Gibbs' final words have been rolling through my head since we parted in the garage. “Sometimes suspects lie.” Saying it aloud for the hundredth time as I lay awake in my coffin. It had to be at least midnight or one am but I just couldn't get to sleep. To much to think about. Could Timmy really lie to me. I thought about it. Six years ago, I would say definitely not. But now, he has grown up so much, I just don't know. I mean what was the alternative? If he lied to me, there had to be a good reason, maybe he didn't want the game to end yet. Or he was scared of my reaction. Otherwise he would never lie to me. And really I never asked him,not really,not like all the others. Or maybe it really wasn't him, and I was left with no idea who it was. The more I thought about it the more confused I became. I spent the next hour going around in circles in my mind. Then about 2 am, just as I was falling asleep I had a revelation, I never interrogated McGee. I sat straight up and said out loud,” I never interrogated McGee.” If I was being honest I never thought of him as a “suspect” to begin with but after the last couple of days he is now my prime suspect, and I never even questioned him, not really. My mind began to roll. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. I began to go over everything that had happened the last few days. And something Ziva said was now echoing in my mind. The gifts could be clues. I didn't think about it much then but now, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Suddenly I just couldn't sleep. Getting up, I turned on a light and booted my computer. I had a copy of the suspects file, I opened it and began to type.
Clues:
1)the essential oils: I had used them with McGee when he had shot the cop, to calm him and help him to refocus. And he knew which ones I liked. Which ones I used all the time.
2)The roses: Although everyone gave me black roses for my birthday, McGee had always had one or two red ones thrown in.
3)The brooch: Who knew my lab just as much as I did, McGee, he was in there almost as much as Gibbs. He also knew my code to my inner office. And again the red rose. The tiny diamond in the center almost screamed McGee.
4)The Bracelet: now that was the wild card. The double linked hearts with the deep amethyst and the filigree was definitely my style. I loved the period it was styled from and had often talked about it with who else but McGee. Sure it had been several years, but I knew he regained all kinds of information. His mind was like a vault that way.
5)He got nervous when he and Gibbs walked in Autopsy and saw me talking to Ducky. He had even asked Ducky what he had told me.
6)Who else knew Ziva and I had Palmer in interrogation besides Tony and I knew now it wasn't him.
7)He had complete access to the other side of the interrogation mirror, so he could have watched.
8)Plus, in his books the character he based after me was his alter ego's love interest. His one true love,as he had said.
I spent the next hour or so compiling the list. When I finished I sat back, looking over what I had typed. Everything just seemed to add up. It had to be Tim, it just had to be. The more I thought about it the more I kinda liked the idea. I have always had a soft spot for him, even after we had ended things. For years we have played this game. I would date someone and he would say he was happy for me but I always felt he wasn't really. And then he would date someone, like Miss. Ladybug toothbrush J-lo. Glow wearer, and I would tell him I was happy for him but inside I knew that none of them were right for him. Like the ICE agent, the neighbor who stole his identity, and recently the red head he met at the coffee shop who ended up being an assassin. Glancing at the clock I saw it was 5 o'clock. I saved my work and emailed it to Ziva. I quickly hopped in the shower. Almost an hour later, driving to work,I smiled. Today was going to be a really good day. Timothy McGee didn't know what he was in for.
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