It was nearly noon when Tim arrived in Stillwater. The only place he knew how to get to was the Store, so he drove through the village, and parked in front of it. He killed the engine and got out of the sedan. Jackson hadn't come out yet.
Tim went into the store. Jackson was behind the counter, closing out his drawer for the day. He didn't acknowledge Tim until he was finished counting.
"Thanks for coming, Tim."
"Of course, Jackson. Are you ready to go?"
"Are you hungry?" Jackson asked as he tucked his till envelope into the bottom of the drawer.
"We should get back on the road-"
"You've been driving for four hours. You need to eat. " Jackson glared at him, and Tim finally saw where Gibbs got his glare from. Tim nodded.
"I could eat."
"I thought so. Come on, I'll make you something back at the house."
Jackson made sandwiches, and they ate a quick lunch.
"How is Leroy?"
"I've never seen him like this," Tim admitted as he collected the paper plates from lunch and threw them away. "He's always so…"
"Stoic."
"Yeah."
"He put up a wall after his mother died," Jackson said as his eyes drifted toward the window. "I never could get through it. I still can't."
Tim's phone rang at that moment.
"McGee."
"Did you make it to Stillwater?"
"Yeah, Tony. How's Gibbs?"
"Ducky had to sedate him. We moved him into Abby's office, on her futon. Ducky is in there with him, waiting until he wakes up."
"What happened?"
"It's a long story. I'll tell you all about it when you get back. Before you do, I need a favor. Ellie and I are looking into Vivian's disappearance. Can you poke around Stillwater, see what you can find?"
"I'll try, but that was over 50 years ago. Any physical evidence would be long gone. "
"Get what you can and get back here as soon as you can."
"Will do." Tim hung up the phone and turned to Jackson. "Tony is looking into your daughter's disappearance. He thinks it might bring Gi-Jethro closure if we could find out what happened."
Jackson nodded his approval.
"Can you tell me anything else about that day?" Tim asked as he sat down and produced a small notebook from his jacket.
"Not much. I remember a couple of words that Leroy said while he was screaming. Something about a big tree, and Vivian losing her doll."
"A doll?"
"She had a Raggedy-Ann doll that her mother and I gave her for Christmas. She took it everywhere with her."
"Jackson, this may be a long shot, but do you think that doll might still be somewhere in those woods?"
"That was over 50 years ago, Tim. I doubt you'll find it."
"It's worth checking out. Where was the bus stop that your kids used to get the bus?"
"Let's see… these days it would be the corner of Smith street and Mill road. Back then it was farmland and a dirt road."
"Do you think the sheriff's office would still have records from back then?"
"Ed Waite never threw anything away." Tim scribbled some notes in his pocket notebook.
"Would you mind if I looked around a bit before we head back to DC?"
"Be my guest. I'm going to take a nap. You can borrow my truck, but if you scratch it, I'll have you working off the expense in my store, and not behind the register. Understand?"
Tim nodded. Jackson got up and shoved off into the living room. Tim thought of following him to apologize for throwing so many questions at him, but decided against it. He turned and headed out of the house. He had a lot of ground to cover.
Tim's first stop was the intersection where the bus stop used to be. There was a factory where he presumed the farmland used to be. It looked abandoned. There were woods across the field, beyond the factory.
Tim pushed the rusted gate open and entered the factory grounds. He walked around outside until he found a door. He nonchalantly pushed it, and it opened easily. He quietly slipped inside and shut it behind him.
The factory was eerily quiet. Tim used the flashlight on his phone to look around. He found an office not far from where he'd come in, and went inside. There was a desk and a file cabinet, and nothing else. He looked through the paperwork strewn on the desk, hoping to find some clue as to what this place had been. Among old shreds of shipping manifests, he found a file folder, with a name on it. He took out his phone and called Tony.
"Tony, research a company called Orson Farm Supply Company. There's a factory in Stillwater that was built in the spot where Gibbs and his sister used to catch the school bus."
"You think it could be something, Probie?"
"I don't know, maybe. Just look it up and call me back."
As Tim hung up he heard the click of a rifle. He looked up to find a Sheriff's Deputy pointing a rifle at him.
"Don't move."
Tim put up his hands.
"You're trespassing on private property, kid. That's a night in jail."
"I can explain this, if you just let me reach into my pocket."
"Not gonna happen. Move around the desk. You're under arrest."
"Listen-"
"I said shut your mouth!" Tim shut up and came around the desk, hands in the air. The Deputy practically shoved him against the side of the desk and handcuffed him. As he pulled Tim away from the desk, his coat moved, and his Sig came into view.
"I can explain that-"
"Explain it to the Sheriff," said the Deputy, confiscating the weapon. "Let's go." he yanked Tim along with him out of the office.
The police station in Stillwater was very small. The Deputy put Tim in a tiny holding cell and left him there. He hadn't bothered to check Tim's pockets. Grinning, he pulled out his phone and started to dial Jackson's number. The clang of the cell door startled him, and he pocketed his phone. He looked up to see a middle aged man with a Burt Reynolds moustache standing with the door open.
"Come with me, son." Tim got up and followed the officer. They went down the hall and into an office. One look at the nameplate told Tim he was in the presence of the current Sheriff, John Waite.
"You want to tell me what you were doing in that factory?" Waite asked, crossing his arms. Tim reached into his pocket and produced his credentials.
"NCIS, Special Agent Timothy McGee. I'm investigating a cold case."
"Why didn't you show the Deputy your creds when he arrested you?" The Sheriff asked as he took Tim's Sig out of a desk drawer, and handed it back to him.
"He didn't give me a chance." Tim took his gun and sheathed it. "I'm in town to investigate a cold case."
"What kind of cold case would you find in Stillwater?"
"My team and I are looking into the disappearance of Vivian Gibbs."
The Sheriff remained silent.
"Sheriff?"
"Sit down, son. We have a lot to talk about."
TBC...