You could hear the loud music before the elevator doors opened on the Evidence Processing floor. Gibbs, Tony, Kate and McGee steeped out of the elevator and walked towards the lab. Tony entered first and crept up behind their gothic resident forensic specialist.
"Do it and lose a limb Tony," said Abby loudly. Gibbs laughed to himself at this moment. There were times when Abby reminded him of himself. He counted her as a daughter and loved her like one too. He took the Caff Pow that he was hiding behind his back and gave it to Abby.
"Aww Gibbs" said Abby as she walked over to the CD player and turned of the music.
"How did you know I was there?" said Tony. Abby turned around and smiled seductively at him.
"Wouldn't you like to know" Abby laughed
"But…Oww" howled Tony "What did you do that for Boss" as Gibbs smacked him round the back of the head for the third time that day.
"Wow" said Kate, "Three times and its not even lunch time yet, you must be going for some kind of record Tony"
"You were stopping Abby from telling me what she's got on the case" said Gibbs answering Tony's question, and turned to look at Abby.
"Right, yes the case," said Abby putting down her Caff Pow and turning towards her computer. She pulled up some pictures onto the screen. "This is Agent Carters Navy information sheet and it says here that Agent Carter was married"
"But he lived alone in that house" said Tony, "there were no female items in that house, I think I would have noticed"
"He's right" said Kate "there was one toothbrush, only male clothes in the wardrobe, he was definitely the only one living there"
"I said he was married, and he is… to a Chloe Carter," said Abby "He has a one year old son too and the address that's listed here is not the address you found the body at"
"Right Tony, Kate I want you two to go and interview the wife" said Gibbs
"Wait I haven't finished yet" said Abby "the computer you gave me has a coded inbox. Its gonna take a while for me to crack it but it looks like Officer Carter has a lot of mail"
"Thanks Abs" said Gibbs "McGee, I want you to talk to Ms Lockhart and see what else she has found out"
"Ooh, McGee's got to go and talk to his girlfriend!" laughed Tony
"Shut up Tony" replied McGee
"McGee's got a girlfriend?" said Abby surprised
"No I haven't" said McGee. Abby relaxed inside but didn't show her relief to the others. "Its just an old friend from school"
"I wouldn't call her old McGee and if I went to school with her, she wouldn't be just my friend either" said Tony
"No" said McGee "She would have kicked your ass for annoying her"
"Why are we all still standing here," said Gibbs loudly "get moving". Everyone except Abby moved quickly towards the elevator.
"Annoying huh?" said Tony as the doors closed
***
After the others had left Abby took the lift down to the basement were Ducky was working on Agent Carter.
"Did you meet this friend of McGee's Ducky?" said Abby as she entered the lab.
"Ah" said Ducky "quick and to the point. You have nothing to worry about Abigail, the boy is clearly infatuated with you still"
"Really" said Abby feeling a little better. She liked the chats she had with Ducky. He may have been old but Ducky always knew how to cheer her up and she valued what he said.
"Really" said Ducky "anyway, you would like her. She's a very nice woman but I get the feeling that she's a strong lady and not to be messed with. Much like yourself"
"Thanks Ducky" said Abby feeling much better now "You always manage to reassure me when I need it" she smiled. Ducky returned the smile.
***
Tony and Kate got into Tony's car and set off for the wife's address.
"You were weird this morning when we were at the vic's house" said Tony to Kate "Are you alright? You didn't seem to like Carrie"
"I'm just tired," said Kate covering "Carrie seemed nice"
"She did," replied Tony. They both sat in silence for the next ten minutes ‘Say something DiNozzo you coward' Tony thought to himself. ‘If you don't tell Kate soon enough then she'll find someone else, and it will all be your fault.' Kate was thinking the same too. ‘If you don't say something Kate then Tony will get together with this new hotshot blonde Carrie and you'll be left behind. Then you'll be sorry'
"Kate" "Tony" they said in unison. They both laughed.
"You first" said Tony laughing,
"Um…" said Kate "well, the thing is…that…"
"We're here," said Tony.
"What?" said Kate.
"This is the address," said Tony "What we're you going to say Kate?"
"Oh" said Kate, "just that. That we're here"
"Oh" said Tony and they both got out of the car and walked up to the front of the house. Tony rung the doorbell and a woman came to the door. They could hear a child crying in the next room.
"Hold on Tommy I'm coming, Mummy just has to answer the door. Hello?" said the Woman.
"Chloe Carter?" said Tony
"Yes?" replied the woman "what is it?"
"We're with NCIS; the Naval Criminal…" Said Tony but he was cut off.
"I'm a navy wife, I know what it stands for. What's happened?" She said, "Where's Adam?"
"I think we'd better come in Mrs Carter" said Kate. She hated these types of house calls. Mrs Carter let them in and they were shown through to the living room where a little boy about one year old was crying in a playpen. Mrs Carter went over, picked up the little boy and sat down the chair behind her.
"Its ok honey, don't be scared of the nice NCIS officers"
"I'm really sorry to have to tell you this but your husband Adam is dead," said Kate as softly as she could. Mrs Carter didn't seem to hear her and just rocked in her chair clutching the baby to her chest. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"I'm really sorry," said Tony. Mrs Carter just ignored him.
"How?" she asked
"We think he was murdered in a house in Greentown" said Tony. Another tear rolled down Mrs Carters other cheek. She wasn't looking at either of them, her gaze was fixed on a patch of carpet in front of her.
"I'm sorry to have to ask you this but do you know of anyone who would want to hurt your husband?" asked Tony
"No, my husband is…was a good man" she replied. She raised her head and looked straight at Tony now "How was he killed?" she said. You could hear the trembling in her voice now.
"Um…" said Tony. He didn't quite know how to tell her that he had had the back of his head completely bashed in. "We think he was hit over the back of the head" he said sorrowfully.
"Oh…" she said and her gaze returned to the same patch of carpet on the floor.
"One last thing and then we'll leave you for this to sink in" said Kate "Do you recognise this address?" Kate handed a piece of paper with the address of were they found the body to Mrs Carter.
"No. Sorry I don't" Her voice was noticeably cracking now and Tony thought that this was a good time to leave.
"Once again Mrs Carter I'm sorry for your loss" said Tony standing up "We'll be in touch again if we need to ask you anymore questions."
"If you have any questions to ask us, or any information that you might remember please call us" said Kate "Here's my card" and handed her a small card that she had taken out of her bag.
"Thank you" said Mrs Carter as she took the card and put it on the table next to her, never once looking up but still looking at the same bit of carpet.
"We'll let ourselves out," said Tony, Mrs Carter didn't answer. Kate and Tony went out the house and closed the front door.
"That never gets easier," said Tony. Kate just nodded in agreement and they both walked silently to the car.
***
Author's Chapter Notes:
Abby talks to Ducky about her feelings and Tony and Kate visit the bereaved wife.