"Law and Order: SVU" belongs to Dick Wolf and Universal Television. No profit is being made from this story.
Amanda walked up to the nurse behind the desk and held out her badge.
"SVU," she identified herself. "Someone called about a rape."
The nurse nodded. "Exam room seven," she replied, pointing. "The SANE is with her."
Kat followed Amanda down the hall. The senior detective knocked on the door and it was opened by a woman wearing blue scrubs. She nodded at them as she let them in.
"I'm Detective Rollins," Amanda said. She gestured at Kat. "This is Detective Tamin. We're from the Special Victims Unit."
Kat looked over at the girl sitting on the exam table wearing a paper gown. She didn't look older than maybe eleven. She was huddled into herself, pulling at the gown without seeming aware of it.
The detective saw deep bruises that looked like ligature marks both on her wrists and on the ankles of her bare feet hanging off of the side of the table.
"Hi," Tamin said. She smiled but didn't try to approach. "My name is Kat. What's yours?"
The girl didn't reply. She looked away.
"We'd like to talk to you," Kat went on. "Is that ok?"
After a minute, the girl shrugged.
While Kat was trying to interact with the girl, the sexual assault nurse examiner nodded for Rollins to step closer.
"She came in off the street around three am this morning," the woman said. "She wasn't wearing any pants, underwear, or shoes."
The nurse sounded particularly upset by that, since it was frigid outside.
"They thought she might have been homeless," she went on, "But then they saw the marks on her wrists and face, so they called me. She hasn't told anyone her name and won't let anyone examine her. Something obviously happened to her, but until she talks or I can do an exam, I can't guess as to what."
Amanda looked over at the girl. She had a busted lip and bruises around her eyes. Her hair was matted and dirty and she kept scratching frenzily at her forearms as if her skin was crawling.
"If you haven't done an exam and she hasn't said anything," she said, "How do you know she was raped?"
"I don't," the nurse said matter-of-factly. She wasn't even ashamed of her next words. "But she needs help. She's practically a baby. I figured a rape victim would get you guys out here quicker than a street kid. "
Rollins couldn't contain the look of disgust she leveled at the nurse.
Detective Tamin stood a short distance from the girl, trying not to invade her space. She considered her next words carefully.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, watching the girl's eyes suddenly light up. "Thirsty?"
The girl nodded eagerly.
"How about we talk while Detective Rollins gets you something to eat?" Kat went on. "Anything you want, she'll get."
"Anything?"
For the first time in hours, the girl finally spoke. She looked at Kat with an expression of suspicion mixed with hope.
Kat exchanged a quick look with Amanda, nodding quickly.
"Anything," she said with a smile. " What do think?"
The girl didn't return the smile. But she did nod.
NYPD Sergeant Issac Jensen of the 61st Precinct pulled his squad car up behind the one already in front of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church and stepped out. He had been right down the street finishing his dinner break that evening when he had heard the call reporting a trespasser, so he'd headed there to meet the responding officers.
Officers Kevin McLaughlin and Cole Lucas were standing at the edge of the back parking lot, shining powerful flashlights into the darkness.
"Hey, Sarge," Officer Lucas greeted him when Sergeant Jensen joined them. "Concerned citizen says she saw a guy back here a few minutes ago and was worried he was going to break into the church."
Sergeant Jensen looked at him witheringly.
"'Concerned citizen'?" he mocked, rolling his eyes. "Skip the bullshit. We all know it was old '509 Bag' calling to give her daily complaint. Christ. Can't someone send her to a nursing home already?"
He was referring to the elderly woman who lived in apartment 509 of the building across from the church. She called 911 every day without fail, demanding that police check on anything that she found offensive, from the kids racing scooters down the alley to the yapping chihuahua three floors below her.
Officers were legally obligated to respond to each call, even if that meant only driving by without stopping. Which they always did, because there was nothing criminal about pissing off a cranky old lady.
