AN: Oh yea, just so we're clear..all my knowledge of the law and court system
comes from watching TV and the news. If I am off base with something, just go with it.
Some things work out better story wise by making it not quite accurate, anyway.
As far as this chapter goes, the poems in it are the work of those they are credited to.
Also, please leave me reviews if you are enjoying this and want me to
continue posting the rest of the chapters.


Fire Escape

"Cause I don't know just what I've found
I don't know my sky from ground
I don't know where I'm going to
I don't know about you
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how bout you?"

Fastball

When Ed walked into the ME's office, Joe was already there. Joe took one look at his hands and laughed. "Was that the other wall's brother?"

Ed forced a smile. "Yea something like that." He looked at the ME. "What's the story?"

Elizabeth Rodgers glanced at the detective's bandaged hands and shook her head. "Well to start with, I disagree that Tate was just in the way of the bullet. The way it entered him and from the looks of the crime scene, I'd bet that the bullets were meant for him."

"So then it's Nathan who got in the way?" Joe asked.

"No. They were both the target here. And this wasn't a drive-by. That car had to have come to a full stop to hit them the way it did, and the shooter had great aim. The bullets were meant to kill both of these men, and they did.

"They're both good friends with Johnson," Joe said to Ed.

"Johnson probably knew they'd be there. They were all partying it up last night. He probably asked them to meet him."

Joe's phone rang. "Fontana."

Rodgers looked up at Ed. "Rough day?" She asked, pointing to his hands. He only nodded.

Fontana ended his call and smiled. "Johnson just went home."

"Tell me he was driving a POS?" Ed asked. Joe looked at him funny. "A POS, a piece of shit car?"

"Oh. Nope, he's in his town car according to the uniform. It dropped him at the door and took off around the block."

"Let's go talk to him." Ed said walking to the door.

"By all means," Joe agreed. He waved to Rodgers as he followed his partner out.

The two pulled up around the corner from Johnson's house and jumped from the car. They both drew their guns as they walked up the drive and to the front door. Joe knocked on the door with his gun. They patiently waited until Johnson opened the door. His appearance was deceiving. He was a short man with light sandy brown hair and blue eyes, and he was wearing an expensive suit. As soon as Paul Johnson saw the detectives he turned and ran. Ed was after him in a flash, and chased the man through the house and out the back door. Fontana was running around the outside of the house. Johnson tried to escape over his fence but Ed caught him and threw him to the ground.

"Get up!" Ed screamed. He yanked Johnson up and pushed him against the fence. "Where you going Paulie, huh!"

Joe ran up to them. "I got him." He put his hand on Johnson's back and motioned Ed out of the way. Ed reluctantly backed off.

"I did not do anything wrong, gentlemen. Mind telling me what this is about?" Johnson said.

"Are you aware of the fact that two of your business associates were shot in your club this morning?" Ed asked.

"Business associates? No, they were just friends. I just heard and was on my way to see you guys about it." He said smartly.

"So why'd you run?" Joe asked.

"I saw your crazy partner over there and panicked. Last time I saw him, he beat the shit out of me."

"Oh please, I hit you once." Ed said. "You better hope I don't get the chance to give you the beating you deserve."

He sat under the warm city night, watching the fireworks being set off from buildings all around him. He glanced over at her. She had her nose in a book. "Why are you reading? You should be watching the fireworks." He said.

She glanced up. "Eddie, I see the same fireworks every July 4th."

"And you are always reading the same book, too. What's with that?"

"It's not just a book...it's poetry." She said.

"Since when do you like poetry?"

"Since...I don't know...a long time now."

"Mish, I've known you for five months now, and you have not spoken a word about poetry."

"But you see me reading it all the time. Especially this one." She held up the book. "It's a book of women's poetry."

"Read me one." He said. He may not have been one to read a lot of poetry, but he could appreciate it.

"Alright..." She said. She set the book on her lap and closed her eyes, and recited one:

Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

There are some millionaires
With money they can't use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They've got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Now if you listen closely
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
'Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Ed watched her as she spoke the words. He knew that they had deep meaning to her, and it only made it better. She opened her eyes and looked at him with a small shrug.

"Who wrote it?"

"Maya Angelou...it's my favorite."

"It's great." They sat silently for awhile, both watching the fireworks. "So do you ever write any poetry?"

"Occasionally. I only write when there's something that...I just have to get out of me...if I'm writing a poem about something...then...then that something means a lot to me, be it good or bad."

"I'd love to read-"

"No. No one sees my poems." She said quickly.

"Why not?"

"Because they're too...me."

