Summary: When a string of rapes begin to appear in up state New York, Cragen enlists his best detectives on the job. Elliot and Olivia find themselves married and playing house, while investigating a renowned country club. With the help of John and Fin they should be able to figure out what is going on and solve their case. Maybe they'll even be able to solve some truth in their own lives.
Authors Note: Aloha! So, this is my first Law and Order: SVU story. Love the show, and I'm a huge EO fan, because, come on. This is definitely an EO, but its very mild. Think flirty beginning stages and what not. I'm developing the story and doing a little tweaking, so hopefully it'll be cute and stuff. The crime scenes are, I don't know, a little shifty, simply because it is not my forte, but I tried to make it all weave nicely. I hope you enjoy!! R&R
Disclaimer: So, I own nothing, literally. Or well I own this laptop. Right... I do own the laptop. But I don't own the characters, the basis, Dick Wolf does. Yeah, and all that Jazz.
November 7th, 2007; Wednesday
Elliot was leaning back in his chair, watching John and Fin at their desks. Cragen was shut up in his office, on a very important conference call. Something that sat heavily on Elliot, he knew something big was going down. He began looking around the one six, hoping to catch a glimpse of excitement. However, the only thing that caught his eye was a touch of blue.
She walked into the bullpen, black pants moved with every step she took and a blue button down shirt hugged her body. Her pony tail bounced, and her smile seemed to radiate sunlight into the dreary work space.
He couldn't help but stare. The guilt that he once felt had long ago faded. After his divorce was final, it didn't seem to matter that his breathing became a bit shallow or his stares lingered an extra second or two when she was around. Very little actually mattered after the divorce papers were finalized. At least anything that involved her.
"What's up boys?" Her smile never faltered as she took her seat. Brown crashed with blue, and her smile seemed to widen.
"Waiting for orders." John nodded his head towards Cragen's domain. "Big important phone call."
"We're going to have to do a shit load." Fin rolled his eyes.
Olivia sighed and nodded her head. "I hope it's nothing too big. I was having a decent morning."
"For once." John snickered. The three men all knew that last week had been Olivia's monthly time, and all had some sort of bruise to show for it.
"Yes, for once, John." She rolled her eyes and turned to catch Elliot looking at her. "What can I do for you?"
"I have a shirt in that exact color." His voice was softer then he had meant. He cleared his throat, eyes still transfixed on her shirt.
A blush crept over her cheeks, she'd never admit it, but she had bought the shirt simply because he had one just like it. She'd never admit it, but it was her favorite shirt on him.
"Alright!" The precinct was suddenly silent as Cragen walked out. "It seems we have a serial, psychopathic, rapist, kidnapper on our hands."
"Always fun." John mumbled, receiving an elbow from Fin.
"Seven women, late twenties to mid thirties, all went missing. They turned up three days later, raped, beaten, and three of them so traumatized they can't even recognize their husbands." Olivia folded her arms, staring at the captain intently. "The only similarity we can get from the women is they are all married and all belong to a country club upstate. You four, in my office. The rest of you, I sent an E-mail with the seven women's names, pictures, and information, along with the country club's information. I want more." He turned around and stalked back into his office, as a frenzy began to happen around the bull pen.
John was the first to walk over to the captain's office, followed by Fin and then Elliot and Olivia.
"What's the deal?" John asked, standing in the corner. Elliot and Fin were both leaning against the window, while Olivia took a seat in front of Cragen.
"You four are going to go upstate. We need man power and infiltrators up there. John and Fin, you'll be staying at a motel that's not too far from the club. Elliot and Olivia, you are going to be the infiltrators. An old buddy of mine is on vacation and is lending me his duplex. You two will be staying there and playing house. Hopefully we can attract the prep and get to the bottom of this." He held up four files, which John grabbed and began passing out. "Meet Mr. Thomas Haven and his wife Calista Haven. Two middle class, hard working, devoted husband and wife. Hoping to find a little bit of extra time together, they decided to join The Carlton Country Club."
"Calista Haven?" Olivia was reading over her new profile. "I'm a teller at First American Bank on Washington Street."
"I work of Goldman Sacs. I guess we're not doing too bad." Elliot smiled over to Olivia who nodded her head.
