AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, I realize I am currently bouncing between 5 stories and I apologize for the delays on my other stories. I will update them whenever I can, however, I have been having spells of writer's block, so it may be a little while before I get to work on some of them. In the mean time I hope you enjoy this story. Thank you. :)
Eli
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The lights flashed and the music blared as one of the regulars took a seat in one of the darker booths. He had only been there for a few short minutes when he made his way back to the bar to complain to one of the owners about a foul smell around the table. as the two men made their way back to the booth one of the lights flashed on it illuminating something sticking out from under the table. Kneeling down the bar tender reached out to get whatever it was; customers had a habit of leaving their trash or belongings behind when they left.
"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
The screams of the two men drowned out the music which was quickly shut off as everyone gathered around to see what was going on. The building seemed to echo with the screams of the customers as the bar tender got to his feet and held up what remained of a decomposing arm.
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Booth, Brennan, and Sweets arrived just in time for the young psychologist to have a field day talking to the traumatized civilians while Booth and Brennan went inside to inspect the remains.
"Hi, I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI, this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian. Were you the ones who found the body?" Booth asked the guy and girl standing beside the bar while Brennan went over to where the body was.
"I-I did; it was me and one of the customers. He came over to the bar complaining that something stunk over by the booth, so I went to check it out." The bar tender replied, but his eyes never left the girl standing beside him.
"Alright, so you're the bar tender; who are you?" Booth asked turning his own attention to the girl.
"Sadie Spencer, but everybody here just calls me Mix." She said looking up at him. He looked confused, so she continued with an explanation.
"I'm one of the DJ's here; we each have a nickname based on what kind of music we play. Mine's a mix of nearly everything." She explained.
"So, both of you were working when the body was found?" Booth asked.
"No, tonight was my night off, so I was visiting my mom; Noah called me right after they called 911." Sadie said pushing a piece of electric blue and neon purple hair out of her face.
"Are all of your employees accounted for?" Booth asked looking back at Noah, the bar tender, but it was Sadie who reached behind the bar and grabbed a small red journal.
"Everyone that was supposed to be working tonight is here. DJ's alternate nights, so most of us had the night off; tonight was Beatz and Class's night." She said looking at the employee sign in for the night.
"And how many other people is that?"
"Off the top of my head I can't think of an exact number, but I'll get all of the names for you."
"Okay, I'm gonna need that as soon as possible. Bones, you got anything over there?" Booth asked turning to his partner.
"Pelvic bone and ware on the molars suggests female in her late teens to early twenties. Enlarged nasal passages mean the victim was African American." Bones said as she crouched over the corpse.
"Oh my God," Noah whispered, "it's Jess."
"Who?" Booth asked.
"Jessica Dexter, she's our techno DJ." Noah replied as a wracking sob caused Sadie to take a seat at the bar.
"You're absolutely sure she's the only one that fits the description Bones gave?"
"Of course we're sure! Jess helped us get this place started; the three of us have known each other since grade school!" Sadie snapped before another sob ripped through her.
"I thought she was out of town; she was supposed to be out of town." She said softly, resting her head in her hands while Noah tried to console her.
"Sorry 'bout that; Sadie and Jess were like sisters." Noah said rubbing her back in slow circles.
"I'm very sorry for your loss, but I just have a few more questions. You said you thought Jessica was out of town; where was she supposed to be?" Booth asked softly so as not to set Sadie off again.
"I talked to her over the phone Thursday night; she said she was heading to New York for a few days to visit her mom in the hospital. Her mom's been battling with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma for the past few months, but the doctors said she isn't improving; Jess was going to go see her one last time." She responded between sobs and gasps.
"Thank you for your cooperation; I'll have an agent escort you home." Booth said as Noah helped her stand and they headed toward the door. Stopping at the door she took one last look back at what remained of her life-long friend and silently vowed to do everything she could to aid in catching her killer.
