Chapter 34
Precinct
3:30 pm
Olivia couldn't believe it. She felt all eyes on her as she blindly blazed her way into the precinct. The pope could have been there and she wouldn't have noticed. She was headed straight for the interrogation room when she sees AD Daniels coming at her with a satisfied grin.
"Where is he?"
"Fin and Carisi are interrogating him now. I have an agent in there as well." Stephanie stepped out of the way so that Olivia could stand in the place she has stood so many times, watching the interrogation from her own office.
O'Donahue looked small; pale and unassuming, the way most criminals appeared once caught. They were only monsters when they remained in the shadows. Under the light of man one could always see they were nothing but small, weakly creatures.
"What has he said?" Olivia was demanding in her tone but she could care less. This office was officially hers again.
"Not much. So far he's denying having any involvement."
Barba had stepped away to take a phone call. He stood next to Liv just as she understood he must have been there before her.
"It's done. I don't need a full confession. I have his prints over Mindy's dead body. We have surveillance of previous meetings on the street. I have him on Mindy's rape and murder. The DA wants this finished."
"But you must want more. What would you need for unquestionable conviction of all the rapes and murders?" AD Daniels inquired as the same questions ran through Liv's mind.
"If you can get him to speak of his connection to Lewis, his copycat, that should suffice. That should tie him to the rest of his crimes. No one could overturn it." Barba.
Dodds also came around the corner, "Are you certain of that? Because everything about this screams trouble to me. The last thing I want…"
Rafael Barba was not a man that appreciated his expertise being questioned, "The last thing I want is to lose any case but especially this one. I can assure you." He pointed through the glass as he got into Dodd's face, "He is done. The admittance of a relationship with Lewis is icing on the cake. I don't need it. But if the cat wants some time to play with the mouse…have at it. A confession could only further implicate him." He directs this at Liv with the satisfaction he knew she would get from confronting him.
"I want him to go away for the rest of his life. I need an unappealable conviction." Olivia whispered this so intensely that Rafael Barba felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
No one spoke except for a reassuring nod from the AD directed at Olivia.
Liv's response was to wordlessly sidestep the AD as she entered the interrogation room.
She glared at O'Donahue as the room went quiet with the dawn of her entrance. Even O'Donahue felt the atmosphere drop. But aside from a slight shift, his body remained stoic, un-reacting in the least. Everyone backed away as she calmly sat down in front of him. He looked so incredibly average and meek that it infuriated her because this only served to confuse her. For there was no recognition nor hatred spewing from his eyes. Only fear and uncertainty despite his body's feeble attempt to remain indifferent. He almost appeared like a mannequin from a shopping mall, so still and unassuming; except when looking into his demented eyes.
"I'm here. And I received all of your messages."
It was like talking to a wall she thought to herself, "So…what do you want? Why did you torture those women?"
No response.
"What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?" She drew close and her voice got incredibly low. She was terrifying to everyone in the room.
"Lady, I don't know who the hell you are! And I already told them. I had nothin to do with that!"
"Nothing to do with that? Oh ok." She stood up and began circling around him. The man finally began to shift noticeably in his seat.
She pressed on, "So you had nothing to do with Mindy?
"No!" He was showing frustration. In the mere minutes Olivia had entered the room she was able to draw a reaction from the man the others had completely failed at.
"Yet your fingerprints were found on her." Olivia's energy filled the room like the vapors from a pressure cooker and O'Donahue was the lid she was trying to pop.
"I don't know anything about that." Perspiration began taking residence on his brow.
"Nor did you have anything to do with Melanie either right?"
"No!" He grew agitated and appeared to shrink more into himself with each passing question.
Olivia threw the file in front of him with Melanie, battered and bruised; bleeding and intubated in the hospital.
He was crying now. Sweating like a hog; shaking his head vigorously.
Liv's tempo and volume increasing with each passing question. She was screaming now, "Nor did you have anything to do with putting her in the hospital?!" She got so close to his face he felt the heat radiating from her as if it came from the very fires of hell.
"No! She… I… rented from her. That's it! I, I…"
"What?!" Liv spat forcefully as she slapped the table.
"I don't know anything else!"
She turned to Carisi as she huffed in disbelief. He handed her the files. She threw the crime scene photos of Mindy in front of him.
"I didn't do that!"
"Oh no?!" Liv grabbed him by the scruff like one would do a rabid animal and she pushed his face forward to 'get a better view.'
"Lieutenant." Carisi didn't want her to get reprimanded so he called out to her. Fin put his hand up holding him back.
O'Donahue continued through his nervous tears, "I saw her. That's it. We meet sometimes and we did. But I didn't do that. And I swear I don't know you!"
