AN1: Thank you so much for the kind reviews! I try to reply to all of them, but I can't reply to the anonymous reviews. So to all of my anonymous, THANK YOU!!! Hope you enjoy this installment everyone!
AN2: I would like to apologize for any inaccurate info regarding Judaism. I'm not of the Jewish religion and any information I use is off of Google. I hope no one is offended by the possible misinformation. I know it's a sign of weakness, but I'm sorry.
Two Days Earlier...
"Ahhhh-ouch!" Tony cried across the bullpen. He squeezed his finger tightly as a small trickle of blood gathered at the tip. Glaring at the file responsible, he grabbed a tissue, watching the red substance disappear into the soft white.
Ziva looked up exasperatedly from her desk. "What is it now?"
Tony stuck up the finger, now wrapped in the tissue. An exaggerated frown playfully lit up his features.
Dark eyes narrowed, Ziva examined the injury. With a small smirk, she declared, "It's just a flesh wound!"
A strangled gasp emitted from Tony's throat. "How dare you quote Monty Python at me! I am deeply offended. This-" he used his clean hand to gesture toward the bleeding finger. "-is a battle wound. I sacrificed my own well-being to complete this paperwork! Hours of tedious reading and this is how I'm repaid?" His brow was furrowed in an indignant scowl.
"Ya gonna live, DiNozzo?" a voice said from behind Tony.
Quickly pulling his hand down and unwrapping the makeshift bandage, Tony said, "Yeah, Boss. I think so. We got a case?"
"Suzanne Ryker, Navy Lieutenant. Found dead outside her home, where she does her daily morning run. Call Ducky. Let's go!"
"On it, Boss," Tony replied. He swiftly rose from his desk, grabbing his cell and dialing the ME's number. He slung his pack over his shoulder and stepped into the elevator, next to his team.
. . .
The car pulled into the driveway of the Ryker's suburban home. It was your typical middle upper-class house, with the flowers lining windowsills, greedily soaking up the sunlight for their colorful blooms. It was a bright spring day, with cloudless, ocean blue skies.
Gibbs led the way, marching up to the door and knocking firmly on the varnished wood. A man, looking to be about thirty or so, answered. His hair was a dark brown with a few small streaks of gray. His eyes matched the deep chocolate of his hair, but reflected a seriousness and maturity far beyond his years. Whether the intensity emanating from those eyes stemmed from something good or bad, it was difficult to say.
"Jonathon Ryker?" Gibbs asked the man.
"Yes, I'm Jonathon. Is this regarding…" The man took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry. Is this, uh, regarding my wife?" His voice cracked slightly.
"Yes, sir. We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions."
"Of course. Come in."
Turning to the rest of the team, Gibbs ordered, "McGee, Ziva, you go to the scene. DiNozzo, you're with me."
"Yes, Boss," McGee and Ziva replied. They turned around and began walking toward the road. A few hundred yards away, Ducky and Palmer were examining the body.
Gibbs and Tony silently entered the house, walking into the living room. Seated on the large, pearly white sofa was a man with sandy hair and light brown eyes. He looked to be about the same age as Mr. Ryker, but his disheveled appearance aged him a bit. His eyes were red-rimmed and watery. The exhaustion on his face was apparent, though not nearly as predominant as the grief.
The man looked up as Gibbs and Tony walked in. Hastily standing, he turned to Jonathon said, "I'm sorry. You obviously have a lot to take care of. I'll go now. Call me if you need anything." He quickly made his way to the front door, exiting the house.
Gibbs raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "And who was that?" he asked Jonathon.
"That was a close family friend, Kevin Willis. He lives down the block."
"I see," Gibbs said. He made a mental note to check up on him when they were done here. "So when did you last see your wife, Mr. Ryker?"
"She had just finished her breakfast and was on her way out to begin her run. She runs the same route every day. Never ceases to amaze me. 3 miles around the block, without fail. My wife is-was-very physically fit…She could outrun a racehorse," Jonathon said fondly. His face fell slightly as he continued. "I was leaving for work and as I drove past, I saw her on the ground. I got out and when I surmised her condition, I tried to resuscitate her…but it was too late. She was gone." His voice cracked at the last sentence.
"Is there anyone with a grudge against your wife? Anyone who would wish to see her harmed in any way?"
Jonathon smiled. "My wife is the kindest woman you could imagine. Always helped out those in need. Did extra work at the local community center…Everyone loved her…I can't imagine anyone wanting her dead."
"We'll find out who did this. You have our guarantee. First we need to determine the cause of death. As soon as our ME completes the autopsy-"
Gibbs was interrupted by the rapid shaking back and forth or Jonathon's head. "No, no, I'm sorry. My wife and I are Jewish. Our religion is clear. Any form of dissection of the body is desecration. It is inimical to our deepest principles and feeling. I'm sorry, but you must find another way. I refuse to allow any dishonor to my wife, even in death."
Gibbs took a deep breath, not allowing his frustration to be evidenced by his face. "Well, this'll make our investigation harder, but we'll do what we can."
"And the funeral is in two days, so please finish as soon as possible."
"Two days?! Mr. Ryker, we can't possibly release your wife's body in that amount of time. Our intention is to find out who did this and bring that person to justice. You can't expect us to do that in such a time frame."
Cold, dark eyes stared resolutely back at him. "You don't have a choice, Agent Gibbs. Two days. If you cannot find my wife's killer in that amount of time, I will simply have to live without justice. If that is the sacrifice I must make for my wife's soul to be at peace, so be it."
Gibbs sighed. "We'll do what we can, Mr. Ryker. Thank you for your time. We'll contact you if we need anything." He promptly stood up and walked out the door, Tony right behind him. Neither spared a glance back at Jonathon Ryker, who didn't even bother standing as they departed.
As the two walked out the door toward the scene, Tony said, "We should definitely check out that neighbor. Something seemed a little off about him."
"Ya think, DiNozzo?" Gibbs replied. Frustration sharpened his words. Tony knew better than to continue the conversation.
McGee and Ziva were snapping pictures of the scene, while Ducky and Palmer examined the body.
The body was laying prone on the sidewalk, no open wounds or lacerations of any kind visible. Walking over to Ducky, Gibbs called out to the older man. "Ducky, no autopsy. And whatever you plan to do, you'd better do it fast. It seems we're on a bit of a time constraint…"
