NCIS Season 9

Episode 9.3.1

ONE

By: Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: Yes, yes, yes, I know, I don't own NCIS and the characters created for the show. Whew! It's over…I can move on now.

Author Notes: Thank you to all who have reviewed. Let me know what you think.


ONE

PART ONE

Chapter One

The park was a bit brisk this time of night but that often did not bother couples out for an early evening stroll after a romantic dinner. Rock Creek Park was often used by returning sailors as rendez-vous points for loved ones for pick ups and to drop off. The park was often seen brimming with couples out after dark looking for a little adventure.

However, tonight only a few couples were out and about.

Lieutenant Jarrod Michales walked arm in arm with his wife, Janice Michales, discussing family. He wore his dark dress uniform since he just returned from deployment in the Red Sea. Janice was dressed formally in a champagne colored dress that hung to her ankles out from beneath the thick black faux fur coat she wore as if on a date. Her hair was pulled into a French twist, gold dangled from her ears and sparkled around her neck.

"And my mother insists we visit at Christmas." Michael reminded his wife.

Janice rolled her eyes and replied in a drawl. "You're mother's highly demanding."

Michael smiled. "Yes, yes, she is."

They walked past a garbage can near where the pathway met the forest line. A dark form was barely visible in the shadows at the base of the can. A shape that made the couple stop to look closer. Clearly it did not belong there.

Janice moved closer only to be stopped by her husband. "What's that?"

Jarrod Michales approached the garbage cautiously. He pulled the waste can from its place on the pathway, metal screeching loudly across the cement. Janice covered her ears from the noise, Her husband grimaced from the exertion. Michael took a closer look then shifted his face towards his wife. Her hands covered her horrified face.

A male body clad in army colors lay on the ground face up with a bloodied neck. His eyes were open and cloudy looking up towards the sky. A clear gash from side to side nearly severed the head from the body. It appeared the body was laid down behind the waste can.

Chapter Two

NCIS vans were parked behind one another on the grassy area away from the scene near the pathway. Police cars blocked the alley at each end. Officers work the scene and keep by-standers away from the crime scene.

Ducky Mallard and Jimmy Palmer squatted next to the body ahead of Gibbs and his team's arrival. It was odd they arrived first but then the call came to him almost immediately before others were called to the scene. The body was found by a couple who he knew through their mother on the husband's side.

Michael Michales sounded shaken when he answered the phone. Ducky admitted it was not often someone called him in the middle of the night not associated with NCIS or some other federal agency. Work beckoned him to rush to Rock Creek Park in the early hours. Once he called Palmer and instructed the young man to fetch the truck and arrive at Rock Creek Park, all would be explained. Jimmy responded immediately and without question.

Ducky arrived just after the police were summoned around eight. He informed Michael to go through proper channels and call nine-one-one. Michael was a good boy and did as he was ordered. A good soldier. It was at that moment he called Jethro to inform him of what occurred this evening.

He glanced over his shoulder at Gibbs talking with the first on-scene officer, Jameson. Ducky smiled then returned his attention to the body. There was little he could do now with his assessment already made. He had more questions than answers.

Once on site, Tony, McGee and Ziva took photos, bagged & tagged every detail they could find, and sketched the crime scene. It was eerily efficient the way those three worked together. Ducky huffed slightly realizing that they worked together for almost seven years. Jimmy arrived by his side with the gurney.

"We shall wait for the team to do their thing, I think, Mr. Palmer." Ducky got to his feet. "No use rushing the process. Our friend isn't going anywhere."

"Except home with us." Jimmy replied. He suddenly looked at Dr. Mallard alarmed. "I didn't mean that to sound the way…"

Ducky held his hand up and shook his head. "I know what you meant. Let's get out of their way, shall we?"

Palmer immediately walked across the pathway and onto the grass. He stopped about twenty feet from the crime scene and turned to wait. He folded his hands careful not to touch his gloved hands to his overalls. Ducky walked over to Palmer quite amused the young lad still took him quite literally when his request was viewed as an order.

