Disclaimer: SVU and its characters belong to Dick Wolf. I own nothing.
Elliot returned to the squad room, hot on the heels of Fin and the Captain. Everyone was crowded around his desk. Munch, Reuben - even Ryan and Melinda were standing there. All eyes were cast on an envelope sitting by his keyboard.
This envelope was very much like the one that had arrived at his house on Monday night. However, where the first one was thin, this one was bulkier. Something more than photographs must be inside.
Before he could even ask, someone was handing him a pair of latex gloves. They all knew that whatever this package contained, it was imperative that the evidence within be preserved. He slipped on the gloves, and stepped closer to the desk. His heart was pounding in his chest. What was he going to find?
As he picked up the envelope, he found himself surprised by the weight of it. Given its size and shape, it wasn't what he had been expecting. With a shaking hand, he reached toward the flap. He was aware of the fact that he was being watched. Everyone wanted to know what was inside.
The flap came apart easily. Elliot was disappointed to realize that it was self-sealing adhesive. That meant there was no hope of getting any additional DNA. Granted, they already knew who had taken Olivia, but what if Rickett had an accomplice?
Shaking his head, he cleared his mind. He had to focus. He reached into the envelope, ready to remove whatever was inside. Munch was standing by with an evidence bag. His fingers closed around something soft, and he closed his eyes. He felt sick to his stomach. Without even seeing it, he knew exactly what it was.
His worst fears were confirmed when he withdrew his hand. Dangling from his fist was a ponytail, held together with an elastic tie. Not wanting to hold it any longer, he turned and dropped it into the clear plastic bag Munch was holding. Elliot couldn't bear to watch as his colleague sealed the bag, and passed it off to Ryan for testing.
Even though he didn't want to, he knew he had to check the envelope for more. Reaching in again with his hand, he found one remaining item. Recognizing the feel of it from the other night, he knew instinctively it was a photograph. Dropping the envelope back to the desk, he clutched the Polaroid in his palm. He took a deep breath, and steeled himself for whatever he was about to see. Then he looked down at his hand.
It was another photo of Olivia. Unlike the one of her on the cell phone, this one he could see clearly. She was bound to a bed, her wrists tied together with zip ties. They were on so tight, he could tell just from picture that the plastic was cutting into her skin.
The other thing that he noticed was her eyes. They were open and unfocused. Even though the picture quality still wasn't the greatest, he could see that her pupils were dilated. She was under the influence of something. Whether this photo had been taken while she was still drugged from what she had been given in the warehouse, or Rickett had given her something else, that remained to be seen.
He dropped the photo into a second evidence bag, and sealed it up. Then he angrily ripped the gloves from his hands and threw them in the trash. He had to get out of here. Looking around, he saw that the crowd around his desk had dissipated. Now, they were mostly gathered near Cragen's office. Only Fin remained. Judging by the other man's body language, he was just as angry and frustrated as Elliot was.
With a look of anguish on his face, he attempted to address his coworker. He and Fin weren't close by any means, but after what just happened, he was in search of reassurance wherever he could find it.
"Fin..."
The other man's expression hardened. He was at his own breaking point. Olivia was like a little sister to him. It was Stabler's job as her partner to watch out for her. The man had specifically told them only yesterday that she was in danger, and that he wasn't going to leave her side. Now, he finds out that he not only left the woman alone, but argued with her. Blamed her for his own personal problems.
"Save it, Stabler"
There was a hard edge to his voice. He couldn't hold back his anger any longer. Not after seeing the contents of that package. Not after hearing the phone call from earlier. Rickett wasn't merely issuing a threat. He had very plainly stated that he was going to kill Olivia. What if they couldn't find her in time?
Elliot opened his mouth to speak, to try and explain. Again, he was interrupted. Fin held up his hands, cutting him off.
"I don't want to hear it. What I do want to know is, why the fuck did you tell Olivia you wanted her to stay out of your life?"
Elliot flushed. He'd forgotten that the conversation he'd had with Gordon earlier had been heard by everyone. But Fin was demanding an answer. Normally, he'd have no problem telling the man to shove it, but he was still in self punishment mode. So he answered with the truth.
"She went to talk to Kathy. Tried to get her to reconsider divorcing me"
As the anger in him continued to rise, Fin's look was incredulous.
"So because your partner – who obviously cares about you – tried to help you and save your marriage, you told her to stay out of your life?"
Elliot nodded in reply, hoping the subject would be dropped. But Fin wasn't done. Not by a long shot. He moved in closer, so that he was standing toe-to-toe with Elliot. His teeth were clenched.
"After you spent the morning lecturing us on how we weren't to let her out of our sight, why the hell did you do that very thing? It's your fault he got to her!"
Still not getting the response from Elliot that he wanted, Fin struck out with his fist, catching the other man on the jaw. This time, Elliot reacted. He retaliated with a punch of his own. Before anyone else in the room realized, fists were flying. Ryan and Reuben ran over to the two, trying to pull them apart without getting caught by a stray punch. In the end, it was Cragen's booming voice that ended the scuffle.
"ENOUGH!"
The fighting ceased. Both Elliot and Fin were breathing heavily. Elliot had a split lip and slightly bloody nose, whereas Fin had a bruise starting to appear on his cheek, and a small cut above his eye. They were glaring at one another. Still, both turned to face their Captain.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves. None of this is helping Olivia. If we didn't need you to work this case, I'd suspend you both right here and now!"
After he was done yelling, Cragen began giving orders. He told Ryan and Melinda to get to work on the hair and photo. Any evidence they could find from the items would prove useful. Plus they needed concrete proof that it was, in fact, Olivia's hair.
His next step was to have Fin go get cleaned up. He sent Munch with him. As the older detective followed his partner out of the room, he shot Elliot a glare. It didn't go unnoticed. Just someone else who was mad at him, then.
Finally, he sent Elliot to clean up as well. Elliot was puzzled by this at first, but then looked down at himself. At some point during the fight, his shirt had gotten torn. He went back to the locker room to change. He noticed that George was following. No doubt the doctor would want to have another talk.
