Thank you for all the kind comments. Our story may meander a little bit. Sometimes not much happens in a small town, even at Christmas..
The song referenced in this chapter was written by Jay W. Johnson and Billy Hayes. No copyright infringement intended.
The evening of December 22
Exiting onto I-35 North, Booth found the highway to be partially plowed, but with the rate that the snow was falling at the moment, he knew the lanes wouldn't be clear for long. Feeling a tiny twinge of anxiety as he passed a snowplow, he sighed as he glanced at the dashboard. The driving conditions were less than ideal. It was already pitch black at 5 o'clock in the evening, and the thermometer was registering a bitter 27°. He shook his head as he glanced at the rearview mirror. As frigid and bleak as it was outside the SUV, it still was no match for the obstinate cold shoulder he was getting from his passenger.
I guess she has a right to be pissed at me… He nervously drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove along the highway. Peering out into the darkness, he watched as the snowflakes drifted into the bright arc of light created by the SUV's headlights. I suppose it was a stupid idea to drive to Oklahoma City this afternoon with a blizzard in the forecast…and now we're stuck here in the middle of nowhere and I've totally fucked up her holiday plans…way to go, buddy…
However, Booth was a resilient man, normally given to optimism even in the worst circumstances imaginable. Clearing his throat, he glanced at his partner, hoping to strike up a conversation. Unsure of the reception he'd get, he began tentatively. "So, um…it looks like that State Trooper was right about them missing the really bad weather north of Oklahoma City. I haven't seen any ice on this road…"
"Hmph. It would appear that at least one person around here understands how to use weather information." Tilting her chin stubbornly, Brennan directed her focus on her phone's screen, refusing to make eye contact with him.
"I guess so…but, you know, some of that weather stuff is really complicated…maybe too complicated for us average guys to understand, okay?" He shrugged in a self deprecating manner as he adjusted the setting on the car's heater. "I suppose you know the reason why there was all that ice in Oklahoma City and none up here, right, Bones? I mean, I'm sure there's plenty of room in that huge sciency brain of yours for all sorts of weather facts…"
"I do have a cursory knowledge of meteorology.," she commented in a terse tone. "Weather events and climatic conditions can be important factors when considering the rate of decay in any remains that might be found outdoors. For example, a corpse exposed to rain will decompose at a different rate than one exposed to dry weather for the same period of time."
"I see. Good to know." Realizing he'd piqued her interest, he smiled to himself. I bet she can't wait to explain it all to me…she just can't resist being a teacher…and I know she loves setting me straight when I say stupid things… "So, basically it's just the luck of the draw, right? I mean, can twenty miles one way or the other actually determine whether an area gets rain or snow or sleet, or whatever? I don't think anybody really knows how to predict the weather. In fact, I think those weather guys probably just flip a coin when it comes to forecasting. I bet they'd still have the same percent of accuracy if they just pulled random predictions from a hat. I bet my Pops and his bum knee can do a better job of predicting the weather than they can, even with all those fancy computers they use…"
"Scientific weather forecasting is based on understanding a very complex set of variables. It's difficult to be one hundred percent accurate when any one of those variables can change suddenly and rapidly, as often occurs, but when they use their computers along with information from previous weather events, meteorologists normally have a very good outcome when it comes to predicting short range events...such as blizzards…" Rolling her eyes at his overly generalized statements, Brennan sighed. "And yes, I could explain the formation of the various sorts of precipitation to you, but you never listen to me anyway, so why bother?"
"Aw, c'mon, Bones…look, even if I did mess up this time, you know I usually listen to you." He gave her a charming smile, complete with an eyebrow waggle. "I know you want to tell me…," he wheedled. "Come on…"
She gave him a sideways glance. "Do you really want to know, or are you teasing me?"
He pretended to be offended before continuing in an overly dramatic tone. "Of course I really want to know about snow and stuff! That knowledge could be instrumental in solving a future case! And who better to explain it to me than you, the best forensic scientist in the world?"
