Chapter 2

It took a few minutes for Olivia and Amanda to get the girl to stop crying enough so they can understand what she's saying. But she cried openly and freely in front of the two strangers, so the women were hoping this was a good sign that she will finally let her guard down enough to answer all their pesky questions.

"Let's start with your name," Olivia first. She was sitting next to her on the bed now. She gave her a literal shoulder to cry on.

"Josie."

"Do you have a last name, Josie?"

"Marsden."

"Marsden?" No, it can't be, can it? "What's your dad's name?" Olivia was taken back. She didn't see this coming.

"Simon."

Olivia stood up. She needed space. She needed to regroup herself and compose herself once again. She's been on the job for over 20 years, there wasn't much that shocked her anymore, but that name. That family. Her family.

"Did I say the wrong thing?" Josie asked Olivia, she knew she shouldn't have talked to the police. It was a trick, they tricked her, just as her dad told her it would be.

"Is Josie your real name?" Olivia grilled Josie like she was on trial or the perp.

"Liv, what's gotten into you?" Amanda asked Olivia. She was just as confused by her reaction.

"It's the name I go by," Josie answered.

"But is it your legal first name?" Olivia glared in her eyes. It sent chills down Josie's spine. This prompted Amanda to sit on the bed where Olivia was to console her.

"It's not. It's Olivia. Josephine is my middle name, I just like to go by Josie. How'd you know?"

"Do you know who I am?" Olivia is still grilling Josie.

"What? No. How would I?" Josie was on the verge of tears again. All the trust the women gained was quickly slipping away.

"Lieutenant Benson, let's step outside," Amanda stood up.

"In a minute, Rollins."

But Amanda wasn't playing around, "now!" She said with authority.

Benson opened the door forcefully and slammed it behind Rollins. She immediately started pacing in the hallway.

"What the hell was that in there? She's just a child that was just raped by her father -"

"She's a lying sack of shit. Someone put her up to this!" Benson was losing her cool.

"Benson, what are you talking about? What's the deal with her dad? Is he an old boyfriend or something?"

"The name Simon Marsden doesn't mean anything to you, Rollins? Come on, you gotta keep up."

"Who is he?" Rollins raised her voice slightly, but remembering her surroundings.

"My brother. He's my half brother. We've been down this road before. He's been falsely accused of rape by several different women in different states. Every time I stood up for him. I defended him in the court of law several times. And now, Jesus, this?! I met this girl as a baby, she's named after me. Did I do this to her? Could I have prevented this little girl from being a victim? Did someone put her up to this?"

This was a lot of information for Amanda to take in at once. "Liv, hey, stop! You didn't know. You didn't do this to her. This wasn't your fault."

"Don't treat me like I'm the victim here, I know the drill. I can't look at her right now, I need to get some fresh air. I'm sending the nurse in to examine her, I'm telling her to get a DNA sample. If she really is who she is, I want confirmation," Olivia turned to walk away.

"If she isn't really Simon's kid, what could she possibly have to gain by saying she is?"

"I don't know, Rollins, but I do know I want to stay one step ahead of her."

"Liv, she's just a child, her bruising tells the story she's been brutalized over a period of time."

Olivia Benson didn't respond, she just walked down the long hallway. Olivia's world was closing in on her, she just needed to get as far away from this girl as she could.

Rollins looked in the room at this girl. She could be Jessie in a few years. This thought made her stomach turn. If anyone ever lays a hand on Jessie, so help them God. Josie looked so little and so scared in that big room all by herself. She felt in her bones she was telling the truth, she felt a connection with her when she disclosed her own pain to her. If she was lying, or someone put her up to this, she deserved a damn medal for being so convincing.

The SANE nurse that first treated Josie is coming down the hallway towards Rollins. Amanda wondered how much Olivia told her before she undoubtedly left the hospital. Amanda just hoped she didn't leave her stranded at the hospital.

"She's talking to you guys?" The nurse asked Amanda.

"She is. At least she started to. I'm assuming Lieutenant Benson talked to you?"

"She mentioned she wanted me to check her DNA with hers but she didn't expand on why. She seemed agitated. What did I miss?"

"I suspect you will find out after you run the tests," Amanda said, trying to stay diplomatic. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask her a few more questions before you go in there. I want to make sure she's prepared for the rape kit before you go in."

"Sure thing, I'm here all night. Just ask for Nurse Leonard when you're ready. I'll be around."

"Thank you for your understanding."