Gibbs watched through the glass as Tony sat back in his chair across from Angela Simms.
It was two days into the investigation.
When Gibbs had originally interviewed her about any knowledge of her husband's death, she seemed more frightened than grief-stricken. She denied any knowledge of her husband having enemies, or any run-ins with people. She cried a bit, twirling her long blonde hair in her fingers, as Gibbs and Ziva had taken in her very form fitting attire and designer breasts. The woman looked like she came right out of Penthouse magazine.
But McGee and DiNozzo had quickly found phone call logs, internet correspondences, and bank account deposits that were all suspicious.
Considering Angela was unemployed and called herself a simple "housewife".
No…this housewife had been conducting her own home-based business while her husband was away…selling herself to other men, via a man named Rick Walsh.
Of course she denied it and was outraged when they brought her in.
Ziva was out with Dorneget hunting down Walsh who had a mile long wrap sheet.
And Angela Simms was faced with Special Agent DiNozzo.
She eyed Tony with a mix of fear and contempt, twirling a bit of that long blonde hair again, big aquamarine eyes blinking. She crossed her long, shapely legs in the little black skirt she had on. It was a sort of half attempt at a suit, but...still more like a "Hot for Teacher" look.
Tony quietly opened the folder before him as he asked, "Mrs. Simms, did your husband know about your little side business?"
"I already told you people," she hissed, "I am not a hooker." She then pursed her glossy lips and looked momentarily around the room before her eyes settled on him again.
"Come on," she suddenly smiled. "Do I look like some sort of cheap trash to you?" She leaned forward a bit, giving Tony an eyeful of overflowing cleavage, peeking out from a high quality lace bra under her shirt.
He sighed and looked her in the eye, "I'm not sure you want the answer to that, Angie."
She immediately sat back and scowled. "You can't keep me here. My lawyer will be here soon."
Tony ignored her and pulled a picture from the file of a handsome man with sandy mid-length hair and large hazel eyes.
She looked away.
"Rick Walsh. Past arrests, and some convictions for human trafficking, extortion, and also one count of rape."
She suddenly looked wide-eyed with shock, but said nothing. He saw the tremble in her hands.
Tony pulled out several pieces of paper with detailed phone calls, and screen shots of a youtube video starring Angela and a sandy-haired man (likely Walsh) wearing a mask.
"You maybe wanna' rethink that not-knowing-Walsh thing. And these…" he pulled out the bank records. "Two-hundred forty thousand dollars in deposits…" he shook his head sadly and clucked, "you forgot to read the idiot's guide of how to hide illegal money."
She opened her mouth suddenly, but nothing came out. She shook her head suddenly and put it in her hands.
Tony delivered the coupe de grace.
A photo of her dead husband, with the gaping hole in his throat now rested on the table.
"You did this to him," Tony said in a low, almost menacing tone.
She looked up at the table, and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, and choking back a sob.
When she had ID'd him the day before, they had artfully covered the wound. So this was her first time seeing the devastation.
"No…" she almost gagged into her hand,"I didn't…I would never…"
"He found out, didn't he Angie?" Tony asked her.
She looked at him tearfully, almost gasping for air…but still denied it. "No!"
Tony stood up and loomed over her. "What happened? He didn't make enough money? Or maybe he wasn't doin' it for you in the sack and you got bored?"
She shook her head and was trying to control her crying.
Tony stood back and his tone became softer.
"It was a pocket knife. Someone had to shove it into his throat and use a lot of strength to cut clear across. Even cut through his windpipe." Ducky had confirmed it yesterday, but they didn't have the murder weapon. Only a piece of paper bag with LCl Simms' blood on it from the dumpster, proving someone had cleaned up the knife after. The cigarette butt had some trace of saliva…DNA that matched Walsh. But he frequented the Copper Whistle…where LCl Simms may have gone looking for him…they needed more…
She was now a shade of grey and suddenly cried, "Stop! I didn't do it! I swear! I didn't hurt him! YES HE FOUND OUT! AND YES HE WAS ANGRY BUT I DID NOT KILL HIM!"
Now they were getting somewhere.
Tony sat down again calmly. He pulled out a tissue from his pocket and gave it to her.
"Anyone else know, that he knew?" Tony asked softly.
She looked up at him, with something like terror in her eyes.
From observation, Gibbs said to himself, "She's afraid of Walsh. She knows he did it."
"I don't…"she said hoarsely.
"Your PIMP," Tony said bluntly.
She looked around the room frantically again. She was shaking.
"We can protect you," he said, allowing some hint of compassion back into his green eyes.
She swallowed harshly and said nothing.
"We have enough here to make you an accessory to murder at the least, if we connect the dots without your help. The phone call you made to him th night your husband was murdered...And then he might think you helped us anyway."
Tony sat back, patiently, and smiled warmly at her.
She seemed to think for a while, and then nodded. "Yes. Okay. Okay…"
Just then the door opened, and Gibbs swore behind the glass as her lawyer rushed in.
