Chapter 9. the truth in the lye.

"Wow!" Booth sighed out of breath. "God, that was- Yeah, that was-"

"Amazing." Booth ex Rebecca finished.

He nodded "And a huge mistake."

"Huge." She agreed.

"Huge." He repeated grabbing for his boxers.

"Why do we keep doing this?" Rebecca asked confused.

"Well, you know, we don't. I mean, what's it been? Twice in the past year?"

"Three. …Four, if you count that stakeout." She said pulling her dress on over her head.

"Okay, you know what? That wasn't sex." He said looking at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe not for you. But… this is it." She said fixing her hair

"You know what? You're right. But, I mean… it's not like we're doing anything wrong. I mean, you and Drew are-" he said rationalizing.

"We needed to take a break. To gain…perspective. But, um, this isn't helping." She said doing the same.

"And that's why it's over." He nodded.

They looked at eachother. "Done." She agreed.

Booth's cell phone started ringing. "That's mine." He said climbing over her and falling of the bed. "ow!" he picked up the phone. "Booth. …Yeah. …Address." He asked picking paper and writing it down then hanging up. "Hey, you know, I, uh-" he started to explain

"Oh, no, no, no. Me too. I have to pick up Parker from school." She said getting off the bed as Booth began dressing.

"Oh, you know what? Make sure that you bring him the comic that I got him. He loves that." He said reminding her.

"Yeah, sure." She nodded.

Booth walked into the bathroom and closed the door. His cellphone rings and Rebecca answers, looking at the bathroom door. "Uh- uh- Agent Booth's phone." She answered awkwardly.

A look of shock and confusion spread across Brennan's face. "Oh, hi. It's Dr. Brennan. Is Agent Booth… available?" she asked as awkwardly as Rebecca.

"Uh, available? Yeah, Dr. Brennan, I-" she started as Booth walked out with no shirt on and she hands him the phone.

"Yeah, Bones. What's up?"

"Nothing, just seeing if you got the call, and if you were swinging by to pick me up or-" she asked still confused.

"Oh yeah. Um, I'm just gonna have to meet you there, okay?" he said pulling his shirt on.

"Okay, bye." She said hanging up fast and dropping her phone to her desk, desperately hoping she hadn't interrupted anything she shouldn't have.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything." Brennan said as he stepped out of his car and they began walking.

"What? Oh! No. No, you didn't." he said obviously lying.

"Good." Sne nodded.

" Okay. But if you must know, you know, Rebecca, my ex… she stopped by my place to pick up a comic that I got Parker." He said feeling the need to explain. "She just so happened to pick up the phone. That's it. You know? Nothing more, nothing less."

"I'm sorry. Did I say I must know?" she said not wanting to. She said as they entered a half finished bathroom. There is a bathtub filled with a deteriorated corpse floating in a red goop.

Booth groans putting on a mask. "wow."

"Age and sex undetermined." Brennan spoke into a tape recorder. "Victim is immersed in a pool of… what smells like a composite of domestic corrosives… Common drain declogger, acid wash, bleach. Submerged two to three days."

Booth took off his mask and pointed to the tub. "All right, are you saying that he's been here all weekend just dissolving?"

Brennan circled the tub examining its contents. "pretty much… Allowing the killer time for the corrosives to do their thing before anyone found him." Brennan said holding up a length of skin with tongs

"oh my god! …Bones!"

"what?... It's only skin. Okay, I'll need that window, a forklift, and a flatbed."

"Why?" he said knowing the answer.

"We want answers…the tub is coming with us." She said placing the skin back in and pulling her gloves off as the tub bubbles.

"that's disgusting." He said walking out.

Back at the lab. A little while later.

"this aughta be fun" Hodgins said looking at the goop in the tub.

"I should get my video camera." Zack said watching as they lowered the tub onto the table.

"I may need a Compazine." Angela said making a face.

Cam walked up onto the platform. "They'll be none of that. No fun, no video, no vomit." She looked in the tub."Ooh! Then again-" he said pulling gloves on.

"We have to hurry. Those chemicals are eating away at our victim." Brennan said pullin on her gloves and putting on goggles.

"Okay, people. Let's start with the who. We'll worry about the why and the how later." Cam said putting on her goggles.

