Disclaimer on chapter one.
Chapter Six
When Gibbs came back from getting coffee, the bullpen was quiet. He glanced at Kate and she motioned for him to come to her desk, so he diverted his path. He came up and stood waiting with eyebrow raised. Kate looked up at him and smiled.
"Got a connection," she said with a nod.
"What?" Gibbs asked before he took a gulp of his coffee.
"Between Grayson Brown and Gunnery Sergeant Corbett."
"And?" Gibbs asked the slight annoyance evident in his voice. Kate smiled before she continued.
"They knew each other in California."
"How well?"
"Pretty well. Corbett lived down the road from Wilson. They went to high school together."
"What else you got?" Gibbs asked knowing that she was holding something back.
"There is a police report," Kate continued. "Seems that Grayson Brown was arrested as an eighteen year old for assaulting seventeen year old Mark Corbett."
"Assault? Does the police report detail why?"
"Corbett said that Wilson attacked him out of the blue and he had no idea what the reason was. Grayson defended himself by saying the Corbett baited him into the fight, but wouldn't say why."
"They took Corbett's side."
"The arresting officer said that Brown was agitated and uncooperative during questioning and that they had to bring in his uncle to calm him down a couple times. He seemed to get caught up in something in his head."
"How so?"
"I don't know that is what the report said. I'm looking for the arresting officer now but it's taking some time. This report was filed in 1999."
"Find him," Gibbs said with a nod before turning towards his desk. As he reached it the elevator dinged and a very energetic Abby bounced into the bullpen. She came up and stopped in front of Gibbs.
"I found the address," Abby said with a smile and a sway.
"You came up here to tell me that?" Gibbs asked skeptically.
"No. I came up here to tell you that the letters from the fourth address are written by two different people," Abby said, her smile expanding into a grin.
"Two different people?"
"Yep. The second writer is very smart and did his homework. They are crafted in almost the exact same manner as the original writer."
"How did you detect it?"
"The second writer is actually left handed. I found it when I analyzed them side by side. Even though he did a heckava job disguising the fact, but you can't totally hide it from the computer."
"Do you think Quinn knew they were from another person?"
"No, unless he referenced something in the letter to the true writer and they figured it out that way, but I doubt it. I don't have the return letters to know for sure."
"Any idea of who it was?"
"No, but I have the address of the company that issued the postal box."
"Good work, Abs," Gibbs said after she handed him the slip of paper with the number on it. She bounced again before heading back to the lab. Gibbs turned to DiNozzo and held the paper out. "DiNozzo, look into this PO Box. Get a description of the person or people who check the box."
"On it, Boss," Tony said as he snatched the paper and grabbed his phone. The bullpen was active once again as the agents worked on their various assignments. DiNozzo was on the phone with the postal company in San Diego. McGee had gone down to help Abby with the letters, while Kate was working on finding the arresting officer in Los Angeles.
"Gibbs," Kate said as she hung up the phone. He simply picked his eyes up from the work in front of him. Kate continued, "Just spoke with the arresting officer from Los Angeles. He said that he remembers the case but only because of the behavior of Brown when they tried to talk to him. He said that the boy was agitated and continually mixing up his story. Detective Barron, the officer, he said that Brown seemed to jump from an earlier incident to the recent one without a skip. They ended up dropping the charges and putting Grayson Brown in therapy."
"Post Traumatic Stress?" Gibbs wondered out loud. Kate nodded.
"Sounds like it. If Brown is Wilson, then he there is a good chance he had PTS. Detective Barron said it was hard to even ask the kid simple questions because he would give a mixed up answer."
"Ok, good work," Gibbs said.
"Boss, the people in San Diego say that two people have checked the PO Box in their office. They are sending us the surveillance tape from that location."
Gibbs nodded before returning to his work. They were moving forward, but it still didn't feel like they were any closer to finding either of their suspects.
After their plane landed in Washington, Levi secured them a car from a rental agency and they started into the city. They had spoke minimally since leaving Colorado and Levi was still anxious to know what Grayson was planning. When he asked where to drive to, Grayson had told him to head downtown. Finally Grayson looked at him.
"Lee," he said softly to get the older man's attention.
"Yeah?"
"Go to NCIS headquarters."
"What?"
"That's why I came to DC. Take me to NCIS. You can wait for me somewhere…"
"No, we do this together."
Grayson nodded and leaned against the car window again, as Levi steered the car towards headquarters. Grayson provided him with the address and they had to stop and ask directions twice, but they finally found the building. They parked in a garage and neither one made a move from the car. Finally Levi turned and faced Grayson.
"What's your plan?"
"They've been trying to call you. I think you should go in and make contact with them. I'll wait, somewhere close by. I saw a coffee shop down the street. Talk to them, see what they want."
"Don't you think they'll be suspicious of me showing up?"
"That's the point. They'll know you know why they are calling. They'll know I'm close by, or at least I hope they do."
