At 2130 Gibbs collects Abby from the dance floor where she’s once again taken Nate’s invitation. “That’s cruel you know.”
“How so?” Abby asks innocently.
“You know Nate’s sweet on you baby girl. It’s not nice to lead him on.”
“I can’t help it if Nate won’t listen.”
“He doesn’t listen because you don’t tell him you’re not interested and then you snuggle. Anyone would get the wrong impression.”
“I promise next time I see him I will tell him I see him as a brother, fair enough?”
Gibbs chuckles, “I just don’t like you playing with his emotions baby girl.”
“I know, and I don’t really do it on purpose,” She holds up an arresting hand, “Not with Nate anyway. In the beginning I thought he knew I wasn’t interested, I guess I just never changed my behavior.”
“All that aside it’s time we start in our goodbye rounds.”
“You know it would floor Charming how good you are at this when you want to be.”
“He’ll find out next week.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenny Sheppard watches Gibbs and Abby making the rounds like they attend such events all the time and contemplates all she’s learned. Despite his own protestation clearly Gibbs is more than able to grease the wheels and chat up a political ally when he wishes to. And he’d learned when to open with a compliment as well. Not that any of the various women he’d danced with put over much stock in his praise, but most called him charming and used it to segue into polite questioning about his new love.
What shocked Jenny, though, was the simple matter of fact way General Layton had spoken of Gibbs requesting a discharge. He hadn’t mentioned anything to her, and as it affected his work schedule he should have, if only in a professional capacity.
The fact that it got the room atwitter about who on earth Jethro Gibbs would give up the corp for irked her even more. She had heard her own name listed at least twice among those who hadn’t accomplished it.
One of the generals’ wives, someone named Nadine passed along a vague description in ear shot of Jenny. If accurate it was far more than she’d managed to extract after weeks of wheedling. “Tall, beautiful green eyes and short brown hair, legs to die for and a smile that could melt ice sculptures at half a click. Smart, funny, loyal, caring, and not afraid to tell him to get his head out of his ass.” Nadine then chuckled warmly, “A match made in heaven.”
Jenny was annoyed when they dropped their voices and began whispering about his discharge.
When Nadine embraces Gibbs and whispers in his ear Jenny has the urge to growl.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hope he knows how lucky he is,” Nadine Jareau whispers in his ear.
“That I can promise you,” Gibbs assures her before turning his attention to Charles Jareau, his current CO in the reserves. “Thanks for keeping the scuttlebutt to yourself there Charlie.”
“How was I to know it was such a secret?”
“Because the discussion didn’t take place at one of your grandmother’s tea parties?”
Jareau chuckles, “Good to know you’ll never change Jethro.” He turns and lifts Abby’s hand to a kiss, “You, young lady are doomed.”
“How so?” Abby asks with genuine curiosity.
“Because you inherited your mother’s good looks and your father’s smart mouth. It’s a dangerous combination.”
She gives a delighted laugh at that, “I‘d say it suits me.”
“It does that. Look out for your old man, won’t you?”
“I will but I’m the last line of defense.”
“As it should be,” Gibbs assures them both.
“If we don’t get moving I’m going to loose a slipper and the cab will turn back into a pumpkin.”
They all laugh but Gibbs is grateful for the excuse to escape.
Abby, being Abby has to push just a little as they make their exit, “Guess it was a good thing I wasn’t looking for Prince Charming, it seems he decided to stay home tonight.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About halfway to her apartment Abby lays her head on her father’s shoulder, “Remind Charming to call me tomorrow. We need to set up the details for next week.”
“We’re expecting you for lunch sweetheart.”
“I thought we’d take a week off. Give you two a little space.”
“We don’t need space from you Abbs.”
“I figured with the trip next weekend and Thanksgiving right after it’d be best to give you some private time.”
“Sunday and weeknights are for private time. Saturday is,” He pauses to ensure he has her full attention, “family game night.”
As he intended she chuckles, “Okay Daddy, if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. I’m even cooking this week.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did you say something to Abby about needing more private time?” Gibbs asks as he seasons the ribs he‘s going to grill.