"We think that the guy works for, or is part of the club, and he simply preys on women who attend. There is no other similarities among the cases besides this club. I made an appointment for you on Friday morning, ten o'clock sharp. You four are going to be driving up there tomorrow, so you can get settled and be ready. I'm not sure how long this will take. But we have to get our guy."
The four nodded.
"You guys are dismissed for the rest of the day, I'll keep each of you up to date. John, you're going to pick up the rent a car tomorrow morning and pick everyone up."
"Ah hoy Captain." With a salute John walked out of the office.
"Why does he get to pick the car?" Fin asked.
"Because he likes me best!" Elliot laughed as Fin made a threatening motion and stormed out of the office, probably going to beat John senseless.
"Are you two going to be ok? The women were all strong and seemingly independent women. They made less then their husbands, but seemed to keep house. Our perp is going to be looking out for someone like Calista Haven." Cragen looked at Olivia who nodded her head.
"You can count on us Captain."
"Good, I want this guy locked up." Elliot nodded and waited for Olivia to stand up, both of them exiting together.
Cragen watched as they left and placed a hand over his face. This better all turn out ok.
"It's open!" She knew it was him, and was waiting for him to start lecturing her about leaving her door unlocked in New York. However, she didn't care, because right now she was having a dilemma about what to pack.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Leaving the door open?" She rolled her eyes as she threw another pair of pants into her suitcase.
"If your going to get on my case, you can leave." She mumbled.
"I'm sorry, you're the one that invited me to stay the night so it be easier for John." He had no idea why they had to make it easier for John, but he really did not want to turn down staying at her apartment. He missed sleeping with other people in the house with him. Or well, his apartment these days. But it gave him a grave sense of satisfaction when he knew there was someone else in the same area as he slept. Besides, her couch was overly comfortable.
"It is easier for John. Fin is going over to his place so they can get the car and meet us here at nine o'clock."
"Why so early?" He sat on her bed, watching as she moved and twirled all over her bedroom, stuffing and throwing things into her already over flowing suitcase. "You're going to have to bring another bag with you if you keep it up."
"They want a head start. And I don't know what to pack." Elliot rolled his eyes. Women.
"A head start? That's rich." He snorted, peeking into the mess that laid next to him. He, once again, rolled his eyes and stood up. He began taking everything out of the suitcase.
"Uh, what are you doing?" She froze, a pair of pants in one hand and her face cream in the other.
"Who taught you how to pack? A traveling circus?" She watched as he began to place everything, fold and tuck, into her suitcase. It took him less then ten minutes and before she knew it, she had a little extra room and could get a lay of the land that was her suitcase. Not saying she wasn't going to bring the duffle bag that she had started to stuff, but at least her suitcase was organized.
"And who taught you to pack?" She asked, stuffing the last bit of things in her duffel.
"My mom, she was very strict about an organized suitcase." He laughed a bit and so did she. The joke obviously reaching her as well. Maybe it was simply the way he laughed.
She settled down and walked out of her room, and noticed that he only had the one suitcase. She rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen. The clock on the microwave made her muscles tense up. It was only three o'clock. Had they only left the station a few hours ago?
"I thought you be here around seven or eight." She stated.
Elliot, who had wandered into the living room, and had flopped down on her couch, looked over to her.
"I didn't have much to do at the apartment." He never said home, and she realized this when he had first moved out. How when John or Fin said they were going home, Elliot would tighten his fist or his arms would tense up. "You have a more comfortable couch anyway."
"Why are you sleeping on the couch, in your house?" Olivia rolled her eyes as she brought over two hot cups of coffee.
"Because I usually fall asleep watching T.V." He shrugged, taking a sip of the hot liquid that suddenly filled his whole being. He looked over at her and sighed, "If you want me to go, I can help John and stuff with some the equipment."
"No, no, jeez El. I was asking a question." She smiled brightly and patted his knee. "You are always welcomed here. You have a key for heaven's sake."
He smiled and leaned back. They had gotten accustomed to just sitting with each other. Usually because they found themselves sitting in silence, whether it be a bar, a restaurant, his apartment, or hers.
The phone ringing, made them both jump.
"Stabler." He nodded his head and looked over at Olivia. 'Dickie' he mouthed.
