(Season 10)

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She hesitated before she spoke. "Hello Temperance."

Not really surprised to hear that voice, Brennan looked up and spied Hannah standing in her doorway. "Hello." Ever since Angela had told her that Hannah was back in town, Brennan had expected her friend to show up sooner or later. Both Booth and Angela had told her about a suspected serial killer that Hannah was worried about, but Brennan felt there was more to this situation than just her worry about a murderer. She and Booth were separated and she worried that Hannah was there to take advantage of the situation. She trusted Booth not to cheat on her, but she wasn't so sure she trusted Hannah not to try to temp her husband to leave her. "Do you wish to speak to me?"

"Yes, thank you." Hannah moved into the office and sat on the chair in front of her old friend's desk. "It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has." Brennan watched as the reporter place her purse down on the floor. "I didn't expect to see you again." At least she had hoped she would never see Hannah again. Obviously hoping for something was utterly useless and a waste of time.

Hannah had been certain that Booth had told his wife that she was in town, but since they were separated, maybe he hadn't. "I'm in town because I may have discovered that there's a serial killer operating on the east coast. Seeley is looking into it for me, but I don't know if he's taking it seriously or not. He should. I know I'm right."

"He is taking it seriously." Brennan didn't like the implication that Booth would shirk his duty because Hannah had been the bearer of the news. "Angela researched the situation and as far as I know, she has found eleven cases that might fit the profile you reported. Booth is researching what Angela found. The fact that a clown has been spotted several times in the area when a child's body has been found is proof that something odd is going on, but we need more information. Booth has sent out requests for documentation from the various jurisdictions that have investigated the murders. I think he's only received four cases so far. He's waiting for the other seven cases to be sent to him."

Relieved that Booth was actually working on the case, Hannah nodded her head. "That's good. He was supposed to get back with me before I leave for New York, but so far he hasn't called." She was beginning to think Booth was going to squeeze her out of the investigation. She didn't like that.

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "He probably wants to look at the cases before committing to anything." Frankly, she hoped Booth didn't contact Hannah at all. Being separated from her meant that her husband was alone at the moment and if he became discouraged with the situation, if he lost hope and thought that their relationship was permanently broken, he might seek solace from someone else. The whole situation with Booth was unsettling for both of them. "When are you going back to New York?"

"In a day or two." Hannah still needed to talk to Booth. "Just so you know, he wasn't happy to see me. In fact, he told me he doesn't feel anything for me and that even if you two never get back together, he's not interested in getting back together with me again." She saw the change in Brennan's demeanor immediately. The tension in her friend's body seemed to melt away. "I'm not here to take Seeley from you Temperance. I didn't even know about your breakup until a few days ago. I really am here about the clown and the dead children." She hated the fact that Brennan didn't trust her. She had always tried to be her friend and Seeley's too. "Seeley and I didn't want the same things and I'm sure we still don't. He wants to be married and settled down in one place. I don't . . . I'm sorry that you two are having trouble, but he did tell me that he loves you."

That surprised her. Not that Booth loved her, but that he had told Hannah. "And I love him. He and I are separated, but it is only temporary. He has some issues he needs to work on, but once that is done, I imagine he will come back home." It was more information that she wanted to give, but she needed Hannah to understand that Booth being away from her was just temporary. It was temporary, she just wasn't sure that Booth understood that.

"Yeah, I figured." Hannah stood up. "Tell Seeley to call me." As she moved toward the door, Brennan stopped her.

"I'll tell him Hannah, but that isn't a guarantee that he will call you." Brennan was barely talking to Booth as it was. "He may not want the press involved in the case. This kind of case could turn into a sensational event and it could have dire consequences, especially for professional clowns. The populace is easily frightened about things like this and someone might decide that the local clown in their area is a serial killer and take justice into their hands. It would be tragic if that happened."

Hannah was well aware of the ability of the press to excite its readers. "I don't work for a rag, Temperance. I won't print anything about this yet. That's why I need to talk to Seeley. If he keeps me in the loop, then I'll know when I can release some information to the public, but he needs to talk to me." It sounded like a threat and she hoped Brennan took it as one. She didn't want to be squeezed out of this case. After all, she was the one who had put two and two together in the first place.

Her words sounded a little ominous and that worried Brennan. "I'll call him." Once Hannah was gone, she made the call.

Booth.

"Hannah came by . . . she wants you to call her about the clown case." She wasn't sure what else to say, so she said nothing.

I told her I'd call her, damn it . . . Did she talk about anything else?

"Not really." Brennan wanted to be honest with Booth, but Hannah still worried her. "She said she plans to return to New York in a day or two. I think she'll delay as long as possible until you talk to her."

I'll call her . . . How are you doing? How's Christine?

"We're fine." Being honest with herself, Brennan knew she'd be truly fine when Hannah was gone. "How are you doing? Are you still going to your meetings?"

Of course, I am. I know I have a problem and I'm going to fix this . . . I'm serious about this Bones. I'm going to fix this for me and for you."

"I'm glad." Brennan hoped that his meetings would set him on the right path. "Would you like to have lunch with me?"

Yeah, of course. I'll meet you at the Diner at one. I have to call Hannah and try to get her to go home. This case isn't going to be solved overnight and I can't have her breathing down my neck.

"Alright." Brennan hoped Hannah understood that this kind of case could take weeks if not months to solve. "I'll see you at the Diner." The call ended, Brennan decided to check in with Angela and see what information she had given Booth. Perhaps if she helped with the case it would go much faster.

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As soon as he was off the phone with Brennan, Booth called Hannah.

This is Hannah Burley.

"Look, I said I'd call you. You didn't have to get Bones to call me . . . Angela went over the information you gave me and she came up with eleven cases we need to look into. I've already talked to Stark and he agrees there is something to this whole clown thing. I've started working on it, but it's not going to happen overnight. I have to contact the detectives involved in these cases and get as much information as I can and go from there. It's going to take time. Probably a lot of time." He hoped his being honest with her would get her to go home. He really didn't want his ex hanging around the District. The last thing he needed was a reminder of past personal failures not to mention he didn't want the clown case to be sensationalized in the press. "I'll call you and keep you in the loop, but I need you to sit on this story for a while. I don't want any more kids killed, but I need to make sure the press doesn't tie my hands up. I need to be able to investigate this thing the right way and if this is released by the press then it could cause a whole lot of problems not the least giving the murderer a heads up and give him time to destroy any evidence he has. Also, I don't want innocent men killed just because they're professional clowns. You know that can happen if people panic."

Yes, I know . . . I'll sit on it as long as you keep me in the loop and you can guarantee that I'll get the story first when you make an arrest.

"I can do that." Booth just hoped she gave him enough time. "This is going to take a lot of time."

I know that too . . . I'm working on something that might give you a lead. I'll get back to you when I find out if it works out or not.

"Hannah!" He hadn't liked the sound of that. Not at all. "Let me do my job. Don't blow this because you want a story. Kids lives are involved."

"I'm not going to blow anything, Seeley. I have to go. I have a meeting in thirty minutes. Keep me in the loop.

"Hannah!" But he was talking to no one. She had ended the call. "Damn it!" He hoped Hannah wasn't going to ruin his case before it had got started. She was a great reporter, but he knew she wanted the story and she didn't care what Booth thought about it. He just thanked God that Hannah had told him no when he had asked her to marry him. He knew it had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life and the only thing that had saved him was her refusal. Of course he hadn't known that at the time, but he did now.

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