Part 1
Booth and Bones were driving along a rural and were discussing their current case. Bones was having a problem understanding why the urgent need to drive all this way just to ask a few questions.
“Booth we could have just called and asked the questions.”
“Bones we need to onyesha them the pictures and wewe can’t do that kwa phone.”
“Well then why not do it kwa email?”
“Bones this is an old pastor and his elderly wife. When I called them they mentioned that they have some additional information about our suspect. They alisema we would have to come to their church because there was no way they could send it to us.”
“Booth did they say what it was.”
“No but the pastor’s wife alisema that there was something peculiar about our person of interest.”
“I still would rather not have had to come all this way.”
“What is it Bones? Do wewe have a tarehe au something?”
“Well yes Booth, Andrew has asked me to chajio, chakula cha jioni tonight and I don’t want to be late getting back to DC.”
With the mention of this tarehe with his boss, Booth squirmed a little in his car kiti, kiti cha and set his gaze on the road. He alisema nothing zaidi for the rest of the trip.
As they turned onto the drive to the house, they noted the small church across the road. They were greeted at the door kwa a small older woman who greeted them with a pleasant smile and an offer of coffee au tea. Booth introduced himself and Bones to the woman and she alisema that she was Mrs. Edith Benson but just call her Eddie. She explained that her husband Pastor Norman Benson is at the church but he will be back in a few dakika and to please make yourself at home.
Booth and Bones sat down in the small but cozy living room. A few dakika later Pastor Benson entered, he was an elderly man with a slight limp in his step. He had a face that showed the years and his head was covered with thinning hair the color of snow. Booth introduced himself as Agent Seeley Booth from the FBI and his partner Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian. He also gave the pastor his card. The pastor shook Booth’s hand firmly, but Booth made sure not to grab his hand too firmly as he did appear a little frail. His wife was just coming back into the room with a tray of kuki, vidakuzi and coffee. As she set the tray down, she turned to her husband and explained. “Norman, these are the people I told wewe about.”
Norman looked at Booth and Brennan and said. “This is an important step in your lives, but I can tell that the two of wewe are very much committed to each other. I performed over ten thousand marriages and I look at each one as a unique and special event.”
Edie interrupted. “No Norman these people are here to ask about Simon Compton. wewe know who I mean.”
As the name was sinking in, the pastor said. “I’m sorry I thought wewe two were here to get married.”
As the pastor alisema this, Booth glanced over at Bones. She was just looking at the pastor and her mouth was just about to utter something when Booth quickly stated. “No we came to ask wewe some maswali about Simon Compton. I understand that he married his last wife here. Is there anything wewe can tell us about her?”
Norman: “Nothing unusual but each of his brides were quiet and shy.”
Booth: “Each of his brides? How many times did he get married here?”
Brennan: “You mean that he has married zaidi than once.”
Norman: “Well yes the last one was number twelve.”
Eddie: “Oh, Norman wewe seem to forget so many things lately.”
Brennan: “So he did not get married twelve times then.”
Eddie: “No, he got married fourteen times.”
Brennan: “I don’t understand, this man married fourteen women. That’s illegal.”
Eddie: “Oh no my dear, he did not marry them all at once. He married them one at a time.”
Booth: “So he has married before. Do wewe know what has happened to each au any of his brides?”
Eddie: “Well yes, they all have passed away rather suddenly.”
Booth and Brennan looked at each other with this news. There is something zaidi to this case and now instead of one victim there may be zaidi but how are they going to find out about these women. It was as if they could read each other’s mind.
Booth turned to the pastor and asked. “How did wewe know they died?”
Norman looked at Booth as if he was just seeing him for the first time. “Who died?”
Brennan: “We are asking about the awali wives of Simon Compton.”
Norman: “Oh yes, Simon has had such bad luck. He always likes to get married in our church. Did Simon tell wewe about our church and is that why wewe two are here today? It is such a quiet church to be married in and some of our couples come back to reaffirm their vows.”
Eddie: “Please just go along with Norman, he sometimes forgets that not everyone who comes here is ready to get married yet. But I must admit that the two of wewe are a perfect couple.”
