Broken Bones

Episode 6 "The Man on Death Row" Part 2

We were on the platform as Hodgins talks to us, "These are silvers of metal found on the skull." Zack speaks up, "Probably from the tire iron." Temp then asks, "Is that blood?" I shake my head as Hodgins answers, "It's silt. I'm breaking it down. It contains traces of two chemicals." I then add "Anthracene and fluoranthene." Angie then comes up, "I scanned in all the X-rays and build a 3-D module. Troy would have liked that. Bastard." Temp then speaks "I found some more material in the fractures along the sagittal suture." We look at it as I speak, "It's pollen." We all go to the Angelator as I speak, "The pollen is from Spartin Alterniflora. Commonly known as Smooth Cord Grass." Ms. Morton then cuts in, "I'm sorry, what does pollen tell us about April Wright's murder?" "Angela may you please do use the honors." Temp takes over "The murder weapon collected pollen from the surrounding flora. When she was struck, pollen from the murder weapon was deposited in April's skull." Hodgins then takes over, "Spartina Alterniflora is only found along Chesapeake Bay." Zack continues "The pollen and silt both show traces of complex chemicals." Booth then asks, "What does that mean?" Temp then answers, "April Wright was killed in a marsh near a chemical plant."

We look over at Ms. Morton as she gets a call. "They've moved Howard Epps to the Imminent Room." Angie then asks, "What's that?" Booth answers, "It's where he has his last meal and says good-bye to his family. We need the location of that marsh." We all leave to get back to work. Temp and I are at the FBI department as Director Cullen speaks to us. "He admits to having sex with her? Booth answers "Yes, sir." "Did he kill her?" "Well, he's either telling the truth or he's setting up his defense." "So, April Wright met David Ross for a sexual liaison; he took her to a second unknown location, beat her to death and deposited the body back at the park. That's sketchy. " Temp then adds "Which is why we have to find the murder weapon." "Find a tire iron in a marsh, after seven years- that's a long shot." "That's why we need metal detectors and GPR." And Booth adds "And a dozen or so agents, sir." "And if you find this tire iron, you can positively identify it as the murder weapon?" Temp answers "It's possible we can match the traces we found in April's skull." "Possible? No. Howard Epps' lawyer should present this argument to the judge and let him decide." I then added in "Well, sir without the murder weapon, he will not stay the execution." "Way out on a limb here, Dr. Venus." "We are just trying to find the truth, sir. I mean that's what this whole government system was formed for. Make sure the ones who do the crimes get punished and protect the citizens from these types of people." We stare at each other as my not amused face comes out. He looks at me and he could feel the authority I give off that sends chills throughout his body, but he doesn't show it. "Take the equipment and the men you need." I give him a smile as we get up as Booth speaks, "Thank you, sir." Before Sir leaves, he turns around and points at Temp. "She can't have a gun." "No, gun. Absolutely not." Temp looks a bit disbelieved, "Why not?" "No gun."

We are in the car making our way to the location as Temp speaks on the phone, "We have GPR, and more agents will meet us out there. We'll have a total of four devices, so we'll be able to cover a lot of ground... We'll have a video relay when we get to the bay. And I need pictures of the type of grass we're looking for." She hangs up and we getting to the location as fast as we can. We make it with an hour and eleven minutes left. Everybody gets out and starts setting up or searching. Booth, Temp, and I are looking at the computer as we talk to the rest of the team. Temp speaks first, "There are four areas that have Spartina Alterniflora." Hodgins answers "Muddy area, knee-high grass... Okay, go back one screen." I look at it and say "It's just off that service road. Thanks Hodgins." We get our things and head to that area.  Everyone is searching and someone found the tire iron as someone else found something else. We make our way to them and look at the screen. "Is that what I think it is sis?" She nods and yells "We need a shovel..." But Booth stops her as he speaks "We need two shovels; they're digging here." Temp and I grabbed a shovel and she shovels on one spot as I shovel on another. Temp then asks Booth "What would you usually be doing?" "What?" "If it were a normal weekend." "You want to discuss this now?" "Compared to you, with your multiple sex partners..." "You know, that's none of your business, okay? I'm not having sex with Amy, and I've never ever cheated on any woman that I've ever been with. Never!" "I just asked you what you'd normally be doing." "I'd be at a movie, dancing with somebody I care about." How about you both?" I look over at Temp then down seeing remains. As I finished and found another remains. "Booth then asked, "What the hell is going on here?" 

