The Face with Two Skeletons
By: Tropicwhale
Disclaimer: I've got love and I got rhythm but I don't have the characters in this story to go with them. I've got no money. I've got no diamonds either. But it doesn't stop me from wanting more, more, more. Eh, I've got Zerbrowski. . .anyone want to trade?
Author Talk: Yeah, if you want a synopsis of my last few months when I wasn't posting check out my author talks in the last two chapters…ooh, happy belated Christmas everyone! I gots me a breadmaker and $50 on iTunes…yeehaw! And HAPPY NEW DECADE!!
Chapter Thirty Two
It had taken three hours to hunt down Robbie's home address. Booth had used almost every resource available to him to do it seeing as he only knew that the man's nickname, that he was in Desert Storm and that he was on the police force. In an area as big as Washington, DC with Richmond and the surrounding counties well within an hour drive…Robbie could have been anywhere. Booth wasn't about to ask Zack because, well, that would make Zack suspicious and thus complete negate Booth's objective.
Luckily, the Copperheads had a website which listed the players' (both past and present) real names and stats. After a quick interlude into Zack's stats and bio (stats=impressive, bio=little to nothing although it did say that he worked with Brennan at the Jeffersonian) Booth wrote down Robbie's real name, Capt. Robert V. Ackart and ran it through the federal database for local law enforcement officers. Sometimes it really rocked to work for the government.
The database panned out and he soon was the proud recipient of Robbie's street address. He GoogleMapped it and was in his car and driving with the printed out directions in twenty minutes. Robbie's house was in Montgomery County, Maryland and fairly nice for a police officer. It was white with blue shutters and front door with an immaculately green lawn and even had a white picket fence. Booth parked on the street and let himself through the white picket gate and up the slate stone walk. He rang the door bell and waited patiently. Somewhere inside the house a small dog barked and a woman's voice shushed it. There was the sound of the locks being undone and a tallish, blondish woman opened the door. Her eyes were blue and she looked like she had been working out with her hair in a messy ponytail and wearing a sweaty pair of sweats. "Can I help you?" Booth decided not to flash his badge. After all this was personal business and really had nothing to do with his current official investigation into Zerbrowski's wife's death.
"Hi, I'm Seeley Booth and I was looking for Robbie?" He asked with his 'look, I'm harmless' smile. Girls really went for that smile. The woman blinked and mopped her brow with her sleeve.
"He's at work…can I ask what this was about?"
"He…" Booth stopped. How to explain Zack? "Do you know Zack?"
"Zack?" There was a question to her voice.
"Uh, you might know him as Zaddy? From the Copperheads?" Recognition bloomed in the woman's face.
"Oh! Yeah, the forward. Kinda quiet. Talks like he's a robot?" She described like it was more for Booth's benefit than her own.
"That's the one. See, I'm friends with Zack and…." Booth blinked again. "I probably shouldn't tell you this but Robbie had told me that he had pulled Zack from a car wreck several years ago-"
"Right, that's how they met. I remember that."
"Yeah and I was wondering if Robbie wouldn't mind giving me more information about it."
"Why?" Booth took a deep breath and knew from looking at her that he looked like a guilty kid with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Zack lied about it. He told a friend of ours who later told me that he was driving the car when Robbie told me that Zack was riding the bicycle. It's not the first time that he's done something like this. Lied about something major in his life to make it look like he's a worse person than he is and, as his friend, I want to confront him about it but…you've met Zack. It isn't going to be easy. I need ammo." The woman looked at him. Glared, really. It then occurred to Booth that this was probably Robbie's wife. The wife of a man that was a police officer, ex-Army, and the Captain of the rowdy Copperheads was bound to be one tough cookie. "But, I've been rude. I'm Seeley, I'm acquainted with Robbie and you are?" Seeley stuck out his hand and the woman raised her eyebrow.
"Vivian Ackart. Robbie's my husband."
"Nice to meet you." Vivian decided to become amused with Booth. Amused was good. He could live with amused. Amused might get him information. Charming worked even better for that. Booth shot for charming and just a little bit cheesy. They shook hands. "So, you said he's at work?" She smiled an amused grin at him and he turned up the wattage on his own grin.