Jimmy watched Dr. Mallard in quiet. "Are you okay, Dr. Mallard?"

"I'm afraid, quite good, Mr. Palmer." Ducky glanced at his young assistant. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem a little quiet sir." Palmer hesitated. "A bit more than usual."

Ducky smiled. "It is amazing people don't listen to their instincts more often. I never understand why people go down alleyways or park pathways at night without thought to safety. Haven't there been enough movies to keep people away from such dark places."

Palmer stared at Dr. Mallard quizzically then smiled nervously. "Of course there is but people don't actually think about dark alleyways in real life. Most people don't remember movies when they're walking along on a romantic date."

Ducky stiffened. "Thank you Mr. Palmer for clarifying that for me. A little common sense would go a long way to keep people safe."

Gibbs walked over to Ducky and Palmer. "What do we have, Duck?"

"Not much, I'm afraid." "Our Private Vincent Nash, according to the dog tags I found, was slashed from ear to ear at a steep angle. Both carotids were cut nearly clean to the bone. He died rather quickly."

Gibbs found something odd about Ducky tonight but did not press. "Aggravated attack?"

Ducky nodded. "Certainly seems like it. Whoever did this came at him from the front then rotated around and finished the job from the back in one fluid motion. There's a lot of anger in this attack, Jethro."

"Any sign of defensive wounds?" Gibbs wrote in his notepad.

Jimmy Palmer got the signal from McGee that the body could be moved. He walked briskly back towards the scene. Another officer would help load the body since Dr. Mallard was in no condition to help. Palmer decided it was best to leave Dr. Mallard alone with Gibbs and his thoughts.

He shook his head. "None." Ducky glanced over at Michael Michales talking with DiNozzo. "No bruising, no scratches or gashes. If they fought, the private used his hands to keep the assailant from him without leaving a single mark."

Gibbs frowned slightly. "Attacker was weaker than him?"

"Possibly." He felt tired suddenly. "Unless the private was the assailant and the actual victim remains out there bleeding to death."

"Not with this slash in his neck." Gibbs glanced at the body being laid on the gurney. "If his victim turned the tables, then I doubt we'll find them in an emergency room. There's no secondary blood trails leading from the scene. Thanks Duck."

"Anytime. I'll know more once I get him back home." Ducky moved back towards the crime scene. "There might be something we missed."

"Keep at it." Gibbs left him and headed back towards the scene.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Gibbs walked off the elevator towards his desk, his coffee gripped tightly in his hand. An inattentive woman on her cellphone slammed into his shoulder coming out of a shop and spilled his coffee before he had his first sip. She politely apologized and went on her way without another word. He had to go back to the coffee shop.

Annoyed, Gibbs sat at his desk. He tapped a few keys hard at his computer then waited for the screen to change. Sensing the brooding mood of their leader neither Ziva nor McGee attempted to say anything. Tony was apparently absent from the squad room.

Gibbs looked up and waited silently. No sigh, no breath escaped him. His eyes grazed McGee then shifted icily to Ziva.

Ziva jumped first. "Private First Class Vincent James Nash was on leave when he was attacked. His CO has high regards for him. No problems with anyone in his unit and no issues with anger. He made friends with everyone he met. Would help his brothers out when they were lagging behind. His CO expected him to be promoted quickly."

McGee added. "Nothing incriminating on his record either. Enlisted just out of high school. Never owned a car. He has 538 friends on Facebook, no family other than parents in Connecticut Street here in Washington, only child born on March 31, 1992. Pretty clean cut."

"A bit too clean." Gibbs turned to McGee. "Keep digging."

McGee nodded and tapped at the keyboard fervently. "Right, boss."

Gibbs paused and looked at Tony's desk. "Where's DiNozzo?"

"Stuck in traffic." Ziva refrained from smiling. "So he says."

"When he gets here, Ziva, take him with you to inform the family." Gibbs stood up from his desk. "Make sure he does all the talking."