We finished uncovering the remains as Temp speaks looking at the first set of bones, "Female, approximately 17 to 25 years old. Blunt trauma to the skull." I nod and look at the second set of bones, "Also female, same approximate age, same type of injury." Booth then speaks "This doesn't fit with Ross. If he killed April, it was a panic murder, personal, not serial." Temp then adds "Both these victims have been dead for at least five years." "Maybe more than seven?" I nod "Yes. It seems we got played by Epps Ranger." Booth nods and speaks, "She snatched April from the park after she ran from Ross brought her here, to his killing ground." Temp then asks, "Why did he take her back to the park?" "He watched them have sex. He saw them argue. Epps knew suspicions would fall on Ross. He took her back and stole her car." Temp then speaks "But I don't understand how he played us?" "Either way, Epps wins. We find Ross, the execution is stopped.  We-we find these bodies..." "The execution is stayed until these murders are investigated." Booth looks at us "If I don't make this call... he's gonna be dead in half an hour." Temp then speaks "But these women, they deserve to be heard. It's what we do, Booth. The rest..." "Lawer's." I then add "I do whatever you chose to do Ranger. It's your call and I support whatever you chose." Booth then calls Ms. Morton to tell her the bad news.

We are now in the prison as I sit next to Temp as she sits next to Ms. Morton as Epps come in. "Thank you. All I can say is 'thank you.'" Booth then answers "What's that, Howie? Practicing to get jury sympathy?" He looks at the girls and then me as I smile "I did not kill anyone." He sits down right in front of me as my smile still hasn't wavered a bit. He looks at Temp and me "Thank you. I mean it." I speak up first, "No problem, but to let you know, we found the tire iron. You'll be found guilty of these murders." "Well, I need a good lawyer. These murder investigations take a long time. Then there's the appeals... And since I should have been dead a half an hour ago, it's all gravy from now on." He smiles as I smile back as I said, "Well, that ain't to bad. Many people like gravey." Ms. Morton then speaks "We gave him everything he wanted." Epps then speaks again looking at her, but back to me in the eyes as if he was trying to figure me out. "Who knows if there'll even be a death penalty then. I mean, that's your dream, isn't it? We want the same thing from life." Ms. Morton gets up and leaves quickly. 

I then speak "Don't you know you should never make a lady cry like that, Mr. Epps?" "And I owe you two, too. I read your sisters book that you helped out on. When I heard that you both were working with Booth here, I knew you were both what I needed. Plus, I didn't know you would be this young Dr. Venus. You are so full of mysterious; I could see it in your eyes. You both didn't disappoint." He grabs my hand still looking at me in the eyes as I still smiled. "Thats so kind of you Mr. Epps, I am young but..." I stand up grabbing his hand with both of my hands and slam it back down breaking it as he yelled in pain as I finished my sentence with a smile. "But, you do know you don't touch a lady without her consent Mr. Epps. Have a good day Mr. Epps." 

I start to walk out with Temp and Booth as Temp asks Booth, "Are you going to arrest her for assault?" "From what I saw, purely self-defense. I mean she didn't give him consent to touch her. So?" Temp nods and then adds "Maybe I shouldn't carry a gun after all." I look at her "And why is that sis?" "I would've shot him when he touched you." Booth then adds "Hell, you can have mine." We walk out the prison and made our way to the Chinese food place as we sit in the bar. Sid comes up to us handing me alcohol drink as he looked at Booth and Temp all sad and me who is still smiling. "What's the matter with you two? How come she is the only cheery one?" Booth then answers, "Bad day at work." "Well, that's get for working on weekends. You ever hear about taking some time off? Having a little fun?" I pip in "Why? What did you do? Also, I still can't drink Sid. I am 20 do you have any juice for me?" "I'd be breaking about six different laws if I just told you how I maneuvered on my Saturday nights. I will also get you that juice." "Thank you." "I will also bring you some food." "Thank you." 

******************************************************************************************

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN "BONES". IT IS OWNED BY JOSEPHSON ENTERTAINMENT, BY HART HANSON. I ONLY CLAIM MY CHARACTER VENUS BRENNAN. I ALSO DON'T OWN ANY OF THE IMAGES. THANK YOU.