Three separate bodies are found murdered exactly the way Brennan wrote them in her new book. However, the killer's method was different every time, leading the team to believe that it was not one but three killers. Booth and Sully become concerned for Brennan, while she insists she can take care of herself. This increases tension between Sully and Brennan, straining their relationship. Booth tries to help them along, apparently fine with the couple. At the end of the episode, Sully and Brennan reconcile and kiss and Booth, walking away, looks back sadly.
"The Bodies in the Book" [SCENE_BREAK] TEASER (Open with the rustling of sheets and chuckling followed by heavy breathing and the phone ringing. Sully and Brennan are in bed together.) SULLY: No, no, no, no no. Don't answer it. BRENNAN: (Brennan comes out from under the covers) Oh, it's probably the publicist for my book. (Phone continues ringing) SULLY: Shh. Pretend it's the ocean. (Sully covers them back up again) (Ringing stops) SULLY: See that? God loves us. (They both laugh and kiss) (ringing resumes) BRENNAN: (throws the covers off again) Ugh. She'll only keep calling. SULLY: I thought you hated publicity. BRENNAN: Well, it's part of my contract. The book's getting a lot of attention. I'm just trying to do my job. (She strains to reach for the phone) Hello? Hi Ellen. SULLY: Of course, you did look hot on The View. I think Rosie had a little thing for you. (Brennan covers his mouth while he rolls her over and starts trying to distract her by kissing her) BRENNAN: (on phone) That seems - that seems like a lot. Well, it's two interviews and a book signing in one day. I - I don't - I don't know about Tuesday. (she takes the phone away from her ear and kisses Sully back then goes back to the phone) Just, um, send the schedule to the Jeffersonian. We'll discuss it then, okay? I'll see you. I'm leaving right now. (She hangs up, kisses Sully and rolls him over) (Cut to: Jeffersonian - Platform - Hodgins is with Brennan's publicist and her assistant, Ellen Laskow and Hank Beldin and a bug is pinned to the table on its back and he cuts into it) HODGINS: (to Hank) Now this is something you don't normally get to see in the publishing house. ELLEN: Oh, dear Lord. HODGINS: The jelly looking stuff that oozes out turn into the ootheca. HODGINS: Can you smell that? (Hank gags) Yeah. (Brennan arrives) BRENNAN: Sorry I'm late. ELLEN: Oh, thank God. Hank. You know, dear, your book is on the best sellers list. You don't have to work in this place anymore. BRENNAN: This is my real love, Ellen. ELLEN: I know a therapist, dear, who could really help you. (Brennan gives her a look) Okay. Um, the reading and the book signing are this Wednesday night. Hank has arranged for transportation. HANK: Yes. A car will pick you up here at the lab, Dr. Brennan. ELLEN: And then there's that radio interview next Tuesday. That's an early one, so just tell Hank what you would like for breakfast. BRENNAN: Um, that's not necessary. ELLEN: Oh honey, don't worry about it. That's what Hank is for. Right Hank? HANK: Sure. Um, I - I wanted to tell you, Dr. Brennan, I'm a huge...fan. I thought this book is even better - ELLEN: You know, as far as your photo shoot is concerned - (Booth enters, interrupting) BOOTH: Okay, Bones. We gotta go. They found a floater in the marina. (he grabs her arm) BRENNAN: Uh, my partner, Seeley Booth. This is the publicist for my book, Ellen Laskow and her assistant Hank - ELLEN: Hello. Now I see why Temperance writes those dirty little scenes in her books. BOOTH: That - That's not me - BRENNAN: It's not him. BOOTH: Not me. No. ELLEN: Right. You must let me get you that therapist's number, dear. BOOTH: Oh, no, seriously. She's got someone. BRENNAN: Booth. BOOTH: Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of. He is kinda short. BRENNAN: He's not short. Just because he's not freakishly tall like you are- BOOTH: He's short, okay? BRENNNA: Didn't you say you had remains for me to examine? BOOTH: Oh, right. Come on. Let's go. (he grabs Brennan's arm and starts to drag her out) BRENNAN: Well, thanks for the schedule, Ellen. (Cut to: The marina. There is law enforcement everywhere.) BOOTH: So is it just me or is this, ya know, kinda weird? BRENNAN: What? BOOTH: Well, in your new book, they found a body at the marina, right? BRENNAN: You read my book? BOOTH: Of course. Anyhow, a guy docked the boat, saw something floating in the water thought it was a dead fish - it ended up being a decomposed hand. The dive crew just located the rest of the body. BRENNAN: I didn't think you'd have time to read my book. BOOTH: You have time to write it, I have time to read it. Besides, you can't avoid the damned thing. Your book is everywhere. DIVER: Okay, bring it up. BRENNAN: Booth. BOOTH: Yeah. BRENNAN: Look. (she points to the body bring raised.) BOOTH: Wait. (to an FBI Forensics's Agent) Body on the anchor? FORENSICS AGENT: Yeah, tied to the chain. Body's not tied with rope. The diver said they used- BRENNAN: Red tape. (They pull the body out of the maria - wrapped with red tape) FORENSICS AGENT: How did ya know? BRENNAN: Because that's how I wrote it. ACT I (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Forensics Platform. Cam, Zack & Brennan are examining the remains.) BRENNAN: Victim was male. Mid 40's. Estimated time of death is 5 days ago. CAM: Only 5 days? This is an extreme rate of decomp. HODGINS: Blue crab season. They'll feed on anything, dead or alive. Vegetation, fish, flesh. CAM: Ugh. Opportunistic little bastards. ZACK: Elliptical wounds on the frontal bone with reverse beveling. He was shot. BRENNAN: Is there a bullet? ZACK: No. Irregular exit wound on the occipital. Looks like a through and through. CAM: Dr. Brennan. Exactly how similar is this situation to your book? BRENNAN: The victims in my book are bound and gagged with red tape, shot, and then fed to various animals. CAM: Cheery. HODGINS: