(The Hole in the Heart)

I don't own Bones.

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Seeing Harold Kouns sitting in the interview room with his hands cuffed behind him and his lawyer sitting next to him, Booth felt a certain sense of satisfaction and smirked. Hearing the door open, he turned to look at Caroline who had just entered the room. "I'm ready when you are."

"Listen Cher', I know we don't need his confession, but it would be sweet if we got one anyway." Caroline glanced at Kouns then back at Booth. "On the other hand, it might be more fun to just rub his nose in this mess he made."

Amused, Booth laughed. "I'm going to do more than rub his nose in it." Leading the way, Booth left the observation room and entered the interview room with Caroline following him into the room. Once they were seated, he picked up a remote lying on the table and aimed it at the TV and disk player in the corner of the room. A video began to play and Booth knew Kouns was going to be shocked. "Pelant's neighbor has been having trouble with gas thieves. He got fed up with it so he installed two cameras, one facing his garage and one facing his front yard. They both can film in the dark since his gas was stolen at night . . . the camera facing the front yard has a clear view of Pelant's house."

The video showed Harold Kouns walk up the driveway at Pelant's Silver Spring house. The porch light was on and that allowed the camera across the street to record Kouns. Moving over to the front door, Kouns glanced around then opened the door, entered the house then closed the door behind him. Booth had been surprised that Pelant had not locked his front door, but people make mistakes and this had been a fatal one.

Stunned, Kouns stared at the television screen and started to feel sick.

"The neighbor saw the police activity at Pelant's house when he got home from work and knew there was something wrong. He looked through his videos and found this. He contacted the police chief in Silver Spring and told him he kept videos from his cameras for a few weeks and he had some video showing a stranger entering his neighbor's house. He didn't know Pelant, but he knew the man was only there a few times a month. He didn't realize that Pelant had been home when you broke into the house. Police Chief Mars called the FBI and I made arrangements to get the video sent to me . . . Now I know it was three in the morning, still . . ." He didn't say anything else and kept his eyes on Kouns as the video continued to play. Soon the door opened and Kouns came out dragging a blanket with something large and heavy wrapped in it. Once he was near his car which was on the street in front of Pelant's house, he opened the trunk, picked up the blanket covered burden and dropped it in the trunk. That done, he started to walk back towards the house when a Fire Truck came racing by and shortly afterward a police cruiser. Clearly spooked, Kouns walked back to his car, got in and drove away. "Why didn't you go back and destroy the computers?"

Angry, Kouns glared at Booth and shook his head. "This is all circumstantial. You can't prove what was in the blanket. In this case, it was . . ."

Unable to remain silent any further, Caroline laughed and shook her head. "We had Judge Nguyen look at the video and she gave us a warrant to check out your car. We found some blood in the trunk and the tests came back confirming it was Pelant's blood. We don't need your confession. The video and blood, plus the video of you leaving the Vietnam War Memorial just before Pelant's body was found is all we need. It also helps that we have the emails on Barry Thomas' computer and on Andrew Winters' computer linking you to the Gravedigger's kidnapping and murder spree. Now, Maryland and Virginia have the death penalty and they want to try you first, but Pelant's body was moved across state lines. The Gravedigger's victims were kidnapped and moved across state lines for the nefarious purpose of kidnapping, extortion and ultimately murder . . . that makes this a Federal case and though death sentences are rare in Federal cases, it won't be in this case. We asked the states of Maryland and Virginia to wait until we try you for the multiple deaths of Taffet's victims. Successful or not, the AGs of those states will try you for murder once our case has been presented in court. Maryland will go after you for Pelant's murder and Virginia for the death of Grant Morgan. If by some miracle you are found not guilty in the Taffet cases, you will be found guilty for the murder of Grant Morgan and Christopher Pelant."

