"What?" Ziva hissed in disbelief, "You are here to do what?",
"We are here to arrest you for Kidnapping and false im . . . "
"Of who exactly?" Ziva demanded, practically squaring up to the detectives,
"A Leora and Zipporah Peled," one of them replied, Detective Tan, who had so far done all the talking while his partner stood quietly, almost uncomfortably, by his side. Ziva laughed scornfully.
"Are you serious? Look at her!" she gestured towards Zipporah who had edged closer and closer to her until she was peering out from behind her leg. "She is not "falsely imprisoned," I do not have her tied to a radiator or locked in my basement she is perfectly fine!" she fixed a hard stare on the two men, her eyes burning with fury.
"Look, mam, we understand that this is part of a custody dis . . . " the quiet detective suddenly joined the conversation, spreading his arms out in a conciliatory manner as he spoke, until he was abruptly cut off,
"You understand NOTHING!" Ziva hissed, "Why are you doing this? Have you got a warrant for my arrest there?" Detective Tan pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper and handed it to her, allowing her to read it carefully. She sighed and brought a hand up to her forehead, rubbing it slowly for a few seconds before mumbling, "This is unbelievable. I cannot believe he is doing this, I cannot believe he CAN do this."
"Look, the quicker you come with us the quicker we can sort this out ok mam?" Detective Tan said, sounding thoroughly bored with this trivial domestic matter. His partner stepped towards them but Ziva backed away slightly,
"Wait a minute, what happens now?"
"Well you come to the police station with us and Zipporah goes to . . ."
"No, no you cannot just take her! She doesn't understand English very well, she will be confused . . ."
"It's alright, she is coming to the station too, she just has to go in a separate car ok? Then a social worker will come and speak to her while we question you. Just to see how she is or if she's in any . . . Danger."
"And then what?"
"Well, after that a decision will be made in the best interests of the children." Detective McNeill spouted out his well rehearsed phrase while Ziva stood, still shaking her head in disbelief.
"But you cannot possibly make that decision, you cannot just take them or send them back!" She reached out and grabbed Zipporah's hand tightly,
"What's happening Zizi, who these men?" the little girl whimpered, wrapping her own chubby fingers around Ziva's
"It's alright, don't worry," she replied before turning back to the men. "Can you not just interview her with me around, then you can see that she is fine." Detective McNeill shook his head slowly.
"No, that's not the way it works," he bent down and held out his hand to Zippy, "Hi sweetie, my name's Dermot, what's yours?" he asked quietly but Zippy backed away, clutching at Ziva's leg, whimpering slightly. Ziva moved to step in front of her, staring defiantly at him. "Look Ms David . . ."
"Special Agent David." she corrected him curtly, he looked slightly taken aback before continuing,
"Oh, well then Agent David, I'm sure you can understand that making a scene is only going to upset Zipporah more. Coming quietly would be beneficial for everyone yeah?" he squinted up at her, still squatting in front of Zippy. Ziva opened her mouth again but before she could say another word Detective Tan cut in.
"Look, don't make us cuff you alright Agent David, just get into the car and we'll get on our way." he sighed impatiently and Ziva finally accepted the situation, slowly bending down to Zipporah. She was now crying quietly, aware that something was very, very wrong. Ziva reached out and wiped away some of the fat tears that were slowly rolling down her cheeks.
"Sssssssh it's ok, you're going to go on a little adventure today-to a great big police station."
"With you?" Zippy asked hopefully,
"No, not today, you're getting to go with a real policeman that's much better than boring old me isn't it?"
"No, no come too please!"
"I'm sorry but I have to go with the other man. Just for a little while though, it's all ok."
"'romise?"
"Yes, I promise, everything's going to be ok." Ziva leant forward and hugged her, quickly kissing her forehead too, "Don't cry." she squeezed her once more and then stood up, "Ok then, let's go." McNeill reached down and took Zippy's hand and she reluctantly started walking with him while Ziva followed flanked by Detective Tan. The little girl kept anxiously turning round to look at Ziva, her face still stained with tears but Ziva just smiled encouragingly at her, hoping to calm her down. They reached the cars Ziva watched her climb into the car with Detective McNeill's assistance,
"My name Zippy," she sniffed suddenly, finally answering his question. He smiled and held out his hand to her again and this time she took it, shaking it vigorously.