Olivia sat in the dark. Her arms were aching from being bound so tightly behind her. She paid no attention to the pain. Compared to the pain in her heart, it was nothing. Elliot's words kept ringing in her ears. How could he say such terrible things? Never before in their entire partnership had he spoken so harshly to her or about her.
Part of her hoped that it was all just a ruse. Something that he was acting on to convince Rickett, so the man wouldn't get suspicious. She just couldn't allow herself to believe that Elliot had meant what he said. Because if he had, what was the point of fighting to survive?
As soon as she'd thought it, she answered her own question. The point was, she couldn't let Rickett win. Plus, she realized he had lied to her earlier. It didn't matter whether or not Elliot said those things. There was still Munch, Fin, and the Captain. None of those men would let her disappearance go unnoticed.
She tried to think for a moment, figure out what day it was. It was Wednesday. Had she really been Rickett's captive for just over twenty-four hours? It seemed much longer than that. With luck, there was evidence left behind in the warehouse, and the squad had already discovered his identity.
While that gave her some hope, it wasn't much. Even if they did ultimately discover who it was that had taken her, they still wouldn't know where she was. Even she didn't know where she was. She'd been unconscious when Rickett had brought her here, so she never saw the location herself. She'd be of no help in trying to get information to her coworkers, even if given the chance.
There was something else bothering her. Despite her situation, she still couldn't turn her brain off. She still thought like a cop. Her mind kept going back to the four victims they'd found on Monday. While her gut told her that Rickett had to be involved somehow, she knew he wasn't the man who raped them. It wasn't how he operated. He selected his victims much younger.
That meant Rickett must have an accomplice. She couldn't help but grow a little nervous. What did that mean for her? Was she in danger?She felt a laugh bubble up inside herself at the thought. Of course she was in danger. Rickett had plainly stated that his intent was to kill her. It was only a matter of time.
She questioned herself again, more logically this time. Was she in danger of being raped? Or were the rapes and homicides they encountered on Monday merely a means to get their attention? It made all the wheels in her mind spin. How could they have known that she and Elliot would get the case? It could have just as easily gone to Fin and Munch.
She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts. It wasn't working. Locked in this room, there was nothing else to do but think. Once again, the taped conversation Rickett had played for her came back to her. It mingled with the words Elliot had hurled at her Monday, before she left him standing alone in the warehouse.
Despite her every effort to keep them at bay, tears were once again welling up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, forcing them back. Not knowing when Gordon would make a reappearance, she was determined that he would never see her cry. No matter what he did to her.
Knowing she couldn't stand, as she was bound directly to the chair itself, she tried to relax her muscles as much as possible. As much as she didn't want to depend on her captor for anything, she hoped he would come in again soon. Allow her another bathroom break. Anything that would permit her to stretch her legs.
The sound of approaching footsteps told her that her wish just might be coming true. Sure enough, the door opened. The overhead light came on, causing her to blink against its harshness. Gordon came stalking over to her. Like every time before, he held a knife in his hand.
First, he freed her legs. Then, he pulled her harshly to her feet. She figured that his goal was to repeat what he had done previous times. To wait until they reached the bathroom door before freeing her wrists.
He pushed her along roughly in front of him, the knife at her throat. As she had expected, once they were at the bathroom door, he lowered the blade. She felt it cut through her bonds, and her wrists pulled apart. As much as she wanted to rub the aching joints, restore some circulation to them, she made no effort to do so. She simply stood silently, awaiting instruction.
Like all the prior times she had been permitted to use the bathroom, she was given a time limit. Three minutes. There was no way for her to wash her hands, though. He'd removed the faucet handles last time, after he'd caught her sneaking water. Following her gaze, he pulled a small bottle of hand sanitizer out of his pocket and placed it on the sink. She didn't let on how much it bothered her that he had read her mind.
When he stepped out of the room, she quickly used the toilet. As always, she never trusted the time limit he gave her. For some reason, he was still giving her privacy, and she didn't want to lose that. It would be so humiliating to have someone watch her use the bathroom.
She was using some of the hand sanitizer when the door opened again. As she rubbed the solution into her hands, some of it got into the small nicks and cuts the zip ties had left behind. The alcohol solution caused a burning sensation. She bit her lip so that her captor wouldn't notice.
Before she was quite prepared for it, he was behind her again, the knife back at her throat. He led her back to the bedroom. Olivia was surprised that he hadn't bound her wrists again the moment he'd opened the door. She realized the reason why when he led her over to the bed, and not the chair.
She sat on the bed and waited. From his pocket he removed a bottle of water, and a small plastic cup. Olivia guessed it would hold maybe three ounces of water. She watched as Gordon filled the cup up and handed it to her. She drank it as slowly as she was able, knowing it was all the water she was going to get.
Sure enough, Gordon replaced the cap on the water, then put the cup on top of that. He walked over to the table and set it there. Then he turned and spoke to her.
"I'm leaving that in here, only so you know it won't be tampered with. You won't be able to reach it."
Walking back toward the bed, he pushed on her shoulders until she was lying down. He bound her wrists together above her head, then secured them to the headboard. Then he repeated the process with her feet.
This time, he made no effort to cover her with the blanket. Olivia knew she would be cold. It was all just another part in his attempts to break her down further. At least she could breathe through her nose and mouth.
She then realized that she was celebrating too soon. He went back to the table, and grabbed the duct tape. Tearing off a strip, he returned to the bed. He pressed the strip firmly over her mouth, yet again making her solely dependent on her nose to draw in air.
Then Olivia watched as he turned around to leave. Like he had every time in the past, he turned out the light. She heard the lock clicking, too. Then the sound of footsteps fading away.
Despite the fact that she made every effort not to, she found tears welling up in her eyes again. She choked them down. She simply couldn't cry. Not only because she needed to remain strong, but because she had to preserve her oxygen. At least she was lying down again. Closing her eyes, she willed her body to relax. Gordon wouldn't be back for a few hours, at least. She was going to take advantage of the time alone, and get some rest.
Hours later, at the precinct, everyone was working at their desks. Since their fight, Fin wasn't speaking to Elliot. Munch had been brought up to speed when he'd gone off with Fin earlier. He, too, was angry with Stabler. However, he knew the case came first. While he didn't initiate any conversations, he would speak to the man if necessary.