Tony pulls a chair over and straddles it, “No, I love Saturdays with Abbs. Why?”
“She was worried about intruding. Said we should take some ‘private time’ as we’re spending so much time with her next week.”
Tony sighs, “Okay, that is my fault. I said I was looking forward to having some private time in Baltimore. I didn’t mean we weren’t getting enough here, but maybe that wasn’t clear. Want me to talk to her?”
“No, I think she’ll be all right. I just wanted to know why she was acting so strangely last night.”
“Was everyone else on their best behavior?” Tony manages, somehow, to make it sound like an idle, casual question.
“Charlie spilled the beans about my discharge. Abbs told them all it was so I could spend more time with my new lover. Nadine, Charlie’s wife, put the pieces together and said she hopes you know how lucky you are. Nate Shipley tailed my daughter like an over attentive puppy. And everyone’s favorite director didn’t even manage to so much as ask me to dance.” He smirks, “Oh and Ducky acquired a new admirer. How was your night?”
“I ran a few errands and visited a few of my neighbors, including Mrs. Howard whose bedroom shares a wall with mine…”
“So we’ve given her a few nights of entertainment.”
“From her tone I’d have to say so, yes.”
“Are you blushing?” Gibbs’ tone is one of fond disbelief.
“You’re not half as funny as you think you are Jethro.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby tucks her feet under herself, leaving her facing Tony, “So what’s the plan for next weekend?”
“My friend Mark’s bachelor party is Saturday night in Baltimore. We’re going to head out Friday night, caseload permitting of course. Then we’ll head to Park Central Sunday morning. I have you booked into the adjoining room. I figured you’d join us there when you were ready to. The party begins at seven.”
“And Chester?”
“Is welcome to join us, if he’s brave enough.”
“I said ‘I’m taking a trip with my father and stepfather and I need a date.’ And he agreed to come.”
“You may find even the bravest man shrinks from the phrase adjoining room. At least when it‘s your father in the other room.”
“You might say the same about a man knowing his boyfriend’s daughter is staying in the next room.”
“But you forget two pertinent facts my dear, I know you and I have no shame.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’ve seen you blush a time or two.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday morning Tony can’t seem to sit still, once again humming and tapping his feet. He plays his movie trivia game and picks on McGee.
“You seem to have had another pleasant weekend.”
“All it takes is the right company. We spent most of the weekend sitting on the sofa watching TV.”
“Gear up, we’ve got a dead navy pilot in Denver.”
“Do we at least have time to pack properly for the trip?” Tony whines.
“Plane leaves from Pax River in just over half an hour. What do ya think DiNozzo?”
“That I’ve got just about enough time to check my trunk for my go bag.” Then his face falls, remembering he didn’t drive his car in today.
Gibbs checks that the others aren’t watching and signs “In my trunk. Get mine too.”
Tony nods and heads downstairs. He’s amused to find that his bag isn’t the one he’d packed a month ago. He opens it a little and grins foolishly as he finds his OSU sweatshirt on top. He shakes his head and moves the bags into a pool car before retrieving Ziva and McGee’s as well.
Just as he’s shutting the trunk Gibbs rounds the front of the car with an abrupt, “Keys.”
Tony tosses them and calls out “Shotgun” as if there’s any danger of the others taking his seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony stifles a groan as they are lead to canvass seats slung between pallets of cargo. “We got any details yet Boss?”
“Diego Cortez, 26 has been a Naval Pilot for four years. Six months ago he was assigned to Reslin Avionics for the testing phase of a new ejection system. About three hours ago one of his neighbors called a disturbance into police and his body was discovered. He’d been shot in the right shoulder and stomach. Local ME says he’d been dead six hours.”
“He caused a disturbance six hours after he died?”
“One of the things we’ll have to look into DiNozzo.”
“Any background yet?”
“You want the locals to do all your work for you DiNozzo?”
“It might make for a nice change of pace.”
