NCIS Interrogation.
"So that covers what you thought of Lieutenant Bale's work Petty Officer James now tell me what your feelings were for her as a person."
"I didn't have feelings for her Agent Gibbs. She was just a colleague."
Gibbs' stare somehow manages to imply he thinks this is not true. "O.K. then. Tell me what she was like as a colleague."
"Well, to put it simply she was arrogant, a bully and liked to throw her weight around. She enjoyed making snide remarks and humiliating junior personnel just because she could. Everyone hated her."
NCIS Observation Room.
"Hmm. That is different from what her family was saying. I knew she sounded too good to be true."
"Family is often the last to know Ziva. Damn. That widens our suspect pool. He's just given all her co-workers a motive. I thought for sure this was our guy."
"What makes you think he is not? Just because other people hated her does not mean it was not James who killed her."
"Good point Officer David. You really need to work on your sentence structure."
"Whatever. My money is still on him."
"Let's see."
NCIS Interrogation.
"So basically you disliked her because she was in charge and not you?"
"No, Agent Gibbs. What can I say to make you understand how truly evil she was." Gibbs just stares. "I know. This is probably one of the worst things she did. She ordered me to have Casey put down. I tried to argue against it. Even offered some alternative options but she wouldn't listen. She knew how strongly I felt. I mean I know that was part of her job and everything but the way..." The petty officer is starting to shake a little.
NCIS Observation.
"Ah ha!"
"Ah ha, what?"
"To put someone down is to snub or humiliate them yes?"
"Yes."
"But to have someone put down is to have them killed. Lieutenant Bale ordered the petty officer to kill this Casey person and then James killed her out of revenge. A nice strong motive. Or someone close to Casey came after Bale in revenge. One motive and some new suspects. This is going well." Ziva grins.
DiNozzo chuckles. "I can see how it might, at a stretch, be a motive for James. He and Casey did work closely together but I seriously doubt anyone else will be seeking revenge for Casey."
"Why not? Is it because the put down was sanctioned? Was it a covert op.? I do not remember hearing of the case so it must have been unless somehow it was civilian jurisdiction."
DiNozzo chuckles again.
"What!" Sometimes the urge to use her paperclips on him was almost overwhelming.
"Yes the putting down of Casey was sanctioned but it wasn't a case and I don't think anyone would think it a motive for murder. You see Casey was a dog."
"Oh. One of the bomb detection dogs the team was using?"
"Yes and usually the term 'putting down' is used to refer to the killing of animals not people."
"I will try to remember that." Her phone rings. "Officer David." She listens a moment. "Thanks." She hangs up. "Abby wants us." As they head for the lab Ziva thinks to herself that the death of Casey really was a bit of a red earring.