NCIS (2003–…): Season 10, Episode 17 - Prime Suspect - full transcript

[DOOR CREAKS]

[CAT MEOWS]

[DOOR OPENS]

[SCREAMS]

[MEOWS]

CROWLEY: Metro police were alerted
by a 911 call from a neighbor.

And while they're not releasing
the young woman's name,

police say she fits the description

of the Dead Rose Slasher's
previous victims.

So after a three-year absence,

it appears The Slasher
has returned with a vengeance,

claiming two more young women
in the last week.

- Thank you for that...
- I helped Abby add a third dead bolt

- to her apartment door last night.
NEWSMAN: If you've seen this man,

you're asked to call the police

- at 202-555-0133.
- I can't watch any more of this.

NEWSMAN:
Do not approach him. Do not...

- How was the fishing trip?
- Didn't go.

What?
You look forward to that every year.

Yeah.
Just didn't feel like it, I guess.

Something wrong?

I'm worried about Cameron.

I don't know, since he got out
of the Navy, he hasn't found work.

- He's very depressed.
- Oh, he's a kid, Frankie.

- He'll figure it out.
- Yeah.

- He's been acting really strange too.
- You talk to him?

Well, his mother had a way
of getting through to him.

I don't, heh.

You did a great job raising him
after she died.

[SIGHS]

What's the problem?

You saw the police sketch
of the Dead Rose Slasher?

That looks just like Cameron.

- It looks like a lot of guys, Frankie.
- It's not just that.

The murders started four years ago,

when Cameron was a student
at Hamilton.

The first victim was a co-ed there.

Then they stopped for three years
when he was away in the Navy.

But now they've started again
since he's come back home.

It's probably just a coincidence.

I thought you didn't believe
in coincidences, Gibbs.

Do you remember
when he left college,

- middle of his sophomore year?
- Yeah, he got hurt.

Lost his scholarship.

The best left-handed quarterback
to come out of the D.C. High schools.

I was too ashamed
to tell you the truth.

[SIGHS]

Cameron was accused of date rape.

Now, eventually all the charges
were dropped, but he was thrown out.

Long time ago, Frank.

Cameron wasn't at home
the nights of the last two killings.

What do I do, Gibbs?

I mean, I can't go to the police
and say I suspect my own son.

Well, maybe I can give you
a little peace of mind,

ask around, get Metro P.D.

To give me something that eliminates
Cameron as a suspect.

Can you do it
without giving up his name?

Because if I'm wrong
and he finds out,

it'll be the end of what's ever left
of our relationship.

Thank you for letting me
borrow your controller, Tim.

You were right.
The yaw sensitivity is outstanding.

It anticipates your moves.
I was up half the night playing.

Playing? Instead of studying?

Studying?

Yeah, Dorneget,
for your GS-11 exam.

What is that?

It's a test that probies used to have
to take to become journeyman agents.

It hasn't been given in years. Gibbs
is the last agent I know that took it.

- Oh.
TONY: Ah-ah-ah-ah.

The word is that Director Vance
is reinstating that test.

- You're messing with me.
ZIVA: No, he is not.

I heard the same thing
from Hollander in HR.

I'm glad I did not have to take it.

- Ah. Well, what kind of test is it?
TONY: Phew, it's tough.

Comprehensive. Covers all the rules
and the regs, procedures.

It's all in the manuals, which
you're gonna have to know by heart.

Here comes Vance.
You can ask him yourself.

- Where is he?
- It's Haircut Tuesday, Director Vance.

Yeah, the bowl should be coming off
his head about now.

He should be here any second.

LEON: Got something on your mind?
- Uh...

[SIGHS]

No, sir.

Tell Gibbs I need to see him.

You get the security video I sent you?

Check your e-mail, McGee.

How's Director Vance been today?

- He seems, um, fine.
- I'm worried about him.

What's this?

