Chapter 08
Arriving back at the office, Steve found Kono going through mug shots with their victim’s friend, Amy Sheridan, while Ziva was talking with Chin.
“Hey guys,” he said as he joined them at the computer table while Danny and Cath went to find some coffee. Planting a kiss on Ziva’s temple, he looked to Chin. “Did you get Joe settled in with the Governor’s people?”
“I did, he spent most of my time there talking with the Governor herself,” he smirked. “On my way back, I called in at the HPD CCTV monitoring suite and pulled last nights video feeds from the area surrounding the crime scene. I was just about to go through them.”
“Ziva, Danny and I can do that while we go over a lead that Charlie found for us. I need you and Catherine to take a look at Marissa’s phone and see what you can get from it,” Steve explained.
Chin nodded before going to find their other guest, leaving the two standing by the situation table. Ziva looked up at Steve and sighed. “Basically, the only solid information that she was able to give us was that Marissa went off with a ‘creepy looking guy’ by the name of ‘Vo’. And that he seemed to be a friend of the Governor as well as she said that Marissa knew him from visits to her aunt.”
“Charlie got a match on the gun that was used, a suppressed glock that was linked to several hits in Japan, China, here and on the mainland. I got us access to the files on those cases to see if they have any leads on who’s been pulling the trigger,” he explained before noting her unrest. “But first, I think I need to get you some lunch.”
She grimaced. “I really don’t want to think about food right now Steve,” Ziva commented. “After the morgue, I don’t think I’ll keep anything down the rest of the day. If anything, I might go into your office to rest on your couch for an hour.”
“Will you at least consider calling a local doctor to get checked out so that maybe you can get something for the morning sickness?” he asked, escorting her to his office.
Falling onto the leather couch, she made a face at him and carefully sidestepped the mention of a doctor. “Isn’t it too soon for morning sickness? And it’s not even morning anymore. Really, I think it’s more that I didn’t get a full night’s sleep from being woken up for the case. It’ll be an adjustment for me.”
“Just do this… for me if not for you and the baby,” he practically begged. “Otherwise I won’t be able to focus on the case, just on your wellbeing.”
She breathed out a sigh, rolling her eyes. Without Ducky there, she begun to feel just a small case of homesickness for DC. “Fine. iAfter/i I rest a little, I will look into a local doctor. I’ll even have Kono take me if that makes you happy.”
“It does actually,” he beamed, and planted a kiss on her lips. “Now rest, I’ll wake you in an hour or two.”
Ziva made a face at him before laying down and covering her face with her arm. She had never felt anything worse than the nausea that was coming to her in those days, and she knew it was not going to end anytime soon.
Outside of the office, Chin and Catherine had returned to work on the damaged cell phone. Glancing at Steve who had just closed the door behind him, Chin frowned in concern. “How’s she feeling?” he asked sympathetically. “I think I have some camomile and jasmine tea in my desk from when I had the flu that she could have.”
“She just needs some rest, it’s been non-stop since we left DC and she didn’t get much sleep last night. But maybe ask her later?” Steve replied gratefully. “Is there anything you guys need? Tools? Something to eat? We could order in from the sandwich place?”
“What about Rainbow? I haven’t had them in a while,” Kono grinned as she came out of her office. “She’s still looking through the mug shots but so far nothing is standing out. I figure try to keep her here as long as possible so I had switched the RAM card to a much smaller one to slow it down.”
“Any word on the protection detail?” he asked as he eyed the very frightened, very distraught looking girl as she made her way through the photos.
She checked her watch. “I should be hearing back from HPD as soon as they can arrange something but until then, they’re backlogged with that pile up across town and the desk sergeant said that there are other Feds that’s giving them issues on another case so they don’t know which way is up right now. So for now, she’s ours.”
“Fair enough. Feel free to order some food for everyone… Ziva’s not too hungry right now so I’ll run out and get her something later. Danny and I have an appointment with the CCTV footage,” he nodded. “Also… when you get a minute, could you find a decent local medical practice for Ziva?”
Kono nodded slowly, pursing her lips as she glanced back at his office where she saw their newest teammate go to lay down, then towards Cath who was working with Chin. “For her – condition, right?”
“Yeah. Hell, if I had my way, I would fly Ducky out here, but I’ve burned through my airmiles and a couple of credit cards on travel expenses as it is,” he nodded, confirming he’d like Ziva’s condition kept on the down-low from everyone who wasn’t immediate family.
“Dr. Mallard’s a medical examiner, not a specialist in certain living changes,” she grinned. “But I’m sure Ziva would appreciate the sentiment. I’ll check on Amanda then look for someone good.”
“Thanks Kono, I owe ya,” he replied as he saw Danny began to pace in front of the monitor, having already begun his search through the CCTV videos and open homicide case files.
Waving him off she smiled as she headed back to her office. “It’s not a big deal. Just shoot me a quick email or text with Ziva’s information and I’ll make the calls. Is there anything I should focus on asking so that it helps pinpoint the right doc?”
