A/N Welcome back!
Thank you all for the positive reviews so far on 'The Riotous Rhesus!' You've been so supportive, and I appreciate it more than I can say.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Bones, just the ideas contained within this story.
Please read and review after you've read!
"You want one or two beers, Booth?" Brennan called into her living room from her kitchen, where she currently had her head buried in her refrigerator, trying to reach a bottle of Yuengling that had rolled into the back. Finally gripping the longneck in her fingers, she sat back on her heels, triumphantly smiling when she saw that he was leaning against her kitchen island, grinning at her predicament.
"After seeing you go through so much trouble, Bones, I think I'll take 'em both." He stepped forward, his amusement clear in both his smile and his eyes, and extended his hand to help her rise, which she took without pause. He felt a jolt of electricity rake through his body at her touch, but he stilled his features and simply pulled her to her feet. "What are you havin' to drink, Bones?" He tried to keep his tone light, but had trouble doing so when she didn't let go of his fingers, but instead tightened her hold.
A moment passed.
And then another.
Their eyes never wavered from one another and before she knew it, Brennan was standing directly in front of her partner, her left hand still firmly holding his right, barely a couple of inches separating their bodies. Without her permission, the hand that was not gripping Booth's raised and found itself resting lightly on his chest. She could feel his heart beat through the thin material of his white oxford shirt and the heat radiating from his body increased the longer they remained in such close proximity. She could see his racing pulse as it throbbed in the hollow of his throat; her eyes were fixed on the visually-pulsating rhythm it created and she realized that it matched the flow of her own blood, which she heard rushing through her ears.
Without forewarning, Booth's empty hand found purchase on her hip and guided her closer to his body, until their hips were aligned perfectly. He struggled to control his breathing, but when he caught a whiff of her faint perfume, all logical thoughts flew out the metaphorical window. He felt his pants grow uncomfortably tighter, and against his better judgment, he bent his neck and tilted his head, letting his lips brush against her temple softly.
Brennan shivered when she felt his warm breath cross her skin. She felt as though her body was floating, like she wasn't in control of her own actions. She felt Booth guide her left hand, pulling her arm straight down to their sides and then angling it, until she completed the movement he'd started and wrapped her arm around his waist, grabbing the back of his shirt, just above the waistband of his dark gray dress pants. After releasing her hand, Booth ran his palm from her wrist to her bicep then snaked his arm around her shoulder, his hand coming to rest gently on the nape of her neck. He moved his right hand from her hip and slid it around to the small of her back and pulled her body tighter against his chest.
Booth thought his heart was going to break through his ribcage. He wasn't sure how they'd gotten into this position…one minute he was helping his partner off the floor, the next, he was inhaling her intoxicating scent – filling his lungs with her unique, sweet Bonesy fragrance and brushing his lips against the irresistible outer shell of her ear. He felt her lean into his embrace, and he couldn't help but smile against her temple, against her silky hair.
"Bones…" he breathed. He couldn't help but to let his lips press against her ear once again. "We need to talk…" He sighed silently when he felt her nod slightly and lean against him just a little harder. He subtly raised his head from where it was craned low and closed his eyes as she pressed her forehead against his jaw.
"Wine," she said quietly.
"Huh?" His mind was reeling, not following what she was saying.
"Wine. You asked me what I'm having to drink…with dinner…Wine…It's open…In the fridge…" Her words were breathy and he knew she, too, was affected by their closeness.
As her words passed over the skin of his neck, he felt his entire body prickle with goose bumps. He grinned at her literalness. "That's not really what I meant, Bones, when I said we needed to talk."
"I know; I know exactly what you meant, Booth." She bent her head back so she could look into his eyes. "But we have a case to solve first. Then we can talk… about us… about what we each want… Once we can focus." Her eyes searched his, hoping for understanding.