"In other words, you're actually teasing me. I thought so. Well, if you're really interested, you can look up the information on the internet. I'm not going to waste my time explaining it if you don't want to listen…"
"Come on, Bones…I'm really curious! Tell me, okay? Please?" Realizing that she'd somehow resisted his boyish grin, he deployed a killer set of sad puppy eyes in her direction.
He was so attractive, with his handsome face illuminated by the car's dashboard lights as it was, and Brennan soon felt her resolve slipping away. Looking away, she pursed her lips slightly before launching into an explanation. "Well…if you insist. You see, the atmosphere isn't always a constant temperature in the area between the clouds and the ground. There's normally a layered thermal gradient, so if any snow falls through a warmer layer of air it might melt, and then, if it falls through a freezing layer of air, it refreezes. The type of precipitation that falls...be it snow, sleet, or freezing rain…depends on the number of warm air layers, and the relative thickness of each layer. Meteorologists can measure the temperature of each layer, so they can predict which type of precipitation might fall with a high degree of accuracy. There…satisfied?"
He'd succeeded in getting her to talk to him again, so he was quite pleased with himself. "I think so. Oh…there's our exit…"
He pulled their SUV onto a dark two-lane highway. Pointing to a sign, he said, "I guess we're going in the right direction. Guthrie's about five miles ahead." He turned to Brennan in surprise. "It looks like this road's been completely plowed…"
"Guthrie is the county seat, so it makes sense that they'd need to have the roads cleared for easy access in and out of town." She held up her phone so he could see the screen. "I've been doing some research on the town, since it appears we may spend a lengthy period of time there. The population is approximately 9700, making it the largest town in Logan County. There are 6 hotels…and numerous bed and breakfast establishments…and none of them appear to have any vacancies for this evening…"
Groaning in annoyance, Booth ran a hand down his face. "Yeah, I get it, Bones…I screwed up." He pointed at a billboard that had loomed into view from the darkness. "But right now I'm hungry, and that takes precedence at the moment. That sign says there's a diner about three miles ahead, by the drive in theater, so I'm gonna stop there and get something to eat."
"I don't want anything." Crossing her arms over her chest, Brennan regarded him primly. "I'm not hungry."
"Right…well, I am, so we're gonna stop there anyway." Booth narrowed his eyes at Brennan's stubborn demeanor. "You know, I learned a lot of stuff while I was in the Army, but here's one of the most important things: when you get a chance to eat, you'd better take it, because you never know when you'll get another chance. I imagine that rule holds true for anthropology trips, too, right?" She nodded slightly. "See, I think a lot of places in town are gonna close up early tonight because of the weather, so if that diner is open, I'm gonna stop and get a burger, because otherwise it might seem like a real long time between now and when we get breakfast in the morning." He shrugged a shoulder at her. "And I know you might still be annoyed at me, but that's not a logical reason to skip dinner. You need to eat something, too…"
She knew he was right, but she wasn't quite ready to admit it. "I'm fine, Booth. I don't need you to monitor my caloric intake…"
He grunted in aggravation as he turned the SUV into the diner's parking lot. "Okay, then…don't eat. That's fine with me…but will you at least come in and keep me company while I have my dinner?"
After pretending to think things over, she finally agreed. "I suppose that would be acceptable…"
"Good." He parked the car and stepped out gingerly, unsure if the parking lot was icy. "Be careful there, Bones…I don't want you to slip…"
"I'm fine, Booth! I'm not a child!"
"Jesus, Bones!" He threw up his hands in frustration. "Hey, I'm just trying to take care of my partner here, okay? Maybe they haven't had a chance to clear the lot, and who knows what kind of healthcare facilities they have in this burg…you might end up with some voodoo doctor taking care of your broken ankle…"
She giggled as he pouted. Treading carefully, she stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk. "Alright…I'll allow you to be overly concerned about me if you so desire, but I believe the parking lot has been cleared and salted, so walking should be relatively safe." Wearing a sly grin, she pretended to stumble. "Oops…"
"Are you okay?!" He reached out to take her hand. "Don't fall!"
She laughed happily. "I was joking! I fooled you…"
Even though he was exasperated, he couldn't help but grin at his adorable partner, especially since she was so pleased with her prank. "Ha ha, Bones…that's a good one…now behave yourself! It's too cold out here to stand around and make mischief…"
Placing his hand in the small of her back, he carefully steered her towards the diner's front door. "Okay…here we go…easy does it."