"Simon…"she murmured as he quickly gave Tony his card and looked at her, "Not another word."
Simon Finkel was not new to them. He popped up over the years as the lawyer who was always employed by the seediest characters. It seemed likely she may have met him through Walsh.
"Fink," said Tony with an emphasis on the "k" sound, "Mrs. Simms was in the middle of willingly giving us this interview, which is in her best interest." Tony gave the woman a meaningful look.
The too thin, badly suited man frowned for a moment, passing his beady dark eyes over Tony and then back at her. "You don't have to do this."
She nodded and said, "Yes. I do. You can stay though right?" she looked at him, and then a Tony who nodded in affirmation.
From observation, Gibbs sighed with relief.
Fink looked like he swallowed a live frog, and took a seat, opening up his briefcase to pull out pen and paper for notes.
"Let's start with what was happening before your husband came home from Spain," Tony asked. "How did you end up doing what you did?"
She took a deep breath and exhaled, and with a shaking hand turned the picture of her dead husband face down, as if to protect him from hearing the details.
"It was last year," she began softly, and licked her lips nervously. "Caleb was just on leave and about to go back to Spain. We were out to have a nice dinner, then get a drink and play some pool…"
"The Copper Whistle," Tony said.
She nodded. "Yes. And…that's where we met him."
Tony's brows shot up. "We?"
"Yes…Caleb and I met Rick there. He…seemed real cool, and just started talking to us. We shot some pool with him. Had a few drinks…and then…I dunno. Somehow the idea got brought up that the three of us go home together."
She paused, eyes gazing off in the memory.
"Did you?" Tony asked, and Gibbs could see some tension in his SFA's posture. What is that about? He wondered. Had Tony picked up on something already Gibbs wasn't aware of?
"Oh…" she smiled sadly and looked up at Tony, "no." Caleb wasn't into that."
Tony looked at the table for a moment himself, and then back up to her, "But you were?"
She laughed shakily. "Oh, yeah. I loved my husband, Agent DiNozzo. No matter what else I did. I loved him. But…we'd run outta' spark, ya' know…and Rick was so…hot…and the idea of the three of us…even the two of them…" she shook her head, almost suddenly distracting herself with the thoughts. "Is that so bad? It's not against the law for a woman to want more than one man is it?"
Tony's lower jaw twisted, almost imperceptibly. But Gibbs saw it. Tony muttered his response,"No, but maybe it aughtt'a be."
Gibbs frowned to himself wondering again where the strange reaction Tony was having was coming from.
Mrs. Simms looked momentarily confused.
"Go on," Tony said, slipping back into the matter at hand.
"Anyway…I got Rick's number. Didn't tell Caleb. Caleb left…"she rubbed her eyes a little to try and relieve some of the tension behind them. "I got involved with Rick…and uh…one or two of his friends…" she couldn't look at Tony or the mirror anymore.
Fink shifted in his chair, looking unsure whether to be shocked or turned on.
"And…is that how you started getting paid?" Tony asked her softly.
She nodded.
"Did he force you into it?" Tony asked slowly.
She looked up at him, tears streaming from her lovely eyes. "Not at first…in the beginning it was…a fantasy of mine come true…and then…then.."she was trembling, and gripping her hands together. "One night he had a party at his place. A few of the guys were there. I realized he was doing some pretty heavy drugs. And he told me…I had to…had to…do it with them because…they had paid us a lot of money…" she let out a sob again, and out her face in her hands for a moment.
They all waited for her to regain composure.
Gibbs watched Tony. Something was wrong. It was the look in Tony's eyes.
Cold…
When she calmed a bit, she went on, "I told him no, but…he threatened to tell my husband what we had been doing…and I didn't want to hurt Caleb. So …I went along with it."
"And then he kept asking you to do it," Tony said plainly.
"Y-yes. And then…Caleb came home…and…God…I dunno how he found that video on youtube…but he did and…I just couldn't keep it in. I…told him…" she shook harder, voice trembling…"told him everything." A new wave of tears slid slowly down her cheeks.
"What did he do?" Tony asked, already knowing in his gut, just like Gibbs did, what the answer was.
"He went out l-looking for Rick…he..hh-he was so angry…" she shuddered. "it's all my fault. All my fault…" she was almost moaning out the words. "I called Rick. I was afraid Caleb would kill him, and get locked up. But instead of leaving town like I asked…I think that piece of shit killed Caleb…" she was sobbing heavily now, as her lawyer looked at her with a mix of pity and disgust.
Tony looked up at the glass and nodded. They had everything they needed.
Now they just had to find Rick Walsh.
Gibbs met up with Tony in the hallway.
The younger man was almost lost in thought, and almost stepped right into Gibbs.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs said, steadying Tony with a hand to keep him from running him over.
"Uh, sorry Boss," Tony said sheepishly.
Gibbs gave him a bare smile, "You did good."
Tony's eyes widened a little at the rarely-given praise. "Thanks boss," he said warmly and grinned.
Gibbs tilted his head, giving Tony and appraising look.