Munch and Fin were awaiting word from Reuben. After the phone conversation they'd listened in on this morning with Elliot and Rickett, the man from TARU was going over the tapes. While it was clear to all that a voice distorter was used, Reuben was trying to clean up the recording. Also, he was checking for any type of background noise that might help them determine Olivia's location. Even though they all knew that the place where Gordon made the call might not be where he was keeping their colleague. They were all grasping at straws.
Elliot was at his desk, staring blankly at his computer. He was angry with himself. Not just for losing his temper during the phone call earlier, but for fighting with Fin. What would he have done if Cragen had taken him off the case and sent him home? Heaven knows, his superior officer had every right to do so. He can't be getting into fights, or flying off the handle. Olivia needs him.
When he'd gone upstairs earlier. George had followed. The psychiatrist had tried engaging in conversation, but Elliot wasn't having it. He already knew what he'd done wrong. That he was letting his anger get the better of him. Instead, he asked the doctor to ignore what he had just seen. Practically begged to be allowed to remain working. Cragen hadn't said anything yet, but he knew that one recommendation from Huang, and he could just as easily be sent home.
Things hadn't gone as he'd initially feared, though. George had told him that his reactions were as expected under the circumstances. Yes, he did need to work on controlling his anger, but given what he was going through, nothing he'd done had been surprising. Plus, the doctor reminded him that it was Fin who had thrown the first punch. It wasn't an attempt to justify any actions, but to remind Elliot that he wasn't the only one affected by Olivia's disappearance.
Elliot was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a door opening. Cragen was coming back out of his office. The man had been spending a lot of time in there. Most likely fielding calls from 1PP and dodging the press. Once the Captain was in the center of the squad room, he cleared his throat. It was a sign that he was demanding everyone's attention.
"I think it's time we all break for lunch."
At his announcement, he could tell that Elliot was about to argue. He wasn't the only one. Even Fin and Munch looked ready to protest. Raising both palms in an attempt to ask for silence, he continued.
"We'll order something in like we did yesterday, you can all continue to work while you eat."
Cragen's next stop was to move to retrieve a handful of menus. He placed them on Olivia's desk. It pained him to be using her desk as a catch-all. She should be here with them, helping to solve cases. Not a case herself.
No one moved toward the menus. It seemed neither Fin nor Elliot wanted to be first to reach for it. While both were hungry, they didn't want the other to accuse them of not putting Olivia first.
In the end, it was Munch who made the decision. Rolling his eyes at the behavior of his coworkers, he reached for whatever was closest. They'd had food from the deli on Monday, and Chinese only yesterday.
He figured pizza would be a good choice. When he made the suggestion, everyone seemed to agree. Munch prepared for an argument to ensue over the toppings debate, but none followed. An order was quickly placed.
While they were waiting for the food to arrive, Melinda came to the squad room. All eyes were immediately on her, curious to know what it was she had to say. The room fell completely silent.
"I ran a DNA test. The hair definitely belongs to Olivia."
Even though it was news they were all expecting, it was still upsetting to hear. Still, they sensed the medical examiner wasn't done. What more could she have to say? Holding his breath, Elliot waited for her to finish.
"However, the testing determined that she was alive when her hair was cut."
The relief in the room was palpable. Even though Gordon had said as much during the phone call this morning, no one had believed him. Now they had concrete proof, that as of earlier today, Olivia was alive.
They were still working against the clock, but there was a chance. They could still save her.
Elliot knew that Gordon wouldn't call again. At least not today. He also knew that he probably hadn't helped matters any with his outburst. Would he ever learn to keep his temper in check? First he had fought with Olivia. Now, he and Fin were at odds. He knew he had deserved every punch Fin had laid on him. Instead of fighting back, he should have just taken it.
He thinks back to that moment this morning, when he pulled Olivia's hair out of the envelope. There had been many times over the course of their partnership that he had contemplated what her hair would feel like in his fingers. This was not the way he had ever imagined getting the chance to do so. In his mind, it was always something more tender.
The images weren't sexual in nature either. He would never betray Kathy like that. Even just with his thoughts. No, his thoughts were always innocent. One such scenario he had imagined was that Olivia had fallen while chasing a perp, and sprained her wrist. Always sprained, never broken. He'd never want her to be seriously hurt.
After the fall, he'd take her to the emergency room. Immediately after getting the all clear, she'd insist on being taken back to work. Even if it was just for desk duty. While at their computers, her hair would be falling into her face, as it so often did. With her wrist in a brace, she'd be unable to pull it back on her own.
Seeing as he had three daughters, he would offer to help. To his surprise, Olivia agrees to let him. She hands him a brush and a hair tie from her desk drawer. He moves to stand behind her, and gently runs the brush through her hair.
After he pulls it up into a ponytail for her, he can't resist the urge to run his hands through it one more time. Luckily, his partner doesn't notice. Or if she does, she chooses to remain silent on the matter. Then they get back to work, acting as if nothing ever happened.
Elliot sighs. What never happened was that scenario. He got to touch Olivia's hair all right, only after it had been cut from her head. He can't imagine how Rickett must have taunted her before cutting it. The one thing Elliot knows for certain is that Olivia won't be grieving the loss of her hair. She's not a vain woman. If anything, she would have been more upset with the purpose of why it was taken.
He chanced a glance at his watch. It was just after one. Lunch would be delivered soon. He'd force himself to eat a slice, maybe two. Then he would call Rikers. After all the excitement this morning, he still hadn't found time to do that yet.
Melinda Warner was back in the morgue. Finally she was able to focus on the third autopsy from Monday. Her request to call in an additional medical examiner had been denied. All the work fell on her shoulders. Four autopsies, combined with the evidence that had just come in regarding Olivia.
It did her heart good though, to be able to deliver positive news for once. Even though she wasn't able to provide a location, she was able to confirm that Olivia was alive when her hair had been cut.
Though she tired to concentrate on the task at hand, she was worried about her friend. She had been there this morning when the call came in. Just thinking about that man's voice gave her chills. To even imagine what Olivia must be going through – she didn't want to think about it.
