NCIS (2003–…): Season 2, Episode 14 - Witness - full transcript

Come on!

-| always get that confused.
-No. No, it's simple.

If the groundhog sees his shadow,
six more weeks of winter.

If he doesn't,
spring's right around the corner.

Are you sure that it's not
the other way around?

Trust me. I know what I'm talking about.

-See you later.
-Thanks.

-All right, Thursday, 11:00 am.
-Sharp.

-|'|| be there.
-You'll make it this time?

-I promise.
-See you then.

-Are you okay?
-Yeah.

No. I hate going to the dentist.

I've had a phobia since I was a child,
and now I need a root canal.

That doesn't sound like fun.

No. I've cancelled my appointment
three times.

-What's not fun?
-Nothing.

Who's Dr Jackson?

-You read that upside down?
-A talent that serves me well.

-What's wrong with you?
-Well, he's a dentist.

And our Ms Todd is afraid of dentists.

-Who told you that?
-Ethically, I can't reveal my source.

It's the same person who told me
probie wasn't potty-trained

till he was six.

Get the sedan, McGee.

-Where are we going, boss?
-Not we. You.

Apartment building in Georgetown.

A woman reported
seeing a sailor being strangled.

Me? Alone?

Metro Police don't think it's anything,
but the woman's insistent.

-What do you want me to do?
-lnvestigate, McGee. It's what we do.

-If there's anything, call in.
-Right.

-Our little boy's growing up.
-Cut it out, DiNozzo.

It's a vote of confidence.

-Really? You think so?
-|t's a test.

Don't listen to him.

-Excuse me, sir.
-FLOYD: Yeah?

NCIS. Special Agent McGee.

So you're what they sent me.
Geez, I'm feeling old.

NCIS is here. Say goodbye to little lady.

Copy that.

So what have you got?

There's no need to write it down, kid.

The woman up there said that she saw
a sailor being strangled across the way.

Never happened.

-You checked it out?
-Yeah, the apartment manager let us in.

No sign of struggle.
Nobody was even there.

No forcible entry.

Neighbours didn't see or hear anything.

-So why did you call us?
-She wouldn't let it go.

I think she was up a little bit too late.

Had a little too much to drink,
you know?

Look, I've got some other
real cases to investigate.

Her name is Erin Kendall.
Apartment ZB.

Make sure you ask her
to show you the video.

;%§i

-You're the cop from NCIS?
-Special Agent McGee.

Come on in.
Maybe I can get somewhere with you.

Well, by the time I started to record,
they were gone.

And, yes, I'd had a few glasses of wine,
but I saw a sailor being strangled.

-You're sure it was a sailor?
-Yes!

He was wearing his service dress blues.

| work for DOD.
I know military uniforms.

”Infinite-Dimensional Homo/ogical
Algebra for Binary Systems. "

You read this?

Oh, yeah, I had the author, Sidnitski,
in graduate school.

-You went to MIT?
-Yes.

Me, too.

The root canal?

l have an appointment
with the dentist in the morning.

You're going to keep it this time?

I can help you.

l have a friend who had a fear of flying.
He was cured by a hypnotist.

A hypnotist? I don't think so.

(PHONE RINGING)

Yeah, Gibbs.

-Boss, it's McGee.
-Yeah?

-I think there may be something here.
-You think?

Well...

Do we roll or not, McGee?

Roll, boss.

DiNozzo, get the truck.

-Is that the witness?
-Yeah, Tony.

Crime scene?

Second floor
of this apartment building here.

Occupant is a civilian named Thorne.
Robert J. He's not at home.

Let's check it out.

I hope you have more to go on
than her sweet smile.

The police already checked this out.

Thorne's one of my best tenants.
I don't want to lose him.

Is this gonna take you guys long?

I got a meeting
with my doctoral committee.

When was the last time
you saw Mr Thorne?

I don't know. About a week ago.
He travels a lot.

We can let ourselves out.

You made the call.

What were you basing
your decision on?

The credibility of the witness.

MIT graduate, Phi Beta Kappa,
builds computer models for DOD.

We've all seen the credentials.

-That's it?
-No.

No, to get a closer look at the assault,

Erin used a camcorder
with a 200-to-1 zoom lens.

Let's see the video.

