A/N: We bring you the thrilling….that might be pushing it. The conclusion of Week of the Living Bernie.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

"I found a lower wall on the other side," Sarah said to Chuck and Bradly, who nearly jumped out of their skin as she seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

The three had arrived at the monastery, and Sarah had taken off to find the easiest egress into the building. Bradly and Chuck followed her around the wall, and over it. As Chuck put his hand on the door handle, he heard Sarah ask, "You joining us, Bradly?"

"I'm still the vice-president of the bank. I'll stand guard," he told them. Sarah grinned, and the two headed inside. They moved quietly through the monastery until they came to a room filled with hanging robes.

"It might make things easier," Sarah said, lifting an arm of one of the robes.

"Fine," Chuck said. "I hope they use the right fabric softener, I would hate to get a rash."

"We're not undressing," Sarah told him. "We're just putting the robe on over our clothes, throwing up the hood to disguise ourselves."

"I knew that," Chuck muttered, putting on the robe. Sarah chuckled, knowing that he had thought they would be disrobing before putting on the robes.

Chuck opened the door, and the two began to walk, their heads down. Sarah glanced behind her, seeing a group of monks following them. "We have company," she said softly.

"What do we do?" Chuck asked, beginning to panic.

"Down there," Sarah said, seeing a stairway leading downstairs. The two took it, and the group of monks walked past them. They opened the door at the bottom of the staircase and went inside. "I think we found the wine cellar," she told him.

Chuck looked around the corner and saw no one. "I think we're clear," he whispered to Sarah. He heard a clinking sound and turned to her. "What are you doing?"

"This wine is for tasting, and frankly I'm a little parched with all the running around we have been doing," Sarah told him, popping the cork off the bottle in her hand. She poured out two glasses and handed one to Chuck, who took it, looking at it dubiously. "What?"

"I mean, we are in a monastery…" Chuck began.

"There's no sign saying they're closed," Sarah reminded him.

"…looking for our missing body," Chuck continued.

"Speaking of missing body," Sarah said after taking a sip of the wine. "I've been missing yours," she nearly purred.

"Woman, we are in a monastery," Chuck hissed, a grin on his face.

"Listen, we both know with me around there will be no vows of abstinence," Sarah replied, a knowing grin on her face. She put down the glass, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a searing kiss.

Chuck was enjoying the kiss, when he realized he was being touched… on the back of his leg… that was near the table… that had the tablecloth over it. "Uh, Sarah," he said, pulling away a bit and looking at her, fear in his eyes. "Just to make sure, both of your hands are in the vicinity of my head."

"Buried in your hair, is more like it," she corrected him.

"And while I and my hair are enjoying it, something… or someone… is touching my leg," Chuck continued. Sarah closed her eyes, opened them, held up one finger as if to say, one moment, please. She bent down, and then quickly stood back up.

"So, good news," Sarah began, trying to keep her face neutral.

"We found Bernie," Chuck offered. Sarah nodded. "He's still dead, right?" Sarah nodded again. "And his hand is touching my leg." Sarah nodded a third time. "I'm not gonna scream." She tilted her head and gave him a look as if to say Neither of us believes that.

She bent back down and stood up. "I moved his hand off your leg," Sarah told him. "But more importantly, he's dressed much better."

"As long as he's not touching me, I don't care how he's dressed," Chuck told her. "Uh, Sarah, we're not alone."

"I know, Bernie is on that table, under the sheet," Sarah told him. He pointed behind her, and she turned. There stood a monk, watching them.

She turned, and recognized the monk as the one she had seen in Claude's cellar the night before. "It's him!" Sarah said. The monk threw his hands in the air. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise." The monk, looking scared, pointed down the hallway they had just came from. "We just want to talk."

The monk shook his head no. "What do you mean no?" Chuck asked.

"We're trying to find out who killed the man on the table," Sarah told the monk. The monk pointed at Chuck and Sarah. "You think we killed him!?' The monk nodded. "We didn't kill him!" She stepped toward the monk as she said that, making the monk shrink back in fright.

"Sarah," Chuck said calmly, gently moving her back. "That's not helping." Chuck held up a finger to the monk, reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, got a card out, and handed it to the monk. The monk looked at it. "We're private investigators."

Chuck nearly groaned as it dawned on him. "We've not heard anyone say anything the entire time we've been in here."

Chuck and Sarah looked at each other and then back to the monk. Before they could speak, he reached into his robe, and pulled out a a piece of paper from his sleeve.

Sarah takes the card and reads it aloud, "The Order of St. Costello has taken a vow of silence. Thank you for understanding."