"But if we find the why and the how first, we'll gladly take it." Brennan added staring Cam down.

"Though 'who' is clearly the priority."

"The who is not going to change. But the clues might if we don't hurry."

"What's our starting weight, Zack?" Cam asked giving up on Brennan.

"Starting weight is 542.13 pounds." Zack said looking at the display."The tub itself weighs about 200 pounds. Capacity is 34 gallons. Which at about 8.3 pounds a gallon comes to 270. 275. And two-thirds full makes it about 180… putting him somewhere in the 160-pound weight class." Zack said doing the math.

"I'll start separating all things chemical from organic." Hodgins said scooping some goop into a beaker.

"And I know you requested a strainer of some sort, Dr. Brennan…" he said handing her a pitchfork "but I thought this could be of use."

She nodded. "For the big pieces"

" After that, Zacky, get on the horn with the coroner's office and tell them I want two field-unit water sifters sent here ASAP." Cam said watching Brennan begin to fish out the long bones.

"They get mad when I drop your name." he pointed out.

"Then drop it twice." She said smiling.

Cam was in her office working when Booth came in.

"ugh what is that?" he asked looking at the orange goop she was sifting through.

"fat." She said looking up. "I'm trying to figure out our victims body type, thin, linear, narrow features. And I hear you're back with your ex."

"I'm sorry? What?" he asked surprised.

"Rebecca, right? Reliving old times?" she asked smiling.

Booth chuckled "Dr. Brennan told you?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, relax, Seeley" Cam said working.

"She did, didn't she? Unbelievable."

"We all have our weak moments."

"No. Mm-mmm. We don't, okay?" he said beginning to leave but turning around "I don't."

Cam laughed. "Please, Seeley. Like we haven't shared enough of them for me to know better." She said looking at him.

He turned and left walking into the ookie room.

"why'd you tell Cam about me and Rebecca?"

"I wasn't gossiping.

"Ooh, really? So then what would you call it?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

Brennan shrugged. "merely sharing a point of interest."

"Great. So now what am I, huh? The world's largest ball of string?" he said sarcastically walking over to her.

"Not you, your behavior." She said turning around "It was a textbook example of just how helpless we higher primates can be to our biological urges."

"I am not helpless."

"its not your fault. It happens to everyone. I can't even count how many times it has happened to us."

"…wait a second… are you jealous?" he asked smiling.

"no. I'm just saying I understand it. …besides you can have sex with anyone you want, it's none of my business." She said looking into her microscope.

He smiled. "youre right it's not"

She sighed. " I dont think our victim was elderly."

"why?"

"You see these marrow cells? The lack of collagen indicates osteogenesis imperfecta. Brittle bone disease."

"And that's supposed to tell me he's not…old? And you know I never said I slept with her." He said matter-of-factly.

"Not necessarily. And you didn't have to I could hear it in your voice." She said smiling.

He rolled his eyes walked away.

"You know, if our victim had brittle bone, there could be a web site of some kind. He might have been listed." Brennan said piquing his interest and he turned back to her.

'thanks Bones."

The next day. Larry's two wives were lead into what looked like a waiting room.

"That's the interrogation room." Brennan pointed out as Booth opened to door to the observation room.

He shook his head. "Not tonight." And They walk into the viewing room and watch Mrs. Turner through the glass.

"that couple in there are agents." Booth informed her. a phone beeps and he picks it up. "Whenever you're ready, Charlie." He hung up. "…I almost married her, you know."

"who?" Brennan asked confused.

"Rebecca. My ex."

"Oh. You can talk about her now?"

Booth ignored the comment. "Yeah, she got pregnant. I wanted to do the right thing, but, you know, she said no."

She nodded. "You've told me this before. …but you never said why."

Booth shrugged, unsure. "Well, issues with my job. She wanted to start her own career. She wanted to finish graduate school."

"Alone with a baby?" Brennan asked skeptically.

"I know what you're thinking. 'illogical' right?" He guessed looking away from her.

"Do you still love her?"

He shook his head. "Not…like I did. Not like that."

"Then why can't it just be sex?" she asked looking up at him.

"There's no such thing as 'just' sex, Bones."

"all mammals need it. That release of serotonin. The rush of endorphins. Naturally, you seek it with someone with whom you share a sexual rapport."

