Chapter Seven – Fight
Nine minutes later, Elliot was back from the store with the tapes and a slightly confused Alex was handing her ring over to Olivia. Cragen was there too, having drunk about five cups of coffee in quick succession. Olivia compared the ring to Tanya Kandinski's bracelet which was in a plastic bag on the desk.
"I knew I'd seen that pattern before, look at this, the bracelet is part of the same set as the ring, same hallmark and pattern" She passed the two pieces of jewellery to Elliot, who grunted his agreement. "Alex, where was the ring from?"
"It was from... from the same chain that we were in yesterday!"
Olivia leant back in her chair, the pieces finally clicking into place.
"I asked the coroners office to check Abie Sands – the second victim – for any jewellery. She had a navel piercing from, guess where – Love&Pride jewellers."
"I think it's time we paid them a visit" Stated Cragen. "With a warrant" He added, looking at Alex who nodded. Cragen turned and went into his office, and Elliot, suddenly feeling slightly awkward, walked over to write some purposeful and important notes on the evidence board.
Alex smiled at Olivia, leaning in a little closer.
"I'll see you later Liv... don't work too late"
"Drop in later?"
"I'll do my best" And with that Alex walked out, leaving – or so it seemed to Olivia – no choice but to watch her ass as she left. Close to blushing, Olivia looked away and watched Elliot intently as he answered his phone – grateful for the distraction, the 'something else' to focus on.
"Anything? No... damn" He hung up, walking over to Olivia. "Sketch artist said the pictures are pretty much useless. It was dark blah blah blah... said she could barely remember the face shape."
Olivia sighed. She had suspected as much.
"Let's watch the tapes from the store"
"I already did, he's got a hat, keeps his back to the cameras. Knew where they were, he must have been there before."
"You know El I think he definitely lives close. Tanya said he didn't cross the road when she tried to loose him, he obviously knew where she was going quite well. He must watch his victims, follows them, then when he knows they're vulnerable..."
Elliot nodded, slotting the tape into the VCR of the tv in the corner of the room. Olivia walked up to it, straining to see the fuzzy, bad quality picture.
"I get my dinners from there..." She said absent mindedly. "Also, El, think about it. Tanya Kandinski said she was buying ice cream for her sister, that her sister had been upset so she would have been comforting her... maybe the perp thought they were a couple."
"Maybe, maybe not... here he is" Elliot pointed to the screen at a figure entering the store. He immediately ducked behind an isle, obscuring their view of him.
"Has he got a limp?" Asked Olivia, leaning in even closer to the screen.
"Yeah, little bit. Wait – yeah, look there"
"I recognise that walk El! I think I've seen him around..."
"In your building?"
"Maybe. Or on my street, or on my way to work... shit El! He's right there and I have no idea who he is!"
"Don't get yourself worked up about it. If you see him again, bring him in. Hang on, there's a shot of his face in a second... there"
Olivia stared at it, but couldn't make anything out. She sighed, shaking her head.
"I don't know about that, but I know that limp from somewhere"
"Don't stress over it Liv" warned Elliot. "Let's get down to the jewellery store, wait for that warrant."
"Go with Fin and Munch, I'm going to look over this tape again"
---
A short while later, Elliot returned with a box of papers, and dumped them on Olivia's desk, making her jump and look up from the open files in front of her.
"That was quick"
"Yeah, the others are still down there, questioning and searching some more but I brought back some company policy documents, and lists of important purchases in the last few months. Just something to start on. You gave up on the tape?"
"Yeah I was getting nowhere. I rang up Dr George, re-read Tanya Kandinski's statement, and have gone over these files again and again." She picked up a pile of papers from what Elliot had just brought back with him, and started pouring over those."
"Also, the guy mentioned an employee – a temp – who was fired for hacking into private computer files and making snide comments to gay female customers."
"Who?"
"We're running him through the system..." he fished a piece of paper from the pile, handed it over to Olivia. It was the employment records of 'Dave Bersack'. She looked at the address, but it wasn't anywhere close to her. "Fin reckons the address is fake"
"How come?"
"Because his sister lives at that very same address, and has done for three years."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, small world huh? This guy was a temp, he picked up his pay from the store directly, they never had to send anything home or double check his records."
"Anything come up on our records?"
"Nothing"
"Any pictures?"
"Nope – but we're working on it"
Olivia cursed under her breath, looking back down at the papers in her hands. Something caught her eye.
"You want coffee Liv?" She didn't respond. "Liv?"
"No, I think I've got something, give me a few seconds..."
Raising his eyebrows, Elliot went to get himself something to drink. When he returned, Olivia's eyes were boring into her computer screen. He sat down next to her.
"What you got?"
"On any piece of jewellery over $1000, whether bought on cash or credit, the store takes the address and contact details of the buyer, just in case you know"
"Ok, so?"
"Here are all the people who purchased expensive jewellery from the Love&Pride store in the last two months" She said, and a shower of blue dots appeared on the screen.
"Yeah"
"And here are all the people who's addresses are in a five block radius of my apartment" The map zoomed in, and the many blue dots became just five. "Six of them, Wheeler, Sands and Tania Kandinski are three of them, one of the others – this girl here – reported a minor assault three weeks ago"
"He's choosing his victims from customers. You think it's this Dave Bersack guy?"
"Maybe, and he lives near me El! I recognise his walk, he's so near me but I don't know where. It's like he's a word on the tip of my tongue and I can't remember it..."
Elliot drew in a breath. He thought deeply for a moment, seeming like he was about to say something a few times, but keeping silent.
"How would you feel about taking the fight to him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Go home with a female officer, makes yourselves obvious, see if he makes a move. If he's that close he'll probably see you."
"Bait?"
"He might not attack or anything, but maybe he'll have a nose around, check out the building. We could be outside, keep our eyes open for anything that sticks out"
"I suppose... there aren't any other female officers in our unit"
"We'll borrow someone on desk duty – there are always some pregnant girls there wishing they had some action."
"They're pregnant El."
"Oh. Yeah. Shit. We need to do this fast..."
"There is someone. I'll do it with her. It'll work. It's safe."
"Who?"
"Alex."
"I can't let you do that Liv."
"Yeah. Yeah you can."