Well, she didn't actually start recording

until after the men had moved away
from the window.

But it does show that the lights were on.

When Metro Police got here,
they were off.

That would do it for me.

Boss? The truth?

That would be good.

If there's one thing I've learnt from you,

it's that sometimes
an agent has to go with their gut.

Okay.

What would you do now, McGee?

-|'|| dust for prints.
-|'|| shoot.

We're not gonna spend
a lot of time on this.

I can't work like this, McGee.
Get off my back!

I'm sorry.

It'sjust, everything is riding on you
finding something

-that places a sailor in that apartment.
-| wish I were a magician.

DiNozzo says a lot of things.
Actually, this time he's probably right.

Gibbs tested me.

-Really?
-Yeah.

-What happened?
-Nothing. I passed.

Your problem is the crime scene.
If it really is a crime scene.

It's too clean.
It didn't produce any quality prints.

Abby, it is a crime scene.

Then it is.

Now get out of here
and let me finish my work.

Thank you, Abs.

Photos from the scene of the crime.

Annual performance reviews
are next week.

Two sailors
in the National Capital Region

were reported UA today. One female.

I'm getting the particulars on the other.

(PHONE RINGING)

-McGee.
-Good news, I think.

-Did you get a match?
-Put her on the speaker.

Iran the only clean prints

from the apartment through AFIS.

It belongs to Petty Officer
First Class Keith Dillon, USN.

-ls he your missing sailor, Kate?
-Dillon, comma, Keith. Sure is.

Boss! Boss, Erin was right.

-What does that mean, McGee?
-Well, she wasn't imagining it.

It also means a sailor may be dead.

Keith Dillon. 32. Single. Never married.
Lives in Anacostia.

Assigned to Pax River.

-What's he do?
-Motor pool. Driver.

I talked to Dillon's CO.
He's still a no-show.

We're going back
to Thorne's apartment.

I'll get the truck.

You did want me to get the truck, yes?

I'm going to enjoy this.

ERIN: The attacker's back was to me
most of the time.

-Like this?
-Yeah.

And then he pulled the sailor
off to your right.

Gosh, I can't tell you how many times
I've thought of doing this.

-I dare you, DiNozzo.
-Oh, yeah?

That's just what it looked like.

There are so many things
I could say right now.

Probie, get the ALS up here.

Yeah, it's urine.

Boss, tenant does not appear
to have a pet.

Have Abby do a DNA analysis.

In the meantime,
we go over this place top to bottom.

I'll get the equipment.

Excuse me.

I want all the information you have
on your tenant Thorne.

Contact numbers, place of employment,
apartment lease. Everything.

Oh, I'm just the manager.

I call the plumber
when the toilet backs up.

The building's owned
by Hawley Street Holding in Boston.

-They got all that.
-Get it for me.

-Did you find anything?
-Urine. On the carpet.

-Urine?
-Evacuation.

When somebody dies,
their sphincter and bladder relax.

Probably more
than she wants to know, McGee.

-Special Agent Gibbs believe me now?
-More than he did before.

McGee!

-|'|| let you know what's going on. Okay?
-Okay.

(DRILL HUMMING)

Clear.

Boss, I already vacuumed the couch
for fibres.

It's a convertible sofa, McGee.
I slept on one for seven months.

That would be after the third wife?

That would be none of my business.

The missing Mr Thorne
is even more mysterious.

And dangerous.

What do you think was in there?

Drugs.

Hawley Street Holding faxed over a copy

of Thorne's lease agreement
and rental application.

You're gonna need Thorne's permission
if you wanna remove property.

When he shows up, tell him to call me.

Well, I'm going to need a receipt.

You can handle something that big?

You'd be surprised at what I can handle.

Oh, really? Now, do you think
I could drive a truck like this?

Not much I can tell you.

Petty Officer Dillon did his job,
and that's about it.

Didn't hang around. Didn't socialize.

-He ever been late before?
-No, this is a first.

I waited until noon to report him UA.

He ever mention a man named Thorne?

Not that I remember.

What's happened?

Dillon's only been UA a couple hours,
and NCIS is involved?

According to his service records,

Petty Officer Dillon washed out
of SEAL training.

Yeah, I heard he rang the bell.

Agent Gibbs, I'm his CO.
I want to know what's going on.

