Disclaimer: Not mine.
They walked into Ricky's Autoshop with more than a little urgency. It was due to close for the night any minute. Fortunately it seemed like there were a couple of customers waiting to be seen. Benson went first, simply by chance, and made her way straight for the owner. He was a visually unpleasant man, but wore an unpleasant look in his eyes too.
Elliot was on his guard from the first, and caught up with Olivia just as she stopped in front of the owner. He looked cautiously around - they had caught some attention. Apparently the customers here were as edgy as the ones from the McDonald's. One young man bartering over a piece of an engine turned on his heel and walked right out. The hard edge of Elliot's soul wondered how many crimes he'd committed at all of -what - twenty years old?
"Uh - Nathan Yaney?" Benson asked. Her face was a mask of professionalism.
He nodded. "Cops." It was a statement, not a question, and for a second both of them wondered how it was so easy to spot a cop.
"Detective Benson- " she flipped open her badge -"and my partner, Detective Stabler."
"Yeah. What do you want?"
Despite herself, Olivia felt her nose wrinkling in disgust at the acrid smell of something she definitely did not want to know about, emanating from Nathan's general area. It was a potent mixture when combined with the man's unique body odour problem. Clearly this was a man not well- versed in the area of personal hygiene.
His overalls were inexpertly patched up, with a coarse black thread (and in one area, a yellowing length of string). They looked like they had never seen the inside of a washing machine, or even water. Streaks of ketchup, mustard, oil, grease and God-only-knew what else had turned the uniform from the original prison-style blue to muddy colors of caked-on grime. Bits of skin, evidence of dry scalp or dandruff, snowed down on his shoulders. And that wasn't the least of it.
Nathan himself was no oil painting. Greasy slick comb-over, balding in such a bad way. Awful skin that betrayed his inability to stop squeezing his spots. He was overweight, but not by much. The worst aspect of his altogether uncared-for appearance was his teeth. They were yellowy-brown, thick with plaque and bits of food, ruining the fact that they were almost all perfectly straight.
Olivia mentally shook herself. His appearance was not something she really cared about. She had a man to find, and quick.
"We need to speak to one of your employees - Raymond Ziegler." She said.
There was a rolling of the eyes that spoke volumes. "RAY!" Yaney shouted carelessly across the garage. "Get your ass over here!"
He walked lazily over to the cheap coffee maker standing in the corner. He poured himself some, then as an afterthought offered Benson and Stabler a cup. They declined. He shrugged, and wandered into his office, slamming the door behind him.
"Wise move. His coffee sucks."
Both detectives turned quickly, and got their first look at Raymond Ziegler. There was an odd air about him, like he was two sides of a coin in one. Part of him was dangerous, violent, aggressive, and terrible to know. The other was calmer, much more considered, and even quite intelligent. Olivia wasn't sure what to make of him. Her partner, however, seemed absolutely sure.
All Elliot could see was the mechanic, a big man at six foot plus tall, bulky and muscular, taking a swing at little Evie with one of his massive fists. It boiled his blood, made him angry, and his fists clenched into balls. But he held back, mindful of his partner's watching eye. He missed the other side of Ziegler's nature, the softer side that seemed more...real. More a part of him.
"Does it." Benson said, with a total lack of interest. "Raymond Ziegler-"
The big man interrupted, waving his hand lazily. "You're the cops."
"Detectives Benson-" she indicated her partner - "and Stabler."
A wrinkle of his nose was all that gave away Ziegler's uneasiness. He wasn't as sure of himself as he had been strolling over to the sound of his boss' yell. Presumably he was the kind of guy with a few skeletons in his closet. Stabler (who was still doing his utmost not to hit the man) didn't miss that. His jaw clicked as he ground his teeth to keep some antagonistic remark escaping. Ziegler had begun to notice the waves of animosity and aggression that were wafting over from the detective like a bad smell. His eyes darted in the other man's direction with increasing regularity. Olivia was surprised at how nervous he was - almost frightened of her partner, who was much the smaller man.
