Chapter Three
"This guy is afraid of commitment!" Kate exclaimed in the car looking over case files. "How do you figure that?" Tony said looking at Kate and then back on the road swerving to miss a truck. Kate automatically clasped her seatbelt. She had been in a car with Tony for far too long. "Tony! Your worse than Gibbs." The files from Kate's lap slipped and fell on the floor. "What was that, Kate?" The voice rang in her ear. She had forgotten about the wire in her ear, enabling Gibbs to hear conversations around Kate. Tony laughed a little when he looked at Kate's face. "Nothing." She replied to Gibbs trying to hide her embarrassment.
"How do you figure?" Tony repeated. "He takes off their ring finger but leaves the wedding ring lying next to the body." Kate said picking up the scattered paper. "Tony stop swerving the car." She screamed while slamming into Tony's shoulder hard. "We're here!" Tony stated rubbing his shoulder.
They had rented a beach house a couple miles over from the building where Landon, Dale's younger brother, worked. Tony unloaded the car while Kate checked out the house. "A little help here Cindy." Tony stuttered with the four bags he had in is hands. Kate ran over and helped him out. After an hour of unpacking, Tony flopped down on the bed gasping for air.
"Tony! We still have to get the computers up!" Kate prodded. "Stop calling me Tony, Cindy." Tony wined. "Fine. Jake, we still have to get…" "I'm taking a shower!" He interrupted, to tired to make a comment about the shower. Kate took a pillow and threw it at him, hitting him on the back.
He turned around slowly, his green eyes glowing. "That was a bad move Cindy dearest." He said in a low voice. Knowing she made a mistake, Kate backed into the door. Tony jumped on the bed, grabbed a pillow and walked up to Kate who was cornered. Soon, a pillow fight was started. There were fits of giggles from Kate and hysterical, maniacal laughter from Tony. In the end, Tony had Kate pinned down on the bed giggling. "WOW! Kate Todd giggling. Never though that would happen." Tony said slyly and Kate stopped giggling. Brown eyes met green instantly. Kate pushed Tony off and shoved him to the bathroom.
Kate began to set up the laptop with it's wires and cables. She set up the video camera and turned it on. Instantly, Abby's face appeared on the screen. "Hey Kate!" she said enthusiastically. "Hi! Did you get a picture of Landon yet?" No one had seen a picture of the guy. "Not yet. It's wired though. No picture, no report. No nothing." A loud beep came from the computer behind Abby. Abby turned in her chair and slid to the table. Kate saw her checking something and then coming back. "Got to go, but you and Tony be careful and I'll talk to you later." Abby said . "Bye!"
She got up from the chair and walked to a window facing a small lake and the vast sky. The sun was just setting. The beautiful colors of pinks, purples and blue were vibrant and slowly disappearing with the sun. The sky had always amazed her, even when she was a kid. In her spare time, she would always find books on astronomy.
A soft knock brought her back from her day-dream. Kate walked over to the door expecting Gibbs to be there but saw a tall blond, blue-eyed man instead. "Hi! I'm Landon." He walked inside and took Kate's hand. "Uh…Cindy!" Kate said unsurely. "I noticed you coming her with somebody else. Is he your brother?" The deep voice almost sounded hopeful. "Um…no he's my husband." I can't believe Tony is my husband. She thought to herself. "We've been married for two years." She said trying to sound as if she were bragging.
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened and Tony popped out, his hair dripping wet and in his eyes. Oh my god. I didn't know he could look like that. Kate thought to herself again ,her eyes wide. He walked beside Kate and put his arm around her waist while giving her a peck on the cheek. He was thankful she didn't retreat. "Hi, I'm Jake and I see you've met my beautiful wife Cindy." A hint of playfulness in his voice. Apparently he had been listening through the door of the bathroom. "Your wife is beautiful." Landon reached out his hand and kissed Kate's palm. A shiver went down her spine.
"Well, I must be going. See you soon." Landon walked out the door, Tony following and closing the door. When he turned around a shock went through his body. Kate was on the bed, hands under her legs rocking back and forth. "Kate!" he ran over and put his hands on her shoulder to stop her from moving. He looked into her eyes and for the first time saw fear. "Kate?" He whispered forcing her to look at him. "I'm his next victim!" She forced out.