"Gear up, body of a female Petty Officer found in Quantico," Gibbs ordered to the team, as he took his sidearm from the drawer. "McGee you're with me".
"Oh, I love a good family murder," Tony added as the elevator door shut.
"Why do you say family?" Ziva asked.
"Most murders are committed by someone they know and trust, so in this case, the husband."
"Never did say she was married DiNozzo but yes," Gibbs replied.
-oOo-
Ziva and Tony arrived moments behind Gibbs and Tim.
"One day I'll beat him to a job," Tony had remarked as he slammed the car door shut.
"Late DiNozzo," Gibbs laughed, as he slipped under the police tape, and entered the house.
Inside it just looked normal, the vacuum cleaner positioned on the rug as if it was, just ready to be used, or had been used.
"At least she hoovers," Tim had said.
"Timothy, can I say that you may hoover, but Hoover is a trade name, so you either vacuum, or suction clean, but yes most people just hoover," Ducky had replied in his usual knowledgeable way.
"You forgot Hoover the President…" Tony began to say.
"Dam," Jimmy added.
"Wash your mouth out Mr Palmer," Ducky replied.
"Sorry, I mean Hoover Dam, not damn as in damn nation, but then the President was of the nation," Jimmy continued to stammer.
"But America trusts Hoover," Ducky now added smiling, "It was the 1984 slogan, mother was very into hoovers," as he continued to examine the deceased.
"Time of death," Gibbs now requested giving both Dr Mallard and Mr Palmer his glare and pointing to the body laying inert and prostrate on the kitchen floor, her arms spread in front of her.
"Ah yes, about 4 hours ago, not quite sure, could be heart, no visual trauma, but then we won't know until I get the poor girl home."
"DiNozzo, you and David, stay here look for evidence, McGee you and I will check with the neighbours to see if they heard or saw anything."
-oOo-
"What you got Duks," as Gibbs strode into autopsy.
"Jethro, as I said, I will let you know, but it would appear that the poor girl had a heart attack. Sudden death syndrome or sudden arrhythmia death, it is most commonly due to a serious abnormal change to the heart's rhythm known as an arrhythmia, such as ventricular tachycardia. Unfortunately the majority of victims have no warning signs or prior symptoms."
"So you're saying just natural causes?"
"I am, but why do you ask?" Dr Mallard questioned.
"Gut feeling, the body was unnatural positioned I thought. She hadn't crumpled, and her hand didn't look like she had clutched her chest."
"You mean the body was moved?"
"I would like to say…rearranged," as he now turned and left.
"Now tea I think Mr Palmer," as Ducky indicated to Jimmy.
-oOo-
Gibbs entered Abby's lab the music as always loud.
"I got to ask, are there any poisons that are untraceable?" Gibbs shouted over the noise.
"Yes and no," Abby replied smiling, "Who you thinking of murdering?"
"Yes and no?" Gibbs continued, his eye twitching slightly, "And I'm not."
"Well yes there are..is…," as she looked puzzling at Gibbs, "But not to me."
"Abby!"
"OK, OK, keep your hair on," she began to say. "Right, not completely untraceable, but the poison from the Death Camas, a rather pretty white wild flower, have you seen any recently?" as she saw the look in Gibbs eye continued, "Ok take that as a no, but it breaks down very quickly and probably doesn't come up a lot in tox screens. It's also one of the stronger poisonous wild plants. The Death Camas is a plant from the lily family," as she pulled up pictures on the screen, "It contains a toxic chemical called zygacine. Young plants tend to be more toxic than older plants, and most often found in dry areas of Western US. The bulb is often confused with edible wild onions…eating one or two bulbs can cause symptoms but all parts of the plant are poisonous." as she watched Gibbs turn, and leave the lab.
-oOo-
Gibbs returned to autopsy.
"Duks…what was the last meal?" Gibbs requested.
"Funny you should ask, I was just saying to Mr Palmer that she appeared to have had what looked like picked onions and cheese."
"What if I said Death Camas?"
"Yes, one bulb, either raw or cooked can be fatal. It has been claimed that zygadenine is more potent than strychnine. Wait I said heart attack didn't I?" now looking at Jimmy, "But the heart fails before respiration. The blood pressure drops and the heart is in complete diastole. Oh Jethro, I must have a closer look," as he indicated to Jimmy to pass him back the heart.
"Duks, Abby said zygacine, you say zygadenine what's the difference?
"Zygadenine was the first steroidal alkaloid found in death camas, but the toxicity has been attributed to zygacine, an acetyl ester of zygadenine, that answer your question?" as Dr Mallard sighed and watched Gibbs leave.
-oOo-
Gibbs returned to Abby's lab to find Tim and Tony already there chatting to Abby.
"In an old Charlie Chaplin film, the murderer, Monsueir Verdoux developed a poison untraceable by autopsy to use as a better means to kill," Tim said continuing his conversation.
"Didn't take you for a film buff Tim," Gibbs replied now looking at the pair.
"I'm not as a rule, but I do like the Keystone Cops, now and again, but Chaplin played a whole different character from his "tramp" in Tillie's Punctured Romance…"
"Yes, remember that one, Chaplin played a womanising city man."
"Bit like you and your dad then," Tim smiled.
"Not nice Timmy, but it was different…never liked Chaplin in his early silent stuff, was just too slapstick, how was it Charlie put it the Keystone comedies were "a crude mélange of rough and rumble", made him look a right Charlie, "Tony added beginning to laugh, "But he liked the idea of working in films," seeing the look in Gibbs' eyes, "Shutting up now, just wanted to give you this note Boss," as he handed Gibbs a piece of paper, "Found on the telephone table."
"Is that it you two? Can we get back to the task in hand, in fact Work or there will be no Pay Day."
"Nice one Boss, getting back to work," as Tony smiled the DiNozzo smile, turned and walked out the lab.
"Boss, I was just talking to Abby, as she said that you had asked about untraceable poisons, and I was thinking that well this was a little like the film," as he saw Gibbs stare, "Going back to work Boss," as he too turned.
"McGee, speak to me, what are you saying?"
"Abby and I were discussing poisons."
"Botox is cool…and it is a shortened version of Botulinim toxin, it's a really powerful nerve agent, as is… Tetanospasmin, it causes tetanus," Abbs oozed.
"Personally I like Ricin, but it is becoming very common, but Alexander Litvinenko, he was killed by radioactive polonium-210, believed to have been administered in a cup of tea," Tim continued.
"Oi, what were you saying about Monsueir Verdoux?" Gibbs questioned looking at Tim.
"Chaplin played a murderous bigamist; he married and murdered wealthy widows. Why do you ask?" as Gibbs handed him the piece of paper.
Minx Devours Euro
"Interesting," Tim said as he passed to Abby.
"Wow, who wrote that?"
"That is for you to check…the ink and writing, and also for prints, McGee we need to find out a little more on our Petty Officer's life."