepted it, and they shared a firm handshake.

"Good to see you Agent Booth, have a seat" the attorney walked around his cluttered desk and sat down. "Let me tell you what I know, and we'll determine where to go from there"

"Fine, thank you for your cooperation" Booth replied, sitting down in the hard backed chair in front of the lawyers desk. Behind the lawyer was a wall lined with books, and one entire shelf devoted to golf knick-knacks. A sports game could be heard emanating from a small radio on the top of a file cabinet

"I do occasional private adoptions, one, maybe two a year. I do some legal work for Catholic Family Charities, which is where I heard from Curtis Walker in DC about the child's upcoming birth from a one Dr. Temperance Brennan" Jack noticed Agent Booth wince at the name and look away, then back at him again

"I had a couple looking to adopt, and it seemed like a good fit, so I retained all the fees, and paperwork, and advised them of the child. The one unfortunate mistake I did make, I divulged the mothers name" he held up a hand as Booth stood up, anger darkening his face, his hands clenched in fists at his side, he slowly sat again

"I know. I know it was a mistake, I don't know why I did it, and I never have before. Anyway, they were delighted to be the couple lucky enough to adopt the baby of a brilliant forensic anthropologist, and famous authors baby" he paused a moment, seeing that the FBI Agent wanted to speak

"Did you do a thorough back ground check on the couple? What can you tell me about them? Have you been in touch with them recently?" he leaned forward, anxious to hear what the attorney had to say

"Of course, all of which is standard procedure for adoption proceedings. The husband is a night manager for an upscale hotel in the area, and the wife is a day care provider in her home, Mr.& Mrs. Doug Duncan." He paused and thought a moment before continuing

" I received correspondence recently from Dr. Brennan's attorney, stating she changed her mind and would no longer be putting the child up for adoption. This does happen from time to time, and I did advise the Duncan's of this, they appeared to understand the procedure. I called to let them know that she changed her mind and that I would begin the search for another child immediately, the wife, Trista was very upset about it, I recall" the lawyer picked up his coffee cup and took a long swallow, looking away guiltily.

"Okay, I need their address, I want to talk to them both, especially this Trista. Am I going to need a warrant, or are you going to work with me on this?" Booth questioned, a hard tone in his voice

"No, I will cooperate fully with you and the FBI Agent Booth. But one question, if I may, do you know Dr. Brennan?" he asked, standing up and walking over to a file cabinet where the Duncan's file was located

"Yes. I do know her, the file please?" Booth stood and held his hand out for the manila envelope impatiently

Jack paused a moment, wanting to ask how he knew the young mother, but sensing it may not be wise. The FBI Agent was tense, and angry. "Of course" he passed the file to the agent.

"Thank you" Booth said, his back already turned, walking out of the office, not looking back

He quickly left the office, and sat down in the SUV, quickly turned on the air conditioner. He opened the file quickly and located the address. The lawyer must have been thinking ahead as there were directions to their home taped to the inside of the file. Grinding his teeth, he drove as quickly as he dared to the address mentioned.

After a 30-minute drive, he finally pulled up in front of a small green house with attached two-car garage. 1300 89th Ave, yep this was the place he confirmed. Getting out of the SUV, he walked up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the doorbell.

After a few moments, a tall dark haired man opened the door. He looked puzzled a moment, and said, "Yes? Can I help you?"

Booth flashed his badge "Yes, my name is Special Agent Seeley Booth, I am investigating a missing persons case out of Washington DC, can I come in?" he said, eyeing the other man suspiciously

"Of…of course" the other man stammered, "come in come in" he stepped back allowing Booth entrance to the house. A small living room opened to an eat in kitchen, there were plants everywhere, he noted.

"Have a seat, what's this about a missing persons case out of DC? How in the world did you get my name in all this? I am Doug Duncan by the way, sorry I forgot to introduce myself," he added, looking upset, looking down and sighing

"I got your name from your attorney, Jack Roethel, regarding an adoption you and your wife Trista were involved in?" Booth stated, "Is she here? I'd like to talk to her as well" he glanced around the room, and into the eat in kitchen

"Uh, no. Trista is not here. Oh boy. Oh Boy…" he repeated, looking pale, his hands shaking.

"What is it Mr. Duncan?" Booth pressed, leaning forward, face concerned and slightly irritated

"We were to adopt the child of a famous author and well known forensic anthropologist" he hesitated a moment and went on, not meeting the agents eyes.