ZIVA: Lance Corporal Douglas
Alexander and a mystery passenger,

leaving the base at Norfolk
three days ago.

He stole over 120 grand
from the cash-sales office

he was assigned to.

This is the last time he was seen
leaving the base.

We have not been able to find him.
We put out a BOLO, nothing.

He shouldn't be too hard to spot.
He's 220, 6'5".

Well, I removed the reflection
and I enhanced the passenger's face.

Well, look at that,
an attractive woman.

I ran the image through facial
recognition and I got a name.

GIBBS:
What is it?

ABBY:
Melissa Tourney. She's a civilian.

We find her, we'll find him.

Nice haircut, Agent Gibbs.

I'm gonna go back
to the evidence locker.

Uh, boss, Vance is looking for you.

ZIVA:
He went back to his office.

Strange.

[SIREN WAILING]

Detective, you ID the girl?

Uh, yeah, but we're not
releasing the name yet.

- You'll give me an exclusive?
SHARD: Come on, Bart.

The chief's having
a press conference this afternoon.

You'll find out
when everybody else does.

Detective Shard?
Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS.

NCIS? How can I help you?

Well, we're investigating
an attempted homicide.

Got a witness, described the guy,

looks a lot like the sketch
of your Dead Rose Slasher.

Yeah?

You think we're looking
for the same person?

I don't know.
What's the sketch based on?

Witness saw a guy running
from the scene

of Victim Number 2's murder
three years ago.

Huh. What makes you think
the same guy's killing again?

Everything. The girls all fit a profile.

Same type of weapon,
bodies posed the same way,

guy leaves a dead rose
on the victims' chest.

You got a fingerprint?
You got any DNA?

That would make it too easy.

This guy's real careful.

Must be wearing gloves.

How about yours?

You got anything
that can eliminate my suspect?

Stab wounds suggest
that he's left-handed.

Your guy left-handed?

You know, I'll check.

Not sure.

ZIVA: Melissa Tourney, 28,
is a professional dancer.

Works under the name
of Misty Blue.

- Sounds like a stripper.
- Is a stripper at a club in Anacostia.

I just caught the lunch show.
It's pretty good.

Comes with a couple of ginger ales
and a bacon double-cheeseburger.

Just following a lead.
Spoke with a couple girls.

One of them told me that Melissa
met our lance corporal weeks ago.

They've been
hot and heavy ever since.

She hasn't shown up
the past three nights.

While he was busy
talking to the other girls,

I went to Melissa Tourney's
apartment.

Landlady said she packed up
and left yesterday.

Did not leave a forwarding address.

But we're pretty sure
we know where she is now.

She bought a ticket. Paid cash.

Reagan National to Charlotte

with a connecting flight to Freeport,
Grand Bahamas.

Left the country, traveling alone?

Looks that way.

She booked herself into a resort
on the east end of the island.

Lance Corporal Alexander will
show up. It's worth a trip down there.

Volunteering for that,
are you, DiNozzo?

Stripper? Caribbean beach?
Is that a trick question?

Behave yourself, Skippy.

Aye, aye, sir.

- You're not sending him alone.
- No.

Spring Dorneget out of
the evidence locker, will you?

- Dorneget?
GIBBS: I need you and Ziva here.

Don't worry, Tim,
I'll bring you back a T-shirt.

[SIGHS]

- Hey, Duck.
- Just a second.

[PANTING]

Since the weather broke,
I've been running at lunchtime.

Part of my cardio rehab.

Managed to lower
my resting heart rate

by almost 20 percent
since my little episode last year.

Hey, I need a favor.

You still tight with the city M. E?

Tom Hubbard?
Yes, we play bridge every Wednesday.

Heh, he was a little upset the
other night when I trumped his ace,

but, uh, when we won the rubber,
he forgave me.

Well, he did all the autopsies
on the Dead Rose Slasher victims.

Yeah?

And I'm wondering,
if he found anything

that could eliminate someone
as a suspect.

