The Bullet in the Brain is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of Bones
Summary
The episode opens with the Gravedigger being transported to court. Sweets rides with the serial killer in the back of an armored police van. She mercilessly taunts him, calling him the "weakest link in the chain." Sweets appears to take the words to heart. Moments later, the Gravedigger is escorted from the vehicle. Booth spots James Kent in the crowd -- the father of two of the Gravedigger's victims. Suddenly, a shot rings out. The Gravedigger's head explodes. A sniper! But shooting from where?
Back the Jeffersonian, Camille extracts the bullet from the skull fragments. It's a big one from a very powerful rifle. Good thing Wendell is there to help put said skull back together. "There's a long list of people who wanted this woman killed," Caroline observes. "And you know who leaps to my mind? Dr. Brennan's father." Booth is skeptical, but agrees to put Max "on the list." Sweets, meanwhile, listens to a recording of the Gravedigger taunting him (he was apparently taping during the van ride). The words of the dead woman clearly bother him more than he dares to admit.
Later, Bones asks Angela if she thinks Max might be responsible. "Heather Taffet was headed to an appeal," Bones says. "My father would never let her go free out of concern for my safety." Angela assures Bones her dad wasn't the killer. Later, Booth calls in James Kent for questioning. He admits to feeling pretty good about the Gravedigger being killed. "This woman buried my children alive," Kent says. He then hands Booth the video camera he was using outside the courthouse. Later, Booth watches the video, determining the shot came from the southwest -- and from very, very far away. Bones then presents a photo of the recreated bullet. Booth immediately identifies it as a handmade job. "This was a professional hit," he concludes.
Cut to the Jeffersonian, where Angela uses her magic computer to recreate the crime scene. "I don't think Max could make this shot," Angela says. "I think Booth should take him off the list." Speak of the devil, Max waltzes into the office. Later, Max and his daughter have coffee. Dad asks whether Bones is romantically involved with Booth. "I just always thought you and Booth would get over the nonsense and settle down," he says. Obviously uncomfortable -- and sad -- Bones suggests they drop the subject. Max then presents receipts for a recent trip to New Hampshire as an alibi.
Later, B&B head to the courthouse and notice a law office is located just about where the kill shot originated. Turns out a man who works in the office as a paralegal is also an accomplished marksman. The man used to be a lawyer, but "Taffet had gotten him disbarred," Booth explains. Sounds like a worthy suspect. Yet Booth almost immediately dismisses the man when he is brought in for questioning. The former lawyer is far too nervous to have made such a precision shot. Camille and Angelia, meanwhile, use police microphones to pinpoint the spot of the shooter. "I think I can get an address," Angela says. Moments later, B&B head to the apartment belonging to a young woman.
Inside the apartment, Booth finds marks on the floor. He theorizes the table was dragged toward the table. Booth recreates the scene by lying on the table and aiming with the sniper rifle. Bones suggests the sniper community is so small that Booth probably knows the killer. He agrees. They then discover the bathtub has been covered in a tarp. Uh oh. Booth pulls back the tarp, revealing a decomposing body.
Later, Sweets sits in his car in an underground parking garage replaying the tape of the Gravedigger calling Sweets the "weakest link in the chain." Hodgins interrupts. He needs Sweets' "professional opinion." Hodgins tells Sweets he is thrilled the Gravedigger is dead. "Do you believe that Heather Taffet got what she deserved?" Sweets asks. Hodgins responds with a resounding "yes." The man is happy. Sweets, meanwhile, doesn't look so convinced. He remains shaken by the Gravedigger's words.
Cut to Booth's office, where he has narrowed the list of capable snipers to six men -- all of which he knows personally. Caroline, in the meantime, visits Sweets. She notices the boy wonder can't get the Gravedigger's words out of his head. "I've never been so scared," Caroline says of the Gravedigger's death. "I messed myself." The very personal confession gives Sweets' strength. "It's over," Caroline concludes. "She can't get to any of us anymore." Sweets appears to demonstrate a renewed strength. Thanks, Caroline.
Bones, meanwhile, theorizes the sniper was ambidextrous and the killed the woman in the apartment with an Army grade hunting knife. Booth's eyes light up at the news. He immediately grabs one picture from the lineup of six. "William Preston," Booth declares. Cut to the interrogation room, where Preston (Matthew John Armstrong) says he has an alibi. "I was on assignment," he said. "We both know who did this." Booth bristles at the suggestion Jacob Broadsky could have been the killer. Apparently, Jacob was a mentor to Booth. Preston presses, though, suggesting Broadsky might not be fully retired.
Caroline does a little searching and discovers Broadsky goes by an alias. That alias opened a bank account just the other day -- and deposited $2 million. James Kent, father of two of the Gravedigger's victims, recently withdrew the same amount from his account. "Two million dollars is the ransom she wanted for his boys," Booth says. Moments later, Kent sits in the interrogation room. Booth explains an innocent woman was killed for access to her apartment ... then soaked in lye. Kent admits to being called by a man who offered to kill the Gravedigger for money. Kent, believing he was doing society a favor, agreed to fork over $2 million. "The Gravedigger killed my two sons," Kent explains. "I paid him. I was happy to."
Later, the team discovers Jacob Broadsky recently bought land under another assumed name: Seeley Booth. "This is between me and him," Booth growls. So Booth drives out to the overgrown plot of land -- and is confronted by Broadsky. "It's good to see you," Broadsky says with a smile. "You can't do anything without a warrant." Booth explains he doesn't need a warrant. Why? "This land belongs to Seeley Booth!" Broadsky RUNS -- and Booth gives chase. As the pair passes a trailer, Broadsky sets off an explosion. The trailer is blown to pieces, destroying any evidence inside. Booth then pulls a gun on Broadsky, who urges the FBI agent to shoot. "You never could go for the kill -- not if there was ever any doubt," says Broadsky, who claims to be innocent. Sure enough, Booth doesn't shoot --and Broadsky disappears in to the woods.
Cast
Main Cast
- Temperance Brennan - Emily Deschanel
- Seeley Booth - David Boreanaz
- Jack Hodgins - T.J Thyne
- Angela Montenegro - Michaela Conlin
- Camille Saroyan - Tamara Taylor
- Lance Sweets - John Francis Daley
Intern of the Week
Guest Cast
- Max Keenan - Ryan O'Neal
- Caroline Julian - Patricia Belcher
- Heather Taffet - Diedre Lovejoy
- Jacob Broadsky - Arnold Vosloo
- James Kent - James McDonnell
- William Preston - Matthew John Armstrong
- Harvey Morster
Notes
- Heather Taffet said that she was not the only one responsible. Which would suggest she most likely had an unknown accomplice helping her.
I don't know what that means
Quotes
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