Chapter Four: "How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure."


"I hit that woman with an oar," Chegwidden said.

"Obviously not hard enough," Nell said.

Eric smiled and put his arm around Nell and gave her a little side-hug. "Welcome back," he whispered in her ear before turning his attention back to his tablet.

"Time to have a conversation with Joelle," Callen started to leave.

"You're not going alone," Sam said, following right behind Callen.

"I'm going too," Kensi told them.

Callen, Sam and Chegwidden all turned to Kensi and said "No."

"Is the plan to keep me here indefinitely?"

Callen, Sam and Chegwidden all said "Yes."

"It doesn't work that way, sorry. I'm going."

"Agent Blye, my first interaction with your team included your disappearance. I'm not going to relive that or subject your team to that, especially with another agent and Hetty missing."

Kensi shook her head. "I'm sorry Admiral but that wasn't my first true interaction with you. My first was you dumping me and later dumping the team."

"Well..."

"I've got you," Kensi said pointing to Callen, "you," pointing to Sam "and I'll call Deeks and have him join us. I've already kept myself safe, let's see if you guys can keep up."

Nell pulled Eric away from the big screen.

"Are you let her talk to you that way?" Chegwidden asked Callen.

"Are you gonna stop her?" Callen replied.

"I was hoping you were going to stop her," Chegwidden said.

"I'm going," Kensi said. Turning to Callen, she asked, "Do we have an address for your scheming ex?"

"Yes."

"A real one?" Kensi was surprised.

"Yes. When Hetty sent the Wonder Twins on that high tech retreat..."

"That was her special project for you," Kensi said.

Nell returned with Eric. "This is for Kensi," she told the group. She held up a little safety pin.

"There is a GPS locator in the pin. If someone was to get past Callen, Sam and Deeks," Eric started to explain.

"Not going to happen," Sam said.

"Agreed, but better safe than sorry. If all that can go wrong does go wrong with you in the field, whoever is interested in you will dump your phone and they might toss your watch but you can attach this to your jeans or something and we can track you." Eric handed her the small pin.

"Jeans makes sense," Kensi said, attaching it to the inside of the first belt loop left of her jeans's button and fly. "Now can we go?"

"Kens, before you leave. Admiral, I have a question," Nell said.

"So ask," he replied.

"How much do you trust the person who sent you the photo? Could Kensi be walking into a trap?"

"Which is a good reason for you to stay here, Kensi," Callen added.

"No it's not," Nell and Kensi said in unison.

"I just want to make sure the team is safe," Nell made her concern clear. "It's been a rough 24-hours and a rougher year. Whoever attacked the team this morning may be moving on to Callen and Sam. Whoever sent that photo to you could be after Callen and Sam and they'll wind up with Kensi as a delayed bonus," Turning to Callen, Nell added, "Callen, Joelle could have sent the photo to draw you out. What are you walking into?"

"Admiral, who sent you the photo?" Sam asked. "If Agent Blye is returning to the field..."

"Since Agent Blye is returning to the field," Kensi corrected.

"Since Agent Blye is returning to the field," Sam tried again, "it is in everyone's best interest to know where the intel comes from."

"A trusted source," Chegwidden replied.

"Really, sir," Nell pushed.

"Owen Granger is back in Los Angeles," Chegwidden told the team. "He's part of a clinical trial being run by the VA in several cities. The treatment has him living vampire hours - sleeps all day, awake at night. Not surprised to see him checking on Hetty. He's always going to protect her."

"Is he OK?" Eric asked.

"No," the Admiral shook his head. "We all know the outcome. But he believes whatever the doctors learn from this experimental course of treatment won't save him but it may save someone else and he's at peace with that."

"Is that why you're in Los Angeles, sir?" Nell asked.

"One of the reasons," the Admiral replied. After a pause he added, "The main one."

"I'll call Deeks, have him meet Callen, Sam and Kensi at Joelle's," Nell said. "Callen, is Joelle's address still on your phone?"

"It is in Joelle's case file. Hetty created it while you two were communing with nature. North Maple Drive, Beverly Hills."

The Admiral looked at Kensi. "Agent Blye, make sure you come back. I do not want to explain to Hetty why you are missing once again."

x-x-x

"I'm afraid to ask, now what?" was the way Deeks answered Nell's call. Deeks left Nate and Juan with Agent Sanchez's DEA sketch artist of choice. He was driving Matt Bernhart back to the precinct.