I don't want Metro P.D.
To know who's asking.

So you want me to con
the information out of him?

May I ask why?

Helping a friend.

Ah.

Okay.

Dorney.

Hey, you hear
I'm going to the Bahamas?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- With, uh, Tony.
- Gotta get back to my place,

pack and set my DVR.
He's picking me up in an hour.

Listen. Don't let him probie you.

- What?
- I've been there, Dorney.

- Tony's gonna pull rank.
- I can handle him.

Watch your back, Dorney.

ZIVA: Cameron Dean's life started
falling apart after high school.

In his second year of college,

a sorority girl accused him
of date rape,

but charges were
eventually dropped.

He left college
and enlisted in the Navy.

He was overseas for nearly
three years, but he got discharged.

He's now in the reserves.
Seems to have straightened out,

but is, uh, currently living at home with
his father, collecting unemployment.

- Any criminal record?
- No.

Can you tell us
why we're looking at him?

His father's an old friend of mine.

And he is worried that his son
might be the Dead Rose Slasher.

Sure looks like the sketch.

Not our case. I don't wanna
give him over to the police

unless this is something
more than a father's paranoia.

So if you don't wanna help on this,
hey, I get it.

Whatever you need, Gibbs.

If you can get his number,

we can locate him,
discreetly check him out.

Thank you.

[DOOR OPENS THEN CLOSES]

- Hey, Leon.
- You mind some company?

I have an hour left
with the babysitter.

Yeah? Where'd you go?

Supposedly group
bereavement counseling.

Couldn't do it, so I'm consoling myself
with some double-chocolate brownies.

Would you care to join me?
I hate to eat alone.

- How're you doing?
- I'll be fine.

Just need some space.

I don't need people smothering me

with sympathy,
poor-him, puppy-dog looks.

- You talking about Abby?
- Mm-hm.

- She means well.
- I know.

Abby's got a big heart, Leon. She's just
trying to help you any way she can.

- Mm.
- And I appreciate the brownie.

Why are you really here?

I'm back on the job, Gibbs.
I don't like being out of the loop.

Chief of Metro detectives
called asking me,

"Why are you sticking your nose
in the Dead Rose Slasher case?"

Said you were at the crime scene,
Doctor Mallard questioned his M.E.

It's nothing official, Leon.

I'm just checking something out
for a friend.

It must be a good friend.

Yeah, he's been there for me.

[BLUES MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

[PEOPLE LAUGHING
AND CHATTERING]

[SIGHS]

Hi.

You ever had the burger here?

Sorry. No.

Do you live in the neighborhood?

- Excuse me?
- Ah, I'm just visiting.

And, um, this menu
does nothing for me.

Would you be able to recommend
anything else around here?

No, not really.

Hey, I'm Abby.

Hey, Abby, I'd really love to stay
and chat, but I have to go.

- Yeah, sure.
- Some other time.

We better follow him.

She fits the profile
of all the other victims. Come on.

Let's go.

[STEEL DRUM MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHATTERING AND LAUGHING]

Oh, look at that.

- You're too much. Thank you.
WAITRESS: Mm-hm.

Hey.

Dorneget, you're supposed to beat
the senior field agent to work.

I am so sorry. But the front desk
called me at like 3 a.m.

- Why?
- They said I ordered a wake-up call.

Can you believe that?

It took me forever to get back to sleep,
and then I guess I slept in.

I'm sorry, Agent DiNozzo,
I promise it won't happen again.

It's Tony when we're on stakeout.
The idea is we're supposed to blend in.

Right.

Speaking of, what in the name
of Brooks Brothers are you wearing?

You look like exactly what you are,
a pubescent federal agent.

Now, while you were sleeping,
I was already on the job.

Melissa Tourney left the royal suite
this morning, all alone.

Where is she now?

If you can be discreet,
she's the blond in the bikini

with the smoking-hot body
by the waterfall,

over your left shoulder. Left shoulder.
Stop it. Oh, my God, stop.