Returning her attention to the body of the woman on her table, she prepared to make the "Y" incision. She had just picked up the scalpel when there was a knock on the door. Lowering the surgical tool, she turned to see who it was.
"I'm sorry to bother you Doctor Warner."
The lab assistant apologized, but held up a file folder. It was obviously something important. Pulling off her glasses, Melinda indicated for the young woman to continue.
"We've come across something interesting. Pubic hairs found in both Jane Doe-Wharton Ave, and Jane Doe-Collier Way are a match. They also test positive for male DNA."
Melinda stepped away from the body on the table to look at the file better. Taking it from her assistant's hands, she scanned the contents.
"Have you ran the sample through CODIS yet?"
"No, Doctor. We only just discovered the match."
A thought came to Melinda's mind. The perp had worn a condom, but maybe he had left other evidence behind, after all.
"Hold off on that. I want you to examine Jane Doe-Harper Street. I'll look at Jane Doe-Grant Lane. See if they, too had any pubic hairs in their kits."
As the assistant turned to leave, Melinda added.
"We may have been wrong to assume that any pubic hairs found belonged to the victims. I want to be sure we have all of them before sending it to CODIS."
The assistant nodded, then left to do as was asked of her. Melinda abandoned her exam for the time being. She began looking through the tray of collected evidence until she found what she was searching for.
Knowing she had to act carefully, to prevent any cross contamination in the lab, she decided she would walk the evidence through herself. It would lengthen the process a little, but she wanted things done right. No one would be walking on any technicalities this time.
Making sure everything was clearly labeled, and had the proper numbers written on it, she headed upstairs. She was soon joined by her assistant. They must be thinking alike, for the woman had done the same thing.
The first step was to see if all four hairs matched. If they did, in fact, come from the same person, they could then take steps to find out who that individual was. The only bad news was, they only had four hairs to work with. They had to get it right on the first try. There was absolutely no margin for error.
Ryan was waiting for them in the lab. Melinda had called ahead to let him know she'd be coming. In preparation, he'd set everything else aside. Not that it was a difficult thing to do. He'd already finished testing all the evidence from the warehouse on Tuesday afternoon. There wasn't much to go on from the items found at the various sites on Monday. You could only tests for prints so many times when there weren't any to be found.
The lab tech processed the information quickly, and entered it into the system. Now all they could do was wait. It would take about thirty minutes for the computer to determine whether or not all four samples contained the same DNA. After that, it would be at least another two hours while CODIS searched for a hit.
Everyone who was trying to solve this case, who was trying to find Olivia, was getting sick of this game. So much of their jobs consisted of 'hurry up and wait'. It was frustrating enough on a normal day, but now, it was even worse. The life of a fellow officer, the life of a friend, was on the line. They had to get this right.
Ryan offered to get everyone some lunch, but neither Melinda nor her assistant felt like eating anything. They appreciated the offer though, and did accept a cup of coffee. The three of them moved into Ryan's office to have their drinks, where they could still watch the computers.
"So Melinda, were you able to get any additional help with your work?"
Ryan asked the medical examiner, curious if her work load was as heavy as his own.
"No. I put in the request, but it was denied."
She took a sip of her coffee, then explained further.
"The chief wants to keep this situation in-house. Says it reduces the risk of the press finding out there is a missing detective."
Ryan scoffed in disbelief. Seriously? A detective goes missing, and the chief is worried about their image with the press? Figures. He mumbled something to that effect under his breath. While she didn't understand everything he said, Melinda caught the gist of it.
"I can see his point to a degree, Ryan. He's worried the people will think that if the police can't protect their own, they won't be able to protect them, either."
Despite her anger over the situation, and her worry for her friend, Melinda remained compassionate. It was what made her so good at her job. She didn't have as much interaction with victims or their families as the police officers did, but would have to work with them from time to time. Whenever someone had to come in to identify the body of a loved one, she was always there to offer sympathy.
The conversation changed then, with Ryan's next question. He didn't want to be morbid, but he couldn't get the thoughts out of his head. And he was to afraid to voice them around Elliot and the other detectives. With Melinda, he knew she would be honest. She also wouldn't judge him.
"Do you think he's going to kill her?"
Melinda considered the question for a moment. Before she could answer, her assistant excused herself from the conversation, saying she had to get back to the morgue. While that was no doubt the truth, Melinda also figured the conversation had grown too awkward for her to handle. The three of them said their good-byes, and then the medical examiner and lab tech were left alone. Before Melinda could speak, Ryan spoke again.
"I just keep thinking of that conversation we heard this morning. He didn't just make threats – he flat out stated that he was going to kill her."
Looking into the other man's eyes, Melinda realized where his concern was coming from. This was more than just care for a colleague. She intuited that he had feelings for Olivia. She also knew that he would never act upon them. It was a simple crush. He cared about her, and respected her as a coworker. But he was also attracted to her. Placing her hand on top of his where it rested on the desk, she tried to reassure him.
"I know Elliot and the team will do everything within their power to find her."
Her voice held a confidence she wasn't certain she still had within herself. Then, she let Ryan in on a bit of information that previously she had only told the detectives. She knew he would keep the information to himself.
"You don't know this yet, but I got the tests back on the hair. She was still alive when he cut it."
Ryan's sigh was audible, and his shoulders slumped with relief. Then before he could say anything in return, a beeping sound from the main room drew their attention. The computer search had completed.
They shared a brief look, then raced to see what the results were.
"All four hairs are a match"
They spoke in unison, staring at the screen. With his fingers flying across the keyboard, Ryan quickly started another search. This time, he was running the results through CODIS. With any luck, they would have a positive hit in just a few hours.
Melinda knew then, that she'd have to go. She really needed to get started on that third autopsy. Before she could say anything, her stomach growled. Loudly. So much for hoping Ryan wouldn't notice.
Instead of saying anything, he disappeared into his office once more. When he returned, he held something in his hands. As he passed it off to her, he spoke.
"Take this, please. I've only eaten half of it."
Melinda opened her mouth to argue. She didn't want to take his lunch. He pushed the half of a sub toward her again, imploring her.
"Please Melinda, take it. What good will you be if you pass out while doing your next exam?"
