13.
"Who?" Gibbs barked, suddenly on his feet and moving toward the young woman.
Jennifer jerked back in fear. "I…I'm not certain, but…that phrase. I've heard it before."
"Phrase? Which phrase, my dear?" Ducky asked, holding Gibbs with a hand on his friend's tense arm.
"Precious princess. It's what Ms. Giles always calls Laurel and Rissa. Not in your hearing, sir, but when she deigns to talk to me."
"Ms. Giles? Annabelle?" Teasdale turned that idea over in his head. "She wanted me to send the girls to boarding school, right after Mary died. She never wanted to have anything to do with them, but I just assumed that was because she didn't understand children."
"Ziva, find her. I want to know where she is supposed to be right this moment. I don't care what you have to do to get the information, just get it," Gibbs ordered. "McGee, put Abby on her background, relatives, friends. I want more than a cursory investigation. You dig into her finances."
The NCIS members got to work while Ducky reassured the nanny. "Jethro didn't mean to frighten you, Ms. Slocum, he's just trying to find Laurel and Tony and bring them home."
"I know, it was just that the look in his eyes… I certainly wouldn't want to be his enemy."
"Yes, I don't believe I would either, Jen." Teasdale laid his arm over the nanny's shoulders, squeezing her affectionately.
"Fornell, get over here. Where's my map, Farris?"
"Right here, sir. We've been putting the local places on it as you requested." Farris spread the map out on the table where Clarissa had been coloring. "I can have my men check the cabins out, if you want."
"Not yet, but I might take up the offer. Tell me about the places you've marked. Start from here."
"Gibbs, you bellowed?"
"We think it might be Teasdale's executive secretary, Annabelle Giles. My people are backtracking her, but it might help if you can send a few agents over in person to the office, to her home. Someone might have seen or heard something without knowing it was important."
"Hawkins, get some agents over to…" Fornell's voice died away as he moved toward his agent.
Gibbs turned his attention back to the map. Farris began to point out various spots where the kidnappers and their victims might be holed up. As they moved across the map, Teasdale stopped them with a single jab of his finger on the paper.
"This is my cabin. We used to go there every year until Mary died."
"Does your secretary know about it?"
Teasdale nodded his head slowly. "Yes, she should. I had her arrange for supplies to be taken there whenever my wife and I needed to get away for a few weeks."
"That's it. Get everyone together. Farris, I'd appreciate your men's backup."
"My pleasure, Agent Gibbs." Deputy Farris began barking orders over his radio while Gibbs checked his SigSauer, an action echoed by his two agents.
/This is the final installment for this evening. More tomorrow/