Ch 4

"Abby, our friends from the FBI are here to discover if there is any connection between our doped-up petty officer and their homicidal cocaine dealer." Tony escorted FBI Special Agents Fornell, Sacks, and Williams to the NCIS forensics laboratory.

"Is this the guy responsible for the kid that was found last night?" Abby's voice drifted off as she saw the look on agents' faces.

"Yes." Fornell said shortly.

Abby realized he was in a fouler mood than usual and eschewed her usual banter. "Sorry. Let's see if I can help you. I've been busy, but when Gibbs called I put a rush job on it. The results should be appearing any minute."

"Is there anything that you can tell us now?"

"I don't know anything about the stuff this guy has been selling. The FBI hasn't sent me any of their results, so I can't do any comparisons. What I can say…"

Sacks and DiNozzo had moved closer to join Abby and Fornell around the computer. As they talked, no one noticed what Agent Williams was doing near the mass spectrometer.


"Tell me again why McGee refused to join us?" Ziva asked Tony as they walked to the forensics laboratory.

"He's scared. When Probie gets anywhere near forensics, Abby pops out to drag him back to help her. He's convinced she's planted a tracking device on him."

A wail was heard coming from the lab. "No, no, no, no, no. I've already spoken to that lawyer twice. Why do I have to go back for a third deposition?" Abby was protesting.

"The judge granted them another one." Cynthia Sumner soothed the frazzled scientist. "You'll do fine. Your answers won't change and this move will just make the defense look desperate."

"Cynthia? What are you doing down here?" Tony was curious.

"I'm letting Abby know that she has a deposition scheduled for two o'clock tomorrow afternoon."

"Don't you have a phone? I'm a little surprised to see the assistant to the director running an errand."

"Yes I do and I'd use it, but Ms. Scuito must be screening her calls." She turned to Abby. "Two o'clock tomorrow. I know you'll be brilliant."

"What was that about?" Tony asked after Cynthia left.

"I have another deposition to give for the Davidson case." Abby was still visibly upset.

"But Chip was not even employed by NCIS for that case." Ziva protested.

"I know. I think the attorneys just hope I'll be rattled by all of the extra attention."

"They don't know our Abby then." Tony patted her head.

"Nope. What do you have for me?" Abby was returning to her normal self.

"Um, Abby, you called us."

"Oh, yes. I'm a little distracted. One of my babies needed special attention this morning." Abby turned to speak to the repairman working on the mass spectrometer. "How's it going, Nate?"

"Slow, but I think I've found your problem."

"Great. Take good care of him." She motioned to the others. "Come on. Let's go to the ballistics lab; I want to show you something hinky about Sergeant Parker's weapon."

After a few minutes, Nate looked up to see the two agents with their backs toward him and Abby consumed with her explanation. He had already located the object of interest, and now he pulled out a camera. He was going to need a couple of pictures to explain this to the boss.


The brothers retired to the kitchen. Charles took refreshments out of the refrigerator and gathered the ingredients for his special recipe nachos; he was indulging in his favorite foods before he headed to jail. As he started slicing the tomatoes, Charles continued the conversation they'd started in the other room.

"Do we have to kill her? I'd love to put her behind bars."

"You've tried that before. They'd immediately suspect you in some sort of frame up."

"True."

"Besides, it took us three years to find the perfect opportunity to set up DiNozzo. It could take even longer to get someone close enough to Scuito to set her up."

"You're right."

"We need to stick to good old-fashioned methods."

"Swimming with the fishes." Chip grinned.

"You've watched too many gangster movies." Mark shook his head. "Do you really want to use that stuffed animal of hers? You're kind of obsessed that toy, and it isn't really healthy. It would be easier to fix her brakes so that she has an accident."

"I am not obsessed. The hippo is the best way. She hugs him when she's upset, sleeps on him when she's tired, and talks to him when she's confused. Using him means that we'll get her when she's vulnerable, when she hurts the most."

"Okay. How do we do it?"

"We booby trap the toy."

"Hmm, It's twisted, but I like it. We can make Bert go boom!"

"No, that's too quick. Remember the poison you used on Judge Terrance Pipher?"

"I don't know what you mean." Mark looked slightly uncomfortable. "The judge died of a sudden heart attack."

"Right." Charles rolled his eyes. "It's an untraceable, slow-acting, biological toxin. I don't want it to start a homicide investigation, but I want her to feel it and I want her to know she's dying."

"That's harsh. How are you going to do it? Bert's not going to stick her with a needle."

"He wears a spiked dog collar. I've seen her prick herself when she hugs him. Just apply a little to the tips and the next time she needs a hug from Bert…" Charles smiled, "it's all over."


Nate looked at the hippo. Bert was wearing a very stylish leather collar, but it wasn't spiked. This was going to be a problem. Quickly, he finished the repair and then made a small adjustment to temperature controller in the oven of the gas chromatograph. With Abby's schedule, he was sure that she'd be calling him back in the next few days.


"I want to see your reports on my desk and then you're free to go." Gibbs said before leaving to speak to the Director.

His words gave new energy to several sets of tired fingers and soon Tony and Tim were putting papers on Gibbs' desk. Surprisingly, Ziva lagged behind. She was still working as they were preparing to leave.

"Good night, Ziva." Tim said as walked out.

Tony lingered behind. "You didn't finish before me?"

"No and I am just as surprised as you are." Ziva smiled.

"What's the matter, are you still having problems with American computers?"

"My report is done, but I have other work to finish."

"Ooh. Liaison business. What time is it in Tel Aviv? Or do you have a little cloak and dagger work to do here in DC?"

"Good night, Tony." Ziva smiled mysteriously and turned her attention back to her computer.

"See you in the morning."

After he left, Ziva printed out the report that she'd completed twenty minutes ago and went back to her background search on Markus Agnoli, Sr. She'd found a death certificate, from December 14, 1985. The cause of death had been a gunshot wound, and according to the case file, he'd been the victim of an unsolved shooting. A search through the criminal records database showed he'd been convicted of aggravated assault. A call to a contact of hers revealed that he'd been an associate of the Salinitri family. The Salinitris were believed to be involved in a number of activities, including racketeering, smuggling art and illegal weapons, fraud, murder for hire, and extortion. Chip's father was thought to have been part of the enforcement branch of the business.

Her contact tipped her off to a second Markus Agnoli, Chip's brother. Ziva remembered now why the name sounded familiar, Mark had been at Chip's arraignment. She discovered he owned a small import store in Baltimore. His name hadn't changed, so he'd not been adopted by Sterling. The brothers' ways must have diverged after father's death. Ziva wondered how close they were. Mark had no criminal record, so perhaps he hadn't followed in his father's footsteps. She would need more information about the brothers.

An hour later, Ziva put down phone after making the calls she needed to see Gibbs entering the bullpen.

"Working late?"

"Just finishing up. My report is on your desk."

"Good." He nodded.

"Good night." Ziva picked up her bag to leave.

"Ziva," Gibbs' tone made her turn back to face him. "You will let me know if you find something, won't you?"

She hid her surprise while examining his face. How did he always know? "Yes Gibbs, I will."