You're gonna have to work on that.

She's the kind of gal my father would
say you wanna make cookies with.

So do we just wait around
for Lance Corporal Alexander to show?

Yeah, that's exactly what we do.

We hope it takes him
a couple of days to show

so we can enjoy
this little slice of paradise.

Why don't you go find something
beachy to wear?

Hit the gift shop.
I'm gonna call the office.

Okay.

Get some sun block.

- How is Dorneget doing?
- He's an easier mark than McGee.

I pulled the old 3 a.m.
Wake-up on him.

- Of course you did.
- Give him a break, Tony.

Hey, McGander, check this out.

You see anything like that on
the metro rail this morning? Hi, ladies.

Wow.

Looking good. Looking very good.

I like the purple.

You make an arrest already,
did you, DiNozzo?

Boss, uh, no, well, I, uh...

Find Cameron Dean last night?

Traced his cell to a bar
near Union Station.

ZIVA: He was alone.
I tried making conversation,

but he was distracted
by a younger woman.

He could not take his eyes off her.

McGEE: Brunette. Mid-20s.
Fits the profile of the Slasher victims.

After she left the bar,
he followed her.

We tailed him a couple of blocks
to an apartment building.

Nothing happened.
He never approached her,

- left after she went inside.
- Where'd he go after?

McGEE: To his father's house.
Lights went off in his room at 1 a.m.

His father's a barber, boss.
Wouldn't happen to be yours?

Guys, later. Okay? Later.

SHARD: Gibbs.
- Hey, what're you doing here?

You weren't very forthcoming. Thought
I'd check in with Director Vance.

He assures me
NCIS will share information

- that's pertinent to my investigation.
- We will.

So give me the name of your suspect.
Vance claims, uh, he doesn't know it.

It is premature.
All we have now is someone

with a passing resemblance
to your sketch.

I'd like to talk to him.
What's the harm?

Is there anything
other than left-handed

that would eliminate
or incriminate my guy?

So your guy is left-handed.

[GIBBS CHUCKLES]
[PHONE RINGS]

Yeah, it's Gibbs.

DUCKY [OVER PHONE]:
Do you have a moment?

GIBBS:
Mm-hm. I'll be right there.

I gotta go. We'll be in touch.

Bill Shard.

- So, what do you do here?
- I'm Special Agent David.

- Been to Israel?
- Yeah.

- I was born there.
- Shalom.

DUCKY: I spoke with Doctor Hubbard.
GIBBS: Yeah, I know you did.

Oh?

He reported your conversation
to the chief of detectives

who called Director Vance.

And I thought I was so circumspect.

Duck, don't worry about it.
The chief complained about me too.

- Hubbard tell you anything?
- Yeah, the, uh, two recent murders

are identical
to those three years ago.

Based on the stab wounds,
the killer is most definitely left-handed,

and the same type and size of blade
was used in all cases.

- Killer leave any forensic evidence?
- None.

But Hubbard did reveal
something interesting.

Besides being in the same
physical phylum,

all of the young ladies
were intravenous drug users.

Detective Shard didn't mention that.

Thought he was holding
something back.

Well, it's funny you should say that.

Hubbard has a tell
when we play cards,

a little twitch
when he's hiding a good hand.

Last night, the old boy
was twitching like a worm on a hook.

There's something
they're not telling us.

Thanks.

NED:
I can't believe I'm saying this,

but I hate the Bahamas.
I hate the Bahamas.

Hey, Tony.
Tony, here's your burger.

- What took you so long?
- I had to wait in line.

There's mustard all over this thing.
I hate mustard.

- Then scrape it off.
- Take the burger back.

Uh-uh. No way. I am not
your personal assistant, Tony.

You getting feisty with me?

McGee warned me
you'd play the probie card.

I read the regs.

A senior agent cannot order
a probationary agent

to perform personal services.

