Also, I claim no knowlegde of our legal system. I look up what I can, and the research is done, but I do not back up what I have written from a legal stand point. However, just because something is wrong does not mean I want it to stay that way. If you catch a boo-boo, please LET ME KNOW!! I will do what I can to [hopefully] fix it, or warn people of the mistake.
Author's Note: This story is based around an original character, or, more honestly, a Mary Sue :o) It is an introductory story to the character so that readers will know a bit more about her and will hopefully be more comfortable with her symbiosis into the SVU Team. However, the background on a case given in this fanfic will be integral to a future fic or, possibly, fics.
Chapter Four: The Call and The Suspect
Elle had been familiarizing herself with the Weekend Rapist case when her phone rang.
For a moment she looked at it, dumbfounded. Who had her extension? Even her mother's nurse had only the headquarters number.
The phone rang again.
Oh, God. Could it be an emergency? Could her mom-
"When that gadget there starts to make that ringing sound," said Munch from across the room. "it means that there's someone on the other end that wants to speak to you."
She picked up the phone and looked at her watch, making a point of ignoring John. 5:43pm. Later than it felt.
"Hello?"
"Hey there, little Elf."
"Oh, Stephen." She laughed for no other reason than just hearing him over the phone and sat back in her seat, relaxing.
"Talk about a day brightened. I swear to God, the sound of your voice is like rain to my desert."
"Ooh. That's romantic." A pause. "That bad, huh?"
She looked at Munch who was dialing a number on his own phone. "Worse."
"Wow."
"What are you doing calling me? Shouldn't you be working?"
She heard him sigh softly and knew immediately the kind of day he had endured. "You, too?"
"Yeah."
"Well, look on the bright side. At least you like your job."
He laughed. "Not what you expected?"
"Not quite. You didn't answer my question though."
"About why I'm calling now?"
"Yup."
He took a deep breath. "Well, I spent my lunch hour and then some trying to squeeze the smallest bit of information out of this witness."
"A witness, huh?"
"Yeah, The kind with connections up the ass."
"Political or mob?"
"Both."
"You got a politician into the interrogation room?"
He laughed lightly. "Right. I'd be promoted to Captain just for getting one to step in the building."
There was a pause from the other end and she wondered if someone had interrupted their phone call with breaking news. She waited patiently.
"Listen, El." he started again, becoming very serious. She could imagine him running his hand through his fuzz-cut blond hair and frowning, the dimple between his two eyebrows deepening. "When can I see you again? I mean Wednesday was our anniversary."
She smiled. "I know." Finally, a man who remembered the little things.
"I understand things are getting more complicated with your mom, but I was just wondering if there was any chance at all that we could-"
"How about Thursday?"
She could feel him grinning through the connection. "Absolutely. That'd be great. I-"
Benson and Stabler walked through headquarters' doors wrenching Elle's attention from the conversation at hand. Stabler pulled a handcuffed man in a gardener's uniform behind him, followed by Olivia who stopped to mention something to Munch before trailing her partner.
Munch stood and headed towards Cregan's office.
"It would be nice-"
Stephen was still on the phone.
She sat up straight and watched as they took the suspect into the interrogation room.
"Um, Steve, I'm gonna have to call you back. They brought in a suspect."
"On the first day? I'm impressed. Call me."
"I will."
She heard the click and she dropped her own phone in it's cradle.
She couldn't help but wonder, after ten months of dating, how a casual love you could be so damn hard to say. They were both, when you came right down to it, cops. They both dealt with the shittiest of the shitty everyday. When she had worked homicide, they had both been putting their lives in danger on a regular basis.
Yet the man, for the life of him, could not utter a simple I love you. He did love her. He had made sure that she knew that.
He had, of course, said it before, but only when he felt it was imperative to the situation. In just a casual, no-stress way? Not once.
"What's up?"
She looked up from the phone to find Fin walking in to headquarters. "Looks pretty serious."
"What? Oh, that." She looked at her phone, pushing Stephen from her mind. "No, that's nothing. But Detectives Benson and Stabler brought someone in. I think it's for the weekend rapist case."
Fin put his jacket on his desk, and walked towards her.
