Chapter Eight— The Twist

"So she didn't see anything, she walked in her apartment to see her seven year old daughter, Molly Eichenburg, laying dead on the kitchen floor."

"No dad," I continued with Olivia, "he left the picture a week after a week Molly was born. And her mom was working on graveyard shift for her job, which was waitressing."

"Did she say where?" Elliot asked, walking over to Olivia and I. We were in the precinct, hovering over my desk.

"Uh," I muttered, looking through my notes, "'Donna's.'" I said, looking up at Olivia and Elliot.

"That's only a couple blocks away from where Molly Eichenburg lives." Olivia said, looking at Elliot.

"Why would someone leave a seven year old alone? My parents trusted me alone when I was thirteen." I said, scrunching my eyebrows together.

"Bad parenting?" Olivia guessed.

"Maybe." Elliot muttered.

"She had two different colored eyes. One brown, one blue. And she was seven—exactly like Alessandra Groxton." I said. "This guy's got a pattern."

Melinda walked into the precinct, suddenly. "Guys? We have the DNA from the rapist and Groxton. You might want to see this."

We followed Melinda into the lab, and found ourselves staring at the DNA on the x-ray board.

"This is Groxton's DNA…" she pointed the picture on the right, "…and this is the rapist's DNA." She pointed to the DNA on the left.

"Now, if I line these up, this column is the exact same as Groxton's."

I shook my head. "When I interrogated him, I asked if he had any siblings. He said no; that was the only thing I believed from him. You could see it in his eyes." I said, my head shaking.

Everyone gave me a strange look; I then realized that what had come out of my mouth sounded like it came from a cheesy '80's movie. "I… I read people." I muttered. Olivia and Elliot nodded.

"So… sibling?" I asked.

Melinda shook her head. "Son."

"That's impossible, he's 46. He had Alessandra when he was thirty nine."

"High school prom night?" Asked Olivia, still staring at the DNA samples.

Melinda nodded. "When he was sixteen, I'm guessing. His son is thirty."

"Oh wow, I was just guessing." Olivia muttered.

I sighed, and shook my head. I heard the others sigh, and I didn't blame them.

"Do we have an I.D.?"

Melinda nodded. "I ran his DNA through the system, and then the DNA from the people in the accountants' office. Apparently, Cragen did that one himself." Melinda said, after studying our puzzled looks. But she continued. "If found that this one who matches the rapist DNA and Groxton's, is this guy called Joshua Saradin."

My heart sank, and my stomach did at least twenty back-flips. I felt my face drain of color, but I tried to hide my expression.

"That's… that's his son?" I asked, trying to hide my surprise.

Melinda nodded. "You know him?"

I shook my head. "No no no… he went to my high school. That's all." I placed my hand on the counter, and leaned against it.

"Did he know?" Elliot asked.

"Well, obviously not. If his love for Alessandra isn't all for show, then he would have wanted to raise him."

I "psh"'d under my breath.

Just then, Cragen walked in. "Guys, it's 1 A.M. Go home, get some rest. We'll continue in the morning."

We all nodded. I started to head out the door, when Olivia tapped my shoulder. "Need a lift?" She smiled, heavy bags hanging under her eyes.

I smiled back, weakly. "No, I'm good. Thanks."

She nodded, and walked out with Elliot. I headed out to my car, my destination set in my mind.