She reluctantly agreed, and accepted the food. As she turned to leave, Ryan promised to keep her in the loop. They were all in this together. She thanked him, then headed back to the morgue.
Elliot was on the phone at his desk. He'd been on hold for the better part of the last fifteen minutes. While he was waiting, he dug through the drawers, searching for the bottle of antacids he kept there. Yet again, the food he had eaten was giving him heartburn. He suspected that it wasn't what he was eating, but his nerves.
He collected his thoughts when someone came back on the line. This was the third person he'd talked to. It seemed like they kept giving him the runaround. No one was giving him any answers.
He was trying to find out information about Gordon Rickett's time at Rikers. Who his cell mates were, who he interacted with during free time. Given what the man did – escaping prison, and killing a guard to do so – he would have thought the employees at Rikers would have been bending over backwards to help. Instead, they seemed bothered and irritated by the questions Elliot asked.
Finally, Elliot hung up in frustration. He wasn't getting anywhere. He would have to try again. Maybe have Cragen back him up. Or have Casey go with him. It would be hard for them to remain silent when a lawyer was involved. Maybe she could could convince them to cooperate.
Elliot went to move toward his computer, intent on another task when he stopped short. Shit. Casey. No one had bothered to tell the ADA that Olivia was missing. In all the madness of the search, they had all simply forgotten.
No sooner than he thought her name, than the woman herself walked into the squad room. She must have been fresh from court, because there was an air of victory in her step.
"Another win for the books!"
She proudly declared, as she moved closer and set her briefcase down on Olivia's desk. She took in the chaos going on around her in the squad room, the array of photos on the white board. Then she looked at the file folders piled up on Elliot's desk. The man looked swamped.
"Of all days for Olivia to pull a sickie and leave you alone, she picks now? I'm going to have to call her later and give her hell about this."
Casey's voice had a teasing ring to it. She didn't even notice the way Elliot had paled when she mentioned his partner's name. The male detective chugged the last of the coffee that remained in his mug, hoping the burst of caffeine would provide him with some liquid courage. Then he turned to face the attorney.
"Casey, you can't call Olivia later."
Despite every effort to hold himself steady, he heard his voice crack.
"I won't bother her for long. I just want to check on her. You're always so overprotective."
Though he knew it wasn't intentional, the words still pierced him like knives. If only he had been overprotective. Then Olivia wouldn't be gone. Forcing his attention back on the matter at hand, he cleared his throat. Casey deserved to know the truth.
"No, Casey. What I mean is – you can't call Olivia because – she's not there."
He was stumbling all over himself, trying to get the words out. Looking at Casey, he saw that he had only made her more confused. Taking a deep breath, he decided to just spit the words out.
"Olivia's missing. She was taken from a crime scene yesterday afternoon."
Elliot lowered his gaze to the floor, unable to watch. Instead he heard Casey's reaction. He could only imagine her audible gasp was followed by both hands coming to cover her mouth. He could also envision her eyes filling with tears. She and Olivia were quite close. Next would come the fury as to why she hadn't been told sooner.
He was still staring at the floor when he felt a stinging sensation across his cheek, his head having whipped to the side. He looked up sharply to find Casey glaring at him. Elliot knew she'd be angry, he'd never imagined that the woman would have slapped him. Still he felt he deserved every ounce of her anger. He kept quiet and listened while she unleashed her tirade.
"Olivia is missing, and you are only telling me this now?"
There was a slight tremble to her voice, like she was trying to keep all her emotions together. Elliot knew she probably had a million questions. If only he had the answers. Hell – he still had questions himself.
Instead of railing at him, as he'd expected, she grew silent. She grabbed for the files on the desk, and began flipping through them. It seemed her intent was to immerse herself in the case, so she would know precisely what her friend had gotten involved with.
"Tell me everything."
Brushing away a few stray tears, she sat down at Olivia's desk and looked up at him. Both her expression and her tone were desperate. Elliot didn't have the time to go into a lot of detail, as he still had to focus on his work, so he gave her an outline of everything that had happened since Monday morning.
As he explained about the four bodies that had been found during the day on Monday, Casey's eyes flicked over to the bulletin board. She knew that once the autopsies had been completed, someone would have contacted her about an arrest warrant. They just weren't to that point yet. No one had intentionally left her out of the loop.
Then she listened in disbelief as Elliot told her what was waiting for him when he got home from work Monday night. She tried as hard as she could to keep her anger to herself. Casey believed everyone involved made an error in judgment. It doesn't matter whether or not the woman would have willingly accepted one, a detail should have been put on Olivia the second they realized she was in danger.
As soon as she spoke though, she realized how wrong she was. She knew how much her friend hated to be made to feel helpless. While Elliot was wrong in not telling her she was a target, she understood his reasoning behind it. With a gesture of her hand, she indicated he should continue with the story.
Now was the difficult part for Elliot. Telling Casey of the fight he and Olivia had in the warehouse. Though, he supposed she would have learned about it anyway. Had Olivia not been taken, she likely would have called her friend to meet up for drinks. Then, they would have spent their time discussing just how much of an asshole he really was.
Luckily for Elliot, Casey held her opinions to herself when he told her about what went on. She did send a glare or two in his direction, though. He assumed she was more worried about Olivia than in reading him the riot act.
Now came the tough part. Elliot found himself getting choked up as he related the tale of hearing the gunshot. How he raced through the warehouse as fast as he could, only to find an empty room. To find Olivia's jacket, with her personal items laid out on top of it. The syringe on the floor, the blood trail.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he moved on in the story. There was more Casey had to know. Once again, her gasp was audible when she learned just who was responsible. Her fury matched that of the detectives upon learning that Rickett had not only broken out of jail, but killed a guard to do so. Now he had Olivia? It was unthinkable.
Last but not least, Elliot told Casey of the phone call this morning, and the package that had been sent to the precinct. It was only when she learned those details that she finally broke. The tears that had been welling up in her eyes throughout the story spilled over and trailed down her cheeks.
She wept silently for a little over a minute. Then she wiped her eyes, and squared her shoulders. Steeling her nerves, Casey looked at Elliot determinedly.
"What can I do to help?"