"Did Holli make another complaint?" Raymond asked with a heavy sigh. "I've been keeping away from her this time, detectives. I have learnt my lesson."
Strangely enough, Olivia was tempted to believe him. She shook herself free of distracting thoughts though, and pressed ahead - but too late.
"No, Raymond, she's dead." Elliot spat angrily. He stepped forward, his mind pulling free of professional restraint. "Raped and murdered. Now where were you two nights ago?"
The two men were locked into each other's line of sight. Olivia felt her heart thudding in her chest, and suddenly realised that this was about to go bad really fast, unless she did something. Her hand, rested gently on her partner's shoulder, was shaken off unceremoniously. The sharp tang of sweat, distinctive and repulsive also, tinged the air, telling Olivia that Nathan Yaney had come out off his office to watch the sideshow.
Behind Ziegler, two other mechanics laid down their tools and crouched down on the floor, eager to watch what was going on (no doubt cheering silently for their colleague), whilst keeping out of the line of fire. A father, who had come in to find a cheap deal on fixing one of his windows with his sullen teenage daughter, left quickly. It was never a good idea to get caught up in a violent incident where the police were involved.
"I was out with some of the guys." Ziegler returned defiantly.
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm sure you'll be backed up."
"I will. Right guys?" A few murmured agreements followed the mechanic's bold assertion.
Elliot stepped closer to Raymond, and began to speak very quietly, so just the two of them could hear. "I know what you did. And I'm going to get you for it. Wouldn't she sleep with you Raymond?"
"I didn't-" he tried to protest.
"You didn't, you didn't. Bull. You're not satisfied with hitting women anymore, so you have to go further." The detective hissed, the veins on his forehead standing out starkly. He was vaguely aware of Olivia trying to calm him down. "What's the matter Ray? You gotta feel like a big man?"
Ziegler was trying to turn away, trying to escape the increasingly aggressive stance Stabler was taking, and the statements posed as questions that he didn't like the sound of.
"Aww RAy, don't you like the attention? We'll get you, you sonofabitch."
"Elliot-" Olivia warned. To him she sounded so far away as to be imaginary. He ignored her warning.
He caught Ziegler's eye and fixed the gaze. "You did this to get a woman. Can't get one any other way, can you Ray? What, you gotta compensate for having a small d-"
They walked into Ricky's Autoshop with more than a little urgency. It was due to close for the night any minute. Fortunately it seemed like there were a couple of customers waiting to be seen. Benson went first, simply by chance, and made her way straight for the owner. He was a visually unpleasant man, but wore an unpleasant look in his eyes too.
Elliot was on his guard from the first, and caught up with Olivia just as she stopped in front of the owner. He looked cautiously around - they had caught some attention. Apparently the customers here were as edgy as the ones from the McDonald's. One young man bartering over a piece of an engine turned on his heel and walked right out. The hard edge of Elliot's soul wondered how many crimes he'd committed at all of -what - twenty years old?
"Uh - Nathan Yaney?" Benson asked. Her face was a mask of professionalism.
He nodded. "Cops." It was a statement, not a question, and for a second both of them wondered how it was so easy to spot a cop.
"Detective Benson- " she flipped open her badge -"and my partner, Detective Stabler."
"Yeah. What do you want?"
Despite herself, Olivia felt her nose wrinkling in disgust at the acrid smell of something she definitely did not want to know about, emanating from Nathan's general area. It was a potent mixture when combined with the man's unique body odour problem. Clearly this was a man not well- versed in the area of personal hygiene.
His overalls were inexpertly patched up, with a coarse black thread (and in one area, a yellowing length of string). They looked like they had never seen the inside of a washing machine, or even water. Streaks of ketchup, mustard, oil, grease and God-only-knew what else had turned the uniform from the original prison-style blue to muddy colors of caked-on grime. Bits of skin, evidence of dry scalp or dandruff, snowed down on his shoulders. And that wasn't the least of it.
Nathan himself was no oil painting. Greasy slick comb-over, balding in such a bad way. Awful skin that betrayed his inability to stop squeezing his spots. He was overweight, but not by much. The worst aspect of his altogether uncared-for appearance was his teeth. They were yellowy-brown, thick with plaque and bits of food, ruining the fact that they were almost all perfectly straight.