"A vow of silence? Are you serious?" Chuck asked, hanging his head in disbelief. "Wonderful. I mean how are we supposed to question him, press him for facts, how are we supposed to find out vital information about the case?" The monk shrugged. Chuck turned, walked over to the table, and yanked the sheet off Bernie. "All we want to know is who that is, why was he killed, and who is dragging the poor man around?"

"Uh, Chuck," Sarah said, seeing the monk's eyes light up about the first question, regarding who Bernie was. "I think this monk knows who Bernie is."

"Great," Chuck said. "He knows, and we have no way of finding out." The monk held up his finger and pointed to his stomach. "You're hungry?" The monk shook his head.

"Are we doing charades?" Sarah asked. The monk nodded. "So, stomach?"

The monk shook his head, pointing at Chuck. The monk then gestured for Chuck to lift his shirt. Chuck gave Sarah a look. She shrugged, gesturing for him to do it. Chuck took off his robe, and then lifted his shirt. The monk shook his head, disappointed.

"I mean I know I don't have abs-" Chuck began, when the monk got excited and pointed towards him. "Abs?" The monk nodded, paused, and then shook his head. "Just one… ab?" The monk nodded.

"Ab?" Sarah said, racking her brain. "What name starts with Ab?"

Chuck stared at the body. "He's one of your order, isn't he?" He turned to the monk, who nodded. "Sarah," Chuck said in a pained voice. "I think I know who Bernie is."

"Who?" she asked.

"He's the Abbot of Costello," Chuck said in a pained voice.

"No, he's not…" She trailed off as she watched the monk nod. "Good Lord," she said, putting her hand to her head. The monk frowned at her language.

"Sorry about that," Chuck said. Sarah gave him a look, and mouthed good Lord.

"Oh! I am sorry," she said, turning to the monk. "So you don't know who killed him?" The monk shook his head. She looked around the room. "You're preparing the body for burial, aren't you?" The monk nodded.

"This wine, you and your brother monks make it, right?" Chuck asked. The monk nodded.

"You think some other monk was involved in this?" Sarah asked Chuck. The monk looked horrified.

"No," Chuck said. He turned to the monk. "Do you want to know who killed the Abbot?" The monk nodded. "Can we borrow the body one last time?"

Sarah raised her eyebrow, looking at Chuck.

}o{

Chuck and Sarah hid in the nearby bushes. They had found a clearing near the road, where they could hide and watch Bernie… the Abbot. Bernie had been put in burial clothes. Both Chuck and Sarah felt awful about using the dead man for bait, but considering how often the body kept disappearing, they thought this was the only thing that would stop it.

"I hope this works," Sarah muttered.

"I have a feeling it will," Chuck said. "I think the killer needs to get rid of the body."

"You know who it is," Sarah said, stunned.

"I don't know… but I have a suspicion," Chuck told her.

"It's the mom, isn't it?"

"I'm not saying," Chuck told her.

"You did make sure everyone knows though, right?" Sarah asked.

Chuck nodded. "Bradly tipped a field hand to pass on the news of a shocking discovery."

"And you think that will bring the killer to us?" Sarah asked.

"The body has disappeared every time without anyone being tipped off," Chuck told her. "Is it me, or are Bradly and the monk drinking a little much?"

"Bradly said it's nerves, I have no idea why the monk is drinking," Sarah admitted.

"I hope he's not a loud drunk," Chuck muttered. Sarah gave Chuck a look, turned back to watch the body, and then turned back to swat him. "What was that for?"

"You know," she said. "Shh, someone's coming."

Chuck started to ask how she knew that when they both heard a twig snap. The two ducked down, as footsteps could be heard approaching the Abbot. A shadow fell over the body, and Chuck and Sarah see a man, leaning over the body as if to lift it. "NOW!" Chuck yells.

The four jump out from their hiding spots, three of them using their phones as flashlights, and the monk using an actual flashlight, to try and blind the person stealing the body. The man lifted his arms to cover his face and started to run, but was tackled by Sarah.

"Damn!" Bradly said. "I never knew you got that physical."

"You two definitely didn't sleep together," Chuck muttered into Sarah's ear as he helped her lift the body-burglar.

"I knew it!" Bradly said. "Werner! It makes sense." Chuck and Sarah turned toward Bradly.

"Should we stop him?" Sarah asked softly.

"Nah, let him cook," Chuck replied just as softly.

"You were bitter about Claude's success, so you murdered the Abbot and used him to crush the expansion," Bradly said, getting into the role of the detective that solved the case.

"I KILLED NO ONE!" Werner yelled.

"There's no use lying, Werner," Bradly said. "We know you stole the body from the winery."

