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Through the Looking Glass

At 0900 Gibbs called McGee at home. Their team was not on call this weekend. "Thank goodness." Gibbs thought. McGee answered in the midst of the second ring.

"Boss?" He said. "What's going on?" A female voice was asking questions in the background. "Never mind! My Boss needs to speak with me! Go ahead Boss!" making his priority clear. Gibbs smiled to himself.

"McGee, I need you to find out everything you can about Ivy Stuart. I need to know everything about her family, friends, job, lovers. Got it?"

Gibbs voice expressed his intense feeling. McGee's eyebrows raised. "Yes Boss. I'll call you back in just a few minutes, OK?"

"Yeah. I'll be here." Gibbs moved to the kitchen and poured more coffee. Lainy called from the bedroom she used as an office.

"Jethro, there's an email for you. I'll bring you the lap top." She moved into the living room. He filled her mug and moved to the dining room table. Lainy sat bedside him and set the computer down. She gave him the mouse and he entered his email and clicked open the files.

"Click on the one you need Hon'" Lainy said.

" How'm I supposed to know which one that is?" Gibbs growled. He quickly went and got his phone and dialed McGee. "McGee, which file am I supposed to open?"

"Boss, click the one marked 'ISY'. It'll bring up her youthful offender files."

"Youthful offender files?" Gibbs said incredulously.

"Yup. Ivy Stuart's real name was Ivy Micheals. She was 26 years old and lived most of her childhood years in various foster homes and facilities. When she was 16 she hooked up with a real dandy, Ronald 'Ronnie' Watson. He was a loser with a capital L.

First crime was a snatch and grab at age 10. He'd managed to work himself up to three prison sentences. One as a youthful offender. He was 27 when they met. For whatever reason they stayed together. She did some time as a prostitute for him, played the distraction for his pick pocketing, the bargain chip for his other enterprises. But she always came back to him. I think it's safe to assume she was a customer that day Boss."

Gibbs was clicking through the files as he listened to McGee's summary. He began to talk thoughtfully, reasoning as he went.

"She was a customer that day. The other two were supposed to be too. But they couldn't resist cleaning the till before they left. Ivy was the lookout. They hid in the back room while Dr. Miller and Max were waited on. Then before they could clear out and probably kill everybody, I was spotted coming toward the door."

Lainy reached out and covered his hand with her own and squeezed. Jethro squeezed back but kept focused on his memory and conclusions.

"I think Ivy is trying to use me for vengeance. She's mad, mad at 'Ronnie'

for her death. Which file has his picture McGee?"

"RRW 1 Boss. Not now Terry." An angry voice sounded in the background.

"Sorry Boss. Blizzard, she can't go home." He muttered.

Gibbs ignored this last. "Got it Tim." He double clicked the file. A picture came up and Jethro gasped. Lainy at once slipped her arm around his shoulders. He shook his head sharply at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's him." He tipped his head to the side frowning. Then nodded twice fiercely. "It's him. I'm sure of it. He was in the truck." He looked into Lainy's eyes then back into the screen. "It's him. She wanted me to remember him!"

"It seems likely love." Lainy nodded and gave him a serious smile.

"McGee, do we have any residence, parole officer, anything to let us know where he might be?" Gibbs stared intently at the screen.

"Mmmm. Looking now Boss, may take a minute. No Terry… I don't want to eat. I'm working! Well find something to do, read, look at a movie!"

Gibbs sighed and ran his hands through his hair, again hitting his stitches. He winced and felt Lainy slip her arm around his shoulders again. A sudden hard gust of wind shook the house. Jethro started and whirled to look at the French doors. Lainy tightened her grip. Jethro reached up and pressed his fingers to his temples. His head began to ache. Angry, he ignored it and watched McGee as his fingers flew across the keyboard.

"Watson registered exactly 2 times with his parole agent in Florida. He then went off the grid. That was exactly 4 years ago. Ivy shows up here in DC 2 years ago. She worked as a dancer in a "Gentlemen's" club, The Marseilles Room. She had a studio apartment over a detached garage on Little Street in Alexandria. No reports of any negative behavior. Had a checking account and paid her rent and taxes on time. Grocery bills went up about a year ago."

Tim continued to type.

"I have number for the landlord a Mrs. Susan Walker, 78 years old. Has lived at the address for the past 42 years. Widow. No sign of any unusual financial transactions. Regular deposits monthly from Social Security and what appears to be a retirement fund from her former employer. Also, here it is, Ivy Stuart.

Rent checks every month."

"Ok McGee. We can't go see her right now obviously" Gibbs pressed harder on his temples.

"I have a phone number Boss. I'll try to get hold of her right now. I'll call you back with the result if it's productive. Right?" McGee sighed as the TV suddenly became very loud in the background.

"Sure." Gibbs ended the computer session. He sat quietly distracted. Lainy said "I'm making more coffee." and got up.