Olivia felt her blood pressure rising. Her face and ears felt hot and she was wiling to bet she'd turned red. She threw more pictures in front of him. "Tell me you don't recognize this man!" She could barely look at Lewis' picture herself.
"Yeah. Maybe. So what?"
Now they were getting somewhere.
"So what? So what?!" If it wasn't for the AD Liv would have punched this piece of shit to the ground. She kept bringing up pictures of the crimes. He turned away refusing to look. But she roughly grabbed his chin and forced him to look down.
"Tell me about Lewis." She let go of his face as she stood in front of him with purpose. "Tell me why?"
"I can't tell you why when I don't know what it is I did."
"Lewis!" Olivia spat.
"I don't know! I think they put him in a cell with me a long time ago. But I was beat up pretty bad. Coulda been anyone!"
By the time Amanda arrived O'Donahue was slumped over, exhausted from the interrogation. Thus far, he had admitted to stealing from his sister, sleeping with Mindy amongst other prostitutes. He even admitted to being "a little handsy" but nothing else. He kept to his story about Melanie being only his landlord.
Olivia came out of interrogation, joining Amanda and the AD as well as Barba. Her skin glistened with sweat. Fin handed her a bottle of water and Carisi just sat there looking terrified as he wondered where Amanda had been.
Barba had to reassure her, "If Melanie Burns wakes up and ID's him it will be more than enough. But with the prints…I don't need it."
"What's his motive?" Liv questioned. Rafael Barba understood this question all too well. She knew psychopaths could go on killing sprees and torment women. Hell, it was her job to find them. She understood the psychology behind raping and hurting these women. What wasn't clear, what she didn't understand was why torment her? Over a beating in jail? Why allow Lewis to impregnate his thoughts? Was it fun for him? He was entirely close lipped about the entire thing.
Amanda was up to speed on the events. Seeing the tormented look in Olivia's eyes she couldn't help herself as she made her way into the interrogation room.
"Detective Rollins." Olivia didn't want that piece of shit anywhere near her.
"Lieutenant, I'd like to have a go, if that's ok?" She was already in character. Bringing her soft tone and southern belle charm to the table.
Fin stood up and immediately understood he would back her up. He could play bad cop some more.
Liv only nodded her head yes. Trying to convey with her eyes to be careful.
Amanda first went into the break room. She grabbed a bottle of water and a sandwich. Fin was already inside, playing the rough one when she walked in. Immediately presenting herself soft and giving Fin a 'disapproving look' for 'O'Donahue's favor.'
"Hi. Mr. O'Donahue?" She sat down with a warm smile.
"Yes?" He couldn't help but stare at her. She was a beautiful woman with kindness in her eyes. The type he liked to bed if given the chance.
"I'm detective Amanda Rollins. I'm sorry if my partner has been a bit inpatient. I think we're all tired. Would you care for a sandwich?"
He eyed her suspiciously.
"That's if your hungry of course, if not I'll take it back."
"No, I am. Thank you." His tone had changed. His affect was quickly turning less defensive. They could practically see his walls falling as Amanda disarmed him.
Olivia always admired Amanda. But her ability to level and connect with a serial killer or psychopath always amazed her. It also frightened her but mostly impressed the shit out of her.
"I know they've been asking you many questions. And it's all a bit overwhelming."
"I didn't do any of it." He whispered to her.
She nodded her head in agreement.
"Yeah. I get that. But you did know William Lewis? Ain't that right?"
"Yes."
"He was your cellmate?" She continued. He didn't say a word. He only stared at her while taking bites of his food.
"You see. Back in 2010, when you were in Maryland, he was your cellmate for about 3 months." She continued looking at the files. "I see you had it real rough while you were there, Robert. I'm sorry, can I call you Robert?" She flashed those baby blues and sometimes it made Fin wonder how in the hell he ever got through life without a pair. What couldn't Amanda get with that look?
"Yeah, actually… you can call me Bobby." He stated expectantly.
Amanda smiled with that toothy shine as he felt encouraged, "It was terrible. They tried to kill me."
"How terrifying that must have been for you, Bobby." Amanda should win an Oscar for her false empathy Olivia thought.
"I also see here, that you requested to be kept with Lewis? He stood up for you didn't he? Protected you when everyone else treated you like you were invisible."
"If it wasn't for him I woulda been killed. He got those guys off of me and thanks to him I was taken to the hospital."
"Yeah, I'm sure you were real grateful. You owed him."
