Gibbs watched with narrowed eyes as Tony and LaFiamma walked with Fornell and Sacks toward the interrogation rooms. While Gibbs was glad Tony didn’t have to be in with Fornell alone, he was decidedly disappointed Tony had made this plan without including him. It was further proof that he wasn’t the guy Tony relied on to watch his back.
Gibbs shook his head. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t Tony’s first choice, or if he was even in the room with him, he still had the younger man’s six. He wasn’t going to let him down.
“Ziva find out where the FBI’s hiding Jeanne Benoit.”
Ziva arched an eyebrow, clearly curious as to why Gibbs wanted to know where Jeanne Benoit was, but she didn’t ask. She simply nodded once, accepting the order and headed for her desk.
Gibbs knew the ‘woman scorned’ thing was plausible, but he wanted to hear from Dr. Benoit the real reason she was trying to frame Tony for murder. She was something of a victim herself in this mess, and Tony still cared about her, so Gibbs was prepared to be gentle when he questioned her. But when it came right down to it, his main intent was going to be getting her to confess her statement about Tony killing Rene Benoit was a lie. Proving Tony innocent was his top priority. It was, however, not the only thing on his list.
“McGee and Abby, track down Trent Kort.”
He and Tony had talked about how to keep the rest of the team and the agency from getting tarred and feathered by Shepard’s actions and Kort might well be the key to doing just that. With Rene Benoit dead, Kort was in a position to take over the entire operation and become the real man in charge rather than just being the power behind the throne. That should make the CIA ’s job a lot easier, especially when their pet gun runner had been looking to fly the coop and leave them high and dry. They owed NCIS a debt…if not for taking care of La Grenouille, then for Gibbs not putting a cap in Kort’s head for blowing up Tony’s car and letting them all think he was dead.
“And get him here.”
McGee blinked at him. “Ah…Boss…how do we�"“
Gibbs glared at him. He didn’t care of McGee brought Kort in cuffed and gagged as long at the CIA operative was brought to the Naval Yard where Gibbs could question him in private. Kort was no innocent bystander; he didn’t need to be handled with kid gloves.
McGee snapped his mouth shut and nodded, obviously reading Gibbs feelings on the matter from his expression. “On it, Boss.”
It was only after his team was busy that Gibbs headed after Tony. He was honestly surprised to find Lundy walking with him as he strode down the hall. He’d forgotten about the man. Until now, Gibbs hadn’t noticed how quiet or still Lundy could be. The man moved just as silently as Gibbs did.
“Why didn’t you go with Tony?”
“Because Joe’s the only one who has permission to sit in on the interrogation. And I doubt Special Agent Fornell would agree to let me watch from the observation room.” Lundy shrugged. “I figured it was better to wait for you. This is your house; you don’t have to ask for permission.”
“Damn right I don’t have to ask for permission,” Gibbs almost growled.
Gibbs glared at Sacks when the FBI agent looked like he might move to deny him access. He pretended not to notice the cheeky, wagging fingers wave Lundy gave to Sacks as he followed Gibbs into the observation room. Gibbs was sorely tempted to shut Lundy out of the room, but LaFiamma and Tony would not doubt fill him in. And he felt like he owed the man.
Even though, Fornell and Tony had been in the room for a few minutes Gibbs knew he hadn’t missed anything important. Tony had an infinite number of delaying tactics and using a few was almost standard operating procedure. Getting the team working without Fornell knowing about what they were doing or why had been part of the plan Gibbs and Tony had discussed on the plane. They both expected Fornell to be at the Naval Yard---albeit neither had really anticipated him showing up as quickly as he had, but they had talked about a worst case scenario. Gibbs now better understood why Tony had been so confident he could keep Fornell focused exclusively on him and that Gibbs would have all the time he needed to get the team working.
Gibbs stepped up to the glass, assessing the well lit room on the other side. Tony didn’t look agitated or concerned. LaFiamma’s expression was equally neutral, except for his eyes.
“Joe is even worse at poker than I am,” Lundy commented softly, tsking. “Eyes give him away ever time.”
