Before Tony finishes composing his thoughts McGee hurries into the bullpen, “Boss, I think I know why she did it. Her younger sister was beaten and robbed in a hotel room in Detroit. The Detroit PD decided it must have been an inside job because the girl‘s attacker used a key card to access the room. They cleared all the members of staff at the hotel. Sidle insisted there were other ways to breach those locks but her concerns were dismissed.”
“Any details on her theory?”
“Detroit PD didn’t put enough stock in it to take her statement.”
“I think I can help with that Boss. Sidle believes they encoded their own keys after hacking into the hotel’s computer system. She was pushing her company to safe guard against it. When the company refused to fund the project she had the breakdown that led to her leaving her job. Livingston spoke on her behalf but just like the police Oberon dismissed such a breech as a viable criminal tactic.”
“Okay, she’s out to prove there’s a security weakness in the key card system,” McGee posits evenly. “But why kill him? If they robbed him using key cards they made themselves the weakness is just as exposed.”
“Not necessarily,” Tony begins dialing even as he speaks. “If they committed a few robberies and no one made the connection they might escalate to murder just to make someone pay attention. I mean why else would Livingston register under his own name if they didn’t want us to know who did this?”
“I don’t know Tony, that seems a little far fetched. I mean if it was just Sidle I could see it, her sister was brutalized, but why would Livingston go along with it when it went beyond simple thefts? I mean you steal a few little items you go to jail for a few months, maybe serve a year or two in prison. You walk into a room intent on killing somebody best case scenario you spend your life in prison, worst you get the death penalty.”
“Did you find out what exactly the relationship between Sidle and Livingston is?” Gibbs asks as Tony begins talking to Metro.
“There was no mention what so ever of Livingston in Sidle’s background information, Boss.”
“Keep digging. He’s helping her commit murder, have an affair, whatever he thinks she’s doing in that hotel room, there must be some connection between them.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby arrives in the bullpen at one thirty with a bag from a local deli and six pack of bottled water. “You know you can’t live on coffee alone Pop.”
“The hell you say.”
“I will tell on you to Ducky and your new keeper.”
He sighs and risks a lightening quick glance at Tony. “Fine, what’d you bring me?”
“A Philly Cheese steak.” She deposits said sandwich on his desk before turning to Tony, “An Italian sub.” Next is Ziva, “A turkey pita.” And McGee “A Rueben.” With a little twirl she makes a second pass handing out water, “And as I know you can’t agree on any other beverage I brought you all water. Now eat.”
“Thank you Abby,” Tony offers with a smile while Gibbs tries to stare her down.
Abby just kisses Gibbs’ cheek, leaving a vivid lipstick mark. With that he cracks, “Thank you sweetheart. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” She leaves with a real bounce in her step.
“I’ve got some answers for you Boss.” Gibbs just raises an eyebrow at him, “Metro had a string of thefts in hotels around the city, it started small: clothes and cash. Then it escalated to jewelry and other valuables. The last one the occupant was in the room and was beaten and robbed. That was a week ago.”
Gibbs nods, “Anything of Livingston’s connection to Sidle McGee?”
“Nothing in the public records Boss.”
“I’ve got that too Boss,” Tony volunteers shooting a smug sneer at McGee. “I can’t believe you missed it Probie. You had it all along.”
Annoyed at Tony’s snark in the face of a pissed off Gibbs McGee snaps at him, “What did I miss Tony? A tattoo reading ‘I’m a gullible schmuck’ on Livingston’s driver’s license photo?”
“No. The interviews in the file on the younger Sidle’s battery case. Particularly the one with her fiancé, a ‘Michael’ Livingston. The address listed is that of our Michelle Livingston.”
“So we know who, why, and how. We just have to find them.” McGee finds himself on the receiving end of two nearly identical glares.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ziva calls them all into MTAC a short while later. On the screen three corpsmen are doing their best not to look nervous. After a delay of a few seconds two of them push the third forward, “You asked to speak to us Ma’am?”
“Yes I did, PFC Gordan. As you have likely been told PFC Bering has died. We believe he was likely murdered. We have some questions.”
“Of course Ma’am, we’ll help in way we can,” Gordan is still speaking for the group.
Gibbs steps up, “Did Bering talk to any of you about what he was going to do on his leave?”
