CHAPTER TWO
It was amazing how much attention one dead body could amass. As the team headed into the large mall they found their way to the body blocked by the crowds of people who had paused in their retail therapy in order to gawp at the scene.
Pushing their way through the crowd the team finally came face to face with their latest case.
"Petty Officer Tyson Connell, twenty-three years old," Tim announced as Tony removed his camera and began snapping pictures of the recently deceased.
"Do you think he was pushed?" Ellie asked as she glanced up at the several levels of shops above her.
"That's what we're going to find out Bishop," Gibbs said. "I need you to bag and tag, Tony will carry on with the photos, and Tim I want you on witness interviews."
Tim removed a notebook and pen from his gear. "Sure thing Boss."
Standing up Tim glanced around as he worked out who to interview first. It didn't take him long to spot a young woman who was running a floristry stall directly opposite from the crime scene. Making his way back through the crowds he approached the stall.
"Good morning, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions," Tim said as he approached her.
The girl couldn't have been no more than about eighteen with long brunette a hair and cobalt eyes, which at this very moment seemed to be staring past Tim and towards the crime scene in an almost trance-like state.
"Excuse me, miss?" Tim put his hand on the young woman's shoulder.
The reaction was immediate. The girl startled as if burnt and jerked back in her seat. She blinked and her gaze shot to Tim and she stared at the agent as if she only just realised he was there.
"I didn't mean to startle you," Tim apologised without actually using the words 'I'm sorry' (rule six.) I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what happened here today?"
"Ok, um, I don't know how much help I'll be though." The girl was clearly nervous and Tim sought to reassure her.
"At this moment any information will do. Can I ask your name?"
The florist introduced herself as, "Lucy Kegsworth." She explained that she ran the floristry stall with her grandmother who was off sick with tonsillitis today.
"Can you tell me what you saw?" Tim asked, getting his notebook ready.
"I'm afraid I didn't see a lot," Lucy started, "not the fall anyway...just...just the landing." Tears filled the girl's eyes. "God, he hit the floor so hard, I've never heard anything like it."
"Think carefully; did you see anyone else around just before - or after - our victim fell."
Lucy shook her head. "Not that I can remember. Like I said though, I didn't see him fall. If he was pushed then the guy could have done it and then run before I - or anyone else- had a chance to see anything."
Tim cast his eyes around the mall, noting how crowded the place was.
"Are you ok?" Lucy asked.
Tim glanced back at her. "Yeah, I'm good thank you." He jotted something down in his notebook. "So you didn't see anything suspicious whatsoever?"
"Nothing to indicate that someone was about to commit murder," Lucy answered. She glanced towards the crowds of people and then glanced down at her abundance of flora. "Do you think that maybe I should lay down some flowers or something? Some white carnations or pink tulips would be good...I think."
Tim blinked as he ran his eyes over the aforementioned flowers. "Well you can't do anything yet, the area is still a crime scene. When it's clear though, you're free to lay flowers if that's what you wish. May I ask why those types of flowers in particular?"
"Some people believe that flowers represent different feelings and emotions, like how roses represent love. White Carnations represent 'remembrance' and Pink Tulips means 'caring.' I thought they would be appropriate for this situation."
"I have to say that I did not know that," Tim replied. "Flowers are just flowers to me, to be honest."
Lucy smiled. "That doesn't surprise me, flowers are just flowers to a lot of other people too."
The agent pulled his contact card out of his pocket and handed it to her. "This is the number for my desk; call me if you remember anything else."
"I will Agent McGee." Lucy slipped the card into her breast pocket.
Bidding goodbye to the young florist, Tim went to continue his interviews.
"What can you tell us, Duck?" Gibbs knelt beside the ME, who was crouched next to the body.
"Well it's only speculation at this point, Jethro, but I would wager that we are looking at unfortunate suicide."
"What makes you say that?"
Ducky nodded at Palmer, who was knelt on the other side of the body. Taking the hint, the assistant ME carefully rolled the body onto its side and lifted up its shirt.
Gibbs glanced at the bare back. "What am I meant to be looking at?"
"Actually it's what you're NOT meant to be looking at that's the key here," Palmer said. He saw Gibbs's glare. "But, of course, there's no need to be cryptic. What I mean is there's no bruising?"
"Bruising?"
In answer Ducky pointed to the upper levels. "There are glass panels running around the length of each floor. If this poor young man was pushed it would have had to have been with enough force to push him over them. As such, I would have expected to see some form of bruising."
"So you believe that he jumped of his own accord?"
"Like I said Jethro, It's only speculation. I'll know more once I get him back to autopsy."
The lead agent patted Ducky on the shoulder as he got up. "Thanks Duck."