“Controlling his temper going to be a problem?”
“Not unless losing it will work in his favor.” Lundy grinned at Gibbs’ skeptical expression. “He might come across as a hot head, but Joe’s not going to blow up with Tony counting on him.”
Gibbs nodded grimly. “He better not.”
“Like you can do anything in here until it was already done.” Lundy rolled his eyes. “You’d be closing the barn door after the horse got out.”
Gibbs’ jaw clenched. He really could hate this man so easily. Gibbs decided it was more productive to focus on what was going on in the other room.
“Cut the bullshit, DiNozzo.” Fornell was leaning forward in his chair. Gibbs didn’t have to see his expression to know he was glaring at Tony. “Just answer the damn question.”
“I’d been at NCIS long enough.” Tony calmly folded his hands in front of him not at all intimidated by Fornell’s display of anger. “It was time to look for greener pastures.”
Gibbs pursed his lips. It made sense that Fornell would start by wanting to now when Tony had left NCIS and why. The man really should do a better job with his research. Clearly his staff was no where near as thorough as Gibbs’ when it came to background and detail.
“Federal agent to cop is a bit of step down, isn’t it?” Fornell’s tone was not quite snide, but he was very close to it.
“Depends on who you ask.” Tony shrugged, smiling easily. “It’s not like anyone even knows what NCIS is half the time. As a cop, at least I don’t have to explain who I work for any more.”
“You could have transferred to another agency.”
That comment made Gibbs frown. It almost sounded like Fornell had offered Tony a job at some point. He couldn’t see Tony going to the FBI but then he never thought Tony would quit NCIS and his team either.
“I could have,” Tony agreed calmly, “I didn’t want to.”
From the way Fornell’s shoulders stiffened, Gibbs had an answer to his earlier musing. Fornell had offered Tony a job. And he’d turned it down. That almost made Gibbs smile.
“Looking for a change of scenery then?” Fornell asked, sarcasm rife in his tone.
Tony smiled again, but it was more forced this time. “Something like that.”
“And it’s just a coincidence that you left the area right after Rene Benoit’s death?”
Tony opened his mouth to answer, but LaFiamma laid a restraining hand on his arm. “When exactly did Mr. Benoit die?” LaFiamma asked calmly, forcing Fornell to shift his focus. “Gibbs didn’t supply any specifics when he said Tony would have to return to DC to speak with you.”
Nice cover, Gibbs thought. It wouldn’t do for Fornell to know just how much they already knew about the FBI’s case. Hopefully, they’d never find out about McGee hacking into their records or Lundy calling in favors.
Fornell snorted. “I’ll bet he didn’t.”
“Tony left DC just over three months ago.” LaFiamma leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on the table, ignoring Fornell’s comment with an ease Gibbs hadn’t thought he would be capable of. “You implied that Mr. Benoit died about the same time. Is that in fact the case?”
“I’ll be asking the questions here, LaFiamma.”
LaFiamma’s expression hardened. “I will remind you I am acting as Tony’s legal counsel. You can tell me now, or I will find out when you are forced to provide me with a full accounting of the evidence in this case courtesy of court order. The choice is yours, but if you don’t answer my question this interview is over.”
Fornell’s spine straightened. “I could charge him and lock him in a cell--"“
“You could, but it won’t change anything.” LaFiamma’s tone was mild. “You’ll still have to tell me what evidence you have. And Tony won’t talk to you without counsel.”
LaFiamma didn’t look smug, even though he had the right to. He was right. Gibbs knew it had to be pissing Fornell off. He’d let himself be maneuvered into a corner.
Lundy grinned, pride readily apparent in his expression and stance. “Joe might suck at poker, but he’s damn good at playing chicken.” He started to count slowly, and when he reached four, LaFiamma stood up, his hand on Tony’s shoulder.
“Time to go, Tony.”
“Sit down,” Fornell ordered.
“Then answer the question.” LaFiamma countered. “Or this discussion is over.”
Fornell huffed out a breath. “He died almost five months ago.”