We have a report of a sailor
being strangled.

And you think
it was Petty Officer Dillon?

We found his prints at the scene.
No body. That's all I can tell you.

Hey, DiNozzol

I gotta go. Check you later.

-You know where to find me.
-Okay.

Get her number?

I wasn't hitting on her,
and neither was Petty Officer Dillon.

She was interested in him,
but he has a girlfriend.

-Did you get her name?
-Meg. It fits a hot chick like that.

-You meant Dillon's girlfriend.
-Check out his place in Anacostia.

I enjoy going to the dentist.

-What could you possibly enjoy?
-A little pain is a good thing, Kate.

That's why people
put hot sauce on tacos.

What did the urine tell you, Abby?

Oh, all kinds of stuff.
We had a really good talk.

l was able to extract epithelial cells.

That's human urine, boss.

-What else?
-No recreational drugs. Not diabetic.

-Male or female?
-Wasn't pregnant.

-DNA?
-Oh, you're never satisfied, are you?

I'm working on it.
And the ballistics from Thorne's gun.

But I found something interesting
in the mattress cut-out.

-Do you want to come see?
-Be down in a minute.

Okay.

-I need an assistant.
-lt's not in the budget.

The name Robert J. Thorne
has to be an alias.

Nothing on his apartment
rental application checks out.

His driver's licence, social,
references are all phoney.

He lists his occupation
as a sales representative,

but the company doesn't exist.

The owners of the building
didn't verify anything?

He paid the first month, last month
and every payment since in cash.

Apparently, dead presidents
are the only reference they needed.

Ran the serial number on Thorne's SIG
by the manufacturer.

It was sold 15 months ago
to a Virginia dealer.

He works gun shows.
Trying to track him down.

What did you find?

Bed wasn't made, but from the looks
of the place, it never is.

What about the girlfriend?

Indications are they're in
the not-ready—to-commit stage.

-lndications?
-Yeah.

She keeps her cosmetics
and her toothbrush there,

but no clothes.

And they are intimate,
but not at the moment.

-Okay, now, how would you know that?
-Gyne-Lotrimin.

Jill Meyers has a yeast infection.

I'm gonna call the pharmacy
and get her address.

You may not admire his methods,
but you gotta love the results.

I'm with Abby.

-Boss, can I come?
-Come on.

What do you got, Abs?

-Do l have to answer the newbie?
-Humour him.

There were traces of cocaine
found inside the box.

So Tony was right.
He was dealing drugs.

Maybe not.
The traces were microscopic.

So it could just be from hiding money.

He calls himself a federal agent.

The US money supply is contaminated
with traces of cocaine.

I thought that was an urban myth.

-Give me a bill.
-Huh?

Give me a bill.

A hundred?

Yeah, I like to be prepared
for any emergency.

You're such a boy scout.

Money is a great receptor
because the ink never really dries.

One bill used to snort cocaine
and then going through an ATM

leaves minute traces of the drugs
on thousands of others.

Four out of five bills in circulation

are contaminated to a level
that can be detected by drug dogs.

-Abs?
-Yeah?

-Forgetting something?
-No.

Hey, McGee!

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

One sec.

Special Agent McGee.

Yeah, kid. This is Detective Floyd.

We found something
you might be interested in.

Step out of there.

I knew Erin saw what she saw.

That feeling in my gut was right.

That feeling you experienced
was lower than your gut, probie.

-All right, Ducky, you're up.
-Thanks, Caitlin.

I'd have to be really desperate
to use one of these things.

Yeah, wretched, aren't they?

Looks like your missing sailor
was dumped here over the weekend.

His watch and his wallet are missing.

The killer didn't know he was seen
strangling Petty Officer Dillon.

-He made it look like a mugging.
-Makes sense.

Any luck tracking Thorne down?

The name's an alias.

The kid's got good instincts, you know.

Yeah, you think so, huh?

-McGee!
-Yeah.

-Did you leave my coffee in the truck?
-Oh, I'm getting it now, boss.

Keep me posted.

Duck?

Based on lividity and blood pooling,
the body was most definitely moved.

The ligature marks indicate
strangulation as the cause of death.

These parallel lines
suggest electrical cord.

Time of death, 12 to 14 hours ago.

-That would confirm the witness' story.
-Yeah.

