A/N: *Sneaks into the room* Um, hi? It's me? I could blather on why I'm late with this, but you probably won't care.

For some reason this chapter was a bear to write. I've decided to just put it out there. Worst case scenario you'll hate it. But it does what I need it to do.

And I can't promise faster updates - I can just promise to try real hard for that. Okay? Don't hurt me? Please?

Bluffing:

"So, I've looked over this evidence you have, and you two think hitting Ms. Taffet over the head with it will make her roll over and play dead?" Caroline Julian asked.

Booth heard the question but didn't respond; he was too busy staring at Heather Taffet as she sat in the interrogation room with her lawyer and a young man who stood nervously behind her.

Even in an orange prison jumpsuit, she wore an air of arrogance. Her chin was tilted up slightly and even though he couldn't hear her it was clear she was the one in charge.

"Who is the young man behind Ms. Taffet?" Bones asked.

"That is Norman Bear, her 'assistant.' And you haven't answered my question, Cherie."

Booth swallowed as he gaze flicked from the young man with the thick black hair to the Gravedigger. The woman who'd almost killed him.

Worse – she'd stuffed him into that small kid's sub, barely enough room to stretch out, walls brushing his shoulders –

The panic he'd felt then came back, and with it the memories.

The hole his captors tossed him into after he'd dared to headbutt one of his tormentors who'd taken great delight in burning his arms with cigarettes…he'd landed badly, on the broken bones of his feet (they throbbed now at the memory) and collapsed on his butt. There was a metallic clang as the trap door above him slammed shut, a few slits for air the only link he had to the outside.

He didn't know how long they held him there. He just remembered huddling at the bottom, his nose filled with the stink of dirt and his own sweat and human waste; the pain from his injuries that never quite went away, even in the snatches of sleep exhaustion forced on him; the soil that showered down on him every time he moved, making him fear the walls around him would collapse, burying him alive –

"Booth."

He jumped, startled out of the black memories. Bones had a hand on his arm, her blue eyes narrowed in concern.

"Booth, are you all right?" Caroline asked. "You look white as a sheet, darlin'."

He took a deep breath (see you can breathe you're not buried alive you're okay) and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

He saw Bones and the prosecutor exchange a look then Caroline gave a sharp nod. "All right then. You and the Bones lady want to present the evidence?"

"Yeah." He licked his dry lips. "Bones has the best grip on it anyway."

Caroline crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Now, I shouldn't have to ask this, but given it's you and the super squints…"Is there anything I need to know about this evidence before we lay it down out there?"

Bones opened her mouth but Booth spoke quickly. "No. Nothing."

His partner's eyes widened. He gave her a look. Trust me on this one, Bones.

"Dr. Brennan?" Caroline's radar was up. Great. "Do you have something to say?"

Booth watched as his partner processed his look and Caroline's question. "No, Ms. Julian. I believe you know all you need to know."

Caroline looked from one partner to the other. Then she sighed. "I hope I don't regret leaving this be. All right then, let's go bag us a serial killer."

"Right," Booth said. He led the women out of the room. He put his hand on the knob to the interrogation room and allowed himself to take a another deep breath. One thing he'd learned as a POW – hide the fear and the pain. Don't let them see weakness in you.

When he opened the door his face was calm and his step was confident. The three occupants of the room had no idea he'd been working himself into a panic mere moments ago.

He sat across from Taffet, her lawyer, and her skittish looking assistant. Bones sat on his left, and Caroline sat on the right, across from her ex.

"Ms. Taffet," Booth said, nodding to the woman in orange.

The blond woman smirked. "Agent Booth." She turned to Bones and her gaze got harder. "Just a heads up, Dr. Brennan? Once we get these charges dismissed I'm going to have my lawyer here sue you for assault."

Julian rolled her eyes. "Counselor, can you please ask your client not to threaten one of my expert witnesses?"

Taffet's lawyer shrugged. "Well, we'll need something we do once the judge refuses to admit your evidence. And most of the admissible evidence was destroyed by your witness' hand, if I recall correctly."

"It's not a given that our evidence is going to be suppressed. And my people here have some additional facts to present your client that might make her rethink some things."

With a smirk, the defense attorney leaned back and spread his hands. "We're all ears, Caroline. Show us what you have."