"Suspect?"
"That's what it looked like."
"Let's go."
* * * * *
Elle massaged her neck and looked at her watch. The guy's lawyer and vice's interpreter had been with the suspect for over half an hour. There was nothing suspicious about it, just an immigrant that did not understand his rights, or why he was here. She had been told to stay and watch the goings-on while Cregan called the assistant DA and the team got more background information on the gardener.
Elle took another look at the man straining to understand what he was doing at a police station after six on a Monday, and shook her head. He did helpless well, but Elle felt that was only because it was a genuine reaction to the situation he was facing. This was not the man.
And The SVU had to know it. They were grabbing at straws, and could Elle understand their desperation. The Weekend Rapist had raped and murdered six women in the last two months in New York City alone.
Here's to hoping the bastard doesn't travel much.
There had been no mistakes, no eyewitnesses, no clues. There was nothing on this man but what they could catch psychologically, and even that was scrapping at the bottom of the barrel.
Elle stared into and through the room, her thoughts distant. There had to be something. Anything. A slip print, transfer evidence, or some whacked connection linking the victims.
Damn it. Her forehead moved to rest against the chilled two-way mirror, eyes closed. It was her first day and already she was frustrated. That state of being was nothing new for her, she'd always thrown herself head first into her work. But she had been expecting at least a full week before she could really get into her position here.
There had, however, been a lot of things she'd expected. And so far everything was different, nothing like anticipated.
Opening her eyes, she suddenly understood an inkling of what it was going to take to become part of this team. For the first time since she had been told of the position, she was happy she had it.
Elle still wanted her position at homicide back, would take it in a hummingbird's heartbeat, but she realized that she'd soon be proud to wear the SVU tag. Even if there was no badge in her future here.
She lifted her forehead from the glass as the door to the viewing room opened. She turned to see Cregan escorting a blonde woman in a suit up to the window. Benson and Stabler followed.
Her new captain turned to her. "Anything?"
She shook her head. "I'm not sure if they're even getting anywhere with him."
The blond woman turned to Cregan, her eyebrows raised. "New intern?"
Cregan stepped back. "Sorry, no. Elle, this is Alexandra Cabot, the ADA. Alex, this is our newest addition, Ellandra Seymour. She's from homicide."
"Ah, the psychologist major." Alex smiled lightly at Elle, and offered her hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm sure you'll be a big help here." She returned to Cregan. "I have to be in court in twenty minutes. Is this our guy or not?"
"We're not sure yet. His lawyer won't let us come near him until he understands his rights."
"'Understands his rights'?"
"He's an immigrant. From Italy."
She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Why am I here?"
Benson started in. "We want to know if we can hold him, even if he doesn't understand."
"What've you got?"
Benson and Stabler looked at each other, and Stabler looked back to Cabot, taking the initiative. "Alberto Bandini, 47. He lives and works at the Rosa Vista Complex in Manhattan as a gardener. We have eyewitnesses that can place him sneaking around the last victim's house on the night she was raped and murdered."
The door opened Munch peeked in. He handed a sheet of paper to Olivia, then left. Benson looked over the note in her hands.
Alex turned to look through the two-way glass. "Wasn't she murdered in her pet hospital?"
"Yes, but he had time to get there."
"What else?"
"Noth-"
Benson interrupted her partner. "We have him purchasing products from her office on almost a regular basis."
"That's not enough to hold him even if he was properly Mirandized and you know it." Alex sighed. "I know this is the first lead you've had with this case, but Detectives, to be honest, you've got nothing. I really can't help you here. Establishing that the suspect knew the victim and was seen at her house on the night of her murder is a great start. But it's circumstantial. You're just gonna have to find more hard evidence, or pry something out of this guy. If you'll excuse me," She walked to the door. "I have a court appearance to make."
Benson and Stabler made room for the ADA as she opened the door and left.
The interpreter looked towards the mirror, then got up, heading for the door. Cregan opened the door for him.
"He's ready. He understands what his rights are and why he's been arrested."
Cregan nodded. "Thanks, Lenny. We really appreciate this."
He smiled. "No problem. I've been meaning to drop by and see my old vice buddy anyway."
