May 21
Anyone who has gumption knows what it is, and anyone who hasn't can never know what it is. So there is no need of defining it.
L. M. Montgomery (1874 - 1942), Anne of the Island, 1915
Ducky watched as Mr. Palmer carried the samples out of Autopsy and towards the elevator. Next to him, Jethro stood in characteristic silence as they waited for the younger man to leave.
As soon as the elevator doors shut, they sprang into action. Jethro doubled checked that the coast was clear, peering out of the Autopsy doors to ensure someone had not snuck off the elevator and could observe them. Then the agent flicked the overhead lights off so that hopefully any passer-by would assume the room was empty.
Ducky had not delayed. He had hurried to the glass cabinet by his desk, opened the doors, and knelt down so he could reach the very bottom shelf. He gently shifted a few glass containers full of chemicals to one side, careful not to make any noise that could give them away. He ran his fingers along the row of books this action had displayed, pulling three hefty tomes forwards to expose another book concealed behind them.
Aware they were running out of time and unsure how long Abigail could keep Mr. Palmer occupied, the two men gathered around Ducky's desk and frantically began flipping through the pages. Jethro reached over and flicked on the desk lamp to illuminate their search.
"Got it!"
Ducky ran his finger along from the word to the explanation and quickly memorized it. Time to hide the dictionary again.