Venus POV
We are at a football field with Booth as we watch men practicing as Booth says, "There's only one amateur full-contact league in the D.C. area, so it wasn't hard to find out which team Dan played for." We then see one tackled to the ground harshly as Temp says, "Well, they are not unlike mountain rams... that butt heads in attempt to attract a mate." We then see Booth catch a ball that was overthrown with ease as Temp continues, "It's hard to believe that brain damage isn't a result." Booth looks at her, "It's amazing. You can even make football sound bad, Bones." He then throws the football back as we head to the main coach as he says, "Come on, ladies. My little sister hits harder than that. Filmore, do you want to me to get you a skirt?" I then ask, "What's wrong with a skirt?" Temp then says, "He's challenging their masculinity to enhance aggression." Booth explains, "That's coach talk. It's the way coaches talk. Let me handle this." We go up to the coach as Booth says, "Excuse me. Coach, F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth. These here are my partners, Dr. Temperance Brennan and Dr. Venus Brennan. Like to ask you a few questions about Dan Pinard." "Yeah, well, he better be in prison. That's the only excuse I'll accept for how long he's been gone." "We found his body." The coach looked shocked, "Oh, my god." "I'm sorry. Did any of Dan's teammates or opponents have any problems with him?" "What, he was murdered?" "Mmm." "No. No, no. Uh, all the guys loved Dan." Temp then asks, "Is it possible that someone's masculinity was threatened... and that person killed Dan because he was a homosexual?"
I looked at Temp, "Way to ease into that one, Temp." Booth adds, "That's smooth." The coach then says, "No, that's definitely not an issue with my guys." "What makes your team so highly evolved, Coach?" "Meet the Cardinals, Agent Booth. We're all gay." We see two guys hit into each other as the Coach says, "Good hit!" I nod, "Yeah, I don't think that's the problem anymore Ranger..." We had the coach gather the team together as Booth asks, "So, anybody here have any problems with Dan? Disagreements, arguments, fights?" A player then says, "Everyone here joined this team... because a lot of the straight players don't want us on their teams. We're like family. No one here hurt Dan. No way." "And you're all gay?" The coach then says, "Oh, I suppose, statistically, we could have two or three straights who are still in the closet." The players laugh a bit as Temp then gets our attention, "Booth, Ven, this is Dan's equipment bag. I found his protective headgear inside." We go up to her as Booth says, "That's a helmet, Bones." I look inside as she says, "There's blood on the inside of the lip. It approximates the location of the fracture on Dan's forehead." I nod adding, "The force could have cracked his skull and killed him." Booth asks the coach, "Are you sure nothing happened here? One of your guys- they could've probably hit Dan practice a little too hard, try to cover it up." "What are you saying?" "You lose your insurance, you're kicked out of the league, but, hey, it was just an accident, right?" Booth then announces to the team, "I tell you what. Anybody who's got plans for this weekend, just cancel 'em." The coach then says, "What are we, suspects? Because of blood on a football helmet?" "Because of blood inside of a football helmet. Isn't that right, Bones, Blueberry?" We nod, "That's correct."
Temp and I are in the bone examination room with Angie as she says, "Four years ago, Jared's girlfriend was a hooker?" Temp corrects her, "An escort. I believe, in the hierarchy, of prostitution, an escort ranks equal to high-class call girl." "And now she teaches grade school?" We nod as I say, "I don't se any other injuries to the bone that could be cause of death." Temp then says, "That leads us back to the head trauma. Apparently the rule is: once a sex worker, always a sex worker." Angie then says, "You know, it really would have been better if Booth never ran her record." I nod agreeing as Temp says, "He said it was my infuence, that it was the rational thing to do." Angie shakes her head, "No, honey, he's rationalizing. Which makes what he did irrational because he's rationalizing... that Jared cannot make rational decisions for himself. You do the same thing all the time. Maybe that's what he learned from you." Temp seems to think about it as I then say, "In order to be fatal, whatever struck the frontal, bone... had to be pointed enough to pierce the brain." Angie then says, "Now, wait a second. Is Booth gonna tell Jared about this?" I shrug as Temp says, "I believe that's his plan." "What if Jared and this woman are really in love? Booth could ruin everything." Temp then says, "Well, not if, as Booth always asserts, love conquers all." Angie scoffs a bit, "Yeah, well, this is gonna be one hell of a test case."
