Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Fifteen

Scarlett found Rhett watching the men dig and he was grimacing. She said, "Are you afraid they will destroy evidence?"

"Not afraid. Certain."

"I have turned everything over to the Agent in Charge. I'm ready to leave."

"Let me load my GPR in the back of the SUV."

Scarlett followed Rhett to retrieve the piece of equipment. Once the GPR was in the back of the BMW, he said, "Come on, Agent O'Hara, I will take you home."

"No, let's go get a drink first."

"I don't drink."

"Then let's go get some comfort food and you can tell me why you don't drink."

After the couple got into Rhett's BMW, he said something he hadn't told anyone, but Miguel. He said, "I fell into the bottle after my daughter died. I don't have the strength to climb out again."

Scarlett knew better than to offer sympathy. He, like her, would see that as pity. After a minute, she said, "Let's go to Rosie's."

"Sure."

As Rhett continued to sit there, Scarlett said, "Hurry! I have to get away from here before Ashley gets here. I'm so mad at him right now."

Rhett put the SUV in drive and pulled out onto the road. He then said, "Why?"

"To begin with I lost forty-eight hours for nothing and second I had to ask you for a favor."

Rhett laughed. A true laugh. Something he hadn't done in over eight years. He finally said, "And I do plan to collect on the favor at the most inopportune time." Scarlett smiled. He continued, "I don't like to get taken advantage of any more than the next person, but the silver lining here is that all those young girls' families will finally have answers. I, like you, am not big on 'closure', but what I am big on is answers."

"You are right about that. Hurry up. I can't face Ashley right now. Can you go faster?"

As Rhett sped up, he said, "Why are you mad at Mr. Wilkes?"

"Don't call him Mister. He doesn't deserve the respect. He was happy that he had managed to stay Howard Epps execution. He didn't sound the least bit disgusted that his client, that he is fighting to save, is a mass murderer. He didn't seem the least bit embarrassed that his client had played him. In fact, he will probably drive out to the prison tonight to give Epps the good news. He will probably celebrate with the serial killer. What an idiot?"

"How long have you known Ashley?"

"We dated in high school then we broke up. He was handsome, but he was boring. Sometimes Melly can be a little boring so I thought they would make a great couple. I fixed him up with Melly and they ended up married. They are a lot alike. Although I don't think Melly has her head in the clouds like Ashley does."

Rhett wanted so much more information, but not now so he changed the subject, he said, "Are you going to head the task force?"

"Nah. I'm not much of a team player. Bill Wakefield is. He is the best at leading a task force."

"I'm not a team player either. I called the lab and informed Dr. Hodgins and Ms. Addy what we found. I then told them to go home and not come back until Monday afternoon. They deserve the time off."

"Indeed, they do."

Rhett and Scarlett were quiet for a couple of miles. He said, "Karl Benz is credited with inventing the first practical automobile in eighteen eighty-five, but there were a lot of people exploring the idea at the time. In fact, in seventeen sixty-nine Nicolas Cugnot built the first steam-powered road vehicle."

"I thought Henry Ford invented the automobile."

"A lot of people do, but what Ford invented with quotes around that word was the assembly line. Before that they built one vehicle at a time. What Ford did was have the car travel around on a moving transport. When the car got to each man he did his part. Whatever part he was assigned like for example putting a wheel on."

"That is interesting."

"He had a problem with turnover because the men found their jobs boring."

"What did he do?"

Rhett smiled and said, "Offered them five dollars a day. Basically, a small fortune."

"Still a lot of people's solution to a problem. Throw money at it."

"Ford imposed a lot of control on his workers all the way into their personal life."

"Really? Wow! That would never fly today."

"No, it wouldn't"

As Rhett pulled up at Rosie's, both he and Scarlett could clearly see it was closed. She said, "What time is it?"

"Three."

"Waffle House, it is."

"I haven't been to a Waffle House since college."

"Me either. Let me find one."

Scarlett looked it up on Google maps. She said, "There doesn't appear to be one in DC. I guess that is a Southern thing. What about IHOP?"

"Perfect."

Once Scarlett found it, she let the app give Rhett directions. The IHOP was open, and they were lucky enough to snag an empty booth.

Scarlett got biscuits and gravy and Rhett had bacon and eggs. The couple talked about their lives. They talked about lots of things, but neither mentioned their dead child. Finally, they paid their bills and walked out of the restaurant. As they walked to Rhett's SUV, Scarlett said, "Just take me home. I will Uber to the Jeffersonian tomorrow and get my truck."

"Alright."

As Rhett pulled up in front of a nice little house that was in the shadow of a large house, Scarlett said, "I own it. It was once the estate manager's cottage many years ago. That is when this property was an estate."

"Until we meet again, Agent O'Hara."

As Scarlett stepped out of the SUV, she said, "Thanks for the ride and the help, Buttercup."

Rhett smiled and said, "Don't call me that." But there was no heat in his words.