"Ok, what's your plan then?"
"I want you to bring the lead agent, whether it's that Todd or someone else, but only the lead agent to the coffee shop to meet with me. I'll test the waters and decided from there."
"You know exactly what is going on don't you."
"In time I'll tell you what I know, Lee, but I don't want to have to go through everything twice. Just, trust me, ok?"
"Ok," Levi replied with a nod. He then opened the door and went to get out, stopping and leaning back in. "Everything will work out."
Grayson closed his eyes and nodded leaning against the cool window again. He was developing a headache. Levi left him and he waited a couple minutes before he exited the vehicle and headed out of the garage towards the coffee shop.
Levi entered the building and stood staring at the security desk. He wondered if they had flagged his name or if he would get in before they realized who he was. He approached the desk and pulled his wallet from his pocket getting his ID handy. The security guard smiled as he came to the desk.
"May I help you?"
"Yes, I need to speak to Special Agent Kate Todd. She has tried to contact me on numerous occasions but I've been unable to call her back."
"Your name, sir?"
"Levi Brown."
"May I see ID? Also could I get you to empty your pockets and walk through the metal detector?"
Levi nodded handing his ID over and empting his pockets into the tray. He walked slowly through the metal detector. On the other side the security guard handed back his ID and told him to wait a moment. He used a telephone, before he made out a badge and instructed another security guard to take Levi to Agent Todd.
In the bullpen Kate stared at her phone in shock. Gibbs frowned and spoke her name but she didn't respond. She continued to stare at the phone, and Gibbs walked to her desk leaning down beside her.
"You ok?" he asked softly. His nearness startled her as she looked up at him. He watched as she mentally composed herself.
"Uh, yeah, I…that was security. They are bringing up Levi Brown."
"Levi Brown? He's here?" Gibbs asked confused. "I thought he was from Los Angeles."
"He is," Kate said as they both heard the elevator ding. Kate rose from her chair, standing next to Gibbs, as they both stared at the security guard leading a man towards them. He nodded at the two agents before leaving the visitor in front of them.
"Special Agent Kate Todd?" the man asked. She simply nodded unsure. "I'm Levi Brown. You've been trying to contact me."
"Right, I've been trying to reach you so we could ask you questions about your nephew Grayson Brown," Kate replied recovering quickly. "This is Special Agent Gibbs."
"I know you want to talk to me about Grady. I also know you are investigating Zack Quinn."
"Do you know where Quinn is?" Gibbs asked.
"Safe. So is Grady."
"We'd like to speak with both of them," Kate replied.
"I know."
"Where are they?" Gibbs asked stepping around the desk and coming up in front of Levi.
"Intimidation will get you no where Agent Gibbs," Levi said taking a step back. He locked eyes with Gibbs letting the agent know he would not be bullied. Gibbs relaxed his posture and waited. "Grayson will speak with you but on his terms. He wants the lead agent to meet him in a public place."
"That's me," Gibbs replied. "You understand he is a suspect in a murder case."
"Yes. He realizes that, but he also has information for you that might change your mind."
"What kind of information?" Kate asked.
"He wouldn't share with me. Something about not wanting to tell it twice."
"You don't believe him?" Gibbs asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He has his reasons. I'm willing to wait until he is ready and willing to share."
"Where am I to meet him?" Gibbs asked sitting on the edge of Kate's desk.
"I'll take you now if you like."
The two men walked out of NCIS in silence heading towards the coffee shop. Levi was nervous about the meeting hoping that Grayson was persuasive enough to convince the NCIS agent. Levi entered the coffee shop first, seeing Grayson at a table and led Agent Gibbs to him.
His flight landed and he scurried from the airport quickly. He had made arrangements before takeoff for a rental car to be waiting for him. His laptop was tracking Grayson with ease and he made good time through traffic. He had to admit the location had baffled him, and he began to wonder if he had underestimated Grayson Wilson.
NCIS headquarters was the last place, even if Grayson was a block away, he expected his advisory to run to. His mind was racing with scenarios of what Wilson could be up too. He parked on the street across from where the transmitter said his prey was.
Leaving the car, he crossed the street before walking along the street peering into the windows of buildings as he went. He kept the collar of his jacket up around his jaw and his head low to conceal his face. He knew Grayson would be tuned into his surroundings.
He couldn't stop the smile that split his lips as he spotted the young man in a coffee shop. He paused for a brief moment, letting himself take in the image of the nervous man before he continued on his path. After walking to the end of the block, he crossed the street and entered a book store. He grabbed a magazine and took a seat on the couches in front of the window, giving him a clear view at Grayson.
He watched as Levi Brown strolled into the coffee shop followed by a man he recognized. He was quite amazed that they were meeting with the lead NCIS agent investigating Corbett's murder, and wondered what Grayson had up his sleeve. He grew anxious for the time to come when he would confront his enemy and make him pay for the pain and anguish he had gone through.
TBC…