Chapter 3

Dr. Brennan hadn't really been able to get any further with the bone fragments when an army of people arrived from the Jeffersonian. They were quickly brought up to date and began the long process of gently sifting the sand to find more bones. Hodgins had obviously been on the phone with Angela all the way to the scene, she called not 5 minutes after their arrival.

"Hey Ange. I don't have much for you to do. I will have more when they find more bones for me. The fragments we have are pretty damaged, a skull reconstruction may be difficult."

"I'm sure you will figure it out Sweetie. What's going on with Agent Hot Stuff? Any more talk of your beauty?"

"Angela, we are working. He didn't mean it like that. He didn't want to get yelled at for assuming that all scientists are men." Brennan glanced around before telling Angela about Dr. Shannon.

"And how did Booth react?"

"I don't know he seemed kind of confused."

"Who was confused?" Booth arrived holding two large sodas. "No coffee but that's okay, its kind of hot out here anyway."

"Angela and I were just gossiping about her last date." Brennan lied hoping he would fall for it.

"Uh, huh. Well let's go Bones, the Squint Squad is here to sift sand. Let's go question scientists."

"I have to go Ange. Talk to you later." Brennan hung up before Angela could say anything. She placed the bone fragments back in the evidence bag and put them in her pocket. She fussed with her bag a moment and closed the back hatch of the SUV. "Lets go Booth."

"I don't want to give too much away so just..."

"...let you do the talking. I know. You know, Booth, its likely that they will guess why we're here at first glance. There's a man missing from a commune next to federal land and the FBI walks in to ask a few questions. Its obvious don't you think?"

"Well, Bones, not everyone has as much experience with the FBI as you do. They're scientists, I've noticed that many of them are a little oblivious to things sometimes." Booth was trying to be delicate. Brennan shot him a look. Not delicate enough. "These are your kind of people, I do welcome your input." Booth flashed his most charming smile hoping to ebb her anger. Brennan fought a smile but lost. Booth knew he was forgiven.

They drove through into the main part of the small commune. There were large buildings of varying shapes scattered around the area. Each was marked with a large white sign with black block print. Booth noticed that the buildings were utilitarian with little landscaping or decoration except odd items in the ground surrounding each sign.

"Oh look how each field decorated near their sign. I bet it was a competition." Booth realized she was right. There were strange plants near the sign marked Botany, a light display near a building marked Optics. "There's the physics area." Brennan pointed, "...and there is the Alternative Energy Building. That's where we will find Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Wickman." Booth looked over at Brennan , she looked positively excited. The building was a maze of large open labs but Brennan just walked through confidently looking curiously at each lab's work. She stopped and pointed ahead of her.

"There, they are working on a fusion reactor there." They walked to the entrance to the lab and Booth cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, we are looking for a Dr. Benjamin."

"Wickman. Wickman is the Particle Physicist."

"Wickman. Dr. Wickman."

"I'm Dr. Wickman." An older gentleman in a lab coat approached them looking a little harried. "What is this about please?"

"What's going on, are you a little nervous?" Booth looked pleased with himself.

"Yes, I'm close to another test of the reactor and need to get back to work."

"Well, I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI and this is my partner, Dr..."

"Dr. Temperance Brennan. I read that article you published in Forensic Anthropology last year. It so intrigued me that I read your books. Its a pleasure to meet you."

"Well, thank you." Booth cut her short with a look.

"This is about Robert Newton, isn't it? I didn't like the man but I wouldn't harm him. There's no rational reason to."

"We heard that Mr. Newton broke up a few disagreements between you and a Dr. Benjamin."

"Well, he did mediate a couple of heated negotiations when Dr. Benjamin and I were up for the same funding. Why would that make me want to kill him?"

"Whoa, who said anything about killing him?" Booth said.

"Well its obvious isn't it? A small town near federal land, one man missing and an FBI Agent here questioning people? He was killed and dumped next door. I didn't do it though." Brennan nodded at his assessment of the situation. Booth looked a little taken aback.

"Dr. Wickman, we don't yet know the identity of those remains. We understand that Robert Newton also refereed contests and games. Is there anyone who lost frequently and who may have thought Mr. Newton unfair?" Brennan asked, taking control of the situation. A sideways glance from Booth went unnoticed by Dr. Brennan and Dr. Wickman.

"He wasn't objective. He mediated disputes by finding favor with political associates. You'll find he had many enemies."

"Do you count yourself among them?" Dr. Brennan asked. Booth was impressed. She was getting better.

"Not enemies per se, but I didn't like the man. When Dr. Benjamin and I argued, he sided with him hoping to get into the good graces of his ex-wife. Killing the man wouldn't have accomplished anything. The mushroom-hoppers will just hire another like him."

"Mushroom-hopper?" Booth asked.

"Field Botanists" Brennan whispered.

"No net gain. No motive." Dr. Wickman glanced at his watch and back to his lab.

"So, Mr. Newton's ex-wife works with Dr. Benjamin?" Booth asked.

"A Field Botanist is in a position of authority here?" Dr. Brennan asked.