Caroline shot a look at Booth and Bones that said: do not let me down. Booth cleared his throat and spoke. "I'll let Dr. Brennan present the forensic evidence we have first."

He barely listened as he heard Bones recite the impressive list of evidence the squints had gotten from his apartment, Taffet's place, and the storage area. Booth hated to admit it, but Hodgins and Zack had done a bang-up job in their analysis. They'd found evidence that Taffet had been at his place, her apartment, and the storage area. They'd tied her to the sub he'd almost died in. And –

"And, we are aware that you didn't act alone," Bones said, her eyes cold as she stared at the former attorney. Booth could tell, even if he partner hid it well, that she hated this woman. It didn't surprise him – Taffet had tried to kill Bones as well.

At the mention of an accomplice, Booth saw the stone face Taffet had maintained during Bones' presentation crack slightly. Bingo, he thought, forcing himself not to smile. He saw her assistant look a little uneasy as well and wondered what the kid knew.

"And just how do you know there was any 'accomplice?'" the defense attorney asked, a skeptical eyebrow raised. "Perhaps you've found the real Gravedigger, and my client's DNA was planted by someone?"

"The chances that someone planted Ms. Taffet's DNA at all the locations we found it are quite remote," Bones answered.

Atta girl, thought Booth.

"We know Mr. Vega also played a role – his DNA was also in Agent Booth's apartment," Bones continued. "It's plain that Ms. Taffet had help but played an integral part in the kidnappings."

"Right," the defense attorney said. "And I suppose you can produce this mysterious accomplice?"

"We're pretty sure we know who it is," Booth said. He saw Bones bite her lip and hoped the trio on the other side didn't catch her nervousness. The agent was lying through his teeth, but it was the only way to put pressure on the Gravedigger, throw her off balance. "Once we find them, I'm sure they'll be willing to cut a deal with us and cement the case against you, Ms. Taffet – unless you want to deal with us first?"

Taffet paled. Booth found he enjoyed the look of dismay on her face more than he probably should have.

The defense attorney snorted. "Right. You expect us to make a deal based on what-ifs? When the judge hears just how questionable your evidence is –"

"Our evidence is not questionable!" Bones answered. "We're good at what we do!"

"Bones is right," Booth said, leaning forward. "We're good at what we do – that's why we beat your client twice now." He stood. "Come on, Bones, let's go see if the squints have that name for us yet."

Just as Bones got to her feet, Taffet spoke. "You won't find her."

Everyone froze. The former attorney was staring down at her hands clasped tightly together on the table. "Excuse me?" Caroline said.

Booth watched Taffet's shoulders go up and then slump down as she sighed. "You won't find my accomplice. I killed her."

Norman Bear gasped. The defense attorney's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their head. "Ms. Taffet, I don't think you should say anything else –"

"Shut up," she said in a tired voice. Looking up she glared at Booth and his partner. "I killed her and put her body on the sub. I was trying to tie up all the loose ends of the Gravedigger. That's also why I killed Vega. And tried to kill you."

"Well, well, well," Caroline cooed. "We're just full of information, aren't we Ms. Taffet?"

The defense attorney shook his head. "Caroline, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan – I'd like to have a few moments alone with my client –"

"That's not necessary," Taffet said. She looked at Booth and Brennan with deep loathing, but her voice was calm. "Ms. Julian, I'm assuming a deal is still on the table."

"It most certainly is, Cherie," Caroline said, sitting back down and reaching into her briefcase.

"Now wait a minute!" the defense attorney shouted. "Ms. Taffet, I must insist –"

Taffet whirled around to glare at him. "You must insist? I'm the one in charge here! You'll do what I tell you or I'll find a lawyer who will!"

Booth watched as the defense attorney stared at his client for a long moment before throwing his hands in the air and turning to Caroline. As the two attorneys began to talk, Booth found himself staring at the Gravedigger, a feeling of unease curling in the pit of his stomach.

We missed something. Why is she suddenly willing to deal now?

A/N2: Maybe it's just me, but Booth appeared very panicked in that small toy sub. I suspect he's somewhat claustrophobic from his time as a POW (just as many fans seem to think).

So, I hope you don't hate it, but if you do, give me another chapter to make it up to you!