Chapter 9
Olivia had gone into Calvin's room and found the letters. She'd had a technician bag them as part of the evidence at the scene. The State Police had arrived twenty minutes after the Chief radioed them and had quickly worked to take over the scene. The Chief was talking to Trooper Hoggle, who was the liaison between the departments.
"You found them. Where did he hide them?" Elliot asked as Olivia walked out of the house with an evidence bag holding the letters.
"The same place he hid stuff when he was at my place, underneath his comic books," she smiled a little.
"We need to analyze these. My guess is that we'll get lucky with ID'ing whoever this other guy is," Elliot said.
"Well we've seen the other letters. What could possibly be in these letters that's worse?" Olivia asked. It was a good question. While the perp didn't know that Ethel had intercepted and separated the letters, he obviously thought that Vivian must have blabbed about something.
"There's a good chance that this guy is enough of a tweaker that he thinks there is something but there actually isn't," her partner pointed out.
"A tweaker who thinks to shoot out the streetlights before he possibly shoots up the house?" Olivia raised an eyebrow.
"Someone still has to drive," Elliot said. There being a pair of people in the car would not be totally out of the realm of possibility. The eyewitnesses couldn't tell what kind of car it was, so maybe they didn't see someone hiding in the backseat or slumped low in the passenger seat.
"I think I need to talk to Calvin. I really wanted to leave him out of it but I'm not sure I have a choice now," Olivia sighed.
"Trooper Hoggle has this under control. Let's head back to the precinct. Calvin might want to talk to Olivia and I definitely want to talk to Clint and Ethel," Chief Hall said.
"Sounds good. We got the letters and hopefully we can figure out what is going on," Elliot said. That's when Olivia's phone rang. She picked it up and her eyes went wide. Elliot looked at her and waited for her to get off the phone.
"We've involved the state police. I'll call you back when I know who we're sending up. Thanks Marie," with that the phone call was over.
"What have you got?" Chief Hall wanted to know.
"Marie and her partner found Jose Gonzalez. They've picked him up and was wondering who was coming to get him," Olivia said.
"Elliot, would you mind going? You can take Officer Roberts with you," Chief Hall offered.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll be back as soon as I can," Elliot smiled, and he walked over to Officer Roberts. Chief Hall led the way back to the vehicles and opened the passenger door of his cruiser for Olivia. Elliot hopped into their car and he and Officer Roberts headed for Albany.
"I'll give you my office. Take your time," the Chief said as he drove the short trip back to the precinct.
"Thank you," Olivia said. She was clutching the evidence bag that the letters were in as if it were some sort of life vest and she was afloat in the ocean. Hall said nothing, understanding her concerns. These were the last items that Calvin could have to remember his mother. Nothing could happen to them.
They headed inside the precinct and were greeted by Dispatcher Herzberg. The short, older man told them that the family was in the break room. Hall thanked them and said that Olivia would be using his office and he'd send Calvin along to meet her.
Olivia sat in one of the chairs in front of the Chief's desk and didn't have to wait long as the Chief's door opened and revealed the young man. He rushed over to her and they hugged. Once he let go of her, he saw the letters on the Chief's desk, and looked at her confused.
"Calvin, we think the guy who paintballed your grandparents' house is connected to your mom. These letters could be something that helps us find who he is," she explained as he took a seat in the chair next to her.
"Why would anyone want to come after me?" He asked.
"The only thing Elliot and I can think of is that your mom wrote something in these letters that this guy thought would implicate him in something," Olivia admitted. Calvin's face fell and something told Olivia that there was definitely something in the letters.
"That makes them evidence. I won't get them back," he said.
"If there is something in here, yes, it makes them evidence, but you will get them back. As soon as the guy who damaged the house is convicted, you'll get them back," she told him. He trusted her and she only hoped they could do as she said.
"That could take forever," Calvin pointed out.
"And I will be here with you all the way through it. I won't let you go through this alone," another promise.
"You have to go back to catching bad guys in the city," he said.
"I have vacation I never take. There are plenty of days for me to make sure that I'm here for you. Besides Elliot is a pretty capable guy and he has the rest of the team of capable guys to help him. They can track the bad guys in the city while I'm gone," Olivia reassured him.
"You…" Calvin started but didn't finish. Olivia got out of her chair and crouched down in front of him so that they were at the same eye level.
"There is nothing more important to me than you. I will do whatever it takes to make sure we catch this guy and to make sure that you're safe," she told him. Tears began to stream down Calvin's face and Olivia couldn't help but cry too. She stood up and pulled him out of the chair and into her arms. After a few minutes, Calvin said,
"Use the letters. Catch this guy."
To Be Continued…