Gibbs suppresses a smile, Tony catches him at it and it’s enough for him to relax for the rest of the flight. At least so much as he can relax while impersonating a piece of cargo at any rate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony offers his best charming smile to both representatives of the Denver PD that meet them on scene but focuses on the detective when he re-poses his earlier question, “How exactly did Lt. Cortez cause a disturbance six hours after he died?”
“He had one of those new alarm clocks that get progressively louder until they’re shut off. When the walls began to shake from the noise the neighbor called it in,” Detective Spencer explains pointing at the unit in question. “When patrol arrived the front door was unlocked and Mr. Cortez’s body was laying here.”
“Which neighbor called it in?” McGee asks a little timidly.
Spencer looks to the patrolman who provides for her, “Mr. Morgan in 4B.”
“I’ll head over and talk to him Boss.”
“Ziva talk to the neighbors on the other side, find out if they heard anything.”
Tony takes a long look around the room trying to place what bothers him about it. Suddenly he turns to Gibbs, “This look like a military man’s room to you Boss?”
Gibbs in turn takes a long look around, “What’re you thinking DiNozzo?”
Tony turns to the Detective again, “Did anyone speak to the building manager?”
“I spoke to him. Cortez signed a one year lease five months ago and lived alone.”
“I think I need to put a few questions to the neighbors Boss.”
Following Tony’s train of thought but wondering where exactly this is leading Gibbs tails him across the hall.
A woman in her early thirties answers with a particularly sour expression, “This better be good.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I’m Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, this is Special Agent Gibbs. We’re with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Your neighbor in 6B, Lt. Cortez was murdered.”
“Diego? When?”
“Last night. Did you see or hear anything unusual?”
“I wish that I could help, I really do, but I just got home from a twenty-four hour on call shift. I’m an intern at St. Anthony Central.”
“That’s alright, did Diego live alone?”
“I think so. He had a girlfriend who stayed over a few nights a week but she was a bit of an odd duck.”
“How so?”
“She’d always come over all dolled up, hair, make-up, the works. But they never seemed to go out and once she’d arrived she seemed to spend the rest of her time here wearing Diego’s clothes. Like she couldn’t be bothered to bring her own.”
“Would you happen to know her name?”
“Diego called her Carino but the one time she introduced herself to me it was as Elena.”
“Thank you for the information Ms…”
“Crain. Joanna Crain.”
“If you think of anything else Ms. Crain you can contact us at this number,” He hands her one of McGee’s business cards.
“I really am sorry about Diego. He was very sweet.”
When she shuts the door Gibbs and Tony re-enter Lt. Cortez’s apartment.
“Where have you got us staying?”
“The Holiday Inn on I-70 in West Pleasant View. I put it in the car’s GPS.”
“When we split up get the locals to drop you off there.”
“Sure thing Boss.”
“And if I find that detective’s phone number in your possession you can sleep in your own room tonight.”
“Understood.”
Ziva returns first, “They were unaware of any disturbance and seemed genuinely surprised something untoward had befallen the lieutenant.”
McGee is shaking his head as he enters the apartment, “Clearly they didn’t get along but Mr. Morgan claims he had no idea anything was wrong until Cortez didn’t respond to his banging on the wall.”
“McGee check his computer, bank records, the usual. DiNozzo, background and find out who Elena really is. Ziva you’re with me at Reslin.”
“Who’s Elena?” McGee asks as Gibbs and Ziva exit the apartment.
“If we knew he wouldn’t have asked, now would he Probie. Don’t you need to be doing something at this point, like getting his computer so we can get out of here?”
“Where are we going?”
“Boss wants us to get set up at the hotel and work from there.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I’m Wayne Williams, head of security. How can I help you Agent?”
“We’re investigating the death of one of your test pilots, we need any information you can give us about Lt. Cortez and everything about the project he was working on.”
“That’s proprietary information sir, I can’t release that to you. Dr. Coltrane has authorized a release of Mr. Cortez’s file and an overview of the project. I have it for you right here.”
“Then clearly we’re talking to the wrong person. Dr. Coltrane you said?” Gibbs turns on his heel and heads back into the corridor with his usual air of “as a matter of fact, I do own the place.”