"I did."
"Could you tell me where that is?"
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Her smile stayed in place, Booth's didn't.
"Huh?"
"I'm the wife of a cop. Don't pull the charming stranger card on me. I'm too smart for it." huh. Darnit. "You're Zaddy's federal agent that was at the Devil's game, right? I thought I recognized you. Come on in. I'll make some iced tea." Double huh. What just happened? Booth experienced a feeling that was akin to being hit in the face with a dead fish. Unexpected and vaguely gross.
Nevertheless, Booth followed Mrs. Ackart into the house and closed the door behind him more than a little bemused. The inside of the house was as nice as the outside. She directed him into the living room and went on into what Booth assumed was the kitchen through a doorway. Booth took his time alone to check out the room he found himself in. Everything scream MIDDLECLASS AMERICA and should have been very impersonal and dead feeling. But it didn't. Booth felt very calm and serene sitting on one of two white couches sitting on top of the white carpet looking at the awesome big screen and grandfather clock in the corner. There was a blue throw blanket over the one arm of the couch and the walls were a peach color. The coffee table matched the entertainment unit and there was a warm brown leather recliner in one corner. Mrs. Ackart walked back in through the door and handed Booth a glass of iced tea. She smiled at his expression. "Robbie and I moved around a lot when he was in the army. We found that the less we had the less we had to pack up and move. It's a moving laziness that traveled with us into civilian life. Robbie should be home in about fifteen minutes if you don't mind waiting." She sat down in the recliner. Booth noticed that she had fixed her ponytail.
"Not at all." Booth smiled. He liked this woman. She was very capable. Capable women were attractive. "So, what do you do, Mrs. Ackart?"
"I'm a prosecutor. And before you ask…no, I wasn't the prosecutor for Zaddy's hit and run case."
"So it was a hit and run?"
"Yep. Witnesses say they saw a young white man fleeing the scene on foot after hitting the bicyclist."
"How do you-?"
"I remember it…both on the news and Robbie talking about it. He took a personal interest in it because the bicyclist had just moved to DC and had no family in the area. Zaddy's a sweet kid. He actually stayed with us while he looked for an apartment. He had lost his when he went into the hospital. Apparently, it was one of the long term hotels? He was staying at one until he could find something more permanent. He moved in with a co-worker…I think?"
"Yeah, Hodgins. What did you mean Zaddy's federal agent?"
"Aren't you dating?"
"Uh, no. I'm not gay."
"Neither is Zaddy. He's bisexual."
"I'm not…"
"Into guys?"
"Exactly."
"Except for Zaddy."
"I-"
"It's okay. Who am I going to tell?"
"I'm not."
"You're trying to convince him not to lie to you…and you don't strike me as the type of man that would willing hang out with someone like Zack unless sex was involved…much less go to these lengths to find out more about him" She stated coldly. Inwardly, Booth flinch. He could see why she was a prosecutor. Was he so obvious? More importantly, was he so shallow?
"That's not true. My best friend is Zack's boss and she's just a bad as Zack is. Worse. She doesn't believe in lying or-"
"Zaddy's insecure. A man like you wouldn't hang around someone who's insecure." Booth was offended by that, and ashamed, so he reacted with anger.
"You don't even know me."
"I've known men like you. I knew Zerbrowski. Robbie told me what had happened between Zaddy and James."
"I'm not like that guy." Booth said. Vivan Ackart just stared at him. The minutes ticked by on the grandfather clock.
"You hurt him" She said and set down her drink on a small side table next to the recliner. She leaned back into the seat so the leather creaked and lower her eyes at Booth. He was reminded of a jungle cat he had seen once when taking Parker to the zoo. It just sat there starting at the people going by, comfortable in the knowledge that it was the predator and not them. She inhaled. "You hurt him and I'll kill you…or find a way to put you in jail for breaking his heart. Whichever comes first." Booth believed her. Zack inspired that fierce loyalty in a lot of people.