“That’s more than a month before Tony left for Houston.” LaFiamma rolled his eyes, taking his seat again. “The man being dead and Tony’s leaving have nothing to do with one another.”
“The man’s daughter says differently,” Fornell snarled.
“Jeanne?” Tony did a good job of looking surprised. “What does she have to do with this?”
“You were dating her, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” Tony answered warily, eyeing Fornell.
“Even though she was just a means to an end…a way to get closer to her father, you fell in love with her. Didn’t you?” Fornell sneered, shaking his head. “Not the smartest move you’ve ever made, DiNozzo.”
That was a direct hit given the way Tony paled. Gibbs wanted to belt Fornell. It was below the belt and he was sure the FBI agent knew it. But Gibbs also felt a rush of pride when Tony didn’t respond immediately, but took a slow, deep breath obviously waiting until he was in control until answering.
“Yes, dating her was part of an undercover assignment.” Tony cleared his throat. “And it wasn’t smart, but yes, I fell in love with her.”
“You wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. Only natural. No one would fault you for trying to see to it she didn’t get hurt.” Fornell leaned forward. “But that wasn’t going to happen with dear old dad around, was it? His enemies already tried to kill her by blowing up your car.”
“Actually, I think it was the CIA who blew up my car.” Tony grimaced. “But given how easily they change allegiance, I suppose you could say La Grenouille’s enemies tried to kill his daughter by blowing up my car.”
“She was in danger, and you knew it,” Fornell stated quietly.
Tony closed his eyes, nodding. “La Grenouille went off the grid, and I thought she went with him. The last sighting we had of him said a young woman was with him. I thought he would keep her safe.”
“Damn hard for him to do that when he was already dead.”
“I didn’t know that.” Tony didn’t quite shout, but his voice was tight with anger.
Gibbs almost headed for the door, ready to toss Fornell out on his ass, but his better sense prevailed. He saw both Lundy and LaFiamma’s hands curl into fists. They clearly both felt the same way.
“Where did she go?” LaFiamma interjected, sounding far more in control than Gibbs expected given how much fury resided in his eyes. “If her father has been dead this long, how did she manage to stay under the radar until now? Why didn’t she come forward sooner?”
Those were questions Gibbs wouldn’t mind knowing the answer to as well. He was hoping to ask the woman herself.
“You don’t know where she went?” Fornell’s question was directed more to Tony than LaFiamma.
Tony shook his head. “Ziva and I went to Jeanne’s place when we realized she was the target, but she was already gone by then.”
“You didn’t try to find her?”
“No.” Tony swallowed hard, looking away.
Gibbs wondered if he felt guilty about not looking for her. He had no idea what Tony could have done to make things right, but he knew the younger man likely felt he should have tried. There was no guarantee she’d have even listened to anything he had to say. And he had every reason to think La Grenouille would keep Jeanne safe; her father had done so for years. But given how Tony still felt about her…it struck Gibbs as odd he hadn’t at least tried to track her down.
“Jeanne left Tony a note. Asked him to choose.” Lundy offered, somehow knowing Gibbs lacked that bit of information. “She said she wasn’t coming back and she wanted him to decide whether he would go with her or stay.” Brown eyes met blue. “Personally I don’t think either option, her or NCIS, was worth a tinker’s damn.”
Gibbs glared at Lundy. He met the fierce gaze without flinching.
“She went to Africa ,” Fornell said, drawing Gibbs attention away from Lundy and back to Tony. “She says she went there to help people and thought it would be a good place to hide.”
LaFiamma arched an eyebrow. “Guess she was right about the hiding part if it took you this long to find her.”
“The woman was going to work in a canoe, dodging hippos and crocodiles.” Fornell huffed out a breath in annoyance. “It wasn’t like paved roads and cell service were readily available.”
LaFiamma rolled his eyes. “So you located her and after her time in the wilds of the Dark Continent she’s got enough courage to come forward and tell you Tony murdered her father?”
“We promised to keep her safe.” Fornell’s chin came up and Gibbs didn’t have to see his face to know what expression the FBI agent was wearing.