He nodded, but didn't ease up on his hold of her body. "I can live with that…" His eyes darted from her captivating blues, down to her adorable nose, and finally settled on her flawless, picture-perfect pink lips, where he kept his focus as he spoke. "As long as you promise not to run once we start…Promise me, Bones…"
He studied the movement of her mouth as she formed the words. "I promise, Booth. I'm tired of running…I want us to talk…"
Raising one side of his lips into a smile, he wove the fingers on her neck into her soft hair and met her eyes once more. Pulling her head forward, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead in tender kiss, lingering there for several moments and realizing that she was leaning into the kiss while gripping his shirt in her tight little fists. He pulled back and lowered his head, pressing his forehead against where he'd just had his lips, and rubbed his nose against hers affectionately. It wasn't until Booth felt Brennan release her grasp that he finally lessened his own embrace, meeting her quiet gaze. He unfurled his fingers from her hair and traced her cheek bone with the calloused pad of his forefinger. Loathe to breaking their spell, but knowing he had to, Booth smiled warmly. "I'll get your wine, Bones. Go ahead in and sit down."
She nodded and slid her open palm along the shoulder holster beneath her right hand, watching her movement with heavily lidded eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, and Booth suspected she was thanking him for more than just the wine he was about to pour for her, but he let it go. He released her completely and watched as she backed away with a shy smile, grabbing his beers as she moved into the living room, where he'd already set out their food and plates.
They fell into a comfortable banter as the partner's shared their meal, joking and talking with ease until the food was consumed, at which time they commenced their discussion of the case. Booth told Brennan that after he received Angela's email containing the correspondence between the herpetologist and their victim, he called the young man and subsequently put Jason under surveillance until they had more on which to hold him in custody. He said that Jason told him the plans to meet with Emberly hat night had changed last minute, and that he was not at the zoo the night of the murder. He maintained his story that he'd been home all evening. Jason disclosed that the whole reason they were meeting was to discuss the latest threatening letter she'd received from Apogee Pharmaceuticals. He also said that she had mentioned meeting someone named Michael later that night, but he didn't know who Michael was." Booth took a long drink of his second beer, nearly finishing it before continuing.
"He sounded jealous, if you ask me. We have to figure out who 'Michael' is, but Jason definitely wasn't happy about Emberly meeting with this mystery-man and cancelling her plans to meet him."
"Why didn't he tell us this in our interview?" Brennan's forehead creased in disbelief.
"Yeah, I asked him the same thing, and he said that it 'slipped his mind'… There may've been someone named Michael in her life, we still have to find that out, but there is no doubt that Jason was pissed about it. So far, my gut is telling me that it's him…but we need the proof first."
Brennan nodded and looked at Hodgins' notes as they lay on the table where Booth left them. "What does Jack say about Emberly's research?"
"I dunno. I haven't reviewed it yet." He reached for the folder and sat back on the couch, opening it so she could also read it from where she sat beside him.
They reviewed the file in silence for a few minutes, each reading until they both reached the same point, almost simultaneously.
"Hodgins' notes show that there's a man named Michael Patrickson employed by Apogee Pharmaceuticals…" Booth met Brennan's eyes as she reached for the bagged journal that rested on her coffee table.
"Booth," she unzipped the bag, "there was an entry in here, MP/AP, I saw it…but it was meaningless at the time, it didn't appear to be an appointment or meeting…" She flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. It was listed in a sider note, along with a movie title, and book title and a list of what looked like serial numbers. "What do you think it means?"
Booth took the book from her and scanned the page. "I dunno, Bones… MP could be Michael Patrickson and the AP could be Apogee Pharmaceuticals. But what about these numbers? What could they be?" He pointed to the list of seemingly random numbers, but his partner shook her head as well, not understanding what she was looking at any more than he did.
Booth pulled out his phone and dialed Charlie. "Hey man, I know you're probably getting ready to go home, but can do you me a favor before you leave?" He paused and smiled. "Thanks. Listen, can you get me an employee list from Apogee Pharmaceuticals in Reston, VA? I need to verify the employment of one Michael Patrickson. I assume he is going to be a tech who works with the primate division of the research company." He paused, "yeah, thanks man, I appreciate it." He ended the call and looked at his partner. "Charlie'll let us know when he's done his search."
Brennan, who had been looking through Hodgins' notes in correlation with Emberly's journal, then picked up her phone and dialed. "Jack, the eight monkeys that you said were the smartest – the ones who can solve puzzles, do they have any distinctive markings? Any tags or piercings, like identification tags?"