Tony and Ellie returned from their respective jobs at the same time, Ellie carrying bags of evidence she had acquired.
"You finished here?"
Tony nodded and held up the camera. "All set, Boss."
Ellie mimicked the movement with the evidence bags. "I'm good to go, Boss."
"Ok, we'll finish up here and then get back to the yard." Gibbs turned to where McGee was finishing up with the witnesses. "You done yet?"
Tim came jogging over. "Finished Boss."
"Good. Help Ducky and Palmer load the body."
"Sure thing."
Between the three of them it didn't take long to load the Petty Office into the morgue van.
"Tell me you've got something," Gibbs demanded as he walked briskly into the bullpen.
Tony jumped out of his seat, grabbing the clicker as he did so. He clicked it and an image of their latest victim appeared on the screen.
"Our victim is twenty-three-year-old Tyson Connell - as you already know. He was born April fifth, 1992 here in good ol' Washington DC, the only child of Stewart and Betsy Connell."
"Have they been informed yet?"
Tony shook his head. "Not yet, McGee and I are about to head down there to give them the news."
Gibbs nodded. "Good, get down there and get any information you can from them."
Tony nodded and grabbed his gear, calling out to McGee as he did so. The younger agent followed in Tony's wake and together the two of them headed into the elevator.
"What are you looking at McGee?" Tony asked Tim who had his head buried in his phone intently. "Your eyes are going to go square if you look at for too much longer."
Tim didn't even look up. "I thought I'd get some ideas for the flowers for your wedding. I was thinking maybe something scarlet – or red –and gold (or yellow should I say.")
"Why those in particular?"
"Because red is the colour of passion and love, and I know how much you love Jethro – anyone can see that. I thought it would be a good theme."
Tony thought a moment and then he smiled. "That's not a bad idea McFlorist, but why the yellow as well?"
"Because scarlet and gold are the official colours of the US Marine Corps, McGee replied. "We've worked with the marines on enough occasions to know how loyal and faithful they are, hell it's their motto..."
"Semper Fi. "
"Exactly, but I think that motto describes yours and Jethro relationship as well. The two of you have been through a lot together, but you've always remained loyal and faithful to one another."
Tony gave Tim a genuine and grateful smile. "Thanks Tim, I appreciate the thought you've put into this, I really do."
"You're welcome Tony," Tim replied. He smirked slightly. "Besides, the quicker I get these flowers, the more time I have to work on this best man speech of mine."
"I knew you had some sort of ulterior motive."
"You can't blame me for taking advantage of this ample opportunity Tony," McGee pointed out. "By the way, did you really piss yourself the first time you shot someone?"
Tony turned his head slightly and glared at his partner. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!"
Tim shrugged, "I haven't told anyone, I need SOME ideas though."
"You've got plenty of ideas! I swear to the Great Spaghetti Monster McTattle if one word about that appears in your speech I'm going to tell everyone about the time your 'little probie' came into contact with that Poison Ivybridge. "
"OK, OK, " Tim held his hands up in mock surrender, "your secret is still safe with me."
"Good. So, what flowers are you getting? Tony tried to lean over and glance at McGee's phone, but the younger agent turned the screen away from him.
"That's for me to know and you to find out...on your wedding day."
"Oh come on, give me a clue," Tony begged.
Tim shook his head. "No way, you gave me this job, let me complete it the way I see fit."
The senior agent pouted slightly. "Fine then, but don't be surprised if your wedding is full of pansies."
Tim rolled his eyes slightly and chose not to answer, instead he carried on studying the florist website he was on. There were so many choices and flowers definitely were NOT his strong point. He usually gave Delilah a nice box of chocolates or some silky underwear when he wanted to be especially romantic.
Remembering what Lucy had told him about how flowers held meanings and emotional representations, Tim chose several different kinds of red and yellow flora and then considered on how many bunches he would need. He finally decided on two dozen.
Digging into his jacket pocket, Tim pulled out his wallet and removed his credit card. He was just about to enter his details in when something flashed in front of his face. He looked up to find Tony holding out his credit card.
"What are you doing?" Tim asked.
"Put the flowers on my card, McGee," Tony answered. He dropped the card into his partner's hand.
"How did you know I was buying the flowers for the wedding? I might have been getting them for Delilah."
This time it was Tony who rolled his eyes. "You've been with Delilah long enough to know what flowers she likes, you wouldn't fret that much if they were for her."
McGee had to admit that Tony was right. Still, "But why should you pay for them? It's your wedding."
"I'm aware of that McObvious but I said that you had to get the flowers, I didn't say you had to pay for them."
"But...are you sure...I don't mind paying, it could be my wedding gift to you."