Tony's brows knit together quickly, "What?"
"You okay?"
He immediately looked down. The tell that always gave him away. And back up to Gibbs' cool grey-blue stare.
"M'fine Boss." He smiled, and then walked away, leaving Gibbs to stare after him with that gnawing still twisting up his gut.
"The hell you are," Gibbs said quietly as Tony disappeared around the corner of the hallway.
The next morning Gibbs sent Tony and Ziva out on a lead to try and find Walsh.
As Gibbs came down the stairs from the Director's office after a grueling two and a half hour meeting full of yabba, he caught Tim from the corner of his eye reading some pages of a paperback book he held under the desk. He was immediately annoyed but it was technically lunchtime…and it was like McGee to sometimes take it and read at his desk. But…why under the desk?
Gibbs quietly came closer…McGee was so engrossed that he was completely unaware of his Boss' presence.
"McGee!" Gibbs said loudly and McGee jumped, dropping the book, hitting his head on his desk lamp, and almost falling out of his chair.
"GOD BOSS!" he exclaimed, clutching at his chest at the mild shock Gibbs gave him. "You trying to kill me?" he said with his green eyes wide as he panted.
Gibbs smiled a little, and said calmly. "Nope. Just wanna' see what'chur reading here…"
Gibbs stooped down and picked up the paperback. It was glossy red with raised white letters outlined in gold metallic.
"Uh…B-boss…I ah…" McGee stammered, trying to take it back as Gibbs smacked his hand away.
Out loud Gibbs read the title.
"Intention, by Wendy…" Oh, no, he thought. Dammit Abby. "By Wendy J. Miller." Gibbs took a deep breath and then sighed and looked up at McGee.
McGee was looking down guiltily at his computer.
"Do not let me see this book in your hands again. And I don't wanna hear about it either. You got that McGee?" Gibbs commanded quietly.
McGee nodded and then shyly looked up at Gibbs. "Uh…I had to ask my publisher…to pull strings to get that Boss…can I-"
"No." Gibbs took the book to his desk and threw it in his trash basket.
Gibbs took one more look at McGee, and then scowled and walked out of the bullpen towards the lab.
Tim picked up his phone, dialing the lab, and prayed that Abby didn't have the music up too loud.
Abby was running a fingerprint analysis for one of the other teams, and occupying her wait time with blacking out one of her front teeth with a black eyeliner pencil and smiling at herself in the mirror.
Suddenly, she felt the presence behind her.
She spun around, and smiled with her semi-toothless looking grin at gibbs and said "Howdy!" and then immediately her smile fell when she saw the more than molten glare coming from Gibbs.
She knew immediately what she was in trouble for, and looked down at her lap, playing with her compact mirror.
Gibbs grabbed her remote and shut off her music, and then tossed it back on the table a little angrily.
"Abby," he said in a tone that was a mix of reprimand with disappointment.
"I had to Gibbs! " her tone was imploring and sincere as she looked defiantly into his eyes from under her dark bangs. "Tony is really upset…and I can really see why…"
"You read it too?" Gibbs asked, in exasperation.
"The…whole thing. Last night. And…" She shook her head and looked down for a moment, raising her brows,"I thought we knew Tony…but…whoa…"
"Abby-"
"Tony has some serious bones in the closet. Sexy ones…I mean…it was like a window into this whole other-"
"Abby!"
"-Life, and Gibbs…I can see why he was upset for Wendy to have written it…but they were young, and-"
"Dammit Abby!" Gibbs growled loudly. "I told you to leave it alone!"
She looked a little upset, but still held her ground. "As his friend Gibbs…his BEST friend…I think you should read it. And talk to him. And tell him it's all gonna' be okay, bec-"
"Abby, what part of LEAVE IT ALONE are you missing?"
She stood up and poked Gibbs in the chest, which made him blink in surprise.
"NO!" she cried in her gravelly voice. "YOU listen to ME! This book is coming out, whether Tony wants it to or not. And Gibbs, please…this is too important. Tony is gonna' need you more than ever…what you think of him…means…well it means everything to him. You can't let him down."
Gibbs fell silent, hearing the sincerity in her plea, and seeing the seriousness in her eyes.
He sighed. And then looked at her for another long moment.
"Okay," he said quietly, and she immediately hugged him, relieved she'd gotten through.
When Gibbs got back to his desk, McGee was by the window talking to Dorneget, and Tony and Ziva were still not back.
He discreetly looked down and took the paperback out of the trash.
Turning it over, he read the back cover.
"It started out as just a secret fantasy. But when twenty-eight year old Melissa Klein challenged her police detective fiancé, Drew DeLuca, to take a walk on the wild side with her, she had no idea where the road would lead them both. "Intention" is a story of love, eroticism, and betrayal that will leave you breathless. Based on real life experiences, Wendy J. Miller takes us on a journey we will never forget."
Gibbs rolled his eyes.
Only Tony, he thought, as he shook his head and shimmied the book into the pocket inside of his overcoat.