Gibbs exited the squad room heading past McGee's desk towards Abby's Laboratory and the morgue.

Chapter Four

The dark blue Dodge Charger screeched to the curb. Tony got out of the passenger side agitated and flushed. Ziva exited the driver's side happily dangling the keys for Tony to hear.

Tony slammed the door shut hard. "Did you have to drive like that?"

Ziva smiled evilly. "Gibbs gave me the keys since you were late. Next time, I suggest you show up on time if you want to drive."

They walked towards the front door up the cement walk. The house was a one-story single-family bungalow with white siding and white windows. Black shutters bordered the windows adding a little charm to the box house. There were four stairs leading up to the small but quaint front porch.

Tony continued with his morning rant. "So I woke up late! Power went out during the night…again! It happens now and then!" Straining his voice. "Geez, why can't I get a break around here?"

"No one died, Tony." Ziva rolled her eyes walking beside him.

Tony mumbled quietly. "I almost died…of a heart attack."

They reached the front porch and climbed the stair. Ziva moved forward and pressed the doorbell. It echoed throughout the house. Seconds passed and the lock on the door unbolted. A woman about sixty-five opened the door to the two and smiled slightly.

"Can I help you?" Inquired the woman.

Ziva looked to Tony, he glowered at her. She smiled and mouthed 'Gibbs' and pointed towards the door. Tony tried to refrain from getting angry but his face contorted into an angry troll then quickly gave way to the professional agent.

'NCIS." Tony took out his credentials and flashed them. "Agents DiNozzo and David."

"Why would the Navy be on my doorstep?" The woman was curious now.

"Mrs. Nash?" Ziva waited for the nod they were at the right house. "Your son, Private Vincent Nash, lives here?"

"When he's not deployed." Mrs. Nash stepped onto the porch. "Did Vinny do something wrong?"

Ziva glanced at DiNozzo as Tony spoke in a calm and solemn voice. "We need to speak to you inside, Mrs. Nash."

She ushered them inside as Ziva watched Tony break the news to Mrs. Nash about her son found dead in Rock Creek Park. The woman nearly fell as emotion took hold. She quickly walked to the living room to find solace on the sofa in front of the window.

The living room was large with two sofas on either side of a large fireplace against the far wall. There was an area rug spread between the sofas without touching either one. A heavy wood coffee table was placed in the center with fresh flowers in a square vase. The fireplace mantle contained many family portraits in various frames grouped together cataloging the life and times of the Nash family. There were large landscape paintings hanging on every wall.

Ziva and DiNozzo sat on the sofa across from Mrs. Nash.

"Where's Mr. Nash?" Tony asked.

Mrs. Nash smiled weakly and explained. "He's off on a hunting trip with his friends. Since he retired, he's been going everywhere on some trip here or there. But they go hunting every year at this time. Are you sure it's Vincent?"

"We matched his DNA this morning." Ziva offered. "We wanted to know if he was having any trouble with anyone. Friends, members of his unit, other family members?"

Mrs. Nash whimpered holding back her tears. "I'm so…sorry. I just never expected him to…die this way. I was always afraid he'd die in Iraq, you know. Vincent wanted to go to college, study electronics and computers."

Ziva repeated her question. "Did you know of any problems with friends, members of his unit, or any girlfriends?"

Mrs. Nash paused. "None I can think of."

"Did you meet any of his friends?" DiNozzo kept his voice a respectable tone.

She shook her head. "He rarely brought anyone home with him. There was a boy, Private George, one of his friends from his unit. Brought him to dinner a few months ago. I don't know if they're still friends. I haven't seen them together and Vincent never mentioned him lately."

"We're they stationed locally?" Ziva glanced around the room.

Mrs. Nash shrugged distraughtly. "I'm not sure. I don't keep track of bases. It took me a whole day to find out where to go for his graduation from boot camp."

"Did he discuss his work with you?" Tony added.

Mrs. Nash shook her head. "Vincent didn't talk about his life with me. I'm afraid I usually didn't ask either. I don't press for details. I figured if he wanted to tell me, he would confide in me. He didn't like talking about himself much."