"You're wedding gift to me is a bunch of flowers? How romantic McGee, but as you can see" – he waved his engagement ring at him – "I'm already taken."
"Alright fine," McGee put his own card back in his wallet before using the Senior Agent's card to purchase the bunches. "I've arranged for them to come to my house, think the Boss might get a little suspicious if two dozen bunches of flowers turned up out of the blue."
Tony nodded in satisfaction. "Good thinking McBrainy, I'll come and pick them up before the wedding."
McGee had just put his wallet back in his jacket pocket when Tony pulled up outside the Connell's residence.
The two of them stepped out of the car and headed up the drive way.
"Never gets any easier does it?" Tim said as the two of them approached the door.
"Giving people news that their son may have committed suicide?" Tony replied, "no it doesn't."
Tony knocked on the door, which was answered by lady in her early forties with shoulder length red hair. Tony can't help but think that Gibbs may have liked her; he did have a thing for red heads after all. Then he stopped, there was no point in thinking about such things now, he was the one who had Jethro's love not some red head.
"Can I help you gentleman?" the lady asked.
"Are you Mrs Betsy Connell?" Tony replied.
"I am, who are you?"
The two agents pulled out their showed them to Betsy.
"My name is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," Tony introduced himself. He pointed to McGee. "This is Special Agent Timothy McGee, we're from NCIS, may we come in?"
Betsy stepped back and allowed the two agents to enter her home.
As they stepped into the living room they found Stewart Connell watching a football game on TV.
He looked up. "Are you here about Tyson?"
It was Tim who answered. "Yes we are, how did you know?"
"I'm not stupid Agent – what did you say your name was?"
"McGee."
"McGee. I know what NCIS stands for. My son is with the Marines, who else would you be here about?"
"When was the last time you saw your son?" Tony asked.
"Last night," Betsy answered. "He left at about ten-thirty or so."
"Have you seen him since then?"
"No, we haven't even heard from him, which is strange because he usually calls everyday."
"What's this all about?" Stewart wanted to know.
Tim took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your son died this morning at Chevy Chase Pavilion."
Betsy Connell gave a quick gasp of horror and her eyes filled with tears. Her husband quickly got up and pulled her into an embrace.
"Please, not Tyson, please..." Betty wept into her husband's shoulder.
"What...what happened to my son?" Stewart asked. Unlike his wife, his eyes were dry, but the man looked to be in shock. "You said he died at Chevy Chase Pavilion. That's a shopping mall, how can he die in a shopping mall?"
"We believe he fell from the upper balcony," Tony replied.
"You BELIEVE?!" Stewart snapped. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"We are still looking into the cause of the fall," Tony explained.
Betsy looked up, her eyes red rimmed. "The cause...I don't" – she stopped – "wait, you think he may have committed suicide, don't you."
"We're looking at this case from all possible angles," Tony said..."Including suicide, yes. It's something we have to do."
"You're wrong," Stewart narrowed his eyes, "my son is...was...too strong to just take his life like that, there has to be something else to it."
"Like I said Mr Connell, we're looking at the cause of this from different angles."
"Can you tell me what Tyson was like when you saw him last night? " Tim asked.
"He was...Tyson," Betsy replied, "he had some leave from training, so he was happy to see us."
"How long did he stay for? "
Stewart glanced up at the clock on the wall. "He arrived here at about five, had supper – a roast, not that that helps you at all – and then left a few hours later."
"What was he like when he left?" Tim inquired.
" He was ok," Betsy said. "No sign of being suicidal if that's what you mean."
The two Agents refrained from explaining that sometimes being suicidal wasn't always so easy to spot.
"Ok, thank you for your time," Tony said. "Again, we are sorry for your loss."
"Can we see Tyson?" Stewart asked.
"I'm afraid Tyson's body is with our M.E at the moment," Tim replied. "However, someone will get in contact with you as soon as they can and arrange for you to come and claim him."
Stewart walked the two agents to the front door while his wife remained in the living room, looking lost and bewildered.
"If you remember anything that may help, don't hesitate to contact us," Tony said, handing over his contact card.
Stewart put the card in his jeans pocket. "We will, thank you for taking the time to speak to us."
The two agents bid their goodbyes and then headed back to the car.
"What do think?" Tim asked.
Tony sighed. "I think that there were some things going on Tyson Connell's life that his parents didn't know about, or – if they did – they're in denial about it."
"What do you mean?"
"Just this gut feeling I have, but I don't know why. Come on, let's head on back, I haven't seen my fiancé for a while and I'm starting to miss his loving presence."
McGee couldn't help but smile as he rolled his eyes before getting into the passenger seat.
