Chapter 1
In the Criminal Justice System, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In Long Beach, California, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit: Long Beach Division. These are their stories.
LONG BEACH SVU
Maxwell Clark sat at his desk doing deskwork. He wore black sock and had his shoes off and his feet propped on another chair. A young man, a few years older than him, walked into the office.
"Sergeant Maxwell Clark?" the young man asked.
"Yes," Clark replied. "How may I help you?"
"Oh, I just wanted to meet you," the young man said. "I'm Deputy District Attorney Hunter Grant."
"Nice to meet you," Clark said.
"I heard you have Asperger's," Grant said. "I do too."
"Okay," Clark said.
"I heard about you getting hit by bus," Grant said.
"Yeah," Clark said. "I've been going to physical therapy and my casts are off. My doctor wants me to keep my feet propped up though, as you can see."
"I have socks like that," Grant said.
"Cool," Clark said.
"I wear a size 14," Grant said. "What about you?"
"11," Clark replied.
"When I wanted to become a district attorney, a lot of people doubted me," Grant said. "I was known as the freak in school. Why is it that people on the spectrum get made fun of so often?"
"Look!" Clark shouted. "I am swamped with desk work and you are bothering me!"
"I'm sorry," Grant said.
Clark noticed the sad look on Grant's face.
"No," Clark said. "I'm sorry. It's just, I hate desk work and I'd rather be out where all the action is."
"It's okay," Grant said. "I do tend to babble."
"Me too," Clark said.
Clark felt a pain in his right foot and gasped.
"Are you okay?" Grant asked.
"My foot keeps cramping," Clark replied.
"Which one?" Grant asked.
"The right one," Clark replied.
Grant walked over to Clark and grabbed his foot.
"The hell are you doing?" Clark asked.
"Relax," Grant said.
"I don't like foot massages," Clark said.
Grant began to massage Clark's foot.
"Wow, that feels good," Clark said.
Truman walked into the office.
"How's the desk work coming?" Truman asked.
"Almost done with this pile," Clark replied.
"Good," Truman said. "Why is the DDA massaging your foot?"
"He was cramping," Grant replied.
"Okay," Truman said. "Oh, and Clark."
"Yes?" Clark asked.
"There's someone here who wants to see you," Truman said.
Gillian Hardwicke entered the office.
"Hello, Max," Hardwicke said. "I'm Gillian Hardwicke. I've transferred here from New York. I'm the new Executive DDA."
"How may I help you?" Clark asked.
"Eight years ago, Kyle Dubois was arrested in Long Beach on ten counts of rape," Hardwicke explained.
"I know about that," Clark replied. "He's from San Francisco. He attempted to rape my wife when she was 16. She testified against him at his trial."
"He's being considered early parole for good behavior," Hardwicke explained.
"What?" Clark asked shocked.
"We need your wife to give her statement in court," Hardwicke said.
"She won't want to do that," Clark said.
"If she doesn't voluntarily give her statement, we'll serve her with a subpoena," Hardwicke said.
"Okay," Clark said. "I'll let her know."
"Oh, and Grant," Hardwicke said.
"Yes?" Grant asked.
"When you're done with whatever it is that you're doing, I need to speak with you," Hardwicke said.
"Yes, Ma'am," Grant said.
"Why are you…" Hardwicke started to ask.
"He has a cramp," Grant replied.
"Okay," Hardwicke said.
