Chapter Four
Fin and Munch were just walking into the station when Stabler picked up Alex's desk phone to call Green and Brisco. They immediately sensed the change in the atmosphere; the adrenalin rush was almost palpable.
"We got something?" Fin asked looking from Olivia to Elliott.
"We've got an id." Elliott told him, and then turned his attention to the phone telling Green to meet them at Kirkland's last known address.
Olivia filled in the details, explaining how Jessie knew what the perp looked like, the connection to Alex, and the positive id.
Munch listened to her, then brought his hands together in a single clap. "We got him."
"Green and Brisco are half way there now. They'll wait for us." Elliott said after hanging up the phone.
"Patrol cars are on the way," Goren said, putting his phone down "no sirens, they're going to park a block away until they hear from us." Then, almost as an afterthought, he asked, "Do we have a phone number for Kirkland?"
Alex copied the number off the computer screen and handed it to Goren. He shoved the paper inside his notebook, and looked around the room, "Let's go."
*****
Benson and Stabler climbed into the back seat of the SUV. Eames drove, Goren in the passenger seat. No one spoke. Olivia thought to herself that she finally understood the phrase, "silence is deafening." Three blocks away, Bobby pulled the phone number out of his notebook and dialed his cell phone. He paused for a moment, holding the phone to his ear. Olivia and Elliott glanced at each other, wondering what the hell he was doing. Bobby spoke into the phone "Mr. Kirkland?" Olivia and Elliott looked at each other again, both thinking that Goren had lost his mind. Alex only glanced over at him, she didn't know what he was doing, but she knew what ever it was, it was a good idea. "Hi, Mr. Kirkland, my name is Bobby, and I'd like to tell you about the good book." Goren suddenly pulled the phone away from his ear and clasped it shut. He looked at Alex, then in the back seat, "He's home," he said simply.
They passed three black and whites parked a block away. Finding Brisco and Greens car, Alex parked behind them, Munch and Fin pulling up behind the SUV. All the detectives climbed out of their prospective cars and gathered on the sidewalk. "He's up there." Goren told them, then sent Munch and Fin to the left side of the building, Brisco and Green to the right side, just in case Kirkland ran. With Goren a step ahead of them, Eames, Stabler and Benson walked to the front of the building. Stabler pulled his walkie-talkie out of his pocket and signaled the black and whites to move in.
Kirkland lived on the third floor; the detectives took the stairs silently and quickly. They found the apartment, and drew out their weapons. Benson and Eames pressed themselves up against the wall on either side of the door. Goren and Stabler stood right in front of the door, ready. Goren looked to Eames, she gave a short nod. He then looked to Benson, she too nodded that she was ready. Goren stepped up and pounded on the door. "ANDREW KIRKLAND, NYPD, OPEN UP." They heard the metal on metal sound of a chain lock being undone, and another lock being twisted open. The door handle turned. They all unconsciously bent their knees, ready to pounce as the door opened.
"Hi." Andrew Kirkland said and smiled as if four NYPD detectives showed up at his door and pointed their guns at him every day. He smiled as if he'd been expecting them.
*****
It was an easy arrest. Kirkland didn't resist in the slightest. They read him his Miranda, and he answered yes, he did understand his rights as they had been read to him. Benson slapped the handcuffs on him; they walked him down the stairs and stuck him in the back of a patrol car.
Munch, Fin, Green and Brisco came out from the back of the building, all surprised by the lack of, well, the lack of anything, in the arrest.
They took him back to One Police Plaza and stuck him in the interrogation room. All eight detectives, and their three boss' met on the other side of the mirror. They had no evidence. Yes, they had an id from the girl, but she only saw Lorna leave with him, she didn't see him kill her. They were going to have to get a confession. Deakins looked over to Goren, who had positioned himself in a corner of the room, not paying attention to any of the discussion, he was studying the Kirkland. "Goren." Deakins got his attention, then nodded toward the glass. Bobby knew what he meant, and left the room. All the detectives watched as he reappeared on the other side of the mirror.
*****
"I'm Detective Robert Goren." Bobby pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You hear to tell me about the good book?" Kirkland asked, smiling. He put his fingers behind his ears and wiggled them, "I'm good with voices," he explained.
Goren chuckled slightly at having been found out, but stopped suddenly, and stared at Kirkland.
"I don't have any evidence," he told him.
"Evidence? Evidence of what?" Kirkland asked, with obviously fake innocence.
"We think you are the Alphabet Killer." Bobby used the name the press had been using.