Angry, Booth leaned forward on the table. "Grant Morgan was thirteen years old and autistic. He died alone buried in a refrigerator box. He was the only child of Peter and Felicity Morgan and his kidnapping and death was the cause of Peter Morgan's heart attack and death . . . I'm going to be a witness at your execution you sorry piece of shit."

Terrified, Kouns shouted at his lawyer. "Do something. I'm innocent. I'm being set up. Can't you see that?"

"I'm afraid I must step away from this case, Harold." Dunning shook his head. "You need a lawyer with experience handling death penalty cases." Standing he sighed. "Good luck, although I think your luck has run completely out."

Screaming at his lawyer, Kouns made threats. "I'm being set up. I'm innocent. If you don't help me I'll have someone make your life miserable. I have friends . . . Come back here." The lawyer shook his head, left the room and closed the door behind him. Turning to face Booth, Kouns shook his head. "You're setting me up. I'm innocent. You can't do this to me. I'm a hero. I have a medal from the State of Virginia proving it. I saved a bunch of school children from a gunman shooting up their school . . . You just need a fall guy and you're using me. I'm a decorated Marine. I earned the bronze star and the jury will see I'm not a killer. You won't get away with this."

"No one is setting you up and as for your medal for heroism and your bronze star, well even scum can do something right once in a while." Booth stood up. "We're done here." Once he was out of the room, Caroline joined him in the hallway. "He's a stain on the Virginia State Police and the Marines."

Caroline agreed with him. "Yes, that's true Cher'. I will take great pleasure in prosecuting that couyon."

"I plan to check into who Kouns' friends are and make sure they know that if they go after the lawyer or anyone else I will come down on them like a ton of bricks." In a foul mood, Booth turned and walked back to his office. He needed to make a few phone calls including to the head of the Virginia State Police. Kouns was toast and no one was going to save him.

Oooooooooooooo

Meeting Brennan at the diner, Booth sat down and smiled at his partner. "You know Bones . . . I really enjoy eating lunch with you. I always have."

Glad to see Booth's smiling face, Brennan assumed his interview with Harold Kouns had been successful. "You are an excellent dining companion." Sipping some of her tea, she watched as Booth placed an order for a chef's salad with extra bacon and a slice of apple pie. "Booth, you can eat a hamburger if you want it."

"Nah, I need to increase my vegetable intake anyway." Booth placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. "I think the light lunches and dinner plus that ginger tea you bought is helping you. I'm glad. I was worried about you."

"Yes, I haven't regurgitated for the last three days and that is a relief." Brennan sighed. "I don't really like ginger tea, but if it helps my stomach issues then I will continue to drink it."

Booth looked around then back at his partner. "I called Colonel James Pearson. He's the head of the Virginia State police and talked to him about Kouns. I made sure that he understood just what Kouns did and that our evidence is irrefutable. I also mentioned that Kouns is making threats against his lawyer and plans to use his friends to get revenge. Colonel Pearson said he was going to take care of that. He knows who Kouns' buddies are. He doesn't want more scandal attached to the Virginia State Police so he will warn off Kouns' friends. He said they're going to toe the line or lose their jobs."

"Good." Brennan sipped more of her tea and placed the glass down. Before she could say anything else, Booth's phone rang. As she watched Booth take his call she witnessed Booth's expression become grim as he listened to whoever had called him.

"I'll be right there." Booth ended the call and placed his phone in his jacket pocket. "Agent Shaw saw Brodsky visiting Paula Ashwaldt's grave. I have to go." Standing he moved closer to Brennan and kissed her. "I'll call you later."

Concerned, Brennan placed her hand on his arm. "Be careful, Booth."

"I will." His mind on what he needed to do about Brodsky, Booth hurried away hoping someone might have finally caught the assassin.

Once she was alone, Brennan signaled to Jane. "Jane could you place my order and Agent Booth's order in to go containers. He had to leave and I can't stay either."

Used to Booth and Brennan leaving before lunch was done or even started, Jane smiled and assured Brennan that she would do that for her.

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