"We may have a lead on who is involved with the kidnappings. I've sent an address to your phone. Callen, Sam and Kensi are making their way over there now."

"Kensi?" Deeks asked. "Is that a good idea?"

"You may not want to say that in front of her," Nell warned. "She's rather adamant about returning to the field."

"I'm rather adamant that Kensi and you and the rest of staff who may be in danger are kept safe."

"I'm on board for that too," Matt said.

"Is that Detective Bernhart?" Nell asked.

"Los Angeles's finest is at your service. Is this Nell, who is Ginny the grad student with the very protective brother?"

There was a pause. "Detective, I so grateful..."

"Nothing to be grateful for, Nell/Ginny/Los Angeles taxpayer. Happy to do my job," Matt was smiling as he spoke. "Protect and serve is my personal motto as well as LAPD's."

"Well, you have a friend at NCIS if you ever need anything," Nell told Matt.

"Good to know. Hey friend, can I tag along?"

"You need to get back to the office. Paperwork, remember?" Deeks said.

"Where's the fun in that? And when did you become the captain of the unfun police? Paperwork and all that. Shame on you, Martin. I trained you better," Matt said.

"With Kensi in the field, it may not be a bad thing to have another pair of eyes on her, Deeks. Especially considering how helpful Detective Bernhart was at the hospital," Nell said.

Matt gave Deeks a playful slap. "See, I'm helpful."

"Among other things," Deeks replied. "Where are we going?"

"Joelle's house."

Deeks was surprised. "Joelle's house? Callen's Joelle?"

"One and the same."

"Do I have time to swing by to boat shed and get one of Chegwidden's oars?"

Deeks thought he heard a little chuckle from Nell. "The Admiral mentioned the oar. I said he didn't hit her hard enough with it."

"Admiral Chegwiddy? Who are you getting widdy with? Martin, you're spending far too much time with these Navy types. You need me around more to keep you grounded in your true professional home, the LAPD."

"Where is Joelle now, Nell?" Deeks asked. "And it is Chegwidden, former SEAL," he said to Matt.

"Joelle lives in Beverly Hills. The address is on your phone."

Deeks pulled his cellphone from his jacket and tossed it to Matt. "Does that address seem familiar to you?"

"Pricey area, it is Beverly Hills, but that's a little below Mom and Dad's standards," Matt replied. "Nice digs but not a mansion of note."

"Probably nicer than most LA homes though," Nell said.

"Matthew and I are on our way," Deeks said. "You doing OK, Nell?"

Nell sighed. "Getting there. Working helps. Watching Kensi get back in the field was also a step in the right direction."

Deeks was sympathetic. Coming back from his time with his brush with unlicensed Russian dentistry was tough enough. Doing that after the whole team saw him weak and helpless didn't help. "Well, have Eric call Nate over at the DEA. He's working with America's dumbest criminal on sketches of who paid for grabbing Amy. He may want to start working with them on some parameters for facial rec."

"Juan may internationally stupid," Matt added. "Don't limit his dopiness to the U.S. He's worldwide Juan."

"We still need to see who is paying for all this. Follow the money and that may lead to who has Amy and Hetty or where they are. Tell Callen and company I'm bringing Matthew as part of his extended field trip," Deeks told Nell.

"Yay!" Matt started clapping his hands.


As Deeks turned the car onto the 10, Matt asked, "Is this car wired for sound?"

"There are probably earbuds in the console but no, nobody's listening right now."

Matt opened the console and saw two cases with earbud earpieces. Pulling out his phone, he opened iTunes and opened the "Annoying" playlist. Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" started playing as Matt closed the phone into the console. "Little pitcher have big ears."

"Please tell me "Seasons of the Sun" won't play."

"We had joy, we had fun," Matt started to sing before changing the subject. "Speaking of fun, have you heard from our good friend Ellie Belly Whiting?"

"Nothing after what I told you and then your personal shark lawyer friend."

"You're a lawyer."

"And now I'm not." Deeks reminded his friend. "Bates been like Bates?"

"The man is as predictable as LA weather in June. Same every day. He's annoyed at someone on the squad, he yells his disappointment at them, defends the hell out of them behind their backs and makes sure his guys are on the right side of the law, the department and the case going to the DA. Next day, same thing."

"Honest question, do you think he's dirty?" Deeks asked.

"No. I don't know what Whiting is looking for but Bates is as honest as they come and that's not just because he called me a maniac, a crackpot, insane, screw-up, wack-job, dotty..."

