Chapter 9
Kate’s cell phone rang 5 minutes after Mac had left. “DiNozzo” she answered. “Right, got it honey” she said, placing it back in her pocket. The two others waited for her to explain. “We got another dead marine, same MO”
“Bring me back lots of evidence!” Abby called after her.
“This is gonna take longer because we are an agent down” Tony told his wife.
“Really? I never would have guessed” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“What the hell took you guys so long” the woman said, jumping up from a chair on the porch.
“Mac, what the hell are you doing here? I thought McGee send you home”
“He did”
“Then why are you here”
“Because I really don’t feel that bad and can’t be bothered sitting at home doing nothing”
“Ok then. The more help we get the better” he said, entering the house, Mac and Kate on his six. “Told you it was related” Tony said
“Aye, no shit Sherlock” Mac said, as they took in the scene.
“You’re mean when you are ill”
“I’m not ill and I’m always mean” she said, flashing a smile in his direction, making him instantly forgive her. While the first murder was Kenny, this one was Cartman. A marine had been redressed in a fat suit, red jacket and blue hat.
“Sorry we’re late Anthony. Gerald got us lost again”
“Doc, you had the map”
“You gave it to me” he said angrily. “What have we got?”
“You tell me”
“Looks like the same cause of death as the other body”
“Blunt force trauma?”
“Yes.” He said, pulling out the liver probe. “Temperature suggests TOD was 5 hours ago.”
“Ok. Get him back as soon as possible Duck” he said, moving over to Mac and Kate. “You guys got anything?”
“Blood splatter on the wall, no weapon yet”
“Ok, keep working on it” he said, pulling out his ringing cell phone. “DiNozzo… right got it…thanks”
“What was that about?”
“We got another body. His killings are getting closer together. Come on guys. McGee is sending over another team to work this scene and we got the new one.” They all left the scene, including Ducky and Gerald who didn’t have time to take Cartman back to HQ, he was also coming.
“20 bucks says we’re gonna find a dead Kyle here” Mac said as they got out the truck.
“I would usually take bets but I know your right” Tony said flashing his credentials at the LEO and walking under the tape. They were led to the stair way and saw the marine facing them, head first down the stairs. Tony was glad he hadn’t taken Mac’s bet because the latest body was dressed in an orange coat, green hat and green mittens. Ducky had followed them in and walked straight to the body. “COD Duck?”
“Do you even have to ask?” he said pissed.
“Blunt force trauma”
“Yes. TOD is about 30 minutes ago”
“Damn it” he said, gesturing for Mac and Kate to join him on the stairs. “There is splatter on the roof. How’d you figure it got there?”
“That isn’t splatter, that’s cast off” Mac told him.
“Duck, you got any ideas on the weapon from the first body?”
“Maybe. The wound had a weird shape. Straight, but then it doubled back.”
“Hockey stick?” Mac suggested.
“Hockey sticks don’t double back Sherlock” he said, mocking her earlier comment.
“I mean field hockey Einstein” she threw back with a smile, and his face fell.
“Hmm…possibly” Ducky agreed. “Was there any connection between the victims?”
“Not that we could find. Granted we had very little time” Kate told him.
“Excuse me” Mac said as her phone rang. She moved over to the side and flipped it open. “Sciuto” she said, then listened for a while. “Aw Abs I could kiss you but I don’t go that way” she said, snapping it shut and putting it back in her jacket pocket.
“She got something?” Tony asked eagerly.
“Yeah. The connection isn’t the vics.” She said, rushing out to the truck, the rest of the team running confused after her.
“What is the connection?” Tony asked, jumping into the van, Kate behind him as Mac started it up and slammed her foot on the pedal. Tony and Kate together as Mac sped round the corner. The straightened up and quickly put their belts on. “What the fuck is the connection!” Tony yelled
“Location! Kenny was killed 50 metres north of the south gate, Cartman 50 metres east of the west gate and Kyle 50 metres south of the north gate.”
“I take it we’re heading to a house 50 metres west of the east gate?”
“Bingo” she said, spinning the van round another corner and pushing Tony and Kate into the side of the truck, just making them hold on tighter. When they got there, Abby had called them with the location, the truck had barely stopped before Mac was half way across the garden, sig levelled in front of her. She kicked in the door while Kate and Tony caught up. She ran in, leaving Tony and Kate to clear the room. She had an idea where they would be and she wasn’t wrong. A marine was sitting in a track suit at his laptop, earphones in and on the verge of head banging. I strong man was behind the unaware marine, a hockey stick raised over his head ready to bring it crashing down into the marine’s skull. Mac didn’t hesitate. She fired two shots into his heart and he fell to the floor. At this point the other two entered and the marine became aware of what was going on. He took his head phones out and stared in shock as two of what looked like cops went to the dead man and one of the women came over to him.
“Are you ok?” the woman said and he nodded
“So this is our guy” the man said, “Don’t even say it Mac” he added when the third agent began to open her mouth.
“Fine then” she said and he heard her Scottish accent.
“Hey wait, I recognise that guy” the marine said for the first time.
“What? Mac, I thought you said he didn’t know the vics”
“I thought he didn’t” she said, just as shocked as he was. The marine still stared and Mac followed his gaze and a look of confusion came on her face. “That’s Henry Bruce”
“You know him too”
“Not personally”
“She’s right” the marine told him.
“Who the hell is he?!” Tony asked frustrated.
“Henry Bruce. Best defender on the American Olympic field hockey team”
“And you just killed him?”
“Well done Sherlock”
“Stop saying that!”
“It’s my phrase of the day. Sorry”
“Come on. Lets get Ducky over here and we’ll get to go back to HQ” he said as they both stood up from the side of the body. “And you’re not driving back Mac. I don’t want to die
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