A/N: A shout out to SVUSHIPPER4EVER! Thanks so much. :)
Chapter 8
The morning came and Olivia's phone rang, waking the two detectives from their short slumber. Arriving back at their hotel just after one am, it was now only seven am, and Olivia managed to untangle herself from her partner to grab the phone before it went to voicemail.
"Olivia?" It was Detective Gavronski.
"Yes, Marie?" The detective asked groggily.
"I do have a Jose Gonzalez that had been busted at the house that we found Vivian at. Patrol was dispatched to the address he gave the parole board, but the resident there had no idea who they were talking about. Claimed he'd lived there for the last five years and that he didn't have a roommate. I was able to confirm this. Seems Jose is in the wind. The parole board has revoked his parole and we've got everyone looking for him in the Albany area," the Albany detective explained.
"Do you know if he had any cars registered to him?" Olivia was now wide awake.
"Yes. It's a white Toyota minivan," Marie told her. Well that was no help. Even if the witnesses couldn't agree on the type of car, they would have been able to tell the difference between a minivan and two door or four door cars. Never mind the fact that the color was not right either.
"He drives a minivan?" Olivia was surprised.
"It's a very old car that once belonged to his mother," Marie clarified.
"Ah I see. Ok keep me posted. Thanks," Olivia told her.
"Will do," Marie then ended the call and Olivia turned to Elliot. They had basically collapsed onto one of the twin beds, not caring that they had still been dressed in their work clothes. It had been a long day and they were exhausted.
"So maybe a lead then. Better than nothing. I'm going to take a shower. You need the bathroom?" Elliot asked after she explained what the detective from Albany had found. Olivia nodded and quickly ran into the bathroom. While she was in there, her partner grabbed what he needed out of his suitcase. He was wishing they could shower together but he knew better. Olivia had been right and so was her worry regarding only getting one hotel room. Despite the department only paying for one room, Kathy could use that against him in the divorce. The thought of that made him shake his head as the call from last night had come back to him.
"I'm good for now," Olivia broke him out of his reverie, and he nodded before scooting into the bathroom. She heard the shower kick on and she then went into her suitcase to get her things together. Looking forward to hot water to help clear her head, Olivia paced in the meantime. Lost in her thoughts she didn't realize that the water had shut off until Elliot walked out of the bathroom, using his electric razor, some twenty minutes later. He was completely dressed and ready to go.
"Plenty of hot water," he smiled after finishing up with his razor.
"Good. I need it," Olivia smiled back and ducked into the bathroom. Once he heard the shower come on, Elliot grabbed a room key and slid out of the room. Making his way downstairs, he found the continental breakfast, scooping up some of Olivia's favorites along with his own.
"Feeling more awake?" Elliot asked after he let himself back into the hotel room. Olivia was fully dressed but needing to dry her hair.
"Only if you have some coffee," she smirked.
"Oh, I have that and muffins and some fruit," he smiled. He would have liked to have something a little more substantial, but he'd never been partial to scrambled eggs, which the hotel offered. The two quickly tucked into their breakfast, not sure where the day would lead them. They didn't have to wait long for some direction as Elliot's phone rang.
"Good Morning Chief," the detective said. Olivia watched for her partner's reaction to what the Chief was saying. She could tell that whatever it was, he wasn't sure what was going on.
"We'll meet you there in ten," that was the end of the phone call.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"During the night, someone paintballed the Drecker's house. The officer guarding the home fired some rounds at a car that he described as an older model minivan. The Chief…" Elliot didn't get to finish.
"Was it white?" Olivia wanted to know, reminding him of the conversation that they did not have long ago.
"The officer thought so, but he couldn't be sure since he first thought the shots were bullets and he was diving for cover. Some of the house's front windows were broken and the resulting splat proved to be paint so he tried to catch glimpse of the vehicle but he caught it just as it turned the corner of the next street. The officer also noted that some of the streetlights seemed to be out," Elliot explained.
"You can't put out a streetlight with a paintball, can you?" His partner asked. They were typically made of a thicker glass that would withstand the weather that they were exposed to.
"I don't think so. Makes you wonder what they used. Come on. Let's go join Chief Hall," Elliot said. They grabbed what remained of their breakfast and quickly went to the car.
"Thanks for coming out. We've got a weird one here and I could use your help," Hall spoke up as they approached the house. He had been standing out at the front door.
"How are the Clint, Ethel, and Calvin?" Olivia asked.
"They're concerned and a little frightened. I've told them to pack a few things. This is a crime scene now and I'm not sure it's safe. Next time it might not be a paintball gun," the elder man frowned. That was Olivia's concern and despite wanting to run and find Calvin, she stayed and surveyed the scene. The large front bay window had been completely shattered. Blue, red, and orange paint splattered the siding around the window. Some of the smaller crank out windows had single holes in them.
"Where are we supposed to go?" Clint asked. He'd worked his way out of the house via the connected garage and now stood in the driveway next to the car.
"First, down to the precinct. Then we'll go from there – the car got hit so we'll have to give you a lift," Hall said.
"Ok," Clint frowned and disappeared back into the house.
"Not a very cheery guy, is he?" Elliot was beginning to see Clint Drecker's personality.
"Never was much of one. The business with his son didn't help," the Chief said. Elliot nodded. They moved into the house and took stock of the living room. The TV laid on its face, a hole in the back of it. Paint splattered the living room walls; glass was all over the carpet.
"Chief, they're ready to go," Officer Dwyer announced from his spot in the entryway to the kitchen.
"Ok take them out the side door and get them down to the precinct. We'll be there soon," Hall told him. He looked to Olivia and she looked back at the Chief. He winked and she scooted out into the kitchen just as they were heading for the side door that lead them through the garage and out onto the side of said garage. Calvin saw her but said nothing, he just hugged her, and she hugged him back.
"I'll see you at the precinct," she promised. Calvin smiled slightly and then he left with his grandparents.
"Chief, you need to see this," Officer Roberts spoke up from the front doorway. The three head outside and follow the officer to the road where the only forensic tech they had, Officer Smith, was busy photographing the streetlight.
"Chief, there's too much inconsistency here," Smith said, nodding at the detectives as a way of acknowledgement.
"What do you mean?" Hall wanted to know.
"The streetlight was shot out with something more powerful than a paintball gun," Smith said, pointing out a casing he'd found.
"If you have a gun and you shoot out the streetlights why would you then paintball the house?" Officer Roberts was confused.
"You wouldn't. There have been two different cars seen in the neighborhood that don't belong," Olivia said.
"So, the guy who shot the paintballs is not the same person who shot out the streetlights," Elliot nodded.
"It would not seem that way," Officer Smith agreed.
"We need those tame letters. Jose may not be the problem," Olivia heaved a sigh.
"There is someone else that thinks Calvin knows something that he might not even realize is a thing," her partner said.
"I'm calling the State Police. We need this scene and the street closed off. Everything needs to be preserved," Chief Hall told them before whipping out his cell phone.
To Be Continued…