Frankly, Sergeant Jensen was surprised they were even out of their cars. But then he remembered how the Commissioner of Internal Affairs had been up their captain's ass about making sure "proper protocol" was being enforced by everyone and the captain had threatened suspension of anyone caught trying to skate the requirements.
"Alright, let's get this over with," he said in annoyance, realizing there was no way around it. "Make it quick. I'm freezing my balls off standing here."
The sergeant took out his own flashlight and the three of them skirted the outer perimeter of the property.
"Sarge," Officer McLaughlin called from the far end.
He waved the other two over as he shined his flashlight on the form of a man sleeping in the dirt.
His clothes were filthy, practically blending in to the dead leaves and sticks on the ground, but his head and hands were tucked almost expertly into a position that kept them completely clean. There wasn't a smudge on his face. Officer McLaughlin had never seen a homeless person do that before.
"Hey, guy," he said firmly, bending to shake his shoulder. "Get up. This is private property."
The man jumped violently and a harsh gasp exploded out of him like he had been jolted from a bad dream.
McLaughlin's partner and the sergeant stepped up and he watched Sergeant Jensen shine his light directly into the man's face.
He knew it was on purpose. It was well known that the sergeant wasn't a fan of the homeless. McLaughlin privately thought that the sergeant bordered on being abusive to them, just because he could get away with it.
Proving his point, Sergeant Jensen pulled back his foot and then slammed his boot hard against the man's side. He stooped down almost right on top of the man, still shining the light in his face.
McLaughlin winced.
The man gave a panicked cry and then suddenly kicked the sergeant's feet out from under him.
Elliot was almost startled into a heart attack when he was jolted abruptly into consciousness by someone blinding him with a light and then kicking him, hard.
When he saw someone standing over him, his instincts flared with terror and he immediately made a move to get the threat away from him. Then he jumped to his feet and took off running in a panic.
Unfortunately, he was still seeing spots from the white light being shone at his eyes and could hardly tell where he was going.
He heard someone yelling "FREEZE!" at him a split second before he was tackled from behind and shoved violently to the ground. He struggled frantically, kicking and clawing until someone pressed bodily against his back and immobilized him.
He realized they were police officers when he heard the crackling voice of a dispatch radio and his heart hammered uncontrollably when they trapped his hands, preparing to cuff him.
"No, please!" he screamed desperately, squirming. "Don't use cuffs! I'll come with you, I'll come...please don't!"
"Hey, Sarge."
Officer McLaughlin was shining his light down at Elliot's wrists. Healing ligature marks stood out starkly on them.
"What the hell is this?" he asked uncertainly.
The sergeant was pissed as hell over being knocked off his feet, by a vagrant no less, and in no mood for sympathy.
"The fuck would I know?" he replied rudely.
Sergeant Jensen snapped the handcuffs on tightly and hauled Elliot to his feet, shoving him toward the other officers harder than strictly necessary.
"Maybe he's one of those S & M bondage freaks," he said snidely. "Who cares? He just assaulted an officer. Put him in the car."
Officer McLaughlin led him toward the patrol car with a light grip, not having it in him to distress Elliot further. He was shaking as he was being marched forward.
"Please. Please."
His voice sounded choked up, like he was so scared he could barely speak.
"Take the cuffs off," he begged. "You have to take the cuffs off. I won't resist, I swear to God. Please take the cuffs off."
McLaughlin bit his lip. He opened the back door of the cruiser, pushed Elliot in gently, and closed the car back up.
October 2019
Elliot stepped hesitantly onto the New York City Transit Authority public bus and handed the driver the bus pass he had been given.
He had no idea how long he had been walking, but his reserve was quickly fading. The initial shock of being around other people had kept him going for awhile before exhaustion and despair had finally kicked in.
He had stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, fumbled for the cell phone that the FBI agent gave him, and then almost burst into tears when he realized he didn't remember anyone's phone number.
The reflex that had lived inside of him for over thirty years came up then and he headed immediately to the nearest bus stop without thinking. He didn't even have to consciously remember the address. He just...knew it, even after all this time.