At first, Elliot was ready to refuse. Not that he didn't want her help, but because there wasn't anything she could do. Then he remembered the hassle he had gotten from Rikers. There was something she could do after all.
He quickly explained the situation. As she heard, a slow grin formed on the lawyers face. She opened her briefcase, looking for a certain form. Finding what she was looking for, she began to fill it out.
"How do you feel about a little field trip?"
She questioned Elliot. At first he was confused, but not ready to object. Before he could answer, Cragen came out of his office. He walked over to Elliot's desk to speak to his detective.
"Where are we with Rikers?"
It was Casey who answered.
"We are on our way there now, to threaten them with obstruction if they don't cooperate immediately. How does that sound?"
Cragen, who had been going in circles all morning with phone calls, felt a slow grin form on his face. Finally, something would be going in their favor.
"That sounds perfect. Report to me when you get back."
Elliot and Casey gathered their things, and left the squad room. It was time to get some answers.
Gordon picked up the burner cell and dialed. He hoped Matt would answer. They needed to finalize plans for tomorrow. His goal was to make another call to Detective Stabler in the morning. This time, he'd let the man hear his partner.
A sinister laugh bubbled forth from his lips as he anticipated how that would play out. He wasn't going to let the man actually talk to his partner. But the man would get to listen while he began the final phase of his torture.
Gordon envisioned how the scene would play out. He'd leave the detective bound to the bed. With luck, Matt wouldn't back out from his part in the plan. He was counting on him to play a crucial role. Although, he supposed if Matt backed out, he could always make things just a little more realistic. Even though that took some of the 'fun' out of his original plans.
Finally, someone picked up on the other line. It was Matt. It sounded as though he'd been sleeping. No wonder he hadn't answered the phone right away. Before asking any questions, Gordon admonished him. Told him he'd better be on time tomorrow, or else he'd be sorry.
Matt swore at him then, and assured him that he'd be on time. He also said he'd bring the bags of blood, as promised. Then they ended the call. Matt was very paranoid, and wanted to keep communications between them brief.
What his accomplice didn't know was that Gordon planned to leave evidence for the police to find. When he made that phone call tomorrow, it would lead Detective Stabler and his squad directly here to this house. Granted, by the time they got here, he and Detective Benson would be gone. But not without leaving a few surprises behind.
Gordon moved to the table. It was time to assemble the package. As always, before touching anything, he pulled on a pair of gloves. No way was he going to get his fingerprints on any of the evidence. It was important that it all pointed to Matt.
He found the box he'd set aside for this purpose, and brought it close. In it, he placed the tapes he'd secretly made. Each one contained proof that Matt was the one who had raped and strangled each of the four women. The only thing Gordon had done was style their hair and tie them up.
The next items he added to the package were four wallets. Each of them containing the identification cards for the women who'd been murdered. Since he wasn't the one responsible, Gordon felt it only fair that their families be able to find closure.
Now everything was in the box that needed to be. Using packaging tape, he sealed it up. With a black marker, he wrote Detective Stabler's name on the top. That way, no matter who found it, it would go to the intended target. Then he just let it be on the table. Even if Matt saw it tomorrow, he wasn't dumb enough to question it's contents.
The next step was to make sure he still had enough of the paralytic drug in supply. He hadn't wanted to use it on her yesterday, but her escape attempt had left him desperate. Checking his stash, he saw that he had two doses left. Perfect.
He'd need to administer one before the final plan got underway tomorrow morning. There was no way he could risk her fighting back then. She'd need to be completely immobile. The best part was, even though she'd be immobile, she'd be completely aware of everything he was doing to her.
The last dose would be saved until they got to the cabin. Matt's family owned a cabin upstate. Yet another way this whole series of crimes could be pinned on the other man. So far, the only thing they could concretely get him for is his escape from prison, and the murder of the guard. He'd admit to that though. He was glad to have taken out the bastard.
There was one final step to his plan. He had to ensure that the land line was in working order. He'd be using that to make the phone call tomorrow. This time, the call would need to be traced. Only by the time the police got to this location, no one would be here. But there would still be plenty for them to find.
A beep from his watch signaled the top of a new hour. Was it really after five already? Now he had another decision to make. He was going to allow the detective one more bathroom trip, but should he give her any more water? The more he thought about it, the more he realized the answer was no.
He wanted her to be as weak as possible tomorrow. Yes he gave her a little to drink. It was also true that the bitch had gone behind his back, and stolen drinks while in the bathroom alone. He'd quickly put a stop to that, though. If he could put an estimate to it, he would guess that maybe she'd had sixteen ounces of water at most. That was plenty. Maybe even too much, as far as he was concerned. He'd always thought he was being overly generous by giving her any at all.
Stalking down the hall toward the bedroom where she was being kept, he unlocked the door and went inside. He flipped on the overhead light, as was pleased when the woman on the bed startled awake. Good. He'd caught her unaware. She'd been so vigilant ever since he'd first taken her yesterday, save for the times he'd had her drugged.
Instead of going directly over to the bed to untie her, he moved first to the table. Taking the bottle of water, he discarded the cup that was on top of it, crushing it in his fist. Then he moved back toward the bed. He uncapped the bottle, and pulled the tape of the detective's mouth. Then he started to tip it in her direction.
He could barely keep the smile from his lips as her mouth parted in anticipation of a drink. Then he upended the bottle completely, dumping its contents directly in her face. As a result, some water splashed up the woman's nose, causing her to cough and sputter. It was then that Gordon laughed.
Using the knife, he freed her from the zip ties. Unlike the times in the past, he didn't care if he accidentally nicked her skin in the process. After tomorrow, it wouldn't matter if some of her blood stained the bed. There would be a lot more of it to follow.
He led her down the hall to the bathroom, and shoved her inside. As he closed the door, he gave her a three minute warning. When she was done, she opened the door without his having to do so. He placed the knife back at her throat, once again making small nicks in her flesh. To her credit, the detective didn't even react.
He could have tied her back up in the chair, made her sit up the rest of the time. But he was thinking about what would be easiest come tomorrow morning. Things would be better if she was already lying done. Perhaps he could even sneak in, as he was able to do this last time. What a great way to scare her that would be. To have her wake up to him looming above her, the syringe in his hand.