Cam comes in telling us, "I ran blood test on the items in Dan's athletic bag. I found evidence of someone else's blood." Temp then says, "Football is a contact sport. There are bound to be traces... of other peoples D.N.A. on his uniform." "This was more than a trace, and it wasn't on his uniform. It was all over his towel. We ran it through CODIS and got a match. Thirty-two-year-old man named Cyd Zigler." Temp and I are eating in the conference room at the F.B.I with Sweets and Booth as he explains, "All right, so Ziggler, he was a marine. He gets married to a woman. It lasts six years. Why?" I ask, "Why did his marriage last six years?" "No, why did he get married?" Sweets then says, "Well, most likely Zigler was trying to conform to social norms." I then add, "In many cultures homosexuality is revered. Anthropologically, it makes no sense for heterosexual to be threatened by homosexuals... because they're actually removing themselves from competition for mates." Booth nods, "Right, so Zigler forces himself to conform, then the dentist comes along and forces, you know, Zigler to confront." Sweets adds, "Zigler couldn't come to terms with his sexual orientation, so when the victim elicited this flood of unwanted feelings in him, he transferred the self-loathing from himself to the victim." Temp then says, "Native Americans believed that homosexuals were of two spirits. Held them in high esteem. So what's the problem?"
Booth chuckles, "There's no problem. Why are you looking at me like that? I was a soldier. I mean, gay guys- they saved my life in battle more than once." "So, are you saying that if a former prostitute saved your life in battle, that would solve the problem with Jared's girlfriend?" I looked at her with wide eyes as Sweets says shocked, "What?" Booth then says, "Seriously, you're gonna bring that up in front of Sweets right now?" "It's a rational question." Sweets then says looking at Booth, "I'm sorry. Jared's involved with a prostitute?" I correct him, "Former. Former prostitute." Booth says, "Blueberry." "Sorry..." Sweets then asks, "Oh. Did you run a background check on Jared's girlfriend?" "Okay, why is everybody saying that to me like it's some sort of terrible thing?" "Cause it's kind of terrible." "I'm just looking out for my brother. That's all. So can we just, you know, focus on the case?" "Yeah. Uh, well, the fact that the suspect carries in his wallet a photo... of them together- it doesn't really jibe with homosexual panic." "Great. Thanks. That's all I need to know. I got enough. Thanks. Appreciate it, Sweets." He stands up leaving as Sweets then looks at us, " Wow. That was-" Temp cuts him off, "We have to go too." We stand up as I say, "Thanks as usual Sweets." We leave back to the lab.
We arrived as we go to Angie's workspace as Hodgins says to us, "Do you know what Vincent Nigel-Murry is? He's a genius." I smile as Temp says, "Yes, but so are we all- except for Angela." Angie then says, "Oh. Right. And yet, who do you turn to when you need pretty pictures?" I chuckle a little as Vincent says, "Dr. Hodgins figured out what caused the fracture to the frontal bone." Hodgins then says, "Vincent found these small particulates floating in the rhubarb stew, right? Well, I identified them as silica phytolith, which is a razor-thin, clear, hard shell which protects seeds." Angie then says, "Now, the victim was tossed into the creek bed, where his body quickly decomposed." "Flooding from the rain washed the clay and debris... into that creek bed, which encased the body. Now, in all that muck, three periwinkle seeds... became embedded within the victim's skull." I start to understand unlike Temp as we looked at the image of a closeup of the skull as she says, "Okay." I then say, "That's called floral turbation." Hodgins nods adding, "Over time, soft can become even harder than hard, like, uh, a silver of grass that grows through cements." Vincint adds, "The same kind of process that causes tree roots to destroy pipes." Temp asks, "So a seedling fractured the frontal bone?" Angie answers, "Three of them." "So head trauma was not cause of death." I nod, "We have no cause of death." Temp and I leave the room to the bone examination room.