- You brought your manuals with you.
- I have to study for my GS-11.

Well, take this back
before I slap you silly.

Ah, she's staring at us.

She's staring at me.
She has been for the last hour.

Why?

Maybe it's time I make contact.

- Should you do that?
- She'll think it's weird if I don't.

Watch and learn.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Couldn't help notice
you're sitting here all alone.

I thought maybe
you'd want some company.

Sure. Your partner won't mind?

Partner?

Oh, well, I assumed you two
were a couple.

Just your shirt is so pink.

[CHUCKLES]

It's the third time the Slasher
has struck the downtown area

in two weeks.

The latest victim was killed
early this morning,

her body found in an alley
across the street from this hotel

which is known to be frequented
by drug users and prostitutes.

Got my fingers crossed it's not the girl
we saw from the bar last night.

She did not look like a drug addict.

Her name is being withheld
pending notification of next of kin.

But I've been told she resembles
the other Dead Rose Slasher victims.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

Any idea where your guy
was last night?

Detective Shard
is gonna ask me the same thing.

That's him calling me right now.
Yeah, it's Gibbs.

This is a courtesy call, Gibbs,

to let you know I'm picking up
Cameron Dean for questioning.

- How'd you get his name?
- A little talent I acquired.

I can read upside down.

I saw his picture and his name
on that cute agent's desk.

We'll keep in touch.

- Shard has Cameron Dean's name.
- How did he get it?

Find the woman he was following,
make sure she's alive.

McGee, get Cameron Dean in here
before Metro finds him.

I'll call the Metro chief,
the commissioner, run interference.

- Don't look like you have good news.
- I wanna ask you something, Frank.

- Was Cameron home this morning?
- He was gone when I got up.

You think he killed that girl
they found?

No.

But the police are gonna call him
in for questioning.

What happened? Why?

Do they have evidence
that points to Cameron?

No. They learned
we were checking him out.

- How?
- I'm gonna do everything I can.

What happened?
Did you give him up to the cops?

- No. No, we got careless.
- Ugh.

I should have never said
anything to you.

No, you did the right thing.

FRANKIE:
What happened to my son?

Cameron.

Special Agent Gibbs.

[OVER SPEAKER]
Are you gonna be the one to tell me

what the hell's going on here?
Because no one else will.

GIBBS: Where were you
just before dawn this morning?

I was looking for work.

- What time did you leave your house?
- About a quarter to 6.

There was a construction company
that was hiring day laborers.

It's a first-come,
first-served kind of thing.

I didn't get it.

Why were you following her
last night?

What the hell is this all about?

Do you think
that I'm the serial killer?

Why were you following her?

I was doing a favor for a shipmate.

He's stationed in Bahrain.

This is his wife, and he thinks
that she's cheating on him.

He asked me to do him a favor,

so I followed her around to see
what she was up to. That's it.

[DOOR OPENS]

I'm taking him into custody.

Agent Gibbs is in the middle
of an interrogation.

You have no jurisdiction in my case,
Director Vance.

If your agents do anything
to jeopardize our investigation

or prosecution of this case,
you'll face charges.

We have our own reasonings
for questioning Mr. Dean.

GIBBS:
You got a problem?

Turn over the suspect.

We're holding him for 24 hours.

- For what?
- Stalking a Navy dependent.

This woman. We checked.
She's alive.

It doesn't mean he didn't kill
the woman we found this morning.

Look at him.
He could've posed for the sketch.

I want access to your files
on the serial killings.

Yeah, right.
You got big ones, Gibbs.

The point is moot,
Detective Shard. I talked to your chief.

He told me how backed up
your lab is.

I offered our assistance. He thought
a fresh set of eyes might be helpful.

All the physical evidence
is on its way over.

Hey, you want some help with that?

Yeah, sure.

[MELISSA CHUCKLES]

- The bronze master.
- Ooh.