"Okay, I respect that. But if you ever want to share them...you know I'm not going to hold anything you write against you."

"I know...let's just watch the fireworks."

"Why don't you read me some more poems instead?"

"I have a lot up here," she tapped her forehead. "What would you like to hear?"

"Another one of your favorites, I guess."

"Alright. Well there is one by Hartley Coleridge that...well...I've always dreamed one day someone would see through all the bad stuff in me...and see the good..so I've always likeed it:

She is not fair to outward view
as many maidens be;
Her loveliness I never knew
until she smiled on me.
Oh, then I saw her eye was bright,
a well of love, a spring of light.

But now her looks are coy and cold,
to mine they ne'er reply
And, yet, I cease not to behold
the love-light in her eye.
Her very frowns are fairer far
than smiles of other maidens are.

Ed and Joe sat with Paul Johnson in the interrogation room. Ed was sitting next to Johnson and was staring at him with a glare.

"So am I under arrest?" Johnson asked.

"Should you be?" Fontana replied.

Johnson smiled. "No sir. I did nothing wrong."

"Where were you this morning?" Fontana asked.

"I was running errands...I do have a business after all."

"Yes, we all know about your...errands." Ed put in. "Now why don't you tell us exactly where you were at 11 AM and then you can talk to my friends at Special Victims and tell them about the woman you raped."

"I was in a meeting at 11 and I did not rape anyone."

"Where was this meeting? Give us someone to talk to." Fontana said.

"Lionel Faulk. At his office. 439-0087." Johnson said, crossing his arms over his chest. The detectives glanced at one another.

Fontana stood. "We'll be right back. You just sit tight." The two walked out of the room to where Van Buren was standing behind the glass. ADA Alex Borgia was standing with her. "Guess we'll check his alibi."

"Do that." Van Buren said. "So far we have no one saying he was there and nothing to link him."

"Which means unless you find something soon, you'll have to let him go. You need to find something...anything to hold him on." Borgia said.

"How about two more dead bodies linked to his club?" Ed asked.

"Not enough. All you have is suspicion. Call SVU and see if they got any results on their rape vic. DNA would hold him." She said.

"I'll call Benson." Ed said.

"And I'll call Mr. Faulk." Joe said. The two walked off to their desks and made their calls.

Ed dialed Benson's cell number. "Benson." She answered.

"Hey it's Green."

"Hey." She said.

"Misha give you a statement yet?"

"No, she's been asleep for awhile now. When she has woken up she's refused to say anything." Olivia said.

"Well, Borgia's here and she wants to know if you have anything to hold our guy?"

"We're with the ME now. We don't have any DNA."

"So nothing to link him?"

"Not evidence wise. This guy is good. Not only can he kill without a trace but he-"

"Yea." Ed cut her off, not needing her to finish her sentence. "So you two coming down here to talk to him?"

"Yes we are."

"Why don't you take your time and let him sweat? He's gotta hang out here if you need to talk to him...gives us time." Ed suggested.

"We'll get there when we can...I've heard traffic is hell today." Benson said.

"Thanks Olivia." Ed hung up and glanced over at Joe, who had just hung up himself.

"Well I spoke to Johnson's alibi. He said he and Johnson had a meeting at 10 and Johnson was out of there at noon."

"Shit. You think this guy is credible? Who is he?"

"He's the property realtor."

"Wait...I thought Johnson owned his club." Ed said, shaking his head.

"He does."

"So what's with the realtor? Wouldn't they have quit having meetings back when Johnson bought the place?"

"Yes."

"So...?" Ed held out a hand waiting for Joe to elaborate.

"Looks like Johnson wants to sell."

"Okay...so his alibi pans out...I don't believe this guy. Johnson could be paying him to say that."

"Or," Joe said, "the realtor could be mixed up in it all."

"Those are a lot of ifs." Borgia said, appearing beside them. They both looked up at her.

"Well ifs are all we got right now." Ed said in irritation.

"I understand that, Detective. And that is why you need to find more, or I'm letting your guy go. Right now he's here as a victim what with his club being shot out. He's free to leave."

"No he's not. SVU is on their way down, they need to question him." Ed argued.

"They'd better get here soon." She said. She turned and walked off.

"Now what?" Fontana asked.

"Foster has a couple buddies locked up. We used them last time around. Let's see what they know."

"Want to wait for Benson and Stabler to get here before we head out?"

"Nah," Ed said. "They may be awhile."

Joe shook his head. "I'll let you be the one to answer to Borgia."

"She doesn't scare me."

"She sure scares me." Joe said. The two got up and headed out.