At that moment, Robbie choose to walk through the front door with a "Honey, I'm home!" that sounded like he was trying not to laugh as he said it. Vivian rolled her eyes. Robbie walked into the living room "Oh, company." He did a double take at Booth. "Agent Booth…?"
"Agent Booth wants to talk to you about Zaddy, dear." Vivian's voice was bland and Booth could feel her eyes burn a hole into his ear. Robbie looked between his wife and Booth.
"We can use my home office."
"Okay." Booth stood and thanked Vivian for the iced tea and quickly followed Robbie out of the room. Robbie walked down a short hallway and through another door at the back of the house. Booth followed him and Robbie shut the door behind them.
"So what did you say to make my wife that angry at you?" Booth blinked as he sat down on the leather couch against one wall and Robbie sat in the spinning chair at his desk.
"I honestly don't know. I was just asking after Zack and you. I tried to be charming to get her to tell me where you were but she slapped me down real fast for that." Robbie chuckled somewhat fondly.
"Blame Keg, Wineskin and Bailout for that. They've destroyed several of Viv' furniture and then tried to be charming to get out of paying for it. It never worked and it started to bug her after awhile."
"Oh. I was more under the impression that it was my interest in Zack's car accident that had her up in arms against me. She seems convinced that after a five minute conversation that I've had sex with Zack and that would be my only reason for being interested in him."
"She doesn't know about Anne or the other body. I'm sorry about that. We had let Zack stay with us for a week or so when he got out of the hospital but wasn't well enough to be on his own. We…Vivian and I can't have kids. Zack sort of…." Robbie looked out the window.
"Is like a son to her." Booth finished.
"Yeah, kinda to me to…" Robbie looked back at Booth. "which is why I overreacted with Zerbrowski that day at the hospital. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that but Zack doesn't deserve that shit. You know?"
"Yeah, I know."
"So what do you want to know about the accident?"
"You don't want to know why?"
"No. It's none of my business. And I've got a pretty good read on you. Better than my wife anyway. I'd like to think that you wouldn't hurt Zack. That you know he's been through a lot and it'll make you think twice before doing something that would break his heart intentionally. So, what do you want to know?"
"Are you sure Zack was the one riding the bicycle?" Robbie smoothed his tie and frowned.
"Yeah. Okay, now I'm curious. Why ask that?" Booth took a deep breath.
"Hodgins…Zack's friend and landlord? Told me that Zack had said that he was the one driving and that the charges were dropped because the other guy never showed up in court."
"That's…partly true. It's considered an unsolved case. We never found the driver."
"There's more. Zack lied to me about his age. He said that he was older than he was."
"Why would he do that?"
"To protect himself. Make it seem like he doesn't need people's help when he does." Robbie closed his eyes.
"Oh Zack." Robbie looked genuinely upset at that and closed his eyes. Booth felt like he was telling the guy that his son was dead.
"I'm going to try and talk to Zack and convince him that he doesn't need to lie like that. That he can trust….people. But I need ammo. I need to know the truth so I can corner him with the facts." Robbie opened his eyes and looked at Booth.
"Here" He turned in his chair and riffled through some files until he held up a particular one. "I'm going to want it back but it's the police report for Zack's accident. I got to warn you though. It's graphic and nasty. I don't like looking at it cuz I remember Zack in that condition but, you need to know."
"Thanks." Booth stood and accepted the file.
"Take care of him?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. One more thing. Zerbrowski can help as well."
"What?"
"Zerbrowski's an selfish ass but he's one of the best lawyers I know…and he was involved in the case."
"How?"
"Public defense lawyer. His client was a no-show but he still has all the facts about what went down when Zack was still in the hospital."
"Like the trial." Robbie nodded.
"Thanks." Booth said again because he didn't know what else to say and left. Vivian glared at him on the way out of the house but he waved to her anyway.
Booth drove to Zerbrowski's house straight from there. He wanted to be able to talk with Zack no later than tonight. Booth wasn't about to let Zack think that he was better off alone for a second longer than he was able. He knocked on the door. Zerbrowski opened it looking like he had been through a car wash and then crushed by an eighteen wheeler and he was holding a bottle of cheap liquor. He slammed the door in Booth's face.