“Aside from some pretty bad morning sickness, everything should be included in her medical records,” he replied.
“Okay. I’ll see what I can find. I’ll call in orders for loco mocos for pickup,” Kono replied before turning to go into her office to check on Amanda.
She brought the cup of tea that she held and set it down in front of the girl. Amanda looked up gratefully, her eyes red with the tears that stopped coming. “Thanks. I haven’t seen him yet but it’s hard because so many look like they icould/i be him. They’re natives but definitely not him. Even the ones that look like gang members didn’t have the same – cold eyes.”
Kono took in the girl’s tired appearance and nodded. “We’re ordering from Rainbow Drive-In for lunch. Take a break with us and eat, then we can get back seeing if we can find our mystery guy after. What would you like?”
Amanda hesitated, looking back at the screen before nodding in agreement. “Thanks. I’m not really hungry though…”
“You’ve been with us all morning. You need to eat something,” the young officer replied.
“Fine,” she sighed. She thought about her options before answering. “Just the mahi mahi I guess.”
Kono smiled before squeezing her should supportively before she left and slid into Chin’s office to use his phone and computer where she could keep an eye on their guest. After calling in their order for lunch and texted Steve with the information, she jumped online to look up local doctors for their newest addition to the team.
Kono’s cell phone rang, allowing her to leave the group to take the call, as the others sat picking at what remained of their meals.
Catherine’s attention turned to the office a few times, although she attempted to hide her curiosity. Several times she tried to say something but stopped herself, unsure if her intrusion would be welcome. While she and Steve had come to something of an understanding, things continued to have an awkward edge since returning to the office.
“Just come out with it Cath,” he muttered as he read the forensic report that was just sent to the office.
“Sorry,” she apologized softly. “Are you sure it’s alright for her, Ziva, to be here with her being sick? Aren’t you concerned about anyone catching what she has in the middle of such an important case?”
Steve sighed as he looked up towards his office where his fiance was waking up and rolled the fax in his hands. A quick glance to movement at Chin’s office where Kono held up her hand and mouthed her message to him, he smiled. “She’s not contagious. We know what the problem is and it isn’t contagious so you don’t have to worry about it. In fact she has an appointment soon to make sure that everything is as expected. I’ll be right back.”
He made his way into his office where Ziva smiled up at him drowsily. “How long have I been out?” she asked him, her voice hoarse from her sleep.
“About three hours. It’s fine. We just finished a late lunch if you want something. I’m sure Kono can hit a drive-thru on the way to the doctor’s office if that’s preferred,” he replied leaning in to give her a chaste kiss. “Kono got you an appointment with a local doc. She can see you in an hour if you are still willing to go.”
She made a face initially and thought very quickly about not going until she was able to get a good look at the hopeful expression on his face. “I’ll go, but I thought you would want to go to be there for all the appointments.”
Nodding, Steve couldn’t deny that he wanted to be there for her, with her. Unfortunately for them, the timing of everything was not ideal. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he glanced out to their friends and teammates. “Of course I want to be there. I guess they can survive without me for an hour or so.”
“Yes, I suppose they can do their jobs just fine. They’ve done it while you were in DC with me, have they not?”
He laughed as he went to pull her up from the couch before turning serious. “Yeah. But uh, Ziva? You should know that Cath is suspicious. I made it clear that I already knew why you weren’t feeling well and assured her that you weren’t contagious. Just let her continue to think its food poisoning or something.”
Shaking her head, Ziva sighed. “It’s fine. We do not have to tell her anything as it is none of her business.” Although, if she were truly honest, she was actually angry that the woman would press an issue that she had nothing to do with. The anger wasn’t worth its energy because it only pushed to make her realize quickly that it was more draining on her body and present condition.
Steve studied her closely for a moment before nodding his head simply, knowing it might not be in either of their best interest to argue her easy compliance. They walked out together before he quickly gathered what he needed to take with them in case they got pulled back into work as soon as they were done. Kono met them as they headed for the doors, passing him the paper with their appointment details.
“I’m going to open up the photos for Amy to everything in the system that’s gotten a mug shot in Hawaii. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to keep her before she caves. I’m ready to call and find out what’s going on with her protection detail and safe house so that she could call it a night and try again fresh tomorrow,” she reported.
Ziva glanced up at Steve and raised an eyebrow in silent question to him. He shared a look with her before nodding reluctantly. “If it doesn’t look like they are getting anywhere, we’ll make arrangements ourselves. She’ll just have to stay with one of us. We’ll figure it out later. Keep me up to date,” he said before nodding to his girl. “Ready to go?”
“Let’s get it over with,” she replied as she pushed him ahead of her out the door. If there wasn’t anything she disliked more, it was dealing with doctors. She had her fill after Somalia to last a lifetime. At the moment, considering her history, she just prayed for a healthy baby and knew that its father wished the same based on the concerned expression he held each time he looked at her.
