The Accomplice in the Story (A Finale Fic) T?

This story begs to be written...
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Booth ran through the airport. After a few steps, he glanced at his watch. He stopped a man on his cell phone by grabbing his sleeve as he passed. "Hey, buddy, you know what time the flight to Brazil leaves?"

The man gave him a blank look and pointed to the arrivals board.

"Thanks," Booth breathed. He ran to the arrivals board, but his steps slowed as he recognized the couple standing next to it. "Angela? Hodgins?"

Angela smiled, "Hi, Booth. Did do a little badge-flashing to get past baggage check?"

Booth gave her a confused look, eyes narrowing.

"What? Did you miss Brennan's flight?"

"Oh, dude. Wife's gonna be pissed," Hodgins laughed. The look on Booth's face told him he was not in a playing mood. "Sorry," he quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, Booth. Didn't Brennan tell you what time her flight left?"

"Yeah," Booth said. He pulled a yellow Post-It from his pocket. "Six-fifteen. She... " She wrote it down herself.

Angela's face became sympathetic. "Oh. It--It left at five, Booth. I don't know why she told you the wrong time--"

"Sorry, man," Hodgins said. "Look, we're about to go out to dinner with Cam and a bunch of lab rats before we all split up for the summer. Wanna come? It's at the bar, so--"

Booth shook his head. "No... It's--It's alright. I'm--I've got things to do anyway."

"Booth..." Angela attempted to console him.

Booth shook his head and pretended to shake it off. "It's no big deal. I just must've misheard, that's all. I'll-- see you guys later, huh?"

He turned away, trying to hide a look of hurt on his face, but his shoulders slumped as he turned his back.

When he was out of ear-shot, Angela whispered, "Something happened."

"Like they slept together or something?"

"I was afraid this would happen if they hooked up."

"You have the heart of an angel," Hodgins whispered, kissing her cheek.

---

96 Hours Earlier

Angela knocked at Brennan's door. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Ange," Brennan replied, not looking up from her work.

"Finishing up on your notes? I'm surprised that the judge didn't throw out your testimony. What, with the stealing of bodies and breaking of federal laws--"

Brennan glanced up for a second. "Perhaps there was something substantial to the fact that Jared was willing to lose his job and we all risked our lives to save Booth."

"Either way, I'm glad that this whole fiasco's about to be put behind us." Angela walked over and sat on Brennan's desk. "When does your flight leave?"

"Um... Friday." Brennan finished writing and looked up. "Why?"

"Well, I kinda wanna see you lift off, Bren. You know, say good-bye?"

"Oh. Well, I'll write it down for you so you can be there on time." Brennan stood and walked over to Angela.

"I'll miss you, sweetie. I hate that you feel like you have to run off to the other side of the world whenever summer comes around. Next year, you're staying here in DC and we're going to actually spend time together. Go shopping, hang out. Hodgins has this great beach house in Martha's Vineyard."

Brennan smiled. "That sounds lovely, Ange, but this year I've already committed to helping out the local government in Brasília."

"You are quite the wild woman, Bren."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "There aren't that many Forensic Anthropologists; my skills are a sought-after commodity. This is important, Angela. "

"And hanging with the woman you consider your best friend isn't? C'mon, sweetie, take a breath, take a break. It wouldn't hurt you to rest a little--relax."

"I'll relax when Heather Tafett serving her sentence and I've finished identifying the Brasílian bodies. After that, is when I plan to relax."

"Please tell me that you're not going to come home and start identifying Korean War mummies. That's not relaxation. Relaxation is sitting on a beach, soaking up the golden rays of South Pacific and admiring a pool boy wearing nothing but a Speedo. That's relaxation. Not death. Take my word for it, sweetie."

"Actually, I plan on renting a cabin for the week before we come back, then I'm going to start doing the thing that I love most-- solving crimes with Booth, because that's what I do and that's what I find relaxing."

"Fine. As long as you find a lonely fisherman at the cabin and/or a stranded hiker. Preferably one with hypothermia."

Booth popped his head into the room. "Ready, Bones?"

"Well, I'll just see you guys at the courthouse. Hodgins and I are gonna have a quickie, then we'll go put that grave-digging bitch behind bars." Angela walked out of the room.

"Lunch?" Booth asked.

