Major Sutton has decided to plead guilty. It's out of my control. The kidnappers have no reason to keep my husband any longer. What if they kill him?"

"What?" said Gibbs. "What did you say?"

"I've just found out that Major Sutton has decided to plead guilty at his court martial. The whole point of Tony being taken has just disappeared," said Faith.

"Why did you say there's no point in keeping it quiet any longer?" asked McGee, anxiously looking around in case a NCIS mole was listening in.

"Major Sutton told his defence counsel yesterday that he'd decided to give up fighting the charges," said Faith. "If the kidnappers really had eyes and ears on NCIS and JAG they would have known yesterday. They must have been bluffing."

Gibbs nodded his approval. "OK," he said, "We can start investigating properly. Commander Coleman, tell us exactly what happened this morning." He wheeled a chair in front of his desk and gestured to Faith to sit down.

"Tilly was restless last night," said Faith. "She isn't good at sleeping through the night. Tony and I take it in turns to get up to her and it was his turn last night. About 05.00 she finally fell asleep but he said it was too late for him to go to sleep so he decided to go for a run."

"Where does he run?" asked Gibbs.

"Montrose Park. On a weekday he'll probably just run a circuit or two. Other times he might carry on into Rock Creek or Dumbarton Oaks. I guess today he would have planned just to run round."

"McGee," said Gibbs, "Get on to Metro PD. Ask them for reports of any incidents around the area. Ask them to start a search. We'll send people to help soon."

McGee nodded and picked up the phone.

"How soon after he left did you get the email?" asked Gibbs.

"I went back to sleep after he left," said Faith. "I got up at 06.30. I was surprised he wasn't back but I figured that perhaps he'd decided to go for a longer run. I checked my emails while I was getting breakfast ready. The email was already there."

"Timed at 05.30," McGee chipped in as he waited to be put through to Metro PD.

"They grabbed him soon after he left," commented Kate. "He can't have got far into his run."

"Or they were confident of snatching him and emailed in advance," said Gibbs, "But I think you're right. See what the security footage and traffic cameras caught around Montrose."

Kate returned to her desk and began her task.

"Tell me what you know about Major Sutton," asked Gibbs.

"Not a lot," said Faith. "His defence counsellor would probably know him better than me. He was a good officer. Went off the rails when his marriage broke down. I would guess he had a sense of entitlement. You know, privileged background, never short of money – I think he thought he could talk, or buy, himself out of most situations. That all served him well when everything was going his way; when it didn't, well, let's say he didn't cope."

"And he refused to admit to the charges?" asked Gibbs.

"Yes. And his defence told him that the evidence was against him and that he'd do better to plead guilty and not waste everyone's team," said Faith.

"Open and shut case?"

"As a lawyer," said Faith with a wan smile, "I would say there's no such thing … but in this case I'd make an exception. This doesn't make sense, Agent Gibbs. A kid just out of Law School could have prosecuted this case successfully. This wasn't a scenario where a highly skilled lawyer was needed. Even if I had 'messed' up as prosecutor it would only have brought Major Sutton some time. It wasn't going to save him."

"I want the Major brought here," said Gibbs. "Find out if he had anything to do with this."

"What shall I do?" asked Faith.

Gibbs looked at Tilly who was becoming bored with sitting still. "Stay here," he said. "I want to make sure you're both safe. I'll get someone to take you to a conference room."

"I need to go to my car first," said Faith. "I've got toys and stuff in there for Tilly."

Gibbs smiled at his mental picture of what Faith's undoubtedly highly organised car looked like. "Kate, take the Commander to her car."

NCISNCIS

"So, Major Sutton," said Gibbs sitting opposite him in the Interrogation Room. "What made you suddenly decide to plead guilty?"

"What?" asked the Major. "Why are NCIS interested in this? You weren't involved in the case. Why do you care?"

"Humour me," said Gibbs grimly. The Major still looked sceptical. "Wasting the Navy's time is a serious thing, Major," he added.