“If Tony killed her father to keep her safe as you’ve suggested as his possible motive, then she was never in any danger from him to start with.” LaFiamma snorted. “And if it wasn’t Tony, then whoever did kill Mr. Benoit, if they still thought his daughter was a viable target, they would have taken her out long before now. It wouldn’t have mattered whether or not there was cell service or roads around to make the job easier. People willing and able to put a bomb in a federal agent’s car usually don’t give up easily. And if the FBI could find her, hell, anyone could.”
Gibbs could see a flush rising across the back of Fornell’s neck. He fought off a smile. Lundy just chuckled.
“Joe’s not real good at winning friends.”
“I can see that.”
“He’s hell on wheels in the bedroom though,” Lundy grinned. “I always figured it was a fair trade off. Might even put him one up.”
“Too much information,” Gibbs said with a smile, feeling oddly proud to know Lundy trusted him enough to toss out a teasing tidbit that only two days ago he never would have offered.
“I can understand why you’d need to investigate Miss Benoit’s claim that her father was murdered. It’s your job.” LaFiamma cocked his head to one side. “But just from the little you’ve told us, Special Agent Fornell, there isn’t much of a case here. The word of a jilted lover? Hardly damning testimony…unless there is some forensic evidence to back up her statement.”
“We have the gun he was killed with.”
“It’s not mine,” Tony declared flatly. “All my weapons are accounted for.”
“No, it isn’t yours,” Fornell admitted. “But you could have had access to it.”
“Could have? That’s hardly corroborating evidence. But it does mean the gun belonged to someone Tony knows or worked with.” LaFiamma eyed Fornell. “So what fish are you really looking to fry?”
“I think we are done here.” Fornell stood up. “For now.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” LaFiamma stood as well.
“I said we’re done,” Fornell all but snarled. He pointed a finger at Tony. “Don’t leave town.”
Tony blinked innocently back at him. “I’ll be around.”
LaFiamma muttered something in what sounded like Italian as Fornell stormed out of the room. Tony laughed softly, patting LaFiamma on the back. “Don’t worry, Joe, I’m pretty sure you’ll get a chance to do just that.”
“Sure as hell hope so,” LaFiamma grimaced. He looked at the mirror. “Lundy, you hear all that?”
Lundy tapped on the mirror twice. LaFiamma nodded. He and Tony headed for the door. Gibbs and Lundy met them in the hall.
“Let’s go get lunch,” Lundy suggested.
“You aren’t going to work the case?” Gibbs asked in surprise.
“What’s to work?” LaFiamma raised both eyebrows. “You’ve got your team on it, right? We gave you plenty of time to get them--"“
“Yes, they are working on it.” Gibbs snapped back at him.
“Well, there you go.” LaFiamma grinned. “Nothing for us to do until they take care of those loose ends.” He slapped Lundy on the back. “You’re buying.”
“Means I get to pick.”
“Shit,” LaFiamma cursed. “Tony tell me they don’t sell barbeque around here.”
Tony laughed. “They have everything around here.”
“Sweet.” Lundy bumped fists with Tony. He looked at Gibbs. “You coming with us, or are you planning on riding herd on your people?”
For a second Gibbs was torn. He should help his team…not that he normally made a habit of doing so, or at least he hadn’t when Tony was there. But he was leery of letting Tony out of his sight. There was no telling if LaFiamma and Lundy wouldn’t try to skip town with him. They had a private jet at their disposal after all, and Tony was under no real obligation to stay.
“I’ll go with you.”
Lundy held out his hand to LaFiamma, grinning. “Told you.”
LaFiamma grimaced and gave his partner a dollar. “Asshole.”
Gibbs thought he should be pissed that they’d obviously bet on what his decision would be. But he couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. They could have any bet they wanted, it didn’t affect his ultimate objective. He still hoped to convince Tony to come back to NCIS. And making sure Tony stayed where he could keep an eye on him was part and parcel to that.
“Let’s go.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony and Joe in with Fornell. Gibbs and Lundy watch.