Chapter 10

Questioning

The three men buying sex were arrested. The pimps were questioned and so were the girls and Craigen was still none the wiser. Nobody wanted to talk, too afraid of what might happen to them if they did. Not seeing another option he took a picture of each girl and sent it to Olivia. Maybe Amanda could identify the girl who gave her the number in the first place.

Meanwhile Elliot and Munch were interrogating one of the pimps, trying to get anything out of him that they could use to build a case. Elliot, as usual had a hard time controlling his temper. "Tell us your name, uh? A scumbag like you must have a name that suits!" He was circulating the pimp to make him feel intimidated and small. The man was sitting down, hair cut crew cut style, baggy jeans and expensive jewelry. He even had a gold tooth showing its shimmering speks as he grinned.

"Okay, no name. Lets just call you scumbag. Is that okay with you Munch?"

John was casually leaning against the wall, already bored with the questhinking, of perps like him. "Works fine with me." He pushed himself from the wall, walked over to Mr Scumbag and leaned over the table, close to his face. "You know what? We're gonna find out your name sooner or later. We're detectives, it's what we do for a living. There's no way out of here, sunshine!"

The man looked Munch deep in the eyes, smirking slightly. "You've got nothin on me, old man."

Elliot came closer, arms crossed over his chest and an amusing grin on his face. "Is that what you think?" Resting his hands on the table top Elliot also leaned in an joined Munch in their stare off, locking eyes with the perp. "You see, the guy in the room next door already gave you up. He told us everything and you, my friend, will spend the next few years at Rikers. How's that?"

The detectives could see his nostrils flare and his expression change into fear, confusion and doubt. "You're lying. You're just saying that to get me to talk but news flash, dickhead, I'm not talking."

Elliot looked over at Munch and nodded. "Okay, well... uhm, you see there might be a little problem or some kind of misunderstanding here." The detective pointed towards the wall, indicating that her was talking about the other perp in the room. "The guy in there, somehow, believes that you are to blame for all of this. That you all got caught and arrested and now... now, he's not very happy and neither are the others." Elliot sat down by the table, moving the chair closer to the perp and scratched his chin.

"It looks like they have some kind of vendetta against you. I don't know, it seems like they don't like you very much. I thought guys like you stuck together you know, kind of like family but..." He shrugged. "maybe I just got the wrong impression."

Munch knew where this was going. After so many years of working as a detective they both knew that scare tactics were very efficient and almost always successful. Scaring the perp into talking was Elliot's favourite part when it came to the interrogation process and it looked like he was, yet again, right.

The perp darted his eyes from Elliot to Munch several times, obviously trying to read their facial expressions if they were telling the truth or not. He couldn't say. Their faces were not giving away anything. He started to sweat and was continuously swallowing even though his mouth had gone dry since he got to the precinct. Elliot quickly got up and walked towards the door. "You're free to go. We can't keep you."

A frown of confusion appeared on the perp's face, not understanding why he was suddenly free to leave and walk away from his arrest. Not moving from his chair Munch stepped in and roughly placed a hand on his shoulder. "You see, the others had some functional part of their brain intact and took a deal. They talk they walk so they're probably waiting for you on the outside." John looked over at Elliot. "But I don't think they're gonna be happy seeing you since they think you set them up."

The perp hastily stood up, anger written on his face. "I'm no snitch."

Putting his hands up in defence John took a step back. "Well, that's not the way they see it. Either way, I'm looking at a dead man. Do you know what people do to the likes of you in prison?"

Again, the perp got agitated but this time out of fear. "Prison? I ain't going to prison. You said it yourself, you've got nothing on me and I'm free to go."

Elliot lost his temper, approached the man, pushed him back down in the chair and slammed his hands down on the table right in front of him. "So talk! We can make you a deal."

Elliot could tell he was having an affect on the perp when he saw a glimmer of hope flicker in his eyes when a deal was being mentioned and he slowly reclaimed his seat. "I'm listening."

Elliot snorted slightly and Munch pulled up another chair, sat down and pulled out a picture of Kim holding it up for the perp to see. "We're looking for this girl. Her name is Kimberly, Kim for short. Ring any bells?"

The man looked at the photo and then between the two detectives, unsure of what to say and afraid of saying too much. Sighing, he slumped back into his seat. "I've seen her once or twice before." His left leg started shaking from nerves. "Pretty girl, nice merchandise and good for business, you know what I'm saying?" He snickered.

Munch raised his eyebrows in a non amusing manner. "Yeah, we get the picture, bro. Now tell us, when was the last time you saw her?"

The perp scratched his ear, thinking. "About... maybe six weeks ago at a... party."

"Who was her pimp then?" Elliot asked.

Again, the perp scratched at his ear, an obvious nervous habit. "Look, man... do you know what's gonna happen to me if I snitch?" Fear was evident in his angry voice.

Munch smiled slightly. "Do you know what's gonna happen if you go to prison? I've heard they easily break in newbies like you. If you're lucky you might have fully functional merchandise, yourself, by the end of it. You'll consider yourself blessed if you'll still be able to piss straight." John stood up. "Come on, Stabler. We're wasting our time with this one."

