Bones Episode 5.07 The Dwarf in the Dirt

At the Shooting Range, BOOTH trains his gun on an FBI QIT, firing several times. Yet, his shots are all over the target. Troubled, Booth pays a visit to SWEETS. Before divulging his problem, Booth wonders about their relationship. "What are you? FBI shrink? Friend? Objective observer?" Sweets explains that he works for the FBI. Booth leaves, in search of advice from someone impartial.

At the Crime Scene, BRENNAN notices her partner is preoccupied. Booth reveals that he must recertify as a marksman. What if he doesn't pass? Brennan suggests speaking to Sweets but Booth is against it. Sweets works for the FBI and might disclose his confidences to the Bureau.OFFICER NAVARRO tells the pair that the road collapsed due to a water main break. A small green skeleton was inside the resulting sinkhole. Though the victim is small in stature, Brennan notes he was in his late twenties. She locates a gold coin next to the remains. The water main suddenly begins to spray more water, creating a rainbow. Booth announces that the victim must be a Leprechaun. He makes a silent wish.

At the Lab, VINCENT NIGEL-MURRAY explains to CAM that their victim is not a Leprechaun. He suffers from Dwarfism. On scene at the sinkhole, HODGINS relays that the soil contains iron oxides and acidic groundwater that turned the bones green. It would take two to five months for the color to saturate the bone. Vincent mentions that the victim was likely dragged, as his shoulder was dislocated. Later, he shows Brennan a large number of remodeled fractures. Occupational markers indicate the victim was a wrestler.

In Angela's Office, Brennan and ANGELA review footage of professional midget wrestlers. Brennan spies a wrestler that could be the victim. Angela reveals his name: the Iron Leprechaun. He is supposedly alive and fighting tonight. Could Brennan be wrong?

In the Ookey Room, Hodgins reports to Cam that he recovered more gold coins, each worth hundreds of dollars. He also found a rusted .22 caliber gun. It is loaded and unfired.

Booth arrives at La Coupole to consult CHEF GORDON WYATT. Pleasantly surprised, Wyatt feeds his friend and listens to his laundry list of issues: Booth couldn't repair a pipe, he forgot about his Cocky belt buckle, he can't tell when suspects are lying and now he is a lousy shot. Wyatt agrees to observe Booth until he can discern the problem.

At The Wrestle Ring, Gordon and Brennan converse about Booth's "condition." Meanwhile, the IRON LEPRECHAUN fights BUMBLEBEE MAN. Brennan notices that the Iron Leprechaun on a poster is their victim, not the Iron Leprechaun in the ring. Brennan "boos" until the fake Iron Leprechaun loses the match. Booth approaches the wrestler, who fights back. When Booth easily takes him out, the crowd expresses their displeasure.

Wyatt finds Sweets in the Observation Room. Sweets knows that Booth asked Wyatt for advice. He details the changes in Booth since his brain tumor. For example, Booth holds his coffee in his left hand and leads with his right foot when climbing stairs. Wyatt applauds the meticulousness but Sweets credits Brennan with the observations.

In the Interrogation Room, the Iron Leprechaun reveals his real name: TODD MOORE. He took over for BRYCE DAFONTE three months ago. Todd is Canadian and ran from the FBI because he thought they might deport him. Todd points the finger at Gidget, the manager. She and Bryce were sleeping together. It didn't end well.

At The Wrestle Ring, Booth and Brennan confront GIDGET JONES. She thought Bryce quit his gig because they ended their relationship. He was torn up about it and suing her to get even. "You know men. Something goes wrong in the heart department, it always shows itself in another way." Bryce went to prison for assault during a robbery. Gidget reports that her gun went missing about the time Bryce did.

Wyatt and Sweets eat at the Diner. Wyatt believes that Booth did want help from Sweets but didn't want to put his friend in an awkward position. Sweets answers to the FBI and might have been forced to report Booth's problem. Yet, Booth knew Wyatt would consult with Sweets. He wanted Sweets to be involved.

At the Lab, Cam confirms that the victim is Bryce DaFonte. Vincent has found three small grooves, each on a separate rib. They all occurred before the victim turned green. Vincent will work to determine their cause.