A delicious warmth enveloped them as they stepped inside the small dining room. Sniffing the air, Booth grinned. "Something smells really good…I love good diner food…"
Brennan grimaced slightly, "And all the calories and fat that go with it…"
A heavy set man standing behind the counter greeted them pleasantly as he made change for another customer. "You folks sit wherever you like. Tina will be with you all in a minute."
"Thanks." Booth pointed to a table in the back by the window. "That one looks good…"
Quickly taking her seat, Brennan grinned as she took in the diner's dated decor. "I feel like we're on the set of Happy Days."
Surprised that she'd made a pop culture reference, Booth raised an eyebrow. "And just what do you know about that old show?"
"I know it was set in the fifties…very much like this diner seems to be…" She giggled softly. "Russ used to like that program a lot…he often pretended to be the fuzz…"
"I think you mean the Fonz…" Booth chuckled as he looked around the dining room. "Yeah, I'd say they haven't redecorated the place in a while, but I don't care as long as the food's good."
Five minutes later, Tina showed up with menus and glasses of water. "Howdy, folks. How are you all doin' this evenin'? Sure is cold out, ain't it? Not fit for man nor beast out there in all that snow…"
"Yep…and we're sure glad your place is open tonight!" Booth glanced at the menu and then quickly closed it. "And I know just what we want, too. I need your biggest cheeseburger with everything on it, an extra large order of fries, and a cup of coffee. She wants a grilled cheese sandwich and a garden salad. She won't need any fries, 'cause she's gonna end up stealing mine…"
"Booth!" Brennan pretended to glare at him. "I can order for myself…"
"Okay…" Sitting back in his seat, he wore a silly smile. "...but I got it right, didn't I? After all, we eat together a lot, so I should know what you want. I was just saving time…I'm hungry, remember?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine…except you forgot my hot tea."
"Whatever. So add a cup of hot tea to our order, okay, Tina? Thanks." As the waitress walked away, Booth slid out of his seat. "I'm gonna go wash up. Be right back."
While he was gone, Brennan checked her messages, laughing once again when she read Angela's suggestions about how the partners could spend their spare time in Oklahoma. Keeping warm with Booth's help does sound quite…intriguing…but I'm not sure we need to be involved that way at the moment…too many emotions to get in the way…but still…he is a very handsome man…
Booth smiled as he rejoined her. "What are you reading that has you so preoccupied?"
"Oh…just a text from Angela." She quickly put her phone away. "Have you heard from Director Hacker yet?"
"You mean 'assistant' Director Hacker? Yeah…it seems he's kinda annoyed that we'll be outta pocket for the next few days, but he knows we can't do anything about the weather." Hoping to change the subject from his pompous supervisor, he pointed to a contraption mounted on the wall next to their table. "I haven't seen one of these in ages. Look…it's our own personal jukebox. You put a couple of quarters in, and then you can pick a song to play. I wonder…yep, there it is." He put in fifty cents and then pressed some buttons. Soon Elvis Presley's smooth voice filled the air.
I'll have a blue Christmas without you…
I'll be so blue thinking about you.
Decorations of red, on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same, dear, if you're not here with me…
Brennan wrinkled her nose, laughing as she listened to the song. "Somehow I never took you for an Elvis fan."
"I guess I'm not, normally…but this song always gets to me for some reason. I mean, it used to be because I missed Parker while he was with his mom over the holidays, but now…" He hesitated, wondering just how much he should say about his feelings for her. I don't want to scare her off…
Finally he forged ahead. "I guess it's just…I don't know…it's just that if I wasn't spending Christmas with you somehow, like at my place or your place, I'd really be…unhappy about missing our time together. I mean, I guess we'll spend Christmas together this year because we'll be stuck in a small town together, but if we were home, I'd want to see you on Christmas Day…and I'd miss you a lot if I didn't." He cleared his throat, feeling awkward as he realized he was talking in circles. "I guess that doesn't make any sense…"
Studying her nails, she nodded. "I think I understand. We're friends, and friends enjoy spending time together."