As they were approaching the door the perp gave in. "Wait!" He closed his eyes, thinking carefully about what to say next. "That girl, the pretty blonde, she was with Cash when I saw her. He bought her for good money and got it all back within weeks after buying her. She was making him a fortune. I don't know where she is now, I swear." Sweat was beginning to form on his forehead, dripping down his temples.

Elliot smiled, grabbed the man by his shoulders, pulled him up and shoved him towards the door. "Thanks. Now you're free to go."

The perp turned around and looked at Elliot with a terrified expression. "Wait! What about my deal? I need protection."

Munch placed a hand on his shoulder as he passed him out. "You got your deal. You talk you walk. A big guy like you must be more than capable of protecting yourself. Thanks for all your help."

The perp was left standing with his mouth open, sweating profusely and his heart beating out of his chest. He was literally a dead man. A dead man walking, but for how long?

John and Elliot decided to pay Cash a visit in one of the holding cells.

Olivia just got of the phone with her captain. He was constantly keeping her updated which she appreciated but it was taking its toll on Amanda every time her phone rang, desperate to hear how everything was going. Olivia tried to sound calm and collected for the blonde's sake, not to make her too worried but it was difficult when Amanda was too anxious to rest or go back to sleep.

"Amanda, please, you have to lay still or you'll tare your stitches again. Please, honey." Olivia tried her best to make the blonde stay still but it as nearly impossible. She mentally cursed herself as the pet name slipped out. They had been 'slipping out' more frequently lately and there was little Olivia could do to stop it from happening. She had always been good with victims, no matter how traumatic their experience had been, she could always make them feel better and safe by using her soothing alto voice, her deep brown understanding eyes and her reassuring touches.

Amanda was different. She could tell straight off that the blonde didn't get too close or attached to anybody, she didn't trust, maybe she never learnt how to in the first place, and she was way too independent. By knowing this Olivia knew that Amanda must have had a difficult and unsafe childhood. Or at least at some point in her younger years. There was nothing wrong with being independent but when it comes to a point when you're too proud to ask for help or accept it, then Olivia knew that something was causing that behavior and it could usually be traced back to their childhood.

Amanda still struggled to sit up. "I need to see Cash. I have to talk to him. He might know where Kim is and if he does, I swear to god, I'll beat it out of him." She was being held down by strong but gentle arms. "Let me go. I need to get out of here."

Olivia could tell, after so many years of experience, that the sedative that had been administered earlier on was wearing off. Amanda was now a lot stronger, lucid and coherent which could cause her more damage if she didn't stop tossing and turning. "I can't stay here, I need to go. If you won't let me speak to Cash then at least let me go home. Please." Liv could see the desperation in those blue eyes but there was no way Amanda could go back home.

"Amanda, you need to listen to me, honey." Once again the endearment slipped. " I know you want to get out of here. Nobody wants to be in a hospital but you need to stay still and calm down so you can give your body a chance to heal and recover." Her voice was soothing, almost velvety, and Olivia knew that her voice had a big impact on people in some kind of distress and would usually see an affect by now but with Amanda she had no luck. "Amanda, please. You need to lay back down, sweetie. I know you want to go home but your apartment is, at the moment, a crime scene. CSU are currently canvassing the place but that doesn't matter. You're not safe there. They know here you live and they won't hesitate to try something like this again."

The words finally hit home. "Then where am I suppose to go? What if Kim escapes and finds her way home an I'm not there. She'll think I gave up on her. I have to get out of here and find her." Aggressively, Amanda ripped the IV from her arm like it was nothing. She didn't even flinch from the pain it must have caused her. She swung her legs over the side and stood up. Barely aware of the pain her body was experiencing, cause of the adrenaline rush, she took one step.

"AMANDA! " Olivia was instantly grabbing onto the blonde's upper arms trying to stop her from causing further injury.

Amanda struggled in the detectives strong hold. She needed to get out. It was almost like she couldn't breathe and the walls were creeping in on her, getting closer and closer with each second. Tears of frustration, anger and desperation rolled down her face and her breaths were coming in short gasps. Shaky legs finally gave up and she collapsed in Olivia's arms, sobbing. "You don't... you don't understand. I can't stay. I can't stay here. I need... I NEED to get out."

A nurse must have heard the commotion, ran in with a sedative and quickly injected it into Amanda's drip. "We have to get her to lay down or she'll hurt herself."

Olivia could already feel the affect of the calming drug cause the blonde was now struggling less. She glanced at the nurse and held a hand up. "I've got it from here, thanks."

Alone once again Olivia gently pushed Amanda against the bed and sat her down. Bending down herself so she could make eye contact she cupped Amanda's face in her warm elegant hands. The frail body was shaking but her breathing was now somewhat under control. Olivia spoke in a firm voice. "Amanda sweetheart. You are safe here. Do you hear me? You are safe. Nothing bad is gonna happen to you. You have to... no, you need to calm down so you can get better. You'll be no good to Kim this way, sweetie."

Blue eyes started to droop and Olivia placed an arm around her shoulders, the other arm behind shaky knees and swiftly laid her down. Pulling away she was stopped by a fierce grip on her upper arm. She looked down at Amanda's terrified face and saw the desperation and angst hidden behind.

Without thinking, again, she leaned own, placed a motherly kiss on a still quite feverish forehead and stroked a flushed cheek. Her firm voice changed to a soothing one. "Its okay, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."