Elliot wanted to go home. Everything would be alright when he got back home to her. Her embrace was what he needed, right that very moment.
He sat nervously as the bus traveled, obsessively watching the people near him and changing seats if anyone came too close. By the time he arrived to his stop in Glenoaks, Queens, he was wound tighter than a spring and practically ran off of the bus.
He walked until he reached 72-12 Castleside Street and stood at the end of the driveway, swallowing hard as he stared at the house.
Then he made his way up, climbed the porch steps, and knocked on the front door.
His pulse raced as he waited. The door opened to reveal a boy, almost pre-pubescent, with a shock of blond curls.
A lump climbed into Elliot's throat at the remnants of the baby face he could still recognize, rendering him speechless, and he could only stare in shock at the son he hadn't seen in almost eight years.
"Who is it, Eli?"
Kathy appeared behind him, holding a tiny baby in her arms. Elliot switched his gaze to her.
Tears gathered in his eyes as he looked at her and a relieved smile came over his face for the first time in years.
"Hi, Kath," he breathed.
His wife turned so white that she appeared translucent. She stared at him like he was a spector.
Her hands reflexively clenched the small baby tighter. Swallowing hard, she reached out and gripped her son by the shoulder.
"Eli," she said evenly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She pulled him slightly back to look at her and carefully placed the baby in his arms. He cradled the infant easily, as if used to it. "Go back inside and put Eliza in her bassinet."
Elliot's breath stuttered, hearing the name and realizing who the baby was.
Eliza.
Eli disappeared as Kathy stepped out onto the porch and turned to pull the door closed after her.
When she faced him again, the rage on her face was shocking.
"Elliot," she ground out. This time her voice did shake. "I don't care what you want. I don't care why you're here."
Her hands had clenched into shaking fists. She looked like she was struggling not to explode.
"Leave," she said. "Leave, right now, before I call the police. "
Elliot gaped at her, horrified confusion on his face. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He shook his head desperately.
"Please," he said, his voice starting to tremble. "Kathy, please, just listen-"
"DON'T SAY MY NAME!"
She lost control, surprising even herself. She screamed at him and then both hands were out, pushing against his chest.
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say!" she cried hysterically, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to see your face ever again!"
He gulped in breaths, shaking as he held in sobs while she stood in front of him and pushed him physically away. He couldn't stop the tears from escaping.
"I wish you were dead!" she continued crazily. She had given up any semblance of self-control by then. "You deserve to be dead, NOT THEM!"
The door opened a crack from inside and she realized her son was peering out. She wiped her hand over her face clumsily.
The fury in her voice made her words cold and unfeeling. She spoke as if she had no soul left.
He had never in his life heard her sound that way.
"Elliot-" she said evenly.
She looked straight into his eyes and then successfully killed the little bit of hope he had left in the world.
"You no longer exist to me," she said harshly. Her face was twisted with pure hatred toward the man she had once loved and cherished. "Don't come back here again. Ever."
She went inside, locked the door, and left him standing heartbroken on the porch
December 2019
Kat led the girl into the squad room and guided her to the cozy interview room they reserved for their youngest visitors. Amanda went into Olivia's office.
Her captain looked at her in surprise at seeing the victim, as she expected since she hadn't told Olivia that they were bringing the girl back with them. Amanda shook her head, clearly disturbed.
"Sorry, Cap," she said. "I didn't want to turn her over to Child Services at the hospital. We don't even know her name yet. She had just started opening up to us when they came in and I didn't want to traumatize her further. She hasn't told us what happened and hasn't let anyone examine her."
"What is your gut telling you?" Olivia asked.
The detective sighed morosely.
"Abuse," she said. "She has bruises like she's been hit repeatedly. She also has marks on her wrists and ankles that look like she may have been forcibly restrained. "
She fell silent. Olivia looked at her in concern. It looked like the detective was trying not to cry.
"Amanda?" she pressed gently.
Rollins exhaled shakily as she looked at her boss.