"Really." Kirkland faked being shocked. "You think I did that?" He kept smiling.
"Yes. I think you did. So do all my associates." Bobby motioned toward the mirror. "We know you killed those girls, but we can't prove it."
"So. Why am I here?"
"Because the longer you're here with us, the longer some poor girl out there has to live."
Kirkland laughed out loud at that. He was genuinely tickled at the thought. "Is this the part where I confess?"
"If you'd like to, go right ahead." Bobby told him, and settled back in his chair.
"I would really like to help you, but." Kirkland stood up. "I don't know much about the law, but I do know that if you don't have any evidence, then I don't have to stay here." He took a step toward the door, waiting to see if Goren would stop him. Bobby just watched from where he was sitting, and crossed his legs.
"You're correct. We can't charge you, you're free to go."
Kirkland headed to the door, twisting the knob.
On the other side of the glass, everyone but those who had worked with Bobby was outraged. Munch headed to the door to stop Kirkland in the hall. Fin grabbed him by the arm. "Just watch."
Kirkland twisted the knob, and pulled the door part way open.
"There's just one thing I can't figure out." Kirkland stopped; waiting to hear what Bobby had to say. "What was the 'I' going to spell?"
"Innocent." Kirkland answered. And froze.
The detectives on the other side of the mirror stood, jaws dropped, not believing they just heard such a simple confession.
Goren quietly uncrossed his legs and stood up, facing Kirkland. Waiting to see what he was going to do. Kirkland bolted. Throwing the door all the way open, he thrust his self into the hall. Turning his head over his shoulder, checking to see how close Goren was, Kirkland didn't see Munch step out into the hallway and plunk his leg out, so it spanned the width of the corridor. Kirkland tripped, and went sprawling down the hall, face first.
Later that afternoon, the detectives stood, milling around Goren and Eames' desks, making small talk. Silence fell over the group when the conference room door opened, EADA Jack McCoy and ADA Ron Carver came out, followed by Kirkland, in handcuffs, and his court appointed lawyer. Kirkland stopped, and stared at Goren until an inpatient uniformed officer pulled him away. The lawyer followed them down the hall. McCoy and Carver made their way across the room, and McCoy spoke to all the detectives. "Life without parole."
Fin and Munch were just walking into the station when Stabler picked up Alex's desk phone to call Green and Brisco. They immediately sensed the change in the atmosphere; the adrenalin rush was almost palpable.
"We got something?" Fin asked looking from Olivia to Elliott.
"We've got an id." Elliott told him, and then turned his attention to the phone telling Green to meet them at Kirkland's last known address.
Olivia filled in the details, explaining how Jessie knew what the perp looked like, the connection to Alex, and the positive id.
Munch listened to her, then brought his hands together in a single clap. "We got him."
"Green and Brisco are half way there now. They'll wait for us." Elliott said after hanging up the phone.
"Patrol cars are on the way," Goren said, putting his phone down "no sirens, they're going to park a block away until they hear from us." Then, almost as an afterthought, he asked, "Do we have a phone number for Kirkland?"
Alex copied the number off the computer screen and handed it to Goren. He shoved the paper inside his notebook, and looked around the room, "Let's go."
*****
Benson and Stabler climbed into the back seat of the SUV. Eames drove, Goren in the passenger seat. No one spoke. Olivia thought to herself that she finally understood the phrase, "silence is deafening." Three blocks away, Bobby pulled the phone number out of his notebook and dialed his cell phone. He paused for a moment, holding the phone to his ear. Olivia and Elliott glanced at each other, wondering what the hell he was doing. Bobby spoke into the phone "Mr. Kirkland?" Olivia and Elliott looked at each other again, both thinking that Goren had lost his mind. Alex only glanced over at him, she didn't know what he was doing, but she knew what ever it was, it was a good idea. "Hi, Mr. Kirkland, my name is Bobby, and I'd like to tell you about the good book." Goren suddenly pulled the phone away from his ear and clasped it shut. He looked at Alex, then in the back seat, "He's home," he said simply.
They passed three black and whites parked a block away. Finding Brisco and Greens car, Alex parked behind them, Munch and Fin pulling up behind the SUV. All the detectives climbed out of their prospective cars and gathered on the sidewalk. "He's up there." Goren told them, then sent Munch and Fin to the left side of the building, Brisco and Green to the right side, just in case Kirkland ran. With Goren a step ahead of them, Eames, Stabler and Benson walked to the front of the building. Stabler pulled his walkie-talkie out of his pocket and signaled the black and whites to move in.
