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With help from Miss Sally and her church, it was just a little over a week before Tom and his son were settled into a very nice apartment. A single man with a child to raise on his own was not unheard of but, the ladies thought he could use a helping hand. So they did, cooking from time to time, cleaning and watching his son while he worked.
If he had his way Adam would have stayed with Tony and his friends at the diner more than he did, he had more fun there. No one pinched his cheek and made a fuss over him. He earned his keep, like the ladies liked to call it. And he got to eat chocolate cake and drink cold milk.
He opened the door for the older people and would help move chairs out of the way when Mr. Bobby came in, on account he uses a wheelchair. A couple of time he even went and told Miss Gloria that some one wanted more coffee. But the best part was when he read out loud from the book he was handed, by an gruff older man. The man would growl and huff but once he started to read the man's expression would soften and he would listen intently as he read. From time to time Adam would get stuck on a word the man would help him sound it out.
Adam's teacher came into the diner spotting Tony she goes straight to him, she was not happy if her frown was anything to judge by.
"Mr. DiNozzo, I'd like to have a few words with you about Adam."
"It's Tony please, what about Adam?"
"I'm concerned about the amount of time he is spending here, he is always talking about earning his keep. Is he working here?"
"Do you want to see how Adam "earns" his keep? Turn around, and look in the corner."
The teacher looks and is astounded as she observes Adam reading to an older man, she recognizes as a teacher that retired fifteen years earlier. A man who had left teaching to write a series of children's books.
"He does this everyday?" She asks turning back to a smiling Tony.
"No, only when his sitters are running behind, his father knows. Adam enjoys reading and the older customers like to hear him read."
"Well I guess I have nothing to worry about then. He is reading above his grade level, now I know why."
"I wouldn't worry about Adam too much he has a lot of people looking out for him and his father. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."
The diner was hopping with all of the fishermen coming into the area for the tournament, so much so that Tony opened early Monday morning just for the coffee, breakfast crowd, but for take out only. With just Helen, and Ben it worked out well they made short work getting the orders filled and out the door.
Later that day he walked into the police station pulling a cooler on wheel behind him. He didn't have to wait long as Matt knew he was coming. Getting passed Joe at the desk was always a hassle.
"What did you bring us today Tony? We're starved." Matt calls out to him as he waves him over.
Seeing Tony come into the squad room the other detectives gather around Matt's desk and wait for the food to be revealed. "White bean Chile, I also have corn bread, tortillas and sour cream, cheese, and extra scallions. On account of I know just how much you boys, and ladies, like to chew on them. Oh and this." he says smiling as he pulls a bottle of hot sauce of his pocket.
He watches as the detectives eat and enjoy some down time. He looks over at the large white board where the detective work some of their John Does. People that need names and cases that need closure.
"Just how long have you guys been working on the serial, Matt?"
"What serial?" Brian bellows as he fills his bowl. Hearing his voice everyone in the room stood and waited.
"Sir." A non pulsed Tony turns and looks at his new friend.
"What makes you think it's a serial case?"
"The origami." then he turns and point to three of the pictures of the dead they had small origami animal in every picture. One hidden in tree, one sitting on a rock, the last one a few feet away from the body partially covered by a leaf. " I thought you knew."
"Damn it, why didn't anyone notice before?"
"Tony?"
"Matt, my best advice to you is call the FBI, the BAU they're good with this stuff. If I had to guess if you have three on the board you have more in cold cases."
"You heard the man, start looking at cold case look for the origami animals in the photographs." Brian orders leaving with a bowl of Chile.
"I'll be going now, I'm sorry guys. Matt just drop off the kit when you leave okay?"
The detectives in the squad watch as Tony leaves walking just a bit slower leaning on his cane.
"Matt how did he see that so fast? And we missed it?" his partner asks.
"Tony's brain is wired differently, when he was a detective in Baltimore he has a ninety-six percent solve rate for a two man team, At NCIS his teams solve rate was ninety-eight."
It didn't take long for the team to decide to go once the facts were put in front of them. In total they had eight victims going back five years. But he police were still looking in the archives for more.
