Chapter 2
Elliot and Olivia exited the interrogation room and closed the door. Abdul was a minor and while not sure if he was a witness or a suspect, they felt it better to not throw caution to the wind. Captain Cragen had already called his parents and his father promised to be there as soon as he could.
"You think he's telling the truth?" Cragen asked. He'd watched them talking to Abdul from the other side of the one way mirror.
"I'm not sure how they would have crossed paths in order to become a couple, never mind the fact that she's Jewish and he's Muslim," Olivia frowned.
"Well there is a mosque only a couple of blocks from the synagogue that Sarah and her parents belong to. Maybe they crossed paths on the way home from worshipping," Elliot suggested.
"Could be but still it seems like a fairly tenuous opportunity to meet. If they are close enough to walk past each other to worship then how do they not go to the same school?" The Captain wondered.
"Sarah goes to public school while Abdul goes to a maritime charter school," Olivia explained.
"That could be good for us. It would seem his parents are civic minded," Cragen said. They were then interrupted by Kenny Briscoe who walked in with a file in his hand.
"What have you got Kenny?" Elliot asked.
"A file on our "Good Samaritan". Seems Gus isn't so innocent," Briscoe handed him the file.
"He's got a sheet?" Cragen gave him a look.
"Well since he only had his driver's license on him, I figured a background check was in order. The kids had their school ID's and I ran them just in case but they both came back clean. Seems Gus doesn't like keeping his hands to himself," Kenny told them.
"Armed Robbery, Assault, and Public Intoxication. He's one step away from ending back up in jail," Elliot confirmed by looking the file over.
"We didn't find any burglary tools on him and as far as I know, he's neither Jewish nor Muslim, so that begs the question what was he doing in that neighborhood?" Olivia wondered.
"He doesn't live there either so I think that's a very good question," Cragen said. That's when Fin and Munch walked back to meet up with them.
"Gus lawyered up," Fin told them.
"That's because he's got a sheet," Kenny spoke up.
"Explains a lot. So what is Abdul's excuse?" Munch wanted to know.
"He claims that he and she are dating," Olivia said. Munch's eyes almost fell out of his head.
"My guess is that if that is actually the case, they've told no one. Their families and their communities could shun them. It might be best to investigate the dynamics of the synagogue and the mosque. See just how rigid they are. If they aren't so rigid, then we should be able to confirm Abdul's claim in no time. If they are rigid then it will be more difficult," Kenny told them.
"Kenny, you and Munch go to the synagogue. Fin, check out the mosque. Elliot, you talk to the Terzis. Olivia, I want you down at the hospital, seeing what Huang came up with and what her parents have to say," the Captain delivered the assignments and everyone scattered.
Once out of the precinct, Olivia quickly typed up a text for Elliot. Men don't typically poison their victims. She didn't want to get into any more detail than that should IAB want to look at her phone. Knowing that her partner would know what she was referring to, she left it at that and headed for the hospital to visit Sarah Rabinowitz.
To Be Continued…