Well, I did update within a few days, as I promised. :D

AN: Nope, still don't own it.

The partners were looking over files in their hotel room when Brennan's phone rang. "This is Dr. Brennan."

"Hey Sweetie." Angela greeted her. "I'm supposed to call you and let you know what Clark found."

"Why isn't Cam calling?"

"She's sick, and asked that I do it. Anyway, Clark found some indentation on the skull, or something, and he's confirmed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the head. So it seems as though Barry didn't see what was coming. Clark also discovered yesterday that there was a spiral fracture to Barry's right wrist, that he thinks probably occurred shortly before death because it didn't show any sign of healing. Clark used some scientific term, but I have no idea what it was." Temperance gave a small laugh, but let Angela continue "Hodgins hasn't been able to find anything else on the remains. So basically the only new information we have is that Barry struggled with someone before his death because the direction of the fracture could have only come from twisting his arm behind his back. And then he was hit in the back of the head with some hard object," Angela finished.

"Okay, thanks Ange. I'll let you know if anything else turns up on our end."

"Cool. And Sweetie?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't bottle up your emotions, and let them eat you. I know that this is really difficult for you, but don't put up your old walls. You've been doing so good lately, opening up more. Not just to Booth, but everyone around you. You don't spend as many nights holed up in the lab, you actually go out. I think you actually have gone out with me more than once a year. I'm enjoying this new, more open Brennan. So just promise me you'll not let this make you revert back into your shell, okay?"

Brennan said the first thing that came to her mind. "I don't go out with you more than once a month."

Angela sighed. "Sweetie, that's all you got out of my speech? All I'm saying is that lately you've been good about being more open towards people, and I don't want you to change that just because of this case. Don't close up again."

"That's irrational, Angela. I'm fine."

"Right. I'll talk to you later."

Temperance hung up the phone, and related the information to Booth. "So we know that Barry's death was not premeditated, most likely." Booth said.

Both were silent for a moment before Temperance spoke again. "Angela says I shouldn't 'put up my walls' again. I think she means that I should open up to you about how I'm feeling."

Booth smiled at her. "And how are you feeling, Bones?"

Brennan thought about it for a second. "Logically, this case shouldn't have any bearing upon me emotionally. I mean, I didn't even know Barry all that well, and while I was close to Jimmy, I also didn't know him for very long. The fact that Barry is dead, while sad, shouldn't really affect me emotionally." She paused. "But while logically I shouldn't be have a hard time, it does bring back memories of my time in foster care that are…painful for me. But there are more important things to consider right now," she said, changing the subject. "Who do you think killed Barry?"

The FBI agent ran a hand through his hair, and sighed. "I honestly don't know. It doesn't seem like Jimmy had the motive – if what he says is true, Barry was the only thing that protected him from Phil McPherson. So if he is telling the truth, and you never know, then I don't think it was him. What we really need to do is find McPherson, because I think he might have information that might help wrap this up." He paused, and then spoke again. "It does seem odd, though. Child molesters don't usually just stop with two or three boys – they keep going because it's a compulsion. So if Jimmy's story is true, then there should be a trail of victims that follows McPherson everywhere he went."

"Then do you think Jimmy is lying?" Brennan asked him.

"He sounded awfully sincere. Maybe Phil found a way to stop…but that seems awfully unlikely."

They were silent again, until Brennan spoke up again. She reached over and squeezed Booth's hand. "Thank you for helping me, Booth. For believing me that the man was really Jimmy, and for being here for me."

Booth slowly brought her hand up to his lips, and gave her hand a light kiss. "Anytime, Bones, anytime."

As they were eating dinner a few hours later, Booth's cell phone rang. He flipped it open. "Booth."

"Booth, it's Charlie. We may have had a hit on McPherson. I released the photo that Ms. McPherson gave you to the media. And not just the local stations – I gave it to all the national networks too. You know, just trying to reach anywhere that he could be."

"And?" Booth asked impatiently.

"We got a ton of calls. A few of them weren't legit, but then we hit gold. We had lots of reports of people from people that saw him in the Chicago area, but we already knew that. But the majority of the tips that came in were from the area around Arlington. Apparently, Phil McPherson has been living in Virginia for the last sixteen years or so."

"Any idea where?"

"Well, we got a lot of people calling in that said that they saw him in Arlington from the early nineties to early 2001 or so."

"But we need to find him now."

"Not a problem. We had one guy call in, saying that this guy lived in his apartment building, and had since 2001. Specifically an apartment complex near the Braddock Station in Alexandria."

Booth quickly wrote down the information. "You are the best, Charlie. Thanks." Booth hung up and turned to Temperance. "Good news, Bones. We found McPherson, and we're heading home.

Their flight touched down not a moment too soon. Booth's face was positively green. Whatever he had eaten at their dinner last night had made him so sick he could barely move. The only way that he had made it through the flight was by keeping a cold towel, kindly supplied by the stewardess, on the back of his neck, and Brennan rubbing soothing circles on his back. "You shouldn't have eaten that fish, Booth. I told you it smelled bad."

