Chapter 10

Thanks to his wood-working skills, Gibbs had an easy time getting in with Tall-Tree Custom Furnishings. Someone did run his background, according to Nell, who had been watching, but thanks to the work she and Eric had done, nothing out of the ordinary was discovered about "Joseph 'Joe' Reid", Gibbs' cover name. As far as anyone knew, he was just an honest, hard-working fellow who was new to the area and looking for work.

It took him less than a week to get settled in and less than that for Sam's wife, Quinn, to start complaining about how her waistline was expanding. According to Sam, who was cheerfully devouring yet another slice of peanut butter chocolate pie, Dabi was quite the baker. His family loved her baking but his wife was starting to feel the effects on her hips, or so she claimed.

"You're going to feel the effects on your hips if you don't stop eating everything she puts in front of you," Callen shot back, watching Gibbs through his binoculars as they did surveillance, watching both Gibbs and Tall-Tree Custom Furnishings. Until and unless Gibbs gave the word, they would be keeping a close eye on him.

"I can't help it! It's good!" Sam said.

"Now you know why Dabi has plans to take over her grandparents' bakery," said Callen. "She's being taught by the best."

Inside the furnishing store, Gibbs was helping unload a shipment of wood. He hadn't even been on the job for more than six hours before he figured out who the distributor contact was; it was Carmichael, and Nell and Eric were already hard at work digging through his life.

"Be careful around Ryan; people have been known to get hurt around him," said Vince Sterling in a low voice to Gibbs as they worked on sanding some wood in preparation for staining that first day he was there. Sterling was a quiet young man with a good head on his shoulders and steady hands that had plenty of calluses. "It's never actually been proven, but a lot of the guys have been told they should have known better after being hurt in a so-called accident, accidents that usually occur after they've had an issue with Ryan over something or another."

"So what do you suggest I do?" Gibbs asked.

"Keep your head down and your mouth shut, and if Ryan asks you to do something, do it, and don't ask questions," was the reply. "You'll be a lot safer that way, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear."

Sterling had been cleared, nothing having been found in his background to suggest any connection to Arboreal Omen or any suspicious. But today Gibbs couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. No one had seen Sterling all day and the only thing that Carmichael had said about Sterling was that he hadn't heard from him. The store boss, Frank Hancock, was understandably pissed off.

"I've got a big shipment of wood coming in and Sterling knew that and knew I was going to need every man I had," Hancock was overheard grousing to Carmichael.

"What about the new guy, Reid?" Carmichael asked. "He seems to be willing to pull his weight around here."

"You think he can handle it?"

"If he can't, we'll find out, won't we?"

Hancock nodded. "Hey Reid!"

And that was how Gibbs found himself unloading the wood shipment. Some of it was tools and some of it was wood-staining material, but most of it was good, high quality lumber. It was hard work, even with six men working steadily, but after about three hours, Hancock called for a break and Gibbs used the chance to check his text messages.

Then his blood ran cold, even in the sweltering sun.

"10-0 V/S 10-40 vehicle 10-54D possible Code 30." Translation, be careful. Vince Sterling had been in a possible vehicle accident and there was a possible death, with initial reports suggesting a homicide.

That was the first message. The second message read, "11-46 10-19 ASAP." The first report was confirmed and he was being told to get back to OSP as quickly as possible, which wasn't going to be possible without raising suspicion. Eric and Nell must have realized that because there was a third message, this one from Dabi, claiming to be his landlord.

"The building water heater just blew up. I need you to come by your apartment and make sure nothing has been damaged. Thxs."

Gibbs showed the message to Hancock, who scowled, but let him go, after Gibbs swore up and down he'd be in to work on time the next day.

"With Vince missing, I need all the help I can get," Hancock said.

"Understood, sir," said Gibbs. "I'll do my best; all I know how to do."

Gibbs quickly headed back to OSP in the battered pick-up truck that had been 'bought' exclusively for the mission under his cover name. There was a tail but he quickly lost it.

"Amateur," he thought.

In the Control Room, everyone was waiting for him. Reports were already on the screen.

"At about eight a.m. this morning Vince's brakes suddenly failed and he went off an overpass bridge while on his way to work," Eric said. "He was killed on impact and it took emergency crews a while to sort through the mess. Initial witness reports suggested brake problems and forensic reports are starting to confirm it."

"This is not a coincidence," said Hetty. "Not so soon after you are hired by Tall-Tree."

"Rule Thirty-Nine; there's no such thing as a coincidence, which leads to Rule Thirty-Five; always watch the watchers," said Gibbs. "Take a look at Ryan Carmichael, the foreman."

"We have been," said Eric. "This guy has money problems left, right, and center, and he's getting a lot of it taken care of by an influx of money from one of Omen's holding companies, which is putting it into a savings account under his name."

"We checked the dates of the deposits, and they match up to dates ships from Europe come in, ships that have cargo for Tall-Tree," said Nell. "There's another one coming in tomorrow morning from now and it has an interesting stop; in Egypt, where one of Omen's holding companies is."

"Weapons," said Deeks.

"Has to be," said Kensi.

"Follow that ship," said Hetty.

"Following," said Nell.

"Let's get Carmichael down to the boathouse for a little chat," said Callen. "If we lean on him, maybe we can find out exactly what's supposed to be on that ship and who is signing off on it."

"We'll grab him," said Kensi.

But there was something nagging at Gibbs and Hetty could see it. "What is it, Jethro?" she asked.

"I got in too easy," he said. "Maybe way too easy."

"And you think we're being played," said Hetty.

"Rule Thirty-six; if you think you're being played, you probably are," said Gibbs. "Is Dabi safe?"

"She's with Quinn, my wife, who's a former CIA agent; she's as safe as she's going to get," said Sam. "Quinn even promised to teach Dabi some more moves that are supposed to be exclusive to CIA operatives."

"Check my personnel files," Gibbs instructed Nell and Eric. "See if anyone's been peeking when they don't need to be."

"Understood," said Eric, mentally adding it to the long list of things he had to do.