Tony was climbing down the ladder from the roof when he spotted Gibbs in the alley. What'd you find out from the friend?
You mean the nonexistent friend? Gibbs retorted.
Come again?
According to some kids in the hall, the apartment's been vacant for three months. Kate went to go check it out with the building manager. What did you find on the roof?
The roof, and not much else. If anything was up there they've had plenty of time to clean up after themselves, whoever they are. I took photos anyway. It's a good theory, and I can certainly see where she could have gone over. Boss, what are you doing?
Gibbs had succeeded in pulling down the fire escape's rusty and treacherous ladder. He looked over at Tony as he started to climb. If there's no one in that apartment, then maybe we were set up.
And if we were set up... what, you think Kate's accident wasn't an accident? Tony was following the line, but couldn't see the reasoning yet.
Well, it's just a guess, but if one of the agents investigating the accident' has one nearly identical to the victim's, it'd be pretty easy to conclude...
Tony cut him off, eyes wide. That's how she died!
Gibbs paused in his unsteady climb to look down at his junior agent. The man seemed oddly agitated over that statement. Tony, you okay?
Hm? Yeah, fine. Just thinking. So you're looking for signs of tampering, then.
Not looking. Found. Gibbs said, grimly. He climbed down far enough for the other man to pass up the camera and then took a number of pictures of the recently damaged bolts. Fury filled him as he realized that he could have lost one of his agents to deliberate malice rather than an accident. Whoever had plotted this, Gibbs wanted to track down and put away.
Gibbs better hope he gets to this guy first, because I'll wring his neck for what he did to Kate. Then I'll kill him and they can lock up what's left and throw away the key.' It was all Tony could do to keep from snarling when Gibbs asked him for the camera. The thought that someone had tried to kill his Kate enraged him beyond belief. It took him several minutes of pacing back and forth beneath the fire escape to calm down. By that time, Gibbs was down and staring at him as if he'd lost his mind.
DiNozzo, is there a problem?
Uh... no, not at all, Boss. What makes you say that?
You're behaving like a caged tiger.
Just thinking. So what's next?
Kate's probably waiting at the car for us. Gibbs gestured toward the mouth of the alley and picked up his things. Tony followed suit and they headed back toward the car.
