Ok, so I know some of you want to "hunt me down" and "drown me in chocolate pudding"! But...what better way to say I'm sorry than with a new chapter! Finally...yay! I know I am really annoying because I haven't updated in ages but I have been really ill and there's been a lot going on with me. But no matter the breaks in between chapters I have no intention of abandoning this story I promise. That isn't what was happening so please just bare with me guys. As always, thank you to the readers. So get reading and prepare to be shocked! Dun...dun...dun!
Love CreativeAngel89 xoxo
Temperance Brennan hung up her jacquard print jacket in her spacious office and pulled on her familiar blue lab coat. As she neared the steps to the examination platform where Cam and Brennan's latest intern Naomi stood in discussion with Jack Hodgins, Brennan reached up to the lapel of her lab coat and unclipped her key card ready to swipe as she ascended the steps and Jack looked to her with excitement.
"What is it Doctor Hodgins?" She asked intrigued.
"The breakthrough in this case that we all need! When I was examining particulates I took off our second victim's clothing, I noticed a piece of something very interesting. I ran it through the mass spectrometer and did a little research and identified it as a piece of red steal. But not just any red steal. It comes from the body of a 1965 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider." Jack looked around with a proud smirk playing at his lips.
"What does that mean Doctor Hodgins?" Doctor Brennan grew impatient.
"It means that with Booths help we can find the killer. Just over eleven thousand were made in total and thanks to the success of other Alfa Romeo models made in the same era this baby is pretty rare".
Brennan smiled feeling almost exhilarated. "Good work Hodgins, I'll call Booth".
As Brennan rushed off the platform and into her office she hoped that this would work. She had been terrified for days knowing that there existed a person dangerous and twisted enough who had the power to harm her daughter. She pulled out her cell and pressed number one on her speed dial. Booth answered almost immediately.
"Bones, what's wrong?"
"Nothing Booth, we need you to access the DMV database and find out owns a red Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider and cross reference that with anyone who lives in or around the area. Jack found particulates on the second victims clothing which leads us to believe that this was the vehicle used in the murder of Peter Cummings and Kevin Williamson".
"Ok no problem".
Brennan sat at her desk patiently holding her phone to her ear and listened to the sound of Booth tap at his keyboard. Several minutes passed by until Booth spoke again.
"Ok we've got a hit. There is one belonging to a Mister Phillip Larson. Lives five-fifty-one Bellevue Terrace. I'll swing by and pick you up on the way."
Phillip Larson lived in a beautiful detached colonial stone home with a flagged front walkway and a proud ficus potted on each side of his pristine white wooden front door. Brennan took hold of the heavy brass knocker and admired the freshly moved lawn and array of bushes and flowers that were planted in the centre of it whilst she and Booth waited for an answer. After several seconds, the door opened to reveal a slender woman who looked to be middle aged and wore glasses and a pale pink blouse with a pair of long black slacks. Her blonde hair fell to her shoulder in curls and a gentle smile touched her lips as she observed Booth and Brennan. "Yes?"
"Ma'am. I'm Agent Booth with the F.B.I and this is my partner Doctor Temperance Brennan. We're looking to speak with Mister Phillip Larsen."
"Yes, that's my husband. Come in". The woman opened the door fully and showed them into a sitting room off to the left of the hallway. "Phillip". She called to her husband as she motioned for Booth and Brennan to take a seat.
Mr Larsen appeared in the doorway to greet his wife when he noticed the presence of the two strangers on his sofa and entered the room at a quicker pace. "Phillip, this is Agent Booth, he's with the F.B.I".
"What can I do for you Agent Booth?" He took a seat on the sofa next to his wife opposite Booth and Brennan.
"Sir, do you happen to own a '65 red Alfa Romeo?"
"Yes, it's in the garage".
"Mr Larsen we have reason to believe your car was involved in a crime the F.B.I is currently investigating.
Mr Larsen frowned and regarded Booth. "I don't understand. I haven't driven that car in almost six months. My daughter took it for a few days whilst her car was in the shop and she had a little scrape but that was completely innocent and certainly not something I would expect the F.B.I to be investigating".
