CHAPTER THREE
"What did they have to say?" Gibbs asked when the two agents got back to the navy yard.
"They are both adamant that Tyson couldn't have committed suicide," Tim replied as he took his seat at his desk. "Say they last saw him at approximately ten thirty yesterday evening?"
"Heard anything from Ducky yet?" Tony wanted to know.
"He's still working on the report," Gibbs replied. He turned to the youngest member of the team. "Found anything you would like one share with us, Bishop."
The young analyst shook her head and frowned. "Not a lot. I just off the phone with his Commanding Officer, Colonel Jake Higgins, says that Connell was a good recruit; listened to orders, worked well with his squad, a proud person to have under his command."
"Sounded like someone who had a great future ahead of him," Tony commented. "What was going on his life that he would just end it like that?"
Suddenly the phone on Gibbs's desk rang. He picked it up.
"Gibbs...hey, Ducky...Tony?" – Tony glanced up at the mention of his name – "why him?...OK. ..OK. ..I'll send him down."
Gibbs hung up the phone and turned to Tony. "Ducky has the autopsy report, he wants you to go down and get it. Any idea why he requested you in particular?"
Tony shrugged, "No idea Boss. Can't keep the good Doc waiting though, can we?" and before Gibbs could reply, Tony was across the room, in the elevator and gone.
*******
"Good afternoon, Anthony," Ducky greeted the agent as he walked through the doors to autopsy .
"Good afternoon to you too Ducky," Tony replied. "The boss said that you wanted to give me the autopsy report?"
"Ah yes, I do, but that wasn't the entire reason I requested you."
Tony frowned in puzzlement.
"It wasn't? What then?"
In answer, Ducky reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and pulled out the money that Tony had given him to pay for the food for the wedding.
"What are you doing, Ducky?" Tony asked when the M.E tried to hand the money back, "I gave you that for a reason."
"I know you did," Ducky replied, "but I don't need it."
"Why not? I'm not expecting you to pay for the food, Duck."
"I know you aren't," Ducky smiled, "but I'm going to cook for you, AND I am inviting you to have the wedding at my house."
Tony shook his head.
"Ducky, you don't have to do that."
"Nonsense my boy, I insist. You are getting married on Thanksgiving are you not, what better way to celebrate than to mix a wedding with a feast?"
The SFA still looked uncertain. "Are you sure? It's a lot to ask one person."
The M.E smiled. "My boy, I won't just be one person; my fellow Bridge Club members have agreed to help me, as a gift to you. They have enjoyed your company on the few occasions that I have managed to drag your derrière to one my Bridge games."
Tony didn't know what to say, except, "Thank you Ducky. I truly appreciate it."
"You're very welcome my boy," Ducky replied. "Now, let me show you what I discovered about our tragic Tyson Connell."
Tony followed the M. E over to the autopsy table where the body of the Petty Officer lay.
"Our poor Mr. Connell died from 'spinal shock' as a result of the fall," Ducky explained as he gently tilted the body's head up. "The impact caused his spinal cord to be transacted, as a result there was sudden loss of nerve supply to our victim's body, including his heart and blood vessels, causing the Petty Officer to suffer a catastrophic drop in blood pressure."
"Ouch," Tony winced with sympathy as Ducky explained what he had discovered.
"Ouch indeed, Anthony . Tyson Connell also suffered from a depressed cranial fracture, again a result of the impact from the fall."
"So death was instantaneous?"
"Most definitely, but there was one other thing that I did discover that may prove useful to your investigation ."
"What's that?"
"Our victim had had sexual intercourse not too long before he died, probably within the last twenty four hours. I have sent Palmer with a semen sample to Abby and am waiting for the results ."
Tony frowned slightly. "A semen sample? How's that going to help?"
"Because Anthony," Ducky replied, "it wasn't his semen. Unless, of course, our victim had the ability to ejaculate into his own anus."
"Tyson Connell was homosexual...or bisexual," Tony said. It was a statement, not a question.
"It would appear so," Ducky mused. "I truly hope that his lifestyle was not what lead to his untimely demise. Too many good people in this world are lost because of what others think.
Tony agreed with the Doctor. He had had his own fair share or ridicule and disgust when he had come out as bisexual not long after starting at Peoria.
A sudden thought occurred to the SFA. "I wonder if his parents were aware of their son's orientation."
"I'm afraid that is something that you will have to find out for yourself, Anthony," Ducky replied.
"Do you think you could tell at approximately what time the intercourse took place?" Tony asked.
"I'm afraid I can't give you an exact time stamp," Ducky replied, "but like I said it was most likely within the last twenty four hours. May I ask why you're inquiring?"
Tony shook his head slightly and gave a small smile. "It's nothing Ducky, I was just wondering whether he had sex before or after visiting his parents the night before. At least if it was after we would have a small time frame of what he did post ten thirty pm."
"Well I'm afraid that that knowledge will only come about if you can discover the identity of our victim's last conquest," Ducky pointed out.
"Yeah," Tony agreed. "I hope Abby gets a result with the sperm sample."
"As do I, Anthony."
"Listen, Ducky, thank you for your offer. Jethro and I will really appreciate it."
"You are most welcome, Anthony."
