Broken Bones

Episode 24 "The Man in the Cell" Part 1

-Venus POV-

Temp, Booth, and I had went to a crime scene at a prison. The Warden is escorting us as Temp is walking next to Booth left as I was also walking on her left side. Booth then asks the Warden, "Hey, where'd the fire start?" "Not sure yet. It spread through the ducting, though." I nod as Temp yawns. Booth and I look at her as I chuckle and Booth says, "Maybe you'd something a little bit more exciting, huh? Like Attica." "Our neighbors are renovating their apartment. One of the workmen left his radio on. Hip-hop is not conducive to sleep. I don't know who Ven sleep through it." "Oh... I didn't, I just used the time to do some paperwork that I brought from work and now I am three weeks ahead of schedule." "Are you not tired Blueberry?" "Yes... But you just can't tell right now."

We are walking as inmates from right next to me have their hands out and saying, "Hey! Can you get me out of here?" and other stuff as well. Temp then asks, "Whoa, are you allowed to put that many men in one cell?" I shrug as Booth says, "Let's cut the warden a little slack, okay, Bones? There was a riot." The warden then says, "The cell doors open automatically in a fire. The guards had to subdue the inmates so the firefighters could do their jobs. 

I nod as I didn't put that much attention to the inmates as one of them grab me by the arm and I was pulled back. I yelped a bit as they all turn around and Booth grabs me saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." He then pulls me to the right side of him. "You stay close. Okay?" "Yes..." "Bone come over to the other side of me too." Temp listened and stood right next to me as Booth continues, "A lot of these animals haven't seen a real woman since Reagan was president." "Okay."

We arrived as the Warden says, "Body's in here." Booth then asks, "Okay, you're sure this is Howard Epps?" "This is his cell." I start walking up to the body as Temp asks, "Why not keep him on death row?" "We don't have one. He was transferred to Bayview so he could be closer to the courthouse for his trial." I bend and start examining while Temp gets ready, "The victim is male. Approximately 30 years of age." Temp then comes over, "He matches Epps' general size and build. Contortion indicates a painful death." Booth then says, "Well, after killing four teenage girls that we know about- it just what the doctor ordered." I then add, "It looks like someone threw accelerant on him, lit him on fire."

Booth then asks, "Hey, look, any idea who would want him dead?" "All the inmates hated him. Once the fire started, it was chaos. Could have been anyone. I see something as I go through it and call out Booth, "Ranger?" "Yeah?" "This is the wrist I broke." "So?" "This break is fresh." "So, bones- they break in a fire, right?" "Yes, but... there's no sign of a prior break. This man's wrist was slammed against a hard edge within the last few hours." "Who, what are you saying?" Temp then says, "This is not Howard Epps." The Warden then says, "That's impossible." Booth then says, "Okay, look, all your prisoners- are they accounted for?" "They are if this is Epps." "What about the guards?" "They've all reported in."

Temp then finds something, "Whoa..." "What now, 'whoa'?" "The dye from the tattoo survived the fire. DC Fire Department. He was a firefighter." Booth then says, "So you're saying that the fireman comes in to save Epps, but Epps kills him, takes his uniform, sets him on fire." I nod and say, "And walks right out the front door." The Warden then says, "Son of a bitch." Booth then says, "Lock this place down now." He starts dialing as the warden yells, "I want this whole block locked down." "Yeah, it's Booth. Listen, I need you to close off a 30-miles radius of the Bayview Federal Penitentiary. Howard Epps escaped." Temp and I look at each other a bit distressed.

We are in Booths office talking to Epps wife as she says, "I'm no longer involved in Howard's life." Booth then says, "That's hard to believe, being his wife and all." "Ex-wife. The judge signed my divorce papers last month." "Why didn't work out exactly? Was it a lack of quality time or all of the women he bludgeoned to death?" "I thought I could help Howard, but he used me. I haven't had any contact with him in over six months." "Well, I'd like to place you in protective custody, until we find him." "That won't be necessary." Temp then speaks, "Mrs. Epps, the women in Howard's life don't tend to live very long." "I appreciate your concern, Dr. Brennan, but I've changed jobs, apartments." Booth then says, "We... found you. Hey, Howard could, too." "I have a new life... and a new boyfriend. Raymond's a good man. If we found out..."