Booth spent the next fifteen minutes pounding on the door nonstop. Eventually, Zerbrowski opened it and let Booth into the house. Booth walked through the threshold and Zerbrowski shut the door behind him. "What do you want?" the lawyer said in a dead voice. A part of Booth felt really bad for the guy. It couldn't have been an easy few weeks for him. It turned out that Anne was cheating on him with a masseuse at her spa. Zerbrowski's life had a lot of skeletons in his closet and now they were all out in public eye. However, Booth's sympathy was squished effectively with Zerbrowski's next words "What? Did Zack die? Are you trying to pin his murder on me now, too?" And then in an undertone that Booth caught anyway. "Hope he did, the little shit." Booth really, really wanted to shoot the guy. Bah, wasn't worth the bullet.
"You're part right. How old is Zack?"
"Twenty-nine."
"Wrong. Looked up his birth certificate. He's twenty-seven." Zerbrowski looked at Booth through narrowed, bloodshot eyes.
"Huh?"
"He also has been claiming that he was the one driving the SUV and not the bicycle." Zerbrowski blinked.
"That's not true."
"Yeah. I know. Look, I-"
"Why would he lie about that? Lie about us…yeah, sure. It would hurt me to be forced into the public eye like that but…that makes him seem like a bad guy….Zack's a lot of things. An asshole isn't among them."
"No, that's your job." Booth said coldly. Zerbrowski nodded his head absently, sadly. He looked down at the bottle in his hands.
"I am a jerk." He said distinctly, morosely…then burst out into tears. Booth's thought on that was
"Oh geez."
"I'm such a bad boyfriend." He sobbed. "Bad husband too. My wife was running round with a massage therapist, for christssake, and my boyfriend had a crush on a Fed. It's not fair. What did I do?" He took a swig at the bottle and cried a little more.
"Can you tell me about the day of Zack's trial?"
"Yeah. Assign to the other guy. Didn't really know about Zack and his connection to the Coppers' until I saw Robbie and Keg in court. My guy was supposedly a no show so the family was going after the car rental agency. They settle out of court before Zack got out of the hospital."
"Did they ever hunt down the guy you were suppose to represent?"
"Nope!" Zerbrowski giggled a little. "False name. False identity. No real defining or memorable characteristics. Kinda assumed that whoever it was was after Zack personal."
"Why assumed?"
"I dunno." Zerbrowski's bloodshot eyes shittered off to the side. "Did you know…I'm defacto fired from my firm? No one wants an in the closet lawyer with a dead wife who had a masseuse lover and an ongoing police investigation. I was told…" He licked his lips and stared at Booth. "Zack's right. You have really great bone structure. No wonder he wanted you over me…'course" He leaned back in the chair and took a drink. "I've got the cheek bones. What was I talking about?"
"Zack's trial."
"Nono…Nope. Oh! My bosses…the Partners…I'm just an associate….Betcha they're really demons…cold enough for it. Anyway, they said to take a break to finish up this business with Anne and Zack and then, there would be a review board. On whether or not my AND I QUOTE Tragedy…end quote…would affect my work abilities. My wife is murdered. My boybriend nearly blown to bits." He holds up his forefinger and thumb and pinched them together. "Like this. BLOWN to bits. Yep…hey, I can squich yer head." He pinches the air in front of him with one eye closed. "And I might end up fired. Bitches. Like massive. Vodka good. Makes the pain hurt less…why are you here?"
"Zack-"
"Right." he nodded decisively. "Why?"
"Zack's car accident when he first came to DC."
"Yeah…did you know he's lucky to have use of that arm? Broke his leg too. Pops." Zerbrowski's head tilted sideways until his ear touched his shoulder. "You're tilted….and have two heads. How'd you do that?"
"How much have you drank?"
"What day is it?"
"Tuesday."
"Since last Thursday…or was it Friday? Maybe Wednesday? Sometime last week."
"I think you had enough."