“Pete was kind of an odd guy. He had no family, no friends in his old hometown. It was like he didn’t have a life before the corp.”
“Not like he was hiding anything Sir, just that he didn’t have anything to go back to,” The young man whose uniform identifies him as Fredricks adds.
“We don’t suspect PFC Bering of any wrong doing,” Gibbs assures them.
All three of them nod, and then the last one, Dixen speaks, “There was a girl. Pete met her in Philly a few months back. They’d been writing back and forth ever since. About a month ago she started talking about moving to DC, something about a new job or project.”
“When he called and told her he was going to be off on leave she told him she had a place in Kalorama Park but she wanted to meet him at a bar near Dupont Circle. She said it was easier to find,” Gordan adds.
“Any of you remember her name?”
“Michelle I think,” Fredricks volunteers.
“Thank you Gentlemen,” Ziva nods slightly.
“Ma’am?” Dixen steps toward the camera just the slightest bit.
“Yes?”
“Did she kill Pete? Is that why you want to know about his girl?”
Again Gibbs takes over, “She at least knows something.”
Dixen looks troubled but doesn’t say anymore.
Ziva disconnects and Gibbs leads them out of MTAC to keep from disturbing anyone else. “McGee start searching for anything in Kalorama in Livingston or Sidle’s name, anything that even might be them follow up on it. Tony, Ziva get down to Dupont Circle canvass the bars. See if anyone remembers seeing Bering or Sidle, Livingston too for that matter.”
“And you Boss?” Tony dares to ask.
“Not that it’s any of your business DiNozzo but I’m going to take a harder look at Bering’s file, see if I can’t figure out what it is exactly that PFC Dixen didn’t want to mention to us.”
“Want me to pull Dixen’s file too Boss?” McGee volunteers.
“No, I want you on the angle I assigned you McGee.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After almost two hours they finally find a bar tender that recognizes Bering. “Sure, he was in here Sunday night. I remember because he had a baby face, I carded him and he flashed a military ID. We don’t see many of those around here if you get what I mean.”
“I do not follow,” Ziva is clearly genuinely confused.
“Nobody has to ask or tell anything around here sweetheart.”
“Did he seem to know what kind of bar this was?” Tony asks before Ziva can ask for further explanation.
“No, he was a little wide eyed. Said he was supposed to be meeting some girl here. I guess he had the right place after all. About ten minutes later a tall brunette walked up to him and lead him out of the bar.”
“Is this the woman?” Ziva shows him a picture of Sidle.
“Could be. I didn’t really get a look at her.”
“What about this man?” She shows him the picture of Livingston.
“Not one of my regulars and I didn’t see him with soldier boy, but he could have been in here.”
“Okay, thank you very much. Is there a security camera on the door?”
“We’ve got two on the register but nothing on the door.”
“If you remember anything else about any of them give us a call.”
“Is this your direct line Special Agent DiNozzo?” The bartender asks with an appreciative once over of Tony.
“No, it’s our department number.”
“Perhaps you should write down your cell number for me then.”
“I’m flattered, I really am,” He moves his shirt collar to expose his most recent hickey. “but I doubt my boyfriend would appreciate it.”
The bartender laughs, “Possessive, eh? I don’t blame him. I would be too.”
Ziva chuckles but stays silent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upon their return to the bullpen McGee shoots them a relieved glance.
“Don’t tell me you came back empty handed,” Gibbs growls at them.
“We found the bar Boss, but it didn’t give us any leads on Sidle. She just picked him up there, didn’t even go to the bar, let alone order a drink.”
“There better be more coming DiNozzo.”
“The bartender asked for Tony’s phone number.”
The glare Gibbs shoots her would have made a lesser agent wet themselves. As it is Ziva just grins.
“It confirms that she likely has an apartment in Kalorama Park, Gibbs.”
“How are you doing on finding it Probie?” McGee doesn’t even bother to answer.
Gibbs looks up just in time to see Ducky descend the stairs. He drops his eyes back to the file in his hand until the doctor clears his throat from across the desk. “Yes Ducky?”
“You know as well as I do that you and your team need rest. It is my understanding the investigation has stalled.” He waits with an expectant expression until Gibbs nods, “Then I strongly suggest you all go home and get some rest and resume your search in the morning. Otherwise I might have to call your medical fitness into question Jethro, you have after all just returned from an injury.”