"Well, they probably have tattoos, Dr. B. Typically, labs tattoo their subjects on the chest for easy identification. It avoids ear tags being ripped out in fights and is more cost effective than implanting bar code chips into the animals."
"Can you check for them? Let me know what their markers are?"
"Sure, Dr. B. Are you guys coming back to the lab? The Mass Spec is almost done with rendering the tests I'm running on the slivers."
"Umm, yes, Dr. Hodgins, we'll be heading back to the lab in a little while. Thank you."
She disconnected her call and told Booth about Hodgins' suspicions about chest tattoos on the monkeys. They proceeded to clear the table of the remnants of their meal and quickly washed the dishes before heading back to the lab. While the domesticity of their actions didn't escape either of the partners, neither one acknowledged it aloud as they moved about her kitchen. A few shy, quiet glances and blushing smiles passed between them were the only indications that they knew things between them were changing rapidly.
B/B/B/B
"So, whatcha got for us, Hodgins?" Booth asked, clapping his hands once as he and Brennan walked into the Ookey Room. He cringed at the uproarious explosion of monkey screeches that greeted them as they entered the relatively small workspace, as if he'd forgotten just how noisy the animals could be.
Jack grinned at the agent's reaction and motioned for them to go over to his adjoining office. "Let's talk in there, it'll be easier." He chuckled as the partners followed him.
Once they were in the quieter office, they were joined by Angela as well. Jack began, "OK, so I found all the tattoos you wanted to know about, Dr. B, here's a list of their serial numbers." He handed her eight strings of random serials, each one alpha-numeric in nature. "As I suspected, all eight animals had numbers tattooed on their chests; it's how they ID them in the lab-setting. I did similar tattooing myself when I was an intern at a lab in upstate New York, years ago."
"Why would they need to be numbered? Does it signify anything?" Booth asked as he watched the interactions of the animals through the large windows connecting Hodgins' office with the Ookey Room.
"You've never been inside a research lab, have you?" When Booth shook his head to the negative, Hodgins nodded slowly. "Well, most labs have hundreds of animals… and depending on what type of research being conducted, these animals may be there 20, 30 years…They need to have a way to keep them all straight…Using names isn't practical, it forms unnatural bonds between the researchers and animals, and with so many animals, the best way to maintain records is to do it alpha-numerically, just like the FBI does with case files."
Booth nodded slowly and Brennan looked through the list that Jack had handed to her. "Booth, these serial numbers correspond with the numbers written in Emberly's journal, right next to MP/AP. Michael has to be the connection between her freelance investigation and the threats she was receiving." She handed the list to Booth just as his phone chirped with a text.
Pulling it out, he spoke, "Charlie confirms that Michael Patrickson was a Lead Primate Research Specialist at Apogee Pharmaceuticals up until 4 days ago. His position was abruptly eliminated for undisclosed reasons. Charlie is having him brought in for questioning now; he called Shaw already." He bit the inside of his cheek in thought. "You know… if Emberly's research was endangering his employment at the company, or had the direct impact of his termination if she'd already revealed her suspicions, this Michael-guy would have a perfect MO for murder. I imagine these people get paid good money…and the potential loss of a good income is not an uncommon motive and could very well be enough to send someone over the edge…"
Brennan listened intently to what Booth was murmuring and Hodgins agreed readily. "Absolutely, man… People can work for years and years trying to land a stable job with a research firm like Apogee. If whatever she was preparing to reveal would undermine what he was working on…well….I could see someone snapping…"
Angela picked up Jack's remote for the computer system and connected with the work she'd been completing that afternoon. "Jack's tests determined that the metal splinters were from an object made from an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. I took the measurements of the injuries that he and Mr. Fisher provided, programmed them into my computer and came up with a few possible weapons that would be easily available within a zoo setting. Listening to all this, I have a suggestion." She brought up a stock photo of a Primate Catching Noose and looked to her husband with a raised eyebrow.