We are looking over the remains again as something seemed a bit off with some of the fracturing as I take measurements on the bone and Temp brings up X-ray images as she looks over at one of the bones showing to me as we looked at each other finding cause of death. We hurried into Hodgins workspace as Vincent was there as well as Temp says first, "There is a slice on the medial malleolus." Vincent nods, "Yes. Uh, duly noted in my report." "But you didn't note what that might mean." "I would... most definitely have done so... if-if I had the slightest inkling of what it might mean." I pat his shoulder as I explain, "Whatever caused the nick on this bone must have cut the posterior tibial artery." "Oh. Yes. Tissue. Um, posterior tibial artery-" He then stammers a bit, "Massive bleeding." Hodgins then says, "Dude, you should totally just toss culpability onto Cam." I just pat Vincents shoulder again as Temp says, "I need to know if the weapon that caused this left any trace in the bone." Hodgins then says, "Well, Vincent's rhubarb stew... completely washed away all the surface particulates. See how that's done?" Vincent nods as I say, "It's fine. We could lay down the top layer of bone cells... and analyze what lies beneath." She nods handing Vincent the platter with the bone as we then leave as I salute him a good luck.
I was in Temps office as I try to ease her a bit as Cam comes inside as she says, "You can't blame Mr. Nigel-Murray. The nick was on the bone, but I should have realized the implication for the flesh, and I didn't." Temp nods, "I agree." "Then why are you letting him worry that he's disappointing you?" I nod, "He's really conscious about it." Temp explains, "Mr. Nigel-Murray should be aware by now... that I don't hold others to my level of expertise. Otherwise, I'd have no one to help me." I then say, "Um... Temp... How would he know that if you don't tell him?" Hodgins then comes in with Vincent behind him as he says, "Tungsten carbide, which is compound used... to coat various types of tools." Vincent adds, "Including dental tools." Temp looks at Cam and I as we nod at her as she says to Vincent, "I distinctly remember saying to you once, 'Good job, Mr. Nigel-Murray.' I'm saying it again now." He smiles, "Cheers. Brilliant, that." I then say, "One of the suspects was Dan's dental hygienist. Grace Bryson." Hodgisn then asks, 'Hey, where does she live?" Temp answers, "Fairfax, Virginia." He nods, "Okay, the pollen I found... in the sheet weaver spider's egg sac came from hickory pine trees. They don't grow where the body was found, but you can find them all over that part of Virginia." Cam then says, "Motive, theoretical weapon, spiders. That should be enough for an arrest." I nod, "I agree. Let's let Ranger know about this."
We are in the car heading to the suspects home as Booth says, "So, according to Grace Bryson's statement, she and her husband... were at a yoga retreat when Dan Pinard disappeared." I then say, "Well, the retreat was in Silver Spring. That's close enough to drive back, kill Dan and then return to the spa." He nods, "Right. It could be both her and her husband." Temp then says, "When your gut speaks to you, do you think it could be an increase in stomach acid due to anxiety?" "Huh?" "I... feel some anxiety." "Okay. About what?" "About your sudden abandonment of a belief system. Really, it's-it's making my stomach upset." "You know what? You are really just, um- Crack a window there, Bones. All right? Just get some air." Temp continued, "You told me that our father's criminal past didn't matter, that the love between us was real, and that was all that mattered. Because I believed you, our father and us have a relationship today." "Okay. I'm glad I could help out." "I'm anxious because I can't see any meaningful difference... between our father and your brother's girlfriend. Can you explain that to me? It's a question of logic, so I'm just gonna be quiet now while you work your way through." I look between the two as I just to stay silent as well.