Immediately Williams is after him flapping about it being a secure facility. Gibbs ignores him until he is face to face with the man in charge, his bearing unmistakable.
“Dr. Coltrane?”
The man in question shoots a furious glare at the suddenly silent Williams before answering. “Yes, I am. How can I help you?”
“I’m Special Agent Gibbs, this is Officer David. We’re investigating Lt. Cortez’s death.”
“I’m aware. I’ve instructed Mr. Williams to cooperate fully.”
“Mr. Williams informs me that this,” He snatches the top sheet from the stack in Williams’ hand and flaps it, “half page progress summary is all he can release about the project Lt. Cortez was working on.”
“The project which Lt. Cortez was assisting us with is very sensitive. We won the contract with the Navy by developing a unique new system. Any number of our competitors would go to extreme lengths to get their hands on the specifics of our design.”
“Which is precisely why we need that information. This is not a request. As a contactor for the Navy you are compelled to cooperate with NCIS as needed in any situation that involves your company.”
Coltrane’s expression is the picture of fury.
Sensing that this is where Tony would step in with some diplomacy Ziva tries her hand at it, “The information will remain strictly confidential, especially if it is not a contributing factor in the lieutenant’s death.”
“Madeline,” Coltrane snaps impatiently. “Get these agent the specifications and official progress reports on the Maple Key project.”
“Right away,” A somewhat mousy blond affirms and hurries into an office behind her.
As Ziva accepts the reports in question Gibbs turns back to Williams, “Was there anyone on staff that was particularly close with Lt. Cortez.”
“He was friendly with Martin Kessler, one of the research assistants.”
“We’ll need to speak to him.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony cracks his neck as he answers his hotel room door, phone on speaker in his hand. He’s hoping it’s Gibbs but knows that knock would be coming from the door to the adjoining room. McGee comes into the room without preamble, putting Cortez’ lap top on the table.
“Come on in Probie. Make yourself comfortable.”
“Shut up Tony and look at this,” McGee instructs quietly. He opens an email and Tony’s eyes go wide.
“We know Cortez. And it has to stop. You know what you have to do to prove it. You have forty-eight hours. Use them wisely.”
“This was just there on his computer?” Tony asks setting the phone on the table and reading the email a third time.
“Would it have taken me this long to find it if it was?”
Tony picks up the room phone and calls Gibbs.
“Gibbs.”
“Hey Boss, McGee found us something good. Cortez was being blackmailed. And whoever it is knew someone might look into it. No names, no account numbers, no addresses. Not even a concrete offer of proof, just assurances that they know and he has to stop.”
“Any indication of what it was?”
“Not yet Boss, but it might be a direction worth looking into there.”
There’s a slightly too long silence and then “Tell Probie good work.”
“On it.” He hangs up, “Find anything on his financials yet?”
“Not yet. I started with the computer.”
Tony gives him an eloquent glare until he begins working again. Finally a voice comes on the line on his cell and Tony flops on the bed, “I understand that. You have to have some contact info for her. A cell or home number.”
“We of course have that information sir, but I’m not at liberty to release it.”
“Ma’am, I’m a federal agent asking you for a telephone number not national secrets.”
Suddenly she’s more receptive. “What exactly is this in reference to?”
“She lost a family member earlier today and we need to speak to her about it.”
“Oh my goodness! Poor Constantia. It wasn’t her daughter Elena was it?”
“No Ma’am, it wasn’t. Do you have that information for me?”
“Yes, yes, of course,” She dictates an address and phone number to Tony. “She’s out with the flu just now, she should be at home. Please let her know she has our sympathies.”
“I will let her know Ma’am.” Tony hangs up dramatically, “This sucks.”
“Generally that’s how this works.”
“More so than usual. I’m going to have to make notification which means a delay in getting Gibbs the information he wants. Getting slapped upside the head is not how I saw my night going.”
“And see I thought that might just be your idea of a good time.”
“Maybe you’re thinking of Agent Tommy.”
Chapter End Notes:
Yes, I am alive. And if you're a case fan this one's for you. If not we're about a chapter away from the busy week they've been planning.