DISCLAIMER: Dick Wolf owns the original characters of the show

2. Heads and Tails

"ME says that our headless Jane Doe was there killed for over three days. She estimates that she was about 28 years old. Two different DNA samples. Painful and merciless.", Olivia said.

"A psycho who cut her head.", it was Elliot's turn to speak.

"Or a psycho who didn't want us to identify the victim immediately.", Fin completed.

"Eitherways , psycho! Guys, you know that I'm really busy with my book, but I did my research. And look what I found! 1997, the Starlet Butcher. Same M.O.", Munch said and felt proud.

"How is your investigation going, Detectives?", Cragen asked.

"We got a clue. The Starlet Butcher, sixteen years out of action and now he's back. Or maybe we're looking for a copycat.", Elliot informed him.

"History lessons. Back in 1996 and 1997, we had five victims raped and left headless. Roseanne McAdams, Annabelle Lerois, Naomi Silverman, Rebecca Crystal, Veronica Dawson. What's in common? All actresses.", Munch said.

"If the perp is the Starlet Butcher, then she's probably an actress.", Elliot concluded.

Three days later, a young woman entered the squadroom panicked.

"Detective Amaro, can I help you?"

"Ah, my friend is missing for nearly a week. I watched the news… shit!", she started crying.

Fin came close to her.

"Everything ok?", he asked.

"My name is Natalie Cooper, I'm an actress. My friend's name is Alice Bridge."

"Don't tell me she's an actress, too!"

"Yes, she is… she was! She played in her first movie. I recognized her shirt, we bought it together.", she kept sobbing.

It was such a heart-rending moment for the young woman to identify the dead body.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, absolutely! That's Alice!"

Captain tried to comfort her.

"We should inform her family."

"Her family? Oh, no!"

"It's unbearable for every family…"

"You have no idea, Captain!"

"Tell me, Miss Cooper."

"Her real name was Alice Robertson. Albert Robertson's daughter."

"The senator?"

"He kicked her out of the house when she announced that she wanted to become an actress."

"He's her father. He has to know."

"Like he cares! She would be better off dead for him. And she is!"

"That's hard."

"She was a trash for him. A drug addict, a slut! He only cared about the scandal."

Cragen was deeply concerned about their new case.

"Captain, you asked me?"

"Yes, Olivia. I got an order to handle the case under discretion."

"Is she really an actress?"

"Wanna-be actress. She was the prodigal daughter of Senator Robertson."

"Good God!"

"Olivia, I want you in charge. I trust you and I know you can organize that."

"Any of us could handle that equally..."

"Please, Olivia. I know you can do that."

Olivia was sceptical for a moment.

"All right. Where should we start from?"

"Your call."

Olivia got out of Cragen's office and everyone stared at her.

"Listen up! It's gonna be a difficult one, but we have to do it right and under discretion. Captain will talk with the father of the victim. Fin, Elliot this is a list of "friends" that Alice used to hung around. Have a talk with them. Nick, Amanda, open again the "Starlet Butcher" files. Every detail. John, let's go to our friends in Homicide."

Elliot and Fin had already talked with the most of Alice's "friends".

"Who are you? What'd ya want?"

"Police, pal. Detectives Stabler and Tutuola. We got some questions for you.", Elliot said and they showed them their badges.

"I ain't got no answers for you."

"Alice Bridge?"

"I don't know her."

"Me and my friend have a special offer for you, Andres. Answer our questions and we don't arrest you for drugs. It's a win-win! Start talking."

"Bite me, asshole!", he said and attacked Elliot.

"Hey, hey! Hold on , tough guy! Don't touch my dude!", Fin grabbed him.

"Ok, ok! I'll tell you about that crazy bitch."

"Man, she's dead. You should respect dead people.", Fin told him off feeling insulted on Alice's behalf.

"Anyways, that dead bitch! She was taking my drugs, but she couldn't pay. I got paid in kind."

"Drug dealer and pimp?", Elliot asked infuriated.

"Pimp? Not me, she had another one! I only wanted to be protected."

"Protected by whom?", he asked again.

"Big fishes! I only provide my friends and they want me out. They burned down my shop as a threat and they killed one of my men."

"Names.", Fin told.

"I worked for them and I'm not allowed to talk about them. It's the Code."

"Who's the pimp?", Elliot demanded to know and grabbed again his neck.

"Dio mio! I'll get into serious trouble!", he seemed really scared.

"You're already into deep shit. Give us names and we'll protect you.", Fin tried to get close to an answer.

"I'll do it, but here's the deal. I'm not confessing in Court and you'll protect me."

They both nodded.

Nick sighed while he stepped out of the room.

"It's hard they have to relive their daughters brutal lose."

"Nick, do you have any idea why Benson is in charge?", Amanda asked.

"Olivia? I just think that someone should monitor..."

"Why not Captain or Munch?"

"Is that necessary, Amanda? We are all equal."

"I don't think so."

Nick scoffed.

"Seriously? Oh, I think that we should focus on our case."

"I hate being underestimated. Ah, the Dawsons are here!"

Olivia and John entered the Homicide squadroom where they saw Detective Emery getting close to them smiling.

"Detectives! How can I help you?"

"We need your help in that, James. The Starlet Butcher.", Olivia said.

"The wacko who cut off actresses' heads?"

"We think that he's on the game again. We have the same M.O."

"But we need every detail. Maybe he's a copy cat.", John completed.

"I see guys, come with me."

At the end of the day the six detectives were standing in front of the white board gazing at their clues.

"In two of the five previous cases rape is implied. The M.E. found signs of penetration, but no DNA. The perp was cautious and he was wearing a condom. The heads were found randomly in New Jersey buried in Anselm Woods after many years. We searched again, but no head.", Olivia said.

"Alice was involved with Mr.X. he's the most powerful drug lord and he's like a ghost."

"Where did you get that information from, Fin?", Olivia asked.

"Classified, girl."

Olivia seemed irritated by his reply and glared at both Fin and Elliot.

"On the bright side, we have her friend, Natalie Cooper, who is so eager to help us.", Elliot told them.

"Did you all sense the irony?", Munch asked.

Everyone turned their looks at Elliot who proceeded on telling his thought.

"She's a crappy actress. I felt disgusted by her performance. She hides something."

"Smoke screen?", Nick asked.

"All we have so far is three clues. Our victim is an actress that makes her a prey for the Starlet Butcher. She's headless, which is part of Starlet Butcher's M.O. She's involved with Mr. X and drug cartel. What's missing?"

"Ok, guys, let's call it a day. We can't go far sleepless. Fin, El, a word?", Olivia said.

The three of them went to an interrogation room.

"Are we suspects?", Elliot said.

"Relax, it's more private here. Who's your informant?"

"We can't tell you that, we agreed to protect him and never reveal his name.", Fin told her.

"How serious is your information?"

"You don't bear to imagine! Liv, we're getting into a dangerous area. I'm afraid of what we'll find.", Elliot warned her.

"Are you ready for these?", Fin asked.

Olivia sighed and gazed the mirror unsure if she wanted to go on with that perplexed case.

And it's getting even worse!