A/N: Be sure to pay attention to detail! Warning: This is a story for the case, not for developing characters. Grab you hot chocolate and settle in!
8 hours earlier… Charlene was passing by the downtown store fronts with her friends when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something peculiar. It turned out to be a man; just lying there in the middle of the side-walk. She reached over and murmured to him, "Excuse me Sir, but there is a bench right there for you to lie down on. Oh!" She gasped as she turned the man over and saw blood trickling down the side of his face.
Present time… "Ah, McGee so glad you could join us." Tony said as he leaned back in his chair. "Ziva and I were just discussing about Ducky being gone this week." Ziva smiled appreciatively at Tony for his cover up. McGee, oblivious as usual, threw his backpack down and sat in his chair.
"Yes, it will be a strange thing to have Jimmy doing Autopsy this week." McGee sighed and Tony started talking again, "So, Ziva do you have time today for,"
"For what DiNozzo? You two to have dinner? We got a dead marine downtown. Grab your gear." The team jumped up from their desks and immediately grabbed their gear.
Once they were at the crime scene Ziva started to take photographs. She photographed the blood on the bench and the victim's wallet which was lying near him. Tony was working with her; bagging and tagging when she was done taking pictures. "Not much here in the way of evidence." Tony observed. Ziva chuckled and said, "I see that McGee is busy taking witness statements."
"Now uh,"
"Charlene." The woman said politely.
"Is there anything you can tell me?" McGee questioned.
"Well, I was busy walking down the street with my friends when I spotted him lying there. I thought it was a funny position for someone to be in so I went over to him. At first he appeared unconscious but when I turned him over I saw that he was dead. Then I called the police, who in turn called you." She concluded her statements and McGee sent her off, telling her they would be in touch. Just then Jimmy ducked under the tape. "Oh, I see there aren't any maggots. I like fresh bodies; not old ones with their smell and all their bugs and dehydrated skin..." Gibbs glowered at Palmer. "Right, it appears that he was killed by head trauma our killer bashed his head in, all though that's obvious, there are signs of a struggle. Huh, his fingerprints are missing." Here Tony butted in, "Well that's ok because we found his wallet Boss." Gibbs gave Tony an annoyed look. "Well, who is he then DiNozzo?"
"Sergeant Tyler Griffin." Tony answered.
"McGee put it up." Gibbs called. McGee obeyed and started to narrate, "Sergeant Tyler Griffin served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was dishonorably discharged from the service three months ago. His charges were dis-obeying officers' orders and getting into fights. Before he was put on a plane back to D.C. he went missing in action. Known to be the quiet type and easily angered, he is single and his mother, father, and brother are still living. Family relations appear good. Before sent to Afghanistan Sergeant Griffin lived in the outskirts of D.C. and based on his credit card charges, frequented a coffee shop in downtown D.C."
"Very good McGee, Tony, Ziva, bring in the parents." Gibbs called.
A/N: So how is it? Did you like the character of Charlene? If yes, would you like to see her somewhere else in the story? Would you like me to include song suggestions during some of the upcoming fight/chase scenes? Tell me in your reviews, and trust me, they are appreciated!