The day was over too quickly in Ducky's opinion. After taking samples of a substance found on the victim's body to Abby, they had discovered that he worked with toxic waste and had narrowed the suspects down to 3 men. Two had air tight alibis while the third claimed to have been at a bar most of the night. After viewing the security tapes however, it was shown that the man left for some time. Time enough, Gibbs thought, to murder the victim. After 15 minutes alone in a room with Gibbs, the suspect broke down and told everything. As Ducky locked up for the night, he caught a glimpse of Vixey heading for the elevator. She caught sight of him and slowed down. "Going my way," She said as he caught up to her. "If you're heading down to the garage then the answer is yes." Vixey smiled as the doors closed. "Not a bad days work if I do say so myself. Gibbs is good." "Yes, he always has had a way with people." The elevator stopped too quickly in both of their opinions. As Ducky reached his car Vixey's eyes went wide. "I wondered who owned that. I can't believe you have a 1935 Morgan Roadster!" "I take it you like it?" "Like It! The first car I ever drove was A Morgan. Boy did that baby growl!" "Yes, they are rather loud but I do love it. What do you drive?" "Well i have a Black 1946 Plymouth Hemi Coupe at home that needs a fuel pump so for now I'm driving a 1989 Harley Davidson Sportster." She pointed to the vehicle a few spaces away and Ducky raised his eyebrow, "It's magnificent but tell me, who are you getting to fix your Plymouth. The mechanics around here leave much to be desired." "I do my own repairs, I don't trust mechanics, not even the ones i know. But fixing cars is kind of a hobby of mine, especially the older ones." "Yes, well unfortunately the clutch is going bad and I cant find anyone who has the part much less who can do the work. I restored it when Mother was in better health. Now, I wouldn't have the time to do it." "I think I might be able to help you with both. I know a guy who claims that he can get any part for any car. So far, he's held up on his claim. As for the work, well I could do it." "I couldn't ask you," he started to say before she cut him off. "You didn't, I offered and I don't mind. The Morgan I drove was my grandfather's. When he died, my uncle sold it without asking the rest of the family if we wanted it. I was pissed. I miss working on it." "Alright, if you're sure I wouldn't be putting you out?" Vixey smiled at him, an action that warmed him as well as made him feel things he hadn't felt in a while. But he pushed them aside. She didn't want an old man like him. He watched as she admired his car for a few moments before pulling out her phone. "I'd better call Marty before he leaves the shop. Once he does, it's a pain to get him to answer his phone. Don't get me wrong, he's reliable," she said as she dialed the number, "I honestly think he does it to hide from his wife." Ducky chuckled and before he could say anything else her tone changed. "Hey Marty, how's the hunt coming for my fuel pump? Great, well I got another challenge for you. A clutch for a 1935 Morgan Roadster. No I am not kidding. Ok I'll hold." He's going to look," Vixey told Ducky "He might have a deal for you, who knows with him." "What do you mean a deal?" "Well sometimes with older cars he finds whole ones in a junkyard and he sells them to someone looking for parts. He said he thought he found one the other day but the frame was bad. If that's the case you might be able to get it for spare parts just in case." "That sounds like a golden opportunity. It's hard to find parts for a car like mine." "Yeah Marty I'm still here, Great so what's the bottom price? Yeah I suppose I could do that. I mean I love holding that over you but it's worth it. Ok so when can I look for it? Yeah just drop it off at the house. Dakota should be there. Ok great thanks again. How's the old ball and chain these days? Yeah I got ya. Ok well talk to you later." As she hung up the phone she had the cat that ate the canary look. "Well Dr. Mallard you're very lucky to have me as a friend. Not only are you getting your clutch as well as almost a whole car, you are getting it absolutely free." "How is that possible?" "Let's just say I have pictures of Marty in a few situations that he wishes would never come to the light of day. You're also getting the parts tomorrow. He's making a delivery in this area tomorrow and he's gonna drop it off at my place. I have a garage behind my house and plenty of storage." "That would be wonderful. When can fix it?" "Anytime I'm not working. It shouldn't take me long once I have the part." "Wonderful. I will bring it by tomorrow evening. Mother's nurse asked for more hours and I was going to say no but she was very insistent and she does have two children." Vixey smiled at this. "Just a big old softie huh? Well maybe not old." "I'm older then you think," Ducky said as he returned the smile. "Well I suppose I should get home. I'd hate to hold you up." "You're not. I'm going home to an empty house, well if you don't count the animals, and Dakota." "Forgive me for prying but Dakota is your?" "Roommate as well as ranch hand and good friend. I have another roommate named Remy and we're very close. But it's not what you think. He's how can I put this? Ok his door swings the opposite way." "Oh, he prefers company of the male gender. Nothing wrong with that." "No, but you'd be surprised how many people don't take to them as kindly and as easily as you do. I've known him about as long as I've known Abby and the three of us are like peas in a pod. I'll have to bring my photo album in tomorrow." "I would like that. Well Good night Vixey and thank you." "Good night Dr Mallard." "Please call me Ducky." "Good night Ducky." She watched as he started up his car, relishing the noise it made, before he exited the parking garage and drove out of her sight.