"Nein! I steal a barrel of wine to test, to analyze this cabernet and what do I find? HIM! Dead. Mein Gott im Himmel!" Werner looked quite upset.

"But you toppled the barrels on top of Chuck and Sarah before you ran," Bradly protested.

"I was frightened," Werner said. "I think maybe you came to blame Werner for the body. Or kill him too, ja?"

"You noticed we keep getting accused of murdering Bernie?" Chuck said to Sarah. "First the monk, now Werner."

"It's your stern demeanor," Sarah told him.

"I thought it was your killer legs," Chuck said. Sarah shook her head. "What do you think?"

"Everything Werner says makes sense," Sarah said.

"I don't think he killed the Abbot," Chuck began. "If he was desperate enough to commit murder, why kill the Abbot? Why wouldn't he just kill Claude?

"Move," Sarah hissed to everyone. "Someone's coming."

Chuck and Sarah took Werner with them. "How does she do that?" Chuck muttered, bringing up the rear of the three.

They all duck down again, and in a few second, rustling came from behind the bushes where none of the five of them were located. "See?" Sarah whispered.

"I don't get it," Chuck replied. Werner put his hand over Chuck's mouth and gave him a look. Sarah had to clamp her lips together to keep from laughing.

Though the darkness, they saw a person with a gloved hand holding a coil of rope. The person walked up to the Abbot, and Sarah yelled, "Now!" The flashlights come out, and Alexis Vandermeer stood there, covering her eyes with her arm.

"Please run," Sarah nearly begged softly. Chuck shook his head at her. "It's a bit late for riding don't you think, Mrs. Vandermeer?" Alexis stood there, not knowing what to say to Sarah.

"It wasn't me!" Werner told Chuck.

"I don't think it's her either," Chuck admitted to Werner.

Sarah, hearing none of the conversation behind her, continues with her summation. "I can't tell you I'm shocked to see you." Chuck started to say something, but thought better of it, letting her continue. "Anxious to get Claude back under your thumb, you killed the Abbot and used him to poison Claude's deal."

"That's a damned lie," Alexis rebutted. "I haven't killed anyone!"

"Then what are you doing here, Ms Vandermeer?" Sarah asked, confidence in her voice.

"Okay, I admit it… I wanted Claude's deal to fall through. I thought if it did, he might come back to me." She turned to Chuck. "Is it so wrong for a mother to want that?"

"To poison someone's life so you can control it?" Chuck asked. "Yes, yes it is."

"Especially if she kills for it," Sarah added.

"I didn't kill anyone," Alexis insisted. "Yes, I moved him, but I didn't kill him."

"Then where did you get the Abbot?" Sarah asked.

Alexis looks over at Bradly. "From him. I was on my way into the press conference when I saw him come out of the winery with the body. I followed him through the woods on Arnold and when he stopped, I pulled the body out of the trunk and put it back in the winery. Then I came by the next day to watch the fireworks. That was the last I saw of it until now."

"I believe her," Bradly said.

"So, let's track this," Chuck said. "We got Bernie back from the monks. The monks got him from Werner, Werner from us. We got it from Alexis and Alexis from Wilson."

"That all tracks," Sarah said, rubbing her face with her hand. "I thought this was supposed to narrow the suspect list."

"Oh, it has," Chuck told her. Sarah started to say something, when she perked up. "You hear something."

"Yes, everyone hide," Sarah said.

"We should of just had a dinner party like in The Thin Man," Chuck said, hiding.

Again, twigs snap, and Chuck and Sarah peer out into the darkness. They both see something, and turn to look at each other, shocked. They turn back to watch the Abbot, and see a monk moving towards the Abbot. The monk bent to pick up the Abbot's body, and Chuck yells "Now!". The flashlights all go on, and the monk tried to run.

"Oh, hell no!" Sarah muttered, taking off after the monk. She leapt through the air, and hit the monk in the back, driving him to the ground.

An audible Oof! was heard.

"I know that voice!" Alexis said, running up to the two tangled bodies.

"Claude," Chuck said, as he removed the hood.

"Let him go!" Alexis screamed.

"Mother, Werner, what are you doing here?" Claude asked.

"That's not nearly as important as what you are doing here, wearing the Abbot's robes," Chuck countered. Claude grimaced.

"Chuck, what is going on?" Bradly asked.

"He killed the Abbot," Chuck told Bradly.

"Why? Why would he kill the Abbot, put the body in his vat, to sabotage his own expansion?" Bradly asked.

"I don't think he was sabotaging his own expansion," Chuck told Bradly. "That's the part I haven't figured out."

"You think you know everything," Claude sneered.

