Thanks for bearing with me through finals and such a great big thanks to everyone who wished me well. Haven't gotten grades yet but at least I'm done! This part is a little short, but I wanted to post it so people wouldn't forget about this fic. Enjoy!
Booth rolled down the windows of his SUV when he saw Brennan come out of her building. He had noticed this new tic of hers and understood it completely. She hated being in the car, in any enclosed space, and needed the fresh air circulating. He wondered how long it would be before she got over this new habit or if it would be with her for the rest of her life. Once again, he cursed himself for not finding her sooner and for not being able to get a confession out of O'Connell. He pushed those thoughts aside and put on a cheerful face as his partner got into the passenger seat.
"Morning Bones."
"Good morning, Booth." He drove her to the Jeffersonian, parked in the garage, and escorted her into the building. She wanted to protest that she could take care of herself, but the parking garage still gave her the creeps. Entering the lab, they were surprised to find Angela, Hodgins, and Zack bent over one of the tables. Brennan was almost always the first to arrive. The three squints looked up from the papers they were examining when the partners walked in.
"I think we've got something."
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"I thought I told you that the case was closed." Cullen said, his eyes narrowed at the agent standing in his office. "And you went and continued investigating anyway?"
"It wasn't me, sir. It was Dr. Hodgins. He used the Cantilever Group's private investigator to look into O'Connell's past and he found the connection. I think I can use it to get a confession."
"And I told you we don't need a confession because we have more than enough evidence for a conviction. I told you, Booth, case closed."
"Please, sir, Dr. Brennan and Dr. Hodgins don't feel closure on this case. After all the cases they have helped us solve I think we owe them this. Just give me one more chance in a room with O'Connell." Deputy Director Cullen glared at his agent. He was angry that Booth had gone behind his back and even angrier that he was right. Booth's lady scientist and her team of squints had proved an invaluable asset and deserved justice. He gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head and Booth darted out of the room.
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Once again, Brennan watched from the other side of the one way mirror as her partner interrogated the Grave Digger
"Tell me about Joey." The look of surprise on Janine's face was evident for a split second before she snapped her defenses up. Her lawyer looked confused. Booth flipped open the file and drew out an aged photo of two children. "All right then, why don't I tell you about Joey? He was your younger brother. When you were 15 and he was 12, he disappeared. Cops suspected kidnapping, called in the FBI, but he was never found."
"I already know all this, Agent Booth. How is this relevant?"
"You never got over it, did you Janine? He was in your care at the time. You were at the mall together and your mom put you in charge. But you were too interested in shopping to pay attention to your baby brother and then he was gone." Booth's voice was hard and accusatory. "He was kidnapped and killed because you didn't pay attention."
"It wasn't my fault." Janine was visibly upset and Booth fought the urge to smirk. He knew the brother was the key. "The FBI should have done more. You gave up too soon."
"And that's why you started this whole thing, isn't it? You wanted to prove to everyone that it wasn't your fault, that it was the FBI that failed Joey, not you." He stood, leaning over the woman, trying to intimidate her. "So you created a way to show the world, didn't you Janine? Didn't you? You became the Grave Digger to show up the FBI. You kidnapped people and buried them alive, then made your own rules to mess with the K&R guys. And you thought you could get away with it!"
"Well I did, didn't I?" O'Connell slammed her hand down on the table. Her lawyer's eyes went wide, but she had obviously snapped and there was nothing he could do about it. "It took you years to figure out it was me and I was right under your nose! You let five people die, just like Joey, because you couldn't figure it out. It was your fault, not mine! It was your fault!" She was screaming at him, but Booth just sat back in his chair and smiled. He had gotten his confession.
TBC. Please review - the more reviews I get, the quicker the next part will come and the longer and fluffier it will be!