"Garcia, did they say who it was that made the connection that these cases were linked. They look like hunting and fishing accidents?" Reid asks as he starts to gather his things.
"No, I did get an email an hour ago, telling me they found a new victim this morning, the M.E. estimates he had been dead two days. I'll keep digging let you know what I find."
They didn't waste any time when they landed going straight to the police station.
After everyone had been introduced they split up, Morgan and Rossi into the woods where the latest victim was found. Reid and Jayje to talk to the M.E., leaving Hotch and Prentiss in the station going over the cases they had found.
It was drizzling with rain by the time everyone met up again. With Emily's help they found four more in the stack of cold cases.
"You look like you could use a hot meal and some coffee." Matt observes as the last of the team came walking into the squad room. "Tony's Place is not far and the food is good, the coffee is always fresh, hot and abundant."
Knowing that Garcia would need time to run the faces and the few prints they had through her system. The team agreed to go and eat a late lunch.
By shoving two tables together they had room enough for all of them. No sooner had they sat down before Gloria and Helen came over with cups and two pots of coffee.
"The boss says, no charge for the coffee, twenty percent off on the order on account you are here working, and before you ask you're getting the same deal he gives to military and the police boys. He said to tell you that if you're going to be needing food later to come here, only to the upstairs apartment he'd feed you. Mathew will show you the way, isn't that right Mathew ?"
"Yes Miss Gloria it won't be a problem at all. Where is he anyway?"
"He went to Davis farm with Ben. They slaughtered a calf he went to get some of the bones and with luck some of the meat scrapes."
They didn't linger over the food as good as it was, which surprised the team they were used to having diner food tasting the same no matter were they were across the country. But the offer to come back to be fed was different, it did set off some bells. Like maybe the owner was trying to ingratiate himself into the case, his name would be added to the list of suspects, that is after they found out who the man was.
Entering the station the team could sense a change in attitude. It wasn't hard to miss.
"What's going on Mike?" Matt asks as he watches his friend slam his desk phone down.
"Computers are down, internet is too, someone from the road crew cut the line. It won't be fixed for a week or more."
"So we work old school, we've done it before."
"You tell the old man that, he's pissed that we missed the serial he wants it stopped and the killer behind bars, yesterday."
They worked the rest of the afternoon going over what they did know, all men mixed race and ages. Nothing screamed out to the team how to connect them.
"You've been at it for hours it's after seven and you're not making any headway until your tech gets back to you. If you're hungry we can go over to Tony's place. The restaurant in the hotel closes at eight, besides Tony is a better cook." It was frustrating to the team not being able to make any headway, the detective was right, food and rest while they waited for Garcia to get back to them.
They follow Matt over to the diner then into a fenced in back yard. After a single flight of stairs they waited while Matt used his key to open the door to the apartment.
"You know Molly, if I had been only a second quicker. . "
Matt laughs as he watches Tony doing sit-ups while Molly, his twenty pound Ragdoll cat, sat on his ankles. "You always talk to your cat it's not like he can answer you. I brought the Feds to take you up on your offer."
Tony looks up from his place on the floor as the seven people fill his living room.
"Just give me a minute." They watch as he shoos his cat off of his legs then stand with the help of a near by chair. Wearing only a tee shirt and shorts the agents can see the damaged done to his legs by bullets both knees were damaged one severely by a bullet. It was a miracle that the man could stand and put any weight on his legs at all.
"Molly leave the nice lady agents alone. You'll have to excuse him, he tends to be a bit of a flirt."
"He's a Ragdoll isn't he?" Reid asks as the cat came over and sniffed his leg.
"Yes he is, the big lug. You must be starved, the bathroom is down the hall second door on the right, if you want to clean up. I hope you like baked ziti with sausage I thought you might like something filling and warm."
"We were hoping you could tell us who you are and why you offered to feed us and at a discount no less." Jayje asks him.
"Matt you didn't tell them? They probably think I'm the unsub trying to needle my way into their case."