The bullpen, two days later …
"McGee is not answering his cell phone, pager, or MySpace IM," Ziva informed Gibbs.
"McGee on MySpace," Tony chuckled. "I've got to see that."
"Keep calling." Gibbs sounded more irritated each time he spoke.
"Still trying to get into his calendar, Boss."
"You know, I'm not sure what the problem is. When I was framed by the Iranians for murder, I was late for many hours before anyone even noticed."
"You're not McGee, Ziva," Gibbs pointed out as he pushed back on his chair and stood up.
"McTimex's brain is hard-wired for punctuality. And, sadly, for scaring away potential mates. Here we go, Boss. No doctor or dentist appointments. Nothing, nada, zilch. He is supposed to pick up twenty shirts from the dry cleaners, but that isn't till this evening. Twenty shir-?"
The sound of a ringing phone stopped him short.
"Yeah, Gibbs," he said into it. "On my way, Duck. Keep callin'," he said to Tony and Ziva before he walked away.
As soon as he was sure Gibbs was gone, Tony dialled McGee's number, let it ring twice, hung up, and then dialled again.
"Game on, McSecret," was all he said when McGee answered. "Please tell me you didn't pick pink."
"Do you really think this is going to work?" Ziva asked a while later.
"You sound sceptical, my fine-feathered ninja."
"I am serious, Tony."
"I don't know."
"Gibbs will have your calzones," she said with a smug smile.
"It's cojones, Zee-vah. And thank you for the reminder."
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat; checking himself surreptitiously. Straightening a little when Gibbs reappeared.
"Found him yet?"
"He found me, Boss. Sent me an email. Woke up sick. Laryngitis. Won't be coming into work today."
"Uh-huh."
"You know, I bet he sent you one as we – shutting up now."
"Good idea, DiNozzo. Going for coffee .." he said as he walked away again.
The elevator doors had barely closed behind him when Abby appeared.
"I'm on the verge of castration and you're smiling?" Tony said. "It isn't right. Wipe that smile off your face," he added irately.
"Stop being such a wuss!"
"A wuss?!?" Tony spluttered.
Forensics lab, several hours later ...
Ducky's face filled the video conferencing screen on Abby's phone.
"The shape and depth of the wounds suggest a ..."
"Combat knife," Gibbs supplied as he looked at the photos on the plasma screen.
"Precisely."
"They didn't find a knife, Gibbs," Abby said. "All they bagged was trash."
"Tell Di Nozzo to keep lookin'," he said as he turned to leave.
"Uh .. Tony went home."
"He went ... home?"
"He wasn't feeling well. Thought McGee might have gotten him sick."
"McGee didn't come into work today, Abs. At what time could he possibly have caught anything from him?"
"We're contagious before we actually get sick, Gibbs."
"Yeah. If you have chicken pox ..."
Abby shrugged, and Gibbs' eyes narrowed.
"I'm not done, Jethro," Ducky said from over the conference line.
"Make it fast, Duck."
"Post mortem lividity suggested that Petty Oficer Jameson was killed at the scene. Tox screen came back negative. No drugs in his system. Despite the catastrophic damage to the internal organs, the surface suffered no real damage."
"We knew this two days ago, Duck."
"And I have nothing new to add, I'm afraid. No scratches, no DNA under the fingernails. Not much to go on I'm afraid. My best guess would be that Petty Officer Jameson was surprised. "
"Or he knew his killer."
"Yes."
"Take it from the top, Duck."
"Mr. Palmer and I have been over the body twice in as many days, Jethro," the medical examiner protested. "With a fine tooth comb."
"Then go over it again. Maybe you missed something."
He ended the call before Ducky could argue, and pulled out his cell phone. Calls placed to Tony and McGee went unanswered, and he could feel Abby shifting restlessly nearby. There was something about the situation which was making his antennae twitch – but he couldn't quite place a finger on it.
"Triangulate their cell phones," he barked.
"Whose?" she asked innocently.
"You know damn well, Abs."
He could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile traverse her features as she tapped her keyboard.
Shepard Residence, Georgetown – half an hour later
Tony swore under his breath.
"You would choose the heaviest dresser this side of the Potomac .."
"I didn't choose anything," McGee snapped back. "I just picked it up. Had to rent an SUV to bring it here. It didn't fit in the Porsche."
"Save it, McWhiny." Tony made a dismissive sound in the back of this throat and let out a small huff. "Lets get it inside before it starts raining again."
"How are we going to get it inside?" McGee asked as they contemplated the entrance to Jenny's house before taking an end each.
"Usually helps if you open the door first," a voice behind them said.
Tony waited for the headslap which didn't come, and then deposited the keys into Gibbs' outstretched palm without a word.
"Bend your knees and squat before picking up," Gibbs whispered to McGee before he started up the steps. "Wouldn't wait you to strain those tonsils."
But he was smiling as he turned the key in the lock and opened the door as wide as it would go.
"Nursery's upstairs, Boss .." Tony called as they struggled up the front steps with the dresser.
Getting the piece upstairs was going to be fairly easy as jobs went, Gibbs realised; because the wide staircase in front of the door lent itself perfectly to the task. For a moment he contemplated assisting, but then stood back. Enjoying the look on Tony's face when he realised Gibbs wasn't going to help with the grunt work.
"I thought we agreed no pink!" he heard Tony say in disgust to McGee a short while later.
"And again, Tony, I didn't choose anything. I just picked it up. It's a surprise for Jenny. The agreement was that we'd put the furniture in here into the spare bedroom, paint the room, assemble the new crib and whatever else is in bags and boxes in the other room, and put the new dresser in. Before they get back."
"They get back when?" Gibbs asked as he looked over the paint stash.
"Christmas eve," McGee replied. "They're with friends in Maryland. So we have almost three days."
"Then you'd best get started."
"Boss, Jasper left the number for someone called Noemi. She's the housekeeper. Said to call her and have her come and clean up after we're done. You know, in case of pain splatter or ..." He trailed off when Gibbs gave him a withering look.
"McGee, call Ducky. Place needs a tree. Then call Abby. Have her pick up decorations and come set them up. Di Nozzo, get Ziva over here to help you strip the wallpaper."
"Boss?" McGee asked as Gibbs stared at the paint a moment longer and then started for the door.
"You forgot the primer, McGee."