She nodded her head and made her way to her bedroom to give him some privacy. He had moved her suitcase and duffle bag to the corner of the room so she could have her bed all to herself again. It was a sweet enough gesture. Pulling out her cell phone, she pressed speed dial six and waited for the ringing to echo in her head.
"Munch."
"Hey, it's Liv." She smiled as he heard him chuckle.
"What do I owe the pleasure? Cragen tell you anything new?"
"No, I wanted to see if you needed any help with anything. Elliot's over, and we didn't realize that it was only three."
"It's only three? Fantastic." She understood the sarcasm that dripped from his line of the phone. "Sorry Liv, but I don't need any real help with anything. I have everything packed up and ready to go. Did you and Elliot go over your profiles and stuff?"
No. "A little bit."
"Go do your job, jeez." She smirked as he hung up. John never said good-bye. Ever. It gave him the sense of being invincible. Because you can't simply leave someone if you haven't said good-bye.
"Who was that?"
"Munch." She smiled. "I just wanted to see how he was doing with everything. He suggested we go over our profiles and some of the case work."
Elliot nodded, walking away from her, back into the living room. She grabbed the file off her dresser and followed him.
"So, we've been happily married for five years, no kids, two dogs, and we just got back from our second honeymoon." Elliot smiled. "Hawaii."
"You're a stock broker and I'm a bank teller, mainly I keep house. I feel like I should be sent back to the fifties."
"We're just giving the perp what he wants." She rolled her eyes. Easy for him to say.
"How's Dickie?" She really didn't care about the marriage part of the profile. Everyone know how to play pretend.
"He's great, he was calling to tell me how he had gotten on the honor roll and how Lizzie was one point off, or something like that. First time he was ever on the honor roll without Lizzie being on it too."
"That's wonderful." Olivia smiled brightly, and his breath caught in his chest as it usually did.
"Yeah, it is."
How he couldn't wait for tomorrow.
November 8th, 2007; Thursday
Olivia rolled her eyes. John and Fin were up front, while Elliot and her sat in the back. She was impressed that John had gotten an SUV. Not that it was so bad, she loved it. Cragen would surely flip when he got the bill, but for now they were all safe and sound in the SUV.
"Will you at least turn the stupid thing down!" Her head shot up to see John glaring over at Fin who was playing with a game boy. The music had been playing, but she had managed to tune it out.
"You should have let me drive." Fin mumbled. The music being turned up.
"I should have left you, that's what I should have done."
"Will you two knock it off." Elliot rolled his eyes. He noticed Olivia turn back to the window, her face in her hands, and a sigh waiting to escape. "You ok?"
It was so very inaudible and yet, it drifted over to her. Brown pools mixed with his ocean blues.
"I'm fine." She gave a smile, but refused to break eye contact.
"As long as your ok Mrs. Haven." He placed his hand on her knee and turned towards the driver's seat. "How much longer?"
"What are you? Five? About half an hour more. Turn it OFF!"
Fin rolled his eyes and turned the game boy off, shooting glares at this partner. "I was on level fifteen."
"I don't care if you were about to save the damn princess! It's irritating."
"So, Mr. and Mrs. Haven? Two upstanding middle-class Americans, about to get caught up in a string of rape and kidnapping cases."
"Thanks Fin." Elliot mumbled.
"No problem man." Fin smiled and went to turn the game boy back on. John reached out, grabbed it, and threw it in the back with Elliot and Olivia.
"Don't even think about it."
The duplex was a decent size. Two bedrooms and two baths upstairs, a living room, kitchen, dining room, and another bath room downstairs. Her favorite part was the hall way, it was large and sweeping, giving the illusion of grandeur.
"I thought it'd be bigger." Elliot walked over to the staircase where she had been sitting.
"It's perfect for a retirement home. Enough space to keep you breathing." She sighed and leaned on the stairs. "Who gets the master bedroom?"
"You can have it. I'm a little annoyed they only have one bed in the whole damn house." He sighed a little. "I would have even appreciated a cot."
"Don did set up a nice sleeping bag in the office, and you'll be directly across the hall from me." He smiled as she smiled and shook his head.
"I'd much rather have a bed." He sat down next to her. "You ok?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I'm a bit anxious to get everything underway, you know?"
"I know."