"This is ridiculous," said Sutton. "But, OK, I'll humour you. My defence lawyer said it would look better if I gave in. I'm in a custody battle with my ex and my lawyer said I'd stand a better chance of success if I wasn't involved in a dispute with the Navy. Besides, my time is up next year. Better to give in graciously. My career is over anyway."

"Why didn't you 'give in graciously' before?"

"I'm stubborn, Agent Gibbs. And I guess I'm used to getting my own way. I didn't realise that's a crime. And …"

"And?"

"And I didn't want to give my father an excuse to tell me that I'd made a mistake in joining the Navy."

"He didn't approve?"

"No. He wanted me to go into the family business. Which I guess I'll have to now."

"Does he know about the court martial?" asked Gibbs.

"Not from me," said Sutton. "But he has ways of finding things out."

"What line of business is your father in?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question," said Gibbs sternly.

"He's in real estate. He's got mining interests. A chain of department stores in Wisconsin. Lots of stuff."

"He'd had a few brushes with the law," said Gibbs casually.

"So what? Nothing criminal. Infringements of local statutes … sort of thing that could happen to anyone."

"Sounds as if you know a lot about your Dad's business affairs," said Gibbs.

"Some," agreed Sutton.

"You're close?"

"I guess."

"But you didn't tell him about your court martial?"

"No."

"Not so close then?"

The Major stayed stubbornly silent. Gibbs stared at him for a few seconds and then continued,

"So, Commander Coleman. What do you think about her?"

"What's going on?" asked the Major. "Why are you asking me about her?"

"I just want to know what you think of her. Is that so difficult?"

Sutton sighed dramatically. "I met her a few times in the run up to the trial. She was … very correct, I guess you'd say. Prim and proper."

"How did you get on with her?"

"We had a professional rel … no, relationship is too strong a word … we had meetings which remained polite and professional. Nothing more, nothing less. Are you satisfied?"

"Almost, Major. Tell me, when did you decide to plead guilty?"

"I had a meeting with my lawyer at 11.00 yesterday. I made the decision in consultation with him and he started the ball rolling. Are we done?"

"For the moment, Major," said Gibbs standing up. "Keep yourself available."

NCISNCIS

"What do you think, Boss?" asked McGee when they reconvened in the squad room.

"I don't think he's involved," said Gibbs. "Seemed genuinely baffled about why he was being called in."

"Then why did the kidnappers do it?" asked Kate. "Is it the father?"

"Could be," said Gibbs. "I think Sutton is embarrassed for his Dad to find out. But he says that Albany Sutton wanted him to join the family firm. And it seems he knows about the business. So why would the father do something that might delay his son leaving the Navy?"

"Someone doing it as a favour?" suggested McGee doubtfully. "You know, thinking that Sutton Senior would be pleased if his son wasn't found guilty?"

"Possibly. What other reasons could there be for asking Commander Coleman to screw up?"

"Could make the defence lawyer look good," suggested Kate.

"Or make Commander Coleman look bad," said McGee. "Has she got another case coming up that only she could make good on? You know, if she messed this case up she might get moved off another one. Perhaps that's the target."

"Check those out," ordered Gibbs. His phone rang at that moment. He answered it and said, before putting the phone down, "Send it to us."

"Boss?" asked McGee.

"Metro PD found a pair of trainers thrown in some bushes in Montrose Park," said Gibbs. "And one of those E Pud things. You know, that you listen to music on."

"iPod," said Kate, "You mean iPod."

"Whatever," said Gibbs. "They're sending them over. Tell Abby to get ready to check them. Get the Commander to have a look. See if she can identify them."

"Gibbs," said Kate, "The guys in MTAC have been reviewing the security footage around the park. There was a white van parked outside from about 04.30 until 05.30 when it drove off. The licence plate was muddied over so they couldn't trace it. They're trying to pick it up on the traffic cameras. But … well, it's a white van. It's difficult."

"Tell them to keep looking," said Gibbs.

