The Bones in the Serial Grace
By: A.M. Anderson
Chapter 8: The DNA in the Details
Booth and Brennan were standing on the platform next to the body. Morgan and Reid had taken Randall Cooper to the station to be processed before questioning. Zack and Hodgins were still taking scrapings while JJ and the rest of the BAU tried to find the connection between Randall Cooper and the other victims.
"The DNA left on this body could be a challenge," Hodgins said.
"A challenge?" Booth said. "Like he's playing us?"
"It's classic game theory," Reid said. He and Morgan had just walked through the door. Morgan headed to Angela's office while Reid came over to examine the body.
"What?" Booth asked again.
"A conflict of interest arises followed by a series of moves from which divergent strategies can be discerned," Zack said.
"What did he say?" Booth asked the room at large.
"That Randall Cooper, if he's the UNSUB, could be playing us," Reid said.
"Yes, that's exactly what I said," Booth replied.
"Zero sum," Reid said. "After a few moves, we'll know more of Randall's order of preference."
"What did he say?" Booth asked the room again.
"We'll find out what Randall wants," Brennan explained.
"Isn't that the BAU's job?" Hodgins asked. "To get inside the serial killers head and explain why they are so screwy?"
"Dr. Brennan?" Prentice said. The dark haired agent was standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Agent Prentice," Brennan replied. She left Booth and Hodgins arguing.
"Hotch said that you were going to go with Booth to interrogate Randall Cooper," Prentice said. "Have you interrogated suspects before?"
"Did Agent Hotchner express doubt about my abilities or do you have doubts?" Brennan asked.
"Both," Prentice replied.
"I have helped Booth interrogate suspects before," Brennan said.
"Ready to go?" Booth asked. He had left Hodgins glowering at the deceased Owen Rains. He looked between the two women. "Everything alright here?"
"Everything's fine," Prentice said. "Hotch requested that Morgan and Reid go with you."
"Okay," Booth said with a shrug. "Let's go."
"Why are they interrogating him?" Morgan asked. He and Reid were looking into the interrogation room at Randall Cooper, who was about to be questioned by Booth and Brennan.
"Hotch said Agent Booth is running point on this case so he gets to question him first," Reid replied.
"Okay, I'll take that," Morgan replied. "But why is the scientist lady going in with him?"
"Dr. Brennan and him seem to have a system worked out," Reid said. Morgan crossed his arms and watched the interrogation.
"Randall Cooper," Booth said. He dropped the man's file onto the table as Brennan sat down. "You have quit the record."
"I used to have anger issues," Randall replied. His hands were handcuffed to the underside of the table.
"Says here that the court ordered you to take anger management classes," Brennan replied.
"Yeah," Randall said. "And I did. Since then I haven't had any more run in's."
"Maybe because you found a new outlet for your anger," Booth said.
"Like murder," Brennan added.
"Recognize him?" Booth asked. He placed a picture of Owen Rains on the table.
"No," Randall said. "What the hell do you mean by murder? I haven't killed no one."
"He's not your usual type though," Booth continued. "He's blond, He doesn't show signs that he's been held as the others –"
"And he's dead," Brennan added.
"Bones could you please shut-up?" Booth said without looking at her.
"Others?" Randall interjected loudly.
"Excuse me?" Brennan said. There was a knock on the glass. Booth didn't look at Brennan until they were out of the interrogation room, but her glare nearly bore a hole through his suit.
"Now he thinks you're an idiot," Brennan said.
"Game theory, Bones, okay?" Booth replied. "For two players to gain advantage over the one they must be distinct from each other, or something like that."
"Where did you get that?" Brennan asked.
"From me," Reid said. "I suggested you be the smart one."
"As much fun as this game theory stuff is," Booth said. "I don't think he did it."
"He at least didn't kill the others," Morgan said. "That doesn't explain how his DNA ended up under Owen Rain's nails."
"He could have been one of the last people to see Owen Rains alive," Reid said.
"Why don't you two take a crack at him?" Booth suggested. Morgan nodded and took the rest of the pictures and files from Booth. Brennan's phone beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket.
"Zack texted me," she said. "The x-rays show that the victim also had a perimortem fracture in his wrist. There's indications of a Grade 2 acrominclavicular joint separation, but it was certainly not lethal."
"What does that mean?" Booth asked. He was watching through the glass as the two BAU members set about questioning Randall. The man might not have killed Owen, but his body language suggested that he definitely knew something about him.
"Someone twisted the victim's arm behind his back forcefully," Brennan replied. "None of the other victims had that injury."
"Question is did it happen because of Randall or the UNSUB," Booth said. He pulled out his phone and texted the new information to Morgan.
Inside the interrogation room, Morgan was ready to smack his head against the wall. Randall Cooper clearly knew something about how Owen Rains got his injuries, but was not telling them.
"Randall," Morgan said. "If you didn't meet Owen, how did your DNA get under his fingernails?"
"How should I know that?" Randall replied. "I don't know him."
"We know you didn't kill the others," Reid said. "We just need to know when and where you and Owen ran into each other."
"Look man," Randall said. "My probation officer said if I got in any more fights then I'd be heading back to the joint."
"Just tell us what happened," Morgan said.
"I ran into him at a bar a couple of nights ago," Randall said. "Words were exchanged, then I punched him, he hit me back, and that was it."
"What happened next Randall?" Morgan said. Reid was busy scribbling down the information. Morgan had to refrain from rolling his eyes. Even though boy genius had an eidetic memory, he still wrote everything down.
"They guy got in a cab," Randall replied. "I swear he was alive when he got in the cab." Morgan's phone beeped with a text, he glanced at the screen.
"Did you twist his arm behind his back?" Morgan asked.
"No," Randall said. "I just hit him a few times."
"Reid," Morgan said. The two agents left the room.
"What was that about the arm?" Reid asked as the door swung shut behind them.
"The victim had a perimortem fracture in his wrist," Brennan said. Booth's phone rang.
"Agent Booth," he said. "Hang on, what happened? – Right, we'll be right there."
"What happened?" Brennan asked.
"They just found the remains of Keith Maynard," Booth replied. "His boyfriend reported him missing yesterday."
"If it's the same MO that means our UNSUB's time frame has moved," Reid said.
Randall hollered that he wanted to make his phone calls, but the agents were already driving out of the parking lot, hoping for a clue at the new crime scene.
Sorry about the super long wait guys. Hope it was worth it though! Leave a comment!