Chapter Four
/SVU Precinct: Monday afternoon, 3:00pm/
"First good news we've heard all day. They found a small trace of blood on the windowsill in the last stall of the bathroom we checked out. There was a small smudged fingerprint as well, so we're hoping that the lab will be able to get us some sort of a lead," Elliot shot Olivia a small smile and folded his arms across his chest, leaning against his desk. The expectant look mixed with the smug grin on his face was her indication that she should be pleased. Why did she still feel so lousy?
"Great. Maybe we'll be able to nail the bastard before he gets another one," she grumbled just a little, hand reaching up to come through her short, dark strands with a long sigh escaping her lips. Something was on her mind and it wasn't like her to be so preoccupied when there was a huge case like this occurring. What does she see in that guy?
"…you all right?" Elliot's tone was quiet, subtle. Conversations between partners didn't need to be shared throughout the precinct, especially when they were in reference to a certain gorgeous ADA. He wasn't an idiot. He knew good and damn well that meeting Alex's current love interest wasn't exactly on Olivia's list of favorite experiences. It was written all over her face, but that didn't mean she was going to talk about it. More often times than not, he would get a "Don't worry about it" or "I'm fine", so what made him think that today was going to be any different?
Today was different, though. The pain she felt seeing Alex flirt with another person in front of her would be the equivalent of what she'd imagine swallowing nails would feel like. Olivia was no stranger to pain, however, and would have pushed her pain deep within her had it not been for the tidbit of information she received from Allie Floyd. Her lips parted to speak when she heard familiar heels clicking on the concrete floors, faint footsteps becoming more prominent as Alex pushed open the double doors into the office. Based on the abrupt slam of the doors behind her, nobody doubted the rage she brought into the precinct.
"What the hell was that, Detective?" Alex's voice was raised, not bothering to hide her displeasure in Olivia's behavior toward Michael. Olivia spun around in her chair, hands in her lap as those dark eyes looked at her in disbelief. There was that fleeting moment of doubt in Alex once more. Was her anger toward Olivia unfounded? Did she misinterpret the situation and assume Olivia was mistreating Michael due to her own biases toward the situation? Surely not! No, Alex stood her ground, clenching her jaw as well as her fist around the handle of the briefcase in her right hand.
"What was what, Alex? My aggression toward Michael Jennings? I don't recall there ever being a time that you came to the defense for someone I intimidated. I'm sorry if I upset your little boyfr-"
"He is not my boyfriend, Olivia, and he's certainly not little, so do not make assumptions based on information you know nothing about," she shot back at Olivia, interrupting her to deliver her own words of anger. Had she slept with Michael? Not even close, but she said it to hurt Olivia. She regretted it the moment the pain registered in Olivia's eyes. Damn that temper of hers. Her blue eyes immediately looked anywhere else but Olivia's face, meeting the faces of Stabler, Munch and Tutuola watching in absolute shock. Clearing her throat, her eyes went back to Olivia who stared intently on the desk. If she stared any harder, she'd seer a hole through the wooden desktop.
"Office. Now," she spoke more softly, but the damage was done. Her fists balled up by her sides as she walked past the men staring in silence. Olivia said nothing, fighting back tears of anger that gave her true emotions away. After a few seconds, she pushed herself up out of the chair and headed toward the ADA's office at the end of the hall. Even as she stepped inside and closed the door, she hardly spoke. Alex turned to face her, eyes softening as they fell upon Olivia's gaze. Was she about to cry?
"Liv…" she started, but the look in Olivia's angry eyes immediately caused her to close her mouth.
"Don't…you ever scold me like a child in front of my colleagues again, Alex. I was doing my job and will continue to do so. If you have a problem with that, then I suggest you consider a transfer," Olivia growled in her words, her tone hardened and cold. She spoke as if she was ready for a fight, and she certainly was going to get one.
"Excuse me? Since when did badgering a witness ever become part of doing of your job, Olivia? You were out of line! You're so desperate to find your killer that you're ready to point the finger at anybody you may not like, for whatever the reason."
"The hell I am, Alex! I have an obligation to find this little girl's rapist and killer. If Michael Jennings looks guilty, then I'm going to call it like I see it! He's hiding something, don't you see that?" The frustration in Olivia's voice matched the movement of her hands, with palms open shaking angrily in Alex's direction. Why couldn't she just see reason?