"Yeah, but it's more than that…" Seeing her surprise, he quickly continued. "Remember me telling you that there's more than one kind of family? Well, that's how I feel about us…like we're family…and families should be together at Christmas."
"Oh. I see." Suddenly feeling shy, she took a sip of water to compose herself. "You know, when I was in college, I never really minded being alone at Christmas, but I hated telling anyone that I didn't have a home to go to for the holidays…or that I didn't have a family of my own. I know now that wasn't my fault, but at the time it felt so strange, like perhaps there was really something wrong with me because I had no one to share the holidays with." She fidgeted anxiously with her napkin. "Anthropologically speaking, families are very important for our success as a species. Humans can be considered pack animals, similar to wolves, and that family unit helped our ancestors survive against predators and harsh environmental factors. It'd be almost impossible to navigate any kind of wilderness, either physical…or emotional…by oneself with no tools and no assistance from others. Other members of the family, or pack, are needed if the species is to be successful. That's what having a family does for us…it strengthens our social and cultural ties…if a person is a member of one…" She turned a pensive gaze to Booth. "And your church values the family unit as well. The Holy Family is a popular icon, is it not?"
She's normally so black and white…but I think maybe now she understands the importance of connections… Impressed by her insights, Booth nodded. "Well, yeah…it is popular, for a lot of reasons. I mean, you know…Mary and Joseph had a baby under weird circumstances and people wanted to help them out. I guess most of us can relate to that, and in turn it makes God seem even more relatable, since He wants us to be part of His family…"
"People want to help babies…it's a biological imperative to ensure the survival of the species." She traced the rim of her water glass with her fingers. "However…," she said quietly. "...when my parents abandoned Russ and me around Christmas time all those years ago, they destroyed our family…our familial unit was no longer functional…and so, in some ways, their actions also resulted in our inability to celebrate the holiday correctly, since, according to you, families should be together at Christmas…"
"I don't think they set out to destroy your family, Bones…I really do think they were trying to protect you and Russ…and I do think Max loves you…" Seeing the vulnerability in her beautiful blue eyes, he exhaled slowly. "Look, Bones…I meant it when I said there's more than one kind of family, okay? You've got so many people in your life now who care about you! There's Angela and Hodgins...Cam...the squint squad…me…all of us consider you to be a part of our family, and you'll never have to be alone again at Christmas if you don't want to…you'll always have a family to celebrate with in the future. You don't even have to ask. I promise we'll be there for you!"
She still felt unsure. "You can't really promise that. Things change, Booth. They always change…nothing is ever constant..."
"Of course, I can promise that, Bones. Nothing's ever gonna change the fact that you have your own family now, even if it is sorta non-traditional." He reached across the table to take her hand. "Trust me…I'll always be here for you…and not just at Christmas. I'll be here for you whenever you need me…because that's how we care about each other…me and you, we're like family, okay?"
Suddenly feeling like he'd said too much, Booth paused as Tina brought their meal, glad to have a reason to change the subject. "Wow…look at all those French fries!" He winked at his partner as he picked a fry from the platter and popped it in his mouth. "I know you're not hungry, Bones, so I'll just keep all of these wonderful fries for myself…"
Laughing, she pointed at the heaping platter. "You shouldn't eat that many, though! I think I should help you eat them so you don't go into shock after ingesting all those carbohydrates…"
Rolling his eyes, Booth wore a sarcastic grin. "That's very thoughtful of you, Bones. I appreciate you looking out for me like that…"
"Of course. It's the least I can do, since we're like family…"
After pouring on the ketchup and adding some salt to the fries, they ate their meal in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Meanwhile, a couple across the aisle was trying to keep their two rambunctious young sons under control. Finally their father scolded them with an age old warning, hoping to keep them in line. "Santa Claus is watching you two, so you'd both better be good! You want him to come by the house to leave you some presents, don't you?"
The two little boys stopped wrestling long enough to look up at their dad with wide eyes. "We'll be good! We'll be good!"
