Bones Episode 4.10 The Passenger in the Oven

ACT 1

On a flight to China, BRENNAN sleeps comfortably in her First Class seat. BOOTH, on the other hand, is trapped between two elderly ladies in Coach. NADINE SPRING uses Booth's shoulder as a pillow while CHARLOTTE HANOVER reads a mystery novel. She is so absorbed that she can barely break away to let Booth get up. When Booth mentions he is an FBI Agent, Charlotte is fascinated, wanting to discuss the "perfect murder" with him. Booth suggests they talk later as he squeezes out of his seat.

Booth makes his way through the aisle to the First Class Cabin. He comes across ELI BILBREY, a teenager stealing small bottles of liquor from the catering cart. Booth tells the underage drinker to hand over the goods. "This is American soil until we touch down in Shanghai." When Eli's father, ARTHUR BILBREY, intervenes, Booth covers for Eli but lets Eli know he'll be watching. No more booze.

Booth finds Brennan. He can't believe what Brennan receives as a First Class passenger: pajamas, slippers, a massager. Maybe that's why she decided to buy her own ticket. Booth attracts the attention of PURSER KATE MCNUTT. She tells him to return to his seat. Booth explains that he needs to be with Brennan. "Your sexual relationship's not relevant, sir, this is First Class." Booth pulls out his badge and tells Kate that Brennan will be helping the Chinese government identify forty thousand year old remains. "I must protect the proprietary American technology Dr. Brennan will be using. So it is my patriotic duty to be right next to her." Booth is disconcerted to learn how excited Brennan is to be getting back to her "real passion: prehistoric anthropological discoveries." Kate adds to his disappointment by telling him he still has to return to coach.

At the lab, the Squints prepare for a long weekend. SWEETS and Daisy plan to partake in competitive Karaoke while ANGELA and ROXIE will attend an artists' retreat. Hodgins will bike the Virginia Creeper Trail. CAM offers to drive Angela and Roxie to their train as a way to escape Sweets' Karaoke invitation. As the women head out, Hodgins stops Sweets. "What do you think?" he asks, gesturing to Roxie and Angela. Sweets replies to the question with the same question. In fact, he answers Hodgins with questions until Hodgins gives up and leaves.

Once again, Booth sits uncomfortably in Coach. He sneaks back to First Class and waits at the door until Kate goes downstairs. He slips inside, snatching another liquor bottle from Eli. Booth reaches Brennan. "Are you tired of working with me?" Brennan assures him that she is not, but she is a scientist first. She became an anthropologist to work with ancient remains. Booth is comforted. He dons an eye mask and turns on the massager. They both lay back to sleep, but a loud scream disturbs them. The partners run downstairs to the Lower Galley where Kate points to the oven, a baked body inside.

ACT 2

Brennan and Booth talk to CAPTAIN WAYNE BLAKE. Kate is in a state of shock. They discover that the victim is a passenger. Booth wants the pilot to turn the plane around but there isn't enough fuel. The next stop is China, whether they like it or not. No choice, Booth has to catch this killer before they land.

At the lab, the Squints file in one by one, their weekend cut short. Cam explains the situation. "A body was found roasted beyond recognition in a large convection microwave oven on Booth and Brennan's flight to China." Hodgins notices that Angela and Roxie only have one suitcase between them. Does that mean something?

In Coach, Booth asks Charlotte for a favor. Does she have a measuring tape and tweezers? Charlotte reacts immediately. "There's been a murder!" She gives Booth what he needs as well as a knitting needle and some advice. The knitting needle can be used as a probe and "everybody who's gone that way has come back so if the victim is a passenger he or she must be from First Class."

In the Lower Galley, Brennan snaps pictures of the cooked corpse. Angela speaks to Brennan via computer. Brennan will send them the pictures of the remains. Booth returns and presents Brennan with her tools. He notices that the phone is off the hook.

Booth confronts Captain Blake, Kate and FLIGHT ATTENDANT THERESA MING. Theresa was last to use the phone. She was calling her boyfriend. He works at the airport in Shanghai. Theresa made the call after dinner and there was no body in the oven at that time. Booth asks them to do a head count.

