A/N Happy New Year guys! Sorry for the delay in posting and thank you for all your reviews.
(OK who spotted the deliberate mistake in the last chapter which prompted me to shift my story a little...remember this is AU so Kate didn't die and Jenny is the Director.)
Disclaimer it's not mine, all except for Petty officer Andrew Janes I OWN HIS ASS! and he knows it ;) (See Probie this is what you get for annoying me!)
Chapter 8
Eunice Palmer sat in interrogation, fidgeting, rubbing her hands up and down her arms and looking nervous.
"Where's Jimmy? I want my boy!" she shouted to the mirror hoping someone was on the other side.
"I need to get out of here… Leroy? I know you're there! Jackson making you keep me in here? I always knew he hated me! Jimmy...Let me out!" she got up and started banging her fists on the mirror.
Tony opened the door and walked in.
"Ms. Palmer, Sit down." Tony waited and gently guided her to a seat.
"I didn't do it….I don't think I did?" Eunice said her thoughts all over the place.
"Please sit." Tony pulled her chair and Eunice sank into it.
"Tell me what happened." Tony prompted.
"I got here yesterday morning, I had left right after Jimmy's email…I had to come, Jack will hurt him again, I couldn't let him hurt my boy again…Jimmy's made it out from under his father….."
"Please just stick to what happened after you got to Washington." Tony asked.
"I…I got off the bus at the main terminal and I realized I didn't even know where Leroy lived, all Jimmy had said was that he was staying with his brother. I knew that he worked at NCIS so I asked around. Do you know not many people have heard of NCIS?" She fidgeted again pulling at her sleeves and looking at the door, "Can I have a drink or maybe a break; I just need a minute maybe the bathroom? But I'll need my purse." She said.
"Sure." Tony handed her the small purse and she looked through it her eyes getting wider.
"You stole it…you took my stash!" she panicked.
"Ms. Palmer…we are in a federal building did you think you'd get in with it. Besides," Tony lowered his voice, "I think Jimmy would prefer you without it, he's my friend and I think that he's been hurt enough…Don't you?"
She lowered her eyes and started crying.
Tony handed her a handkerchief.
"Sorry," She composed herself again. "I met the sailor guy at the station, he knew NCIS and where you were but it was getting late and he offered me a place to stay, I needed the money and he had stuff." She looked at the floor.
"Are you saying you prostituted yourself for drugs and money and Petty officer Andrew Janes paid you?"
"Yes." She whispered.
On the other side of the glass, Jimmy stood quietly with tears rolling down his face.
"So do you know how Petty Officer Janes ended up dead?"
"No, I remember he…He attacked me he gave me crack and when I wouldn't sleep with him…he hit me."
"Did you hit him back?" Tony prodded.
"NO!" Eunice protested.
Jimmy left he knew he was needed with the petty officers body. Although he wanted to watch over his mother, he knew that as Tony was the one interrogating her she would be ok.
"Sorry Dr. Mallard I was detained." Jimmy said walking into Autopsy.
"Nonsense my boy, I expected you to be with your mother." Ducky said concerned at the worry etched on Jimmy's face.
"I couldn't listen anymore." Jimmy admitted.
"You poor boy, I suppose to find your mother in that situation…" Ducky started.
Jimmy turned "Ain't the first time," He muttered hoping Ducky couldn't hear him, "Do you want me to start on the inventory?" He asked louder.
Ducky nodded, filing the comment and his reply away for later, "No I have received the toxicology reports on our young friend here and if your mother took the same thing she will need hospital treatment I have called the paramedics and they are on their way. You will be needed to help with your mother if necessary, I'll be up with Jethro, and he hasn't come down for my report yet." He said and left the room.
Jethro walked into Director Sheppard's office and sank down on the couch.
"Tough few days Jethro?" Jen smirked.
"Jen you have no idea," Gibbs said. "I just found out Palmer is my little brother, my dad's had a heart scare and is stay at my place with Jimmy and me and Jimmy's mom was just found with the body of a petty officer. On top of that and training your new Mossad liaison officer, it's getting a bit frantic around here."
"Wow Palmers' your brother, when were you going to tell me?" Jen said
"I just did Jen." Gibbs replied.
"OK, at least you are not in the same department, but we will have to let HR know." She said, "How is Ziva working out on your team?"
"It's ok for now, Kate likes working with her, Tony's….well he's still Tony and McGee and Abby are slightly afraid of her, but I can see them all getting along eventually." He grinned at her, "But you knew that already didn't you."
She smiled back, "Yes Jethro, now you said your father is in town, maybe I could meet him, and he must be pleased that you and Jimmy are together."
"It was a less than stellar surprise, but they are getting on now." Gibbs said and explained to Jenny what had happened.
As he left Jenny's office, he headed down to the bullpen to find Ducky sitting at his desk.
"Not busy Duck?" he asked.
"I have completed my Autopsy Jethro and as you hadn't been down for my findings I thought I would bring them up to you." Ducky told his friend.
"Okay, whaddya got Duck?" Gibbs asked.
"Petty Officer Andrew Janes was a new user of Crack Cocaine and according to the toxicology I had Abigail run the first batch was cut with scouring powder, which as you know is caustic and caused his body to shut down. However, this was not what killed him. He died by a blow on the back of the head possibly caused by a piece of wood."
"Do you think Palmer's mother could've killed him?" Gibbs asked.
"No, she is suffering from the same symptoms the petty officer would have suffered from when taking that cocktail, I have called the paramedics and have informed Jimmy so he can be there for her, but when she first took that cocktail it would have rendered her unconscious at the time of death."