Thanks for the great reviews. Penny and I want to thank you for supporting our story. It's had a lot of positive response and we are really happy about that.

We definitely don't own Bones or NCIS.

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Unable to get Mary Van Pelt to recant her confession, Booth had no choice but to place her in a holding cell. He offered to turn her over to NCIS, but Gibbs had decided that he'd leave Mary at the Hoover for the time being.

After he'd made his phone call, DiNozzo walked over to the doorway of Booth's office and took note of the two men who appeared to be deep in conversation. After he knocked on the door frame, he stuck his head in the room. "I talked to Tricia Van Pelt. She reacted like you thought she would. She's on her way."

Motioning DiNozzo into the room. Booth gestured toward the empty chair near the door. "How did she sound?"

His cheeks a rosy red, DiNozzo chuckled. "Oh, I'd say that she was a little mad." He grinned as he nodded his head. "She started cussing a blue streak. When she finally calmed down she told me that Mary is innocent and she could prove it." Shaking his head, he continued, "That woman could make a sailor blush! She said that she needs to wait for Ryan to get home from school and then she'll arrange for a cousin to take care of him while she gets this mess sorted out. Her words by the way."

Standing, Gibbs turned towards his cousin. "We'll head back to the office." He gestured toward the doorway. "Call us when she shows up."

Booth acknowledged Gibbs words and smiled. "It'll be interesting to hear what Tricia has to say."

Ready to leave, DiNozzo stood up and joined Gibbs near Booth's desk. "As angry as she is, you'll probably get an ear full."

Shrugging his shoulder, Booth replied, "I'll try not to let her hurt my feelings."

DiNozzo definitely liked Booth's sense of humor. Guffawing, he followed Gibbs out of the office.

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Arriving back at the office, DiNozzo walked over to his desk and scanned the top quickly. Not seeing what he was looking for, he turned around and walked across the short space to Ziva's desk. Irritated, he moved around to her waste basket, picked it up and moved some waster paper inside. Seeing that it was empty of sandwich wrappers, he leaned over Ziva. "Okay, where is it?"

Her eyes sparkling, Ziva replied with a question of her own. "Where is what, Tony?"

Squinting at her, DiNozzo placed his left hand on her desk and leaned on it. "Where's my sandwich Agent David?"

"I will never tell." The beautiful agent replied with a chuckle.

Sighing, DiNozzo straightened and glared at his partner. "Next time I'm ordering extra jalapenos."

Her smile sweet, Ziva responded, "Good. I like sandwiches that are spicy."

His own irritation growing, Gibbs barked at his agent. "DiNozzo, go check with Abby and see if she and Hodgins came up with anything new. If Tricia is coming in, I want to have something besides her word about what happened."

His glaring gaze upon Ziva, Dinozzo moved around her desk. "Sure thing, Boss."

Sticking her tongue out at his retreating form, Ziva then turned back to the report she was completing.

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Entering Abby's lab DiNozzo noticed her leaning over a table studying what looked like a piece of green plastic. Jack Hodgins, leaning against the table looked up at the agent. "He didn't bring it."

With a scowl, Abby looked up. "Where's my drink?"

Shrugging his shoulders, DiNozzo responded, "Probably with my sandwich. Tim wasn't at his desk, so if you didn't get what you ordered then you'll have to wait and talk to him about it."

Disappointed and thirsty, Abby held up the green piece of plastic. "Never mind for now, Jack and I found something very interesting. Do you want to hear what it is?"

Not in the mood for twenty questions, DiNozzo placed his hands on his hips. "No, I just came down here to hear you fuss at me about drinks."

Frowning, Abby responded, "Be nice, Tony." Holding the item in front of the agent, Abby continued, "The blood on this part of the bag has hair stuck in it that doesn't belong to our victim. The hair strands are long and brown and our victim had short red hair."

Puzzled, DiNozzo stated the obvious. "So run a DNA test and determine who the hair belongs to."

Laughing, Jack looked at Abby with an innocent look and quipped. "Gee why didn't we think of that?"

Amused, Abby shook her head. "Of course we ran a DNA test, Tony. We haven't had a hit in any of the databases, yet. However, I can tell you that it belongs to someone related to the victim. From the markers, it appears that most likely the hair belongs to the victim's mother."

Rubbing his jaw, DiNozzo said, "Great job, too bad it really doesn't help very much."

Curious, Jack frowned at the agent. "Why not?"

Shrugging his shoulders, DiNozzo replied, "Our victim was beating the crap out of his mother and sister on a regular basis. The day he was killed, he'd been beating both of them. Nice guy, huh?" he scowled as he continued. "If you find any blood or hair on him or in the bags, a good lawyer will be able to explain them away as having been transferred from her to Perry when he was hurting her."

A little exasperated, Jack crossed his arms against his chest. "Damn it. So any evidence we find in these bags or on the body can be explained away if it belongs to family members."

Nodding his head, DiNozzo replied, "Yep, afraid so."

Hodgins stared at their evidence and sighed. "I really hate domestic violence cases. No one wins. Everyone loses."

Turning on his heel to exit the lab, DiNozzo muttered under his breath. "Ain't it the truth. Ain't it the truth."

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