Chapter 10 - Observations

"Thanks for your help, Palmer," Gibbs dismissed him as they entered the building.

Palmer trailed after him. "But…but don't I get to see what's inside?"

"Not unless we need more help."

"But Sir."

Gibbs rounded on him. "You've done enough, Palmer. Now get back to Ducky. We'll let you know when we've solved it." He spun on his heels and left Palmer standing in his wake.

Palmer was more than a little annoyed when he re-entered Autopsy, storming through the door and planting himself heavily on a chair with a mighty huff.

Ducky looked up calmly from the body he was currently dissecting. "Ah," he deduced.

Palmer frowned at him, puzzled.

"You did your job and now Gibbs has dumped you back here," said Ducky.

Palmer could contain his exasperation no longer. "It's just…well… he didn't even let me know what was in the box!"

"Bring me a specimen jar, Mr Palmer," Ducky requested. "Then start at the top, if you please."

"… And then he told me my job was over and to come back to you!"

Palmer was gesticulating wildly with a specimen jar still firmly clasped in one hand.

"Abby," said Ducky simply as he concentrated on his stitching.

"What about her?"

Ducky did not pause. "All roads lead to Abby in this place. Just give her about an hour, take a Caf-Pow and you'll be amazed what she'll tell you."

"Hiya, Abs," Palmer greeted as cheerily as he could.

He held out the Caf-Pow offering at arm's length.

"Jimmy," she chastised him gently, "you don't need to bribe me to get information: you're a friend."

"Oh." Palmer withdrew the Caf-Pow only to have Abby chase it until she was nose to nose with him.

"But," she continued, "as a friend, you are welcome to bring me a Caf-Pow, anytime."

Palmer smiled at her and relinquished his hold on the cup.

She returned the smile and spun away from him clutching it lovingly to her bosom. "We got DNA from a hair sample you found on the body which matched a sample under the fingernails but without someone to match it too….."

"No luck."

"No, sorry."

"What was in the box?"

"Morphine, mainly: some antibiotics, but mostly pain killers. All bottled up in plastic containers labelled 'oral hygiene'."

"Hmm, that's sort of weird."

"More weird," Abby added, "is that the same type of box was sent to the same address in Africa once a month."

"Africa?"

"That's the woman in the post office said. Every Monday morning once a month like clockwork."

"Could you trace it? Where's it going?"

"It wasn't registered, just sent. The declaration form said 'oral hygiene products'. We're just lucky it's a small post office and the lady at the counter was a bit of a busy body."

"Africa, Africa," Palmer savoured the word, "where have I heard about Africa recently?"

"You know…." Abby teased, "you could try going to the observation room where they are interviewing the Commander right now…."

Tony, McGee and Ziva looked completely unfazed to see Palmer pop his head into the observation room.

"I was just looking for…"

"Get in here, Palmer," said Tony.

"Oh, ah, thanks." He shuffled in and closed the door softly behind him. "What have I missed?"

"Not a lot," McGee assured him. "The dispenser just about peed himself but the Commander is acting very cool. Gibbs is just going for the jugular."

Palmer squeezed himself on the edge of the viewing glass next to McGee and watched.

"Of course we're shipping medicines to third world countries," the Commander was saying calmly. "It's a Navy tradition."

"Who knows?"

"Base Commander, dispenser and courier – we like to keep the pool small."

"So what you're saying is that I only have two suspects?"

"Not at all – I'm saying every Base ex-Commander, every ex-dispenser and every ex-courier is a potential suspect plus anyone receiving at the other end."

"How many still alive to question?" Gibbs prompted.

"I'd say about 10 at our end. I can give you their names." Palmer noticed the Commander was subjecting Gibbs to the same disinterested look he himself had enjoyed.

Gibbs pulled himself into the Commander's eye line and yelled. "And can you tell me which one KILLED MATT JONSTONE?"

Palmer's knees turned to jelly. In all the excitement of solving a mystery, he had completely forgotten there was a real human catalyst – his own friend. The realisation hit him full force like a giant tidal wave, sucking the air out of his lungs.

"Chair, Palmer," McGee's voice was urgent, filled with worry.

He wobbled inelegantly to a sitting position guided by someone's hands. Cold chills rattled his frame and he couldn't prevent small gasping noises weaselling their way out as his tried to breathe.

"Deep breaths, Palmer," it was Ziva's soothing voice. She also seemed to be stroking his back – at least he hoped it was her.

In the background he could hear Abby doing the DNA swab on the Commander. He certainly didn't seem to be offering any resistance.

It took a few minutes before Palmer's body reassembled itself into something resembling normalcy. Slowly raising his head, he met three pairs of concerned eyes crouched at his level.

"I don't think I'm cut out to be a special agent."