Olivia gave him a warm smile then followed Stabler in without a word. Lenny followed, closing the door behind him.
The lawyer, Leonard Sear, sat next to his client. He was a public defender Elle knew well from previous interrogations she herself had partaken in during her span as a Narc. She never saw Sear work homicide though, which was just as well. The man was an arrogant, overdressed monkey who earned way too much, only causing his ego to inflate.
Cregan and Elle stood at the window waiting for the interrogation to commence.
"You think this is the guy?"
"Honestly?"
"I wouldn't have asked otherwise, Miss Seymour."
"No."
He nodded.
Olivia's voice came over the speaker. "Do you know why you're here?" Lenny spoke in clipped and forced Italian to Bandini who nodded and began speaking very fast.
"He says it's because you're looking for someone who raped and murdered Miss Anthony."
Bandini put his hands on Olivia's, his eyes locked on hers and pleading. "Detectivo, non colza lei, prego capisco questo."
"He asked you to please understand, he didn't rape her."
Stabler put his hands palm down on the table and faced Bandini who pulled back from Olivia, becoming wary of Elliot instinctively. "Tell him that he's going to have to explain what he was doing at Anthony's house around midnight, Friday the 27th."
"I don't think he should-"
Bandini looked over at his lawyer. "Io stupid avvocato non ha fatto nulla in modo da posso dire loro che tutto."
Lenny looked towards Sear. "Basically, he said that he didn't do it, so he can tell them everything."
"What was that stupid part? I assume that means the same thing in Italian as it does in English."
"Of course. Stupid lawyer."
Elle smiled.
"Then what am I doing here if he doesn't want me?"
Stabler interrupted. "Just tell him to explain what he was doing at Anthony's house Friday."
While Lenny translated, Bandini got edgy, moving around in his seat and pushing his hands through his thinning black hair. He then exploded in fast and furious Italian before the interpreter could finish.
"He saying... he was over there because he saw some kids... no teenagers messing around. They like to vandalize things, spraypaint, turn over garbage cans, wreck gardens, that sort of thing. They're not from the... community. Not from the complex. They come from out... they come from the city."
Olivia nodded to the interpreter. "Ask him to describe what happened?"
He did and Bandini seemed to relax a little in his still intense verbal report. "He lives... next to, no behind Renee and the only time he is able to do his own gardening is late at night. He says that he saw the kids and ran over. Most left by the time he got there but one kid had dropped his light... He caught the kid and..."
He spoke to Bandini quickly in Italian, and Bandini nodded.
"Si, si. Puliscono l'immondizia. Adolescenti."
Lenny turned to the two detectives. "He said that he caught the teen and made him help him clean up the overturned garbage cans."
Stabler crossed his arms. "How'd he do that?"
"He told the kid he'd tell his parents."
"I thought he didn't speak English."
Bandini looked at Stabler. "No, English. No. La madre, padre. Si? Capisca?"
"He just mentioned the kids parents?"
Lenny asked Bandini, and Bandini nodded.
Olivia and Elliot looked at each other, and Olivia looked back at Lenny. "So he actually knows these kids?"
"Apparently at least one of 'em."
"Well," Stabler started. "Tell him we need the name of this kid and his parents. Not only as an alibi, but to prove why he was there."
Lenny nodded then turned to Bandini, speaking softly. The Italian looked at the interpreter, then the two cops, then his head collapsed harshly into the metal table, causing a brief echo effect.
"Ouch," muttered Cregan beside Elle. She had been thinking the same thing.
In the interrogation room, Stabler spoke to Lenny. "If he can't re-"
Bandini's hand shot up and formed the universal sign for wait a minute. After a few moments the man muttered something.
"What?"
His voice was louder. "Tommy."
Stabler bent down to the table. "Tommy what? Last name."
The Italian started mumbling something.
"What's he saying?"
Lenny shook his head. "Something about a building, a post office, a bank-"
The Italian shot up out of his chair quickly sending it to crash against the wall and both detectives reached defensively for their weapons.
"BANCA!! BANKS!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Tommy Banks!" He nodded at the two detectives. "Si?"