"I know the key to this whole case," Chuck told Claude. "I know your wine… isn't your wine… at least the wine you're trying to put across is yours for this expansion."

"What?" Sarah said, looking at Chuck. "If it's not his wine… Ohhhh!"

"Who's wine is it?" Bradly asked.

"The monks of St. Costello," Chuck told Bradly.

Claude snorted. "I wasn't trying to kill the expansion," he told them.

"This makes no sense," Bradly said, looking at Claude, then back to Chuck and Sarah.

"Bradly," Chuck began gently. "Werner told us the ground was no good. Alexis told us the ground was no good. Claude's prize-winning cabernet was really made by the monks."

"I started buying wine from the Abbot a few years ago, just a little at first," Claude said, resigned that it was over. "Last season at the competition, I entered some under my own label. I didn't know it was going to take first prize." Claude shook his head. "I tried to convince the Abbot to go along with the expansion, but when he found out what I had done…" He trailed off. "He threatened to expose the whole thing," Claude confessed softly.

"So you killed the Abbot, and hid his body in the vat," Sarah said.

Claude nodded. "If Wilson hadn't stumbled into it and taken him, I would have buried him later that night," Claude told them.

"We need to call the police," Bradly said, looking ill.

"Don't say anything, Claude," Alexis told him.

"Shut up, Mother," Claude said in disgust.

}o{

The next day found Chuck and Sarah coming into the office rather late, given how long they had been kept up dealing with the police. "This is for you two," Anna said as they walked into the office the next morning.

"Oh?" Sarah said, taking the envelope. She opened it, looked at the check inside, and her eyes went wide. She showed it to Chuck.

"Damn!" Chuck said, blinking to make sure he was really seeing what he thought he was.

"Apparently that's a thank you from Bradly's people for saving them from closing on a terrible deal," Anna told Chuck and Sarah. "Also, Morgan called."

"Oh, right," Chuck said. "Is he ready?"

"No," Anna replied. "But, it's time."

"What's going on?" Sarah asked.

"It's a personal-" Chuck began.

"He's having a colonoscopy," Anna told Sarah. Chuck gave her a look, and Anna shrugged. "His dad… colon cancer."

"Oh, I didn't know," Sarah said.

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Chuck told Sarah. "Anywhoo, his mom has been on him about having one since it runs on his dad's side of the family."

"And Chuck is taking him," Anna said.

"That's sweet," Sarah said, kissing his cheek.

"I have a summons to serve, so are you okay taking on our new client?" Anna asked.

"Pretty sure I can handle it," Sarah told Anna.

"Okay, I'm off, be good," Chuck said, kissing her. He turned and left.

"He's in your office," Anna said. "Thanks for seeing him. It's kinda my fault."

"Wait, what?" Sarah asked.

"You know that apartment I found in the obituaries?" Anna asked. Sarah nodded. "Well, it turns out it was his girlfriend's. She had committed suicide, but he doesn't think it's suicide."

"I see," Sarah said. "What's his name?"

"Bruce Anderson," Anna said. Sarah nodded, walked over to her door, opened it, walked in, and shut the door behind her.

"Hello Mr. Anderson," Sarah said.

"Bruce," the man said, extending his hand and smiling. Sarah returned the smile. She had to admit, he was pretty. "Thank you for agreeing to see me. I had been told that you were the best, but I had resisted reaching out. Then I met Anna, and she kind of… persuaded me."

"You mean threaten?" Sarah asked. Bruce nodded. "Why did you resist reaching out."

"To find out the truth, there may have to be some digging up of the past. I didn't want to see anyone else get hurt," Bruce said. "But I don't think she committed suicide."

"Okay, well, Mr. Anderson, I will do what I can," Sarah told him.

Bruce shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "I thought you had a partner?"

"Oh, I do, but he's doing some personal errands today. If I need him, he'll be glad to assist," Sarah told him. "He's really good."

"I bet," Bruce said. "I bet."

A/N: And so ends this ep…i…sode…yes? You in the front with your hand up? Who is Bruce? Why do you think I know?

Next time:

"So, the client is a Bruce Anderson, and his girlfriend committed suicide," Sarah began. "But, he doesn't think she did." Chuck made a face. "I know, I know, but I warned him, that we might not find anything."

"What did he say about her?" Chuck asked, nodding. He knew they were taking the case, he just worried what this might do to this Bruce guy if it was discovered his girlfriend committed suicide.

"He told me her name was Kayla Hart," Sarah began.

…*sips tea* Thanks for stopping by. Come on back next time for A Connecticut Yankee in Burbank. If you have a moment and could drop a review, I sure would appreciate it.