CHAPTER SEVEN
"Tobias," Gibbs said, turning to face his friend, and occasional nemesis. "What are you talking about?"
Fornell climbed the steps up to the autopsy suite. He had a number of thick case folders under his arm. He passed out one each to Gibbs, DiNozzo, Booth and Saroiyan. "Your victim shows every sign of being one of several killed by a serial we've dubbed the I95 Killer."
"Never heard of him," Gibbs said.
"That's because he's struck four times in the last two weeks, up and down I95. Once outside Greensboro North Carolina, once near Richmond Virginia, Once in Jersey, outside Newark, and again in Connecticut, east of New London. The body from that abduction was found near Warwick, Rhode Island. All the bodies were found just off the Interstate. We've been trying to keep it quiet, and none of the other victims have had any military connections."
"This woman's body was found in Anacostia Park," Dr. Brennan said.
"We know," Fornell answered. "We think she might have been the first."
"Why?" from Gibbs.
"All these women were bound hand and foot, raped, and killed with blows to the head, likely from a hammer. We'll need to compare the damage from the other victims to Agent Phillips here." At this, Fornell looked to Booth and Dr. Brennan.
"We can do that," Brennan said.
"We haven't confirmed that this woman was raped," Booth put in, but he was almost certain that Fornell was right.
"You will," Tobias said. "Given the multi-jurisdictional nature of this, the Bureau will be assuming the lead in this investigation, as of now."
"Tobias," Gibbs' voice was dangerously low, just as Booth started to say, "I've already made a deal…"
"Relax, Gibbs," Tobias cut them both off. "I convinced both our Directors to share this one. Bureau is the lead agency, but I'm the head of the task force. You're more up-to-date than I am, so I see no need to yank this out from under you. You'll be calling the direct shots as lead investigator, and reporting to me. Agent Booth will serve as your second in command." There was just the hint of a smirk on his face, and a somewhat sickly expression on Gibbs'.
"What do your people have so far?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm just familiarizing myself with the files as well," Tobias said. "I've asked the Behavioral Analysis Unit to send over some people to advise you. They've been studying this for a few days now."
"Great," Gibbs said, the sarcasm in his voice plain.
Fornell leaned in close to Gibbs. "They're good people Gibbs. Let them help. I've already informed them that you are the lead investigator."
"I already have a profiler," Gibbs said, nodding his head in Kate's direction.
"With all due respect to Agent Todd," Tobias said, "she's a gifted amateur at profiling. These people are the best in the world. Use them."
As if on cue, a pair of men in dark suits entered. Both had dark hair. One was somewhat older than the other. The younger of the two stepped up with the older man a half step behind.
"SSA Aaron Hotchner," Fornell said, indicating the younger man, "and SSA David Rossi, this is NCIS Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, the lead investigator on this case." The men shook hands.
"That's Rossi," Tony whispered to Ziva and Kate. "I've read his books. The guy's a legend."
With a single voice they responded, "You've read a book?" He just grinned at them both.
"I can see it's already pretty crowded up here," Hotchner said, but I'd like to bring in the rest of my team if that's alright with you." He directed the request to Gibbs, rather than Fornell.
"Yeah, get them in here," Gibbs answered, clearly impatient to move forward.
Hotchner pulled out a cell phone and hit speed-dial. "Come on in, and hustle," he said.
In less than a minute, several more Feds had arrived, a tall, athletic looking man of African-American descent and a shaven head, a slender beanpole of a man with medium brown hair who barely looked old enough to shave, let alone be an FBI profiler, a somewhat heavy-set woman, with glasses and light colored hair, carrying a laptop, and two women, both slender and attractive, one with long, straight blonde hair, and the other with dark brown hair, roughly shoulder length, and a serious expression.
The new arrivals were introduced as SSA Derek Morgan, Dr. Spencer Reid, Forensic Technician Penelope Garcia, SSA Jennifer Jareau, and SSA Emily Prentiss.
Fornell gestured to Jethro, as if to say It's your show.
