Two days after she had met with Gibbs in the VIP lounge Kate Todd was hoping she'd finally be able to crack the case wide open. The sooner she got the pertinent information the better. She'd be able to sleep in her own bed, and stop feeling as though she needed to buy anti-bacterial soap in mass quantities.
Perfect Gentleman's had that instant effect on Kate. When she left there after a long night she would stand in the shower for at least half an hour scrubbing herself until her skin was red. She just never felt clean enough. Between that and taking the Metro instead of using a car Kate had been exposed to what she feared was an innumerable amount of communicable diseases.
Kate had been chosen for the assignment because she was one of the few female agents left that wasn't on maternity leave, or serving as an agent afloat. Kate could also distinguish between real and counterfeit money. Abby had cheerfully volunteered but her numerous tattoos would make her too easy to distinguish. Kate was a beautiful girl, but she had the standard brown hair and hazel eyes. She could blend in with her surroundings much better than a heavily-tattooed Gothic forensic scientist.
Abby had been useful in the early stages though. Helping Kate shop for what both women referred to as "stripper clothes." The short skirts, tiny blouses and huge heels now dominated Kate's wardrobe. She secretly longed for her most comfortable jeans and an old argyle sweater set. Gibbs was her contact agent because as the senior agent had said so eloquently "Tony would be distracted, and McGee too modest." As soon as Gibbs had said it Kate knew it was the truth.
It was a nice day in Washington DC as Kate exited the metro and headed towards the apartment of one of the girls from the club. Kate had used babysitting as an angle to get more information. The one woman she suspected had a fourteen month old. Kate had offered to babysit for free during the day while Heather, also known as Feather to her clientele attended school.
Kate buzzed the intercom for Heather's apartment.
"Come on in!" A cheerful voice replied as the door buzzed and Kate made her way through the lobby of the apartment building. It was a less than desirable section of DC, but for now Kate needed to be there, her investigation depended on it.
"Good to see you!" Kate exclaimed as she hugged Heather.
"You too...nice skirt!" Heather said as she pointed at Kate's painfully short red skirt.
"Thanks." Kate said with a small smile.
"So listen...Maggie is down for her nap, she can have some cereal and applesauce when she wakes up. Call my cell if you need anything. Keep the door locked!" Heather yelled as she grabbed her backpack and scooted out the door.
Kate glanced at her watch. Heather was probably running late as usual. As soon as she was sure Heather had cleared the building Kate began to go to work. She pulled a camera out of her backpack. For living in a dumpy apartment Heather had some very nice electronics. A big screen television, two laptops, and a nice stereo all filled up one corner of the living room. The furniture seemed really nice too. Nice things that only money could buy. Fake money being laundered through a strip club, the same strip club that sailors frequented after long trips away. Fake money that a young woman attending college for graphic design could easily make on her computer.
Kate photographed everything. She'd get the memory card to Gibbs somehow. Besides the fake money Kate also knew there was the matter of the stolen identities. She'd need to find a way to link Heather to that too. For now she'd settle for the photographs. It wasn't much but it was a start. Somebody at Perfect Gentleman's was laundering money and stealing the identities of sailors who had used their credit cards at the club.
Kate put away the camera and grabbed some latex gloves from her over-sized purse. She was hoping Maggie would stay sleeping long enough for Kate to at least check out the printer. Kate smiled to herself as she pulled the printer apart. Her suspicions were confirmed. Heavy paper, and green and black ink. If she hadn't looked she would have never known. Heather was hiding the fruits of her crimes in plain sight.
Kate bagged a few sheets of the paper and wrote down the numbers on the ink cartridges. She stuffed them in the bottom of her purse just as she heard a loud wail from the bedroom.
Kate made her way into the cramped and messy bedroom. Heather's bed filled most of the room, Maggie's crib was jammed into one corner and clothes were strewn everywhere.
"Hello sweetheart." Kate cooed as she bent over the crib and picked up Maggie.
Maggie instantly smiled at Kate's presence. Kate had only met Maggie twice before and she had fallen in love with the baby immediately. Her blond curls framed her angelic face and her blue eyes were so clear and piercing they reminded her of Gibbs.
"Let's get something to eat." Kate said as she walked into the kitchen and placed Maggie in her high-chair.
Kate and Maggie spent the afternoon together playing, reading, walking around the apartment, and attempting to sing and dance along with a DVD Heather had left out to entertain Maggie.
"We had so much fun!" Kate exclaimed as Heather returned home. Maggie clapped her hands in agreement.
"Good." Heather said plainly as she sat down her backpack and picked up Maggie.
"It took me a bit of work to figure out the DVD player." Kate lied.
"Confused by electronics?" Heather asked plainly as she reached for a soda from the fridge.
Kate nodded.
"I've never had anything quite that nice." Kate lied again nodding in the direction of the television set.
"Well girl...you gotta earn the cash. Word among the other girls is that you're trying too hard. You left some dude your bra the other night...and he stiffed you. A hundred bucks isn't worth losing a bra over. I know you're new to the game, but if you want to earn the big money you tease, and let them pay." Heather explained.
"Thanks for the advice." Kate smiled at Heather.
"No problem. If it weren't for Tinsel I'd still be some scared young mother hoping to God I can pay the rent." Heather explained.
Tinsel was like the den mother of all the strippers. Her advice was invaluable, but nobody made more money in a night then Tinsel. She may have been older, but she knew how to get men to part with their money.
"So you do okay money-wise?" Kate asked bluntly. She was pumping Heather for information in a roundabout way.
Heather almost spit out the soda she was sipping.