“Blackmail Ducky? Honestly?”
“It’s for your own good Jethro.”
“I suppose you have Jenny and Abby backing you up on this?”
“Just Jenny actually.”
Gibbs knows he’s beat, “Go home, get some rest. Be back here by 0800.”
McGee and Ziva hurry out. Tony chats with Ducky, packs his bag, does just about anything he needs to in order to stall until Gibbs gets up and heads into the elevator. “Should I bother coming to your place or are you just going to drink yourself into a stupor and sand the boat?” Tony asks oblivious to Ducky’s presence.
Gibbs sighs, knowing it’s a legitimate question, “Come over, I’ll do my best to be good company.”
Tony manages a small smile at that, “I don’t need you to be good company Jethro. I just need you to relax a little.”
“I’m not the best at relaxing.”
“I’m aware,” Tony comments dryly. “Let’s pick up dinner on the way.”
Ducky just grins through the whole exchange.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner Gibbs disappears into the basement without a word. Tony decides to give him an hour to unwind before getting annoyed. Instead he turns to one of his own tension relief activities, exercise. Lately vanity has been pushing him to work on his abs, because watching out for whether or not Gibbs is eating regularly has him eating better as well and he imagines he’s developed a bit of a paunch. No matter how many times he’s told that it just isn’t there he can’t quite believe it.
At the end of the hour he makes his way to the basement and sits near the bottom of the steps, a subtle but clear demand for acknowledgement. Another five minutes pass with only the quiet rasp of the sandpaper on wood before Tony can’t take it any longer.
“Goodnight Jethro.”
“You’re heading up to bed already?”
“No. I’m going home. Clearly you don’t need my company and I don’t need a bedmate who’s so pissed off he’s grinding his teeth. Rather than snapping at you later and causing a fight neither of us needs just now I’m going to walk away. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
Before he can manage even one step Gibbs has his wrist in a loose grip, “Don’t go.”
Suddenly furious Tony whips around with a glare that would make a drill sergeant proud. “Damnit Jethro make up your mind. Either you want me here or you don’t. And I know you said you did but then you act like I’m not even here.”
“You said you didn’t need me to be good company.”
Tony sighs, not liking the direction this is taking. “And you said you’d try to relax.”
“You’ll have to help me out with that one Tony. I honestly don’t know how.”
“Fair enough. Come up stairs.”
Tony leads the way into the master bathroom upstairs and takes his time contemplating the bathtub before turning the water on just a bit warmer than strictly necessary and adding a few drops of his body wash.
“I thought we were relaxing here, not taking to recreate a scene from one of Abby’s romance novels.”
“Romance novels? Seriously?” Tony asks over his shoulder as the tub fills. He shrugs and then turns, “Trust me Jethro, follow my lead, do as I say. When I’m finished, before I get around to seducing you, you’ll be relaxed.”
“Teach away.”
“Strip.” Gibbs offers a skeptical eyebrow. “You thought we were getting in the tub dressed?” Knowing the tub is too tight a fit to do this properly Tony still pulls Gibbs down into the water with him and begins massaging tight shoulders. “Talk to me.”
After an unhappy huff Gibbs gives in, “The idea of knowing who and why-”
Tony puts a hand over his mouth. “I didn’t say tell me why you’re upset. I said talk to me. Hmm. Tell me about the boat. Not the specifications, not the techniques you’re using to build her. Not why you won’t tell us her name. Tell me about what you see when you imagine being done with her.”
“I see us sailing into some foreign port where neither of us knows a word of the language. You’re half naked with an all over tan and I keep having to pull you close to make sure the locals know where you belong. Eventually we manage to re-supply and head back out to open water where you begin to convince me that maybe I need an all over tan too… We see the world a port at a time. No criminals, politics, exes. Just you and me and the water.”
Tony can’t even breath for a moment. “Thought you’d go crazy without something to fixate on.”
“I’m sure I‘d find something to fixate on.”
“Relaxed?” Tony almost gulps.
“Actually, I am.”
“Can we talk about that some more another time? When my brain re-solidifies?”
“It’s the future Tony, I’m sure we’ll talk about it often before it comes true.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Break’s over,” Tony murmurs as the elevator doors close.
“Then it’s time we get back to searching for these sick freaks.”