He laughed. "Is that how you explain the moaning and screaming 'sexual rapport'?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying everyone has a former partner that they are sure they could call if a release is needed. …I know I do."

"Okay, Bones. Thanks so much. I feel so much better now." He said sarcastically looking back to the window and Mrs. Seaver was led in. "Here we go."

Mrs. Seaver sat down on a couch across from Mrs. Turner. "Oh, I get it. Very smart." Brennan complimented

"Well, it's my job, Bones. It's, you know, what I do for a living." He said snidely. As Mrs. Turner gets up and hands Mrs. Seaver a tissue then sits back down. "they may as well be in separate rooms." Booth sighed.

"Making them either great actresses who are in cahoots-" brennan started.

"Or…they have no idea what's going on." Booth finished.

2 days later. Booth pulled into Beltway Burger seeing chloe set a tray on a table, earbuds in and blaring.

Booth and Brennan walked up to her, all business. "Hey Chloe. Meetin' some friends?" Booth asked knowing the answer.

"Oh, hi! You're that FBI guy!" chloe yelled.

Booth pulled the buds from her ears. "Yes, I'm the FBI guy."

"How many weeks are you?" Brennan asked curiously.

"Excuse me?" she asked confused.

"Pregnant. I could tell by your gait. Your ilia- they've already started shifting to widen the birth canal." Brennan said scientifically.

"You can tell that?" she asked surprised. Brennan nodded. "14 weeks." She confessed.

"Booth…" Brennan said pointing as Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Seaver walked their way. "Chloe's friends."

"Taking the kids out for a little late night snack, ladies?" he asked them as they neared.

"Don't tell me… Larry's the father." Brennan guessed and Chloe sighed.

The woman knew they were caught and they were brought back to the FBI.

"There's a playground about halfway between Gayle and me…designed for kids with special needs. Rubber surfacing, high-back swings." Mrs. Turner explained

"I took Ray there last week, and Lila was there with Jenny. The kids started playing. We started talking. And one topic led to another." Mrs. Seaver continued.

"What about Chloe?" Booth asked.

"Well, after we got over the initial shock, like yesterday but real, we decided to follow Larry to work the next morning- straight to a motel, where Chloe was waiting." Mrs. Seaver answered.

"And if that wasn't enough to make our heads explode, we then had to find out about Chloe's…condition." Mrs Turner said sneering.

"And the three of you went to confront Larry." Brennan nodded.

"I had no idea that Larry was married." Chloe said shaking her head.

"Let alone twice." Booth pointed out.

"But since your prints match the one left in the rubber glove, we assume it wasn't long before you found out." Brennan added. "Friday night the three of you told him you were going to see him together to get answers. "

"So you found Larry at his job. You shot him point-blank. And you dragged his sorry ass back to the bathtub." Booth finished.

"Where you doused him in sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite."

"Or as you and I like to call 'em, bleach and Quickie Plumber." Booth shot

"Which, as an eighth-grade science teacher, you knew would do the trick." Brennan said smiling.

"Look all that's true. But we didn't kill him." Mrs Turner admitted.

"Really, then who did?" Booth asked roughly.

"He killed himself." All three said at once.

"Larry was dead when you got there?"

"On the bathroom floor. The gun was still in his mouth." Chloe said looking down.

"The coward must've freaked at the thought of facing us together." Mrs. turner said angrily.

"If we'd surprised him, maybe he'd still be alive." Mrs.. seaver said with a sigh.

" You're saying that the gun was still in his mouth?"

"His finger was on the trigger. It was awful." She nodded.

"And where's the gun now, Mrs. Seaver?

"I buried it in my backyard." She admitted.

"Then we'd better go dig up that gun." Brennan said and they walked out.

"…seeley." They heard from behind them and turned to see Rebecca.

"I'll get the ball rolling." Brennan said walking away

Later that afternoon. They were back at the Jeffersonian.

"The inside of Larry's skull is pitted, which I had always attributed to the effects of the lye. But each tiny hole matches perfectly with the bird shot, right down to these specks of copper."

"are you saying that it was suicide?" Booth asked confused.

"…I would, except these holes are void of blood, which would suggest they were self inflicted after blood stopped pumping through Larry's head."

