I would like to thank everyone who has been reading, and reviewing my story. This is not just the first fan fiction I have written, it is the first thing I have ever written. I have finished with the background descriptions of the characters and am now going to start the actual "mystery". I thought it was important to try and explain how I read some of the characters. In a way, I guess, it would help to explain why I see some of the characters react how they do during the course of this story.
The day had started like most, with the "team" slowly trickling into the mission, starting at 5:30 am. By 8:30 am all "four personalities" where sitting at their desks, drinking coffee and bantering over the latest NFL results. Predictions for the next set of games were being tossed around the bull pen with smiles and laughter filling the room.
"Tweeeeeeeeeeeeet" whistled Eric from his perch on the top of the stairs.
Callen, Sam, Kensi, Deeks and Hetty joined Eric and Nell in the Ops centre on the second floor.
"What do we have?" asked Callen.
"Cassie Coverman, age three." Answered Eric as the picture of the small blond, blue eyed child appeared on the large OPs screen.
"Her mother, Jessica Coverman, put her to bed at 7:30 last night. The mom claims she checked on the child several times during the evening. More specifically at 8:00, 9:30 and again at 11:00. At that point the mother says she set the house alarm, and went to bed herself." Nell said.
"When the mother woke at 7:00 this morning her daughter's bed was empty." Eric added.
"The mom immediately made a quick search of the house, and both the front and back yards before making a frantic call to 911. We have audio of the call." Responded Nell as she began to play the 911 tape.
The team listened as the frantic mother reported her three-year-old daughter missing to the 911 operator.
"The child was taken sometime between 11:00 p.m. last night and 7:00 a.m. this morning." Deeks stated.
"Why has NCIS been called in? Isn't this a case for LAPD or the FBI?" asked Sam.
"Normally it would be Mr. Hanna." Hetty replied.
"In this case though, the child's father happens to be Admiral Rodger Coverman. He has the highest security clearance available and is currently head of US Naval operations in the Far East."
"This may not be a random child abduction case then." Callen said.
"No, it may not. It may be a means to get to her father." Hetty replied.
"Admiral Coverman has been in South Korea for the last week and a half. He is due back in LA in three days. His office is currently in the process of contacting him, and bringing him back as soon as possible." Hetty added.
"Why exactly is the Admiral in South Korea?" asked Kensi.
"I have not been able to get an answer to that question. We can assume based on his rank, clearance and job that it has to do with sensitive foreign affairs of a military nature." Hetty stated.
"Miss Blye and Mr. Deeks, I want the both of you to go to the family's home. Interview the child's mother and investigate the crime scene. Talk to the LAPD present on sight and find out what they have learned. LAPD have been told we will be taking the lead in this investigation. They have agreed to co-operate."
"Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna, as we have no real leads at the moment, I want the two of you to assist the LAPD with there door to door campaign of the immediate neighbourhood. Perhaps a neighbour saw or heard something. They may not realize they hold a clue to this mystery. The child has been missing, at the most, for eight and a half hours. We need to find her quickly. Time may be running out."
"Miss Jones and Mr. Beale, please review all security footage, in the area. Look at film from any camera you can access such as bank machines and traffic cameras. Report anything you feel is suspicious. I need you to look into both Admiral Coverman and his wife. See what you can discover about their day to day lives. Check their bank accounts, telephone records etc. . . . Delve into the backgrounds of both of their families. Find out if the daughter is registered at a daycare centre or a pre school. Investigate everything about those locations. We are looking for anything that could tell us who may have taken this child and why."
Sam, Callen, Kensi and Deeks left to start their assignments. Eric and Nell began searching cyberspace for any information they could find.
Kensi and Deeks arrived at the street the Coverman's home, was situated on, within twenty five minutes of leaving the Mission. It was a quiet, middle class area with three and four bedroom detached homes situated on large well manicured lots. The agents were greeted by a scene of utter chaos. Police had both ends of the avenue blockaded and were checking every vehicle coming and leaving the street. Kensi and Deeks were questioned, but their badges quickly gained them access past the barricade and entrance into the Coverman's home. Police tape surrounded the home, and LAPD officers were trying to discourage neighbours from leaving their homes and becoming spectators. The authorities had not notified the press, but apparently a nosy neighbour had. Fortunately, the police barricade had prevented reporter's entrance onto the street. Everyone knew that the first few hours of a child abduction were critical. They did not need an over energetic reporter feeding the public false information that could endanger the child's life.
