Birthday Suits in a Suite
(AKA Booth in a Loincloth)
Chapter Ten
Susan H.
Just before dawn, Foster parked his car and walked up into the woods. The sun rose as he started on the path. He followed the trail Pauly had been on when he veered off and found the body. He searched for the most likely place. Recent rains washed away simpler clues. Now, he had to remember being a little boy.
He walked for a half an hour and found a child sized baseball cap, an empty can of Pepsi, and, curiously, a full bottle of dish soap. None of these things whispered any hints to him. Then a ray of sun caught a colorful flash on the ground. He knelt, and laughed.
A small arrow, made of marbles, was pressed into the dirt, and cover with leaves. Pauly must have planned to bring his friends. Foster followed the arrow. He chose a likely spot, and laid his knee on the ground. He gently shifted some dried leaves. He took out his spade, and brushed the soil.
Satisfied the spot would give up some secrets, he slipped on a pair of exam gloves. He removed thin layers of dirt, and found a dark patch. He kept sifting, and jackpot. He pulled a bullet out of the ground with tweezers. He then scooped up the dark earth, and poured it into evidence bags.
He processed the scene for the next half hour, and by 7:30 he walked out of the woods, and to his car. He drove toward DC for an hour and a half. He pulled off the highway, and found a courier. He addressed the box to the Jeffersonian. By 10:45, he was back in Round Hill.
***
"Okay people," Cam said, "Foster has sent us a package by courier. It should be here soon, and that will give us something to focus on."
"What's in the package?" Hodgins asked.
"I don't want to be here if it's parts of Brennan and Booth," Angela cried.
"No Angela, I didn't tell you it was time to panic yet. Actually, Hodgins, it's bugs, slime, and particulates. There is also a bullet. He retrieved these at the site where he believes Agent Simons was murdered."
***
Foster watched Hamill ride through a drive thru, about an hour outside of town. He believed if he followed him now, the Sheriff would know, but it was the only way. He gave Hamill a good lead, and then followed.
***
"I found blood in the soil," Hodgins announced. "I also scraped tissue from the bullet. Dr. Saroyan, is it enough to work with?"
Cam peered into the petri dish, "I'll make this work Dr. Hodgins."
"Also, I found this," he held up a gray strip.
"What is it?"
"This is a fragment of a body bag. The body was moved by someone with access to proper equipment."
"You get a star, Hodgins, I'll call Foster."
***
Booth used the screw to drill a tiny hole through the paneling. It was slow work, but finally, it popped through the other side. Booth pushed his eye up against the hole.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing. An empty hall. We aren't even being guarded!"
"You sound angry."
"Well, I am a sniper trained FBI Special Agent. You are a bona fide forensics genius. You'd think we'd at least warrant a guard."
"I see your point, but now you can just bust through the paneling?"
***
Foster kept his back to the wall of the old motel, and walked sideways toward the door Hamill had entered. His gun was drawn, but he knew he was probably walking into a trap. He wasn't surprised when Hamill reached around the corner and slammed his gun-hand against the concrete wall. Which is why he held his smaller gun in his left hand, and kept the better gun in his right pocket.
Hamill wrapped his beefy arm around Foster's neck, and held his gun to the agent's head as he walked him down three steps and into the motel. He walked him toward the opposite end of the hallway.
"So, you must be my old Navy buddy."
"That's me big guy. You must be the corrupt sheriff in these parts. I already sent proof that you killed Simon, go ahead and kill me too, it should help your defense."
"I don't have to kill you. You can just sit with your friends while I get the hell out of Dodge."
"Where's it gonna be? Mexico? Habla usted Espanol."
The paneling exploded outward, Foster broke Hamill's grip and disarmed him. He reached into his pocket and pulled his gun out with his dominant right hand. He squinted at the end of the hall.
The dust cleared, and there stood Booth. In a loincloth.