"He never called you dotty."

"Maybe I just heard it that way," Matt joked. "What about you? Do you think he's dirty?"

"Maybe I am spending too much time with these military types but I can't see a man who spent years in the Army and is still in the reserves, who then moved into a career in law enforcement – I just can't see him having a side hustle that runs counter to all that."

"So that leaves Whiting and/or the rat squad and what they're up to."

"Exactly."

"Do you think she's dirty?" Matt asked.

"She got herself shot and nearly killed helping me find Kensi last winter. That's a big plus in her favor and a card she can play for a good, long time."

"But..." Matt said, dramatically.

"But I'm keeping my options opened. Of all the people I worked with in LAPD, present company excluded, John Quinn would be a bottom five choice for a dirty cop."

"My money is on her being dirty and not Bates. I did a little sniffing around."

"Matthew, you're going to get yourself into trouble. This is my problem."

"Which makes it mine."

"No it doesn't. Besides, IA is more than familiar with you."

"Which means my sniffing around, if I get caught, which I won't because I'm good at my job, is my business. Nobody is going to think I'm with you."

"You called me your only friend in the department when you got the medal for valor two years ago. I think someone may figure out we're pals."

"But they'll think I'm up to my usual nonsense. Which I am but it is really your nonsense, not mine." Matt pointed to an upcoming exit ramp. "You want to get off here. Construction ahead. So anyway, my sniffing around is general and something unique to me. Whiting has a husband who works at Bell-Hills Wealth Management."

"And you know some people who have some wealth to manage."

"Yes I do. And they have Bell-Hills managing some of it. But only some of it. Don't want to put all our eggs in one basket."

"Thank you, West Coast Dave Ramsey."

"Don't know who he is. Do know that Douglas Gabriel Whiting is a lawyer who specializes in long-term trusts and personal philanthropy that also throws off a little income to the person doing the donating."

"So he makes people money as he helps them give it away."

"Exactly. Not rare, by the way. And Dougie probably gets a cut."

"So that would explain the nice house in Santa Monica," Deeks said. "I may have done a little snooping around while Whiting was recovering."

"North of Montana is the hot neighborhood right now. But they've been there since they got married and based on the real estate records, they got a deal on the house."

"Do you know who owned the house? Client of Wealth Manager Whiting, maybe?"

"I think a holding company. Didn't catch my eye," Matt answered. "And something weird would catch my eye."

"Mail, with a stamp and everything, anything you have on Mr. Detective Whiting to me. And stop sniffing around. You don't need IA after you."

"I keep them busy. They love me."

"Let's keep them loving you for being you, not for helping me."

Matt's song changed to "My Ding-a-Ling" by Chuck Berry. "You're thinking Mr. Detective Whiting is dirty?"

"Maybe. But I'm concerned about IA and not for the reasons I should be. This is the second person in IA who has decided to use me as the hammer against Bates when I don't have much leverage to fight back."

"They can't make a case against you. First, they'd have to explain the failure of their department. Steadman almost ruined them with all his past arrests demanding new trials because he was dirty. Do they want that again when the truth about Frank Boyle comes out?"

"No."

"Then there's you. IA will expose themselves by taking down a hero cop - a man who was tortured but didn't break as he stopped the sale of nuclear bombs. You're in trouble because Internal Affairs couldn't stop a cop who killed people, stole from the public and sold drugs. They'll make you and me co-heads of IA before they put that crap in front of a jury. No case."

"You're better than the defense lawyer you introduced me to," Deeks said. "I'm not worried about a court of law but IA could run me out in a departmental hearing using the nukes as a reason to keep it secret. And if I don't work for LAPD, I'm out at NCIS."

"And then no more working with the future missus."

"Something like that," Deeks answered, frowning.

"Hey, about the future missus," Matt said, changing the subject. "I'm now a legally ordained minister in the Universal Life Church where we are all children of the universe. Did you know The Rock is a fellow minister? I'm hoping to see him at a meeting or something."

"You're nuts."

"That's Minister Nuts to you," Matt said. "And since you discussed your final interaction with retired Detective Frank Boyle with me after I became a minister, any conversations are covered by clergy-penitent privilege."

"You got this all figured out, don't you?" Deeks asked. "So if Kensi and I were to wed on the beach with Monty and a few dozen of her crazy friends..."

"It would be my greatest honor."

"I'll run that by Kensi."