"Of course." Brennan replied. She stood and put her jacket on.

"Well, I suppose I'm supposed to just sit here and watch you two yack," Caroline Julian said as she walked up to Booth and Brennan. The pair were sitting on a bench outside of the courtroom.

"Same side. Prosecution," Booth grinned.

"I know. I just felt like being nosy. And don't you correct me. I could be your mother-- well, your mother's younger sister." She walked up to them and gestured at the bench. "Move over, cherie. I gotta get a load off."

The two moved over.

At that moment, Jared was being escorted up the hallway by an armed officer.

"Excuse us, Ms. Julian," Brennan said, standing.

Booth stood, too, and they walked up to Jared. For a moment, the two men stood with about a foot of tile between them. Then, Booth wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him tightly.

"Seeley, you keep hugging me like that, some of these guys might get the wrong idea."

He grinned and released his brother. "How's it goin?"

"Which part? The sharing a toilet with five other men or not getting to see the sun?"

"Look, I'm--"

"I'm joking, Seeley. It was worth it." He smiled, then he looked at Brennan.

Brennan leaned close and kissed his cheek. "Hi, Jared." A mixture of thanks and apology marked her face.

"Hey, Tempe."

"We should get going," the officer said and began to lead Jared away.

When Jared was out of sight, Booth's face cracked. "Dammit."

"What?"

"What kind of irony is this, Bones? I try my whole life to make sure he turns out OK and now he's-- because of me."

"This is different, Booth. Jared is in prison for doing something that saved your life. And it wasn't your fault. If you should blame anyone, you should blame Heather Tafett. She's the one who ambushed you and put you in that ship, not you--although technically it would be impossible for you to do that to yourself."

"You know, Bones, there are a lot of things that have warped my idea of impossible."

Brennan gave him a curious look.

"Like the fact that I have no idea how a one-hundred and fifty pound, five foot seven inch woman could ambush me and drag me out of a window, stuff me in a yellow submarine and not be seen doing any of it. Not to mention, how the hell could she have dragged both you and Hodg..." He stopped mid-thought. "Did we ever find out how Vega died?"

"Cardiac failure. She held the taser directly above his heart."

"No, I mean--why?"

"Tafett's refused to say anything on that front, you know that." She studied his face. "What are you thinking?"

"I don't... know."

"Court will convene in five minutes," a man's voice echoed into the foyer.

Cam, Hodgins and Angela walked up to Brennan and Booth.

One look at Booth's face and Cam asked, "Are we interrupting anything?"

"What? No, no interrupting," Booth said.

"Booth doesn't think it makes sense," Brennan said.

"What doesn't make sense?" Cam asked.

"Heather Tafett being the Gravedigger."

"No. I didn't say that, Bones."

"But you--"

"I said that there are holes, Bones. I didn't say she wasn't the Gravedigger."

"What holes?" Angela asked.

"Dude, I'm so glad that someone else has been thinking about this. I thought it was just me being paranoid, but there are a lot of gaps."

"Mind filling us in?" Angela said.

"Well," he looked at Booth. "What are your stats? Weight, height."

"Six-one, one-ninety."

"Exactly. And I'm not exactly huge, but I still out-weigh Tafett. Even Brennan's a lot taller than her."

"What? You think Tafett's not the Gravedigger? What about all of the evidence?" Cam asked.

"I'm not saying that she's not the Gravedigger, I'm saying that it couldn't have been just her. She dragged Booth out of a window and onto a ship. She buried me and Brennan in car. And she did the same thing to a dozen others. All alone? It doesn't make sense. Sure, the evidence points to her, but there's gotta be another, right?"

"What are we talking about?" Sweets asked. He had slipped into the group unnoticed.

"Thank God you're here, I'm lost in these conspiracy theories." Angela said.

"They're not conspiracy theories, Angela. It's a simple matter of facts adding up to a logical conclusion." Brennan replied.

Booth began to grin. "You would've never said anything like that back in the day, Bones."

"You've had an effect on my abilities to deduce."

"What's going on?" Sweets was still lost.

"Tafett wasn't alone, man." Hodgins said.

"You all are treading a fine line of theories," Caroline said. She had been sitting and observing until that moment. "You need to have more than a hunch when it comes to the law. Aren't you all a bunch of geniuses?"

