Chapter 27
Elliot plopped into his chair the next morning and realized that Kenny was half asleep on his desk. Fin was late and Munch was in with the Captain. The elder detective chucked a pencil at the younger man and it hid him on the crown of his head.
"Late night?" Elliot asked.
"My idiot neighbors. I gotta move," Kenny shook his head.
"Join the club," Elliot frowned.
"Kathy kick you out?" Kenny wondered.
"Seems the divorce talk is no longer talk. I've been instructed that I'm not welcome at home," Stabler told him.
"Geez. Sorry man. Where are you staying?" Kenny asked.
"With Liv for now. Her couch is much comfier than I thought it would be," his temporary partner said.
"How are the kids handling it?" Briscoe wanted to know.
"Each one differently. Though I'm not sure Eli would understand it, exactly," Elliot admitted.
"You tell the Captain?" Kenny asked.
"Nope, I was going to do that. What's Munch doing in there anyway?" His partner wondered.
"I have no idea. He was in there when I got here. As for Fin, I think he has court today," Briscoe filled him in. Elliot nodded and then noted that Munch was exiting the Captain's office, with the Captain in tow.
"Kenny, head out with Munch. We have a possible lead on Jeff Haggerty. Local precinct will meet you out there. Elliot, a word?" Cragen asked. Stabler nodded and headed into the Captain's office as the other two headed out of the precinct.
"I got a call from One PP. Seems that they got a request to know more about your pension and benefits. They wanted to know if I knew my best detective was going to be a problem. They don't want anything coming up later, especially since the shrink cleared you," Don gave him a look as he took a seat behind his desk.
"Kathy told me not to come home. She wants a divorce and she's not wavering this time. It's not like last time," Elliott admitted as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. He neglected to mention that he'd already known for days. The Captain shook his head.
"Where are you staying?" Don asked.
"Liv has graciously allowed me to use her couch until I find a place," Elliot told him. Another lie. They'd been sharing her bed although not for anything physical – other than sleeping. Of course, he couldn't come out and say he was in love with his partner and he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.
"Find one quickly. The last thing I need is to have my other detectives dragged into your divorce proceedings because Kathy thinks you were cheating on her with Liv," Cragen said.
"Kathy already showed up at Liv's place before she told me we were through. Liv set her straight but I don't think she'll ever believe it. I mean, Liv saved her and Eli, and Kathy still thinks I might have been shacking up with her," Elliot shook his head.
"Half of One PP and this precinct think the same thing. You two share a connection that not many will ever share. Somehow you seem to be able to read each other's minds. Well you've also been partners the longest time of anyone in this precinct. Hell, possibly the entire NYPD. I don't think Lennie ever had a partner for that long," the Captain pointed out, mentioning Kenny's Uncle who had also been a detective under him back at the two-seven.
"Well I'll let you know where I land. Hopefully, I can find a place soon," Stabler said.
"I hope so. Meantime, if this lead pans out, you'll be backing up Munch and Kenny. Someone claims to have seen Haggerty at a bodega. Called it in, the minute he left the store. Not sure where he'd be staying around the bodega since there is nothing over there with his name on it but maybe Molly's situation wasn't a unique one. Forensics is still having a heyday with all that stuff you found in her apartment. They handed most of it over to the FBI lab, hoping that it could be sorted out better by them," Cragen told him.
"I'll be ready then if the boys call," Elliot nodded.
To Be Continued…