Disclaimer - The show NCIS and its characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Donald Bellisario, CBS, Paramount. Original characters belong to me and may not be used without my permission.

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Chapter Three

'No one seemed to know him well,' McGee commented as he and Tony moved to yet another house in the area..

'No it's like he kept to himself almost totally.' Tony agreed as they knocked on another door and a few moments later, an old lady answered. 'Oh, the police people are here,' she commented, looking at the pair. 'You're here because of Mr O'Sullivan,'

'Yes ma'am,' Tony told her. 'Special Agent DiNozzo and McGee,' he indicated Tim. We're not police but with NCIS,' he saw the puzzled look on her face. 'Naval Criminal Investigative Service'

'Oh, come in,' she opened the door. 'I hope I can help,' she told them.

'Thank you,' Tony smiled at her and so did McGee.'

'Would you like come cookies and milk?' she asked, leading them into the lounge room.

'No thank you Mrs,' Tony smiled at her while McGee said 'That would be nice thank you, ' causing Tony to give him a Gibbs like stare.

'I'll get you some dear,' she smiled, moving into the kitchen.

'McGee,' Tony growled. 'This is not the time or the place. '

'Oh gee DiNozzo lighten up will you. You're starting to sound like Gibbs.'

'I am,' Tony tilted his head to the side slightly pleased but not wanting to show it too much.

'Here you go dear,' the lady entered the room, carrying a tray with a plate of cookies and milk.

'Thank you Mrs,' McGee smiled at her, the smile inviting her to provide her name to them

'Hanson,' she said, sitting down on the pink floral couch across from them.

'Mrs Hanson,' Tony flashed one of his best smiles at her as he and McGee followed her lead and sat down.

'I hope I can help you,' she said.

'Well all you have to do is answer our questions the best you can,' Tony told her.

She nodded. 'Alright,' she said.

'Now Mrs Hanson....'

'Mabel please Agent DiNizzo.'

'That's DiNozzo' Tony gently corrected her with a smile.

'Sorry, Agent DiNozzo,' she smiled. 'Ask away,'

'Did you see anyone come or go from Mr. O'Sullivans house yesterday or this morning?' he asked.

'Hmm well aside from a few of his colleagues not really, although there was one young lass, very pretty red head.'

'Can you describe her?' Tony asked her, wondering if it was a girlfriend. Maybe even the killer.

'Oh she was tall, fairly thin and had shoulder length red hair,' she told them. 'She had on black pants and a white business shirt,' she said.

'Did you notice what sort of car she was driving.' Tony asked

'A big black thing,' Mabel said. 'One of those 4 wheel drives,'

'SUV,' McGee asked around a mouthful of chocolate chips

'Yes,' she nodded. 'I don't know much about those cars but those are a darn nuisance. You can't see a thing over the top of them,'

Tony fought back a smile, Mrs Hanson was barely 5 foot so she would have found it difficult to see over dash of that vehicle

'So is there anything else you can tell me about this woman,' he asked glancing up from his note taking.

'Not really,' she said. 'She got out of the car and looked around before she moved inside,' she told them. 'She came out about 10 minutes later, looked around from the porch before she went back to her car,'

'I see,' Tony could imagine this tiny woman peering through the half drawn curtains at the goings on in her street. 'Was she alone when she visited? Did she visit just the once or a number of times.'

'Yes she was alone,' Mabel nodded. 'I've seen her once before, several months ago as well. She was alone then too but she stayed longer then. Half a day perhaps,' she tried to think. 'I saw her go into the house and then I had a nap but when I woke up, she was still there and came out about dinnertime. She arrived at lunch,'

'So you only saw her visit Mr O'Sullivan the twice is that correct?'

'Yes,' Mabel nodded. 'You don't think this woman killed him do you?' she asked.

'We have no idea Mrs,' Tony paused and smiled. 'Mabel. That's what we're trying to work out. Why he died and who killed him,'

She nodded. 'I hope my description helps,' she said.

'It's given us something to work on. Thank you Mabel,' he gave her another dazzling smile then turned to look at McGee who had a milk moustache that he was trying to wipe away.

'You're welcome,' she nodded. 'John was such a nice man,'

'They information that you have given us will help us iwth our enquiries I'm sure,' Tony told her. If you think of anything else at all here is my card. Please don't hesitate to call.'

She nodded and took the card, showing them to the door. 'I will,' she assured them

'Thank you Mabel you have been most helpful,' Tony told her. 'Oh by the way just one more question did you didn't hear anything unusual around,' he told the time of John's death and waited for her answer.

'No nothing I'm afraid,' she said. 'I was on the phone about that time, I'm sorry,'

'Well thank you and like I said if you do remember anything please give me call.

'I will,' she promised before they left.

'So what did you think?' DiNozzo asked when they were out of ear shot.

'This red head sounds interesting,' McGee said as they moved back toward their car. Mabel had been there last neighbour to visit.

'They usually are,' Tony grinned. 'I dated a red head once,' he grinned.

'You did!' McGee grinned. 'Just one,' he wasn't quick enough to avoid the cuff across the back of the head that Tony delivered him. 'You are getting more like damn Gibbs,' the younger man pounted. 'Hey wasn't the boss married to three of them. Red heads I mean.'

He nodded. 'Maybe one of his ex wives is our suspect,' Tony grinned.

'Could be your ex girlfriend too,' McGee suggested

Tony shook his head. 'There are millions of red heads out there McGee,' he said.

'Yeah this is true,' Tim chuckled

'Come on, lets head back,' Tony said as they climbed into the car and headed back to NCIS.

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Meanwhile across town, Gibbs and Cait were in the morgue where Ducky had already begun the autopsy.

'So anything yet Ducky?' Gibbs asked.

'Jethro I haven't anything yet. I mean I am good but not that good.'

'Oh and modest too,' Gerald gave him a cheeky grin

'So why are we here?' Gibbs asked. 'You have nothing? Not a fibre? hair? A scratch?'

'The physical evidence has been sent up to Abby as per usual Jethro.'

'The physical evidence being?' Gibbs asked.

'Some hairs, blood, fibres ' Ducky rattled off the list of items that had been shipped up to Abby.

'We'll head up there then,' Gibbs said, leaving quickly and Cait raced after him before they headed up to Abby.

They were confronted with blaring music when they entered the lab, finding Abby hunched over her desk.

'Abby, tell me you have something,' Gibbs said.

'Gibbs, give me a break I'm still working on it.'

'Is everyone on slow today?' Gibbs shook his head. 'You don't have a thing?'

'Well excuse me,' Abby looked up and her pig tails bobbed in her indignation. 'Not at the moment. No.'

Gibbs sighed and nodded before he left and headed back upstairs, Cait following him wordlessly.

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