Broken Bones

Episode 9 "The Woman in the Car" Part 1

-Venus POV-

I am sitting down at the back as Temp is being interviewed about her book. I smile as I watch them start, "I'm Stacey Goodyear and joining me on Wake Up, DC! is Dr. Temprence Brennan. She is the author of the best-selling mystery novel Bred in the Bone. And she's also- now, tell me if I get this wrong- an anthropologist who works with the FBI to solve crimes?" "Yes, that's correct. I use the bones of people who have been murdered or burned, or blown up, or eaten by animals or insects, or just decomposed..." "Well, that's exciting. Uh, Dr. Brennan, your book has sold over 300,000 copies. How do you juggle twin careers as a best-selling author and crime-fighter scientist?" Well, I do one, then the other. Also, my sister Dr. Venus Brennan will also help me out with both." I smile at her giving her thumbs up. "Ah, yes. I see that your sister also helped you write the book as well. I suppose she is one of your biggest supports, right?" "Yes, she is." "And is the work enjoyable? I mean, the part involving rotten bodies?" "Enjoyable? Satisfying, yes, like cracking a code, but in general, when you're looking at someone who has been brutally murdered, it's complicated." "Cause I just thought, you know, ugh. Ah. Doesn't leave you much time for a personal life, does it?" 

I look to see Booth come in and I jester him to sit down on the seat that I had there for him. He sits down and hands me a water bottle and as he watches Temp. "It's true I'm more focused on my career right now." Temp looks at us as Booth jesters for her to smile more and I just give her a thumbs up, letting her know she was doing a good job. I start to drink my water as they kept on talking. "Most of our viewers are parents, home with their preschool-age children. What will you tell your kids about the horrors that you see every day?" "I'm not going to have any children." I choke on the water trying my best not to cough and ruin their interview. Booth is trying to help me as they kept on talking. "Really?" "Yes, really." "Do you have any advice for budding authors out there?" "Well, the first thing they should have is an idea, and then... Well, first you need something to write with. They-they know that. Well, obviously, you need a writing instrument, and you need an idea." I was still trying not to cough out loudly as Booth was trying to help but looked at Temp with a really face as she continued. "I'm just not sure which should come first. " "The book is Bred in the Bone, by Dr. Temperance Brennan. Next up after the break, wicker, the new leather. But is it safe for your children?" At that it ends, and I started to let out my cough and calm down. As the news anchor walks away a bit annoyed. 

Temp gets up asking us, "How was I?" "You were great sis, just drank my water wrong." Booth then speaks, "We'll talk about it on the way." Temp then asks, "On the way where?" We are then at a crime scene and Booth speaks. "State troopers called in the fire department to put out a burning car, and they found a body in the driver's seat. License plate and the VIN are missing." Temp then asks, "Why is the FBI involved?" "Well, one burned backpack, child-sized sneaker, plus the right-side rear seat belt went missing. Sliced away." I then ask, "You think it was a kidnapping?" "I have to act that way. The first 48 hours after a child abduction are crucial. You ID that victim; maybe that tells me what kid I'm looking for."

We are back at the lab as Zack gives a break down to us, "Shoe size four. It's a school bag, but the contents are burned beyond recognition." Temp then asks, "What about the human remains?" "Victim was female. Her skull shows combined Caucasoid and Mongoloid features. Also, preauricular sulcus to the pelvis shows the victim gave birth five to eight years ago." I then add, "The kidnapping victim could be her child." Zack continues, "Maxillary molars have been pulled and replaced with removable dentures, lots of gold." Temp then speaks, "In parts of the Caucasus, when girls from wealthy families turn 16, they are given gold teeth as a display of affluence." "I'll dissolve a bicuspid in nitric acid and do a chemical workup." Temp shines the light in the mouth, and I start to notice something. "Temp, there's something lodged in the larynx." Zack asks, "Part of her tongue?" He grabs some long plyers and the thing out of the mouth as I continue, "Not fleshy enough for tongue- this is cartilage." Boss then comes up to us, "Dr. Brennan, Dr. Venus, Mr. Addy this is Ms. Pickering. She's performing the State Department." I nod remembering that it was today she was coming as Hodgins speak, One man's security review is another man's witch hunt." Ms. Pickering then answers looking at Hodgins, "That would be Dr. Jack Hodgins." Boss nods, "It would be, yes." Hodgins continued, "You know us all, don't you, Ms. Pickering? Or is it Agent Pickering from the National Security Agency?" "I don't yet know you as well as I will, Dr. Hodgins. Is something burning?" Zack then answers, "Not anymore. She's pretty much extinguished by now."