I loved the symbolism of the red tape. Perfect way to dispose of bureaucrats. BRENNAN: Thank you. ZACK: The first body in the book is tied to an anchor and dropped in the water at a marina. BRENNAN: I prefer not to jump to conclusions. HODGINS: I don't think it requires a jump. Just a little hop. Little teeny - BRENNAN: In this lab, we are concerned with science, not fiction. (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Angela's office. Angela is trying to reconstruct the face of the victim on her computer. The team is gathered round.) ANGELA: This is a sketch based on tissue markers on the skull. HODGINS: TCB's and lead we found in the collegian means the victims from the North end of the Chesapeake. Probably outside Anapolis. ANGELA: Did you have to whisper that in my ear? HODGINS: Just seemed right. BOOTH: (leaning in to whisper in Angela's ear) Okay, check the image against the DMV photo's from Maryland. (Angela starts to check through DMV images) BOOTH: Bones. (he takes her towards the back of the room) How ya holding up? BRENNAN: What do you mean? Fine. BOOTH: Ya know, something like this, it's understandable if you're upset. BRENNAN: It's probably a coincidence. (Sully enters) SULLY: Hey, How's it going? BRENNAN: What? What are you doing here? BOOTH: Uh, yeah. SULLY: Well, I heard we had a copy cat killer using your book as - BRENNAN: That hasn't been established. BOOTH: Yeah, I got it covered here, Sully. SULLY: Well, two hands are better than one, Booth. BOOTH: Well, last time I looked, I have 2 hands, see? (he holds up his hands) Thanks. ANGELA: Testosterone spill on aisle 4. BRENNAN: We don't' know that my book is the cause. So far what we do know is - SULLY: Someone died exactly the way described in your book. Do you keep any of your old fan mail? BRENNAN: No. I don't read it. The publicist deals with all that. BOOTH: Yeah, I mean, why are you asking, Sully? I'm in charge of this investigation. SULLY: Well, Booth, I was a profiler for two years. I have a lot of experience with these cases. This could be someone showing what big fan he is or someone trying to get close to her. Too close. BRENNAN: I don't need to be protected... BOOTH & SULLY: (in unison) Yes. You do. SULLY: (to Booth) Look. You still call the shots. I just think I'd be an asset to the team. BOOTH: Okay, Fine. We send all the fan mail to Sully - in his office. BRENNAN: Fine. I'll call Ellen. SULLY: We could be dealing with a real sicko here. ANGELA: Jim Lopata. Not the sicko, the sicko's victim. BRENNAN: 43. Married. No kids. From Glen Burnie - outside of Annapolis. (Cut to: FBI - Conference Room. Booth sits with Connie Lopata and Greg Braley, Connie's brother.) BOOTH: So your husband never called you? CONNIE: I thought, uh, he was suppose to be on a business trip. BOOTH: And you haven't seen him since last Tuesday. CONNIE: Oh, no, His trips - he worked so hard. Morning to night driving hundreds of miles. BOOTH: Greg. Did, uh, you and your sister's husband get along? GREG: Well enough. BOOTH: Mmm. Any idea if he had, uh, any enemies? GREG: Wouldn't come as a shock. Jim liked to drink. He could turn into a real jerk sometimes. CONNIE: We were working through it. GREG: Right. CONNIE: Greg. GREG: I'm sorry, but part of me thinks you're better off, Connie. BOOTH: Are you better off, Miss Lopata? CONNIE: How can you say that? My husband's dead. BOOTH: Of course. I'm sorry. It's just - one more thing. I realize this is gonna sound a little strange, but do either of you two read, uh, mystery novels? GREG: What the hell does this got to do with anything? CONNIE: Just answer him, Greg. (to Booth) Greg likes them. Why? BOOTH: It's just something I gotta ask. (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Forensics Platform.) HODGINS: The tape actually managed to preserve particulate matter that was present on the body before it was dumped. CAM: Any hair? Other goodies that can give us DNA? HODGINS: No. But I did find sand. CAM: Victim was in the ocean, Hodgins, lotta sand there. HODGINS: Yeah, but the sediment distribution doesn't match. The sand came from some place else. CAM: Okay. Try to locate the source. What about the tape itself? Composition, brand - HODGINS: Working on it. CAM: Cool. (Cam starts to walk away as Hodgins stops her again with a question) HODGINS: Do you really plan on reading Dr. Brennan's book? CAM: What? Of course. I only - I bought it - ya know it's on a pile I'm waiting - No. I don't. (Hodgins laughs) Please don't tell her. It's just after dealing with murder all day, I can't bring myself to go home and read about it for kicks. HODGINS: So, for kicks you read... CAM: Feminist trash. You know. Woman finds her power, leaves her oppressive husband, discovers freedom and fulfillment with an artist who knows how to cry and make love like an animal. HODGINS: So, s*x books. CAM: Pretty much, yeah. HODGINS: Hm. CAM: Let me know if you find any organics on that tape. HODGINS: Yup. (he laughs) (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Brennan & Zack are examining remains in one of the rooms) ZACK: So, is the FBI aware of the situation. BRENNAN: What do you mean? Booth and Sully are both working the case. ZACK: I meant the other murders in your book. The marina victim is the first of three. BRENNAN: Let's, please, concentrate on the remains, Zack. ZACK: It's just the later dump sites are far less specific. How could the FBI prevent - (Booth enters, cutting Zack off.) BOOTH: Because we're the good guys, Zack, don't you forget that. (to Brennan) Okay, possible motive for Jim Lopata's murder. BRENNAN: Connie Lopata's medical records? BOOTH: Check out the ER visits. BRENNAN: Broken rib, concussion, severe bruising - someone was abusing her. BOOTH: Her husband. BRENNAN: So the wife's brother, Greg, knew about it and killed the husband to protect his sister. BOOTH: Made it look like a copy cat, cover his tracks. (Hodgins enters) HODGINS: I got more info on the red tape. It's a thermo setting silicon adhesive with glass cloth backing. Secures materials under high temperatures. Also used for electrical and industrial applications. ZACK: Is this Greg person an electrician? BOOTH: He works at Regan National Airport, he's a baggage handler. ZACK: But glass tape is used on aircraft too- HODGINS: To secure cargo holds. (Cut to: FBI - Interrogation Room.) GREG: Didn't take a genius to figure out he hit her. BRENNAN: You wanted to protect her. GREG: She's my sister. Of course I did. Tried to get her to leave him, but she was so - I don't know. It was messed up. BOOTH: So, you decided to handle things your own way. GREG: What? Meaning what? I killed him? No way. I'm not saying I didn't want him dead, but I never touched him. Swear on my mother's grave. (He puts up his hand. Brennan realizes that two of his finger are connected together) BOOTH: Sorry, Greg. But that particular oath is no longer recognized in a court of law. GREG: Listen, if you're going to charge me with something, do it. If not- BOOTH: Where were you last Wednesday when your brother in law was killed? GREG: In the mountains. I went camping. BOOTH: I'm assuming you were alone. GREG: There were other people at the camp ground. If you can find the other people- BOOTH: Alright, alright. You know, just stay close, alright? Don't go anywhere any time soon. Alright, Greg? (Cut to: FBI - Booth's Office. Booth and Brennan are entering) BRENNAN: Booth. BOOTH: Yeah. BRENNAN: Did you see his right hand? BOOTH: Sure...not, not really. Why? BRENNAN: His 3rd & 4th phalanges - they're fused together. Greg has syndactally. BOOTH: Syndactally. Yeah. Of course. Is that relevant? BRENNAN: Well, it can indicate the presence of other birth defects - things that might affect his range of motion. We should look into that. BOOTH: Would - Would, he be able to, uh, shoot a gun? BRENNAN: What? BOOTH: Well, if his fingers, ya know, were - were fused like that, would he still be able to, ya know, pull the trigger? BRENNAN: Yes. I don't see why not. BOOTH: Okay, that's good enough for me. BRENNAN: If it's not him - Booth. There are two other murders in the book. BOOTH: I know. (Hank appears in the doorway) Hank. BRENNAN: What are you doing here? HANK: Ellen sent me out. Said you needed all your old fan mail. Plus, she needs a half caf soy latte everyday at 10. Uh, half caf soy latte with a dollop of foam and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings - everyday- (Brennan and Booth just look at him as he rambles.) Um, I'm looking for an Agent Sullivan? BOOTH: Oh, yeah. He's uh, down the hall in his office. (Booth's phone rings.) BOOTH: Booth. (he listens for a second to the other person) Yeah. (he hangs up) BRENNAN: What's wrong? (Cut to: Store - Night. Booth and Brennan are brought into the room by a Police Officer) POLICE OFFICER: Someone must have broken in Saturday night. Stores closed Sundays and Mondays. Clerk comes in this morning, gets an eye full of this. (He brings them over to a glass tank where there's a body wrapped in red tape inside, being gnawed on by rats) BOOTH: Isn't this how you killed the second victim in your book? BRENNNAN: Yeah. ACT II (Cut to: FBI - Booth's office. Brennan enters.) BRENNAN: Sadie Keller. 28, lived in Chevy Chase. BOOTH: Wow, that was fast. Her face was chewed off. BRENNAN: Aside from bite marks on her parietal and sphenoid bones, skull was intact enough for Angela to do a facial reconstruction. BOOTH: Yeah, uh. Sadie Keller. Recently married Ashton Keller, 29. No work history, went to some pretty fancy schools though. BRENNAN: She was rich. BOOTH: Right. So we got a dead traveling salesman and a prep school socialite. What the hell is the connection? (Sully enters) SULLY: Not Greg Braley. His story checks out. He was camping the night Lopata was killed. Two Rangers recognized him. BOOTH: (to Brennan) Ah, great. So the only connection we have is the tape and the fact that they were both fed to animals. BRENNAN: So we're back to me. SULLY: No. Your book. BRENNAN: Well, I can only deal with what's before me. Two discreet cases. Physical evidence - BOOTH: Look, Bones-I know it's probably easier for you to, uh, believe that the cases - they aren't linked- BRENNAN: No. There is nothing that would make the loss of two lives easier for me, Booth. BOOTH: I'm sorry, but- BRENNAN: Look, I'm not burying my head in the sand here. I wanna catch whoever did this as much as you guys do, but I have a method and the method doesn't change. I'll be back in my lab (she storms out of the office) BOOTH: She wasn't this emotional before you came in the picture. SULLY: Ah, I thought you weren't interested. BOOTH: Ha. Alright, look, I don't need that, okay? Believe me, okay? I'm gonna go talk to Sadie Keller's husband and why don't you just go back to your office there and, uh, sort through the fan mail, alright? Bye. (Sully laughs) (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Forensics Platform) HODGINS: Got some phaenicia sericata stuck in the tape. Means she's been dead less than two days. CAM: Rats sure made quick work of her. So all the victims in Dr. Brennan's book go eaten? HODGINS: Yeah, it was part of the metaphor. The victims were all corrupt politicians who'd been feeding for years on the good will of the people so... CAM: I got it. Lots of gore with a splash of social commentary. No wonder it's a best seller. Ooh good. Lots of tissue left over here. ZACK: There's no exit wound. CAM: So we've got a bullet? ZACK: Eh, I don't see it. The tissue was too badly scavenged. HODGINS: But if the bullet was still inside Sadie Keller when the body was dumped in the cage... CAM: We need to X Ray us some rodents. (Cut to: FBI - Conference Room. Booth is talking with Ashton Keller) ASHTON: She was suppose to be visiting a friend. BOOTH: And when she didn't return your phone call? ASHTON: I just assumed...She was very independent. Still kinda wild. I mean she was used to getting whatever she wanted. BOOTH: Like what? ASHTON: Let's just say she wasn't the wifely type. And since she had all the money, she - she thought she could, uh, you know. BOOTH: Do you know any of the men she might have been seeing? ASHTON: I didn't want to know. I just wanted it to blow over. I loved her and I know it sounds pathetic but I just loved her. BOOTH: Forgive me, Mr. Keller, but uh, you stand to inherit quite a lot of money, from your wife, don't you? ASHTON: Yes. I do. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you suspect me, but I was out of town the night that Sadie disappeared, at a golf tournament. BOOTH: I'm gonna need the details. ASHTON: Of course. BOOTH: Yeah. ASHTON: Sadie meant everything to me, Agent Booth. And I know she loved me. Whatever happened, she did. I know that. (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Hodgins, Angela and Zack are all looking at rats in a cage.) ANGELA: They're cute...for rodents. HODGINS: Yeah, well, don't grow too attached. These little guys - are destined to be snake snacks. ANGELA: But now that we've confiscated them, shouldn't they be safe? I mean, they're material witnesses. HODGINS: It's not like they know sign language, Angela. ZACK: In Grad school, I developed a more efficient method for killing rats prior to dissection. It involved a warm dish of water and the clever use of a ball peen hammer. ANGELA: Zack... HODGINS: Uh, found something. (An x ray of one of the rats is shown with the bullet inside of it) ANGELA: Wow. HODGINS: mhmm. ANGELA: Now what? ZACK: Warm water soothes them like a bubble bath, then- ANGELA: Can't we just wait 'til nature takes it's course? HODGINS: Do you have any idea how tight a rat's rectum is? ANGELA: Please tell me you don't. (Cam appears at the door) CAM: Locate the ammo thief? ZACK: Yes, but we're debating the method of bullet retrieval. CAM: Well, I fed them all a mixture of extra strength laxative and soft tissue dilator when they arrived, so...shouldn't be long now (she leaves) HODGINS: She fed all of them laxatives? ANGELA: I need to go to my - office.... (she leaves too and Hodgins goes after her) (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Brennan's office. Brennan is working on paperwork when Sully enters.) SULLY: Lunchtime, ho! (he tosses a sandwich to Brennan) BRENNAN: I'm not hungry. SULLY: Oh, come on. It's meatball! It's the perfect food. BRENNAN: Shouldn't you be working? SULLY: I went through the fan mail and gave the likely candidates to Booth to check out. BRENNAN: (dismissively) Yeah, I'm busy, Sully. I'm cataloging injuries the two victims suffered. SULLY: Hey. I am on your side, Tempe. I know what you're going through... BRENNAN: (challenging him) Okay, what? What, Sully? What - what am I going through? SULLY: Okay. You feel responsible. You feel that somehow if you didn't write that book those two people would still be alive. And you're terrified cause you know that someone else dies in the book. BRENNAN: I don't put much credence in psychology. SULLY: Yeah, well neither do I. I'm basing this on knowing you. Well. Knowing how much you care about your work and if trivializing it in the book caused this then - but it just - but it doesn't work like that, Tempe. BRENNAN: Statistically, the murders would have happened whether - the book was written or not. The method might be different is all. SULLY: Right. Now if you only believed that. BRENNAN: You - you don't know me as well as you think. We're just having a fling, so don't get carried away. (Sully leans over and reaches for her hand) SULLY: When you can't stop thinking about someone when they're not around..that's not a fling. When you remember their touch just like they were still right next to you? That's not a fling. If you need to be alone with this, fine - but we both know what we have. (He turns and leaves and Brennan looks after him, visibly shaken. A few seconds later, Zack enters.) ZACK: We have the bullet. (Cut to - Medico Legal Lab - Brennan and Zack are looking over x rays) ZACK: The bullet was jacketed showing little deformity. BRENNAN: And you've compared it with the wounds on both victims? ZACK: Lack of shattering around the exit wound of the first victim suggests a jacketed projectile. BRENNAN: And Angela's rendering also matches the bullet we recovered from the rat. (Booth enters) BOOTH: Zack... (noticing that Brennan is there too) Hey. Bones. Thought that you and uh, Sully were having lunch? BRENNAN: Not hungry. Zack thinks both victims were shot using the same gun. You- you said that Ashton Keller was going get a large inheritance? BOOTH: Right. But his alibi's air tight. He was at Briarwood in Maine at a charity golf tournament. ZACK: So much for that theory. BOOTH: Yeah. What about the red tape? I mean, Did Hodgins uh.. ZACK: The same. BOOTH: Same gun, same tape, no relationship between the victims. I'm tell ya, we're dealing with a serial killer. He's just picking random targets. Nothing else makes sense. BRENNAN: Serial killlers have a pattern, a method of killing. The first victim has numerous defensive wounds including a fractured manubrium and trauma to the temporal bone. There was quite a struggle before he died. BOOTH: Well, what about the second victim? ZACK: Nothing. Only the gun shot. BRENNAN: Did you have something to show me? BOOTH: Oh. New suspect. [SCENE_BREAK] (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab. Booth & Brennan are heading into Brennan's office) BOOTH: Alright, Sully narrowed the fan mail down to the people most likely to act out in obsessive or dangerous ways but- (he laughs) look who I found. Huh. (He show Brennan a picture of Oliver Laurier - the same guy from Season 1) Your number 1 fan. BRENNAN: Oliver. I haven't seen him in a while. BOOTH: Oliver Laurier. The guy who stalked you when we first started working together. BRENNAN: He used to come to all my readings, follow me around afterwards. BOOTH: Well, it says here your publicist gives his picture to security guards at every signing. BRENNAN: Must by why I haven't seen him. BOOTH: I think it's time for me to go see what our buddy, Oliver, has been up to lately. (Cut to: Outside Olivers Apartment (#206). Booth is knocking on the door) BOOTH: Oliver. You home? OLIVER: (from inside) Who is it? BOOTH: Ah, it's an old friend. (Oliver opens the door a crack - the chain is still on - and he looks out) OLIVER: Special Agent Seeley Booth. You work with Dr. Brennan. Why are you here? BOOTH: Well, ya know. Someone loves Dr. Brennan's new book just a little, uh, too much. Ya know and such since you're such a big fan - (Oliver slams the door shut in his face) Oh. Okay. (he pounds on the door again.) You know what? Not a good idea, Oliver. OLIVER: Go away. BOOTH: Ugh. Alright. You know, this is probable cause. I'm gonna give you 5 seconds. Oliver! (As he counts, he starts to walk away) Five....Four.... OLIVER: I didn't do anything. BOOTH: (counting quickly) Three. Two. One.(then fires his gun at the door knob) Oh, my shrink is gonna be pissed. (he holsters his gun and kicks in the door, entering the apartment to find dolls hanging from the ceiling - wrapped in red tape - just like the murder victims were.) OLIVER: I didn't do anything. BOOTH: Of course you didn't. (he walks over and handcuffs Olive) Come on. Yup... OLIVER: Ow! BOOTH: Sick. (he leads him out of the apartment) Let's go. (Booth looks back at the hanging dolls one more time) ACT III (Cut to: FBI - Interrogation Room. Booth is interrogating Oliver.) OLIVER: It was just a game, kay? BOOTH: If it was just a game, why did you slam the door in my face? OLIVER: I'm not stupid. I heard about the murders and I knew you wouldn't understand CRP. BOOTH: CRP? OLIVER: Creative Role Playing. Sometimes I like to pretend. I act out scenes from my favorite books. BOOTH: Exactly how do these "games" of yours go, Oli? Do you ever get tired of playing with your little dolls? Maybe try acting it out on other people? OLIVER: Dr. Brennan's book signing is tonight. I wanted to see her again. BOOTH: Let's stay on point here, Oli. OLIVER: I am on point. I want to see Dr. Brennan. BOOTH: This isn't like going to see Santa. It's more like the principals office, you see. I'm in charge. I call the shots. OLIVER: Did you read Dr. Brennan's new book, Agent Booth? BOOTH: Why do you care? OLIVER: Merely wondering if you know how many victims are in it? BOOTH: What's this about, Oli? OLIVER: I wanna see Dr. Brennan. Santa. (Cut to - Medico Legal Lab - Brennan's Office. Angela is helping Brennan get ready for her book signing) BRENNAN: Sully asked Booth to double security for my book reading. ANGELA: Hot! BRENNAN: No. I don't need that kind of 'hot'. Being treated like a damsel in distress? ANGELA: Sully cares about you, honey. It's a good thing. BRENNAN: We've only been seeing each other for a month. You know, he doesn't know me - not really. ANGELA: And if he does he won't like you? BRENNAN: I've already given up too much to him. It's - (she hold up 2 earring) This one or this one? ANGELA: (she points to one) This one. BRENNAN: Okay. (she puts the earrings on) Most relationships end badly. I just think its important to - to be reasonable. To stay in control. ANGELA: (puts Brennan's necklace on) Don't use your brain so much, sweetie. You have other organs that can give you far more pleasure. BRENNAN: I'm just saying that the odds are not in favor of lasting relationships. (she turns back to face Angela) ANGELA: Look. It might end with Sully. Sure. But I don't think you want to rush the process. Look at Hodgins and I. We're running on s*x and laughing. The only thought comes when we order take out in bed. BRENNAN: And you're happy? ANGELA: Hey, we did it in the storage locker an hour ago...I am thrilled. (Brennan smiles) (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Autopsy Bay. Cam is examining a body. Brennan stands in the doorway.) BRENNAN: Cam? I have a book signing tonight. CAM: Oh, right. You think that's safe? BRENNAN: (enters) Well, there haven't been any threats on my life. CAM: No threats on these victims either. BRENNAN: Is that the soft tissue sample from the second victim? CAM: Sadie Keller. Found something irregular. Oxygen saturation levels in the blood were extremely low. I think she might have been unconscious before she was killed. BRENNAN: That would explain the lack of struggle but there was no skeletal evidence of a head injury. CAM: I know. My guess would be drug induced. I'm about to run a tox screen. The thing is - why would the killer render this victim unconscious? BRENNAN: Doesn't follow. Serial killers are consistent. (Hodgins enters) HODGINS: (to Brennan) Wow. New dress code? Cause I didn't get the memo. (Brennan pulls at her skirt) Okay. Sand I collected from the first victim..It's from feldspathic rock. BRENNAN: That's widely occurring, right? HODGINS: Right. 60% of the earths crust is composed of feldspar. CAM: So...this is no help to us. HODGINS: Actually, it is. These particles are way to finely graduated to have occurred naturally. (Brennan's phone starts to ring) This is manufactured sand. BRENNAN: (answering phone) Hi. Booth. CAM: Can we trace the manufacturer? HODGINS: I've requested samples from every quarry that distributes to the DC area - see if that narrows it down. BRENNAN: (into phone) Okay, I'll be right there. (she hangs up) HODGINS: (to Brennan) Hey. Be careful tonight. BRENNAN: I'm not going to the signing yet. Booth has a suspect. (she heads out) (Cut to: FBI - Observation Room. Booth, Sully & Brennan are watching Oliver sitting in the Interrogation Room) SULLY: Serial killers like to show off and boast about their crimes. (to Brennan) You might be able to get him to open up. BOOTH: (to Brennan) But you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. BRENNAN: What? I'm not afraid of him. BOOTH: I'm not saying that you are, I'm just saying - BRENNAN: I'll be back. (She walks past Booth and heads out the door to go into the Interrogation room) BOOTH: She'll be back. That means... Everything with you two, uh - (Sully motions for him to be quiet). You know what, never mind. (Cut to: FBI - Interrogation Room. Brennan is questioning Oliver.) OLIVER: Wow. It's like you dressed up just to see me again. BRENNAN: I can assure you, Oliver, that- that's not the case. OLIVER: But that's what it feels like. To me. BRENNAN: Did you kill those people, Oliver? OLIVER: I- I can't answer that yet. I wanna talk a while first. The dead bodies, is it true? Did they really get eaten, like in the book? BRENNAN: Yes. They did. OLIVER: Ah! I knew it. Some of the Brennanites were skeptical that the deaths were realistic, but I told them - (Cut to: FBI - Observation Room. Booth & Sully - watching Brennan & Oliver.) BOOTH: Did he say "Brennanites"? (Cut back to: FBI - Interrogation Room. Brennan is in with Oliver.) BRENNAN: Did you say "Brennanites"? OLIVER: Murder mystery chat room members. See, all chat room members have to identify themselves with their favorite author. I'm a Brennanite - of course. But there are also, uh, Patterstonians and Graftonadas. BRENNAN: Okay, Oliver, I understand. What did you tell them? OLIVER: That you couldn't make those things up. That everything you write is based in fact. It could really happen. BRENNAN: Oliver, I want to talk about the murders. OLIVER: You look - so beautiful. Maybe I could get a picture of us together... BRENNAN: The murders, Oliver. OLIVER: I know you just dismiss me as another fan but once you get to know me, you realize I'm an interesting man (he reaches his hand out to touch her cheek but she pulls away) BRENNAN: No touching, Oliver. (Cut to: FBI - Observation Room. Booth & Sully - watching Brennan & Oliver.) BOOTH: Okay, end of interview. SULLY: Seems like a good call. (Cut back to: FBI - Interrogation Room. Booth & Sully enter.) BOOTH: Let's go. (Booth goes over to Oliver while Sully goes by Brennan) OLIVER: No. We want to be alone. BOOTH: No, you blew your chance for that. Okay, you can sit in the cell 'til you're ready to talk. OLIVER: Wait, don't leave yet. Not yet. (He reaches for Brennan and she punches him in the nose) BOOTH: Okay.. OLIVER: Oh, my nose. BRENNAN: See? I can take care of myself. BOOTH: (to Sully - under his breath) Yeah, you better watch it, dude. OLIVER: Oh my god. There's so much - (he faints at the site of the blood) (Cut to: FBI - Booth's Office. Brennan, Sully and Booth are talking.) BOOTH: The guy faints at the sight of blood. BRENNAN: He has vasovagal syncope. SULLY: Wait, there's no way he's the killer. He just wanted your attention. BOOTH: Alright, so we're back to square one, alright. The uh, the book is the only connection to these murders. SULLY: It sold 400, 000 copies already. That's a pretty big pool of people to question. BRENNAN: I'm going to be late for my reading. SULLY: Wait, there's still potentially one more victim. I - I think you should cancel. BRENNAN: What? The - the killers not after me, Sully. If he is using the book that makes me the object of these actions not the target. I mean, you're the profiler, right? SULLY: I'm just trying to help. BRENNAN: What?! (Booth starts to back away slowly) You're making this - this personal! You got yourself assigned to this case just because of me! SULLY: Absolutely! What? You're gonna give me more crap because now because I care about you? BOOTH: Be over here making a few calls... (They both turn to him) SULLY: A little help, Booth. Do you think she should go alone? BOOTH: No, no. Not at all. But there seems to be other stuff going on here, I don't wanna get involved - BRENNAN: No. You agreed with him. You are involved. SULLY: Alright, so let Booth take you and that way it won't be personal between us. BRENNAN: Fine! SULLY: Fine. BRENNAN: Fine. SULLY: Fine. (they turn to both) BOOTH: Fine. (Cut to: Outside Landon & Mason Booksellers. Hank is waiting outside when Booth & Brennan arrive in Booth's car) HANK: Oh. My. God. Ellen is going to be so upset you didn't take the car. BRENNAN: No, it's okay. I wanted to go with Booth. You're not going to get in trouble. BOOTH: Man, you're shaking. Are you okay? HANK: Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's my fault. I'm diabetic and I have not have time to eat and Ellen's not here yet. BRENNAN: (to Booth) Wha- do you have any food? Candy? BOOTH: Yeah. I think I got a half eaten chocolate bar, caramel center (Brennan takes it) Wooow. BRENNAN: (she hands Hank the chocolate bar) Here. Eat. You - you need the sugar. Where- where is Ellen? HANK: I don't know. She went home two hours ago to change her clothes. Left me to handle everything. God, there was almost a riot over the seating arrangements... BOOTH: Well, did you call her? HANK: Who, Ellen? I can't. She left her blackberry, as usual, for me to answer so I would actually be calling myself. This is not like her, she's never late. BOOTH: Alight, look. I'll send a car by her place, check things out, alright? HANK: Thanks. I'll go in and get them ready for you. You can use the back entrance to avoid the nuts. Uh, um, the candy was a little linty, but thank you. BOOTH: Linty? BRENNAN: He - BOOTH: Linty. BRENNAN: He's diabetic. (Cut to: Back lot of Landon & Mason Booksellers. Booth is escorting Brennan through the parking lot.) BOOTH: Quite a line of people there. Lotta fans, Bones. (Booth notices someone approaching them and he turns around and pulls out his gun.) BOOTH: Alright. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it right there. FAN: Whoa. BOOTH: FBI. Hand in the air. FAN: I just wanted an autograph! (the guy is scared.) BOOTH: Kay, just wait 'til the Doc gets inside. Okay pal? (The fan turns and runs away) FAN: (while running) I'm sorry!! BRENNAN: Was that necessary? BOOTH: Just doing my job, okay Bones? Are you gonna come at me like you came at Sully? BRENNAN: What is that suppose to mean? BOOTH: Look, far be it for me to stick my nose into your bedroom but I've known Sully a long time and believe me, he's one of the good guys. BRENNAN: Well, I know Sully, Booth. BOOTH: And I know you. Alright, somebody gets too close, you just wanna push them away. BRENNAN: I think you're taking your therapy a little too serious... (she sees something in front of her that makes her stop talking) BOOTH: Maybe, maybe not. Come on, let's go. (He realizes that something caught her attention.) What? (he turns around and trail of ants) What the hell is that? BRENNAN: Oh. Booth. They're fire ants. Just like the book. BOOTH & BRENNAN: (in unison) The third body. BOOTH: Okay there is it, alright. BRENNAN: Careful, Booth. Don't let them get on you. (They follow the trail of fire ants to a shed. They open it and inside find a body, wrapped in red tape.) BOOTH: Ohhh. BRENNAN: Oh god. It's Ellen. ACT IV (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Forensics Platform. Hodgins & Zack are cleaning the ants off the body) HODGINS: You have to be careful with fire ants. They're extremely dangerous. ZACK: I think the victim would agree with you. (Brennan and Cam are approaching the platform) BRENNAN: I asked them to pull the book, but according to my contract, I don't have that right. CAM: I heard sales are increasing because of the murders. (they enter the platform area) BRENNAN: That's sick. These are real people, not characters. CAM: Just remember, at the end of your books, Kathy Reichs always gets the murderer. (to Hodgins) How long will this take? HODGINS: As long as it takes to get every last one of them. Introducing fire ants to the ecosystem around here would be extremely devastating. BRENNAN: What about the crime scene? It was covered. HODGINS: Yeah. I had to fight fire with fire or in this case, fire ants with fire. CAM: Meaning... HODGINS: Had to scotch it. Huge flame thrower. Dude, it was like Ghost Busters the way they all went up- CAM: We get the idea, thanks. BRENNAN: A bullet hole is visible now, around the C2 vertebrae. Close range. CAM: Each shot in a different part of the body. Very unusual for someone who executes his victims. (Cut to: FBI - Observation Room. Sully & Booth are talking.) SULLY: Data retrieval went through Ellen Laskow's blackberry. Found a text messaging address used once about 6 months ago. Former work number of Ashton Keller, Sadie Keller's husband. BOOTH: Oh, wait. Our 3rd victim knew our 2nd victims husband. SULLY: Well, Ashton Keller said his wife was fooling around, maybe Ashton was fooling around with Ellen. BOOTH: But he was a good looking young guy, she was a - scary publicist. SULLY: No accounting for taste. (Hank is lead into the interrogation room) BOOTH: Well, I'll uh, see what the publicist's assistant knows. They're always covering for their bosses, right? SULLY: Well, let's hope so. I'll look for any other connections between Ashton, Keller and our 1st victim. BOOTH: Okay. (he starts to head out to the interrogation room) SULLY: Hey, uh, how is Brennan holding up? BOOTH: Why don't you ask her yourself? SULLY: Um, I'm not sure she's exactly receptive right now. BOOTH: Listen. Don't let her bully you into leaving, man. Alright? SULLY: Yeah. (Booth leaves the room) (Cut to: FBI - Interrogation Room. Booth is talking to Hank.) HANK: I - I woke up this morning and picked up her cleaning like always. Stupid huh? I just - I can't get used to the fact that she's not here anymore. BOOTH: You need a candy bar or something? HANK: No, I'm okay. Thanks. So is it the same person who killed the other two? BOOTH: We don't know yet. HANK: When she didn't show up I should have driven back to get her- BOOTH: Was she, uh, having an affair? HANK: She had...lovers. Women. I don't know why she was so secretive in this day and age but I was the only person in the office who knew. BOOTH: Did she know Sadie Keller? HANK: The other victim? We're they - BOOTH: If you can think of anything that might connect them... HANK: Of course. I'll go through my old records and date books. BOOTH: Great. Thanks. (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab. Brennan is looking at pictures of a bullet) BRENNAN: The ridging along the edges is almost identical. ZACK: I'd say the 3rd bullet was definitely shot from the same barrel as the first two. HODGINS: Same glass cloth tape used on body #3. BRENNAN: So why are all the attacks different? (she goes over to the first set of remains) The first victim, Jim Lopada, shows signs of a physical attack before he was shot and look at the angle of the gun shot. CAM: Through the forehead, execution style. BRENNAN: And the second victim (she walks over to the second victims remains), Sadie Keller, shows absolutely no sign of struggle as if she were drugged. CAM: Well, the toxicology screen came back negative. ZACK: And the gunshot on this body was straight through the heart. HODGINS: Like the killer didn't want to see his victims face get blown off. BRENNAN: And Ellen was shot at close range in the back of the neck. CAM: I've never seen a pattern like that. BRENNAN: I don't think it is a pattern. I think there were three, separate killers. (Cut to: FBI Corridor. Booth and Sully are walking) SULLY: Any more leads off the third vic? BOOTH: Yeah, I'm working on it. Brennan called. The publicist took a shot to the back of the neck. She thinks we have three separate killers. SULLY: That's a hell of a coincidence. BOOTH: Or one hell of a conspiracy. You know, she sounded pretty certain and I trust her when she's all calm and relaxed. SULLY: Well, I'll remember that. Uh, so the text message. Uh, Ellen Laskow writes Ashton Keller, comes clean about her and Sadie. Ashton is enraged- BOOTH: No, it was Hank. SULLY: The assistant? What, what about him? BOOTH: He said that he always carried Ellen's blackberry. SULLY: So maybe it wasn't Ellen who knew Ashton. BOOTH: That's right. It was Hank. (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Hodgins Desk.) HODGINS: I found a quarry sample that matches the sand found on the first body. It was distributed by the Irving Company of West Virginia, used exclusively by country clubs nation wide. Only a few clubs in this area though so I've got a list. BRENNAN: Why do country clubs need sand? HODGINS: For golf courses. (Booth enters) BOOTH: Alright, Bones. You're right. We're dealing with three separate killers and somehow they all know each other and they're using your book to make it look like one person. BRENNAN: What are we talking about? BOOTH: Motive, Bones. Okay. Motive. Victim #1 was beating his wife, second victim left her money to her lazy ass husband.. BRENNAN: Victim three is Ellen who - seemed lonely, so... BOOTH: Bones? Don't try the psychological stuff. It's really not a pretty sight. HODGINS: Ellen was hated by Hank who was also next in line for her job. BOOTH: Heeey. Good work, Hodgins. HODGINS: Thanks. BRENNAN: So, are suspects agreed to kill for each other so they'd each have an alibi? BOOTH: All I need from you people is some proof, okay? HODGINS: Oh. Oh, is that all. BRENNAN: Wait. Sand. Didn't you say that Ashton Keller was a big golfer? BOOTH: Yeah, he plays 9 holes at least everyday at the uh, Rockville Country Club. (Hodgins searches he list to see if the club is listed as a recipient of the sand) HODGINS: Yup. Rockville Country Club. It is the only golf course in Maryland that gets their sand from Irving. BOOTH: Okay. So if Ashton killed Jim, that would mean Hank killed Sadie. What do we know about Hank? BRENNAN: Not much. Hard working, smart, diabeti-diabetic.That's it. (She runs off to find Cam) Cam! Cam! (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab - Autopsy Bay.) CAM: The killer injected Sadie with and excessive amount of insulin to render her unconscious. Being a diabetic, Hank would have easy access to insulin. BOOTH: Kay, well why didn't that show up in tox screen? BRENNAN: Because insulin is a naturally occurring substance in the body. We were only looking for analgesics and depressants. BOOTH: Yeah, okay. What about the third body? Ellen's? CAM: Taken the ants, did a great deal of damage to the epidermis, it's been difficult to get narrative of the injuries. (Cam picks up an ultraviolet light.) BOOTH: Kay. What's that? BRENNAN: Cam is going to examine the body with a reflective ultraviolet lens. See if that gives us anything. CAM: I filtered the lens so that it only allows UV wavelengths of less than 400 nanometers. That way we can see bruises and injury patters that are normally invisible. BOOTH: Kay, (his phone rings) you have fun with that. (he answers) Booth. BRENNAN: A long bruise there - as if the killer has his arm around her neck. CAM: And these marks on the arms - they look like hand prints. Like her killer grabbed her repeatedly all along her arms. BRENNAN: Hands. Wha - may I? BOOTH: (now off the phone) Well, Sully got confirmation of the connection between the killers. CAM: Which is? BOOTH: The Brennanite chat room that Oliver mentioned? The FBI tech squad traced the screen names. Greg Braley, Ashton Keller, Hank Beldon - they're all members. BRENNAN: Look. (she points the UV light on the arm) Syndactally, on the right hand. We can link Greg Braley to Ellen Laskow's death. CAM: All three murders. Each one linked forensically to one of the three suspects. Not bad. What are you waiting for, Booth? Go get the bad guys! BOOTH: That's a good idea. I'll be back. (Cut to: FBI - Corridor. Booth and Brennan walk the three suspects - Greg Braley, Ashton Keller, Hank Beldon - to the Interrogation room. They all sit looking at each other, knowing that their 'game' is over. Brennan & Booth look at them all sitting there and then walk away, closing the door behind them.) (Cut to: Medico Legal Lab. Brennan's office. Booth and Brennan are talking.) BOOTH: Tell ya something, alright? Sales of your book are gonna sky rocket after this. (Booth sits in a chair opposite Brennan) BRENNAN: The only problem is our ending is a lot better than the one I wrote in the book. BOOTH: What, are you kidding me? Huh? Kathy Reichs and the FBI guy in the back of the AMG? (they laugh) BRENNAN: The arrest. BOOTH: Oh, yeah. There's that. (Brennan sees Sully standing in the doorway of her office) BRENNAN: Sully. BOOTH: Yeah, you know you really should apologize. I mean, you were really ragging on the guy. He seemed a little frail. SULLY: Eh, I'm a lot strong than I look. BOOTH: Oh, you were - (Booth gets up and stands by the desk) Hey, Sul. SULLY: Hey. So, congratulations. You guys, make a great team. BOOTH: mmhmm. It's true. ( he looks at Brennan - she looks back at him) So true. BRENNAN: (to Sully) Thanks for your help. SULLY: Sure. (Sully and Brennan are lost in their own world and Booth seems a bit uncomfortable) BOOTH: You know, I should run. Bones, ya know, I - I got stuff. (Brennan continues to stay focused on Sully, not hearing a thing Booth is saying.) See ya at work, Sul? SULLY: Yeah, I'll see ya man. (Booth tries once more, unsuccessfully, to get Brennan attention and then leaves her office. Sully moves closer to where Brennan is sitting.) BRENNAN: I - (she stands up in front of him) I did feel responsible, Sully. Do. SULLY: And you thought if I saw you, vulnerable, needing me- that I'd run. BRENNAN: I've been alone my whole life. It's all I know. SULLY: Eh, don't worry. You'll learn fast. (Sully and Brennan kiss. As the scene fades out, we see Booth outside of Brennan's office talking to Hodgins. Hodgins walks away as Booth turns back, looking through her office window, and sees the two of them kissing. He appears to be dejected, drops the folder down on the nearest desk and heads out the door.) --END--
Bodies in the Book