"West Virginia," Tony groaned from the backseat. "Only in West Virginia would you find a boarding school named 'Rocky Creek Prep School.'"
Tim didn't even look up from his laptop to address the field agent who sat beside him. "Actually, Tony, Rocky Creek Prep School has an impressive scholastic history with many of its graduates going on to Ivy League schools."
"And how does that help us figure out how the Marine Lt. who led the school's JROTC ended up dead, McGee?" Gibbs asked he swerved between cars, ignoring honks from angry drivers.
"Well, it doesn't boss, I was just…uh, I guess you weren't actually looking for an answer…" Tim trailed off when he caught his boss' glare in the rearview mirror. "Uh, Lt. Emanuel Howard joined the Marines after getting a degree in mechanical engineering. Two years ago, he volunteered to run the Junior ROTC at Rocky Creek. He's not married, has no kids, and his next of kin is a second cousin who lives in Nevada. No life insurance policies or substantial amounts of money in his will."
"Money wasn't likely a motive," Ziva concluded.
"If there even was a motive," Tony chimed in. "From what they've said it's looking like an accidental death."
"It's not an accident until we say it is, DiNozzo." Gibbs took a sharp right turn, sending the three passengers sprawling to the right. Tim dropped the laptop in the process and it slammed down into Tony's foot.
"McGee! You did that on purpose!"
Tim grabbed the computer quickly and inspected it to make sure it wasn't damaged. "Why would I purposely drop my computer on your foot and risk breaking something?"
The potential argument was stopped by a bellow from Gibbs. "Don't make me have to separate the two of you!"
"So long as McGoogle stays on his side," Tony grumbled, sounding not unlike a petulant child.
"Ziva, call Ducky and see if they're nearby. I can't see them anywhere behind us."
"I don't think the autopsy van reaches warp speed," Tony muttered to Tim, causing the two to share a laugh.
"Tim! What else do you know about this boarding school?" Gibbs barked.
"I, uh…" Tim stammered as he tried to regain his composure. "The school dates back to 1890 and is a co-ed boarding school. The Head Mistress is a woman by the name of Lynn Morrison. She received her Bachelor's degree in education and went back to school five years later to get a Masters in physics. She taught here for a few years and slowly moved her way up to administration positions. She was named Head Mistress two years ago. She is approximately forty-one years old, has never been married, no children."
"Gibbs, Ducky said Palmer took a wrong exit, so they will be at least fifteen minutes behind us."
"Are we there yet?" Tony asked. The chili cheese dog he'd eaten as a quick lunch was suddenly not agreeing with his stomach. He took a swig of water from his water bottle. "God, I hope we aren't going to stay too long."
"Suck it, Tony," Ziva told him. "A little overnight investigation never hurt anyone."
"The term, Ziva, is 'suck it up.'"
"Same difference."
"No, 'suck it' has quite a different meaning to it."
"What meaning is that?" Ziva asked, turning and looking back at Tony curiously. There was no sarcasm or snarkiness in her tone and she seemed almost like a little girl asking her parents how babies are made.
Tony snickered. "I'll tell you another time, Ziva."
"We're here!" Gibbs announced as they pulled into an almost deserted parking lot. There were police cars in the lot, as well as a few police officers standing outside, authorizing all cars that entered the lot. There were also a few cars parked in the faculty area.
"You the fellas from NCIS?" a young officer asked they got out of the car.
"We are," Gibbs told him. "Where's the body?"
"There's an athletic shed over there," the young officer said, pointing toward the football field. "It's on the other side of those bleachers. But you'll want to talk to Ms. Morrison, the Head Mistress. She told me to make sure you talked to her before you went to the body." He caught sight of a woman exiting the building and waved to her. "Here she comes now, in fact."
The woman had ash blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was of medium height and had a very slim body. She would probably have been a much more beautiful woman had she put more effort into her appearance. Her hair was pulled back which, when coupled with her tightened mouth, gave her the appearance of a no nonsense woman. Her clothing – a gray suit that looked a size too big – was matronly and did nothing to enhance her beauty. Her arms were crossed as she approached the group, her arms crossed and her eyes flashed.
"Well, well. You certainly took your own sweet time getting here," she said coolly to Gibbs. "I take it this motley crew is yours?" She looked down each member of the team. She began with Gibbs, who glared at her in response, a glare that would send others cowering. This woman, however, simply snorted and moved her attention to Ziva.
"Office David," Ziva said.
"Mm," was Lynn only response before she moved her attention to Tony. The older agent immediately recognized that Morrison was an attractive woman and tried to turn on the charm.
"I'm Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," he told her with a wink. "But my friends just call me 'Tony.'"
"Too bad I'm not your friend, special agent."
Lynn Morrison's gaze finally fell upon Tim, who had grown increasingly nervous during the "introductions." Her eyes trailed down his entire body and back up to his face. When she saw his pink-tinted cheeks she smiled. Well, it was more of a smirk than it was a smile, much like a cat that has just spotted its prey. Tim felt himself fidget under her stare.
"And you?"
"Uh, Timothy McGee, ma'am."
Lynn cackled. "Ma'am? Sweetie, that makes me sound like an old woman." She leaned in to the younger agent. "Stop shaking. I don't bite…at least not hard."
Tim lowered his head in embarrassment and Gibbs stepped in, pulling the woman aside. "If you're done terrorizing my agents, can we please take a look at the body?"
Lynn scowled, yanking her elbow out of his grip. "As I already told the police, this was a tragic accident and nothing more."
"We will need to determine that for ourselves." When he saw her reluctance, he added, "Ms. Morrison, the sooner we can verify that this was, indeed, an accident, the sooner we can get out of your hair."
She shot Gibbs a glare that rivaled his own steely eyed glare, but she conceded. "Bring them to the shed," she ordered the young officer. She turned back to Gibbs. "Will you and your people be in need of housing during this…investigation?"
"At least for one night."
"Ormen Hall has just finished repairs and is open. I'll have someone show you to your rooms after you see the body, unless you'd rather stop at your rooms first."
"No, the body comes first."
"Very well." She stepped back and watched the group as they walked off with the young police officer toward the athletic shed. Tim could feel her eyes boring a hole into his back, but he didn't dare look back at her.
Beside him, Tony shivered. "Boy, what an ice cube, huh?"
"I think she likes McGee," Ziva said, giving Tim a teasing grin.
"She likes him, alright. She likes him the way a hawk likes a little field mouse. Be careful, Probie. She may devour you in your sleep."
"Tony, don't even joke about it," Tim grumbled. Never before had he hoped for a case to be wrapped up so quickly.
AN: As per many of my other stories, this is already complete and I will post one chapter a day!