"The other day Jack called and told us that she had changed her mind, this was a typical risk in a private adoption, we were aware of this. Trista was very upset" he said and paused a moment, glancing over at their wedding picture on the shelf

"Doug, I need to talk to her right away. Do you know where she is? She may have information on the location of Dr. Temperance Brennan, who has been missing nearly a week" he said, standing over Doug

Doug looked up at the FBI Agent warily. He nodded and sighed again

"Trista left for DC earlier this week, said she wanted to do, was to talk to Dr. Brennan about the baby, talk her into letting us still adopt, thinking she had cold feet, then I didn't hear from her for a few days, she called last night Agent Booth. She said she is in the Brainerd Lakes area, with Dr. Brennan, she said Dr. Brennan wanted her to deliver the baby and stay with her until that time" he said, his eyes filling with tears, and went on

" Trista was an RN, so she knows about that type of thing, but you see, since finding out that she changed her mind, she has seemed, I don't know…. slightly unbalanced" he looked down at his clasped hands, and back up at the agent "will you find her? Bring her home?"

"You're damn right I will find her, but she won't be coming home. She will be going directly to jail Mr. Duncan, as kidnapping is a federal offense, and I will be pressing charges to the fullest extent of my abilities, and for her sake, you better hope that Bone...I mean that Dr. Brennan is okay and the baby is unharmed." he started to head to the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned abruptly, Doug was there, his green eyes pleading

"I want to come with you. I need to see her, I have to know, please Agent Booth…" the other man begged him "She's my wife, despite all this, I love her"

"Fine. Lets go" he pulled away from the other man and the both got in the SUV. Booth turned to him "You know how to get to this Brainerd area?"

"Yes, its just over 2 hours from here" Doug gave him directions

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Temperance sat at the kitchen table, and ate her cereal with relish, she was so hungry, and she could eat 6 more bowls like this. She drank the glass of milk before her and glanced over at Trista who watched her silently.

"I'd like another bowl please" she asked firmly, meeting the other woman's eyes

"No. Can't have you gaining too much weight without the benefit of exercise, I want my baby to be healthy" she said, and took the dishes away from her.

Temperance was angry. She wasn't being fed enough. She needed a significant amount of nutrients for the baby to be nourished properly. This woman clearly hated her and wanted only the child.

"Fine. Do you have any antacids? I have terrible heart burn" she asked the other woman

"Nope sorry. Guess you're out of luck" Trista replied, walking back to the table and sitting down across from her.

"Well I have heart burn. I need some antacids. Can't you go get some?" she pressed, frowning, her arms crossed over her protruding middle

"What, and leave you here to try and escape?" Trista laughed at her

"How would I escape? I can't exactly walk out of here, can I?" Temperance huffed, looking away, angry

"Well, I am not going to take any chances with my baby, now go and read or something, would ya?" Trista suggested with a smirk

"Fine. I am going to go lie down" Temperance retorted heading over to her small room.

She sat on the edge of the bed, fuming. That woman wants me to be miserable. All she wants is my baby. Where the hell is Booth anyway? She thought to herself angrily

Sitting there a moment, she glanced around the room. She stood and walked over to the window and parted the heavy green curtains. She pulled up on the window and pulled up. The window opened easily.

"What do you think you're doing?" Trista's voice came from behind her

Suddenly, her head was pulled back hard by her hair, and she was dragged out of the small room, she nearly fell from the hard jerking motion of her head being pulled back so hard, she was dragged, Tristas arm around her neck, she scrambled for balance

Trista pushed her down into the hard wooden chair by the table.

Temperance rubbed her head where she'd pulled her hair so hard, Trista had walked over to the kitchen and pulled a hypodermic syringe out of a drawer.

"Listen bitch. I didn't want to have to keep you sedated. You are not leaving here until you have that baby" She was heading right for Temperance with the long needle

Temperance stood abruptly, "Wait, no…" Trista took another fast step and stabbed the needle right into her thigh and injected the contents quickly

Temperance took the needled and threw it across the room, she took one step towards Trista, and the room began to spin, she thrust out one had towards the table beside her, to catch herself, and collapsed in a heap on the hard wood floor.

Trista gazed down at the unconscious woman disgustedly, and said aloud

"Well this is just great. I have to drag her sorry ass onto the couch now. I know I can't haul her into that bed" with a sigh, she stooped down and grasped the other woman under her arms and dragged her over to the couch, and managed to get her up onto the cushions.

She'd be out for about 4 hours now. Although the baby would be premature, maybe she ought to induce her. She didn't know if she could handle her for another month and a half. Trista thought to herself, here is a hospital nearby, I could induce labor, and take the baby to the hospital, saying I found it, surely, since I am already set to adopt, they will let me adopt the baby!

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