NCISNCIS

Faith Coleman identified the trainers and iPod as Tony's. Abby was checking them for prints and they were all trying to take comfort in there not being any blood on the discarded possessions. The technicians in MTAC were painstakingly trying to track the white van and believed that it had headed north.

McGee and Kate had run background checks on Captain Jaime Rodriguez who had been Major Sutton's defence counsel but could find nothing untoward. Paying a visit to the squad room, Commander Coleman said the Sutton case would have been her last for some months as she was due to teach a course to new JAG officers.

"I don't think Tony would have been taken to prevent me from teaching a course do you, Agent Gibbs?" she had asked. "It doesn't make sense."

Gibbs refrained from snapping that nothing about Tony's kidnapping made sense.

"If you want to go home, I can arrange for someone to take you," he said. "And stay with you. Make sure you're safe."

Faith smiled. "No. I – we'll stay here. I don't want you to waste people's time on protecting us. Tilly and l will be fine here."

The little girl who had been playing with some building blocks looked up when she heard her name. She got to her feet, walked over to her mother and handed her a brick.

"Dada come?" she asked.

"No, sweetie. Not yet," said Faith.

"Wan' Dada," insisted Tilly.

"I know," said Faith. "I want him too." She stroked her daughter's hair and Tilly wandered away discontentedly. "She'll probably have a meltdown soon," she said ruefully. "She gets tired but she won't sleep."

"Don't worry," said Gibbs. "We won't be sleeping anytime soon."

Surprisingly, Tilly didn't have a meltdown. She became fascinated by Tim's rapid-fire typing and sat at his feet for a while watching with rapt attention. When he paused to look at the results of one of his computer searches she took the opportunity to lift up her arms ready to be lifted to sit on his lap. Gibbs' lips twitched in amusement as he saw the rattled expression on Tim's face. He strode over and placed the little girl on Tim's knee.

"Boss," began Tim, "I need to be able to type."

"Take a break, Tim," said Gibbs. "Ducky's bringing some food. Ten minutes won't hurt and it looks as if she's about to fall asleep. Don't want to upset her, do we?"

McGee looked horrified at the thought of awakening the beast in Tilly so, somewhat gingerly, he placed an arm around her waist to prevent her from slipping down. Faith saw that her daughter was settled for a moment or two and took the opportunity to slip away to the rest room. At a nod from Gibbs, Kate followed her in.

"We'll find him, you know," said Kate.

"I hope so," said Faith wearily as she splashed some cold water on her face. "I can't imagine losing him."

"You don't have to," said Kate firmly. "The FBI are looking for him. Metro PD. NCIS. And if that wasn't enough, we've got Gibbs on the case."

"I know," said Faith. "I know. I just want it to be over … and then I realise that I don't because I don't know what 'over' will be. He might be dead already."

"Don't think like that," urged Kate.

"I keep trying to understand," said Faith. "But none of this makes sense. How can someone disappear like this? Especially Tony – who's not exactly a quiet person!"

"No," agreed Kate.

"People were surprised when we got together, you know," said Faith. "I'm the correct one. By the book. And Tony … well, Tony isn't."

"How did you meet?" asked Kate.

"Work," sighed Faith. "Work is my life! Or rather it used to be. I never imagined I'd get married … and certainly not to someone like Tony."

"But you did," said Kate.

"Yes. Strange thing, we clicked immediately. Turned out that we are compatible. He loosens me up and I give him structure. And of course, we gave each other Tilly."

"She's a lovely child," said Kate.

"The light of our lives," said Faith. "Even if she won't sleep at nights and hates broccoli! I keep wondering what would have happened if it had been my turn to get up for Tilly last night. Tony might have slept in. He might not have gone for a run. He …"

"You can't think like that," said Kate. "If they were after him then they were going to get him."

"I know," sighed Faith. "I know. But logic doesn't stop my brain whirring with thoughts."

"You seem very good together," said Kate.