"I've never claimed genius-dom," Angela corrected.

"Me, neither," Booth said.

"Doesn't matter, cher. You have Tafett shakin' in her booties in cell block nine. Do you really wanna risk suspending the trial over a funny feeling?"

"If there's someone else responsible for these crimes, then we should investigate it, right?" Brennan asked. "Aren't we all seeking justice here?"

"Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I'm seeking the death penalty. Don't go snooping where your noses don't belong. If you get some actual flesh-and-blood evidence, then we can talk. Until then, Tafett's gonna keep her head on the block." Caroline shook her head and walked away from the group.

"What do you think, Dr. Sweets?" Cam asked.

"The original profile suggested male."

"What about your profile?" Booth asked.

"I assumed it could be either or, but these things aren't a hundred percent. It's just an educated hypothesis, really."

Brennan rolled her eyes.

"That would explain some things, actually," Hodgins said. All eyes went to him. "The conflicting profiles. The fact that the Gravedigger did things differently this last time--there's more than one, man. You were profiling two people, not one."

"It's not like a mixed-up DNA sequence, Dr. Hodgins," Sweets began.

"However," Booth prompted.

"However, when I profiled this guy, I did say that it was possible that there was an accomplice of some sort--a protege of sorts."

"OK," Booth said. "You guys stall--ask for a lunch break or something--"

"You can't ask for a break two minutes into the trial," Sweets said.

"Well, figure something out, OK? In the meantime, we need to have a little chat with Tafett, maybe smack her around a little."

"Oh! Can I come?" Brennan asked, sounding a little too excited.

"Of course, Bones, who else would I mean by 'we'?"

The two of them walked away.

"Caroline's not gonna like this," Cam said.

Love it! This is so great Mama

This is EXACTLY the story I wanted to see written, and I'm so glad you're doing it! So far, so good *gives the thumbs up*

Thanks!!!

Great start, can't wait to read the rest

I love mystery stories that are really well written.

This story has everything a good story needs! GREAT start! Am loving it! Keep 'em coming please!

OMG, yes! It does scream to be written. Thanks Mama!

Thanks everyone!
-------------------

"Hell no," Caroline snapped.

"It's just for a minute." Cam crossed her arms.

"It takes sixty seconds to interrogate a suspect?" She asked sarcastically, a brow tipping.

"Not exactly."

"Then you will not exactly suspend this trial and you will not exactly lie to Judge Haddos. This isn't a circus, cherie. We don't go pulling people around by their nostrils. There are proper channels for these things. You can go back and tell Agent Booth no way no how."

"Well, it's a little too late for that now."

"Excuse me?"

"Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are interrogating Tafett as we speak."

"You and your brain posse are gonna get me into a world of trouble. I don't know why I put up with this," Caroline muttered. "Goin' aroun', bossin' people, tellin' me what to do. This is supposed to be my weekend off. Next weekend I quit. See what you can do without me for while--" She sighed. "I'll go talk to Haddos. Y'all owe me, cherie." She disappeared into the courtroom.

Angela walked up to Cam. "How'd it go?"

"I don't know. Do I have bite marks on my head?"

"Just a couple. A little cover-up should take care of that," Angela teased.

"We've gotta get that evidence. Get Hodgins and Sweets. Maybe give Perotta a call."

"I don't know, Cam. I don't really trust Agent Bimbo."

"Hey, Booth trusts her. If he trusts her then that's good enough for me. Just don't ask me to like her."

---

"Do you have an angle of attack?" Brennan asked. They were standing outside of a private room in the courthouse. Inside, Tafett complete with orange jumpsuit was waiting to be interrogated.

"I don't know, Bones. I didn't exactly expect to be doing this." He looked at her. "You got a plan?"

"Me?"

"You're the spontaneous one."

She fought back the impulse to blush. Then two things came to mind: One, a smart-ass comment. And two, a flirtatious comment. Before she could stop herself, she replied, "You only know that because I told you."

Did she just...? "Uh... how 'bout we go talk to Tafett. Just follow my lead."

"I think we should bring Sweets in with us." Brennan nodded at the man down the hall. "He was quite helpful when we were interrogating Tafett before--although he wasn't nearly as aggressive as I'd like." She took out her cell and began texting Sweets.

