What Really Happens: NCIS

Chapter Eighteen

           

"I'm sorry you did what?" Abby holds up the door knob with the red mark on it. "You cut from Ryan's door! How? When? You just walked in there and he let you?"

"Of course, he did why wouldn't he? We're trying to find his son."

I'm going to try not to think how that conversation went.

"This mark is small and light in color. This might be a tough one."

Abby's outfit is exactly how I'm feeling today. She's wearing black combat boots with a shirt black dress. She has a choker that I haven't seen her wear since I've been here. It's velvet and very thin. Not only is that black but her nail polish is black too.

"Nail polish." I grab the piece of the door out of Abby's hand and have it sit up on the table.

"It's nail polish, Abby it's the only thing it could be. The person went for the door knob and scratched their nail on the door while doing so."

"You think they got their nails done before the murder?" She inches closer to me.

"They didn't have to. I've had the cheapest of nail polish come off days after being applied."

"Then you got to get your nail polish somewhere else."

Other than the dollar store? Maybe after my next paycheck.

I leave the lab to go tell Gibbs my theory. Abby hasn't done anything with it yet, but I have this feeling that I'm right. I make it to the squad room, but Gibbs isn't there. I see a familiar face come off the elevator, it's Roger.

"Roger what are you doing here?"

He looks restless he's trying to keep his eyes open. I wouldn't sleep either if someone I cared about was murder.

"I know you all are doing your job but is there anything you can tell me? The tiniest thing to hold me over for at least an hour?"

I think this guy is going to cry at any moment. I don't know what I'm supposed to do here but I know it's not to inform him of anything that Gibbs hasn't already. Not that there is anything to give yet.

Abby told me that our friends found out that Ryan and his friends had fake IDs and wanted to use them at this place one of the boys from Jersey thought would be good. Too bad that felony is going to ruin their reputations back at base. I know if we had more we would have called him immediately.

"Did you have coffee yet? This ones on me for the last time."

"Don't even think about it Miss. Peters. You're doing everything you can it's the least I can do, no matter how many times."

We go outside to the coffee stand and order. He remembers how I like my coffee, so does the barista. He takes his with cream but no sugar.

"How's Fran doing?" I'm trying to get his mind off his son. I know I won't be able to but I might as well try.

There's hesitation in his answer. "She's alright."

"You know what, bad question. How are you two doing?"

We find an empty bench and try to get as comfortable as we can.

"I don't know. I told her about Ryan and she's been great. She's been letting me stay at her apartment because well you know." He tries to take a sip of his coffee I can tell that, that is even hard for him. "She makes sure my assistant manager is opening on time at the gym. She brings home dinner every night. I'm grateful but it's not my home."

"She's sounds lovely, very classy." We laugh and drink our coffee. His smile fades fast because one laugh doesn't change anything. Anyone can laugh and still feel the pain inside of them.