Kirkland lived on the third floor; the detectives took the stairs silently and quickly. They found the apartment, and drew out their weapons. Benson and Eames pressed themselves up against the wall on either side of the door. Goren and Stabler stood right in front of the door, ready. Goren looked to Eames, she gave a short nod. He then looked to Benson, she too nodded that she was ready. Goren stepped up and pounded on the door. "ANDREW KIRKLAND, NYPD, OPEN UP." They heard the metal on metal sound of a chain lock being undone, and another lock being twisted open. The door handle turned. They all unconsciously bent their knees, ready to pounce as the door opened.
"Hi." Andrew Kirkland said and smiled as if four NYPD detectives showed up at his door and pointed their guns at him every day. He smiled as if he'd been expecting them.
*****
It was an easy arrest. Kirkland didn't resist in the slightest. They read him his Miranda, and he answered yes, he did understand his rights as they had been read to him. Benson slapped the handcuffs on him; they walked him down the stairs and stuck him in the back of a patrol car.
Munch, Fin, Green and Brisco came out from the back of the building, all surprised by the lack of, well, the lack of anything, in the arrest.
They took him back to One Police Plaza and stuck him in the interrogation room. All eight detectives, and their three boss' met on the other side of the mirror. They had no evidence. Yes, they had an id from the girl, but she only saw Lorna leave with him, she didn't see him kill her. They were going to have to get a confession. Deakins looked over to Goren, who had positioned himself in a corner of the room, not paying attention to any of the discussion, he was studying the Kirkland. "Goren." Deakins got his attention, then nodded toward the glass. Bobby knew what he meant, and left the room. All the detectives watched as he reappeared on the other side of the mirror.
*****
"I'm Detective Robert Goren." Bobby pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You hear to tell me about the good book?" Kirkland asked, smiling. He put his fingers behind his ears and wiggled them, "I'm good with voices," he explained.
Goren chuckled slightly at having been found out, but stopped suddenly, and stared at Kirkland.
"I don't have any evidence," he told him.
"Evidence? Evidence of what?" Kirkland asked, with obviously fake innocence.
"We think you are the Alphabet Killer." Bobby used the name the press had been using.
"Really." Kirkland faked being shocked. "You think I did that?" He kept smiling.
"Yes. I think you did. So do all my associates." Bobby motioned toward the mirror. "We know you killed those girls, but we can't prove it."
"So. Why am I here?"
"Because the longer you're here with us, the longer some poor girl out there has to live."
Kirkland laughed out loud at that. He was genuinely tickled at the thought. "Is this the part where I confess?"
"If you'd like to, go right ahead." Bobby told him, and settled back in his chair.
"I would really like to help you, but." Kirkland stood up. "I don't know much about the law, but I do know that if you don't have any evidence, then I don't have to stay here." He took a step toward the door, waiting to see if Goren would stop him. Bobby just watched from where he was sitting, and crossed his legs.
"You're correct. We can't charge you, you're free to go."
Kirkland headed to the door, twisting the knob.
On the other side of the glass, everyone but those who had worked with Bobby was outraged. Munch headed to the door to stop Kirkland in the hall. Fin grabbed him by the arm. "Just watch."
Kirkland twisted the knob, and pulled the door part way open.
"There's just one thing I can't figure out." Kirkland stopped; waiting to hear what Bobby had to say. "What was the 'I' going to spell?"
"Innocent." Kirkland answered. And froze.
The detectives on the other side of the mirror stood, jaws dropped, not believing they just heard such a simple confession.
Goren quietly uncrossed his legs and stood up, facing Kirkland. Waiting to see what he was going to do. Kirkland bolted. Throwing the door all the way open, he thrust his self into the hall. Turning his head over his shoulder, checking to see how close Goren was, Kirkland didn't see Munch step out into the hallway and plunk his leg out, so it spanned the width of the corridor. Kirkland tripped, and went sprawling down the hall, face first.
Later that afternoon, the detectives stood, milling around Goren and Eames' desks, making small talk. Silence fell over the group when the conference room door opened, EADA Jack McCoy and ADA Ron Carver came out, followed by Kirkland, in handcuffs, and his court appointed lawyer. Kirkland stopped, and stared at Goren until an inpatient uniformed officer pulled him away. The lawyer followed them down the hall. McCoy and Carver made their way across the room, and McCoy spoke to all the detectives. "Life without parole."