"That's why I'm here, Bones."

"Why?" She looked up.

"I can be very aggressive at times." He grinned at her.

Brennan's eyes fell to the floor. Did he just...? She tucked her hair behind her ear. "That's good. We need that balance."

Booth nodded and shook it off. Brennan never got it when he was flirting with her. Nothing new. He nodded at Sweets as he walked up the hallway, hands in pockets, suit jacket open.

"Where's Tafett?"

Booth nodded at the door. "We were waiting for you."

Angela walked up behind them. "I'm finished hooking up everything. I should get a clear recording of the interview."

"Alright... let's do this," Booth said, putting a hand on the door handle.

They walked into the room. Tafett was sitting, cuffed to a wooden chair. She stared coldly at the three as they walked into the room.

"I hope you know how many federal laws are being broken, Agent Booth," her lawyer, a short husky man said.

"We're just talking. Keep your shirt on, Brink." Booth turned to Sweets for a little input.

Sweets shook his head.

Booth narrowed his eyes, then stepped closer.

"It won't do you any good, Agent Booth. She knows how to shut herself down. She's basically impermeable to your accosts."

"We'll see about that." Booth turned and looked at Brennan. "Bones, you wanna hit her?"

"Yes."

"You will not lay a hand on my client," the lawyer spat.

"Damn lawyers," Booth muttered. He looked at Sweets again.

"I don't know. Go for the aggression, I guess."

Booth shrugged and crossed the room quickly. "Who's your accomplice?"

Tafett just stared at him.

"We know you weren't alone," Brennan said.

"If you're suggesting that I'd put the blame on anyone else, you're very wrong, detectives." She was unnervingly cool.

"She's proud of what she's done," Sweets said. "She won't admit to having a partner. She loves the attention."

Booth looked at Tafett again. "It doesn't matter what she says or doesn't say, Sweets. We know that she wasn't alone."

"Why did you kill Thomas Vega?" Brennan said.

"You've asked those questions before," Sweets pointed out. "And all to no avail."

"You're not exactly being helpful here, Sweets." Booth growled, eyes still trained on Tafett. "I see that your eye's still a little messed up from what my partner did to you. I can assure you that there can and will be a repeat of that if you do not give me a name."

Still no reply.

"Was Vega your accomplice?" Booth asked.

Still no reply.

"What do you think, Bones? Is it possible?"

"It's impossible to pinpoint the minute that Vega died. He was killed in and around the time she called my cell."

"It's more than possible," Sweets said.

"Either way, Tafett, we'll have a hot needle in your arm by the close of this decade. I will appear at every indictment, every rehashing, every appeal. You will die and I will be front row center."

That was when the first emotion twisted Tafett's features. For a second, she swallowed and her eyes grew large with fear. Just a second. Then she was back to cold stoicism.

Brennan grabbed Booth's arm and dragged him into the hallway, closing the door behind them. "What worked last time was being able to present evidence to Tafett. That's when she began to break. Of course by then we didn't need to continue interrogating her, but I think that's what we need. Solid statistics and facts."

"Like what, Bones? We tore her place apart."

"No, you didn't tear her place apart. FBI forensics did."

"Point being...?"

"The point is, Booth, that they may have come across that piece of evidence that would lead you or me to the accomplice, but them not seeing it in context may have caused them to overlook it altogether. It may have been just another phone number, just another first name, just another photo..."

"Good point, Bones. You know, I think you're onto something."

Cam walked up to them. "Well, I bought us some time. Not a lot of time, but some time."

"How much time?" Booth asked.

"Forty-eight hours to present compelling evidence that Tafett didn't work alone. And if we figure out who it is, then we can get another twenty-four. Otherwise, no go."

Booth mouthed the F-bomb.

"We'll take it. We have to," Brennan said.

"Alright. Let's get everyone together. I'll get the contents of Tafett's apartment shipped to the Jeffersonian." He flipped his phone out of his pocket, pressing it to his ear.

Awesome. Wonderful start, Ma. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Hope we wont wait too long, looking forward to this

I'm so happy to see you are writing another fic. I always love them. I always wondered if the gravedigger worked alone...

I'm liking this, mama! I love it when we see the end, and then you go back and tell us the story!

Sounds interesting.
And I love the flirting....
Can't wait for more!