Chapter 4

Back in D.C. Gibbs was wondering how Tim was fairing. He had only received e-mails. Maybe he should have sent Tony. No, Leon was correct; this was a chance to allow Tim to grow as an agent. Tony was at the dentist, or so he said. If Ducky was right and the Captain had had a heart attack then it was cold case time. He didn't hear Ducky approach.

"Aah, there you are Jethro, I was wanting to tell you. I sent some of the Captain's stomach content up to Abby for analysis…something just didn't ring true. I saw that the Captain's last meal had been omelette…mushroom to be exact… but there was a definite smell of alcohol, and it got me thinking."

"Thinking what Duks," Gibbs asked.

"Coprinopsis atramentaria," as Ducky saw the look in Gibbs eyes, he so liked to get one over on Jethro, "Inky caps. The flesh is thin and the taste mild, it can be eaten but it is poisonous when consumed with alcohol. But I will only know for sure when Abigail runs the tests I have asked of her," as the good Doctor turned and walked away.

Gibbs got up and decided he'd better go and see Abby, since he just noticed that Tim had e-mailed to say he was sending pictures of tyre tracks to her.

-oOo-

"Abbs, what you got?" Gibbs asked as he walked into the lab.

"Well the photos that Tim sent of the tyre tracks do show at least two vehicles. I am in the process of determining the exact trucks and not easy 'spech from these photographs."

"What about Ducky's samples?" he continued to ask.

"Oh that was easy, disulfiram, it inhibits the enzyme, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase…gives you a massive hangover almost immediately."

"But Ducky said mushrooms…inky caps."

"For the most part, a bite is fine. Although inky caps are not food mushrooms, and shouldn't be made into a big meal or eaten long-term, generally a single mushroom won't do you any harm," as she smiled.

"So he was poisoned?" Gibbs replied.

"I would say yes," as she went back to the tyres, and Gibbs went to find Ducky.

-oOo-

Jethro entered autopsy to find Dr Mallard sitting at his computer typing up some notes.

"You going to explain… Abby says the Captain was poisoned" the emphasis on poisoned, "Going to elaborate?" Gibbs now asked, as Ducky turned to face him.

"As I said, inky caps, also called the tippler's bane. They take a rather puritanical view of drink. People who drink anywhere from three hours to five days after eating an inky cap will feel their face start getting red, their limbs tingle, and their heart start to race," as Ducky began to explain, "Then comes the nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases, heart problems. The more alcohol the unfortunate sinner drinks, the more they'll suffer. If things get bad enough they'll have a heart attack. As I said my initial findings were a heart attack."

"You sound like a preacher," as he saw Ducky begin to smile, "But I sense you are going to tell me more?"

"Yes, inky caps wreak their vengeance by starting up an immediate and severe hangover. The chemical acetaldehyde is generally associated with hangovers, and experts believe that it causes the sweating, nausea, and the vomiting that so many people lament. Eventually, though, enzymes in the body break down the acetaldehyde and people recover. Inky caps, however, contain coprine, a chemical which halts the enzyme… resulting in an immediate build-up of acetaldehyde, and no end to the hangover. It can take days to work the coprine out of a person's system, but in this case the Captain had a heart attack."

"Thanks Duks," as Gibbs turned and strode out the room, he had to find Tony.

"Your welcome Jethro, but I wonder how many times you have succumbed to a hangover," he muttered turning back to his screen.

-oOo-

Back in the gorge Vic had appeared with a folding ladder and had laid it at Tim's feet. He was going to ask if she would set up but could see she was being difficult and so set the ladder up as an inverted "V" and gingerly climbed. Taking a pen from his inside pocket and an evidence bag from his jacket, he carefully flicked and knocked the yellow substance into bag with the pen nib, before pressing the cap and sealing the bag, the evidence tagged. As he now stood on terra firma he asked Vic where they could get the sample analysed. She replied the hospital, as she turned and walked back to the car to wait for Tim to bring the ladder and himself. Vic drove to the hospital and parked up.

"Suppose I'd better come in with you and see if Dr Weston is available to point us in the right direction," Vic said looking bored.

"And Dr Weston is who?" Tim ventured.

"Oh he sometimes helps Walt, but he'll know who in forensics to give this to," as she opened the car door stepped out, stretched pushing her chest out almost bursting a button. "Well come on then don't just stand there," as she strode to the reception entrance, followed closely by Tim. At the reception desk Vic asked for Dr Weston only to be told he was on duty. Vic explained about the sample and was told just to take it up to forensic lab; she thanked the receptionist and indicated that Tim follow her.

-oOo-

They returned to the Sheriff's Office to be met by Walt and The Ferg.

"Got a call from the hospital…that sample you took, well seems it's the same as what your colleague found under the fingernails of Avonaco…and well…you and Vic here have to return for some tests," Walt began to say.

"Tests?" Tim queried.

"Seems what you guys found is yellowcake, not very strong yellowcake, but Dr Weston wants to see you," Walt continued.

"But what is yellowcake?" Tim continued.

Walt sighed, "Yellowcake is solid uranium oxide. It's what uranium is commonly sold as before it is enriched."

-oOo-

The doctor looked at the four, two were looking worried. Jimmy wondering about his chances of becoming a father, Tim was wondering how to explain to Delilah, the only two who didn't seem worried were Vic and Jessica.

"Well I have done some research and talked to the scientists and the general census of opinion is that yellowcake doesn't pose a high risk to human health if stored and handled properly…because the decay components have been stripped away, and it is in an unenriched form," as he saw Jim and Tim start to breathe again, "However," he continued beginning to smile, "It is radioactive, which means merely standing close to it without protective clothing can cause organ damage. The level of damage depends on how much uranium there is in the yellowcake and how long you've been exposed. Yellowcake is an alpha-emitter and alpha-particles are mostly stopped by our skin, however ingesting or inhaling yellowcake is a much more dangerous form of exposure. So since this is really only a scraping there would be no danger to your lives or," as he looked at the boys and smiled, "Your little reproducing fellows. But I suggest you don't use your pen again and have your clothes cleaned," looking at Tim.

"Now what," Jimmy said.

"I think we need to call Gibbs," Tim answered.