We arrived at the suspects home as she was doing some gardening as she as she says to us, "I already told you where I was- at the yoga retreat." "Yeah, we know that, but you would have had more than enough time... to leave the retreat and return." "Well, I didn't, so can you leave me alone?" "After Dan fired you, you couldn't find a job, could you?" "Well, that wasn't Dan's fault. That was the hepatitis." I then ask, "Ms. Bryson, do you own a set of dental tools?" "I had to buy a set when I was in school. Why?" Booth asks, "Can we see 'em?" "No. Not without a warrant." She starts walking away to throw away the leaves as I look at the floor as I ask, "When did you put in this driveway?" "Excuse me?" "When were these paving stones laid?" "A few months ago. Is there something illegal now about doing home improvements?" Booth then asks, "What's going on Blueberry?" "Look at the stones." He looks at as eh says, "Well, you know what? These look like the ones... just like the ones that were at Dan's house." Ms. Bryson says, "It's the same contractor- Lucas. I met him at Dan's office before I was fired. Well, he said he had some extra materials... left over from Dan's job and he could give me a deal." Booth then says, "That's a scam. Lucas we reselling the supplies that Dan had already paid for." "Well, I didn't know that." Temp then asks, "Was Lucas working on the driveway when you were at the yoga retreat?" "Yeah. He was finished by the time we got back. It was the fastest he ever finished anything." I nod as I then say, "We need to dig these up." Booth says, "Backhoe and a cement cutter."
We are back at the lab as we go to Cam's workspace as she finishes analyzing some of the stones as she sees us coming in as she says, "The bottom of the paving stones are covered in blood. All the samples I've taken are a match for the victim." I nod, "He bled out on the ground. Then it was paved over." She nods as Vincent comes in with Hodgins as he says, "Behold- Lucas Pickford's grout scraper. He used it for installing the paving stones." Hodgins adds, "Coated in tungsten carbide." Cam asks, "Please tell me it's a match." Vincint nods, "It is, in fact, a perfect match... for the injury to the victim's ankle." We smile a bit at him as he says "Yeah? Cheers. Brilliant." Hodgins then says, "Hmm? No, she didn't say anything." "I-I discerned a lovely- a little glint of approbation in her eye." I try not to laugh as I look the other way knowing he was right as he then leaves. I was watching the interrogation from the other side of the room as Lucas says, "I-I admit it. We had an argument." Temp asks, "About the paving stones?" "Yeah." Booth asks, "Did you call him something?" Temp adds, "A vulgar slur for 'homosexual'?" "In the heat of the moment maybe. I mean, but you should have heard what he was calling me. Dan knocked me down and started kicking me, so I grabbed the-the scraper and swung it at him to get him off me." Booth says, "In self-defense." "Yeah. Yea, that's it. I-I'll admit it. It was self-defense." "Yeah, except, um, you didn't call 911." Temp nods, "No. You just watched him bleed to death, and then you dumped his body in a ditch." Lucas stammers a bit, "If he charged me with theft, I lose my contractor's license. My whole livelihood. For what? A few dozen paving stones? The guy attacked me for a few dozen paving stones." Booth tells him, "You robbed him, you lied about it, and you called him a vulgar slur. To him, that was a big deal."
The case was finally solved as I was now at home playing around with Jupiter as I then hear someone knocking on the door. I go over checking who it was as I see that it was Wendell. I smile opening the door, "Hello Bub, what's brings you here today?" He smiles at me lifting some food, "Well, I heard that you finished solving another case today, so I brought something to celebrate a bit." I smile even more, "You always come at the right time. I was just thinking about eating something. Come in." He does so as we give each other a kiss as he then says, "So what have you been doing before I got here?" I help him put the food down at the table and set up as I say, "I was playing with Jupiter over by the living room. Temp had gone out with Ranger to meet his brother and fiancé." "Fiancé? But didn't he leave just about a month ago?" "Yup, and now he's getting married." "Wow." I nod as we begin talking more about anything enjoying ourselves being together.
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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.