Slipping.
A pained whimper escaped his lips as he knelt down beside the lifeless body in front of him.
”No…”
”No…”
Warmth seeped through his fingers, no matter how hard he pressed down. He tore off his shirt, using it to staunch the flow, adding even more pressure. Blood rushed through his ears and he was dimly aware of his own harsh breathing as he felt for a pulse.
“No…” His breath hitched in his throat as slippery fingers fought to find a sign of life.
Not now, when it had barely started. When what he’d yearned for so long had just become within his reach.
A choked sob escaped him as strange hands tried to pry him away from the precious bundle before him. He struggled against them, refusing to let go. A familiar voice, so far away, registered.
“What?”
“Let him go, Tony. Let them do their job, they need to do their job,” Dr Mallard urged as he tugged gently at the senior agent.
“I can’t, Ducky, I can’t…,” he nearly sobbed, but let himself be led away.
******
The call came through just as he got out of the shower three days ago. It was his day off, but he thought he’d get an early start, trying to cram as much into it as he could. It had been a couple of weeks since he had had any time to himself, and he was planning to use it fully. He flipped his phone open, knowing it was Gibbs. Who else could it be at this hour?
“Yeah, Boss, what’s up?” Tony replied, as he yanked his jeans off the chair by his bed. He performed a little one-legged dance around the room as he attempted to slide on his jeans, without letting go of the phone.
“We have a case. I’m swinging by to pick you up, be ready in ten!” Gibbs barked and cut the connection.
“And good morning to you, too, Gibbs,” Tony smiled, as he clipped the phone back on his belt. He had just enough time get dressed and grab an apple before Gibbs arrived. He headed out the door, just in time to see Gibbs’ car screech to a halt outside his apartment. Suddenly glad he hadn’t had a chance to eat breakfast, he got in and fastened his seat belt. Didn’t look like this was one of Gibbs’ good days behind the wheels, when Dramamine and a barf bag were optional.
To his surprise Gibbs handed him a cup of coffee and a sesame seed bagel, with what looked like smoked turkey and cream cheese. He must have looked really surprised, because Gibbs looked rather amused.
“I figured you hadn’t had anything to eat yet,” he explained, smiling that crooked smile Tony loved.
“Thanks, Boss! I’ll eat it later. ”
“Eat now, Tony, I won’t have you fainting from hunger when we’re chasing down our suspect.” Gibbs’ tone left no room for argument as he pulled out, heading towards the Navy base.
“Right.” Tony sighed and tucked into his food. The bagel was freshly made, and just the fact that Gibbs had thought of him made the meal enjoyable. Gibbs even kept just below his usual breakneck speed, making it possible to keep it all down. Traffic was light this early on a Saturday morning, and the ride to base went smoothly.
They turned into the gate, Gibbs showing his badge to the guard who let them through. Tony felt the icy pit in his stomach grow. He’d felt this way ever since Gibbs gave him the details
known so far about the case.
A five- year old girl and her mother had been shot, both victims already dead when the next-door neighbor arrived. A Lieutenant John Morris had heard the three shots fired and alerted the MPs before entering through an open back door.
They pulled up the driveway to a small cream-colored house. The front lawn was scattered with children’s toys, making the horrors he knew waited inside seem so unreal. As Tony got out of the car, he stepped onto something soft, his stomach clenching as he saw he had stepped on a small brown teddy bear.
The bear was worn from years of cuddling. One ear was missing, its left leg clearly sown back on more than once. He was brushing it off carefully when he noticed the back was covered in blood. Sighing almost inaudibly, he handed it to McGee, who had just pulled up behind them, with Ziva in tow.
“Bag it,” he said quietly, “it’s covered in blood.”
McGee nodded, and opened his case, pulling out an evidence bag. Gibbs and Tony approached the house, scanning their surroundings as they walked. It looked like any other Navy house on the base. Front porch with a swing, single garage tucked to the left. A flowerbed ran the length of the house, red peonies and bluebells adding a splash of color against the cream and green.
They entered through the front door, passing Ducky on the way in. He had a sad, resigned look about him, the one they all got when children were involved.
“Jethro…Tony,” he nodded. “We’re ready for you know. The victims, Allie Dunner and her daughter Michelle, are in the back, in the little girl’s bedroom. It would appear they were both killed by a single gunshot to the head. By the way they are positioned, I suspect they may have been drugged before he shot them. I’ll know more when I get them back to the lab.”
He led them towards the bedroom at the back of the house. The room was decorated like a little girl’s dream come true. Pale purples and pinks, silvery fairies scattered across the canopy above the bed, soft oversized pillows in a play area by the window. The whimsical character of the room shattered by blood spatter on the wall behind the bed, and the crimson pool on the cream comforter.
The two persons on the bed looked like they were sleeping, but they all knew they weren’t going to wake up. Both the girl and her mother were propped up against the headboard, slightly slumped to one side. The girl had a small toy placed in her arms along with a single daisy. Her mother was clad in a light summer dress and as her daughter she also had flowers in her arms. The entire scene looked staged.
“The blood pattern suggests they weren’t moved after death.” Ducky explained, moving around the bed.
Tony got out his camera and started taking pictures, his professional demeanor kicking in. Detached, he moved about the room, recording the scene in front of him. The little girl was dressed in a yellow dress with daisies embroidered around the hem, a matching headband holding back wavy, blond hair. Her mother had slipped a bit to the right, leaning slightly away from her daughter.
“McGee, bring the laptop and any personal files you can find back with you. Give the laptop to Abby, and sort out his financial records. I need to know if there’s anything that can help us track this bastard down.”
“On it, boss!”
McGee and Ziva continued their search of the premises, bagging evidence as they went along. A couple of hours later they were all heading back to headquarters. A BOLO had been put out on Dunner’s car, a dark blue Ford pickup truck, 2002 model.
******
“Tony, give us a run down on what we know so far, “ Gibbs said, eyeing his second in command closely. Tony looked pale, withdrawn. His movements were sluggish, none of his normal exuberance and good sense of humour shining through. Granted, this was not a case that warranted any glib comments, nor movie references, but there was something else about Tony that filled Gibbs with a looming sense of dread. He decided to keep a close eye on him, making sure he was okay.
Tony queued the screen and began to recite what they had learned to far.
Story Notes:
No money being made, just took them out to play.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Secrets are revealed when the team go through a difficult case.
Chapter End Notes:
No money being made, just took them out to play.