Booth who was getting uneasy asked. “How did wewe know what happened to Simon’s other wives?”
Eddie: “Well Simon when he comes here with his new bride brings along a copy of the death certificate of his awali wife. We would not perform the ceremony otherwise.”
Norman: “Have either of wewe been married before?”
Booth realized it was better to give the answer than to explain again why they are there said. “No.”
Brennan answered. “No I have never been married. I don’t believe in getting married to prove one’s commitment.”
Norman: “Yes marriage is a commitment and a very serious one. If the two of wewe will excuse me for a minute, I just have to do a little paperwork.” With that the pastor left the room.
Booth watched as the pastor left and then he turned his attention back to the pastor’s wife.
Eddie: “Norman sometimes losses his train of thought lately which is why we will be retiring inayofuata mwezi and moving closer to our children.”
Brennan: “You alisema that wewe ask for a copy of the death certificates. Did wewe keep any copies?”
Eddie: “Of course I kept copies. I try to keep accurate records and if the two of wewe will come to our office in the church. I will onyesha you.”
Booth and Brennan then followed her to the church to visit the office. The pastor was already there sitting at an old rolled juu dawati doing some paperwork. He looked up as he saw them enter. He alisema to his wife as she entered the room. “Eddie I’m just getting the paperwork ready and I will just be a few minutes.”
She answered. “Take your time; I am just getting the copies of the marriage and death certificates on the wives of Simon.”
Eddie then turned to an old file cabinet and produced a thick folder which she handed to them. Brennan opened the folder and saw that each marriage certificate was matched to a death certificate. They were all in tarehe order. Booth was looking over Brennan’s shoulder as she looked through the file. Booth asked. “Can we take this file?”
Norman looked at Booth and said. “You can take the file, but I do need both of your signatures on this form right now, if wewe don’t mind.”
Booth went over to the dawati where the pastor was sitting and was about to look at the paper the pastor wanted him to sign when Bones uttered. “Booth most of these women died of the same problem as our victim.” Booth looked at Bones when she alisema this and paid little attention to the form the pastor had him sign. He was zaidi interest in what Bones had said. Booth then went and took the file as Brennan went to sign. She just signed and barely glanced at the paper as Booth had already signed. The pastor made some zaidi notations on the paper they had both signed and turned to them asking. “Have wewe two thought this action through clearly?”
Booth and Brennan both looked at the pastor wondering what he was talking about when Eddie said. “Norman they know exactly what they are doing.”
Eddie then turned to Booth and Brennan and asked if there was anything else they needed.
Brennan couldn’t help but say. “The only thing that would help is if wewe knew where each of these wives is buried.”
Eddie: “Oh that’s easy they are all buried here.”
Booth got that expression of being pleasantly surprised when Eddie alisema this.
Bone: “Can wewe please onyesha us the gravesites?”
Eddie: “Well not all of them were put in the ground. Simon paid to have us build a tomb under the church for his wives because he wanted them to be close kwa when he remarried. I always thought it was unusual but he alisema that each of his wives had wanted him to remarry.”
Bones: “May we see this tomb.”
Eddie: “Of course.” She then turned to her husband and said. “Are wewe going to be much longer here?”
Norman: “No I’ll be out at the altar in a few minutes.”
Eddie then escorted Booth and Bones beneath the church to the underground tomb. Booth stood aside with Eddie while Bones looked over each of the coffins. She was about to open them when Booth made a noise in his throat. Bones looked at Booth. Booth: “Bones let’s get a court order to examine the bodies. We don’t need to have anything we find thrown out of court.”
Bones: “You’re right.”
Eddie could not help but hear them call each other Booth and Bones. She had to ask. “Have wewe worked together long?”
Bones answered. “We have been partners for five years.”
Eddie: “That is longer than some marriages today. Are wewe two planning on being partners for a long time?”
Booth: “I cannot imagine what it would be like to have another partner.”
Bones: “If I could not be with Agent Booth, I would rather be alone.”
Eddie: “If wewe have seen enough perhaps we should leave.”
