Elliot stood in the interrogation room. At the moment he was keeping quiet while his partner grilled a suspect. It was a classic "tag team" move that they'd used so many times over the years on the job as partners. He could read the very subtle signals from his partner. When she leaned on the table so that she could look at the suspect they'd brought for possibly killing a ten month old baby boy who's cause of death had been determined as "shaken baby syndrome" Elliot had told Olivia to take the lead and fire the first salvo at the child's father who at the moment was acting cool as ice under Benson's intense glare. Pushing off the wall he finally put his hand up to wave Benson off and tilted his head as he leaned against the table with his arms crossed over his chest. "Listen, I understand what it's like? I am a father myself... The endless nights of non-stop screaming and crying." He said in a calm voice and shook his head. "You'd give anything for some peace and quiet. Every time you try to get some attention from his mother the kid starts screaming again." He leaned down so his face was just inches away from the child's father. "So when his mother went left him with you in the apartment to go to the store and he started screaming and crying again. You picked him up, but that didn't help he just screamed louder."

The man shook his head and swallowed hard. "I'm telling you I didn't do anything to Bobby. I loved him, he was son!" Gerry Winters pleaded. "I wouldn't hurt a hair on his head!"

Olivia took the photo from the file and slide it towards the man. "The shaking caused swelling on the brain. The coroner says that put the time of death to about 12 hours ago. That would be 8 or 9 pm." Olivia told him as she did so.

Gerry didn't look at the picture, instead he flipped it over and pushed it back towards Benson. "I don't need to see that. His mother and I mourning his loss, and planning his funeral." He moved to stand up. "I really need to be going. I am sure that Gloria is beside herself. She's been very emotional since Bobby's death."

Stabler reached out and put a hand on Winters shoulder to make him sit down. "Gloria is in the other room right now talking to Detectives Fin and Lake. She told them that she was out of the apartment last night at that time and had left you to take care of Bobby."

"That doesn't mean anything. I have looked after the baby before. There's never been a problem." The man said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Olivia looked to Elliot.

"We have the sales slip that Gloria signed at store where she was picking up groceries and of all things baby formula." He took it out of the folder and held it up. "It's time stamped at 8:37 pm. That is right in the window that the coroner said that the shaking attack occurred." Stabler shook his head and smiled. "Let me guess the kid just wouldn't shut up so you shook him until he did and then laid him in his crib and left him to die while you had a booty call with his mother!" Stabler let his temper start to flare up. "You sick son of a bitch!"

"Just tell us what happened. If you come clean something can be worked out." Olivia offered.

"I think I should call a lawyer." Gerry said shaking his head. "I have nothing more to say."

Holding the door open for his partner to exit the room and then closing it behind them Stabler shook his head. "We were that close!" He held up his thumb and index finger about an inch apart. "The guy is guilty as sin. Maybe it was an accident. He might not have meant to do it. Either way he's going to end up with at very least a charge of involuntary manslaughter."

"True." Olivia said with a sigh.

As they walked into the squad room Elliot saw Fin and Lake coming out of interview room number two, followed by a young woman that had been clearly crying and emotionally upset. Once the Bobby's mother was out of ear shot he looked at Chester. "How's she doing?"

"Not good, But she refuses to believe that her husband might have a hand in her son's death." Lake told him.

"Well he just asked for a lawyer." Elliot moved to refill his coffee mug from the communal pot and added cream and sugar. "That is pretty much an admission of guilt in my books." He took a sip of the liquid in his mug; a look of disgust came to his face. "How long has this coffee been sitting here?" It tasted burnt.

We just need to find the evidence to prove it." Liv told him.

"That is something I hope you will get soon." Casey Novak's voice said as she walked into the squad room. "Please tell me that you have something for me to use so I can hold him over for the night?" Novak had already been notified of the case. "I don't care if this was an accidental killing." She intoned. "There is a little boy that is laying in the morgue at this very moment who should be at the park playing with other children his age."

Stabler held up the folder on the Bobby Winters case. "We know that the mother was not of the home when Bobby was shaken. The father has no alibi, and was alone at home with the victim. We are still waiting on Melinda to see if she can find any bruising on the boy's body that would suggest that his father was the one that attacked him."

"We'll get him Casey, don't worry." Olivia said with a nod.

"See that you do." Novak said as she started to walk towards the room where the boy's father was being held. "When Mr. Winters lawyer arrives, point him or her in my direction." She said over her shoulder as she disappeared into the anti-room of interrogation room number one.

Elliot looked at his watch and was surprised to see that it was almost five p.m. reaching for his coat he let out a breath "Kathy is expecting me to pick up Dickey and Elizabeth in just over an hour. It's my weekend this week." He started toward the elevators. "Liv, can you go and see Melinda and see if she's got any new evidence?" He asked as he continued to walk out of the squad room. He gave a very small flick of his wrist in Lake's direction silently asking him to follow.

"Right, on it." Olivia said getting up and heading down to the autopsy.

Lake stood and followed Elliot.

Once the two men where inside the elevator and the door closed he turned to look at Chester and let out a sigh of frustration. "I am supposed to pick up the twins tonight at 7 pm from their mothers." He glanced at his watch and was dismayed to see that it was already going on five-thirty in the evening. "If I leave now I should just be able to hit rush hour traffic and end up at least a half hour late."

"Damn, I'm sure she'll understand man." Chester crossed his arms.

"Kathy hasn't been in an understanding mood since before the divorce." Elliot stated as he assumed a posture that mirrored the younger man standing beside him. Shaking his head he took a breath. "Can you do me a favor? When you get home tonight can you call Maria's Pizza and order a large with pepperoni, bacon and mushrooms and a medium with just cheese for the twins. Call about quarter to eight. I should be home with Dickey and Elizabeth just as the pizza arrives."

"Yeah sure I'll have it ready by the time you get home." Chester said with a nod of understanding.

The elevators in the squad house where always extremely slow as far back as Elliot Stabler could remember. So when he saw that it was just passing the third floor he knew they had at least two minutes before the doors opened on the basement level. Reaching out with an arm he pulled Chester to him and then kissed passionately on the lips on hand reaching behind, one on the Native American's back and the other groping one of the firm mounds that made him his incredibly fine shaped ass. When he finally broke the kiss both men were breathless. "Woof!" he exclaimed as the doors opened and turned to wiggle his eyebrows. "See you in a couple of hours."

Lake had kissed him back just as passionately groping as well. "Yeah!" He grinned.