"The former Mrs. Newton is now Mrs. Benjamin. And yeah, the Botanist was elected mayor last winter because he didn't have much to do. He appointed some of his colleagues as advisors. They are doing some kind of fieldwork in Canada. Check with the interns in the Botany lab or maybe with the MD/PhDs in the Medical lab. Is there anything else you need? I really need to get back to work."

"I think that's everything Dr. Wickman. Oh, Maybe you can tell us where to find Dr. Benjamin?" Booth put a notepad back into his pocket.

"Head in that direction. He's trying to build a perpetual motion generator." The man chuckled a patronizing chuckle. "Look for a giant chrome waste of time and energy."

"That was weird." Booth whispered in Brennan's ear as they headed toward Dr. Benjamin's lab.

"Why? It was factual and helpful. What made it weird."

"It was just...Never mind, Bones." They rounded a corner and it became clear to what Dr. Benjamin had been referring. There was a giant chrome motor with belts and chains all over it. It wasn't running but Booth imagined that the noise would be deafening.

"This does not look very fruitful." Brennan commented as they entered the lab. "Excuse me, may we speak with Dr. Benjamin." She called into the lab.

"Bones." Booth hissed. Brennan shrugged at him.

"I'm Dr. Benjamin. How can I help you?" He smiled at them.

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner..." Booth paused expecting the man to know her, "Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"Ah yes, this is about Robert. Its too bad he was killed, Judy has been really upset by it."

"Who said anything about him being killed?" Booth asked again. Brennan looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"Um, FBI, federal land nearby, missing man, he was killed and dumped somewhere next door. It's kind of obvious." Dr. Benjamin smiled pleasantly at them.

"We have yet to identify the remains, Dr. Benjamin. We are simply looking into his disappearance." Brennan volunteered. Booth glowered at her.

"You are married to Mr. Newton's ex-wife, Judy, you said?" Booth asked.

"Yes. They found that they were not compatible so they divorced two years ago. She has been working here as an assistant for the last three years. Shortly after her divorce we began seeing each other socially. Three months ago we married. Robert was in attendance. He was happy she had found a new love. We have dinner a few times a week. Last week, he didn't come by. We called for a couple of days and no one had seen him. We reported him missing when no one knew where he was." Dr. Benjamin was calm and relaxed and was conversing as though they were discussing the weather.

"Was there anyone that would have any reason to harm Mr. Newton?" Brennan asked.

"Dr. Lauren owed him some money and there was a rumor that he was seen fighting with Dr. Sullivan. I don't think anyone would actually want to kill Robert though."

"I need the full names and discipline of Dr. Lauren and Dr. Sullivan please." Dr. Brennan asked.

"Yeah, sure, Dr. Katherine Lauren, she goes by Katie though, she's a Biochemist working to sequence the RNA of the rhinovirus. Dr. James Sullivan is a Neurologist working at the Medical Lab. I'm not sure what he is working on."

"Thank you Dr. Benjamin. We'll contact you if we have any further questions." Dr. Brennan turned to leave.

"Bones!" Booth hissed. "Um, Dr. Benjamin, I have some questions."

"Okay Agent Booth."

"Special Agent Booth. Mr. Newton had no problem with you marrying his ex-wife? Isn't that a little odd?"

"No, why would he have a problem with it? He had divorced her. Their relationship was over."

"You don't think he might have been a little jealous?"

"Jealousy is an instinctual response designed to protect a procreative relationship when there is a limited number of potential mates. As we live in an increasingly global culture, there is no limit to the potential mates so why would there be jealousy?" Brennan was satisfied with the response but Booth could only stifle the desire to roll his eyes.

"You don't think he had any discomfort in seeing you romantically involved with his ex-wife?" Booth pressed.

"Perhaps he had moments of discomfort, what one might call pangs. But he was always quite jovial and pleasant."

"Well thank you Dr. Benjamin." Booth put his hand on Brennan's back and shooed her out of the lab. "Did you see that guy, if he was such good friends with Robert, why doesn't he seem upset by his death. That guy was acting like we were just chatting about nothing at all."

"Booth, we have no confirmation that those bone fragments are from Mr. Newton. I'm sure that Dr. Benjamin just feels that there is no sense in being upset until there is something to be upset about."

"And what was with Dr. Wickman. Man, was he jumpy!"

"Don't I get impatient when you interrupt my work?" Brennan said defensively, "It doesn't mean that I'm doing anything wrong."

"You're right. Let's go check in with Hodgins." Brennan gave her head a nod and walked to the SUV.

"Hodgins! Wendell! Find anything?" Booth called as he walked to the sand pit.

"Not really Booth. We've been sifting slowly to preserve what may be here. There are a lot of beer bottles and trash but no more bone fragments. I'm collecting samples as we sift. The sand has an acidic pH but not low enough to do that to a corpse."

"What now Bones?" Booth asked tentatively seeing the look on her face.

"I'm not going to know anything more until I get these bone fragments to the lab so I can look at them properly."

"Well, then we will head back to D.C. Hodgins, keep us posted."