As he was tying her arms and legs back up, another evil thought came to him. He wouldn't have to gag her tomorrow, either. The paralytic would take with it her ability to speak. And if she couldn't speak – that meant she wouldn't be able to scream, either. That part was a double edged sword. While he didn't want anyone to hear, it made him sad to know he'd never hear her begging him for mercy. Not that he'd ever grant it.
For now, though. The woman would need to be gagged. He moved to retrieve the tape, and tore off a particularly lengthy piece. It was not lost on him how raw the skin on her lips was becoming from this treatment. He shrugged his shoulders. Oh well. After tomorrow, it wouldn't matter. Detective Olivia Benson wouldn't be alive to complain.
Elliot was navigating through the streets of the city, heading back to the precinct. Casey sat beside him in the passenger seat. Their trip to Rikers had proven to be very productive, after all. Even though they were initially met with an icy reception, all Casey had needed to do was make a few threats.
That, combined with the news that their escaped prisoner was also responsible for the kidnapping of an NYPD detective, made them even more willing to cooperate. Even though it meant more files to go through, Elliot was pleased with the outcome. They now knew who Rickett's cellmates were, who he interacted with most. He even suspected that somewhere in those files, they also knew what the man liked to eat for breakfast.
Elliot was pulled from his thoughts when he realized Casey was speaking. He chanced a glance to his side, and noticed that she wasn't talking to him. She was on the phone. Judging by her end of the conversation, she was talking to the Captain.
"We're on our way back to the station now, Captain."
There was silence in the car as the man on the other end spoke.
Then it was Casey's turn again.
"You want me to what? Yes, I can try...but I won't make any guarantees. I'll see you when we get back, then. Goodbye."
Elliot was suspicious now. He had an eerie feeling that the tail end of that phone call pertained to him. Casting his eyes to the clock on the dashboard, he saw that it was just after six. No doubt the Captain wanted him to eat something again. Great. Just what he needed. More indigestion.
"Elliot"
Casey began to speak, unsure of how to broach the subject. She knew Elliot would be eager to get back to the precinct and delve into the files they'd gotten. She also knew that if Olivia were here, she would want her partner to be taken care of. As Olivia's friend, she felt that responsibility fell partly on her shoulders.
"Why don't we stop and get something to eat on the way back? I know I'm a little hungry, and I would bet you are too."
Even though his theory was correct, Elliot found himself getting angry. His fingers tensed around the steering wheel, and the final thread he'd been holding onto snapped.
"Why is everyone so damned concerned with whether I eat or not? Olivia most likely isn't getting any food. Why should I. We all know it's my fault in the first place that she was taken!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he was instantly apologetic. Casey didn't deserve his wrath. She was only trying to help, and likely following the Captains orders as well. He tried to apologize, but she brushed him off. She said she understood. Then she tried again to convince him.
He finally agreed. They still had a distance to drive to get back to the precinct, and traffic was only going to get worse. Maybe they would be better off if they stopped for a bite now, then got on the road a little later.
He asked Casey if she had any preferences, and when she didn't, stopped at the next diner they came to. Luckily, since he still had the sedan with them, parking wasn't a problem.
They went inside, and found a booth. When the server came over to collect their drink orders, Elliot knew there was no way he could stomach another cup of coffee. Even the thought of it made him ill. He asked for a soda instead. Maybe the carbonation would help keep his stomach settled. Casey just asked for an ice water with a wedge of lemon. The server went to get their drinks, giving them time to look over the menu.
Elliot was looking at his menu without really seeing it. Nothing appealed to him. He thought about his trip with Olivia for breakfast to a diner much like this one only the day before. How he'd stolen the first bite of her omelet. That simply couldn't be the last meal they'd ever share together.
The server reappeared at the table, setting the drinks down with a flourish. Elliot placed an order, but if someone would have asked him what he'd gotten, he wouldn't have remembered. Casey ordered half a club sandwich with a cup of soup.
Now that they were alone, the attorney tried to draw Elliot into conversation. Though she had initially been angry with the man for withholding information from her, she knew it hadn't been done intentionally. His prime directive had been to find Olivia. It still was.
"Elliot. Talk to me."
Elliot shook his head. He couldn't say what was on his mind. He wasn't close with Casey. Not the way Olivia was. Yes, he'd go out with them from time to time after work for drinks. Sometimes, they'd all go out to lunch together. Even Fin and Munch would come along. It wasn't that he felt awkward sitting together with her here. It just felt that something – someone – was missing. And there was.
Since Elliot wasn't going to talk, it was left up to Casey to figure out what was on his mind. Even though he was typically a hard man to read, today it was easy. Going on what he'd told her earlier, she knew exactly what the other man was thinking about. His fight with Olivia. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she just had to smile. The two of them were so alike in so many ways.
While they got along perfectly much of the time, it wasn't uncommon for them to argue. Both of them had short tempers, and they were both passionate about what they believed in. So many times after a fight with Elliot, Olivia would call her up on the phone. They'd spend the next few hours hashing it out over a bottle of wine. Olivia would call her partner an ass, Casey would agree. Then Casey would tease Olivia about other ways the two of them could relive the tension – if only Elliot weren't married. That suggestion typically earned her withering looks from Olivia, and caused the detective to change the subject abruptly.
"Elliot, I know what you're thinking about. You're thinking about the fight you had with Liv."
His head snapped up sharply to meet her gaze, but he said nothing. There was no mistaking the haunted look in his eyes, though. That told her all she needed to know.
"It's not the first time the two of you have fought. And forgive me for saying this, but it won't be the last. She'll forgive you."
Elliot took a sip of his soda, and set the glass down. It hit the table with a loud thunk.
"If she survives, you mean. He said he was going to kill her Case. It's Rickett, you know he'll do it."
Casey bit her lip. This was bothering her, too. But Elliot needed her to boost his confidence right now. So she would.
"And you're Elliot Stabler. One half of the best detective team this city has ever seen. You'll find her."
