Old Vendetta (NCIS Fanfic)

Ch. 5

"Tell McGee, that if he doesn't find his girlfriend in thirty minutes, she's dead."

The buzzing of the dial tone broke through the silence once the caller hung up. Gibbs, Ziva and Tony glanced at each other before eyeing Tim, who looked like he was about to pass out on them. Each were furious at the killer who had dared to threaten one of their own.

"Do you recognize that son of a bitch's voice?" Gibbs asked, pointedly looking at McGee. He was hoping that it was not McGee's childhood friend, as it seemed as though he was still close to the young man. It would be heartbreaking enough if he lost his girlfriend: it would be even worse if it was at the hand of a lifelong friend.

"It was Matt. I can't believe he would do something like this." McGee's eyes widened with terror. "Oh my God! Matt was meeting Beth this morning at the coffee shop we firsthand met at!" Tim exclaimed, grabbing his pack, gun and badge. Gibbs stopped him before he could bolt out the door.

"McGee, slow down. It won't help us find Beth if you go out there half-cocked. Can't you trace her number or something?"

Tim dropped his pack to the floor before running back to his desk. "Yeah, I can if her phone is still on," he said, typing furiously. A moment later, he looked up to his team mates, who were hovered around his desk. "It's still on and it shows that she is about two blocks from the coffee shop."

"Gear up!" Gibbs ordered, realizing it was pointless, as Tony and Ziva already had their gear, Tony handing Tim his pack as the four ran to the elevator and got on.

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Beth had been excited to meet up with Matt and talk to him one on one over coffee. She wanted to learn as much as she could about Tim and the relationship the two men had. But, after about five minutes, it appeared that Matt was not who he said he was. He became negative the more he talked about Tim. So, she excused herself, telling him that she had to get to work. She left, not realizing that Matt was following her.

She was just about to pass the alley next to the coffee shop when she felt a strong arm around her neck and a hand clamped over her mouth. "Don't scream or you are dead. Understood?"

She nodded, not sure why Matt was dragging her into the alley. He pulled her behind a dumpster, so that no one could see what he was about to do. He whispered in Beth's ear. "You know, Tim and I used to be friends. Best friend. But something changed a couple of years ago. It was when he started writing his first book. It was as if writing was his only friend. But he always did try to call me a couple of times a week. I have to give him that. But then, he met you a few weeks ago."

He tightened the grip on her neck, keeping her immobile. Beth was scared to death. All she wanted to do was get away and run straight to the Navy Yard and into the loving arms of Tim. But Matt was effectively cutting off her air supply, stopping any chance of escaping.

"Once he met you Beth, he stopped calling altogether. It didn't help that my girlfriend rejected my offer of marriage. His fourth book that came out last year, gave me the idea for all this. It's the one about the childhood friend that goes psycho and kills his girlfriend and three other people. This is before he tries to kill McGregor's girlfriend."

Matt glanced up before whispering again, "But the difference in the book and real life? You'll be dead before Tim can find you."

Her eyes widened in shock as she felt the first blow from the knife as Matt thrust it into her stomach. He yanked the knife out and plunged it deep into her chest, before pulling it out again. Her legs shook for a moment before she sunk to her knees, then fell forward, landing facedown in the alley. She felt Matt grab her iPhone out of the back pocket of her jeans, then watched as he hid the knife in his jacket as he left the alley