Booth was about to ask Mr Larsen about the so-called 'scrape' but Brennan grasped his arm tightly. He followed her gaze and realised what had caught her eye. She reached out to the small table beside her and grasped a small wooden picture frame which held the image of someone familiar to Booth and evidently Brennan. "Sir, is this your daughter?"
"Yes, that's Rachel. Agent Booth would you mind telling us what is going on?"
"Rachel Riley?" He asked inquisitively.
"Riley?" Chimed in Mrs Larsen. "No. Our daughters name is Rachel Larsen."
"When was the last time you saw your daughter"? Booth stood feeling his hands shake.
"A couple of days ago", answered Mrs Larsen. "Is Rachel in some kind of trouble?"
"Do you have any reason to believe your daughter is in anyway unstable?"
"Excuse me?" Mr Larsen rose from his seat as did Brennan.
"This is important". Brennan could scarcely hold back tears. "Do you have any reason to believe your daughter is in anyway unstable?"
Mr and Mrs Larsen exchanged pained glances until Mr Larsen finally exhaled and searched his feet before addressing Booth and Brennan.
"Rachel was committed when she was 13 years old and again when she was sixteen. She was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia."
"But she is well. She takes her medication every day and she's happy and healthy. She is doing so much better these days". Offered Mrs Larsen, her eyes searching both Brennan and Booth with a pleading look in her eyes.
Booth addressed them both. "We've found evidence that your car was used in the Murders that took place on the American University campus".
"Oh God Phillip". Mrs Larsen cried out and reached for her husband's arm to steady her.
"Where's your daughters room?" Booth asked them both feeling frantic.
Mrs Larsen dried her eyes. "Second floor third door to the right."
Booth ran as fast as his shaky legs would carry him. Brennan followed and the two burst into Rachel's room. Booth searched her drawers and Brennan wandered into her on suite bathroom and opened her medicine cabinet. "Booth", she called and as he made his way into the bathroom Brennan held up two medicine bottles. "These are Rachel's anti-psychotics for the last two months. They're both still full."
Mr and Mrs Larsen waited in the doorway of their daughter's room whilst they watched it be turned upside down, both clearly in shock.
"Booth", Brennan cried as held open a jewellery box. She reached inside and pulled out the delicate gold chain and held the small heart pendant in her palm. "This is Christine's."
Booth made his way to her side. "Are you sure?"
Brennan turned over the small heart and read the engraving as did Booth.
To my darling Christine
Tears flooded her eyes as she turned into Booths chest. "Call her and tell her to stay put." He instructed his partner. "I need to get out an alert for Rachel's arrest."
Brennan dug her phone out of her pocket and dialled the number for her daughter's cell.
Michael heard the distant sound of a cell phone ringing but it sounded strange to his ears. He opened his eyes and after a few seconds he felt a searing pain which soon grew to a dull throbbing and he lifted his hand to the back of his head. He tried to sit up but his vision blurred so he rested his head back onto the plush carpet of the hotel room. He didn't know how long he'd been out and just as he was about to look at his watch the double doors of the bedroom burst open and his uncle Seeley and Aunt Temperance rushed toward him. As Seeley took his arm and began to help him up Brennan looked into his face. "Who did this to you?"
"I'll tell you who", he snapped; annoyance now reaching his senses. "It was Christine."
"What?" Booth and Brennan both asked simultaneously.
"I told her not to go so when I turned around she smacked me over the head with that vase." Michael pointed at the thick glass vase that was still intact and lying on the carpet.
"Where did she go?" Asked Booth.
"She got a call from Rachel. The killer has her and he said if Christine didn't do exactly as he said he would kill Rachel."
"Oh God", Booth looked to Brennan who had tears in her eyes and her hand over mouth; probably to stop herself from screaming in panic.
"Don't worry guy's we'll get her and Rachel back." Offered Michael, he almost believed it.
"You don't understand!" Brennan almost screamed. "Rachel is the killer…"
Booth's face went ashen as he finished his partner's sentence. "…And she's just lured Christine into a trap".