At the FBI, Booth and Sweets meet with the victim's twin brother and sister-in-law. DEREK and NICOLE DAFONTE are both of average height. Derek and Bryce were never close. Bryce was jealous that his brother was normal-sized. Derek explains that Bryce testified against his cellmate in return for parole. Did that get him killed?

In the Interrogation Room, GEORGE ALANO faces Wyatt and Sweets. He shared a cell with Bryce for sixteen months and was released three months ago. Bryce testified against him because it was a scheme to get Bryce out early on parole. George knew Bryce was going to do it. Bryce needed to get out because his girlfriend wanted to break up with him.

Wyatt finds himself back at the Diner, this time with Angela. He wonders if she has noticed any behavioral changes in Booth. Angela thinks Booth is sad. He misses the dream he had while in the coma. He misses that life.

Hodgins confers with Booth at the sinkhole. There is a pedestrian underpass next to the sinkhole that was paved over. Hodgins believes the victim's body came from the underpass. He was small and could have fit. Hodgins indicates the end of the underpass. It stops right underneath Republic Gold Exchange.

Officer Navarro explains that Republic Gold Exchange was robbed three months ago. There was no sign of forced entry. Brennan spots a drain in the basement of the store. Bryce could have entered from this point. He was small enough and strong enough to dig his way through. Booth remarks that they only found eight coins with the body. Officer Navarro believes an accomplice could have taken the rest of the loot.

In the Bone Room, Brennan and Vincent labor to discover the origin of the rib nicks. If the victim were reaching up to his partner, the accomplice could have fired a gun on a downward angle. The bullet would have grazed the ribs and pierced Bryce's internal organs. He would have bled to death in minutes.

Sweets and Wyatt review Booth's brain scans at the Founding Fathers Bar. Wyatt doesn't believe Booth has brain damage. He asks about Sweets' book. "My book concludes that Brennan and Booth are in love with each other." Precisely what Wyatt believes. Yet, Booth cannot act on his feelings. Those frustrations are manifesting as an inability to hit a target. Sweets wonders if he has a right to publish his book and make the relationship between Brennan and Booth public. Wyatt can't help. After all, he's only a chef.

At the FBI, Sweets interrogates Gidget. Sweets theorizes that the gun found in the sinkhole belongs to Gidget. She gave it to Bryce because she was worried about his safety. Sweets presses her until she reveals that Bryce broke up with her for someone else. He said she wasn't "enough woman."

After the Interrogation, Sweets and Wyatt are very excited. Gidget said she wasn't "enough woman." Bryce was involved with a normal-sized individual. According to cell phone records, Bryce only spoke to Gidget and Derek but Derek said he and Bryce weren't close. Bryce was really speaking to Nicole.

Booth stands with Nicole at the sinkhole. He shows her how Bryce spent his last moments, lugging his weight in gold coins. Booth believes Bryce did it for Nicole. She admits that they have been together since high school. She wrote to him in prison and told him they had to end it. Bryce wouldn't listen. He thought that if he could be a better provider than his brother, Nicole would choose him. Booth does not go easy on her. One brother died for her and the other is suffering because she loves another man.

Brennan finds Hodgins in the Ookey Room. He has been unable to find the bullet in the rubble, but he did find the victim's high school wrestling ring. Brennan takes a look. It isn't the victim's ring. It would have been too small for his fingers. However, it does belong to someone who went to the same high school and was average-sized.

At the FBI, Booth and Brennan wait for Nicole and Derek. They confront Derek with his ring. "When you shot your brother, the force partially dislocated his shoulder, while the bullet traveled through the torso in a fatal trajectory, grazing three ribs." Nicole is shocked that Derek was the accomplice. Derek tells her she knows the reason he killed his brother.

Booth describes the outcome of the case for Wyatt at La Coupole. He wonders about the solution to his problem. Wyatt tells him his brain tumor has nothing to do with his marksmanship. He is in love with Brennan. Booth glosses over the truth. He and his partner aren't compatible. Wyatt suggests Booth invite Brennan to his recertification. Booth won't fail in front of the woman he loves.

At the Shooting Range, Booth fires at his target, hitting it right where he should. His aim is perfect. Brennan gives Booth a thumbs up. Booth smiles. All is mostly right with the world.