Elle couldn't help but laugh a little. "Wow."
Cregan gave her a small smile. "Tell me about it."
* * * * *
"His story checks out."
Elle looked up to catch Fin walking into headquarters followed closely by Munch. They were both rubbing their arms briskly, and Munch's skin had gone from an even complexion to a mixture of ice white and flushed red.
Benson looked over at him. "John, you don't look so good."
"I know. I tried to get Fin here to cuddle for warmth, but he's 'not into that'."
Olivia laughed. Elle hid a smile by looking down at her files, pretending to be busy.
"Great partner I've got."
"So his story checked out. Anything else?"
Munch filled a coffee cup for himself and one for his partner who was eagerly waiting behind. "Other than Bandini scared the living daylights out of that kid by yelling at him in Italian for fifteen minutes? Or that Aleisha and Xander Banks were not at all happy to learn of their son's extra curricular activities. Nothing really. What about you?"
"Well, Bandini lives with his daughter who is currently in Las Vegas visiting her fiancé's mother. We also found out that the purchases he made at Anthony's were for an elderly neighbor. Bird food, cat and dog medicine and the like. Bandini even took the cat in last year. Seems he developed quite a liking for Signora Anthony."
"Signorina."
Olivia frowned at Munch. "What?"
"She was actually a signorina, or unmarried woman. But then, Bandini wouldn't have known that."
Elle picked up her phone and dialed information asking for the number of a local cab company.
Fin sighed and stretched, looking at his partner and Benson. "So we're back to square one. No leads. No nothing."
"That's a double negative."
Fin looked at his partner. "Anyone ever tell you, you really try people's nerves."
Elle dialed the number.
Munch looked innocently at Fin and Benson. "Olivia?"
She smiled at him and stood, stretching. "You're an angel."
"That's what I thought."
"A fallen angel."
"Yes." Elle spoke softly into the receiver, but still interrupted the banter, something she had hoped she would not do. "I'd like a cab please."
Fin frowned at Elle as Olivia grabbed her jacket. "When are you guys heading home?"
They looked at each other and nodded. Munch turned to her "Now."
"Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Munch and Fin mumbled replies.
Elle hung up the phone and started packing the files into her oversized purse. Olivia turned to leave then looked back at Elle.
"Goodnight, Seymour."
Elle looked up startled. Olivia could not have used her first name, it was to personal for their relationship so far. But the fact that she had forgone the 'Miss' in front of her last name said a lot. It said that she was a part of the team, and that Olivia was making an effort.
"Goodnight, Detective Benson." With that she walked out the doors or the squadroom and into the hall.
Fin stood and walked over to her as she grabbed her leather jacket. "A cab?" he asked. "I don't mean to be getting into your business or anything."
She shook her head. "No, no, that's okay. My car's in the shop right now."
"Wanna ride?"
She smiled. "No thanks. But I really appreciate the offer."
Fin smiled knowingly. "Goin' home to a boyfriend?"
She cringed inwardly, thinking about Stephen's proposal on their nine month anniversary, before her mom had taken a turn for the worse.
We can all three live together, El. It'll be nice. You're mom loves me.
She had looked at Stephen with a sad sort of loving in her eyes. When she remembers you.
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and looking back at Fin. "My boyfriend? No, I uh, I live with my mother."
Fin smiled at her and asked. "She still make you PB&J sandwiches?"
Elle laughed a little at the light joke. "Not exactly."
In a rare moment of what Elle could only think of as bonding, Munch smiled at her. "I wish I still had my mom to take care of me. It'd make my life a lot easier."
Looking down, picturing all of what her mother had once been and what she had slowly dissolved into, Elle nodded. "Yeah," she said softly, staring at everything and nothing. "Yeah."
Me, too, she thought despairingly.
She said her goodnights quickly to the confused detectives then walked out of the squadroom. She broke out into a light jog down the hall and made it out into the frigid night air. Far from freezing it was still too cold to be thought of as nippy, or even brisk. Elle stood there waiting for the cab, just thinking, glad to be away from people for a moment.
A little while later the cab pulled up to the curb. Elle got in, gave the address and just sat back against the seat, letting the cab's heat envelope her.