NOTE: Again thanks for all the reviews and kind words.
Chapter 5:
Gibbs and McGee went through the case notes first before discussing Tony because the Director was desperate for the report. With that all finalised he made a quick call to the Directors assistant and she came down to collect the report. Now they could finally discuss the more intriguing mystery.
"So what have you got McGee," Gibbs asked, wanting to get some answers.
McGee opened his laptop and opened a folder with copies of various documents in it. "Well, first things first, he is definitely not Tony DiNozzo. Delilah and I went through DMV records, voting registration records and even went onto but we cannot find any DiNozzo's in the US who are not part of Roberto's family."
"Here is a copy of Tony's birth certificate we have on file here and this," he tapped a few keys on the laptop keyboard and turned the screen to Gibbs, "is the one I just received today from New York State Vital Records Department. As you can see they are identical, all the way down to the signature of the doctor who delivered him."
Again he turned the computer around and tapped a few keys and showed Gibbs a copy of an old newspaper article, "This is the original news story in relation to the death of the family. It seemed to be a pretty big deal because the father, Anthony Senior, was a pretty wealthy real estate agent who sold top end houses up and down the Hamptons; here are a couple of stories on him from when he was still alive. Also, after his death they did an obituary which pretty much confirms what Roberto said that they were the only DiNozzo's in the US because of a bad tempered clerk who couldn't be bothered getting their name spelt right."
Gibbs sat and thought for a moment, his mind working over the information presented to him. "I think we are looking at this wrong McGee. Even if Tony isn't who he says he is, we know for a fact that he has been Tony since he was at least 16. Ellie has been to Remington where he went to school. He made the Dean's list for Christ's sake. Tony would have been too young to have been behind this identity theft. Find out how long Tony has been Tony DiNozzo, start at Remington and work your way back through his school history and find out when he first showed up. If it happened when he was young enough, he may not even be aware of it."
"Wait … Tony made the Dean's List? Why didn't I…"
"Senior is who we need to be looking at McGee. I also need you to find out anything you can about him. It could be that Tony has no idea he isn't who he thinks he is. See how far you can trace Senior back. Find out what you can this afternoon because you and I will have to pay a visit to Tony tonight. We can't let this go on any longer and I want to know if we are accusing him or breaking the news to him."
"Um, how am I going to do that with Tony sitting in the next desk watching everything I do?"
"Can't you do it on this thing in here?" Gibbs asked.
"Well I guess I can configure the NCIS server to enable me to log on with even without the correct security encryptions, also I can wirelessly send any documents …" McGee looked up and saw Gibbs staring at him. "Yeah, I can work here boss."
"Good, I'll keep Tony busy in there; you work in here."
"Will do Boss."
"And McGee, check with US Marshals and make sure this isn't some sort of Witness Protection situation too."
"Ok, on it."
Gibbs returned to his desk only to discover DiNozzo nowhere to be seen. He looked at Bishop and with a flick of his head asked where DiNozzo was. "I think he said he was going to meet Zoe for a late lunch. He also muttered something about backing off and back off so much he won't bother coming back or something like that …" she left the rest hanging, indicating that she wasn't sure if Tony would be back or not.
Once again a sigh escaped Gibbs lips and he couldn't help but think What the hell have you got yourself into Tony … or what ever the hell your name is."
Gibbs was working at his desk late that afternoon and Tony had still not returned to the office, but apparently Zoe had texted Bishop to inform her that Tony was still with her and drowning his sorrows and that she was taking him home.
"Pstt…" Gibbs heard a sound and looked around.
"Pstt…" again the sound but this time he managed to find the source of the sound, one Tim McGee on his hands and knees on the floor next to the partition leading to the interview rooms.
"He's not here McGee," Gibbs informed him.
"Oh, Ok," McGee stood and dusted his knees off. Bishop looked over with a look on her face that said she was pretty sure Tim was going crazy. "Um, about that … additional background … on the … um…" Tim struggled to come up with an excuse on the fly without clueing Bishop in on the subterfuge. She may not know what exactly was happening, but she sure as hell would know something was going on.
"Aw geez McGee," Gibbs said standing up and walking towards the interview room. "You could have just called me over without crawling around like a child."
"I didn't want Tony to see me. I didn't realise he wasn't here."
"Well Tony didn't see you but Bishop did. She was already suspicious and now you have just confirmed it."
"Sorry boss I just really wanted to show you what I have."
They reached the room and Gibbs strode in. "Well, what have you got."
"Right, well, I found out from Remington that their records show that Tony was supposed to have transferred there from Long Island Boys School. He was bought in under their 'troubled teen' program after he was expelled from Long Island. However, I called the Long Island school and they couldn't find any record of a DiNozzo going there. What's more, I spoke to the head mistress who has been with the school since she started teaching in 1977 and she said there had definitely been no DiNozzo at her school because she was Vincenzo DiNozzo's neighbour and she would have remembered. She apparently was setting her sights on being Mrs Vincenzo DiNozzo and she would have no problem getting her claws into him via a student relative… I paraphrase of course. She also sent over class photos of every class from 1980 to 1984, which is the time Tony may have attended, and he definitely isn't in any of the photos. It isn't a big school."
Gibbs nodded and looked over the school photos himself and had to agree, no Tony.
"Here's the big one. I checked into Tony's Dad and … he doesn't seem to exist outside of Washington DC. I checked out where he used to live in New York before he moved here and according to his New York State drivers licence he lived in Apartment 6J, Hudson View Towers on 86th street. I called the apartment manager and they not only had no record of Senior as a tenant, they said they don't have a unit 6J." Gibbs shook his head at the information he was being given.
"And it doesn't stop there, I also ran credit card information on senior, and there are no purchases or activity at all except when he has been here in DC. That is going back five years. And what's more, Tony pays all the bills."
"Then what the hell does he do when he isn't here?" Gibbs asked, starting to realise just how much of a con man Tony's father really was.
"Here's the kicker boss. I started to run a facial recognition program on drivers licences from around the US and I am only half way through and I already have four hits."
Tim tapped a few buttons and up came a Florida licence with a photo of Tony's Father on it, "Meet Samuel Frankston," he clicked again, "Jason Cambridge", again, "Peter Smith and finally, Leroy McGee… I think we are the inspiration for that last one."
Gibbs rubbed his hand over his chin, thinking about this information. The licences were from Florida, North Carolina, Maine and Pennsylvania but all showed the face of Tony's father. "What the hell is going on here?"
"And needless to say, there is no record of them being in Witness Protection."
"No kidding, Witness Protection gives them one new identity, not five!"
Gibbs sat silently thinking about what to do next. Eventually the silence got the best of McGee, "Now what boss?"
"Now, we go and talk to Tony. There is no way he couldn't know about this, which makes him a felon."