[CELL PHONE BEEPS]

MELISSA:
Your friend checking up on you?

TONY: Hmm.
MELISSA: Oh.

My friend. Oh, he just got here.

I knew it was too good to be true.

Well, see you.

- Bye.
- Bye.

- See you.
- See you around.

[CHATTERING]

Hey, Melissa,
aren't you gonna introduce me?

- Who's this guy?
- Just someone I met at the pool.

Come on. Not just someone.

I'm NCIS, Agent Anthony DiNozzo.

- What's going on?
- I don't know.

Please stop... Unh!

[MAN GRUNTS]

TONY:
Get back here!

[GRUNTING]

TONY:
Come on.

[ALL PANTING]

Did I hear you say, "Please stop"?

Come on.

- You have a minute?
- Um, sure.

But I was just going
down to the garage

because the Dead Rose Slasher
evidence just came in from Metro.

I'll ride down with you.
We can talk along the way.

Okay.

- Um, did I do something wrong?
- No, quite the contrary.

I need your help.

Look, I know you're busy,

but, uh, when you have time,
I'd like to ask a favor.

Oh, sure. I mean, anything. What?

Kayla needs help
with her science project.

- It is not my strong suit.
- Science project?

- Yes.
- Heh, it's only like my favorite thing.

Totally got me
through middle school.

- I would love to. I can't wait.
- Thank you.

Would you, uh, do me a favor
and make sure

- that Kayla does some of the work?
- Got it.

How, um?

How is she?

She's okay. I, uh...

I think she could benefit
from having a strong adult woman

in her life right now.

- Director Vance...
- Hmm?

...would you mind
if I gave you a hug?

Wouldn't mind at all.

- Hey, Abs.
- Hey.

Great us finally getting
to work together, huh?

- I know.
- Heh.

Director Vance, this is Metro P.D.'s
Forensic Specialist Ramsey Boone.

Uh-huh, Director Vance. Wow,
it must be a pretty friendly agency.

- You get to hug the boss, huh?
- Uh-uh.

Special circumstances.
Glad to meet you, Ramsey.

- Ramsey and I go way back.
- Yeah. We met at criminal college.

- We were roommates.
- Junior and senior year.

- He graduated summa cum laude.
- Heh.

- Behind Abby, first in her class.
- Yeah, I got it.

Ramsey, thanks for your help on this,
but I gotta get going.

I got kids to feed.

Ah. Looks like we got a lot of evidence
to get through, huh?

Yeah.

- All-nighter?
- All-nighter. Ha.

Cameron Dean's buddy in Bahrain
confirmed his story.

He did ask Dean
to check up on his wife.

Good. I just spoke
to the construction company.

Cameron Dean's name was on
the wait list yesterday morning.

- Sounds like he's in the clear.
- Mm-hm.

- Oh, they're back.
TONY: Hey, hey.

[IN CARIBBEAN ACCENT] The
double-Ds, DiNozzo and Dorneget,

- got their man.
- When do I get my lawyer?

[IN NORMAL VOICE]
Relax, big guy.

Ned. What happened?

- Oh, uh, nothing.
TONY: He got punched in the head.

Rookie mistake.
Take him to lock-up, Dorney.

Okay. Come on.

[CHUCKLES]

- So where's the stripper?
- Detained by Bahamian authorities.

- Awaiting extradition.
- Did you recover the money?

Most of it. And I got this for you.
Heh.

Extra small.

It's good to be back.

Oh, hi. You must be Gibbs.

Yeah, Abby described your haircut,
like, perfectly.

- Uh, she sounded excited.
- Yeah.

- Abby! Where is she?
- Uh...

She is brushing her teeth.

[ABBY AND RAMSEY CHUCKLE]

Wow, can a body really absorb
any more caffeine? Heh.

- What have you got?
ABBY: Mm.

Well, the Gibbs gut was right.

Shard was not sharing everything.
You'll love this. It's creepy.