When Rhett got to work on Monday, he noticed that O'Hara's Bronco was gone. She must have gotten it the day before. He wondered when he would see her again. He also wondered if he should risk trying to make their relationship more personal. He also wondered if Scarlett was still having an affair with Wilkes. He didn't think so. He shook his thoughts off. He was acting like a silly teenage girl with her first crush.

A week later, Scarlett went out to the prison to talk with Epps. When he sat down on the other side of the glass pane, she could not mistake the smirk on his face. Scarlett picked up the phone and Epps picked his up. She said, "You didn't win."

"Yes, I did. I'm still above ground."

"They will convict you for those other murders."

"Maybe. My attorneys, Ashley and Amy, are trying to get all that evidence thrown out."

"How?"

"I don't know. I don't listen when they talk."

"You must listen some of the time or you wouldn't have known about my connection to Dr. Butler."

"I am enjoying the irony of that. It was my arresting officer's connection to the great and brilliant Dr. Butler that got me a stay."

"That must have been so heart breaking for you to have to give up your treasures."

Even though Epps knew their conversation was being recorded, he said, "Indeed it was, but that gamble paid off."

"If you hadn't had a couple of fools for attorneys, you wouldn't have won."

"Ah, Agent O'Hara, it doesn't matter how I won. I won. Each day I wake up is another victory for me. It will be at least another ten years before they will set another execution date."

Scarlett stood up and said, "Enjoy your life, what there is of it."

As Scarlett drove away from the prison, two things she knew. Epps was right – he had won, but she was right also – it had cost him a lot to give up those bodies. She made herself stopped thinking about Epps, she refused to think about Ashley and what a fool he was. She tried to think about the week she had in front of her, but her thoughts kept returning to Rhett. She liked him a lot and she knew he liked her a lot, but she wasn't sure she was willing to let herself care for another human being. Of course, he would have to let himself care also. She shook him from her thoughts and started concentrating on the traffic.

A couple of weeks later, the phone in Rhett's lab rang. Emily answered the phone then hung up. She said, "There is a Dr. Watling in the lobby to see you."

"Dr. Watling? I don't believe it. I haven't seen her in years."

Rhett hurried out of the lab and up the stairs. When he entered the lobby, there was his professor from the University of Tennessee. He hadn't seen her in at least ten years. She looked good. He said, "Belle. How are you?"

Rhett hugged the woman. The woman was an attractive woman probably at least ten years older than Rhett. She had red hair and blue eyes. She was a woman of above average height, probably five foot seven or eight. She hugged Rhett back.

Rhett stepped back and said, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Last minute decision."

"Why are you here?"

"Georgetown has offered me the position of Head of their Anthropology Department."

"Really?! I never thought you would leave Knoxville. If I had I would have tried to steal you away a long time ago."

Belle smiled, "We can't work together."

"Well, we wouldn't get any work done for sure." Belle laughed. Rhett said, "Congratulations."

"It isn't official yet."

"I know it is early, but let's go to lunch and get caught up."

"Early is better. My interview is at two."

"I will get you to Georgetown University in plenty of time."

"Great."

"Let's go."

When Rhett got back to the lab, Scarlett was sitting in his chair in his office. She said, "Hi. I've been waiting for you. Emily said you went off with a Dr. Watling."

"Yes, she was my mentor while I was at Tennessee."

"I guess you spent the last two hours catching up."

"Yes. We were talking so much I didn't even have time to eat."

Scarlett thought, 'He just had a nooner with his old professor. I guess she's not so old.' She said, "Go get yourself a sandwich. My project can wait five more minutes."

Rhett walked over to the mini fridge in the corner and said, "I will just have a protein drink."

"All right."

"What have you got?"

"A refrigerator filled with human remains. We didn't even open it. I had the FBI lab guys confirm it was human then I brought it over to you."

"Where is it?" Rhett took a big chug of his drink and then set it down.

Scarlett said, "In your lab. You can't miss it."

Rhett walked into his lab with Scarlett behind him. He said, "It is strapped closed. That is suspicious. Ms. Addy, cut the strap."

"Yes, Dr. Butler."

When Emily was done, she looked at Rhett. He said, "Go ahead and open it up."

Once the refrigerator was open the smell of decomposition filled the room. Scarlett put her hand over her nose and mouth. Rhett said, "We have the best exhaust fans in the world. The odor will be gone in a minute."

Scarlett said, "How do you stand that smell?"

Emily said, "You get used to it."

"I don't think I would ever get used to it."

Rhett stepped forward and looked at the remains. He said, "Female, seventeen to twenty-two. She has probably been in there for more than a year. Ms. Addy, see what kind of insects you can find and take them to Dr. Hodgins. Maybe he can give us a more precise time. Gather the bones and collect the effluent. Once you have done that clean the bones."

"Yes, Dr. Butler."

Rhett walked back into his office and finished his protein drink. Scarlett said to Emily, "You can reach me by cell phone when you find something out."

"Yes, Agent O'Hara."

"Scarlett."

"Emily."

As Scarlett was walking out, she hollered at Rhett, "Dr. Butler, I have other cases."

"Of course."

Author's Notes: This case is based on Bones Season One, Episode 8.