At the lab, Cam and Angela go over the details with Brennan. The victim appears to have red or brown hair and Hodgins notices that she had fake fingernails. This may give them something to go on.

Booth gives the description of the passenger to Kate and Theresa. Kate remembers a woman with fake nails in seat 3B. Her name is ELIZABETH JONES. Booth finds seat 3B empty and awakens the sleeping man in 3A. Booth asks him about Elizabeth but he doesn't remember anything. He took a sleeping pill and has been out the whole time. Arthur interrupts Booth to ask for quiet. His wife, ANN BILBREY, is sick and he wants her to rest. A drunk Eli intervenes, goofing off. Booth and Arthur are not amused but Ann is.

AUSA CAROLINE JULIAN joins the Squints at the lab. She discovers that the victim is a travel writer for D.C. Voyager magazine. Booth wants her to question Elizabeth's co-workers since he isn't there to do it himself. She can takes Sweets with her. Caroline is reluctant but she agrees. She tells Booth to make her "a damn fine solid case." The partners are feeling the pressure.

ACT 3

Brennan works with the skull in the Lower Galley. She needs a magnifying lens. Booth knows exactly where to go. Charlotte doesn't wear glasses so Booth borrows a pair from the sleeping Nadine.

In her office, Angela works with the digital photographs Brennan sent. Hodgins casually asks questions about Roxie. They find something reflective on the remains. Angela enhances the image and the Squints see fine metal shards in a waxy coating.

Brennan wears Nadine's glasses as she examines the body. Booth has a suggestion for her. "What I want you to do is take off your glasses, shake out your hair and say Mr. Booth, do you know what the penalty is for an overdue book?'" Brennan doesn't understand. She turns back to the skull. In order to find out what object hit the victim, she needs to make a mold. She sends Booth on the hunt for denture cream, baby powder and a butane lighter.

Charlotte doesn't wear dentures so Booth has Theresa wake the entire cabin. He announces what he needs. An elderly man hands over his denture cream and a young woman gives Booth her baby powder. Lighters are forbidden on the plane but when Booth can't find one, Theresa hands over hers.

Brennan makes her mold in the Lower Galley while Booth tries to convince her this is more fun than identifying ancient Chinese remains. She's not so sure. Cam appears on the screen of Brennan's laptop. She needs information about the tissue. "It looks as if there's a pinkish coloration. Is that correct?" Booth tells her is it. According to Cam, this means Elizabeth was alive when she was placed in the oven. She was cooked for nearly six and half-hours. Booth looks around the Lower Galley as Brennan takes tissue samples. He finds a match to Brennan's mold. Someone smashed the victim's head onto the metal latch of a catering cart. As the partners examine the cart, they find a band-aid on the floor. Could this belong to the murderer?

At the FBI, Sweets and Caroline question HOWARD KENDALL, Elizabeth's editor. He is saddened by the news of her death. Elizabeth had just finished an article about pilots that did not disclose drunk driving convictions to their employers and was taking a vacation to relax.

Back on the plane, Brennan searches for vodka to preserve the tissue samples. Booth approaches Eli, who has just what he needs. Booth tries to give the poor kid some advice. His mother is dying but he can still make her proud. Booth's satellite phone rings. It's Caroline. She's read Elizabeth's latest article and it names pilots with hidden DUI convictions. One of those pilots is Captain Blake.

ACT 4

Booth questions Captain Blake in the Cockpit. Captain Blake claims he has never heard of Elizabeth. He had no idea she was writing the article. He got his DUI on the day of his father's funeral. Those were extenuating circumstances but he's not proud of it. Booth asks Captain Blake to prove he didn't commit the murder. Slow the plane down and give them more time to solve the case. Captain Blake agrees. Booth gets an extra hour.

At the FBI, Sweets has more questions for Howard. With Caroline out of the room, Howard opens up. He wanted to sleep with Elizabeth but never did. She had plenty of affairs. Why not with him? Sweets needs a name. Howard only knows her relationship was with a married man named Artie.