Bag his head and hands, Mr Palmer.

Hey, do you want to help me
with the grid?

Give me the hypnotist's number.

Here you go, boss.

What's next?

-What?
-How do we proceed, McGee?

Right.

Well, we've got to figure out
who Thorne is,

and find a connection between him
and Petty Officer Dillon.

Probably the money.

And I think it would be a smart move

to keep an eye on Thorne's apartment.

If he doesn't know we're on to him,
he'll be back.

What else?

I think Erin and the building manager
should work on a composite sketch.

-Am I forgetting anything?
-Just to keep my coffee hot, McGee.

Would you bring me
an evidence vial, please, Mr Palmer?

This fibre appears synthetic.

Most likely the Petty Officer
didn't pick it up from the portable loo.

Their making your death
appear a robbery

was a very amateurish attempt
at a red herring.

I've always found that
a very curious expression.

Yes, it is, isn't it?
You know the derivation?

Fox and hounds.

How's that, Dr Mallard?

Well, the only practical way
to cure a herring

is by smoking and salting.

Yes, it turns the fish a crimson red

and gives it a very distinctive smell.

In the early 15th century,
they used to train their hounds

to hunt foxes by dragging a red herring
along the ground on a piece of string,

to leave a trail of scent
for the dogs to follow.

Then later on,

they would drag a red herring
across the scent trail of a real fox

to test the dog's ability

to ignore a false scent or false clue.

Hence the term "red herring"
became to mean a false clue

designed to fool one's opponent.

-lt's fascinating.
-Yeah.

Thank you.

Do you know the etymology
of the phrase, "white elephant"?

You know,
I should really get this up to Abby.

Well, because of its rarity,
the King of Siam declared

all white elephants
his personal property.

-How's that?
-Yes. Excellent.

Oh, that'll work.

Yeah, I'll do that.

It should be organically processed.
It's just a normal software.

-This is as far as you've gotten?
-Yeah. That's as far as we're gonna get.

I'm sorry.
I just can't remember what he looks like.

Show her the composite
the manager did.

I did. It's a waste of time.
It could have been anybody.

-|'|| try something.
-Okay.

What are you doing?

Erin is incredible!

She has rewritten the software code
to the MAU programme

to incorporate hyper-threading.

But I thought
you were working on the composite.

It's not gonna happen.

Erin, any idea
on how to overclock the processors?

Yeah, you've got two options.

Changing either the FSB
or the multiplier locks.

Oh, a gift from Dr Mallard.

-There it is!
-That's amazing!

Jill Meyers.

NCIS. Special Agent Todd, DiNozzo.

We'd like to talk to you
about a Petty Officer Keith Dillon.

When's the last time you saw him?

A couple of days ago.

So how did you find out
that I know Keith?

Did he tell you?

Petty Officer Dillon has been murdered.

What?

What happened?

Well, that's what we're trying to find out.

How long have you
and Petty Officer Dillon been

seeing each other?

Keith came in a couple months ago.

-So he's dead?
-Yeah.

You're married.

Yeah.

Your husband know about Keith?

He's... He's in Iraq.
Been there eight months.

Any way he could have found out?

Were things getting serious with Keith?

I was going to send my husband
an email, breaking up.

Good thing I didn't.

Keith wanted me to quit myjob
and move in with him.

-He was going to support you?
-Yeah.

He was coming into a lot of money.
Guess I'm stuck here now.

Keith ever talk
about a guy named Robert Thorne?

Keith didn't talk about anything.

Our relationship was more physical
than anything else.

I do know he was pissed
he didn't make it as a Navy SEAL.

Anything else?

My husband doesn't need
to find out about Keith, right?

A "Dear John," by email?

What a calculating witch.
She gives all women a bad name.

I'm never getting married.
There's no upside to it.

That's not true.
Statistically, married men live longer.

They don't actually live longer,
it just seems longer.

-You're so cynical.
-Am I?

Marriage was never intended to last
more than a few years.

-And where did you get that?
-Anthropology 101.

The concept was invented by cavemen
with a life expectancy of 25 years.

"'Till death do us part"
meant four or five years tops.

That was very enlightening, DiNozzo.

And I do understand now.
You think like a Neanderthal.

(HEAW METAL MUSIC BLARING)

Hey!