Booth and Bones were driving along a rural and were discussing their current case. Bones was having a problem understanding why the urgent need to drive all this way just to ask a few questions.
“Booth we could have just called and asked the questions.”
“Bones we need to onyesha them the pictures and wewe can’t do that kwa phone.”
“Well then why not do it kwa email?”
“Bones this is an old pastor and his elderly wife. When I called them they mentioned that they have some additional information about our suspect. They alisema we would have to come to their church because there was no way they could send it to us.”
“Booth did they say what it was.”
“No but the pastor’s wife alisema that there was something peculiar about our person of interest.”
“I still would rather not have had to come all this way.”
“What is it Bones? Do wewe have a tarehe au something?”
“Well yes Booth, Andrew has asked me to chajio, chakula cha jioni tonight and I don’t want to be late getting back to DC.”
With the mention of this tarehe with his boss, Booth squirmed a little in his car kiti, kiti cha and set his gaze on the road. He alisema nothing zaidi for the rest of the trip.
As they turned onto the drive to the house, they noted the small church across the road. They were greeted at the door kwa a small older woman who greeted them with a pleasant smile and an offer of coffee au tea. Booth introduced himself and Bones to the woman and she alisema that she was Mrs. Edith Benson but just call her Eddie. She explained that her husband Pastor Norman Benson is at the church but he will be back in a few dakika and to please make yourself at home.
Booth and Bones sat down in the small but cozy living room. A few dakika later Pastor Benson entered, he was an elderly man with a slight limp in his step. He had a face that showed the years and his head was covered with thinning hair the color of snow. Booth introduced himself as Agent Seeley Booth from the FBI and his partner Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian. He also gave the pastor his card. The pastor shook Booth’s hand firmly, but Booth made sure not to grab his hand too firmly as he did appear a little frail. His wife was just coming back into the room with a tray of kuki, vidakuzi and coffee. As she set the tray down, she turned to her husband and explained. “Norman, these are the people I told wewe about.”
Norman looked at Booth and Brennan and said. “This is an important step in your lives, but I can tell that the two of wewe are very much committed to each other. I performed over ten thousand marriages and I look at each one as a unique and special event.”
Edie interrupted. “No Norman these people are here to ask about Simon Compton. wewe know who I mean.”
As the name was sinking in, the pastor said. “I’m sorry I thought wewe two were here to get married.”
As the pastor alisema this, Booth glanced over at Bones. She was just looking at the pastor and her mouth was just about to utter something when Booth quickly stated. “No we came to ask wewe some maswali about Simon Compton. I understand that he married his last wife here. Is there anything wewe can tell us about her?”
Norman: “Nothing unusual but each of his brides were quiet and shy.”
Booth: “Each of his brides? How many times did he get married here?”
Brennan: “You mean that he has married zaidi than once.”
Norman: “Well yes the last one was number twelve.”
Eddie: “Oh, Norman wewe seem to forget so many things lately.”
Brennan: “So he did not get married twelve times then.”
Eddie: “No, he got married fourteen times.”
Brennan: “I don’t understand, this man married fourteen women. That’s illegal.”
Eddie: “Oh no my dear, he did not marry them all at once. He married them one at a time.”
Booth: “So he has married before. Do wewe know what has happened to each au any of his brides?”
Eddie: “Well yes, they all have passed away rather suddenly.”
Booth and Brennan looked at each other with this news. There is something zaidi to this case and now instead of one victim there may be zaidi but how are they going to find out about these women. It was as if they could read each other’s mind.
Booth turned to the pastor and asked. “How did wewe know they died?”
Norman looked at Booth as if he was just seeing him for the first time. “Who died?”
Brennan: “We are asking about the awali wives of Simon Compton.”
Norman: “Oh yes, Simon has had such bad luck. He always likes to get married in our church. Did Simon tell wewe about our church and is that why wewe two are here today? It is such a quiet church to be married in and some of our couples come back to reaffirm their vows.”
Eddie: “Please just go along with Norman, he sometimes forgets that not everyone who comes here is ready to get married yet. But I must admit that the two of wewe are a perfect couple.”
