Elliot stared at the boyish face of the perp behind the bars. He was in lock-up, waiting to be transferred. But Elliot still watched him unflinchingly. When he was 10 he brutally murdered a three year old toddler. Family court gave him nine years in a juvenile facility, a new identity, and a dead fifteen year old girl to show for it. It was times like these Elliot wondered why he was a cop. Why he was a cop and not something else.
Eric, (his true name) just stared at him. His eyes the definition of soulless. "Was Emily Owen's a friend, or something? Detective?" Elliot squinted, stepping a hair closer to the cell.
"You know, I could give a guard a $10 or $20 for them to look the other way while I pummel you." Elliot said, the smile on his face betraying the dark feelings in his chest. Eric smiled back.
"Just $20? I'm hurt, detective. Really." He gripped on to the bars and stared into Elliot's face with a smile.
"Elliot?" He inhaled when he heard his partner's voice, not taking his eyes off of Eric. "Elliot, what are you doing here? Let's go. He's not gonna..." She shivered involuntarily as she entered Eric Proctor's sight. He smiled at her.
"Detective Benson. Much better company, I think. See if the guard will let her-" Elliot slammed against the bars, interrupting him. He laughed. Olivia tugged on Elliot, glaring at Eric.
"C'mon Elliot. He's never gonna tell." She said, pushing her partner ahead of her. He turned to glare at him until he was out of sight. Olivia sighed, squinting in the sunlight as they left. "Let's get a drink or something." She said tiredly, realizing Elliot was just staring into the building. "El,"
"What are we doing, Olivia?" He said, veins on his neck throbbing. "Why are we doing this?" She sighed and pulled her sunglasses down.
"You know why. Don't let this get to you, he's going to jail for good this time." She tried to smile but Elliot was frowning.
"Until the next budding psychopath... This is what happens when we have child perps. We send them to freaking Juvvie and..." Olivia crossed her arms.
"They move to a new state, with a new name, a better sociopath. I know, Elliot." He sighed, resisting the urge to punch a wall.
"Those little psychopaths grow up into teenagers. Boys, that meet my daughters. Men who go to Kathy's grocery store. Men on the street when you go for a run at night-" He paused, his voice rising, and took a deep breath. He was so angry his hands were trembling. Olivia placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We're cops, it's all we can do." Elliot searched Olivia's brown eyes for moment and ignored his urge to say 'It's not good enough.'
"C'mon." He said, a bit defeated. "Let me take you home. I don't know about you but I could use a shower." Olivia huffed, she couldn't argue with that.