-Jeez!
-Don't mess with my music!

-How do you work with that?
-It helps me to concentrate.

-On what?
-Fibres that Ducky found on Dillon.

Definitely from the trunk lining of a car.

I'm gonna run them
through the FBI's MAU database

and try to narrow it down to make,
model and year. What's this?

Thorne's original Virginia
gun purchase application for his SIG.

See if you can lift a print off it.

-As soon as I'm finished with this.
-No, Abby. Do it now.

I have a dentist appointment
tomorrow morning.

Did you see the hypnotist?

-You weren't going to tell me.
-I don't like crutches.

I hope you never break a leg.

Who's sitting Thorne's apartment?

Special Agent Balboa.
I'm on my way to relieve him.

Did you find the girlfriend?

-She's a piece of work, but we did find...
-|t's all about the money, boss.

Petty Officer Dillon told his girlfriend
he was gonna be rich.

A career E-6?
It wasn't coming from the Navy.

We figure Thorne killed him
for the money.

You think?

What are you thinking?

-Where's the money?
-Thorne took it.

-Why'd he leave his weapon?
-He's coming back.

ERIN: Well, I'm fascinated.

You have multiple degrees,
including Computer Science from MIT.

How did you end up a Federal Agent?

It was by design.

| always wanted to be
in law enforcement.

I never thought I'd be talking like this
with someone who carries a gun.

(THUDDING)

-Erin?
-Hold on.

What is it?

-|'|| be right back.
-Okay.

(DOORKNOB RATTLING)

Somebody's trying
to break into my apartment.

I'll be right there.

Don't hang up! I'm coming!

You'll be fine.

FLOYD: The boy witnessed a murder.

GIBBS: He was staked out
in Thorne's apartment.

Could he pick the killer out of a lineup?

You have a suspect?

No, but if! did,
I'd like to find out if your boy could...

His name is Special Agent McGee.

If Special Agent McGee
could make a positive ID.

Get a suspect and we'll find out.

I'll secure the crime scene.

My ME will be here in about 10 minutes.

She was my witness.
This is still my case.

A civilian kills another civilian?

I do not think so.

Nobody gets in here
but our forensic team.

Right.

Hey.

I should have been watching
from Erin's apartment.

No, you were exactly where
you were supposed to be, McGee.

I saw Erin lying there,

and I rushed in
without clearing the room.

He hit me from behind with something.

A lamp.

-I should have got him.
-You tried.

I tried to save Erin and I didn't.

I tried to shoot her killer, and I missed.

Her death is not your fault, Tim.

All I can see is Erin lying on the floor.

A shot woke me up,

and I looked out the window
and I saw a guy in a dark jumpsuit

running towards...
I think it was S Street.

I'll take over here.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

-So what happened here?
-What?

I got a match on the slug that I fired

from the gun found
in Thorne's apartment.

-Yeah?
-I ran it through ATF.

It was used in two unsolved murders.

What's up, boss?

Cancel Ducky.

Let's get out of here.

-TONY: Bowers.
-Bowers?

-B-O-W-E-R-S.
-Got it.

Can you fax me a copy of the files?

Great. Thanks, Lieutenant.

Some advice?

You can sit there and second-guess

what you should or shouldn't have done,
and never get the answer.

Or you can get back on the job
and catch the bastard.

The SIG in Thorne's sofa bed
was used to murder

a Carole Anne VanBuren
in suburban Raleigh

and a Thomas Roy Bowers in Baltimore.

-Any tie between them?
-Just the SIG.

VanBuren was involved
in a messy divorce.

Husband's a lot richer with her dead.

Bowers was a tough union steward
leading a long strike.

-Both hits.
-Sounds like it.

Have the local LEOs in Raleigh
and Baltimore...

Fax the files. Already did, boss.

-How's the root canal?
-Nothing to it.

-Thanks to?
-You, Tony.

I have to give you credit.
The hypnotist really worked.

Thank you.

You know, Gibbs, this hypnotist
consults with police departments

on cases of repressed memory.

She might be able
to help McGee recall details.

Yeah? Why don't we just use
a Ouija board?

-Hypnotism isn't a parlour game, Gibbs.
-Could fool me.

-Can we at least try?
-No.

Hell, why not?

Boss, I don't think I can be hypnotized.

