Tony closed his eyes and concentrated on the recording. He had had Tim replay it several times. He shook his head. “Sorry, Boss.” Tony sighed and looked up at Gibbs from his position on the bed.
“You’re sure, Tony…” Gibbs asked, frustrated. He paced the small room. “…you don’t know that voice?”
Tony shook his head again. “It’s been years, Gibbs. It could have been anybody at the precinct. It’s big news when someone made detective. The entire police force knew of the promotions.”
Gibbs shook his head.
“You know me, Boss. I’m so good, I can piss people off long distance.” Tony paused. “It could have been anybody in the police department.”
“NOT funny, DiNozzo,” Gibbs stated. “…not funny.”
“No, it’s not. I thought being dead would be so much different. I was kind of hoping for the 77-virgins thing.” Tony said, winking at Ziva.
“Tim is a virgin, no?” Ziva said, on the verge of laughter.
McGee said nothing, but he gave both Ziva and Tony dirty looks.
Tony’s grin changed to a look of horror. “NOT my type, Zee-va.”
“Yes, Tim is too pretty. You and Tobey would make a cute couple.” Ziva reasoned.
Gibbs loved the banter between his agents and even he could not help but smile at Ziva’s statement.
“Keep that little bald-headed bastard out of this.” Tony said, pouting.
“Oh, come on DiNotezo.” Tim chimed in.
“You remembering anything yet, Tony?” Gibbs asked, putting an end to the banter and refocusing the team on the case.
Tony shook his head. “It really could have been anybody in the department, Gibbs. The older guys really, really hated it when the young cops made detective before they did. There were many guys there that fit that description. Thought they should have made detective because they had been with the PD even before God flipped the switch.”
“That narrows it down.” Gibbs stated.
“Not really,” Tony stated. “…these were not ambitious people. They were the stereotypical donut-eating, coffee-swilling cops.”
“That leaves us with the recording. The voice.” Gibbs stated.
“I’m trying, Boss. I really am.”
“I know, Tony. I know.”
Gibbs had called off the protection detail. He swore the two agents to secrecy through threat of death. Gibbs was now alone with his thoughts. He had sent Ziva and Tim home for the day. He had then given Tony his pain medication, so he knew Tony would be out for several hours.
Gibbs had been putting it off for hours. The mere thought of planning a funeral for Tony, even a fake one, tore at his heart. He knew it was selfish of him, but he hoped to hell he died before Tony did. He didn’t think he could stand to loose another child. Gibbs shook off the feelings and went to work. He had to get some sort of plan, for lack of a better word, to the director. The director had already given Team Gibbs time off, which was usual practice when a team lost a member. They would have to see a counselor, which was also procedure. Shepard and Gibbs wanted to make sure everything was covered, in case this guy had eyes inside NCIS.
Plus, they were all hoping, against hope, that the bastard would have the balls to show up at the funeral. Gibbs knew he, Tim and Ziva had heard the recording enough times to have the guy’s voice memorized. They would know him immediately, if he chanced to talk to someone.
Gibbs was brought back to the present, by sounds coming from the spare bedroom. They had moved Tony there as soon as he was able. They all knew he would be more comfortable in an actual bed instead of on a blow-up matress.
“Gibbs…Boss…” Tony called.
“I think I have a couple of names for you…” Tony said when Gibbs appeared in the bedroom doorway.
TBC
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