Kate climbed up in the ambulance, with the girl clutching her shirt. Once in the ambulance, she tried to keep both of them out of the way of the gurney and the working EMTs. The EMTs quickly loaded the gurney with the unidentified visitor and drove to Bethesda Hospital. She could tell by the driver's actions, that the woman's condition was serious. Holding the girl tight, she struggled to maintain her balance and was amazed that the paramedics seemed to not have an issue.
Both men continued working on the woman—one of them grabbed the radio and began informing the emergency room of the woman's vitals. The other started an IV with fluids, trying to combat the blood loss and determine the full extent of her injuries. Her eyelids fluttered several times, Kate felt that the woman was struggling to wake up and tell them the information they needed.
The ambulance slowed, and then came to a complete stop. Before Kate could fully process that the vehicle stopped, the doors swing open and hands began pulling the gurney out of the ambulance. As Kate moved to step out of the ambulance, one of the EMTs grabbed the little girl she had been holding. The girl began screaming again, with her voice echoing against the concrete columns and sidewalk outside the ER doors. The reverberation caused many onlookers to wince and hold their hands over their ears.
Kate quickly jumped out of the ambulance and slung her backpack over her shoulder and retrieved the child from the EMTs' arms. She immediately began talking to the small child trying to quiet her down and soothe her. A nurse awaited them just inside the doors of the Emergency Room and guided them to an examination room in the back. Kate touched the nurse's arm, "Can you keep me informed on the woman's condition?"
The nurse nodded her head, "I will. They have her in the trauma unit now." Flipping the chart open, the nurse peered at the notes made by the EMTs. "The EMTs said there are no visible injuries on the child, but they could examine her?"
Kate shook her head negatively, "She screams whenever a male approaches her or tries to touch her."
The nurse wrote the information down in the chart, "And her name?"
Frowning, Kate replied, "I don't know. The mother passed out before being able to tell us anything." Smiling at the crying child, "What's your name, little girl?"
The child shook her head in a forceful no. "No talk. Mean man find us and hurt Mommy."
Setting the girl down on the examination table, Kate probed, "Do you know who the mean man is?"
"Mommy hide me and must say quiet until Mommy gets me out."
The nurse frowned, "I will have a pediatrician in here shortly to examine her."
Kate nodded, "Can you make sure it's a woman?"
Smiling the nurse nodded and left the room. Kate pulled her camera out and decided to grab a few photos—someone had to know who this little girl and her mother were. She patted the girl's leg, "Can you sit here for a few moments while I take your picture?"
"Picture? What a picture?" the girl asked between hiccupping sobs.
Kate flashed a beaming smile at the child. Lifting the camera, she snapped a quick photo of the little girl, the turned the back of the camera to her. Flipping the preview button, she pulled up the photo just taken. The sobs evaporated into childish wonder, "That me!"
"Yes, it is, Sweetie. I'm going to take several pictures of you before the doctor comes in, ok?"
"Kay."
Kate snapped several photos of the girl. Sorrow filled her heart as she took the photos. What kind of life had the young girl lead that she didn't know what a picture was? As she snapped the photos, she noticed something metallic glimmering around the neckline of the girl's shirt. Kate grabbed a pair of gloves from above the sink that was nestled against the wall of the exam room. "Sweetie, can I see what around your neck?"
The little girl pulled a chain from around her neck. What Kate had assumed was silver necklace, instead turned out to be a pair of military issued dog tags.
###
Trying to keep his voice calm and level, Tony peered up at the security guard. "Did she say what case she was here for?"
"No. Honestly, I assumed she was some homeless wanderer trying to get a free pass."
"Then why did you send her up to see Gibbs?" Tony asked, totally exasperated.
The guard studied his shoes when he answers, "Jefferies said to send her up. Said Gibbs would have my ass if she had info on a case and I turned her out. I've heard things about him. Didn't want rock the boat."
"Boat? Real funny." Tony muttered. Clear his throat, he questioned the guard some more. "Did she give you her name or Jefferies?"
"Jefferies"
"And where is Mr. Jefferies now?"
"Uhh. He went to the head, sir."
Sighing heavily, Tony rolled his eyes and tilted his head back against the wall. The guard he was interviewing began to get restless under Tony's gaze—which didn't concern Tony at all. The Boss wanted answers, and his job was to get those answers. The guard started fidgeting about the time they both heard the echo of footsteps coming down the hall. The guard took a quick glance around the corner, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sir, that's Jefferies there."
"Thanks. You've been sooo helpful." Tony told him sarcastically. Bouncing off the wall, he met the guard halfway down the hallway. "Jefferies?"
"Yes, sir?"
"You're buddy over there says you are the one who assisted the woman who came in today to visit Agent Gibbs?" Tony quizzed him.
Nodding his head, he agreed. "Yes, sir, I did. Donovan down there decided to act like a grade a jackass, if you will pardon my language." The guard shuffled his feet slightly, before returning Tony's gaze, "Sir, that poor woman was in deep trouble. I could see it from ten feet away. That's why I told him to call Agent Todd. If you're in trouble, having Gibbs in your corner isn't a bad thing."
Tony peered at the man, "What makes you say she was in trouble?"
"I was an Army MP for almost twenty years, sir. I've seen some women in bad shape during that time—and she was. Knew it when I went to attach the visitor's badge to her shirt. Jumped a mile high almost. Nervous around men, too. I'd say she had been beaten and abused by a man—recently too."
Tony jotted notes down quickly, "And the name she gave you was Donna Roe?"
The guard appeared guilty then, "I figured it wasn't her real name. But I also knew that Agent Gibbs would get it sorted out shortly. Hell, I've seen him with some of the victims here, he'd help her."
Tony silently cursed his run of luck. "Well, let's hope so Mr. Jefferies. If we can find out who she is and what she's involved with."
"So the bus was for her then? Afraid of that."
"Yeah. And she passed out before telling us her real name or what trouble is following her." Tony snapped his notebook shut. "Thanks for the info."
As he headed back to the elevators, he answered his ringing phone. "Hey, Kate. Miss me?" His smiled widened after listening to her briefly. "That's great, Kate. On your way back? Good, grab me a caramel latte would ya? Kate? Kate?" He snapped his phone shut. "Figures."
Once he arrived at his desk in the bullpen, he immediately began pulling up info on the name that Kate had just given him. The more he had ready when Kate arrived back at the office, the better off both of them were going to be.