"Damn!" Tony shouted in frustration as he slammed the phone down. "This company is invisible! No one in the state of Pennsylvania seems to know who Orson Farm Supply Company is."
"I found them on the Better Business Bureau's website, but there isn't much about them," Ellie said. "They opened in 1959, and got shut down in 1962. The BBB has over 200 complaints from farmers across three states for faulty farm equipment."
"That sounds pretty hinky. I'll pass that on to McGee. Good work, Ellie," Tony said with a smile.
"Thanks!"
Tony dialed McGee's number in a flash.
"McGee."
"Ellie found some interesting info on your Farm Supply Company. They opened in 1959 and shut down three years later. There were hundreds of complaints filed to the BBB for faulty equipment."
"I know."
"What? If you just made us do all that work for nothing..."
"John Orsen broke ground on that factory two weeks after Vivian disappeared."
"That's too much of a coincidence. There's got to be a connection." Tony didn't get a reponse. "Probie? You still there?"
"I just had a long talk with the Sheriff. He knew Gibbs when they were kids. Jackson used to butt heads with the Sheriff back then over the rights to the land that factory was built on."
"So you're thinking Vivian's disappearance was to get Jackson to back off?"
"More or less. I'm going to poke around here a bit longer before we head back to DC. How's Gibbs?"
"Sleeping in Abby's office. Ducky is with him."
"The sooner Jackson gets there, the better, then."
"Do what you can down there, and get on the road, Probie. And take care of yourself."
"I will, thanks Tony. See you guys soon."
Tony hung up quickly. "Research a guy named John Orsen," he said to Ellie. "He was the CEO of that company. McGee says Gibbs' father was against the building of that factory."
Ellie gasped.
"You don't think-"
"I'm not sure. Let's track him down and find out."
Tim returned to Jackson's house around three that afternoon. He quietly went through the kitchen door, and set the key to Jackson's truck on the counter.
"Welcome back."
Tim whirled around and found Jackson sitting at the kitchen table.
"Jackson-"
"You've been gone for almost three hours."
"I- are you ready to head back to DC?" Jackson remained silent for a moment, then stood and picked up his duffel bag.
"I'm ready. Let's go."
Tim nodded and led the way to the sedan. They climbed in, and were on their way.
The drive was silent for the first hour. Tim was tempted to turn on the radio, but decided against it. Jackson broke the silence as Tim got onto the highway to head toward DC.
"I know you got arrested, Tim."
Tim didn't say anything for a moment.
"How'd you know?" Jackson glared at him. "Right. Small town."
"I know you're trying to help, Tim, but don't get yourself in trouble."
"It's all right, Jackson. Sheriff Waite understood. I actually got some good background information for your daughter's case." Jackson silently turned his head and stared out the window. "The Sheriff told me everything, you know," Tim said gently. "I know you were opposed to that factory being built."
"John Waite doesn't know anything about what his Daddy and I fought about-" Jackson started. He stopped himself quickly, and continued to look out the window at the passing landscape. Tim knew he wasn't going to get anything out of Jackson, so he decided to let it go. He switched the radio on and continued on toward DC.
Abby's lab was uncharacteristically quiet. While Abby worked in the outer lab, Ducky was shut up in her office with Gibbs, who was still asleep on the futon. The sedative Ducky had given him that morning was only supposed to last for about an hour, but Gibbs was still out like a light well into the afternoon.
Ducky busied himself with reports he'd been meaning to catch up on, as he kept his silent vigil over Gibbs. As he finished the sixth report, Gibbs began to stir.
"Where am I?" Gibbs said groggily as he sat up. Ducky turned the office chair to face him.
"You're in Abby's office, Jethro. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got punched in the face."
"As well you should - I had to give you a sedative to calm you down. You nearly broke Tony's nose this morning."
"Shit. Is he all right?"
"He will be fine. You, on the other hand, are in no state to be at work. I'm taking you home."
"I need to be here, Ducky!" Gibbs shot to his feet. "I need to help Vivian!"
"You can't help her if you're pumped full of sedatives, Jethro. You can let me take you home, or I can put in a report to the Director that deems you unfit for duty."
"You wouldn't-"
Ducky glared at him.
"Try me."
Gibbs stared him down for a moment, before realizing that even he couldn't defeat Ducky's glare.
"Ok, fine, I'll go home, but I'm not happy about it."
"Come on, Jethro." Ducky led his friend out of the lab and into the elevator.
It was near six in the evening when Ducky pulled into Gibbs' driveway. Gibbs had delayed going home as long as he could by rifling through his desk at NCIS, pretending he'd lost his glasses. Ducky was onto him quicker than he expected, and forced him away from the squad room. Gibbs got out of the car, and followed Ducky into the house.
Ducky pointed to the couch, and Gibbs sat while his friend disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later with a cup of coffee. He handed it to Gibbs, and sat down next to him on the couch.
"Tell me about your sister. I'm sure she was a lovely girl."
Gibbs took a sip of his coffee.
"She was beautiful, Ducky. I remember - she had red hair that went down to her hips. My mother would always braid it. She had a different hair ribbon for it every day."
Gibbs closed his eyes, as if conjuring an image in his mind.
"She always wore dresses. She loved yellow and green. The day-" Gibbs stopped, and shakily set down his coffee cup on the table in front of him. "She was wearing her favorite yellow dress that day. I remember my mother telling her she looked like a ray of sunshine when she came downstairs with it on."
Ducky noticed a few tears slip down his friend's cheek. He put a comforting hand on Gibbs' shoulder.
"You don't have to go on if you don't want to. I understand this is very painful."
Gibbs suddenly looked at Ducky with a flash of anger.
"You'll never understand what I'm going though." He shook Ducky's hand from his shoulder and got up.
"Where are you going?" Gibbs didn't answer him. He simply disappeared into the kitchen, and Ducky heard the basement door slam moments later.
Gibbs went to the trunk he kept in the corner, and threw open the lid. He rifled through it until he found a small, faded wooden box, near the bottom. He took off the lid and took a picture from it. He dropped the box back into his trunk and slammed the lid closed. He looked down at the picture in his shaking hand. His sister was staring back at him in her favorite yellow dress, blue eyes sparkling with the happiness of childhood innocence. In a few moments, he found himself on the floor, back to his trunk, tears streaming down his face. He clasped the old photograph in his hand.
"I'm so sorry... I tried to go back, but you were gone... please, Viv... I'm so fucking sorry..."
Gibbs broke down and cried until his body gave in, and he sank to the ground and fell asleep.
TBC...