The slasher left a plain
silver wedding band

in the mouths
of each one of his victims.

Yeah, and only three people knew.

Doc Hubbard, the medical examiner
who found them...

And Detective Shard
who's in charge of the investigation.

- And me.
- Ramsey was sworn to secrecy but...

Yeah, but the chief told me
to share everything with you.

Now, the rings are the reason
that we know that the recent murders

and the ones from three years ago
were committed by the same person.

- That's it?
- No.

- Well, we also found the killer's DNA.
- Where'd you get it?

No, not me. No, Abby found it.
She's a genius.

No! It was teamwork.
We did it together.

I had the evidence, like, three years.
I never found anything.

Yeah, you would have.
I just got lucky.

RAMSEY: Ha, ha.
- Where did you get it?

Oh, um...

Well, I found a teensy-weensy
bit of blood on the thorn

from the rose
left on Victim Number 2.

The killer must've pricked his finger.
How did I miss it?

The good news is
it is not Cameron Dean's blood.

- Whose is it?
- We ran the DNA.

And we got a hit.

Meet Leo Winkler.

- Yeah, he looks like the sketch.
- It's a dead ringer.

Yeah, but don't get too excited,
Gibbs,

because he's a dead ringer,
like, dead ringer.

Like really, really dead ringer.

[RAMSEY CHUCKLES]

Yeah, Winkler died shortly after
the killings stopped three years ago.

So if he didn't commit
the most recent murders,

who did?

- Copycat.
- Copycat.

Let me get this straight.
While Dorney and I were away,

you guys got involved
in the Dead Rose Slasher case?

- Yep.
- No way. I'm obsessed with that case.

I DVR'd the local news coverage while
we were gone so I could keep up.

We solved the first three murders.

ZIVA: Abby and her boyfriend did.
- Ramsey is not her boyfriend.

- Who's Ramsey?
- The killer's name was Leo Winkler.

He died in a bar fight
three years ago.

He's a very tragic character.

Medical records reveal Mr. Winkler
was born to a drug-addicted woman

whose name, curiously, was Rose.

The flower he symbolically left
on each young lady's corpse.

He was killing women
like his unwed mother

to prevent them
from having children like himself.

If he died,
who's committing the recent murders?

A copycat
who could not be Cameron Dean.

- Who's Cameron Dean?
- Gibbs' barber's kid.

- Gibbs' barber?
ZIVA: Thank God.

Cameron's finally in the clear.

His only crime was looking
like the sketch, being left-handed.

Yeah, there's no way he could've
known about the wedding bands.

- Are you following any of this?
- Almost.

Shh. On second thought, why don't
you go back to the evidence locker?

Thank you.

[CHUCKLES]

Love that kid, heh.

- Want a ride?
- No.

What I wanna know is why I was
being suspected and followed.

Someone thought you looked like
the police sketch.

Who?

Cameron.

- You thought I was the serial killer?
- In my heart I knew you weren't, son.

You know what?
I'm gonna take the stairs.

Cameron.

Cameron. Cameron, wait up.

Look, put yourself in his place,
all right?

A bunch of things from your past.
And then he sees the sketch.

My father's never believed me.
He has no idea who I am.

Don't cut him out of your life.

You only get one father.

[SIGHS]

Talk to him.

[DOOR CLOSES]

The fact the killer hid wedding bands
in each of the victim's mouth

was kept a secret. We used it
to discredit false confessions.

And you never considered
a copycat?

[SHARD SIGHS]

- No.
- So only you,

your M.E. And a forensic scientist
knew about the wedding band?

Look, Tom Hubbard is nearly
80 years old and frail.

Trust me, he is not your slasher.

And Ramsey Boone,
our forensic tech?

Weird, but I seriously doubt
he has it in him to harm anybody.

That leaves me.
I'll take a polygraph right now.

- No one else had access?
- No.

And the information wasn't
on any electronic database?

No...

What?

I, uh...

