Broken Bones

Episode 48 "The Skull in the Sculpture" Part 2

-Venus POV-

It was a new day as we were walking down the stairs to the lab with Booth and Angie as Temp says, "So, according to his will, Roxie stands to inherit Thorne's entire estate." Angie then says, "She said they were close." Booth then says, "Well, people usually leave money like that to a wife or a lover." "I don't think so." "Because?" "Because Roxie's an old friend and she'd have told me." Temp then adds, "Well, she says she's a lesbian." Booth adds, "Delicacy, Bones." "What? It's not an affliction, Booth." Angie then speaks, "Yes, Roxie is gay. At least she was when we were together." Booth asks, "Where, in school?" "Yes." "Oh, you heard rumors." "No. I have firsthand knowledge." "Oh, you walked in on her, that's awkward."

I then cough, "Uh, Ranger... I think she means that they were together." Angie nods, "Yes, for over a year." Booth looked shocked, "Wow. You and, uh, Roxie?" Temp asks, "You have a problem with that?" "No. I was just processing the information there, that's all, and in doing so, I was envisioning you and her, you know, together. and, well, not to.... well, together, but... Really?" I just stare at Booth as Temp says, "Women tend not to be as rigid in their sexual identities as men." Booth then asks, "Weren't we talking about murder, here?" I then ask Angie, "Did she ever show any interest in men?" "No. And she would never kill anybody." Temp adds, "You haven't been close in a long time." "She hasn't changed." "Except that now she's rich." Booth nods adding, "Yeah, and before Thorne was killed, she wasn't rich." "Roxie never cared about money. I thought that you didn't speculate." I then speak for Temp, "That is true Angie, but that doesn't preclude pursuing a logical line of inquiry." "We still don't even know that it was murder. Thorne wrote about the need to become one with his work. He was ill. The logical signs point to suicide, don't they?" Booth and I could see what was happening with Angie as says, "You're right. Ange, we're sorry. We didn't mean to upset you." "I have work to do. Okay?" We nod as she leaves.

Temp and I were walking around in the lab as we were about to walk by Cam and Daisy as Cam says, "Dr. Brennan, Venus, Ms. Wick and I were just observing the handiwork of your beetles." Daisy nods looking at Temp, "They did a beautiful job of cleaning the bones, but half of the remains are still obscured by the metal." I then look at the screen seeing the fracture marks on the bones as I then say, "The victim's right iliac crest shows a simple fracture." "I also found microfractures, extending from his right ribs, five down his right greater trochanter." Temp nods, "Very good." "Really? And they were really small." "Microfractures are by definition small. What does this damage indicate?" "A test. Okay. The damage is inconclusive. Um, the fractures could easily be explained by the crushing of the car, but some could be the result of an attack or a fall." "I agree." Daisy inhales deeply, "She agrees." Cam and I nod at her as Hodgins comes down from the platform over to us, "The victim's clothing shows traces of calcium oxide, ferric oxide and magnesium oxide. It wasn't found on the car seats or the carpet, just pressed into the fabric of his shirt, front and back." Cam asks, "From what?" I suggest, "It could be from stone if he was sculpting." Hodgins adds, "It could be he was lying on gravel or about a hundred other things. We can't say without getting further access to the interior of the car."

Caroline the comes in, "Which access you were expressly denied by a federal judge, a federal judge who turned red and then blue and then some other color I have never seen before when he heard that flesh-eating beetles had somehow infested said work of art." I shrug a bit as Temp says, "Domestic beetles were not specifically forbidden on the injunction." "I don't suppose 'spirit of the law' means anything to you? That little Kabuki lady started screaming like you peed on the Mona Lisa, that you compromised the integrity of the piece. That little stunt turned good opinion from the judge against us." I sigh and ask, "How long do we got?" "Two days to find evidence of foul play." Hodgins asks, "And after that?" "The question goes to the court, and we grow old and die before a decision is made. And if there is a murder, that murderer walks around free. Ideas?" We then hear Daisy say from behind us, "I will think about it until my head explodes." We all look at her as Caroline says, "This one's a keeper." I chuckle and nod agreeing.