Booth took a deep breath as they disembarked the plane. "Please, Bones. Not now. Please just take me home, and do not chide me now."

The cab pulled up to Booth's apartment, and the partners got out. Brennan carried Booth's suitcase, while Booth breathed deeply; trying not to be sick. When they reached his door, he turned to Brennan. "I called Perotta, and told her what was going on. She'll go with you tomorrow to talk to McPherson." He took his bag from her. "And please be careful, Bones."

She rolled her eyes. "Booth, there's no way that I'm going to get in trouble interviewing a witness."

"Bones, you could find trouble anywhere."

She just shook her head. "Are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you? I won't mind."

"Nah, I'll be fine. I'm just going to sleep, and I'll call you in the morning. Okay?"

"Okay." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She, too, had been more comfortable touching him since their conversation in the office; this was just as comfortable to her. Walking back to the taxi, one thought kept running through her mind: tomorrow was going to be a long day. It was hard enough meeting her foster mother again for the first time in fifteen years, but it was going to be even harder meeting her foster father whom she had just learned was a child molester.

The same thought ran through her mind when she woke up the next morning. She checked her phone, saw that there were no messages from Booth, and then started getting ready. Perotta showed up an hour later, and together they drove out to what was supposed to be Phil McPherson's home.

"So," Perotta started, "Booth said you know the guy?"

"Yes." Brennan stated simply. She did not care to talk about her past with anyone, but it was easier to do so with Booth and Angela – even Sweets. But she had only worked with Agent Perotta a few times, and didn't quite feel comfortable around her yet. However, she figured that it would probably come out in the course of the interview anyway. "He was one of my foster fathers."

"Oh." Perotta was silent for a second. "I didn't know you were in the foster system."

"I was." Brennan's tone brooked no further conversation, and both were silent for the rest of the ride.

Before long, they arrived at a run-down apartment complex. The brownish paint was peeling off the outside of the building, and there was orange spray paint above one of the windows. There was trash piled up around the front door, and Brennan had to step carefully around the rotten tomato on the first step. They entered, and picked their way carefully to the super's office.

Perotta opened the door without knocking, and Brennan was greeted by a heavy set man in an ugly tartan sweater. "Can I help you?" He drawled slowly.

Perotta flashed her badge. "I'm Special Agent Payton Perotta with the FBI, and this is Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian Institute. Do you have a Phil McPherson living here?"

"Yeah, been living here for about…" the man paused to look at a ledger on his desk, "about eight years now. Said he needed somewhere cheap to live because his house was reposed or something like that."

"Fascinating. What's his apartment number?"

"7B. Don't you need a warrant or something?"

"We just want to talk to him, not search the apartment."

"Oh, okay. Well go on up."

The man that opened the door to Perotta's knock barely resembled the man that Temperance remembered. The years had not been kind to Phil McPherson. His face was lined with wrinkles, and his hair was completely grey. But her sympathy for the man was limited, though, because of what he had done to Jimmy and Barry. "Yes?"

Perotta flashed her badge again, and repeated the introductions she had made downstairs.

"Brennan, hmmm?" McPherson rolled the name around for a moment. "Sounds familiar." He thought about it for a second more, perhaps waiting for the doctor to tell him why, but Brennan wasn't going to help him out. "Well, no matter. What can I do for you two?"

"May we come in, Mr. McPherson?" Perotta asked. "There's a few questions that we need to ask you."

"Um…" McPherson looked around the apartment behind him to an area that Brennan could not see. "It would be better if we spoke in the hallway." Brennan's curiosity was peaked, but she chose not to say anything. The man moved into the corridor with the women, and then spoke once more. "What's this about?"

"A set of remains were found in Arlington recently. They were identified by Dr. Brennan as being those of Barry Finkel, a boy in your foster home, correct?"

McPherson sighed. "Ah, yes. Barry did indeed live with Mary – my ex-wife – and I for a while. Until he ran away, that is."

"He didn't run away." Brennan said bluntly. "He died."

"Died? Oh no, that's horrible. Are you positive?"

"Positive. He never left your home of his own choice." She said sharply. Perotta shot her a look and took over the interview.

"Mr. McPherson, where did you go after you left Chicago?"

"I went to Seattle for a year or so, but found that the weather didn't agree with me all that well. Then I moved out here."

"And where did you live before this apartment?"

McPherson shifted around on his feet before answering. "Well, um, I…I, uh, bounced around a bit but didn't live anywhere specific for very long. Why do you need to know this?"

"Barry was murdered, and it seems that after Barry died you left town rather quickly." Brennan said fiercely.

McPherson crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't believe I like what you are insinuating, Dr. Brennan, and I think that if you have any further questions then you can contact my lawyer." He reached into his back pocket, took out his wallet, and pulled out a card. "Here, that's his number. Now, good day." He turned quickly and went back into his apartment.