Angela examines the picture of the band-aid when Hodgins enters her office. Together, they determine that the wearer's finger was bent more than 90 degrees. The two share a moment. They are great at working together and solving problems. Hodgins is going to leave but he has to say something about Roxie. Angela tells him that the relationship is real but that's not why she and Hodgins broke up. Hodgins leaves as Brennan calls Angela's name from her computer. She was fascinated by what they discovered from the band-aid and assures Angela she didn't really pay attention to the relationship stuff. Brennan now knows she is looking for someone with Trigger Finger.

Brennan addresses the Coach Cabin over the intercom. All her scientist speak confuses the passengers so Booth takes over. "Who would like a free signed copy of Dr. Brennan's new book?" Almost all the passengers raise their hands. Brennan walks around inspecting fingers while Booth keeps the crowd entertained. Brennan comes across NICK DEVITO, a passenger with severe Trigger Finger.

Outside the Cockpit, Booth questions Nick. He doesn't know Elizabeth Jones. Booth confers with Sweets via satellite phone. Sweets tells him that Howard has never heard of Nick Devito but he has heard of Artie. "He's married. His wife is sick and his kid is a pain in the ass." Booth sends Nick back to his seat. They have a new suspect: Arthur Bilbrey.

ACT 5

Booth approaches Arthur as he covers Eli with a blanket. Booth calls him on his relationship with Elizabeth. Arthur confesses that they were seeing each other but he told Elizabeth he wasn't going to leave his wife. Elizabeth followed them on their vacation. Arthur told her to stay away but he didn't kill her. Arthur is an attorney. His professional opinion is that Booth should look for the murderer elsewhere.

At the lab, Angela and Hodgins report to Brennan and Booth. The metal shards found on the body were "a chip of some kind, a SIM card from a phone," for example. Captain Blake interrupts. He was contacted by Shanghai International Airport. Theresa's boyfriend was just arrested for stealing credit card numbers from passengers on their flight. Was Theresa involved?

Theresa did give her boyfriend stolen credit card numbers but she didn't kill anyone. She heard someone coming after she passed on the information to her boyfriend so she hid in the aeronautics compartment. She couldn't hear anything but she saw the murderer's feet. The killer was wearing slippers, the ones given out in First Class.

Brennan realizes they can find the murderer from the blood on the killer's slippers. Booth knows they need an ALS light for that and they don't have one. Brennan can make one. Captain Blake comes by with news. They have to land in twenty minutes. The fuel is nearly gone.

ACT 6

Booth and Brennan work quickly to make an ALS light. Booth dismantles a movie projector and requisitions the blue lens. Brennan borrows yellow-tinted shooting glasses from Nick Devito. The pair comb through First Class looking for the culprit. Booth holds the light while Brennan does the squinting. She sees blood on Eli Bilbrey's slippers. He's passed out from drinking. Booth calls Caroline to get an arrest warrant. Eli's father comes to his defense. Caroline doesn't know if she should sign the warrant. Booth lays out the case for her. The victim was cheating with the murderer's father. Eli has blood on his slippers. He was drinking so much because he committed murder. Caroline doesn't think it's enough evidence. Booth turns to Bones. Help! Brennan grabs Eli's video game kit. One of the games is missing. "If this missing video game turns out to be the computer chip embedded in the victim's sternum" they have their case. Caroline signs the warrant and Booth places Eli under arrest just before the plane touches down. Everyone on board applauds and Brennan soaks in the attention until Booth tells her they are clapping for the pilot who landed the plane safely.

At the Founding Fathers Bar, Angela and Roxie have a drink. Angela tells her about the case. She is feeling down because the murderer was just a kid. Roxie comforts her and Angela asks Roxie to move in with her. Roxie is surprised. Angela has never asked anyone to live with her before. Roxie is flattered but she tells Angela she can't do it. It's too soon for both of them.

In First Class, Booth and Brennan indulge in some celebratory champagne while Eli is confined to Coach. They are the only three on the plane and they are flying right back to the US. Booth apologizes about Brennan's ancient remains. She won't get to help identify them. If it wasn't for him, she would never be involved crime solving. "As I recall, I had to force you to take me into the field," Brennan thinks aloud. She realizes her partnership with Booth is exactly what she wanted. From Coach, the inebriated Eli wonders if Booth and Brennan will make out. The duo smiles at each other. Not this time but, just for that, Eli can sit in Coach the entire ride home.