Chapter 2
It was later that evening. Gibbs and the team hadn't had much to go on; it was basically, systematically, work through the old notes. The Petty Officer had gone AWOL some 10yrs previously, well he might have done, but had now turned up dead so whole new ball game. Gibbs said "Let's start fresh in the morning. We can, or we need to take this from a different angle. Some of his colleagues will have died, retired who knows what so unless we make a list and subdivide we will be tripping over each other." The team nodded, it was going to be a long day.
Gibbs was working away in the basement on the boat, carefully sanding the keel, but his hearing detected a noise from upstairs. That was the good thing of having bare floorboards, you could hear uninvited guests.
"Tobias," he said not looking up.
"Still not locking the door?"
"Hey, I have three ex-wives, one who is married to you. She cleaned me out remember, another I'm paying alimony to, and well the third hasn't turned up dead… yet. I have nothing left to give, and nothing worth stealing, but what brings you at this time of night."
"Any chance of a drink?"
"You're driving."
"Nope came by cab, I have a bag upstairs," as Fornell looked at Gibbs.
Jethro smiled, "Sorry not a whore house Tobias."
"I mean an overnight bag," as Tobias now searched the basement.
"Know what you meant. She throw you out again?"
"No not really, but I came in late, woke Emily and got hell. She's going through the terrible twos," Fornell replied now finding a bottle of Jack behind a tool box.
"Diane, going through the terrible twos?" Gibbs smiled, "New one on me."
"No Emily."
Gibbs looked up and thought oh yes he remembered when Kelly went through them too. He was glad he hadn't been home at the time.
"Hey go easy on that," he laughed as he watched Fornell pour a good two fingers into a jam jar and knock back, before refilling.
"Sorry been a rough day, how did your dead body pan out?" as Tobias began to relax and sip the liquid.
Gibbs indicated that Fornell hand over the bottle, and finally poured himself a glass…well in a tumbler, and began to sip.
"Body been dead some 10yrs it would appear. We need to go back and find family, friends and colleagues. Going to be a long process."
"Need a hand?" Tobias asked.
"You mean with the boat or with the case?"
"Right now, both if you like."