"Any of those Kensi crazy friends single? There are no celibacy rules at Universal Life."

x-x-x

"Joelle lives here?" Kensi said from the back seat as the black GMC Denali pulled up outside the North Maple Drive address.

"With her husband and son," Callen told her.

"I'm still amazed by that," Kensi said.

"Me too," Callen said shaking his head. "The kid is six."

"I did not see that coming," Kensi said.

"None of us did. Starting with me and Michelle," Sam said. "Michelle tracked her down through the Agency. She called Hetty with the address. Didn't trust herself with the info."

"The woman was fierce," Callen said.

"Yes she was," Sam agreed. "Where are Deeks and Bernhart?"

Kensi pointed to the Highlander as it made its way down the street. "LA's finest at 12-o'clock."

Deeks pulled up alongside the Denali. Geraldo's "Rico Suave" was playing from the Highlander. "What's the plan?" Deeks asked.

"First, take away your radio privileges," Sam replied. "What the hell is that?"

"Sorry, that's on me," Matt said, pulling his phone out of the console and turning down the volume. "How are we being heroes this afternoon?"

"No heroes, just going in to speak to a person of interest about her possible involvement in the kidnapping of NCIS personnel. A conversation we've had with this private citizen in the past," Callen said calmly.

"Five of us showing up at the front door may be a problem," Deeks said.

"LAPD could go over the neighbor's fence. Tell the neighbor some burglary crew is casing the neighborhood but super detectives Deeks and Bernhart got a cell phone signal on a suspect coming from your private citizen's/person of interest's home," Matt suggested.

"You've done this before," Kensi said.

"Grew up in this neighborhood. OK, slightly better part of this neighborhood."

"Slightly?" Deeks said.

"OK, a lot better part of this neighborhood. LAPD looking into daytime burglars is nothing new. In fact, it is expected. And doing your part of being a good neighbor is helping out two earnest, well-respected detectives stop a robbery so that crime doesn't hurt the local real estate values."

"If you can get into the house through the back door, do it. Don't set anything off," Sam said.

"On it," Deeks said, starting to roll up the window and drive down the street.

"The three of us showing up on the front door may still be a problem," Callen noted.

"Her ex, a former friend and me, someone whose kidnapping had Joelle as an accomplice after the fact. Yeah, I see problems," Sam said.

"She told me showing up here last time made me look desperate," Callen added.

"Well, desperate is what we are right now. And if she was outside of Hetty's she may be desperate too," Sam said.

"Let's go. Deeks and Bernhart are either setting off some fancy home alarm system or securing Labor Day weekend barbecue invites for half the precinct from the neighbors," Kensi said.

While Callen, Sam and Kensi made their way to Joelle's driveway, Deeks and Matt were lowering themselves from the absent neighbor's pool house roof onto a stone path to Joelle's backyard tennis court. "They have lights," Matt half whispered, pointing to the light stanchions around the tennis court's fencing. "Someone is serious about their game."

"No pool," Deeks noted.

"Do they have a kid?"

"A six-year old according to Callen."

"Would you have a pool with a six-year old?"

"Good point."

"When the kid can really swim, trade up," Matt said. "Someone serious about their tennis game would snatch this place up. Plus, much easier maintenance for the tennis court. Pools are a pain in the ass and expensive with insurance and upkeep."

"Now you've moved from Dave Ramsey to Million Dollar Broker."

"You're the guy who watches the house flipping shows."

"Who told you that?" Deeks was shocked.

"The wife to be at your 4th of July party. I joked about "Top Model" now being on basic cable and beneath her viewing standards. She got huffy and mentioned your basic cable viewing choices."

"Did you mention your affection for Skin-a-max?"

"Not basic cable," Matt said, looking at the sliding glass door off the dining room. "I can get that opened."

"B&E work?"

"My teenage home. Dad had the burglar alarm set to go on at 2AM. If you weren't in, you could sleep out on the patio," he explained as he started pulling the door's lock and handle up and down.

"You didn't like sleeping on the patio."

"I had a comfy bed and Skin-a-max in my room. There were no sensors on the sliding door near the pantry because my Mom's not so smart Yorkie never quite got the concept that there was glass in the sliding glass door." Matt said as the door popped open. "There is usually one door without sensors, especially if your person of interest here does sneaky stuff."

"I'm replacing the sliding glass door at my place when this case is over," Deeks said as he pulled his weapon. "Ready?"