"She's so little," she said tearfully. "The hospital staff said she walked in at three am barefoot and wearing just a shirt, completely naked from the waist down."
She couldn't get the haunting image of it that she had conjured out of her mind.
"Barefoot and naked, Olivia," she said in disbelief. "It was seventeen degrees at three am this morning and that little girl was walking the streets of New York alone and naked. How could anyone do that?"
Olivia knew that Amanda was thinking about her own daughters. She didn't blame her.
"It's horrible," she agreed. "Hopefully, we can get her to tell us what happened." She looked at the detective sympathetically. "Focus on that, Amanda. We can help her now even if no one did before."
Rollins nodded quickly.
Olivia stood up and gathered her things. She crossed over and laid a hand on the detective's shoulder.
"Try not to get too wrapped up in 'what-if's' just yet," she advised. "Let's find out what happened first."
They left the office together, Amanda heading to the interview room and Olivia going to pick up Noah.
"Call me if anything urgent comes up," Olivia said as she walked out.
Amanda gave her a thumbs up of acknowledgement. "Will do," she said, before joining Kat and the girl.
The entire trip to the precinct, Elliot sat in the back of the squad car pleading with them to take off the handcuffs. McLaughlin had never seen a person so visibly upset about being cuffed before- detained, sure, but just cuffed? No way- in the two years he had been an officer.
His partner had said the guy was probably high out of his mind and he had to agree. Whatever he was on, it must have been a bad batch to make him so out of his head with panic.
When they took him into the holding cell, he begged again to have the cuffs removed and Officer McLaughlin decided he would show a teeny bit of mercy to this obviously pitiful man. He unlocked the cuffs and then closed the cell.
Elliot scratched at his arms restlessly, lightheaded and dizzy from not having had anything to eat in almost 4 days and trying to fight the withdrawal again.
"Wait," he burst out as the officers began walking away. He wrapped his hands around the bars and looked at them desperately. "Please. Please help me."
He began hyperventilating anxiously, words tumbling out faster than he could think about them. He sounded almost spastic.
"They kidnapped me," he babbled tearfully. "They killed my daughters." He began sobbing, thinking about it. "I used to be a cop. Please, help me. I used to be a cop."
From behind him, Officer McLaughlin suddenly heard Sergeant Jensen howl with laughter. He looked back and saw the sergeant with his head thrown back, guffawing so hard that his body shook.
"Fuck me!" the sergeant gasped out.
He had to wipe tears of mirth from his eyes before he could speak. He looked at Officers McLaughlin and Lucas, his face almost red from laughing.
"Now that...that is the best line I've heard in ten years on the force!" he cackled. "You're an awfully long way from the academy, there, Officer!"
He cracked up again practically before the sentence left his mouth. He addressed his officers, chuckling, as he began walking away.
"He's out out of his head," he said. "Probably will be screaming all night that he was abducted by aliens. Christ." He stopped with a hand on his office door. "Just make sure to double-check that he can't hurt himself before you guys head back out."
"You got it, Sarge," Officer Lucas called as the sergeant disappeared into his office. He looked at the bum inside the cell with obvious disgust and then addressed his partner. "I gotta go to the head. Pat him down. I'll meet you at the car. "
Officer McLaughlin watched his partner go in the direction of the men's room and then turned to look inside the cell again.
Elliot was crumpled despondently on the cold stone bench inside, feeling so hopeless that he couldn't even stay on his feet. He trembled and cried pathetically, unable to stop because of the havoc the withdrawal was unleashing on him.
"It's the truth," he said hoarsely.
He didn't even try to strengthen his voice, knowing miserably that they didn't believe him. It made him feel so hopeless that he wanted to die.
"Call my partner," he begged desperately. "Call my captain. Olivia Benson...Don Cragen. Please, call them. Please."
His expression was so haunted that Officer McLaughlin couldn't bear it anymore. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, shaking his head. " I...I'm sorry. "
He turned his back on Elliot and walked away.