Chuckling softly, Booth sipped his coffee. "That oughta keep them in line for a few minutes…"
Sighing softly, Brennan studied her partner before reaching over to pat his hand. "I know you miss Parker, Booth. I'm sorry you can't spend Christmas with him…"
"Thanks, Bones." He tried to smile as he picked up a few fries. "Rebecca said he could spend next Christmas with me, but, you know, she said that last Christmas, too, so…who knows, right? She'll probably change her mind again." He chewed his lip slightly before continuing. "But you know what? When I talked to Parker about this Christmas and our plans, guess what he said? He said it didn't matter what day we celebrated, as long as we got to spend some time together. He actually wants to spend time with his dad, and that really helped me feel better…"
"You've raised a very perceptive young man, Booth. You should be very proud of him."
"I am…I really am. Finding out what a good kid he is almost makes it worth missing Christmas Day with him, you know?" Smiling, Booth wiped his mouth with his napkin. "That was a great burger…and what few fries I had were good, too…but I think I need a piece of pie to top off the tank."
"I didn't eat all of your fries!" Brennan narrowed her eyes at him. "I left you plenty…"
Booth waved to get Tina's attention, and she smiled as she walked over. "Care for some dessert tonight, sir?"
"Yeah, I think I've still got room. What kind of pie do you have today?"
"Let's see…" Tina checked the back of her order pad. "Cherry, peach, apple, and pecan…oh, and coconut cream."
"I'll have some cherry pie a la mode…," Booth decided.
"And I'll have a slice of pecan pie, please." Brennan rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Can you warm it up and add some vanilla ice cream on top?"
"Sure thing, honey." Tucking her pencil behind her ear, Tina went to get the pie.
Booth was in shock. "But you don't like pie!"
"I don't like cooked fruit in pie, but Sully introduced me to pecan pie, and I really enjoy it! It's not as sweet as cherry pie. Sully introduced me to quite a few new things…"
Not wanting to discuss one of Brennan's old flames, Booth tried to change the subject as he checked his watch. "So…it's almost six. I guess we'd better try to figure out where we're gonna stay tonight…"
"It's too bad we don't have Sully's boat, isn't it? That would solve a lot of our problems. The cabin was really quite comfortable. I slept in the cabin several times, actually…"
Booth rolled his eyes. "Well, except that Oklahoma is a landlocked state…so a sailboat wouldn't do us much good…"
Brennan quickly disagreed. "There's an intercoastal waterway to the Port of Catoosa via the Arkansas River…I'm sure his boat would be able to sail through it quite easily…"
"Right. Look, let's just drop the whole Sully admiration society bit, okay? I'm serious…we need to find a place to stay. We'd better find the sheriff's office soon."
When Tina came back with their pie, Booth politely asked, "Can you tell me where the sheriff's office is?"
She raised an eyebrow at his question. "It's on Division…it's the first brick street when you get into town…turn right and it's about three buildings down. You can't miss it." Suddenly defensive, Tina crossed her arms over her chest. "So…um…what kinda business do you have with Sheriff Clymer? I mean, I know it's none of my concern, but you see, he comes in almost every night…he likes the meatloaf…" She studied her customers intently. "...and you two don't seem like the average visitors to Guthrie. The sheriff ain't in trouble, is he? He's a good guy…"
"No, nothing like that.," Booth reassured her. "We were just told to look him up when we got to town, that's all. Hey, while you're here, can I have the check?"
"Sure thing…there you go. Hey, if you're in town for a while, come back and see us, alright?"
"You bet. Thanks, Tina."
"Um…yeah…no problem."
After leaving a nice tip for their server, Booth and Brennan walked up to pay the man at the register. Handing the man a twenty, Booth pointed out the window. "Look at all that snow…"
"Yeah…they say on the news we're gonna get five inches or so." The man handed Booth his change. "I think it'll be more like eight by the time we're through, but at least we don't have ice like they do in the City." He waved at a group of men who entered the diner. "Snow plow drivers…they'll be in and out all night. Good thing we're open 24 hours…they're gonna need a warm place to take a break."
