Chapter Seven—The Real Deal

"So, Mr. Groxton… you know why you're here?" Asked Olivia, sitting down comfortably in a steel chair. I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed and my foot aligned with my back.

"Yeah," he spat out, "for a crime I didn't commit."

"Really? Because we have an eye-witness that says you did." Olivia retorted. It was almost amusing to see her kindness and compassion drain dramatically out of her chocolate-brown eyes. If you never met her, and she was interrogating you, you'd be scared.

"And when the DNA from your daughter's rape kit comes back, and it shows your DNA, we'll have science on our side, too." I said, truthfully disgusted.

"How could you people think that I would do such a thing to my daughter?"

"I don't know, you tell us." I pulled a chair next to him, sat on it backward, and glared at him. "Detective, show him the pictures." I said. Olivia nodded, and opened the envelope.

Olivia spread the photos out on the table. Once Mr. Groxton caught sight of them, he grimaced, and turned his head. "Put those away, I don't want to see them."

"Oh, so you're disgusted by your own work? Did it finally hit you, that you raped your own daughter?" I asked, my voice getting a little louder each time. Only this wasn't me. It was my rage.

"We'll make you a deal. You confess that you did this, and maybe our ADA won't give you the death sentence." Olivia said, more coolly.

"Why? I didn't do—" I couldn't contain it. I slammed one fist on the table, and used my other hand to grab his head, making him look at the pictures.

"Damn you!" I yelled. "You did this! To your own daughter! You took away her innocence, her sense of security; you basically took away her life! She's your own flesh and blood! And you destroyed every single chance of bonding with her! Why?!" My grip became tighter on his head, and with each word I said, he wriggled to get free. Olivia looked at my "technique", and continued to let me do what I was doing.

"I DIDN'T DO THIS!" He yelled. He tried to throw a punch at me, but I caught his fist. His face of anger and hate towards me dramatically flushed, and was replaced with fear and panic.

"Then who did?" I said lowly, in a menacing whisper.

He sighed. "I… I don't know."

I still held is fist and his head. Once my mind cleared, and a few more questions popped into it, I dropped them. I then asked, "Did you loan your I.D. to anyone?"

Still afraid of me, he shook his head no. "But I did lose it a couple of days ago."

"Where?" I asked.

"Where I work. 34th floor of the Empire State Building. I had it on my desk because I was buying something for my wife, and then someone called me over. I left it on my desk for about five minutes, and then it was gone when I returned."

"Do you have any siblings?" Asked Olivia, darkly.

"No… I was always an only child."

My gut told me that this time, he was telling the truth.

"We need a DNA sample." Olivia said.

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know, that's why we need it, to prove your innocence."

He considered this for a minute. "No."

Annoyed, I placed a hand on his head. "You know," I said, and I plucked some hair off, "you really hate us, don't you?"

Olivia opened her mouth to ask a question, but then a man in a plain black business suit and red tie walked in. "Detectives, interview is over. I am taking this man home to his wife and daughter. You," he said, pointing to me. "put those away. No one wants to see that." He was referring to the pictures on the table.

I began to stand up, but Olivia said in a low whisper, "Easy, c'mon." I sat down.

Because I was shaking, Olivia put the pictures away. I grabbed the hairs from the table, and walked out of the interrogation room. I met up with Elliot, Cragen, and Munch, and noticed that they all looked at me, gaping slightly.

"I guess I when you said 'a bit of a temper', you weren't kidding." Said Cragen, with his arms crossed.

"Sorry, Captain." I said. "I have DNA, though."

He held out his palm, and I put the hairs in his hand. "Will that work?"

He smiled. "Perfectly."

"Great reflexes." Elliot said with a smile, his arms crossed. "Did you take karate?" He asked, a little bit stunned.

I took a second to register the sudden topic change, before I answered, "I used to. I still practice my reflexes, though." I replied. I turned to Munch. "Did I scare you?" I asked, sincerely concerned.

He shook his head. "Just surprised that that can come out of someone like you."

I smirked. "I kind of let my rage control me sometimes." I admitted.

"Well, you did great. Made him spill a lot of stuff." Olivia said, complimenting me.

"Detectives!" Someone called from behind. I turned, to find a doctor walking to us.

She noticed me first, and said, "Hi, Melinda Warner. I study the bodies." She held out a friendly hand.

"Oh!" I said, shaking it. "Alec Bay."

She smiled. "Pleasure." She then turned her attention to the mass of us. "The rape kit came back."