"Yes. We're good together," said Faith. "We argue sometimes. The loosening and the structure don't always come easy but we make up."

"Any recent quarrels?" asked Kate.

Faith's head had drooped over the washbasin but it jerked up at that. "Oh, I see," she said. "Has Agent Gibbs deputed you to find out if the DiNozzo marriage is all it seems to be. To check that I haven't arranged for a husband I'm tired of to be got rid of? Or perhaps Tony has run off because he's bored with living with an OCD pedant?"

Kate hated having to ask the questions but she hardened her heart. "And is any of that true?" she asked.

Faith glared at her for a few seconds but then slumped again. "No, none of it," she said. "I don't want to be rid of Tony. I can't imagine my life without him. And perhaps Tony could get tired of me but he wouldn't abandon Matilda. You've seen them together – do you think he would leave her?"

"No," said Kate. "No, I don't. I'm sorry, Commander. But we had to ask."

"I know," said Faith tiredly. "I know. Now, let's go back. I'm not sure how long Agent McGee's nerves will stand holding Tilly."

Kate and Faith returned to the squad room to find the others half-heartedly eating the food that Ducky had had delivered. Kate shook her head slightly at Gibbs to signify that the required conversation had taken place and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm going to take Tilly back to the conference room," announced Faith, "I think she'll sleep better there." She nodded gratefully to Tim who seemed to have acted as some sort of soporific to Tilly. The little girl submitted sleepily to being placed in her mother's arms. The elevator dinged as Faith approached it.

"Anthony!" cried Faith as she saw who was coming out of the elevator.

The heads of everyone in the squad room jerked up in surprise as, for a moment or two, they thought that Tony had somehow made his way back. Their hopes were soon dashed however and they didn't recognise the new arrival.

"Commander Coleman?" asked Gibbs. "Who is this?"

The visitor answered for himself, "Anthony DiNozzo. Senior."

"Tony's father," explained Faith. "What are you doing here, Anthony? We weren't expecting you," she said coolly.

"And how's my granddaughter?" asked Senior. "No, no need to wake her up," he added hastily.

"I wasn't going to," Faith assured him.

"It's not a good time for a visit, Sir," said Gibbs deciding to intervene. Tony didn't talk much about his father but Gibbs had picked up that theirs was not a close relationship.

"So this is where Junior works, is it?" said Senior as he looked around. His nose didn't curl but he gave the impression that it wanted to.

"Yes, Sir," said Gibbs.

"And where is he? Or is he one of those bosses who leaves you all to do the work while he goes off and enjoys himself?"

"Tony works very hard," said Faith sternly.

"Then where is he?" asked Senior.

"I'm afraid he's not here at the moment, Sir," said Gibbs.

Senior hesitated for a second or two. "I see. Perhaps I'd better go. I'll catch up with Junior another time." He turned to go.

"Mr DiNozzo," called Gibbs, "Was there something you needed?"

Senior turned back. "Are you in charge?"

"Yes," said Gibbs. "I'm your son's Senior Field Agent."

"Ah, you're Agent Glib. My son has mentioned you."

"Gibbs," corrected Gibbs.

"Gibbs," said Senior. "Well, it's probably nothing."

"What?" asked Gibbs.

"I was in New York," said Senior. "I got an email around lunchtime."

"Yes?" asked Gibbs.

"I thought it might be a joke."

"What?" asked Gibbs.

"It told me that Junior had been kidnapped. And that I had to pay $5 million if I wanted to see him alive again."

"What?" gasped Faith.

"Said I shouldn't tell anyone or he'd be killed. Agent Gibbs, I don't have that sort of money. I didn't know what to do but I thought I should come here. That you'd know what to do."

NCISNCIS

Tony opened his eyes and groaned. His first thought was to wonder why he was so cold; perhaps they had left their bedroom window open too long or Faith had stolen his share of the comforter again. He groaned again as he realised he was lying on the hard ground rather than being in his bed at home … and that he had no idea where he was or how he had got there.