He's ready.

Now, traumatic memories
are permanent.

The biggest barrier
to recalling them is stress.

Well, McGee was certainly
under a lot of stress last night.

Probie's always under stress, Kate.

Well, with hypnosis
we bypass the stress,

go into the subconscious
where the memories are.

Now, being here
where the incident occurred will help.

So does a good whack to the head.

May I continue, Agent Gibbs?

Agent McGee,
when I touch your forehead,

you will open your eyes
and remain fully relaxed.

It will be last night when you were
talking to Erin on your cell phone.

You will see and hear everything clearly.

-What is it?
-What's happening?

She's heard a sound. She's scared.

-What is she saying?
-She's talking low.

Sounds frightened.

Her exact words.

"Someone's trying
to break into my apartment."

-What did you do?
-I went to the window.

Do it.

What did you see?

Erin's being assaulted.
l have to help her.

Just stay with this feeling.

Are you looking at the attacker's face?
Describe it.

I can't see it.

-How is he dressed?
-Jumpsuit.

Hooded jacket.

-What else can you see?
-His hands.

Putting something around her throat.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

-ABBY: Gibbs.
-Hold on.

A watch.

Describe the watch.

Large.

On his right wrist.

-|'ve got to help her.
-It's all right. You're going to sit down.

When I touch your forehead,
you'll be fully aware.

Your memory, sharp and clear.

-Yeah, go ahead.
-/ don't know what you're doing,

but it can't be more important
than what I've got.

-Just say it, will you, Abs?
-You asked. Ilifted.

It wasn't easy, but I got a partial
off Thorne's gun application.

-You ran it through AF/S?
-I didn't have to.

-Why not?
-Because I already know

everything that you need to know
about him.

Good work, Abs.

-Can you give us a minute, please?
-Sure, no problem.

Abby found Thorne.

-Where?
-In Ducky's cold storage vault.

-TONY: He's dead?
-I don't understand.

Abby matched a print
taken from Dillon's corpse

to one taken
from Thorne's gun application.

Petty Officer Dillon
and Thorne are the same guy.

Dillon was the hit man?

Probably used the name Thorne

when he was hired
to kill those two people.

A macho, washed-out SEAL,
trying to prove his worth.

Creates a fictitious persona, Thorne,
to freelance as a killer.

If there's no Thorne,
who murdered Erin and Dillon?

Whoever stole the money from the sofa.

Boss, the killer was wearing his watch
on his right wrist.

Hey, what's going on?

-Hey, did you guys find Thorne?
-Yeah, we found him.

You bastard!
You wear your watch on your right hand.

A lot of people do.

You have the keys
to Thorne's apartment.

I'm the manager.
I got keys to all the apartments.

Did Detective Floyd tell you
that the young woman across the street

witnessed the murder
in Thorne's apartment?

We're going to match
the fibres found on Dillon's body

to the trunk fibres in your car.

What do you think about that?

MAN: Watch it!

WOMAN 1: What are you doing?

WOMAN 2: Is he all right?

No! No! No! No!
Don't! Don't! Don't! Don't!

McGee!

If you're gonna shoot him,

you should have done it
while he was running!

Turn over.

-You are so...
-Coordinated?

-Adolescent.
-I prefer the term "fun-loving."

Oh, hey! Food fight!

Guys. Guys! Guys!

-Please, I'm trying to write.
-I'm sorry, McGee.

-Need any help?
-No, thank you. Just some quiet.

No problema.

Remember your...

-Remember your first report, Kate?
-Yes.

Gibbs made me rewrite it twice.

Felt like I was in grammar school again.

Aren't you gonna pick up
those carrot sticks?

I didn't throw any carrot sticks.

I can't stand working in a pigsty.

-He only made you redo it twice?
-I forgot to spell-check.

How many times, Tony?

Can I catch a peanut in my mouth
without missing?

Did you have to
redo your first report for Gibbs?

-A few.
-What's a few?

Five. It would have been more,
but I took pity on him.

McGee.

Good job.

-Send it up to the Director.
-Will do, boss.

Any more food fights in here,
I'm joining in with peas.

-Frozen peas?
-Nope. In the can.

"Dear Mr and Mrs Kendall."

KATE: It's a sympathy note.

-That's nice, McGee.
-That's very nice.