"He has done nothing wrong, Olivia! This isn't a witch hunt, so stop trying to persecute a man you know nothing about!" Were they really going to get into a screaming match in the middle of the precinct? Despite the fact that they were in an office, the volume of their voices could easily be heard as shown by the fact that the rest of the building remained as quiet as it had ever been. That was certainly no coincidence.
"Is that what you think I'm doing? Since when has trying to find someone's killer ever turned into a simple witch hunt! Just because I don't like your boyfriend doesn't mean tha-"
"For God's sake, he is not my boyfriend! And you don't even know him to determine whether you like him or not! What is wrong with you?" The tension between the two escalated quickly as Alex stepped closer to Olivia. Both women were stubborn and accustomed to getting what they wanted. The friendship these two had built teetered on a very thin rope, which luckily remained intact due to a knock at the door which interrupted the screaming match. Elliot made a bold move opening that door to change the subject.
"Liv. We gotta go. Just got a call from the school. Two nannies found the body of a little girl a couple blocks down from the school. It's Allie Floyd." Olivia and Alex both stared at him, shock registering on their faces as the information sank in. While they stood there in the midst of their argument, Allie Floyd had her last few minutes on this earth. Olivia's eyes angrily shot over in Alex's direction.
"Great. Our only witness ends up dead after fingering Michael as the one who most likely killed Erin. He had better have one hell of an alibi," Olivia growled as she stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut behind her.
\Crime Scene: Monday afternoon, 3:30pm/
The body of Allie Floyd quickly joined the hundreds of victims in the sea of Olivia's memories that she wasn't able to protect. That little girl spoke to Olivia, overcoming her fears in the hopes to help the police seek justice for her best friend. At eleven years old, Allie had it more figured out that even Olivia did. Her dark eyes stared down at the little girl in horror and shock. The guilt was overwhelming. How could someone take a child's life so easily? Her jaw clenched as she slowly crouched down beside her body for a better look. Somehow, she was going to have to find a way to objectify her body and take away the emotions hindering her from catching the son-of-a-bitch killing children.
"She was strangled," Olivia spoke out, looking to Dr. Warner who was examining the evidence.
"Yes. Based on the bruising around her neck and the red spots in her eyes, it would be safe to say that the cause of death is strangulation."
"Do you know when?" Elliot brought a gloved hand down to lightly touch the victim's wrist. "She's still warm," he added, looking to Melinda for a more elaborate answer.
"You're right. I'd say time of death would be about an hour ago. I'm going to run a few tests just to make sure of everything, but I'll let you two know as soon as the results come back." She stood up and walked away, leaving Olivia and Elliot to stand there, dumbfounded over the turn of events.
"It's gotta be Jennings, Elliot. I'm certain of it. He saw Allie talking to me. Got spooked and killed her so that she couldn't testify against him."
"School doesn't let out until right about now, though. How would Michael be in class and be here killing Allie at the same time?" Elliot asked, attempting to be the voice of reason. He didn't like Michael that much either, but he wasn't going to point the fingers at someone without solid evidence. Olivia knew that, but she didn't need Elliot telling her that right now. She especially didn't need it with Alex walking onto the crime scene.
"I took the liberty of checking at the school. Michael Jennings was in his class then and is at the school now. Everybody on that hall can attest for his whereabouts," Alex announced, the venom in her voice powerful and apparent. Before Olivia had the chance to speak, Alex's blue eyes stared over at her with a gaze filled with anger.
"You'll have to find another man to point your finger at, Detective," she added before turning around on her heel to storm off. The chill in her voice, along with her sarcasm, left the scene dead silent, her heels clicking against the concrete being so much louder than it should. Olivia watched her walk away, a small sigh leaving her lips.
"I was so sure it was him..." she said softly, only to feel Elliot's hand on her shoulder.
"It happens to the best of us, Liv. Look. I've got this. You go home. I'll wrap up here," Elliot replied with a squeeze on her shoulder.
Olivia wasn't being given much of a choice this time. She had to get this crime out of her head or she'd be crazier than half the men she put away in Rikers. A sigh escaped her lips and she nodded, standing up entirely to walk to her car. If Michael Jennings wasn't the killer, then who was? Who could have known that Allie shared information with Olivia? How could someone have killed her so easily in broad daylight? Despite the alibi, Olivia just couldn't shake him. Something wasn't right and Olivia had to figure it out before it was too late for another little girl.