Palmer hadn't been exactly too thrilled about the reasoning heading to Baltimore, but he understood where DiNozzo was coming from and it did technically fall under their jurisdiction. He was also pretty sure that the director wouldn't come down on him hard since he was the ME on duty and DiNozzo hadn't told him Vance had prohibited him from taking on the case.
They were lucky that traffic on the Beltway wasn't bad and were able to make good time up to Baltimore.
The murder scene, located in a park near the Inner Harbor, was quite unusually out in the open to find a cop and Navy officer, but nothing really made sense with this crime. There weren't many trees bunched together to hide the bodies and it was quite visible from the main street that passed by the park.
Tony quickly got out and walked over to the taped off area, the sun beginning to find its peak in the sky above Baltimore. He flashed his badge, making sure the officer standing nearby saw his name. The tape was immediately lifted and he walked over and saw many a familiar face and one he never wished he had to see as a lifeless form.
"Glad you could make it Tony," Andrews greeted him. "These guys quickly got over what happened with Raimey once they realized you know what you're doing when it comes to finding, catching and convicting killers. No one else has won the office pool two years in a row since you did it before you left."
"Thanks Andrews. Who took over as major after Raimey? I'm sure he's here … "
"That would be me, DiNozzo," new police major Mark Majors barked as he approached from the bodies. Majors worked vice when DiNozzo was in homicide and both were well respected among the department.
"I'd say congratulations, but I don't think anyone of us are happy with how I found out about that news," Tony said.
"No kidding Tony. I'm still trying to piece together why exactly Bradley was here."
"Well, first, do we know who the Navy officer is?"
"Yeah, our ME found an ID for a Jonathan Alderson. Works in public affairs."
"That doesn't make sense at all that a public affairs officer would be out in Baltimore. Though, I have to admit, none of this makes sense since Bradley isn't getting up anytime soon."
"From what we've been able to determine, Bradley was shot three times – twice in the chest and once in the right leg – and Alderson was shot point blank in the neck," Majors said, beginning to fill in the crime scene details. "We found shell casings in thick grass about 60 feet from the bodies, mostly likely the shots fired at Bradley, and one about 2 feet from Alderson. There's a fifth bullet lodged in a tree over there. The shell casing is with the other three around where we think the suspect fired at Bradley."
"Were you able to find Bradley's car?"
"It's over there, not too far from the crime scene. Doesn't add up since he doesn't live remotely close to this location," Andrews said, pointing to an adjacent street not far from the crime scene.
"Was he investigating anything in this area? Homicide, vice, following a lead," DiNozzo asked, following what his gut instinctively told him to mention.
"We didn't have an active case," Andrews added, filling in an initial blank about his partner. "He could have been visiting friends over at the high school four blocks south of here. He grew up in this area and said he came by to keep some friends company when he had the chance."
"I don't remember much trouble coming from this area," Majors chimed in. "Could be Bradley saw Alderson executed, tried approaching and was shot for his troubles."
"Did you find Bradley's weapon on him?" DiNozzo asked as he studied the crime scene, kneeling near both bodies and noticing that the two shots to Bradley's chest were closer to his waistline. Likely a vital organ was hit with one of the shots to make him unable to get back up and call for help.
"No," Andrews answered to DiNozzo's question.
"Was he wearing his holster?"
"It's not on his person, as you can see under his jacket," Majors retorted.
"So, the question is why was he pursuing a suspect and apparently unarmed? Why not call it in from the safety of his car where the suspect likely wouldn't have seen him?"
"That is what we are trying to figure out DiNozzo," Majors said as both he and DiNozzo stood and allowed the medical examiners to complete their work. "Well, not us trying to figure this out. You. You'll have all the notes you need from what we have initially found. Need us to fax them or send them down to D.C.?"
"No. I'll head back with you guys to the squad room and get the copies there. You've probably noticed, but the rest of my team is not here because they are out of town. I'm stuck on desk duty and the big boss doesn't know I'm here. That, however, won't stop me from finding Bradley's killer. I still have that sense of loyalty to the department."
"Thanks, Tony. I owe you two now."
"For what?"
"Getting Raimey out of the way for my promotion and taking over this case."
"I hope that first part didn't come out the way I think I heard it … "
"You're right, it didn't. Shocked you didn't come back at me with some movie reference insult … "
"Be careful. I might, but out of respect for Bradley, I'm going to be serious on this one."
"10-4, DiNozzo. Glad your ME has already taken up the bodies."
With that, Tony looked and saw Palmer was loading up the second body into the van. He hustled over to let Palmer know he was staying in Baltimore a little bit longer and that the bodies didn't need to wait. Tony grabbed all the evidence bags and told Palmer to make sure those got to Abby when he returned to the Navy Yard.
Palmer finished loading up and drove off, heading back to D.C. and not looking forward to two autopsies that would be looked over heavily by Tony and most the entire Baltimore PD.
Tony glanced down at his watch and noticed the time: 11:05 a.m. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly worried about the time until his phone began vibrating in his pocket. A quick look at caller ID showed Abby's name and he realized that he had not informed her of where he was going and that she was either worried or upset he wasn't in her lab by now checking up on her.
He hesitated a little before answering the phone.
"DiNo… "
"Tony! Why aren't you down here? You better have a good excuse or I'll make sure Sister Rosita throws 10 gutter balls so you don't win at bowling night tomorrow."
"Well, Abby, who says I can't bowl 10 gutter balls myself? You know I'm very proficient at accidentally tripping on that slippery surface and magically having my bowling ball land in the other person's lane for a strike."
"Not funny! Where are you? I saw your car here and … Why do I hear commotion in the background?"
"Look, Abs, I'm in Baltimore. Dead public affairs officer for the Navy and … "
"Wait, you're not supposed to be on active duty until the rest of the gang gets back. Does Vance know you're there?"
"No. And before you interrupted me, the second dead body is a Baltimore PD detective. They asked me to do the investigating since they know I'll get the job done and it's a conflict of interest for them to do it. … Besides, he was a friend."
"Oh Tony, I'm so sorry. Anything I can do to help?"
"Yeah, Palmer is on his way back to D.C. with both of the bodies and the evidence. I'll be back later with all the notes from the crime scene and anything additional that we uncover while I'm up here. If you don't have anything else to do for the other teams, can you get to working on that evidence for us? I'll seriously owe you a movie night or dinner out when it's done."
"Bribery will get you everywhere Tony Boy. Consider it done. I don't have anything right now and my babies are starting to get anxious about when they were going to get work. Not like they mind the rest … "
"Abs," Tony said, knowing that he'd be on the phone with her for the rest of the afternoon and time would be lost in catching Bradley's killer. "Thanks."
"I expect you in the lab when you get back."
"I know Abs. I'll visit you first before Palmer. I know how women liked to be thought of first."
"Yeah, Gibbs still doesn't get that when he goes to see Ducky before coming up to the lab to see me. I told him that before, but I really think that hasn't sunk in yet … "
Before Abby went on a rant, Tony hung up the phone, got in the sedan with Majors and prepared himself not only for the drive to Baltimore PD, but to mentally prepare himself to catch whoever killed one of his own. He was and still is a cop inside.