A shaky sigh escaped Elliot's mouth. It wasn't the first time he'd heard the words. But it was one of the few times he'd believed them. The only other person who'd told him that who had been even remotely convincing had been Kathy. Coming from anyone else just seemed like lip service.
"Thanks, Case. I needed to hear that."
She gave him a smile. It was reassuring. Then it became something else, what he couldn't say. He understood the meaning behind it with her next words.
"One final thing Elliot? And if you tell anyone I said this, I'll deny it."
He nodded, indicating she should continue.
"I wouldn't be upset in the slightest if Rickett didn't make it back for trial. It would save me a lot of headaches."
He understood immediately what she was trying to tell him. That she had his back, too. That didn't mean he could ultimately take the law into his own hands, but if circumstances came about – she'd be on his side. He merely nodded by way of reply. The subject was dropped as their food was delivered to the table.
Elliot and Casey arrived back at the precinct. She paid for their dinner, which he had tried to protest. Her argument had been to simply ask him who was taking care of him. He couldn't answer her. So he agreed to let her pay, but insisted on returning the favor someday.
The reason they were so late getting back wasn't just traffic. They'd also made a stop off at Casey's office. She wanted to grab a change of clothes. Now that she was aware of the situation, she planned to stay at the precinct awhile longer and help. This way, she could be comfortable.
Once they were back, Casey excused herself to change. Elliot settled back in at his desk, ready to dive into the files. Before he could, the Captain came over to him.
"Elliot. I'm glad you stopped to eat something. You can work for a while longer, but I want you up in the cribs no later than one."
Elliot looked at him, puzzled. His own Captain was giving him a bedtime now? What was going on?
"We can only assume that Rickett is going to call again tomorrow morning. He's going to want to talk to you. I want you well rested."
Now understanding where Cragen was coming from, Elliot nodded in agreement. Fin and Munch would likely be taking the first shift, and sleeping from about eight or nine until one. He would sleep from one until five. This time, he was determined to set an alarm. There would be no extra sleep for him.
With the order given, Cragen's next question was in regard to their time at Rikers. Judging by the files in front of Elliot, he guessed that the trip had been very productive indeed. If only they hadn't needed to get a lawyer involved.
Speaking of lawyers, Casey made her reappearance. She slipped her bag under Olivia's desk, and after sharing a glance with Elliot, took a seat there, too.
"I want to see all we have on the case so far."
"Casey-"
"Don't try and baby me, Elliot. If I'm going to have to eventually prosecute this, I need to be familiar with this case – from the beginning."
Elliot sighed. He knew she was right. He was only trying to protect her. He could barely handle seeing the photos of Olivia that had been sent or left behind. It didn't seem fair that Casey should have to see them, too.
He'd noticed that while they were gone, Ryan had left a folder on his desk. In it, were copies of the photos from the warehouse. As well as a copy of the Polaroid from this morning. Also included was a photograph of the ponytail that had been in the package. A ruler was next to it, measuring it for scale.
As Elliot worked his way through the files from Rikers, he'd hear the occasional sniffle from across the desk. Knowing Casey was having difficulty with what she was seeing, he decided to try and help. Reaching for a tissue from the box Olivia kept on their desks, he extended one to her. She took one with a mumbled 'thank-you', then dove right back into the evidence. He had to give her credit. She was staying strong through it all. When Rickett was re-arrested, he didn't stand a chance in court.
Elliot came across a name in the files. It was a former cellmate of Gordon's. Apparently the guy was some type of computer genius, and was in prison for identity theft and fraud. A search quickly ruled the man out, as he was still incarcerated.
A second man popped up on the list, they weren't cell mates, but it was someone Rickett interacted with often. What was even more interesting was the man was in prison for rape. Even the name sounded familiar. Matthew Adams.
Another search on the computer, and Elliot had a face to go with the name. He shook his head in disbelief. No wonder the name had sounded so familiar. He and Olivia had been the ones to arrest the man. A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach grew when he saw the words at the bottom of the screen. Matthew Adams had been released on a technicality. He was a free man. Why weren't they ever notified about these things?
Desperate now, Elliot tried to find out everything he could about the man. Because he was released by the courts, he wouldn't have a parole officer, or anyone else monitoring him. He pulled up the case file so he could study it.
Matthew Adams had been a nurse. He remembered now. His female patients had accused him of inappropriate behavior. The case was ultimately thrown out because the victims testimonies were deemed inadmissible, since they were post-surgical. Some defense lawyer claimed that it was due to the anesthesia, and they hallucinated the attacks.
Using a different program, Elliot ran a background check on Matthew Adams. He needed to find out what the man was doing now. Nothing came up. Maybe he'd changed his name. He'd have to keep digging.
He wouldn't give up though. This was a definite lead.
Elliot and Casey were still working hard on the files come ten at night. Fin and Munch excused themselves, saying they were heading up to the cribs to get some sleep. While not making a direct apology to Elliot, Fin nodded in his direction as he left. Elliot returned the gesture. It was understood that come tomorrow, the incident between them would be forgotten. Olivia had to come first.
No sooner had the men gone upstairs, than Melinda came running into the squad room. Ryan was with her. Judging by the looks on their faces, this was something important. Elliot called for the Captain, knowing he'd want to hear what was about to be said.
Hearing the commotion, Fin and Munch came back downstairs. They hadn't made it to the cribs yet, only the locker rooms. They stood by their desks, curious to see what the news was. Cragen came out of his office, and stood behind Elliot's chair.
Once they had everyone's attention, Ryan and Melinda exchanged a look. With a nod, Ryan indicated that the medical examiner should be the one to speak.
"We found something this afternoon. Something big."
She went on to explain about how the pubic hairs were found in each of the Jane Doe's rape kits. How they were determined to have male DNA. Not only that, but it matched in all four cases. The best news of all- they got a hit in CODIS.
"We're sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but we didn't want to get your hopes up."
Ryan tried to explain, seeing as how everyone was staring intently at them still.
"It doesn't matter. Did you find a match, was it Rickett?"
This question came from Elliot. He, like everyone else was on pins and needles as he awaited the news. What he heard next though was not what he was expecting. Considering what he'd just learned, it didn't come as a surprise.
"No. The DNA match came back as one Matthew Adams."