O'Donahue began to change his look with her. Amanda couldn't let on that he was being baited. "I mean, it was only fair. He was risking his life too. I would be thankful." O'Donahue had gone quiet so after a beat Amanda shifted, "You know, I met him?"
O'Donahue lit up, "You did?"
Amanda smiled, "Yeah. I was around when he was accused of exposing himself to some tourists."
O'Donahue huffed and smiled, "Yeah, he told me all about that. But that was child's play. I mean come on! You met him! You saw how smart he was. What he was capable of!
"I sure did. And he was…real smart. I'm sure he thought the same of you. Especially if he protected you and let you help him with his work."
"He told you that? That I was smart?"
Amanda thought to herself, 'got him.' "Well come on Bobby, look at everything you've been able to do. I'm sure your buddy, Lewis, is real proud you were able to follow in his footsteps so well."
"He's gone now and I don't know I followed anyone's footsteps…" He suddenly appeared like an insecure grade schooler that had been picked on in recess.
"But you've tried. Right? I mean…You cared for Lewis as he did for you. You wanted to prove to him that you could do it."
"Of course I cared for him. The man saved me. He did me favors." He sheepishly admitted.
"Oh yeah, that's right. He visited your sister."
"Not that she deserved his visit!" He spat.
"No, of course not. Of course not, Bobby. He deserved better. So you did him favors right?"
"I did."
"And you wanted him to believe in you and admire your work too."
"Of course."
"What sort of favors Bobby?"
He stayed quiet.
Amanda needed to get to the bottom of this. Why was he after Liv, "Did you need to continue his work? Finish what he left behind? Make sure the woman that beat him, was responsible for your beating, paid for what she did?"
"I don't know anything about that." He sat back like a five year old who didn't know the answer to the question in kindergarten class.
Amanda could no longer keep up the hypocrisy as she slowly rose and leaned forward on the table, "Oh no? You don't know anything about that? Is that so?"
The blonde woman appeared like the viper about to swallow the rat whole in one bite.
Fin suddenly came off the wall he was leaning against.
O'Donahue looked at her like she was possessed. "No," he meekly replied.
Amanda pounced him as she grabbed him by the collar, first jerking him towards her as she simultaneously pushed him violently backwards while yelling in his face, "Tell me you piece of shit!"
It took seconds for Olivia to run in as Fin struggled to pull her off of the screaming man.
It took both of them to pull her off of him. Each of them stood behind her, holding her arms back as Carisi lifted O'Donahue from the floor.
Amanda hadn't realized she had knocked him over while she straddled him and bore her hands into his neck, strangling him as she yelled.
O'Donahue looked petrified. Olivia could barely hold onto Amanda, who looked like a crazed wildcat.
Everyone was stunned. Amanda shock them off her harder than she intended, "I'm fine." She spat as she walked away, pushing stray blonde strands of hair back into place.
"Detective Rollins!" AD Daniels called out to her.
"You got your partial confession." Amanda ignored her as she directed towards Barba. "No question as to his loyalty and connection to Lewis." She then addressed the AD, "Let me just have a minute before you berate me?" She continued walking until she ended up in the locker room.
Olivia couldn't condone her behavior but God did she understand it. She wanted to rip him apart and she couldn't say that if Amanda had been his target she wouldn't have done the same. Luckily, it wasn't up to her to discipline Amanda this time. She could just be her girlfriend.
Olivia hurriedly walked passed the room. She turned to the AD, "I've got it." She followed Amanda into the lockers.
"Hey." Liv called out to her, alerting her of her presence.
Amanda had watery eyes and looked upon Olivia like she was water in the dessert.
Olivia crashed her body against the blonde's and took her into her arms, "I'm okay. He didn't get to hurt me, Amanda. I'm right here."
Amanda let her tears of frustration along with alleviation fall as she squeezed her tightly.
Olivia continued with her soothing words, "I'm right here." She was so grateful right now she could burst.
Amanda lifted her head and looked around. Satisfied that they were alone she grabbed Liv's face and kissed her cheeks, her forehead, her eyes gently and her lips. "Is it wrong that I am so very grateful?"
"No, baby. I'm grateful too." Olivia understood her guilt. For so many women had died and others were still in critical condition thanks to this bastard. "Let's go home. And then let's go get our kids."
"Gimme a minute. I gotta go get yelled at first." Amanda added.
"No, you don't. She thinks I'm doing it."
Amanda chuckled.
Liv warned her, "I am your girlfriend right now. Just that. If I were your boss I would have to discipline you. But I'm not your boss again until she's gone, so…"
"But you told her…"
"Yeah, well…I lied."
Amanda kept smiling.
"Now take that smile off your beautiful face before she figures us out."
"Yes, ma'am."
