Chapter 4
"Robert Hunter," said Booth as he put another bite of pie into his mouth. "He is the eldest of the three Hunter brothers, very notorious for their meth running through the middle class of DC."
"You speak of him as if you know him," said Brennan.
"Met him once or twice when I was in narco." Booth pushed the pie towards Lily and Theo who seemed out of place at the conversation. "Come on, try some. It's really good."
"No thanks," said Lily with a smile.
"Yeah, none for me," replied Theo.
"Your loss." Booth shoved a big piece in his mouth, just as his phone rang. After a few words he hung up and turned to the others. "Okay, I have the new location where the mother is living. I think we ought to pay a visit there."
….
The mother lived in a shabby establishment outside the city. Booth pulled up to the small neighborhood and turned off the engine. "I think the kids should stay here. If I remember correctly, this isn't exactly Mary Poppins in there."
Before Lily or Theo could argue, they had left the car to walk up the weed covered path. Booth had left the car on for the air conditioner and Theo moved to the front seat and started to fiddle with the radio knob. "What kind of music do you like?" he asked, surprising her.
"Um, anything really. Just no rap or country."
"I agree." He turned it to something that was the alternative hits of the day. As a rock song came on he began to drum along with the beat. Lily immediately recognized it as one of her favorite songs, one that she would turn to when she needed to drown out the shouts of whoever. She began to join him in singing and playing air guitar. Theo looked sideways and smiled.
"You like Linkin Park?" he asked over the sound of the song.
Lily turned it down slightly so that she didn't have to yell over the song. "Yeah, I've liked them from the beginning. The new stuff is different, but hey, I still like them."
"Oh. See I hate the new stuff. I was really liking the rap rock thing that they had going on."
"Yeah, it was good. But oh well."
"Yep." The song was over, but Theo kept tapping at the wheel. "So uh, what other bands do you like?"
"I don't know, there are so many. I mean I listened to the same stuff as my father when he was alive like Metallica and Led Zepplin."
"Oh is your father gone?" asked Theo curiously.
"My parents died in a car crash seven years ago. I've been uh living with my aunt and uncle."
"Oh, oh I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"No, you didn't know, it's okay," smiled Lily, hoping that she didn't discourage Theo from talking to her. "So um, where are you from? Around here?"
"Yep, I live in Alexandria, Virginia. My mother is a Senator and my dad is a professor at Georgetown."
"Wow." Lily looked away, thinking of what her parents did and what her life would have been like had her parents still been around. "My father was a big sports reporter when he was alive. We got to go to Boston area sports events all the time. He took me because my mom really didn't like them and she often needed quiet so she could work on the commercial jingles that she wrote."
Theo smiled. "Sounds like they were fun people. Sorry that you lost them."
Lily leaned against the door, turning her body away from him. "Yeah they were." Immediately she withdrew, not wanting to think of her parents. Sure her life was different without them, but it wasn't terrible. She knew that she still had more than a lot of people in the world. However, she couldn't shake the thoughts of her parents.
She heard the seat beside her make a sound as Theo got closer. She could smell his cologne, which created a warm feeling in her stomach. It smelled good, real good.
"Lily, are you okay?" asked Theo softly.
"Yeah," she replied. She faced him and found out that he was closer than she thought he was. For the first time since she met him, she really took in his features. He had sky blue eyes with short dark hair that he kept gelled up. His chin was peppered with stubble that made him look much older than he really was. He smiled back at her just as the car door opened, assaulting the car with the hot summer's air.
"Hey you two," said Booth. "Get in the back seat. Adults in the front." They clambered over the center console and buckled their seatbelts.
Booth started to speak to Brennan as he was writing something in his notepad. "So it looks like the brothers were having a little spat. We'll have to go find Darrell."
"Do you know his last known address?"
Theo looked to Lily and rolled his eyes. She realized what he meant and smiled. Theo cleared his throat and the talking ceased. Booth's eyes appeared in the rearview mirror, acknowledging him.
"Well aren't you going to tell us what you learned?"
"Yeah, I probably should," replied Booth with a smile. "But then I'll have to tell the rest of Squints and I don't feel like telling it twice."
"What?" asked Lily incredulously. "You really shouldn't treat us like children. I'm sixteen years old and Theo is…" Lily looked to Theo, not knowing his age.
"And I'm seventeen! You should really learn to treat us right," warned Theo.
"Or what?" taunted Brennan. "Are you going to cry? Throw a tantrum perhaps?" Brennan smiled triumphantly at her teasing remarks.
"I don't," replied Theo with a mischievous smile that only Lily saw. "Perhaps this?" He lifted his hand to reveal that he was holding Booth's car keys in his hand.
Booth started patting himself before realizing that they were actually his. "Hey! Those are mine! Give them back!" Booth reached forward and Theo pulled back playfully.
"Damn it Theo. Give them back."
"Nope. We get to drive."
"This is a government issued vehicle registered under my name. If you were to get caught…"
Brennan leaned over and whispered rather loudly into Booth's ear. "I think this is a mutiny."
…
Following directions from memory, Theo was able to drive back to the Jeffersonian without Booth's aid. Occasionally he and Lily would look to the backseat where Booth sat with his arms folded across his chest. Brennan looked fine, just staring out the window as they drove about.
When they exited the car Booth held his hand open, waiting for the keys. Theo handed them back.
"And what do we say Agent Booth?"
"Thanks," he mumbled under his breath. They walked into the Jeffersonian and met with the Squints.
Angela stepped forward, looking curious. "Why does Booth look like a child that got his lollipop taken away?"
"In essence he did," said Brennan. "Theo took Booth's keys. He had to sit in the backseat."
Hodgins clapped Theo on the back. "Good one man. Pulling a fast one on an Army Ranger."
"Enough!" shouted Booth. "He took my keys. Whatever. Shouldn't we be talking about the case at hand?"
"No, not really," said Angela. "It's Friday. On a beautiful warm summer's day. It calls for a party." She pointed a finger at Lily and Theo. "Make sure that they show up 'cause you're all invited."