Chapter 2
Tony was bagging and tagging evidence when his phone rang. Glancing down at the caller id he quickly made his way for the door.
"Tony," he answered once he was outside and out of earshot. He listened for a moment before laughing softly.
"I can't," he replied, "We got a case." After another moment he agreed.
"Sure, later is fine," he said, glancing around and seeing Gibbs coming towards him, looking angry, "Gotta go, you too. Bye."
"Something important DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, suspecting that it wasn't.
"Yeah Boss, Mr. Landers' office said that he didn't show for work today," Tony told him, glad that he had checked this earlier.
"Okay," said Gibbs. If he was surprised, he hid it well.
"Go get a statement from the neighbor who found her," he ordered. Tony nodded and set back off towards the house. Gibbs stood there staring after him. What's going on with you Tony, he wondered, before following his agent.
Back at the office Gibbs gave his orders to the team. Ziva was to find Mr. Landers, McGee was to run background checks on all of them, but before he could get to Tony, he was interrupted.
"I'll take the evidence down to Abby," he said grabbing the bin with the crime scene photos and few other things they had found, and carrying it to the elevator. Gibbs stared after him for a moment, before following him to the elevator to go check up on Ducky.
"It must be a girl," commented McGee to Ziva.
"Why would you say that>" she asked, each going to their desks, "Tony's dated lots of girls, but he's never acted like this. He'd have talked about her all morning."
"Then what is it?" McGee asked, echoing what they were both thinking.
"What have you got for me?" asked Gibbs as he entered autopsy.
"Not much I'm afraid," said Ducky bending over the body on the autopsy table.
"It appears that this woman was suffocated, judging by the bruises around her neck and on her windpipe. No other injuries, nothing at all to indicate any kind of struggle," Ducky explained, "How's Tony? Still acting odd?"
"More than usual that is," answered Gibbs, "Thanks," he replied and turned, walking quickly out of autopsy and heading for Abby's lab.
As he walked towards the lab he passed Tony, coming up in the opposite direction. He was grinning wildly.
"Hey," Gibbs said, catching him by the arm, "You've not been back upstairs yet?" There was something almost accusatory in his voice.
"On my way now," explained Tony, shrugging and gesturing towards the elevator, "Abby had a few questions for me." It wasn't exactly a lie. She had asked him some things. Gibbs let him go.
"Well get a move on," he said, "This case isn't gonna solve itself."
"Sure thing Boss," Tony replied. As he walked away he shook himself mentally. That had been close. Gibbs stared after his senior field agent until he was out of sight, and then followed the muffled sound of music coming from Abby's lab.
"Got anything yet?" Gibbs asked her as she walked into the lab.
"That depends on what you've got for me," Abby replied, staring into the screen of one of her many computers. She spun around in her chair, and seeing his empty hands scolded him.
"Aww, Gibbs," she whined, "You know I can't work without my caffeine fix."
"I'll bring you one later," he told her placatingly. She sighed and acted angry for a moment.
"Fine," she said pouting, but seeing his look she smiled again. "Well you didn't give me much to do on this one, but from what I got I can't tell you anything," She added quickly, "Yet."
"You've got an hour," he told her, about to leave the lab, "Just one more question."
"Shoot," Abby said.
"Why is Tony so damn happy today?"
"No idea," Abby lied, turning away from him so he couldn't see her grin.
by Miniola
Author's Chapter Notes:
A mysterious caller is the cause of Tony's joy, but who could it be?