Tony handed her his card as he stood. "If you remember anything, let us know."

Ziva followed suit and began walking towards the door. Her heart gave a lurch for the wife and mother grieving for her son. Even after doing this a few years now, it never got easier with each one. Families would always respond the same way.

Grief then anger then a desire to see justice. All of those were there in Mrs. Nash's eyes. Ziva knew how they all felt. She experienced them one too many times to forget. Tony exited the house seconds after she did. However at a glance, his thoughts were on something entirely different. His expression was one of suspicion.

Chapter Five

Minutes later they were back in the sedan at the curb watching Mrs. Nash close the door. It was clear the woman was genuinely upset about the death of her son. Tony narrowed his eyes from the passenger seat. Ziva sat in the driver seat.

Tony looked to Ziva. "Did that strike you as odd?

Ziva nodded at him then glanced at the house understanding his line of thinking now. "A mother who knew nothing about her son? Very strange indeed. I would want to know everything my child was getting into."

"Either mom didn't get involved or her son's working on something classified." Tony grimaced hating he had more questions than answers.

Ziva shrugged. "Nothing in his file mentioned being attached to a classified mission. He was a private only a few months out of boot camp."

Tony nodded getting to his point. "Exactly!" He pointed a finger upwards. "No private first class would be assigned to a top secret mission so soon after boot camp. Which means he was doing something on the side."

Ziva raised her eyebrows in agreement. "And illegal."

Tony smiled and ordered. "To the Batcave, Robin!"

"I am not a Robin nor do I hang out in bat caves." Ziva pointed out.

Tony rolled his eyes then his head. "Batman? The series? The horrible string of movies only to be followed by the most awesome of retellings in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight?"

"I've seen one of those." Ziva tapped her lips with a finger. "I think."

His ego deflated, Tony ordered. "Drive."

Ziva started the engine and peeled away from the curb.

Chapter Six

The stripped corpse laid out on the table was already cut, dissected and the skin pulled back to expose the interior. Dr. Mallard peered into the body of Private First Class Vincent Nash. He appeared perplexed with Jimmy Palmer standing on the other side of the table from him pulling the right lung out and walked over to weigh it.

Ducky shook his head and spoke in a gentle voice to the corpse. "I'm afraid someone had a vendetta against you, my friend. Your wounds were deep and angry. But let me ask you a question. What were you doing in that dark park last night? Meeting someone you weren't supposed to young man?"

Ducky jumped at the, "Find anything, Duck?"

He looked up to find Gibbs standing across the table across from him. Once again, Jethro's soft feet failed to be detected by his once excellent ears. Everyone else made strong noises against the floor he knew by sound. Ducky smiled at the new coffee held in Jethro's right hand. He could smell the aroma of the Jamaican blend that seemed to Gibbs' choice of late.

Ducky smiled ever so slightly. "I didn't even hear you come in, Jethro."

"Got anything?" Gibbs reiterated his question.

Ducky shook his head. "Just a long cut from ear to ear and very deep. Almost decapitated our Private Nash. Strange that he was taken by surprise so easily."

Gibbs responded. "Army not Marine."

Ducky paused to look at Jethro in partial astonishment. "Not biased are you?" Jethro remained quiet so he continued. "Anyway, our private died within seconds of his throat being slit. Based on my expertise and years of experience, someone wanted him dead rather quickly. Death was at seven pm last night according to the thermometer."

"An hour before you got the call?" Gibbs noted. "Any fibers?"

Ducky shook his head disappointedly. "None. Not so much as a fingerprint on first inspection either. I sent Abby all the clothing in case I missed something. I sent tissue samples from the cut for anything the weapon left behind."

"So you got nothing conclusive?" Gibbs stared at Ducky oddly.

He smiled wider this time. "Crime scene was intact when you arrived. I'd talk to Abby, she may have more than I do at the moment." Jethro perked up he noted. "She's back from the Forensics Conference in Hawaii."