Booth who was getting uneasy asked. “How did wewe know what happened to Simon’s other wives?”
Eddie: “Well Simon when he comes here with his new bride brings along a copy of the death certificate of his awali wife. We would not perform the ceremony otherwise.”
Norman: “Have either of wewe been married before?”
Booth realized it was better to give the answer than to explain again why they are there said. “No.”
Brennan answered. “No I have never been married. I don’t believe in getting married to prove one’s commitment.”
Norman: “Yes marriage is a commitment and a very serious one. If the two of wewe will excuse me for a minute, I just have to do a little paperwork.” With that the pastor left the room.
Booth watched as the pastor left and then he turned his attention back to the pastor’s wife.
Eddie: “Norman sometimes losses his train of thought lately which is why we will be retiring inayofuata mwezi and moving closer to our children.”
Brennan: “You alisema that wewe ask for a copy of the death certificates. Did wewe keep any copies?”
Eddie: “Of course I kept copies. I try to keep accurate records and if the two of wewe will come to our office in the church. I will onyesha you.”
Booth and Brennan then followed her to the church to visit the office. The pastor was already there sitting at an old rolled juu dawati doing some paperwork. He looked up as he saw them enter. He alisema to his wife as she entered the room. “Eddie I’m just getting the paperwork ready and I will just be a few minutes.”
She answered. “Take your time; I am just getting the copies of the marriage and death certificates on the wives of Simon.”
Eddie then turned to an old file cabinet and produced a thick folder which she handed to them. Brennan opened the folder and saw that each marriage certificate was matched to a death certificate. They were all in tarehe order. Booth was looking over Brennan’s shoulder as she looked through the file. Booth asked. “Can we take this file?”
Norman looked at Booth and said. “You can take the file, but I do need both of your signatures on this form right now, if wewe don’t mind.”
Booth went over to the dawati where the pastor was sitting and was about to look at the paper the pastor wanted him to sign when Bones uttered. “Booth most of these women died of the same problem as our victim.” Booth looked at Bones when she alisema this and paid little attention to the form the pastor had him sign. He was zaidi interest in what Bones had said. Booth then went and took the file as Brennan went to sign. She just signed and barely glanced at the paper as Booth had already signed. The pastor made some zaidi notations on the paper they had both signed and turned to them asking. “Have wewe two thought this action through clearly?”
Booth and Brennan both looked at the pastor wondering what he was talking about when Eddie said. “Norman they know exactly what they are doing.”
Eddie then turned to Booth and Brennan and asked if there was anything else they needed.
Brennan couldn’t help but say. “The only thing that would help is if wewe knew where each of these wives is buried.”
Eddie: “Oh that’s easy they are all buried here.”
Booth got that expression of being pleasantly surprised when Eddie alisema this.
Bone: “Can wewe please onyesha us the gravesites?”
Eddie: “Well not all of them were put in the ground. Simon paid to have us build a tomb under the church for his wives because he wanted them to be close kwa when he remarried. I always thought it was unusual but he alisema that each of his wives had wanted him to remarry.”
Bones: “May we see this tomb.”
Eddie: “Of course.” She then turned to her husband and said. “Are wewe going to be much longer here?”
Norman: “No I’ll be out at the altar in a few minutes.”
Eddie then escorted Booth and Bones beneath the church to the underground tomb. Booth stood aside with Eddie while Bones looked over each of the coffins. She was about to open them when Booth made a noise in his throat. Bones looked at Booth. Booth: “Bones let’s get a court order to examine the bodies. We don’t need to have anything we find thrown out of court.”
Bones: “You’re right.”
Eddie could not help but hear them call each other Booth and Bones. She had to ask. “Have wewe worked together long?”
Bones answered. “We have been partners for five years.”
Eddie: “That is longer than some marriages today. Are wewe two planning on being partners for a long time?”
Booth: “I cannot imagine what it would be like to have another partner.”
Bones: “If I could not be with Agent Booth, I would rather be alone.”
Eddie: “If wewe have seen enough perhaps we should leave.”