Smiling genially, Booth waved at the men before turning back at the cashier. "So…has Sheriff Clymer been in tonight? Tina said he's here every evening…"
"Ain't seen him yet, but I imagine he's busy dealing with all the expressway traffic and the snow and such. You might ask Deputy Long at the Sheriff's office…I bet she'll know where he is." The man winked broadly. "Don't tell Tina, but I think the Sheriff and Deputy Long are a bit of an item…"
"Oh, no problem." Booth chuckled softly. "My lips are sealed. I wouldn't dare get between two females who are going after the same fella…"
"Very smart…very smart. Well, you all have a good Christmas now…"
"You, too. Good night…"
As they left the diner, Booth was surprised to see just how much snow had accumulated while they were inside. He quickly brushed the snow away from the windshield and took his place in the driver's seat. "You okay there, Bones? Do you need any help getting into the car?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "I already told you…I'm fine." She climbed into the car and brushed the snow from her jacket. "I assume we're going to the Sheriff's office?"
Booth nodded. "Yep. You know, it's interesting how upset Tina got when we told her we wanted to talk to the sheriff. I wonder why she assumed he was in trouble?"
"People who live in small towns can be very insular…and she figured out right away we were strangers in town, too. Visitors like us are often regarded with suspicion. Perhaps she was trying to protect his reputation from us…we would be considered outsiders…and therefore a possible threat..."
"I suppose…although in my opinion, she kinda overreacted." As he started the car, Booth shrugged. "Well, anyway, I can't wait to meet the sheriff. He sounds like a real interesting character."
Ooooooooo
In less than fifteen minutes, they'd found the sheriff's office and parked the car. Pushing open the door, they stepped into a brightly decorated office and spoke to the officer at the desk.
"Good evening, Deputy Long…" Booth flashed his badge as he spoke. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, and this is my associate, Dr. Brennan. We'd like to speak to Sheriff Clymer…"
Clearly surprised, the deputy stammered a bit as she answered. "Well, um…he's not here right now…"
"Can you tell us where he is? Or when he'll return?" Planting his feet, Booth crossed his arms over his chest. "It's important that we speak with him as soon as possible."
"Let me see if I can get ahold of him…he's gone out on a call, I think…" She pushed the speed dial on her phone, but shook her head after a few seconds. "He's not answering. Let me try the radio. If you'll follow me…"
She took them back to an inner office. "Have a seat. Can I get you all some water or some coffee?"
"No thanks…" Booth raised an eyebrow at her. "Could you call the sheriff?"
"Yeah…let me see if I can get him on the radio. He won't answer his phone while he's driving." She flipped a switch on the device and picked up the microphone. "Sheriff Clymer? It's Deputy Long, over. What's your twenty?"
A few seconds later a voice crackled over the speaker. "Debbie? What the hell? What's with all this sheriff and deputy bit?" The voice chuckled softly. "Oh, I get it…you're in the mood to play cops and robbers, aren't ya?"
Embarrassed, she glanced at her visitors before continuing. "Sheriff? What's your twenty? You're needed back at the office immediately…over…"
"You know where I am, Debbie…I'm at the fairgrounds, and I'm real busy right now, okay? What's going on?...over…"
"There's a couple of federal agents here…they say they need to talk to you as soon as possible…over…"
"HO-LEE SHIT! Why are there feds in my office, Debbie? Did they say what they wanted? Jesus…"
"How should I know?" Annoyed, Debbie raised her voice as she answered him. "All I know is that they say they want to talk to you…so you'd better get back here on the double…over!"
"I'll be there in a jiffy…over. Jesus…that's all I need tonight…feds…"
A siren could be heard getting closer to the office. It stopped suddenly and the front door was thrown open noisily. Soon a tall, muscular man who appeared to be in his forties came bursting into the back room. "What the hell is going on here?"
"Sheriff Clymer, I presume?" Standing up to meet the man, Booth flashed his badge. "I'm Special Agent Booth. Your cousin, Officer Bohannon sent us…"
"That's just crazy!," the sheriff fumed. "God dammit! Why would Jimmy send you to see me? Lord knows I'm busy enough tonight without his meddling in my affairs! I'm trying to get about thirty some odd stranded truckers and their rigs settled at the fairgrounds for the night since the roads are so bad and gettin' worse, and now you feds come busting in here wanting to ask a whole lot of dumb questions…"
"We are not 'busting in…', Brennan began in annoyance.