"I live for this," Matt said as he walked through the door, gun drawn.

When they made their way to the front of the dining room, Deeks heard the doorbell ring. He stopped Matt and they watched Joelle walk down the stairs to answer the door. They heard a sigh before she answered.

Deeks sent a three word text message to Kensi - "in dining room".

"I told you not to come here again," an angry Joelle said to Callen. Before she could close the door, Callen had his foot blocking the move.

"We need to talk," Callen said as he pushed his way in.

"I gave you a number to call."

"But we're here already," Deeks said, walking in from the dining room.

Behind Deeks, Matt was flashing his badge. "You should look into securing that sliding door. You spend all that money lighting that tennis court a night, a simple broom handle in door frame and we're still in backyard."

"So LAPD is now doing break-ins?" Joelle said as she turned to her two uninvited guests.

"It is better work than a CIA assignment watching the children of federal agents, diplomats and military members," Sam said as he walked into the house.

"Sam," Joelle said with great sadness. "I'm so sorry about Mich..."

"You remember Kensi," Sam interrupted as he pointed to Kensi when she walked into the house. "You left her alone with your team member Ferris."

"I didn't leave her with him. He already had her. And I had my orders. He was never going to kill her. We had people looking for him. He wouldn't have killed her."

"Oh, he had a saw and plans to take from me what he thought I took from him," Kensi replied. "I cut him first."

"And then I put an end to his plans," Deeks said. "Because he was going to take her from us."

"My man," Matt said with pride.

"And the CIA is fine with what happened that day. Ferris was a problem and losing his foot made him a liability," Joelle explained. "Other than reliving the past, why are you all here?"

"Why were you outside of a home on Heather Road," Callen said, holding up a print out of Granger's photo of Joelle.

"Much nicer than this area," Matt said as an aside. "Probably fewer cheap sliding doors."

"Where did you get this photo?" Joelle demanded.

"Someone is watching the watchers," Deeks told her.

"The old man in the Ford. I knew I was made," Joelle said more to herself than the others.

"How did the old man in the Ford look?" Kensi asked.

"What? It was just an old man who I thought had a problem with his trunk popping opened. Obviously, he was taking pictures."

"Obviously," Callen took several steps toward Joelle. "Now why were you sitting outside Hetty's house in Beverly Hills?"

"I didn't know it was Hetty's house."

"Really?" Sam asked. "Want to try that again."

Joelle sighed. "We heard from an information-broker who has proven useful in the past. There was some serious money floating around for your home address," Joelle pointed to Kensi. "For Hetty's and for your intelligence analyst's – the Jones girl. A million for all of Hetty's homes, $250K for Kensi and Jones."

"I'm a bargain," Kensi said.

"Priceless to me," Deeks told her. Kensi smiled her approval.

"Who was offering the money?" Callen asked.

"If I knew that, I'd have someone get that information to you. We only heard about the money and what they wanted."

"And you couldn't have told us?" Kensi asked.

"You, all of you, wouldn't have believed me. I took my chance going to Hetty's place in Beverly Hills. I was going to make my case to her. She never showed up. I had another assignment - an official one - and figured you could take care of yourselves. You usually do."

"Whoever paid that money has Hetty and a female agent."

"And I'm sorry about that. I only heard about the bounties for Hetty, Kensi and Jones. Did the buyers grab Jones?"

"Classified," Sam said. "Does anyone at the CIA know who would pay for this?"

"This may come as a surprise to you but your agency isn't loaded with friends in the CIA. Dead case officer from DC, the mass killing of the team here. Those people had friends and colleagues."

"Mass killing?" Kensi was outraged. "The CIA was behind the stabbing of an NCIS Assistant Director, kidnapping and leaving me to fend off a psycho, arranging for the assassination of an Undersecretary of the Department of Defense."

"And a CIA led joint task force I was a part of eventually led to Michelle being murdered," Sam said. "Special Projects isn't thrilled with Langley right now either. Tell me who put out the money for the addresses."

"Sam, I am sorry about Michelle," Joelle said sincerely. "She was a great person."

"Then honor her memory and help us."

"The money was coming from numbered accounts in Denmark," Joelle made her way to the Roche Bobois notary bookcase in the corner.

"I'd open that really carefully," Matt pointed his weapon at her. "I'd hate to ruin a, what, seven thousand dollar bookcase because you're not trustworthy. Why punish the furniture?"

