NCIS

Mr. Palmer, you are slipping.

Hm...

Good morning.

Uh, how may I help you?

Yes, this is Dr. Mallard.

...about your brother...

Wh-When can we meet?

Now?

Yes, yes, now-now is fine.

Well... there's a place

makes a decent cup of tea in Arlington,

first street off the military base.

Fine.

I-I can be there in 20 minutes.

All right. See you there.

Hello, Dr. Mallard. Tha...

Oh, don't tell me-- it's Dust Day.

I'll tell you what, I...

== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man

You're lurking.

I'm gathering data.

Ah, Bishop. Yeah, she just got back from Oklahoma.

Visiting the fam. Trying to figure out

whether Jake's still in the picture or not.

Right.

Still wearing her wedding ring.

Seems in good spirits.

She dumped Jake. They're still married.

What? What?

This Opposite Day or something?

No, every day is Opposite Day when it comes to a woman.

Especially a woman scorned.

And Jake did some serious scorning.

He's a dead man.

Bishop's the last person you'd expect

to slit someone's throat in their sleep.

Which would make her the first.

Now you're catching on.

You know I can hear every word you're saying.

That's impossible. I'm whispering.

It's the skylight.

The angle causes

an acoustic reflection

from the stairs to my desk.

Really?

Mm-hmm,

just like Nancy at the Far East desk

can hear everything I say.

Nancy, can you hear me?

Hey, Nancy.

Wow. I've been here 15 years, I...

That's how he does it.

How who does what?

Gibbs. That's how he knows

everything we're saying.

There must be a sweet spot in this room.

A little acoustic...

...where he can hear every single thing we say.

I bet you he comes in here early

and he waits, bides his time,

like a howler monkey in heat

waiting for exactly

the right moment to...

Step in and finish your sentence?

Exactly.

Thank you, boss.

Howler monkey?

Well, yeah. You know, primates are fascinating.

I've been watching a lot of Discovery Channel.

Did you know that...

That there's a dead Marine in an alley?

Yeah, I did. And now you do, too.

If you're done lurking...

gear up; let's go.

Marine Private John Angel.

Stationed down the street at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

Anything missing?

Uh, looks like he's got all his credit cards and cash.

So we're not looking at a mugging.

Could've been a fight that got out of hand--

his collar and shirt are ripped.

Well, I'm seeing some, uh, several abrasions

on the knuckles here, as well as some

blunt force trauma up here.

Looks like somebody took a couple uppercuts to the jaw.

We'll be able to find out how many

once we get him back for some X-rays.

Where's Ducky?

That's a... well, that's a, that's a interesting question.

What's the answer?

Um...

What was the question?

You're perfectly aware that Gibbs is capable

of eating you, right?

It's a recurring nightmare, yes.

Look, the truth is

I don't know where Dr. Mallard is. I'm sorry.

I saw him in Autopsy this morning.

Yeah, so did I, but then he left.

He told me he was going out to get some dry cleaning,

but I got the funny feeling he wasn't being honest.

Did you try his cell? 11 times.

He never picked up. I mean, finally,

I just had to take the van and go.

Call his cell again.

Traffic was killer today.

Cell battery could've died.

Shh.

Maybe he just wants to be left alone.

Shh, shh, shh.

I received a call from a man claiming to be a lawyer.

He said he had information about a member of my family.

I suggested that we meet at the coffee shop

round the front there.

What kind of information?

Well, actually, he didn't have any.

And when it became quickly apparent

that he was fishing for information from me, I left.

And he followed you.

Yes, he tried to force me into that van.

I struggled and I was knocked unconscious.

When I awoke, I was exactly as you found me...

...trussed up like a chicken.

This the guy?

No. Though I remember

seeing that face in the coffee shop.

I've no idea how he ended up out here.

Checking for witnesses.

Who's the relative?

Ducky.

Who was the guy asking about?

He was asking about...

Nicholas Mallard.

My brother.

Duck?

When my parents divorced,

my father remarried.

She was a ghastly, terrible woman.

But they had a son,

20 years my junior. His name

was Nicholas.

Donnie!

I thought you weren't coming back until next week.

Change of plans, little brother.

Looks like I'll just have to spend the holidays with you.

Happy Christmas, Nicholas.

Whoa!

Wait, I got a present for you, too.

Oh, good. Lorraine.

You can watch Nicholas.

Hello to you, too.

Wait, where are you going?

Out. Out?

He's eight years old-- you're just gonna leave him on his own?

He'll be fine. He always is.

It's Christmas Eve, Lorraine.

It's bad enough Father has to work.

Well, I have plans, too.

Now out my way.

Oh!

Now, listen, your mother...

I know.

Thought she'd never leave.

You cheeky little monkey.

What'd you get me?

Well, open it.

Yes.

Now, that

is a replica of a 4468 Mallard train.

Holder of the world speed record

for steam locomotives and named

after our great-grandfather,

Bernard Mallard.

Nice try. You already said

they named the duck after him.

He got around?

Who's the cheeky monkey now?

Beep-beep!

Mallard residence. This is Dr. Mallard.

Well, isn't there anyone else available?

I'm sorry, I can't just...

Yes, sir.

I understand, sir.

I'll be right there, sir.

Who was it?

The military hospital.

I've been ordered there immediately,

goodness knows why.

I understand.

I'll be fine.

Well, I suppose that depends on how you feel

about the sight of blood.

Grab your coat. Yes!

Come on!

He was such a wonderful boy.

So full of life,

despite abysmal parenting. Oh,

my father did his best.

But his mother, on the other hand...

Well, not winning awards