"Angie, that's it! It has to be it…" He looked at Booth and Brennan. "These are used to loop around a monkey's neck if it gets loose or if you need to move a particularly aggressive animal from one spot to another. Just like what a dog catcher uses…" His eyes were bright and, despite having worked long hours in the lab that day, he felt very alert. "The pole would be made of stainless steel alloy, which is 'aircraft grade'… He could have hit her on the back of the head, rendering her unconscious before delivering the final lethal blows…the girth measurement of the barrel matches the injuries on her ribs, forearms and her shins… Working with primate, he would have known what the monkeys would do to her body, so he coated her in their favorite treat…"
Brennan studied the monitor while Jack spoke. She imagined the tool being used in the way that Jack was describing… There was something gnawing at her about his scenario. What he was saying made perfect sense and it was a good match for the repeated blows to the victim's forearms; it matched an injury on her ribs; and it would almost match the skull fracturing. Almost.
Booth watched his partner attentively. He could see the metaphorical wheels turning in her head… and he motioned for their friends to remain quiet until she was ready to speak. Tilting her head to the side in silent contemplation, Brennan reached blindly for the remote from Angela and the artist gave it up easily to her best friend. Brennan then used the split-screen option and brought up images of the cracked cranium, virtually rolling the skull in various positions while doing the same with the Catching Noose, trying to line up the injuries.
Suddenly, she squared her shoulders and began looking around Hodgins' office. She dropped the remote onto his worktable and quickly walked over to his tool closet.
"Whatcha lookin' for, Bones?" Booth took a step forward, but gave her the space he innately knew she needed.
"I know what made those injuries…and it wasn't the Noose Tool." She rummaged through Jack's extensive collection of equipment. When she wrapped her fingers around the object she was in search of, she glanced over her shoulder at Booth with a knowing smirk. Looking back into the closet, she carefully maneuvered the long, thin metal weapon from her co-worker's closet. "This…is what killed Emberly." She turned to her friends, holding out a heavy gauge snake hook. "Well, not this particular one, but one very much like it." She moved quickly back over to the trio, pointing to the sharp point at the end of the Shepherd's Crook.
Before she could speak, Hodgins interjected. "Holy shit, you're right, Dr. B. Injuries from the hook would resemble tooth marks on the bone…a heavy-duty hook, like a python hook, would fit the bill perfectly…"
Brennan continued. "She was hit repeatedly with the shaft of the snake hook, causing the damage to the ribs, ulnae bones and shins. But that," she pointed to the monitor showing the Capture Noose, "would never have caused this damage," she then pointed to the image of the skull. "There's nothing on the noose that's sharp enough to puncture the occipital bone at the base of the skull resulting in the pierce to the medulla oblongata... But this," she pointed to the 5 ½ inch jaw opening and sharp point, "would be a perfect match." She turned back to her partner with renewed vigor. "We need to get our hands on every snake hook in that zoo, Booth. And I think your gut was right on this one…The herpetologist is involved…"
Booth pulled his phone out and made the call to Caroline to get the search warrant they needed, pulling his partner in for a 'guy-hug' in the process.
The next couple of hours flew by in the metaphorical blink-of-an-eye.
Once they were through at the lab, Brennan sent Hodgins and Angela home with the promise to celebrate the next day.
Shaw released Michael Patrickson after questioning him, simply as a formality. She did discover that Emberly and he were romantically involved and that their relationship is what caused him to lose his job, since Emberly was bringing up charges against the lab. However, he was able to provide proof that another research laboratory there in Reston was eager to hire him on; it was actually going to be a promotion for him, so in that sense he couldn't be happier. At losing the woman he loved, he was grief-stricken, but determined to see that her research into mistreatment of animals would not die with her; her legacy would continue.
Booth picked up the warrant and, along with Brennan and a team of FBI forensics agents, searched the reptile house for the hook in question, finding it stashed in the back of a storage closet. Someone had attempted to clean it with bleach, and although there was evidence of snake blood on the tool, it was easy to determine that the presence of human blood was much greater. Jason was arrested for murder when he, under the intense interrogation of one Special Agent Seeley J Booth, combined with the cross-examination of world-renowned Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan, crumbled into a blubbering mess, confessing to the murder within 20 minutes of the start of his interrogation, succumbing to the string of evidence held against him, including a video from the website that put Jason in the Metro near the Primate House on the night of the murder.
It was nearly midnight by the time Booth and Brennan were finished with their portion of processing their prisoner. Exhausted, but feeling good that they were able to bring such swift justice for the young scientist, Brennan slid quietly into the passenger seat of Booth's SUV and rested her head against the seat-back. She watched as Booth removed his suit jacket and tossed it into the back seat before getting into the drivers' seat.
