Chapter 13

Beau Jo's, Monday 5:00 p.m. MST (7:00 p.m. EST)

Booth and Brennan sat at their table awaiting their order. The pizza place was hopping, despite the fact that it was Monday.

"It seems like we're going in circles." Booth sighed as he grabbed his iced tea and gulped down some of it.

"Well who knew that Jay was actually Mark's cousin?" Brennan sighed as she sipped her water.

"I really thought that his story about not hearing me shouting was a load of crap but him being half deaf explains that." The FBI Agent was getting frustrated.

"Well he hadn't seen Mark and no one really knows where he is. According to Angela, it was Mark Johnson's blood in the car." Brennan said.

"It's safe to say he's dead. All that blood, there's no way he's alive." Booth took another gulp of iced tea and set the empty cup aside.

"Normally I wouldn't jump to conclusions but I'd have to say your right. The amount of blood in the car indicated that an artery had to have been punctured. I guess I don't understand why an upstanding citizen like Mark Johnson was mixed up with Salvatore Luciano." The forensic anthropologist wondered.

"It's my guess that Johnson didn't realize what he was getting into. He was the local computer repair guy. It's very possible that the reason his fingerprints were on your laptop was that Luciano tried to get him to break into it. I mean your computer was password protected right?" Booth asked. Before Brennan could answer the waitress brought their order over and promised to refill Booth's iced tea.

"It was password protected. So Johnson thinks he's helping a guy who forgot his password and realizes that the computer is in fact mine. They fought, which could explain the mess in my hotel room." Brennan said as she took the piece of pizza that Booth served her.

"Ok, then Luciano wins and conks Johnson on the head. He's about to take care of computer guy when you open your door. In order to get out of the room, he hits you on the head. The next thing to do is get Johnson out of there because when he comes to, he'll spill the beans about the guy he was trying to help. But how did he get Johnson out of the room and out the front door without me running into him or Tim at the desk seeing him?" Booth wondered as he took a bite of the pepperoni pizza. Silence fell between the partners for a moment until they both came to the same realization.

"Luciano is in our hotel." The two said at the same time. As if to answer their thoughts, Booth heard a pop-pop-popping noise that he could never mistake.

"Everyone get down!" He yelled as the glass in the front window shattered. Screaming erupted inside the pizza parlor and people tried to take cover. Booth grabbed Brennan and used his body to shield her from the flying glass and ricocheting bullets. Just as quickly as the shooting started it was over. Quickly Booth let go of Brennan and raced to what was left of the window to at least get a plate number of the car. He caught the last three digits and burned them into his memory. Then he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the Sheriff's Office.

Beau Jo's, Monday 5:30 p.m. MST (7:30 p.m. EST)

The emergency vehicles arrived within a couple minutes of Booth's phone call. Brennan was busy triaging the wounded, when they arrived. The EMT's quickly got to work and the forensic anthropologist did her best to help. Those with the most serious wounds were immediately rushed to the heli-pad to be flown to Denver Health Medical Center while others who only sustained minor cuts and lacerations were easily taken care of down at the small ambulatory center near the police station.

"How bad is it?" Booth asked as Brennan joined him.

"Two were killed instantly, three were severely wounded, and ten received minor injuries." She told her partner. "The two that were killed were the father and son sitting the closest to the window. The father was struck in the chest and the son was struck in the head. The prognosis for the three critically wounded patients is uncertain. One was shot in the leg near the femoral artery; the second was shot in the stomach, and the third was struck in the lower abdomen." Brennan continued.

"Damn." The FBI Agent cursed. That's when Brennan noticed the blood on Booth's collar.

"You're bleeding." She said as she pulled his collar away from his neck. Booth reached up to his neck and felt the warm liquid.

"I wondered what that was." He seemed very unconcerned. Brennan took a look and found some small pieces of glass lodged in the cut.

"These need to come out. Come on; let's get you to the ambulatory center. I could pull those pieces out but I don't have anything to bandage it with." She told him. The two moved from the depressing sight around them and got into the SUV. Brennan told Booth she was driving and strangely he put up no objection. The ride was silent to the center and so was the wait. Booth's injury wasn't a top priority as the cut wasn't so severe. Brennan leaned over and whispered in Booth's ear.

"Do you need to talk about it?" She had recalled his X-Rays when he had been blown up. The injuries had been consistent with shielding someone, later when he told her about his friend; she knew that today's experience was one that would bring back bad memories. His response was to take her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"We'll talk later, but thank you." He kissed her temple and they awaited their turn.

To Be Continued…

To my readers that celebrate, Happy Easter:)