"nope. I don't know where my car keys are." Zerbrowski leaned and whispered. "The plan is to drink until I can remember where my car keys are and then drive off a cliff. See, I may be an asshole but I did love my wife and my boyfriend. He didn't love me and she didn't love me. I was convenient for the both of them. Do you know what it's like to have lovers that will only take you because you're convenient?" Zerbrowski looked at Booth up and down then sneered. "Nope, guess not. Point is. Without my job, without the two people I care the most about, without the Copperheads…I got nothing to live for. No one wants me. It's quite sad actually. Zack found a better sugar daddy. I'm discarded."
"You broke up with him."
"Didn't mean to." A tear slide down the man's cheek. "I love the little screwball." He sniffled and looked down at the ground. "Why doesn't anyone love me?"
"You drink?" Booth was bewildered. He never liked dealing with drunks. Zerbrowski looked down at the bottle.
"Not all the time." He blinked sad puppy eyes up at Booth. "Wanna have sex?"
"No! I'm not gay."
"But you slept with Zack, right? No, wait! I don't want to know." Zerbrowski leaned back and closed his eyes. Booth had to work a little faster. Zerbrowski was passing out.
"Do you have files on Zack's case? The car crash?"
"Hmm? Yeeahh."
"Here at the house?"
"Yep!" Zerbrowski's arm shot up in the air and fell back into his lap. "Office."
"May I borrow it?"
"Why?"
"Cause I want to know more about Zack." Booth kept it simple. Zerbrowski was in no condition to do any heavy listening.
"Are you going to take care of him?" Booth looked at the drunk. Zerbrowski blinked up at him with big, teary eyes.
"Sure. Why don't you show me where is and then get some rest?"
"Rest sounds good."
"It is good. But first I need you to help me help Zack and get the file for me."
"Right!" Zerbrowski stood and swayed. "Whoa. World doesn't suppose to spin that fast."
"I know. Help me find the file, Zerbrowski."
"Call me Jim. My mother called me Jim. I miss my mother."
"Alright, Jim." Booth started walking down the hallway with Zerbrowski in his grip. Suddenly, the lawyer loomed sideways.
"This way." There were a set of French doors leading to the office. Zerbrowski banged into them once before Booth could get them open. "Thanks." He lunged to a metal filing cabinet. "Now where's the key?" Zerbrowski stared at the top drawer of the cabinet, pouting. Booth looked around without letting go of the drunken man. He grabbed a silver key off of the desk.
"Here." Zerbrowski reared back to try and focus on the key.
"Yup." Booth let him sit down. "Top….thing."
"Drawer?"
"Yeah. Under Addy." Booth pulled out a thick file and glared at Zerbrowski. "So I stalked the guy before I asked if he wanted to have sex with me. I don't gamble with my reputation."
"So, you knew about Bradley Oscarmann? And his mother?" Booth looked at the Michigan newspaper clippings. There was a picture of Olivia in a family photo in one of the clippings. Booth looked at Bradley. Good looking kid with an easy smile. No wonder Zack had been in love with him. He seemed like a kid that was easy to love. In another picture in the clipping was Zack. It looked like a school id photo and Zack looked leery and creepy like he was doubting the world's intelligence…or maybe just the photographers'. Deeper in the file was the court case data for the car accident. Booth took the entire file and pulled the man upstairs to dump him on the first bed he found. After a moment of thought, Booth left a glass of water and a couple of aspirin on the bedside table next to a snoring Zerbrowski. He let himself out and locked the doorknob lock on his way out.
Author After Talk: Hey for the first time I hit my word count goal. Four thousand words, baby. Yeehaw! Also, I was looking up surnames
Ackart- strong willed
and I found Dr. Brennan's
Brennan: (Irish) From the Irish surname Ó Braonáin which means "descendent of Braonán". Braonán is a first name meaning "sorrow." It is comprised of braon, "tear drop" and a diminutive suffix.
Temperance means self restraint. So, Dr. Temperance Brennan's name literally means…"Self restrained sorrow" or "Restrained Sorrow". How romantic. I feel like that name belongs to a painting of a saint from the Renaissance period. I suddenly like Kathy Reichs and Brennan a lot more. I feel like I said this before but oh well. Talk to me
Tropic