He looked at the tired pale green-blue eyes of his partner and smiled. "Long day, huh Bones?"
She nodded in response and closed her eyes. She reopened them to meet his gaze and let a lazy smile spread across her face. "You have beer at your place, Booth?"
He wrinkled his forehead and squinted his eyes a little. "Always… why?"
"I want a celebratory drink, but I don't want to go to the bar. And you drank my last two beers tonight when we were dinner."
He grinned, "You're not too tired?"
"Nope. Let's go celebrate, Booth."
B/B/B/B
"Here ya go, Bones," Booth handed her a bottle of her favorite light beer, which he always kept on hand, just in case. After a quick clink of their bottles, he took a pull from his Yuengling Long Neck, flopping down onto the couch beside his partner. He let his head fall back against the couch, watching the way her throat moved as she swallowed her beer.
"So, Bones," Booth asked as she lowered her bottle. "What's going to happen with the monkeys?"
"Hodgins sent me a text while we were interrogating Jason. Apparently he didn't go home when we left, he did some above-and-beyond-work. He made arrangements to meet with Animal Control and Zoo officials tomorrow. Most of the monkeys will be taken back over to their home at the Metro. It seems that Jack made a substantial donation to the Zoo Foundation and is also making arrangements for the DC Animal Control to get a larger facility. And since he's been so generous with his monetary contributions to both organizations, everyone is willing to allow the majority of the Rhesus colony to continue to reside at the zoo." Brennan smiled happily, grateful that they were not going to be euthanized.
She continued after another small sip from her bottle. "The zoo management is worried about a media fiasco, however, once the public gets air of the gruesomeness of the death."
"Once the public 'gets wind,' Bones, not 'air." Booth smiled at her slip-up and clinked her bottle once again with his.
She smiled in return. "Yes, that's what I meant… Anyway… Hodgins was able to determine, that the dental markers on the damaged bones came from only three of the adult Rhesuses and, strange enough, they are part of the eight that were brought in from Apogee….The 'Super Eight Monkeys', as Hodgins is calling them… He is in negotiations with the other lab in Reston – the one who wants to hire on Michael Patrickson – about having them moved to their property. That particular research facility is apparently a very-well respected company, and has agreed to house the animals for further study. They want to take an in-depth look into Emberly's concerns, and he's working on the contract to guarantee that they will no longer be used for active pharmaceutical tests, but instead on behavioral tests and research. I think it's a win-win situation for everyone."
Booth smiled at her obvious approval of Hodgins' actions. "You aren't opposed to research companies using animals for study, Bones?" He raised an eyebrow, slightly confused about where she stood on the topic, given her opposition to zoos.
She thought carefully before answering her partner. "No. I'm not an antivivisectionist." Seeing his immediate confusion, she grinned, "That's someone who is opposed to using animals in a lab... I understand the necessity of animal use in science. If there was no testing on live animals, we wouldn't have the advanced medicine and knowledge that we possess today. Hell, even in my field of study, people start out by researching and learning on animals…human bodies are much harder to procure for scientific use." She took another small sip of her beer, and then continued. "The concept of zoos upsets me because so many of them obtain their animals through questionable or 'shady ways', as you might say. I know that things have changed in more recent times, but many of my beliefs are so deeply rooted, they're hard to overcome." She smiled at her partner, as he continued to lean back against the high back of the couch. "I do, however, like the Metro Zoo…I have a lot fond memories of being there with you and Parker…" She smiled shyly, lowering her eyes as she wondered if he, too, shared her fondness for their shared times.
When he didn't answer, she felt panic rising in her chest, realizing that he probably didn't share her thoughts. She lifted her bottle, more for something to do than to quench a thirst, and took another sip slowly.
Postscript A/N
So, whatcha think? The case wrapped up nicely, but can these two overcome their issues and move forward? Or will they continue to dance around each other for who-knows-how-long?
Please review and let me know your thoughts! That's the kindest thing you can do for a writer after you've read…share your thoughts and prompt the Muse!
Peace & love my friends!
~jazzy