Ducky smiled at Jethro's expression. Abby's departure last Friday on a very, and suspicious, last second to attend the NCIS Forensics Conference in Kona, Hawaii was a surprise to everyone. Her request was granted by Director Vance without letting Agent Gibbs know he would be missing his forensic analyst for a few days if a case came up. That made the supervising special agent extremely angry at first.

All one had to do was watch how Jethro walked to know that Vance got under his skin again. Jethro appeared overly irritated but did nothing. He did, however, leave a message on Abby's phone to call him the minute she returned. Ducky knew Jethro would never stay mad at Abby for leaving him. Abby talked about wanting to go to past conferences and never got to attend since cases got in the way. This was really her only chance.

Gibbs breathed. "My lucky day."

Gibbs walked out of autopsy. Ducky moved to the private's mouth and head. He decided to do a more thorough check of every orifice in case they missed something on the first run.

"Now." Ducky bent over the private's head. "You'll have to tell me something soon. We won't be able to catch who did this to you if you keep secrets."

Jimmy Palmer frowned at the scale and turned to glance at Ducky Mallard. His expression turned to one of concern.

Chapter Seven

Abby stood in front of her computer in the prep area watching the screen with stone eyes trying to avoid blinking. Both hands tapped away at the keyboard blindly as the plasma screen opened four charts showing various results: chemical analysis, two photos and a phone record.

Gibbs walked into the lab at that moment. He stopped when he realized there was no music playing. Glancing over into her office, Gibbs smirked before moving towards her. He halted next to her looking at the computer screen.

"What have you got Abs?" He said in an almost whisper.

"Gibbs!" Abby jumped both excitedly and shocked to find him there.

She hesitated then Abby hugged Gibbs excitedly. He avoided spilling his coffee by holding his arm out as her arms trapped him. Gibbs patted Abby on the back and then kissed the top of her head. He smiled automatically and gingerly drank from his coffee.

"I get it, you're happy to be back." Gibbs smile continued. "You weren't gone that long."

Abby let him go suddenly looking pouty and returned to her computer. "Aren't you happy I'm back? You sounded so mad on the phone."

Gibbs kept his voice low. "Ecstatic." Then he rolled his eyes. "No, I wasn't mad. You left without telling me."

Abby smiled and returned to tapping away on the keyboard bouncing her head back and forth to unheard music. "Awe, I didn't realize you'd take it so hard."

Gibbs sighed. "Abby…"

Abby turned to him. "I was only gone three days to Hawaii, Gibbs." She smiled shortly and continued. "Well…plus the two days for traveling there and back. You know I hate the sun, Gibbs. It was everywhere, I couldn't escape it. I so missed the DC gloom while I was there. Another thing, I didn't know I could hate traveling on a plane so much until I got on Aloha Airlines at John Wayne Airport. It's in Orange County, California. They made me take off my shoes twice."

Gibbs smiled then shook his head slightly. He sighed deeply and his voice became more authoritative. "Abby?"

She continued her diatribe. "What? No 'how did the forensics conference in Hawaii go'?" She turned towards him abruptly. "Is Tony still angry I wouldn't let him come with me?"

He sighed and gave in. "How did the conference go, Abby?"

She cheered immediately. "Awesome!" Abby raised both hands in the air if scoring a touchdown. "I met Dr. Hature finally! You know, the one scientist I go to, and responds to my every email, when I'm usually stumped about cases? 'Hach' is what she prefers to be called." Abby's hands clenched into fists as she raised them towards the ceiling. "She's like this forensic goddess of NCIS stationed in Hawaii. And she's like really smart! I mean scary smart, Gibbs. I feel stupid when I'm with her." Abby paused to look at Gibbs. "Can you believe that? Me? Feel stupid? Anyway, she's been helping me track this serial killer named Perfecto the FBI's trying to catch. I know I've only been on the case for three weeks but I feel I really know him now. His MO keeps changing, well, at least I think it keeps changing. It's been so difficult to nail him down really evidence-wise. Hach has been instrumental in helping me catch this guy!"