"Well I'm very pleased to meet you Zippy," he said warmly,
"Likewise," Zippy replied solemnly causing Ziva to laugh out loud, despite the situation. Where on earth had she picked up that? Probably one of Tony's films, she loved them, especially the old noir ones. Ziva had caught her pretending to smoke a cigar the other day- saying she was playing Sam 'pade, probably something she shouldn't tell the social worker she thought, her smile fading as she watched them pull away. She heard the sound of Detective Tan clearing his throat, she turned to find him holding her door open,
"Ready mam?" he asked, she narrowed her eyes at him dangerously,
"Stop calling me mam" she spat as she slid into the car, slamming the door behind her.
Forty five minutes later Ziva was pacing around the interrogation room like a caged animal, circling the table over and over again. Finally the door opened and Tan walked in, sitting down without saying a word.
"Where is Zippy? Is she alright?" she demanded but he just stared at her for a few moments before indicating towards the other chair,
"Take a seat." she sighed in frustration but sat down anyway,
"How is she?"
"I just have to ask a few questions and then we'll talk about her," he replied smoothly.
"I am not talking about anything until you tell me exactly where and how she is!" she replied, just as calmly, smiling at him smugly.
"Fine, if you don't want to give me your side of the story then we'll just send them on the first flight back to Tel Aviv, would make my life much easier." he folded his arms and grinned at her. Ziva was contemplating leaping from her seat and using it to beat the slimy little toad to death when the door opened again and McNeill strolled in, taking a seat next to the other policeman.
"Zippy's fine, she's upstairs I gave her a juice box so she's slurping away at that. We're just waiting for someone from CPS to come talk to her OK?" he spoke before Ziva had a chance to open her mouth and she nodded in reply. "Good. Ok to business, the girls' father has made an allegation that after the death of his wife you kidnapped his children and are preventing them from returning home or contacting him. Is that true?"
"No! That is not true! Hannah and the girls were living with me long before she died because he is such a manipulative, horrible . . ."
"Ok so you refute the allegation." he calmly took notes in a little pa,
"Yes, definitely, Hannah, their mother, left them in my care. It's in her will," she paused and McNeill nodded, ". . . and when she died they were already living with me so, well, I just let them stay. That man has not once, not once, made any attempt to contact them." she folded her arms and rested them on the table, carefully trying to maintain a level tone as she spoke "He is only doing this to make life difficult for us all, he does not care about them at all."
"Do you have a copy of the will?" McNeill asked,
"Well, no but I could get one from my lawyer in Tel Aviv."
"Do you have other documentation for the girls, passports, visas and such?"
"Yes,"
"Ok, then." McNeill turned his partner,
"Agent David hasn't made her phone call yet, why don't you go get a phone in here ok?" he asked authoritatively and the other man immediately got out and left the room. Ziva watched, slightly surprised at the readiness with which Tan accepted the order. "Everyone always thinks he's the boss, he's not the boss." McNeill smiled at her. "He's a bit gruff with everyone but I reckon that's just a touch of the old short man syndrome." Ziva furrowed her brows at him in confusion.
"Old, short man syndrome? He is sick?"
"Uhh . . .No, it's like a joke, you know many short men make up for it by being loud and angry?" he tried to explain but when this only seemed to add to Ziva's confusion he abandoned it and returned to the more important matter. "Anyway, we'll need to have a look at the girls' documents and then once CPS has spoken to them they'll come and assess you and we can get this whole situation sorted out."
"Sorted out how?" she asked desperately, "What will happen do you think?"
"Honestly I don't know, we need to wait for the CPS's judgement and to see what our own investigation turns up regarding Peled's various accusations. It's far too early to tell how this is going to turn out." he said quietly, just finishing as the door once again swung open, revealing Tan carrying a phone which he plonked onto the desk. Ziva continued to stare at McNeill across the table, unnerved by his last words.
"K David, I'm sure you know the rules- one phone call." she ignored Tan's snide tone and slowly reached for the phone. Dialling carefully she held it up to her ear.
"DiNozzo" he answered and she could hear the sound of rowdy ;laughter and shouting in the background as his friends enjoyed the game,
"Tony?"
"Oh hey Ziva, hold on I can't hear you I'll move- hey watch out guys I gotta take this,", now she heard his friends mocking him, making whip sounds as he clambered over them to get out of the room, where it was much more peaceful. "Ok what's up? Have a good time swimming-she can really move in the water can't she . . .,"
"Tony, I've been arrested," she blurted out, and was met with a brief silence until Tony groaned and replied,
"Aww Ziva, what did you do?"