Something Fishy
"Who was that?" Gibbs asked as he strode into the bullpen coffee in hand, "And where are the Thomson Twins?" as he looked at the empty desks of Ziva and Tony.
"Tony has a dental appointment…yes I know again, something about root canal treatment, and Ziva has gone to the ladies."
"You know? She has gone to the ladies? Because McGee the last time, if you remember, she said that, she ended up at a Sear's sale." Gibbs replied.
"She did find the missing Petty Officer, Boss."
"Yeah, but she went without telling me, and I do so love a sale. So who was on the phone…..McGee?"
"Abby," Tim answered.
"Abby? But I just left Abby." Gibbs snarled.
"Yes, no…I mean Special Agent Abigail Borin, Coast Guard Investigative Service she…"
"And since when have you and Special Agent Borin been on first name terms?" Gibbs shouted.
"We….we..we're not, but you asked who had called and I said Abby, because she said and I quote, "Tell Gibbs, Abby called, and we have a dead mobster or was it thermidor, slightly red on a boat outside Norfolk. Tell him the randy old shell has a rather eggy moustache….and it is slightly dreamy."
"McGee, talk English, this sounds like Chinese whispers….get Abby on the phone….." Gibbs shouted.
"Which one Boss?" McGee stammered.
"Borin." Gibbs shouted as he saw Tim call.
-oOo-
Gibbs and Tim arrived at Norfolk and were told where the Coastguard ship was moored. They made their way over and Tim stopped and stared, "Do I have to Boss?" he pleaded.
"Jethro, Agent McGee come aboard," they looked up and saw Agent Borin waving., "And before you ask, I left an agent on board the yacht." as the two NCIS agents boarded and the ship fired up and chugged out of Norfolk.
The yacht wasn't far off shore.
"Why did you not sail it in?" Gibbs asked.
"We brought it nearer shore….. but wanted you to see the crime scene if it was one, if not it was a good opportunity for you to get some sea air and exercise." Abby laughed, as they now boarded the boat, Tim hanging on to the rope ladder for dear life. Gibbs followed Abby to the back deck.
They looked at the Commodore, he was face down in a bowl of rice, the lobster lay on the silver ashet beside him.
"McGee said thermidor Abby or was it mobster?" Gibbs said looking at the body.
"No Gibbs, I said the Commodore is slightly dead, but I said the lobster, in the sauce was eggy, with too much mustard, but it was slightly creamy…..oh yes, I did say the brandy was in the old bell," Abby replied smiling.
"Need your ears syringed McGee?" Gibbs asked, looking at the younger man.
"Hey Jethro back off, the reception was bad, I knew I should have called you on your cell but I got a disconnected message." Abby replied.
"McGee reboot my phone when we get back to DC. But what we going to do, and why are you involved?" Gibbs questioned.
"WELL Gibbs, if you look about nothing but water. The Commodore was on a fishing trip…and why is McGee looking over the side and moving up and down?" Abby asked.
"More throwing up I would say Abbs. The sight of the lobster I think, turned his stomach" Gibbs replied.
"Maybe Jethro, that's what killed the Commodore, badly cooked fish." Abby answered, as they watched Tim approach again.
"Crustacean Ma'am, lobster is a crustacean." as Tim turned and raced again for the side of the yacht.
"Abby we can sail the boat back to Norfolk, I'll get Ducky to meet us and then he'll do the autopsy…that sound ok to you?" Gibbs offered.
"Suits me, I'll get the Coastguard boat to head off, we'll sail it back…"
"Boss can I go on the big boat?" a rather green Tim asked.
"Nope, they are off to another assignment another call out, so I'm afraid…."
"Afraid….. I thought would say that." Tim managed to say as he raced for the railing.
"I'll call Ducky," as Gibbs went below to the radio room.
-oOo-
The yacht sailed into the Norfolk Marina, the MCRT truck was waiting on the quay, Gibbs saw Jimmy waving from the shore, Jethro smiled and navigated the yacht to a mooring.
"Good to see you getting some fresh air in your lungs Jethro, and tell me where is Timothy?" as Ducky looked about. He spied a hand waving from the port side of the yacht. "Never did make a good sailor did we Agent McGee, but Jethro…. Agent Borin, where is the Commodore?" as he was helped aboard.
Dr Mallard and Jimmy walked over to the deceased, "Mmm the lobster looks overdone, dried out but could be the sea air, I'll know what killed him when we get him home….. so to speak…..so gentlemen if you could so assist in getting the deceased into a body bag, and the lobster, bag and tag Agent Borin if you will be so kind, we can get some work done." Ducky finished walking away.
-oOo-
Gibbs and Abby walked into autossy, they say Ducky and Jimmy working away, Duks turned as he heard the door."Ahha Jethro, Agent Borin, you are wondering if I have come to result yet?"
"Crossed my mind Duks, spit it out." Gibbs replied.
"Well the good Doctor has, in the words of Loyd Grossman; deliberated, cogitated and digested, and he has come to some pulmonary findings." Jimmy replied."
Gibbs gave Jimmy the Paddington bear stare, and then looked at Ducky.
"Tomalley or lobster paste, as it is sometimes called, is the soft, green substance found in the body cavity…. It fulfills the functions of both the liver and the pancreas, it is considered a delicacy, and may be eaten alone but is often added to saucesfor flavour and as a thickening agent. The tomalley in general can be consumed in moderation, as with the livers of other animals, Jethro, it can, however, contain high levels of polychlorinated biphenyl which can give a number of negative health effects in large concentrations. It may also contain toxins that are associated with, paralytic shellfish poisoning, I have sent samples up to Abigail for analysis. You realise Jethro, these toxins do not leach out when the lobster is cooked in boiling water. The toxins responsible for most shellfish poisonings are water-insoluble," as Ducky walked over to the kidney dish," Heat and acid-stable, and thus, they are not diminished by cooking. Did you know that a report from the Maine Department of Marine Resources in July 2008 indicated the presence of high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin in some tomalley from lobsters in that state?" Dr Mallard continued, "Around the same time, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reminded consumers not to eat lobster tomalley, because this part of the lobster can build up high levels of toxins and other pollutants. The U.S. food and Drug Administration, then issued an advisory against consuming tomalley from American lobsters found anywhere in the Atlantic Ocean."
"Fascinating Ducky, but what killed him?" Agent Borin now questioned.
"To be honest I think it was his heart…it just gave out, I would say the sauce was just a bit too creamy, all that cholesterol, yes he died of a heart attack."
"So we don't have a murder?" Gibbs asked.
"I think Jethro, the only murder that took place, was having Tim sail with us. For a Field Agent, I think he should stay in the field and away from water. Where is he now?" Abby asked of Gibbs.
"I think he is swaying slightly in the head, and not just his cranium head, I got it in good faith from Ziva, that every time he bends over to pick something off the floor, he falls over."
"Jethro you really should tell Anthony not to be so childish. Maybe another spell as Agent Afloat will make him see sense." Ducky finished by saying as he heard Borin's cell ring.
"Sorry guys got to go, we got a bit of drug smuggling off Norfolk. Maybe I should take McGee sailing one weekend." as she walked to the elevator with Gibbs.
The End.