"keep going. I'll catch up." Booth nodded as she looked to him for understanding.

"there is no staining to indicate hemorrhage here proving he was dead before he was shot." Brennan simplified.

"So now we're talking about a faked homicide to cover up a faked suicide?" Booth guessed.

"meant to cover up an actual, original murder." Brennan nodded.

"Now, just when you think things couldn't get any more twisted-" he sighed.

I've got a curveball for you?" Cam said walking in.

"…in walks Cam." He said knowing this was only going to cause more problems.

"After retrieving and reassembling every tooth from that tub…I now discover that I had one extra." She said handing Brennan the evidence bag.

"this is not a tooth. It's a crown."

"Exactly. Any of your women happen to be missing one?"

Brennan shook her head. "it wouldn't be theirs anyway. It's sized for a man."

"A man's tooth and it's not Larry's." Booth said confused.

" It's not a tooth. It's a crown, whereby a dentist files down an existing tooth-" brennan corrected.

"I know what a crown is, Bones."

"… except he called it a root canal." Brennan said in realization.

"pete.." Booth said knowing who the killer was. Brennan nodded.

They got their guy and ended up in Brennan's office.

"So you never said how it ended up with Rebecca." Brennan said curiously.

"Well, yeah, it ended. The only time we'll ever spend together is with Parker." He nodded.

"You sure that's what you want?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"You know what, Bones? It might be all anthropology to you, but there are certain people that you just can't sleep with. I mean, you can pretend that it's just sex. You can lie to yourself, and you can say that it's all good. But, eventually… that changes."

Brennan nodded. "yeah. I understand."

"It's over, you know? I'd appreciate… your support in that." He said standing.

"I will. And if you should slip, I will…keep my mouth shut about it."

"Thank you. But, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna-"

"No, I mean with anybody. I'm sure Rebecca's not your only option for satisfying your biological urges." They hold eye contact and are about to kiss when Angela walks in.

"Please tell me these women are not going to jail." Angela said with a sigh.

"After trying to bilk the insurance system, they'll get nothing less than a firing squad." Hodgins said behind her.

"Not if they never filed a claim." Angela shot back.

"Because our friends here caught them." Hodgins pointed out.

"Well you're both kinda right. Given their kids and the circumstances, the D.A. is gonna offer probation provided that all three women show remorse and attend mandatory counseling." Booth informed them.

"In exchange for movie rights I hope." Hodgins mumbled.

"I hope so." Angela said smiling as Hodgins exited. "Hey nice going by the way. Cam tells me your back with your ex."

"Cam?" Booth asked. Angela nodded. "Cam in her office?" Booth asked walking out.

"I said something wrong." Angela guessed.

"would it be gossip if I told you?" Brennan asked curiously.

"I hope so." She said as they left.

8 pm. Booth's apartment.

"Wow. That was…" he said breathless.

"Wicked?" Cam said smiling.

" Yeah. And a huge mistake."

"Not if we don't do it again."

"Deal." He agreed

"Deal. after tonight, I mean." She said smiling and kissing him.

"Never again." He smiled and they kiss again.

There is a knock on the door. Booth pulls away "… hold that thought." He sighed getting up to answer it and pulling his pants on.

He pulled it open to see Brennan standing before him. "tempe… hi." He said surprised.

"hi." She smiled. "… I was wondering if we could talk." She said hopefully.

"sure." He stepped out closing the door behind him.

"…ok" Brennan said confused.

"whats up?" he asked smiling.

"…you're not alone are you?" she asked figuring out.

"what? Of course I am." He lied.

"even I know you're lying. …is it Rebecca?"

"no." he shook his head.

"…Cam?"

"what?"

"it is." She said knowing it was true. "you slept with Cam!" she accused hitting him in the arm.

"ow! I thought you didn't care who I had sex with." he quoted.

"I don't." she said hitting him a few more times.

"ow! Then why do you keep hitting me?"

"because you're an ass." She said walking away.

He grabbed her by the hand turning her around. "I think its because you do care. We had a moment earlier and that's why you came here." He said smiling.

"so? What does it matter?" she pulled her hand out of his. "you've got Cam." She said walking away and leaving him alone in the hallway.