AS Vixey made her way down the street, she noticed the Morgan on the side of of the road and Ducky under the hood. She pulled over behind him. "What happened?" Ducky turned to look at her with surprise. "The clutch locked. It will shift from first into neutral and that's it.
Drat!" "Sounds like it's only a matter of time before it locks completely. I wouldn't trust it to drive home." "Me either. Oh bother, Mother has a Doctor's appointment in the morning." "Well, we can have it towed to my garage and you can borrow my truck. It's not much, just a little 1986 Chevy Silverado I use to haul stuff. But it's reliable and it's got plenty of room. Not to mention it's lower to the ground then a normal one." "I couldn't put you out like that. Suppose you need it?" "I don't plan on getting any supplies for a few more days yet and if something comes up Dakota's got his truck. I won't take no for an answer." "Oh alright. I do need something to drive Mother in the morning." Vixey's eyes suddenly lit up and Ducky looked to see what she was looking at. A roll top tow truck was pulling in behind them. The sign on the side said 'Moonlight Towing.' A young man with long sandy blonde hair got out with a huge grin on his face. "I thought that was you, Vix. Need a tow?" "Hey Chris, yeah the clutch in my friend's car locked up in first. Think you can carefully take it to my place? Oh this is Ducky by the way, Ducky this is Chris." A pleasure. Now you will take great pains to be careful I hope?" "Oh yes sir, any friend of Vixey's gets the kid gloves treatment. Ducky watched with great pains as his precious Morgan was loaded carefully on the back of the truck. "You lead the way Vix," Chris said after everything was was unsure whether he would ride with the tow truck or with Vixey. He didn't know if she would want him to ride with her. It was decided for him when Vixey handed him a black waited til she was seated then climbed on behind her. He was unsure where to put his hands. There didn't seem to be anything to hang on to other then the woman in front of him.
Vixey could feel the mental debate going on behind her and had a pretty good idea what it was about. She reached around behind her, grabbed his hands and pulled them around her waist. "It that comfortable for you?" He wanted to say something other then, 'yes quite comfortable' but his gentleman side wouldn't let him. He noticed that Vixey didn't put on a helmet and wondered if she only had the one. "You should take the helmet, you're younger." "I don't wear them, ever. I know they're supposed to be safe but so are seat belts and people die because of the, I was in an accident years ago and i was wearing my helmet but on impact the visor shattered. One of the shards came within a half an inch of my left eye and another one missed my jugular by 2 inches. A friend of mine was killed in a crash when his helmet side-swiped a tree. If he hadn't been wearing his helmet he would have missed it. No Sir, you'll never get me to wear one." "What about your children, do they wear theirs?" "They don't ride with me. Lilly likes to have walls around her and Matthew has an old Trans Am. They're not like me in that way." "I see. I think your friend is ready." Nothing more was said after Vixey started the motor and took off. While ,they were riding, Ducky took the opportunity to lean against Vixey. He noticed that she smelled like the shampoo he used on his mother's Corgi.
