*Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay on the update, but life's been kind of crazy…I've been focusing all my energy and spare time on a) graduation, b) last week's dance recital, and c) trying to get off the waiting list and into the class of 2014 at College of the Holy Cross (which is still a work in progress :-/ ). Plus, writer's block is a disease for which I have no quick cure. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter and don't hate me too much for keeping you waiting for such a long time!*
Within the next half hour, the entire precinct, the CSU team, and Dr. Warner were at the murder scene looking for anything and everything to try and find their killer. Casey and Alex were even speaking civilly, though somewhat coldly, to one another as they hypothetically discussed how they could spin the little shreds of evidence that were collected thus far into probable cause for a warrant. The civility abruptly ended, however, when Casey was sure a warrant could be executed once they had their suspect, and Alex was equally sure they hadn't a leg to stand on yet. Before the conversation declined into yet another argument, Olivia and Elliot intervened, separating the two women and occupying them with the task of interviewing two teenage girls who found the body.
"I'll have to bring the body back to the morgue for more conclusive tests, but cause of death looks like blunt force trauma to the head – same as the first victim," Dr. Warner announced, "The fatal laceration is on the right side of the head like Alyson, meaning it was likely a left-handed perp for both. Looks like he was killed somewhere else and dumped here like last time– blood pool isn't consistent for being killed here. I can't say for sure, but right now it looks like it's the same guy, probably not a copy-cat."
"That's what we figured," Elliot answered, "The name-tag was our hold-back."
"The splinters in the head wounds are oak wood, same as Alyson," The rookie CSU tech announced, "Also, the fibers found on both bodies are identical. They're wool, most likely from a carpet. We're putting a trace on them now. We'll know by the end of the week if we can identify any makes or models."
"Do we have the name of the victim?" Cragen asked
"According to his driver's license, it's James Preston," Olivia replied.
"We'd better find out how he's scoping these kids out and fast," Munch added, "before he kills again."
"They're teenagers, so 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' would be a easy way to look for people" Finn suggested.
"Munch, Fin, check their social network pages, see if they have any suspicious looking friends in common," Cragen commanded, "Benson, Stabler, continue to look through recent parolees, anyone with a particularly sharp axe to grind."
"How about this guy, Aaron Hastings?" an exhausted Olivia Benson suggested four hours later to an equally exhausted Elliot Stabler, "He threatened to 'destroy' us after we charged him with domestic violence. He just got paroled last week."
"Sounds promising," Elliot responded, "Add him to the 'interview pile. How about Billy Michelson? Rape three, made audible threats against you and Novak."
"I remember that asshole," Olivia replied, "DEFINITELY interview pile. How many does that make now?"
"Twenty-six," Elliot answered with only a sight hint of exhaustion, "By the time we interrogate all these creeps the next victim will be dead."
"Maybe we won't have to," Olivia answered, "Munch and Finn are going through the facebook page and Novak and Cabot got the warrant for call logs of recent parolees, so at least we have something to work with."
"Is there any information on the mystery creep Alyson ran into at the gas station?" Elliot asked, desperate for leads.
"Not yet. CSU is going through the video surveillance and fibers now and we should get a call tomorrow with the results. But none of James' friends or family recalls him mentioning anything about a weird guy, only Alyson said anything."
"Maybe he only approached Alyson for some reason?" Elliot suggested, "Or maybe our perp didn't feel comfortable complimenting a fellow male's appearance."
"Damn it" Olivia said, "This is going nowhere…"
"Finn and I have something that may change that," Munch announced, "Both Alyson and James have a very interesting facebook friend."
"Fred Coolrige," Finn continued, "Remember him? We thought he was pretty small-time, peeping Tom who was arrested about a year ago for stealing underwear from the woman's locker-room at 'Planet Fitness.'"
"Yeah, I didn't think he was anything more than just screwed up, not dangerous. Certainly didn't' peg him as a serial killer," Olivia thought aloud, "That's escalating a little fast, no?"
"Maybe the eight months in prison toughened him up?" Finn answered, "He definitely made no secret that he was pissed Alex got the charges up to first degree menacing."
"Only one way to find out," Elliot said, suddenly a bit revitalized with the new information, "Let's pick him up."
"My sentiments exactly," Munch chimed in, "I'll ask North and South Korea to get search warrants and meet us at Coolrige's apartment."
"I swear I didn't do anything!" an angry Coolrige yelled to a calm, cool, and collected Olivia Benson. If the nature of the crime wasn't so heinous, she would have been hopelessly amused by this man's appearance. He had skinny limbs which contrasted his massive beer-belly, which was accentuated by a "Guinness" t-shirt. To top it off, he was balding and wore the ugliest glasses she had ever seen (nothing like Alex's signature frames). To be honest, she didn't get the "murderer" vibe from him, but for now he was the only lead they had.
"This isn't looking good for you," Olivia began, "My partner is at your home and office with an entire team of investigators right now. If there is any shred, scrap, drop, of evidence, they will find it. What's the matter? Eight months in prison wasn't long enough for you?"
"I should not have been locked up," he angrily spat, "If that blond bitch hadn't singled me out..."
"First of all, 'that blond bitch' has a name, it's Alexandra Cabot; Ms. Cabot to you," Olivia replied, "But you'd already know that, wouldn't you. Second of all, if you think eight months in prison is bad, wait until you spend years in prison while you wait for the needle."
"I didn't kill those kids," Coolrige desperately pleaded, "What do I have to do to prove it to you?"
"Easy," Olivia answered, "Explain why you're 'Facebook' friends with both of the victims and give me your alibi for last Friday and Saturday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm."
"I already told you, I don't know why I'm facebook friends with them; I've never met half the people I'm 'friends' with. I work from home, I was there all weekend."
"Alone, or can anyone vouch for that?" Before she could wait for a response, Cragen summoned her out of the interrogation room.
"What's wrong?" Olivia asked nervously, and then more hopefully, "Did they find anything?"
"They swept his home and office, some porn videos but nothing incriminating," Cragen answered, his face telling her there was something more, "But he's not our guy. We've got a third victim – Alex's younger cousin Stephanie."
"Poor Alex…" Olivia thought aloud. "Same M.O and cause of death?"
"She's alive, just shaken up," Cragen answered, "They're talking to her now at Alex's apartment. You should be there, too."
"I'm leaving right now," Olivia answered almost urgently, and then curiosity getting the better of her, asked, "How'd she survive?"
"Pepper spray," Cragen answered, "Her school's health class gave it out last week; convenient timing if I've ever seen it."
*Hopefully you enjoyed that chapter! Whether you loved it, hated it, or were sort of in-between, PLEASE review! Don't MAKE me break out my puppy pout…Now that my graduation and dance recital is over, I will have PLENTY of time to update for my fantastic readers! Plus, I pretty much have the next chapter in my head already and have a basic sketch of where I want the story to go. So, expect an update by next Friday (the 23rd). Oh, I own NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, though I will forever continue to dream :-(*