Gibbs became impatient. "Abby!"

Abby holds her hands up near her eyes. "Right. Focus on the now, Abby. Ok, Ducky sent up some tissue samples. I ran it through master mass spectrometer and there's like no residue left in the wound. Looks like a serrated knife but I'm still running through options."

Gibbs looked at Abby then. "So you have nothing?"

"I can't believe it either." Abby saddened. "I go away and all I got is…nothing. This is the cleanest crime scene I've ever seen, Gibbs. Killer left no prints, no footprints, no tracks in the grass if he drove up, nothing to indicate how the body was dumped…all I know is that the body was not killed in the place where he was found."

Gibbs turned to walk out of the lab confounded. "Great."

Today was certainly not his day for finding answers.

Chapter Eight

McGee stared at his computer screen for quite some time, his expression appeared frozen in a perplexed and confused contortion. Ziva and DiNozzo long done with their tasks took to watching the junior field agent at work. They exchanged a few amused glances. Tony appeared deep in thought watching McGee.

"I think it's Elmer Fudd." Tony analyzed McGee's expression from his desk. "Like he's found the wabbit and it wain't getting' past him out of the hole!"

McGee rolled his eyes over to Tony from his screen.

"You scare me sometimes, Tony." Ziva said finally from her desk.

DiNozzo tilted his head then let his eyes fall over to look at Ziva. "You didn't watch Looney Tunes as a child?"

"I was practicing at the range." Ziva smiled and returned to her keyboard. "We didn't watch cartoons."

"Guys." McGee lifted his head. "Looks like Nash was a…stripper. Check this out."

DiNozzo got to his feet immediately and rushed over to McGee's desk. Ziva jumped up and ran over to join him from the opposite side. The three stared at the computer screen with interest. There was a MASTER STRIPPER website slogan for hiring men to dress up any party. All you had to do was call or send them an email about your event and someone would return your call or message. McGee hit the play button at the bottom of his screen and the cheesy music started.

Several pictures of men dancing in various costumes popped up then. The pictures stopped dancing and one photo popped up. There was a party with women seated in a circle with a Caucasian man dancing in the center. He danced pretty good to McGee. Then his clothes started coming off. Ziva watched with strong interest as the photo stopped moving just as the stripper went to remove his pants.

"Granny party." DiNozzo shivered. "They do love their strippers."

"Just cause they're old, doesn't mean a young man won't make them happy?" Ziva looked at Tony innocently. "When you're that age, you'll wish you could get it…"

"What did you find McGee?" Gibbs called out as he walked off the elevator.

"The extra cash in Nash's account came from his moonlighting as Galaxy Dexter." DiNozzo cringed at the video. "It seems he's a stripper on the side when he comes home."

"He works freelance on occasion." Ziva read the screen. "Guess his appointments come from the internet. Perspective renters can see a brief video of what he offers and can book him' now' at the touch of a button. Apparently he's quite popular." She bent down to read the bottom. "Over four million hits so far just on the photo alone."

McGee laughed. "Tony's fantasy."

"To get one hit?" Ziva narrowed her eyes at Tony. "Or to get hit once?"

Ziva and McGee both laugh. DiNozzo rolled his eyes and laughed silently. Tony made a face at them both and returned to watching the sample video on McGee's screen. The three appeared fascinated by the video not realizing Gibbs was watching them.

"Did he have any appointments, DiNozzo?" Gibbs noted the two standing together behind McGee.

"Still looking into it, boss." Tony rushed over to his desk.

"Giles Darr runs the website." McGee announced. "I'll have an address shortly."

"DiNozzo, Ziva, track Giles down." Gibbs with coffee in hand walked past them.

Ziva nodded heading back to her desk. Fun was over for now it was time to get back to work. She rounded her desk and slid into her chair. Instantly she brought up the computer screen and began a search on Giles Darr. If she knew any better, Tony would find his address first since he got a few seconds head start.