I gave a redacted summary
to a TV reporter.

- Who?
- Bart Crowley.

Why?

The case had gone cold

and Crowley approached me
about doing a news segment.

He's been on this story
since the beginning.

He's the one who coined
the name The Dead Rose Slasher.

I figured we'd get that sketch out there
and reboot the investigation.

You got a copy
of what you gave him?

Yeah, somewhere.

Shard blacked-out 15 mentions
of the wedding band,

but he missed one reference.

Crowley could have found it.

In the three-year period
the serial killings stopped,

Crowley's career suffered.
He never got another major story.

Rumor is he was gonna be let go.

Then the Dead Rose Slasher
returns,

and he's back with the lead story.

You think he became
the copycat to resurrect his career?

You find out where Crowley is now
and where he was yesterday morning.

ZIVA:
Mm-hm.

I talked to Kayla last night.

She's chosen a project
about the effects of global warming

- on the Chesapeake Bay.
- I really appreciate this.

And I have already pulled temperature
and tide charts for a 30-year period.

LEON: How's the eye, Dorneget?
- Uh, it's fine, sir.

Why are you highlighting
those old manuals?

I'm preparing for my GS-11 exam.

We haven't given that test
in over 20 years.

But I heard you were reinstating it.

- From whom?
- Agent DiNozzo.

Dorneget, you're being probied.

Yeah, but Ziva confirmed it.

That's because
he did the same thing to her,

and she studied for three months.

Dorneget, let's teach
Agent DiNozzo a lesson.

- Look at what I found.
- Where's DiNozzo?

This was taken an hour before
the last victim's body was found.

And this is Bart Crowley's car.

It was parked two blocks away
from yesterday's crime scene.

While Ziva was reviewing security
camera footage in the neighborhood,

I tracked Crowley's cell phone.

It was turned off at 4:23 a.m.
And back on at 5:30.

- You suspect Crowley?
- Yes.

Matches the estimated time
of death.

The schmuck should've left
his cell phone at home, turned on.

Got enough for search warrants?

Uh...

If it means anything,
Bart Crowley is left-handed.

I watched all of his reports
last night.

He holds the microphone with his left
and wears a watch on the right.

Okay, thank you, guys.

Police have identified
the latest slasher victim

as a Jessica Ann Jackson,
a 26-year-old waitress.

Family members I spoke with
said they had lost contact

with Jessica
in the last couple of years.

Neighbors I spoke with...

Uh, hold it for a second, Chris.

- What's up?
- We've got a break in the case, Bart.

- Hey, great.
SHARD: Thanks to NCIS.

We got DNA that ties a suspect
to Victim Number 2.

- You make an arrest?
- No, no, we can't do that.

That guy died three years ago.

How do you explain
all the recent killings?

Copycat.

Huh.

I didn't see that coming.

We got a pretty good idea
who it might be.

SHARD: Just executed
a search warrant on the apartment,

found a few interesting items
in the bedroom drawer.

Two dead, long-stemmed roses,
several silver wedding bands,

and the coup de gr?ce,
a six-inch knife.

I'm betting we find traces of
the victims' blood on the blade.

Hmm?

Your camera crew's
been shooting all this.

Why don't you turn around?
Go on, turn around.

Your arrest is gonna make
excellent footage on tonight's news.

Morning, Timmy.

Dorney, did you get a little hall pass
to come play with the grownups?

Look at you, all grown up,
wearing a suit.

- Ah, what have we here?
- No idea.

Red envelope.
Oh, it's just my expense report.

I just handed this in. The Bahamas.
We had some fun down there.

Look at that,
a little note signed by the director.

What's he saying?
It's been rejected?

I'm being audited
for the past two years?

- What is this?
- Oh, that's too bad.

No.

No, no, no.

Is this your doing?

Have a nice day, Frank.

Hey, Dad.

Nope. Nope, I'm just checking in.

[CHUCKLES]
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