Tony hits the stop button just as they reach their floor, “Don’t start feeling guilty about relaxing last night. If you go all out all the time you end up making mistakes, and frankly you blame yourself for enough of the things you can’t control already.”
“Is this where I say ‘yes dear’ and we both pretend I can do as I’m told?”
“You can let yourself off the hook for last night. I know you’ll always feel guilty about things you have no control over. Me pulling you into a tub and making you think happy thoughts isn’t one of them.”
Gibbs gives one of his patented half-smiles, “Don’t forget jumping me like there was a chance I’d take off running.”
“If that’s why you think I jumped you we really need to talk.”
With a quick kiss Gibbs restarts the elevator, “Tonight.” He emerges into the bullpen and barks “McGee” before the others can make note of his joint arrival with Tony.
“Yes Boss?” McGee almost gulps.
“I saw you start a computer search before you left last night, did it turn anything up?”
“I don’t know how useful it will be.” He pulls up a map on the plasma screen, “I was searching all the local rental listing for notations that the renters would accept cash payments. As you can imagine the results I got were not from realtors or rental agencies but news paper classified and Craig’s list. I turned up thirty-five buildings in the area. If we eliminate the ones that aren’t in Kalorama Park we have eight possibilities.”
Before Gibbs can respond his desk phone begins ringing, “Gibbs.”
“Pop, I’ve got a possible angle on Sidle but I need McGee to help me run it down.”
“You got it Baby girl. He’ll be right down.” He hangs up, “DiNozzo, Ziva take the list and see if any of the building managers recognize Sidle or Livingston.” He waits until they’re in the elevator and then with his gravest expression calls, “And DiNozzo, if I hear you’ve been flirting on my time again I’ll do a hell of a lot worse than slap your head.”
“I’ll keep that in mind Boss!” Tony does his best to look cowed.
Ziva doesn’t buy it, “Was he upset over the phone number?”
“Didn’t even mention it. He hasn’t been particularly jealous since the very beginning. He understands the flirting is part of the role I play.”
“Even when it is him you are flitting with?” Ziva asks chuckling as they get into the car.
“On a case? I never.”
“Yes you have. But then you flirt with Abby, McGee and myself from time to time as well. Almost as if you cannot help yourself.”
“Playful comments in and of themselves are not flirting.”
“When they are of a suggestive nature they are.”
“Not always.”
“Let us agree to disagree.”
“Thank you.”
“Both of you seem to be in a better mood this morning.”
“You’re skating on thin ice here Ziva.”
“I do not mean any offense Tony. Gibbs was simply steaming when I left last night.”
“Fuming or steamed not steaming. And whatever goes on between Gibbs and me at home is not up for discussion.”
“I am simply glad to see you both more relaxed.”
“What’s the first address.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did you find something Abbs?” Gibbs asks when he returns with her Caf-pow!.
“Sidle has a hormone deficiency, she has a daily prescription and it’s fairly rare. I figure she might be using a false name but she still needs her pills so I checked the pharmacies in the area. Only two carry the supplements she needs and only one has an active prescription on file. The recipient’s name is Karen Lloyd. Her description matches the one I have for Sidle. Do you want the address or should I send it to Tony?”
“Send it to Tony. Tell him if it’s on his list to go straight there. McGee and I are going to go to the pharmacy. Good work sweetheart.” He kisses her cheek. “And thank you for tattling to Ducky on me last night.”
“He told you that was me?”
“No, you just did. I have a keeper now Abbs. I don’t need two of you.”
“Like you wouldn’t use every dirty manipulative trick in the book to get your own way.”
“I’m your father. I’m allowed.”
“And I’m your daughter, did you ever really expect anything else?”
“I expected more wheedling about being no fun on Halloween. I didn’t expect demands that I change the habits of a lifetime.”
“Sometimes a little change is good for you.”
“Whatever you say sweetheart. It’s just lucky Victor raised you instead of me. You’ve got me wrapped around your finger so tight you’d have been a world class brat for sure.”
“Nope. You only dote on me because we missed so many years.”
“Maybe. I’m going back to work sweetheart.” Abby just grins.
Chapter End Notes:
Due to some issues with my ability to write a certain character I've had to rework some of the plot line. What this means to fans is A)this late update and B) the postponing of next update until 10/14 at the earliest.