"Take it easy, Bones. The sheriff is obviously under a lot of stress…and I didn't exactly make myself clear. That's on me. Sorry." Booth raised his hands in mock surrender. "Look, I know you're busy with the weather and all, sheriff, but we're stranded, too. We drove from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to catch our flight but the airport was closed, and, with the snow storm being so bad, we couldn't turn around, but there's no place to stay in town…"
"So no room at the inn, right?" Having relaxed a bit after Booth's apology, the sheriff grinned. "Yeah, I get that, but why didn't you just fly out of Tulsa? That would've saved you a helluva lot of trouble…"
"He didn't pay attention to the blizzard warning.," Brennan grumbled.
"Never mind that…," Booth said, waving off any more questions. "The point is that your cousin said that you might be able to help us find a place to stay here in town…"
"Hmm…" Sheriff Clymer scratched his chin as he considered the problem. "I guess I can put you all up in the cells…" Seeing Brennan's grimace, he shook his head. "Nah, that's probably not a good idea. Okay...well, let me make a phone call. I think I know someone who can help."
He dialed a number and waited a few seconds before he began shouting into the phone. "Father Ed? It's me, Billy Don. Yeah, Merry Christmas to you, too. Hey, I need a favor. Have you got room at the rectory for a couple of people to stay the night? No…no, it's not Debbie and me. Listen, I've got a couple of feds that need a place to stay…what? No, not a couple like Debbie and me. Can it, okay? It's a man and a woman…they both need rooms...yeah, I'm sure they'll be fine…they're good folks…I mean, they're feds, so I don't need to vouch for them, right? Is it okay? Yeah…yeah…I'll tell them. They'll be over in a little bit…yeah, before you and Phyllis go to bed. Okay…thanks…"
He ended the call with a smile. "Father Ed is the supply priest at my church. He's a good guy, but he's deaf as a post. Anyway, he says there's plenty of room at his rectory behind the Episcopal Church, so you two can stay over there for now, at least until you can get some regular hotel rooms."
"Hmm…" Booth looked at Brennan, trying to gauge her feelings on the matter, but she just shrugged. "Well, we're in 'any port in the storm' mode, so I guess that'll work, huh, Bones?"
"I believe so…but before we go, I wonder if I might use the restroom facilities?"
"Sure." Debbie smiled at Brennan. "Let me show you where it is…"
The sheriff shrugged at Booth as the women walked away. "Father Ed's got this crazy notion that me and Debbie are a couple, but I keep telling him we're just friends. I mean, she's cute and all, but still…anyway, he may ask you all kinds of nosy questions, too, but he means well." Nudging Booth with his elbow, he continued with a chuckle. "So…are you two? Just partners, I mean. Not that I'd blame you if you weren't, 'cause she's really hot, but…"
"Yeah, of course we're just partners. Strictly professional, like the FBI mandates…," Booth lied.
"Hmmm…interesting….well, in that case, maybe I'll see if your partner wants a tour of the town while you're here…"
Wearing an artificial grin, Booth put his hand on his hip, which moved his leather jacket aside just enough so that his sidearm was visible in his shoulder holster. "Don't even think about it…"
"Yeah…okay…but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask her, does it?," the sheriff asked hopefully.
"In this case, it just might." Booth's glare spoke volumes. "You'd best mind your own business, if you get my drift…"
"Right. Okay, then…" He paused as Brennan and Debbie rejoined them. "Well, if you two are ready, why don't you follow me over to the rectory so we can get you settled before Ed and Phyllis turn in for the night."
"An excellent idea. C'mon, Bones."
As they climbed into the SUV, Booth turned to Brennan with a grin. "I was right…the sheriff is a character…but at least we'll have a warm place to sleep tonight. I'm sure anything is better than sleeping in the cab of a semi or trying to get comfortable in the SUV, right?"
"True. Putting us up in a rectory is an unconventional choice, but Sheriff Clymer seems to be an unconventional officer of the law."
"That he is, Bones…that he is."
If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.
More soon. Laura.