Chapter Ten

Tony and Ziva walked up to the front of an old house, one-story hidden behind a plethora of bushes, trees and flowers left to grow wild in the front yard. The wooden semi-private fence around the property stood almost eight feet tall hiding the place from the rest of the oval-shaped cul-de-sac. Since it was at the far end of the cul-de-sac no one complained of the decrepit appearance of the place. Few knew people lived there let alone someone of interest to NCIS.

They pushed through the front gate and found the walkway was overgrown. Abandoning hope to find the front door, they opted for a side door from the open driveway. No cars were parked on the cracked cement. It led to towards the back, a single door halfway down the length of the house indicated it was the entrance used most by the occupants.

"Come on." Tony urged. "This place gives me the creeps already."

"A little yard work, it would be cute." Ziva countered. "Nothing wrong with a little bush whacking."

Tony grimaced. "It's weed whacking. Bush whacking is a whole other sport."

Ziva frowned in confusion as she followed Tony up the concrete driveway towards the door. Her mouth mimicked 'weed whacking' and 'bush whacking'. She finally said. "They're the same thing."

Tony froze and turned to Ziva. "Bush whacking is mostly associated with Aussies. However, at college." He smiled fondly of the memories. "It meant going to the sorority houses and…"

Ziva slapped him up side the head abruptly. "You're disgusting!"

"It was college." Tony smiled wider then got serious. "Let's find Mr. Darr shall we?"

Ziva walked beside DiNozzo the few steps to the side door. Tony reached out and opened the storm door and knocked hard on the glass several times. He waited a few seconds and repeated the action in hopes of catching the occupants attention.

A minute later, a rotund man of early forties came to the door in a filthy t-shirt, graying sweat pants, and loose green plaid robe. It appeared he had not shaved or showered in days when he opened the door to them. His hair had not been brushed in a few days wither. The smell emanating from the house was disgusting to say the least, Ziva thought.

"What you want?" Came the gruff voice.

"Mr. Giles Darr?" Tony held off say anything more.

"Yeah, I'm Giles Darr." Giles nodded. "What's cops want with me?"

Tony reached in and took out his credentials from his inside pocket flashing them as he spoke. "Special Agent DiNozzo, Agent David of NCIS. We need to ask you a few questions about Galaxy Dexter of Master Stripper."

Ziva flashed her credentials as well. Giles thought for a moment and nodded he knew the Master Stripper site. The smile let them know he remembered something about the site.

"Anything you can tell us about Vincent Nash?" Tony asked first.

"Paid me on time and always higher than my other clients." Giles smiled showing off his poor dental hygiene. "Ran his own stripper website. Galaxy Dexter, I thought it was a stupid name but the ladies seem to like it. He prefers to dress like astronauts and stuff. Some of the older crowd really got into his routine. Not sure why he called his site Master Stripper. Guess he liked to dance as a kid."

"You just set up his website?" Ziva opened her notepad. "Were you in charge of the funds and payment options?"

"Nah." Giles rubbed his chin. "He had the money go directly to his account at some bank. All I do is maintain it and make sure the buttons work. Vincent kept me out of the loop completely on that. Don't blame him. Too many people looking to make an extra buck skimming off the top from their clients."

"You take off the top, Giles?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"Nah." He shook his head. "These days, strippers look closely at the books especially those running on-line businesses. Is Vincent okay?"

"He's dead." Ziva informed him. "We're trying to find out who had a vendetta against him."

"Damn." Giles appeared annoyed but sad as well. "Liked the guy. One of those guys you hope you work with. He wasn't the bastard and run with your money type. Always business-like and knew what he wanted. Shame he's gone. He always paid on time."

Ziva looked to Tony. They were not going to find much here. Clearly Giles Darr had respect for Galaxy Dexter the astronaut stripper. Strange to find Giles Darr likeable despite his outward appearance, Tony realized. He seemed a decent enough guy. This lead was a bust.

They thanked him for his time and left.

TO BE CONTINUED…