Callen and Sam arrived just behind Kensi and Deeks. After introducing themselves to the lead investigator, for the LAPD, they were informed that a recent photo of Cassie had been downloaded to every one of their officer's cell phones. Detectives, on site, were organizing all available officers into teams of two for door to door searches of the immediate and surrounding neighbourhoods. After studying a detailed map of the region, the two NCIS agents requested to be involved in the search of sections two to three blocks away from the family's home. The intent was to completely circumference the family's home. Callen and Sam were not overly interested in speaking to residents of the area, the LAPD officers could do that, they preferred to walk through the area and make observations.
Eric and Nell quickly set to work searching NCIS databases, cyberspace as well as a couple of sites they really should not have been privy to. Fortunately they were able to relay the information they had discovered, to the field agents, before any of them had reached the crime scene. The more background information they had, the better they could read the "players". Speaking over head sets the two techs relayed the information they had discovered, to their agents, via a cell phone conference call.
"Jessica Coverman was born and raised in Connecticut in a middle class family." Nell stated.
"She graduated, from a New York university nursing program, 12 years before her daughter was born. Currently, she is employed, three mornings a week, at a local clinic. We are still looking into the backgrounds of the three doctors that own and operate the clinic as well as the other employees. We will let you know if we find anything suspicious."
"Cassie attends a local daycare while her mother is at work. It is called Smiling Faces Daycare and is located five blocks from the family's home. We checked every aspect of the centre and have found nothing. The owners, other employees, business, telephone and bank records all seem to be fine. Absolutely nothing seems to set off any bells of whistles."
"Admiral Coverman, a fifth generation navy career sailor, was born on a military base in Hawaii. He basically was a military "brat". It appears he was raised on several bases throughout the U.S. as well as overseas." Eric stated.
"The Admiral joined the Navy right out of high school. Educated through the armed forces he obtained a masters degree in political science. His wife and he met, 10 years ago in New York, while attending a free concert in a park. The two married 14 months later."
Even with all the resources available to them, Eric and Nell were not able to discover much about Admiral Coverman's work with the Navy. What ever he was involved with it was definitely "top secret". There was absolutely no paper or cyberspace trail. His family's background was exemplary. They seemed to be true American patriots in every sense of the term.
The Coverman's personal records, such as bank statements, investments, phone records, and medical files turned up nothing unusual. Their marriage seemed to be solid. In short, there was nothing to explain the "who" or the "why" of the kidnapping of Cassie. They were going to have to speak to Admiral Coverman himself and his wife to try and find out more information.
Inside the Coverman's home there was activity in every room. LAPD investigators were examining windows, doors, the home alarm system, Cassie's room and everything in between. All fibre, hair, finger print tapes and dust samples were packaged, catalogued and sent to a police forensics lab. Kensi and Deeks found Jessica Coverman, sitting on a black leather sofa, in the family's living room. An LAPD family liaison psychologist was with her for support while the lead LAPD detective interviewed her. Kensi and Deeks introduced themselves to everyone, and then sat down on the leather love seat facing Jessica Coverman.
Clutching a small rag doll, Mrs. Coverman sat answering questions. She was a complete emotional mess. Trembling and fighting back tears, she recounted the events of the last 24 hours. Kensi made a few observations. She was a thin, slightly taller than average height, blond, blue eyed woman with delicate features. The way she held the doll indicated she was left handed. When she spoke to anyone in the room she looked directly at them, which indicated she was not lying. She was able to answer every question concerning her daughter's day to day life. It gave Kensi the impression she was a very attentive mom. This was the third time Jessica was answering the same series of questions. It was in hopes that she would either recall some detail that she had previously forgotten or she would stumble up on an answer revealing guilt. The agents and detectives did not seem to be privy to a new bit of information until Jessica answered a question about the previous day's activities. She once again recounted the afternoon trip her daughter and her took to the local play park.
Kensi's experience and education suddenly caused an eruption to explode from deep within her soul.