"Way to go, Dr. Brennan." Perotta said with a sigh. "You should have just let me handle it, and not made him angry – now we won't get anything out of him. What's your beef with him anyway? He didn't seem to know anything."

"He molested two of my foster brothers. Forgive me for not being more concerned with his feelings." She snapped. Inwardly, she felt stupid. She knew that she wasn't being calm or rational right now, but she couldn't help it. She was furious that the man had hurt someone she had once cared about, and had gotten away with it.

"Whoa, really? I guess Booth didn't really give me the full update." The pair walked back down to the car. "When Booth called to tell me what was going on, all he said was that this guy might have some information about the kid's murder. I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan."

"Don't be sorry for me. I wasn't hurt."

Perotta grimaced, forgetting how practical the doctor could be. "Do you think he could have done it? Killed the boy, I mean."

Brennan thought about it for a minute. "There's no evidence that connects him with the crime. In fact, there's relatively no evidence in this case at all. The only thing we know is that the bones were reburied and that the victim struggled with someone before being struck in the head with a blunt instrument. Objectively speaking, it could have been anyone in the household. There is no evidence linking anyone to the murder. Physically, though, Phil McPherson would have been capable of committing the murder, but as I said there's no-"

"No evidence, yeah. I got that part. But do you think he did it?"

"I don't jump to conclusions, Agent Perotta. As I said, the evidence allows for the fact that it could have been anyone."

"Right." Perotta drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. "So basically there's no way for you to tell who killed the boy – without a complete confession – and we are effectively screwed."

Brennan offered Perotta a half-hearted smile. "Effectively, yes."

Booth's cell phone rang, just as he was drifting off to sleep again. He got out of bed and walked to his dresser where the phone lay. "'Ello?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Special Agent Booth? It's Mary McPherson. Is this a bad time?"

"Umm…" He looked longingly at his bed, but figured it must be important. "No, it's fine."

"Oh, good. Well, after you left, I started thinking about what you said. About suspecting that Phil hurt those boys, I mean. And while I'm not sure that he really did do it, I did remember something that might help you. It seems trivial to me, but I'm not an FBI agent."

"I appreciate the call, Mary. Most people just assume that if it's not important to them, it's not important to the investigation either. But, please, go on."

"Well, the night before Barry ran away, or rather the night before he died I suppose, Barry came to me. He told me that he needed to tell me something very important that concerned Phil, but he had to wait until the next day when Phil was out of the house at work. I thought that was a bit odd, so I asked Phil if he had any idea about what Barry had to tell me, and he said that he didn't know. But for the rest of the night, Phil seemed awfully skittish. I went to bed early that night because of a headache, but I remember because it was usually me who tucked the children in, and it was Phil that did it that night. It was the next morning that we found Barry's note. I always wondered why he had left before telling me whatever was so important." At this point, Booth was wide awake. If his suspicions were correct, then Mary McPherson had just provided him with the motive for Barry's murder that they had been missing. "Does that help you at all?" Mary asked.

"Yes, it helps a lot. Thank you so much." After they hung up, he called Brennan. "Bones, I just got a break in the case."

"Really? That's the best news I've heard all day." He could soft music in the background, and assumed that she was most likely back at the lab.

"I take it your conversation with Phil didn't go too well?"

"No. We got absolutely nothing out of him, except for the fact that we could talk to his lawyer next time. So please, tell me about this break."

Okay. Well, I think I established motive. According to Mary McPherson, Barry had something to tell her the night before he was killed, and that he didn't want to do it with Phil in the house. Probably didn't want him walking in when Barry was telling her about the molestation."

"Mm hmmm."

"So Mary talked to Phil about it, you know because she wanted to know if Phil had any idea what Barry was talking about. He said no, of course, but she said that he acted jumpy for the rest of the night. Phil probably thought that Barry was finally going to rat him out about everything. And the next morning, Barry is gone."

"And Phil wouldn't have wanted something like that to get out." Brennan said.

"He wouldn't have wanted that to come out at all. If it did, then everything would be over for him. He would have at worst – for him – gone to jail, or in the very least all the kids would have been taken away, and their income gone."

Brennan thought about it. "That definitely seems like the strongest motive we've got so far. Mary had no reason to kill him – she loves her kids. Jimmy needed Barry to protect him from Phil, and even though the other kids didn't like him, there wasn't enough animosity to kill him. Phil is the only one who would have benefitted from Barry's death."

"Exactly. So tomorrow we'll pull Phil in for some official questioning."

"You're sure we'll do it tomorrow?" She wanted to get this whole thing wrapped up quickly so that she could move on, and stop thinking about everything from her past. Even though she could compartmentalize, this was still difficult for her.

"If I'm not still puking my guts into the toilet, then we definitely go. We're going to catch this guy, Bones. I promise."

I didn't receive many reviews for the last chapter, so I don't know if people just are reading the story, or if they just don't have the time to leave a review. But please, I would really appreciate some feedback.

Charlotte