A/N: This chapter is a little info heavy, just a fair warning. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 11
The Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab, Tuesday at 8:30 am
"I'm a little confused, how does this all fit together?" Angela asked as she scanned onto the platform. The forensic artist made sure to avoid the autopsy room after Cam had told her how Leon Fick had died.
"That's why Hodgins and I worked up this write and wipe board," Simon explained.
"Sort of a forensic tree?" Angela wondered.
"Yes, in a way. I can start from the beginning if you wish," the young intern smiled.
"Yes, please," the forensic artist smiled.
"Ok, first, Dr. Brennan discovers that our first victim didn't die during the Battle of Antietam but in fact near the year nineteen eighty. The murderer used a nine-millimeter handgun, yet to be retrieved. With the body there was a Civil War belt buckle that contains the victim's prints along with some unknown ones. Second, Cam finds out the victim's name and address, at which point Agent Booth pulls the file. Third, our dynamic duo questions Sam Butter's girlfriend and father. Not much is learned but we do know that Sam left his house without anything personal on him, including his keys, or his wallet. Fourth, the man posing as Greg Butter's brother gives Agent Booth a letter and dirt found with Greg Butter's things. This leads them to Leon Fick, who had complained about the Butters digging up his property. Later we find out the digging could be from a dispute about whether or not the Butters' dog was killed by Fick," Simon explained before Angela interrupted him.
"But how does Sheriff Boyd's murder tie in?"
"He was killed shortly after Sam Butter went missing. Agent Booth believes that whomever killed the Sheriff thought that he was onto them. Another reason to look at Fick, if he in fact shot the dog and Sam," the intern said.
"And when they searched Fick's house they found the nine millimeter he owned to be missing. Also someone wouldn't kill Fick unless they were afraid he'd blab to the police," Angela thought about that for a moment.
"Wait a second…" she trailed off.
"Who would care if Fick blabbed?" Simon wondered.
"I have no idea," Angela shook her head.
"Where's Booth?" Hodgins appeared at the base of the platform and asked the two discussing the case.
"In Bren's office," Angela told him. Quickly the entomologist took off for the forensic anthropologist's office. His behavior made Simon and Angela follow.
"You're never going to believe what I just found," Hodgins told the partners.
"What?" Booth asked, hoping it was a solid lead.
"Leon Fick's prints are on the belt buckle but that isn't the best part. I've also identified someone else's prints,"
"Whom do the prints belong to?" Brennan wanted to know.
"James Donaldson," Hodgins laid it on them.
"How is that possible?" Booth shook his head.
"I did some digging. It turns out that the Donaldsons and the Ficks were related. Leon's sister Abby married Rick Donaldson," the entomologist told them.
"I haven't gotten the files yet, how did you know that?" Booth asked.
"Steve dropped them off this morning around seven thirty. Told me he was taking the day off because he'd been up all night," Hodgins explained.
"So maybe James Donaldson killed Sam Butter and then in retaliation Fick kills the Sheriff for killing his nephew," Simon suggested.
"But before the robbery, James didn't have a record. A kid like that goes from following the law to committing murder?" Booth tried to arrange the facts in his head.
"What if Donaldson only did the robbery? And his Uncle shot Sam and the Sheriff?" Angela wondered. Something in what she said triggered the gears in Booth's mind.
"Of course. Cop assisted suicide. James Donaldson had a death wish," the G-man said.
"Whoa back up. How does that work?" Hodgins asked.
"James took hostages to ensure that multiple police cars would show up. Then he let all of them go except Jessica Mahle. He used her as bait. After shooting at the Sheriff and missing, Boyd shot him in the arm and the leg. Then Jessica ran away from James, at that point it should have been over but instead Donaldson shot Mahle in the back and Sheriff Boyd shot the robber in the chest. Shooting Jessica Mahle was completely unnecessary," Booth explained.
"He knew the Sheriff would shoot him again," Simon nodded.
"Exactly. So when Fick finds out that his nephew is dead and the Sheriff is responsible, he takes care of business. The Sheriff is already onto him about Sam's disappearance so he kills two birds with one stone so to speak," the FBI agent said.
"Revenge and cover up. It makes sense except for one thing," Hodgins told the group.
"Who would shoot Leon Fick?" Angela filled in.
"Maybe Rick Donaldson had a bigger role in this. No way, his brother-in-law and his son kill someone without him finding out about it," Booth knew someone else had to be involved.
"Too bad Rick Donaldson has been dead for the last eight years. Maybe you could have asked him," Hodgins handed over the folder he held in his hands.
"That leaves Abby Donaldson. But why would she kill her brother?" Angela questioned. With another question given and no answers the team was getting frustrated.
"You need to come take a look at this," Cam said as she entered Brennan's office.
"Did you find something on Leon?" Booth wanted to know. Her reply was to head back toward autopsy. Quickly everyone followed her but when they got to the door, Angela stopped.
"I really don't need to see that," she said. The rest of the group understood but they needed to see it.
"I had a rush tox screen done and I found heavy doses of sleeping medicine in the victim's system. I also discovered he didn't have a prescription for any sleeping meds," Cam handed the tox screen results to Brennan.
"So the reason Leon didn't fight his attacker was because he was out like a light?" Booth shook his head.
"Yes. With this much medication in his system, he would have been out in minutes. But that isn't all I found. Inside the wound there are traces of a starch. My first instinct says potato but I'm running an analysis to verify. Also Leon's stomach contained coffee, eggs, and bacon. The shotgun was probably a sawed off twelve gauge, which only helps if you can find one," the Head of Forensics explained.
"Sheriff Boyd's wound also had potato in it," Brennan said.
"So it stands to reason whomever shot Sheriff Boyd also shot Leon Fick," Cam suggested.
"Except for the fact that that makes no sense. Fick didn't shoot himself," Hodgins pointed out.
"Maybe we're off base. Where is the evidence for the robbery and shooting committed by James Donaldson?" Booth asked.
"In my office," his partner offered. Quickly the FBI agent strode from the room and went for the files. He brought them back to autopsy and sifted through the box until he found what he was looking for.
"Here's the gun that Donaldson used," he said as he pulled the box up.
"They still have that? Aren't they supposed to destroy the weapon after a certain number of years?" Hodgins asked.
"Yes but this being a small town I doubt once the file was packed away anyone actually went back to get rid of it," Booth told him as he opened the box. Much to his dismay he found not what he was expecting.
"This is a squirt gun," he said.
"So where is the real gun?" Cam asked.
To Be Continued…