"I hope those damn country club people aren't snobs. Promise you won't leave me alone with them."
"No worries." Elliot stood up and ruffled her hair. "Lets go make ourselves comfortable."
He started heading up the stairs when the door bell sounded.
"Go, I got it." Olivia smiled up to him and walked swiftly to the door, listening as he continued to climb the stairs. "Yes?"
"Hi. Samuel Baker." A man placed a hand out. Olivia took it, still blocking the door.
"Can I help you?"
"You're name."
"Excuse me?"
"What's your name?" Olivia stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Was this guy for real?
"Calista Haven, can I help you?" She held a smile in place.
"I just wanted to give you this." Her eyes looked down to see her make up bag in his hand.
"How did you--"
"You dropped it. Some man was handling your luggage a little roughly, it fell out."
Right, John was trying to manage bringing in her suitcase as well as her duffle bag. Resulting in her duffle bag getting it's fair share of kicks. A couple of things fell out.
"Thank you." She smiled taking the bag from his hand.
"No problem." He smiled back and bounded down the stairs, walking down the block.
Closing the door she quickly opened the bag and examined the contents. Everything seemed in order, actually untouched. It didn't seem as if he had gone through the bag. Which was a very good thing.
She shook her head and bounded up the stairs, she could hear the shower in the hallway going. She turned and walked into her new room.
At least it was fairly large. Larger then her own bedroom in Manhattan. She sat on the bed and fell backwards. It was soft, very soft and very comfortable. Curling up she found herself staring at the wall, which had a beautiful painting of a beach.
Before she knew it, darkness clouded over her.
"Liv? Liv? Liv, baby." Brown orbs opened to be met with bright blue. The blue of her partner's shirt.
"El?"
"Sorry babe." He laughed, leaning up. She took him in, he was sitting next to her, and he smelt fresh, like soap. Suddenly something else began turning over in her head.
"What's with all the terms of endearment?"
"That's what husbands do, right?" Ah, so there was logic to the madness all around her. "John and Fin are here, hooking up some equipment and stuff. Who was at the door earlier?"
"Some guy, noticed my make up bag on the ground after John beat the crap out of my duffle." She shrugged.
"Yo!" Fin shouted up the stairs, making both Elliot and Olivia's eyes roll.
"Do not yell in my house!" Olivia shouted back, earning a look from Elliot. "What?"
They both found themselves downstairs, staring at Fin. He motioned them to follow him into the dinning room which was filled with wires and bulky machines.
"Welcome to hell." John mumbled. "We have the phones all tapped, and there are perimeter markers. Meaning if there are any unwelcome visitors, you'll know about it."
"How did you know how to set all of this up?" Elliot was now looking over all the machines, listening to the beeps and clings. He was mildly impressed, John had trouble setting up his email.
A ringing erupted over all the machinery.
"Munch." He nodded his head and walked out of the dinning room into the kitchen.
"He was up until four in the morning reading all those damn manuals." Fin shook his head. "Captain didn't want any of the tec. guys coming because they would make a scene. Jew boy over there told them he was listening for government secret activity. It wasn't hard getting the information he need."
Elliot nodded, John could do a lot when his mind was put to it.
"One of the victims is talking. Incoherently, but talking none the less. The doctors think she'll be a little bit more fluent in a day or two." John announced and then stared at Elliot. "The dinning room door is to be closed at all times. No walking around the outside of the house for any shits and giggles because I'll kill you. Every phone conversation is going to be heard and recorded by myself and Fin over there, and all the outside activity will be monitored. You guys just have to look at this screen, and you'll know exactly where the person is."
"Wow John, you're really on the ball."
"I use to work at that club when I was twelve. One of the women was four at the time." The other three stared at him in astonishment. "I read up on the cases and figured it out. She kept her last name." John shrugged and began gathering his stuff.
"You'll be taking a taxi tomorrow morning, it's going to pick you up at nine thirty. don't be late." Fin nodded his head mouthing that he'll talk to John after they left.
"Well, we learned something new." Elliot shook his head. "I was curious why John was so--"
"Touchy." Olivia finished for him. "Me too."
They fiddled around with the machines for a bit more, at least until John called and told them he knew they were tinkering with the equipment. Once again they went their separate ways.