Joelle sighed and opened the glass door with great care. With two fingers, she pulled a thumb drive from a Waterford Sunflower Bowl. "The money from the accounts in Denmark was funneled from accounts in Hong Kong and Singapore. It was holding companies, shell corporations and in-name only firms supplying the cash. There was nothing to trace."

"And no rumors about who would pay for this," Callen said as Joelle handed over the thumb drive.

"None," Joelle replied, looking at her watch. "My son will be home from day camp any minute now, you all have to leave."

"One more question," Callen said. "Why would you have heard about someone looking for information on my team?"

"We missed what Khaled was doing. I know you don't believe me Sam but Michelle was my friend and I liked her very much. She deserved better."

"Yes she did. With what happened last spring, with who she thought were her friends until last winter."

"The Agency is concerned NCIS would blame us for Michelle's death. As you said, the Khaled investigation started as a joint operation."

"We're not in the revenge business like you team was," Kensi told her.

"Nicky might disagree."

"Nicky?" Sam asked.

"Sabatino," Joelle said. "I heard he was helpful when Sam was looking for Khaled."

"I was looking for my dead wife's body which Khaled was going to mail to my family piece by piece."

A brief look of horror flashed across Joelle's face before she took a hard line. "You were looking for revenge and you had it. And now it looks like someone with resources is looking for revenge against your team. You may want to stop wasting your time with me and start figuring out who had the money and pull to kidnap a woman the CIA couldn't kill or drive from NCIS."


Callen and Sam agreed Bernhart would be helpful to the case since they were not only short staffed but were all starting to run on fumes. While Callen and Sam drove Kensi back to the auxiliary office, Deeks and Matt returned on their own. With his knowledge of the Beverly Hills area, Matt was able to direct Deeks around traffic issues. They arrived at the industrial park before Callen, Sam and Kensi.

Walking toward the warehouse, Matt asked, "Is this your regular super-secret clubhouse? I know the boat shed is where you meet with outsiders like me. Or who use to be like me. I'm feeling inside right now."

"This is a back-up location. Until we know how badly our locations have been breached, we're all working on back-ups."

"Still an honor to get an invite. Maybe your friends will let me play in the super cool clubhouse one day."

"The main office is not as super cool as the boat shed," Deeks said before his phone chimed.

"Good news?"

"Does 'Back to the office now' sound like good news?" Deeks asked as he opened the warehouse door. "Put your badge on - everyone is a little jumpy," Deeks said to Matt before turning to one of the security officers inside the warehouse. "He's with us," Deeks said as Matt pulled out a chain and hung his badge around his neck.

"Where are the others?" Chegwidden asked as Deeks and Matt made their way deeper into the warehouse. "And who is he?"

"Matthew Campbell Bernhart," Matt said, extending his hand, "LAPD, longtime partner in crime fighting of Martin Andrew Deeks. Protector of unconscious NCIS staffers in large metropolitan hospitals."

"And avoider of paperwork," Deeks added. "Matthew has been drafted since we need all the help we can get."

"AJ Chedwidden," the Admiral said, shaking Matt's hand. "Find the two computer whizzes. Whoever your suspect ID'd got those two going."

"Not good," Deeks said.

Deeks brought Matt to the main area where Eric and Nell were stationed. Nell was on the phone, looking really unhappy while Eric was typing furiously on his tablet.

"Ginny, Rick, sup?" Matt said.

"Not good," Eric told them.

"There is no way Stupid Juan is finished with the sketch artist at the DEA," Deeks said. "He couldn't add two and two that fast."

"No. The sketch artist was done with Juan in about five minutes. We sent photos of all suspects involved in NCIS cases with money or access to money since Nell joined the team."

"And?"

"He ID'd two," Eric said as he put two mug shots up on the large screen.

"Don't know the white guy," Matt said pointing to one suspect. Pointing to the other, he said, "I do know that guy. That's Clarence Fisk but Fisk is doing 25-to-life in Pelican Bay for a whole lot of bad stuff. Holy jump up and sit down is Bates going to be well and truly pissed if Fisk is running around free."

"I know the white guy," Deeks said quietly.

"So do I," Kensi joined the conversation with Callen and Sam walking in right behind her.

"That's Marcel Janvier," Callen said. "Son of a bitch."

-30-

Annoying author's notes: Sorry for the delay. Real life had a few ugly moments but things are returning to normal. So, hopefully, will be the release schedule. We're back on Sundays going forward. Thank you all for your patience regarding this update.