"I was angry. The thought of putting a bullet in his brain crossed my mind, more than once."
"So you did?"
"Why would I do that? Why would I take both of my daughter's parents away from her? I wouldn't be that selfish. He might not have been a great husband, but he was an excellent father. I wouldn't have taken him away from my daughter, or his son."
Gibbs squints, and his forehead wrinkles, "His son?"
"One of his extramarital affairs resulted in a child," she reveals.
"That must have pissed you off. The two of you tried for years to have a child. Then he goes and impregnates another woman. She got to give birth to his child. She got to know what it felt like to feel their baby move."
"She had already given birth to his child. She was our gestational carrier."
"She gave him the son that he always wanted, the one that you couldn't."
"I didn't kill him. I was angry at him. I was angry at the world, but I didn't kill him."
"Your fingerprints and DNA are on the gun. You tested positive for gunshot residue."
"I went to the range yesterday."
"I want to believe you, but the evidence says otherwise."
"You have the wrong person."
"All of the evidence points to you, General MacKenzie."
"Maybe you should be questioning Maggie."
"The gestational carrier?"
"Yesterday Harm was awarded full permanent custody of Ben. She was supposed to drop him off today."
"Why aren't her prints on the murder weapon?"
"I don't even know why my prints are on the weapon."
He furrows his brow, "What do you mean?"
"I just bought the gun a few months ago. I've never taken it out of the box. It has been in the safe since the day I brought it home. I don't know how my fingerprints, or DNA got on the gun."
"You're trying to convince me that you were framed?"
"I know that I didn't kill Harm. What was time of death?"
"Nineteen twenty nine."
"At nineteen twenty nine I was stuck in traffic at an accident in the intersection of Mill, and Cross."
"Were there cameras?"
"It was at a stoplight, of course there were cameras. I know that the evidence says I did it. I had motive, and means. I didn't kill him."
"I am surprised that you didn't ask for a lawyer," he admits.
"I am a lawyer," she reminds him.
"How do you know that you're not trying to play the system? You think that because you are a female Marine, a JAG, and a General people will believe that you couldn't possibly have murdered your husband?"
"You don't trust lawyers."
"Never have," he admits.
"When you prove that I didn't kill him, I will take you to dinner, and prove to you that I am trust-worthy."
He grins at her, "Nice try, counselor."
He leaves the room in a hurry. He makes a beeline for Abby's lab.
"Abby were there any anomalies with the gun?"
"I was just about to call you. I found traces of latex on the gun."
"Latex?"
"That's not all. Most of the DNA recovered from the crime scene belonged to the victim, General MacKenzie, and Isabella."
"Most?"
"There was DNA from another child."
"Rabb's son, Ben."
"I didn't know there was a son."
"I just found out, myself."
"And there was DNA from Ben's mother."
"I doubt that General MacKenzie would have invited Maggie over," he comments as he leaves the lab.
He enters the interview room with two cups of coffee. He hands one to the General. She eyes him suspiciously.
"I didn't poison it," he insists.
She takes a sip of the coffee.
"I thought that you would appreciate a cup of coffee, since we hauled you in on your way to work this morning."
"You must have made this."
"I am glad that someone appreciates the coffee I make."
"Must be a Marine thing," she grins.
"I hope I added enough sugar," he studies her facial expression, and body language. He gets the impression that she is trying to flirt with him.
"You've been talking with my yeoman?"
"I do my research," he confirms.
"Can I go?"
"I have one more question."
"Okay," she nods in agreement.
"Can I talk to your daughter?"
"She's two," Sarah reminds him.
"She talks," he recalls.
"All of the time. She rarely shuts up," she reveals.
"Can I talk to her?"
"What are you hoping to find out?"
"The truth."
"She is with her Godmother."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, gunny."
Half an hour later he meets a toddler at the elevator. He leads them into the conference room. The blonde with her sits in the seat next to her. Gibbs sits at the end of the table.
"Isabella can I ask you some questions?"
"Yes," she grins. She has a headband controlling her unruly curls. She wears a pair of white tights, and a purple dress.
"Isabella, do you remember when we met yesterday?"
"Yes."
"I found you in the closet. Why were you hiding there?"
"Too loud."
"It was too loud? Did you hear voices?"
"Yes."
"Can you remember whose voices you heard?"
"Daddy's."
"Who else?"
"A girl."
"Was it your mommy?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"What did you hear after the loud voices?"
"I was hiding."
"Izzy, I know that you were scared, but it is really important that you tell me what you heard after the screaming."
"Bang, bang."
"Izzy do you know how many times you heard the banging sound?" He questions, knowing that it is a stretch.
She closes her eyes, "Bang, bang, bang," she opens her eyes, "One, two, three," she counts.
"Thank you, Izzy you've been a big help."
"Wait," she tells him as he tries to vacate his seat.
"Yes, Izzy?"
"The baby."
"What baby?"
"Ben was crying."
"You heard Ben?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Loud voices, bang, bang, bang, Ben crying," she explains.