"I'm sorry...that's personal." Kate tried to deflect some of the awkwardness.
"No...it's okay. I do just fine. Enough to afford what I need and want. Don't tell big Johnny but I've been doing side jobs." Heather said as she gulped her soda.
Kate knew exactly what side jobs meant in the world of strippers. It was a dangerous proposition. The money was good providing somebody didn't get beat up or raped. A flat fee for a private party on a night off from the club, no questions asked...tax free. Women often worked the parties alone, and if they got into trouble there was nobody to protect them.
"More importantly...don't tell Uncle Sam...I hate paying taxes." Heather added.
"I'm going to head out...I want to get a few hours sleep before work tonight." Kate lied.
Kate kissed and hugged Maggie good-bye and headed out the door.
Kate left Heather's apartment and headed towards the nearest Post Office. She immediately mailed the evidence she had collected to Abby's home address. In this section of town she couldn't risk anybody recognizing her, or seeing her mail something directly to NCIS. Abby would know what to look for.
The following Tuesday Jethro made his usual appearance at Perfect Gentleman's.
"We need this to be airtight...you've got to connect the bartender somehow." Gibbs whispered in Kate's ear as she straddled his lap and thrust her hips in his direction.
They were back in the familiar VIP room. Her blue satin underwear seemed to be beckoning him. Now was not the time for Jethro to wonder what it would be like to slowly remove them and do things that would certainly make the both of them blush. Now was the time to concentrate on putting two people in jail for a very long time.
"Keep checking your mailbox." Jethro whispered as the music ended and Kate pulled herself off of his lap.
"You've still got your bra on." Heather commented as Kate exited the VIP room.
"The cheapskate would only shell out a hundred. I told him the bra is an extra fifty. So I guess all he got for a hundred bucks is sexual frustration." Kate was attempting to joke, and thankfully Heather laughed.
"Cheap bastard." Heather added through her giggles.
"For some reason I think the term "bastard" is only scratching the surface with this guy." Kate squinted her eyes and nodded in the direction of Jethro. His back was to the two women and he was exiting the club.
"Seems real arrogant." Heather added.
"Hey can you take Maggie on a more permanent basis? School is getting really overwhelming." Heather said quietly as the two women made their way up to the changing area.
"I'd love to!" Kate exclaimed as her eyes grew wide.
Time with Maggie meant quality time with a sweet child that reminded her of her niece Laurel, and the chance to really scope out Heather's place. Indiana was so, so far away and Kate missed watching her only niece grow up.
"So I can count on you for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from ten until five?" Heather asked happily as she slammed her locker shut and changed out of her costume and into a sweatsuit.
"Of course!" Kate said as she threw on the tightest pair of jeans she'd ever worn and a sweatshirt.
It took seven more weeks for Kate to produce enough evidence to satisfy every agency involved in the case. It had taken her a lot less time to bond with Maggie who now asked for Kate by name. Kate could sense the jealousy Heather felt. It seemed as if the young child actually preferred Kate to her own mother.
It was a Saturday afternoon. The bartender, Heather, Kate and Maggie were all lazily watching television in Heather's apartment. Kate tried so hard not to glance at her watch. Instead she focused on Maggie. The child's eyelids were beginning to droop, and Kate could only hope the young girl would sleep through what was about to take place.
Kate almost vomited. The second Maggie was asleep Heather was practically shoving her tongue down the bartender's throat. He wasn't attractive at all. At least they'd be distracted when Gibbs showed up, Kate thought to herself.
Just as Kate could feel her lunch churning she heard heavy footsteps slow, and quiet just outside the door. There was one single knock, and Kate instinctively shielded Maggie from any harm that might come to her. She knew the bartender was armed, and it could end badly.
"NCIS! Get on the ground!" Jethro's voice boomed through the tiny apartment as he burst his way through the door, weapon drawn. McGee and Tony were close behind.
Heather and the bartender pulled apart from their embrace and hit the floor immediately.
"He's armed!" Kate shouted at her teammates as they rushed to cuff the two suspects.
Maggie was awake and crying, but still shielded by Kate.
Tony cuffed the man in record time, and Gibbs began the pat down that produced a handgun.
"Good work Agent Todd." Gibbs said as he smiled at her and dangled the weapon in one hand.
Kate remained motionless on the couch. She was shielding Maggie's eyes from the scene. She wouldn't move until Heather was gone. Even though she was young and wouldn't remember anything Kate didnt' think it was wise to let a young child see something so awful.
"You bitch!" Heather screamed as McGee helped her stand upright now that she was cuffed.
Kate looked at Heather. For an instant she felt bad for the girl. If she hadn't gotten greedy she could have made it just fine on her own. College was hard work for a single mother, but in less than six months time Heather would have graduated and earned a decent living for both her and Maggie. Kate almost pitied her, then she remembered that Heather's choices had been her own. The feeling of pity faded as Heather and the bartender were led out of the apartment.
By now Maggie was crying hysterically. There had been so much noise in the apartment, and the little girl had no idea why. Kate cradled Maggie in her arms and gently walked around with her.
"Who is this little delight?" Gibbs asked as his face lit up.
The sight of Kate with a baby in her arms had blown him away. She was a natural. Kate and the baby both looked beautiful. Maggie had stopped crying almost instantly when Kate had began comforting her.
"Her name is Margaret Mae Smithson. She's fifteen months old, and very beautiful." Kate smiled as Gibbs bent down so that he was eye level with the child.
"We're going to take good care of you Margaret." Gibbs said as he reached out and took one tiny smooth hand in his large calloused one.