Wednesday

Chapter 5

With running late as usual, since he has to drop Chioke off at school, Tony enters into the parking lot. He parks the car. Chioke stays in the car until Tony opens the door for him. Tony puts the backpack over his shoulder as Chioke climbs out of the car. Once out of the car and ready to go, Chioke raises his arms into the air. Tony lifts Chioke into his arms. Chioke wraps his arms around Tony's neck as he's been carried to his school, Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at Gallaudet University. They enter into the building and walk to Chioke's classroom. The teacher meets them at the door.

"Sorry we're late." Tony said as he places Chioke on the floor.

"I was hoping to catch you this morning." Mrs. Calvin said. She then looks down at Chioke. "Good morning, Chioke."

'Good morning.' Chioke signed with his hands.

"Go to class." Tony said to Chioke.

Chioke gives Tony a quick hug, takes his backpack and walks into the classroom.

"Chioke has been part of this class for almost three weeks now…" Mrs. Calvin begins to say. "And I'm concerned..."

"I'm sorry I'm having trouble getting him here on time." Tony said.

"Chioke seems to be a little distracted and he won't let us know why."

"I've noticed that too."

"I know he's from Nigeria. Does he miss it?"

"It all started three weeks ago when he was in the bank with my wife as it was being robbed. Then it turned into a hostage crisis. They were trapped inside."

"I remember seeing that on the news." Mrs. Calvin said. "I think it would help if Chioke saw our child psychologist. It may help him to deal with the stress of what happened." She stated. "I can setup an appointment if you like."

"Yeah, that would be great." Tony agreed that it's a good idea. "I'm sorry, but I really need to get going. I'm really late for work."

"I'll give you the appointment date when you pickup Chioke today."

"Thanks."

The teacher finally goes back into the classroom as Tony runs out of the building in order to get to his car so he can get to work.

Finally, Tony arrives at work. As Tony walks to the work area, Gibbs is sitting at his desks, sipping his coffee while waiting for Tony to finally arrive. Ziva and McGee are already on their way to the town to follow-up a possible lead.

"You're late, DiNozzo." Gibbs stated. "Again."

"Yeah, I know Boss. I'll try to wake up earlier." Tony said as he approaches his desk then looks toward Gibbs. "With having to get Chioke ready for school, I don't even have time to eat breakfast."

"I don't care, DiNozzo. Let's go."

Gibbs gets out of his chair and begins grabbing his gear. As Gibbs walks passed Tony's desk, he hands him a breakfast burrito.

"Don't let it go to your head, DiNozzo."

"I won't, Boss." Tony said as he follows Gibbs to the elevator while un-wrapping the breakfast burrito.

Once inside of the elevator, Tony is finally munching on the food. Gibbs and Tony leave the NCIS building. They get in a car and their way to the McCloud residence. As they approach the front door, it opens.

"Are you Kenneth McCloud?" Gibbs asked.

"Everyone calls me Kenny. My cousins Derek and Justin said you'd be looking for me." Kenneth replied. "Come in."

The three of them walk to the living room. Kenneth sits down in a chair while Gibbs and Tony remain standing.

"What do you want?" Kenneth asked.

"We just wanna ask you a couple questions." Gibbs said.

"That's a nice truck you have. A Ford Silverado." Tony stated. "You mind if we take a look at it?"

"Actually, I do mind."

"You got something to hide?" Gibbs wondered.

"I hate those niggers. It's not a big secret."

"We spoke to your supervisor. You never showed up to work yesterday." Tony said.

"Since when is it a crime to miss work?"

"Murder is a crime, last time I checked." Gibbs stated.

"You think I got something to do with that nigger's death?!" Kenneth laughed.

"We know there's a Wilkinson/McCloud feud…" Tony begins to say.

"You don't know shit about it."

"Where were you Tuesday morning at 2 AM?" Gibbs asked.

"If you're asking me about an alibi… I was with my sister, Vanessa; I usually just call her, V. She's upstairs if you wanna talk to her."

Kenneth stands up and begins walking toward the staircase. Gibbs and Tony follow. The three of them walk upstairs and stand outside of Vanessa's door. Kenneth knocks on the door.

"V… These cops need to speak with you." Kenneth said loudly. After getting no response, he looks to Gibbs and Tony. "She's been slightly depressed the last three months."

"Vanessa McCloud…" Gibbs knocks on the door. "This is Special Agent Gibbs with NCIS. I need to ask you a few questions."

There's no response. All they hear is a loud thump from inside of the room, as if something big suddenly landed on the floor. Gibbs takes his gun out and tries to turn the door knob to get in. The door is locked. Gibbs kicks the door in.

Vanessa is lying on the floor with slit wrists. The three of them run into the room.

"Call 911!" Gibbs shouted.

"Vanessa!" Kenneth yelled for his sister as Tony is holding him back.

Gibbs is now sitting next to Vanessa. His left hand is applying pressure to Vanessa's right wrist. His right arm is reaching across Vanessa in order to apply pressure to her left wrist.

"V! You need to tell them you were with me Tuesday morning!"

"Call 911, Genius!" Tony exclaimed as he takes Kenneth out of the room in order to make the call.

"Hold on, Vanessa." Gibbs said to her as he tries to keep pressure on her slit wrists. "Stay with me." He takes a quick look around the room. "I see you're interested in cats. Do you have any cats?"

Vanessa nods her head to let Gibbs know she does have a cat. Her eyes begin to slowly close.

"Vanessa, look at me. You need to keep your eyes open and talk to me." Gibbs stated. "Tell me about your cat."

Vanessa begins to speak in a low tone of voice. Gibbs leans down in order to listen.

With the paramedics on the way, Tony keeps Kenneth detained in the living room. Gibbs stays up in the Vanessa's room trying to keep her alive until help arrives.

A couple minutes later, the Sheriff and paramedics finally arrive. The paramedics immediately run upstairs, where it's already too late. Vanessa is dead. The paramedics take a look at the body as Gibbs stands up with the Sheriff approaching him.

"I want my medical examiner to take a look at her." Gibbs said.

"This was obviously suicide, Agent Gibbs." The Sheriff stated. "This doesn't have anything to do with the Jamar Wilkinson case."

"It may or may not." Gibbs said. "But for a town that never has deaths other then natural or the rare accidental… In less then 36 hours, there's been a murder and a suicide. Until I can determine if these two unnatural deaths are related or not, then I will investigate."

"I don't see how they can be related."

"Two deaths… One male, one female… Both from opposing sides of a feud." Gibbs stated. He walks to the window and looks outside. "They were lovers."

"How do you know they were lovers?" The Sheriff asked as he approaches the window where Gibbs is standing.

"I don't. But my gut tells me there were." Gibbs said. "Just think of it like this… Less work on your part."

With Vanessa being dead and the Sheriff giving authorization for NCIS to examine the body, the paramedics leave. Ziva and McGee finally arrive.

McGee stays up in the room with the dead body and waits for Ducky. Tony is still in the living room detaining Kenneth. Gibbs meets Ziva outside to discuss the lead she and McGee were following. After a couple minutes, the next door neighbor comes over. Gibbs and Ziva approach the neighbor and speak with him.

After speaking with the next door neighbor, Gibbs goes back inside and arrests Kenneth McCloud for the murder of Seaman Jamar Wilkinson.