Olivia mentally shook herself. His appearance was not something she really cared about. She had a man to find, and quick.
"We need to speak to one of your employees - Raymond Ziegler." She said.
There was a rolling of the eyes that spoke volumes. "RAY!" Yaney shouted carelessly across the garage. "Get your ass over here!"
He walked lazily over to the cheap coffee maker standing in the corner. He poured himself some, then as an afterthought offered Benson and Stabler a cup. They declined. He shrugged, and wandered into his office, slamming the door behind him.
"Wise move. His coffee sucks."
Both detectives turned quickly, and got their first look at Raymond Ziegler. There was an odd air about him, like he was two sides of a coin in one. Part of him was dangerous, violent, aggressive, and terrible to know. The other was calmer, much more considered, and even quite intelligent. Olivia wasn't sure what to make of him. Her partner, however, seemed absolutely sure.
All Elliot could see was the mechanic, a big man at six foot plus tall, bulky and muscular, taking a swing at little Evie with one of his massive fists. It boiled his blood, made him angry, and his fists clenched into balls. But he held back, mindful of his partner's watching eye. He missed the other side of Ziegler's nature, the softer side that seemed more...real. More a part of him.
"Does it." Benson said, with a total lack of interest. "Raymond Ziegler-"
The big man interrupted, waving his hand lazily. "You're the cops."
"Detectives Benson-" she indicated her partner - "and Stabler."
A wrinkle of his nose was all that gave away Ziegler's uneasiness. He wasn't as sure of himself as he had been strolling over to the sound of his boss' yell. Presumably he was the kind of guy with a few skeletons in his closet. Stabler (who was still doing his utmost not to hit the man) didn't miss that. His jaw clicked as he ground his teeth to keep some antagonistic remark escaping. Ziegler had begun to notice the waves of animosity and aggression that were wafting over from the detective like a bad smell. His eyes darted in the other man's direction with increasing regularity. Olivia was surprised at how nervous he was - almost frightened of her partner, who was much the smaller man.
"Did Holli make another complaint?" Raymond asked with a heavy sigh. "I've been keeping away from her this time, detectives. I have learnt my lesson."
Strangely enough, Olivia was tempted to believe him. She shook herself free of distracting thoughts though, and pressed ahead - but too late.
"No, Raymond, she's dead." Elliot spat angrily. He stepped forward, his mind pulling free of professional restraint. "Raped and murdered. Now where were you two nights ago?"
The two men were locked into each other's line of sight. Olivia felt her heart thudding in her chest, and suddenly realised that this was about to go bad really fast, unless she did something. Her hand, rested gently on her partner's shoulder, was shaken off unceremoniously. The sharp tang of sweat, distinctive and repulsive also, tinged the air, telling Olivia that Nathan Yaney had come out off his office to watch the sideshow.
Behind Ziegler, two other mechanics laid down their tools and crouched down on the floor, eager to watch what was going on (no doubt cheering silently for their colleague), whilst keeping out of the line of fire. A father, who had come in to find a cheap deal on fixing one of his windows with his sullen teenage daughter, left quickly. It was never a good idea to get caught up in a violent incident where the police were involved.
"I was out with some of the guys." Ziegler returned defiantly.
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm sure you'll be backed up."
"I will. Right guys?" A few murmured agreements followed the mechanic's bold assertion.
Elliot stepped closer to Raymond, and began to speak very quietly, so just the two of them could hear. "I know what you did. And I'm going to get you for it. Wouldn't she sleep with you Raymond?"
"I didn't-" he tried to protest.
"You didn't, you didn't. Bull. You're not satisfied with hitting women anymore, so you have to go further." The detective hissed, the veins on his forehead standing out starkly. He was vaguely aware of Olivia trying to calm him down. "What's the matter Ray? You gotta feel like a big man?"
Ziegler was trying to turn away, trying to escape the increasingly aggressive stance Stabler was taking, and the statements posed as questions that he didn't like the sound of.
"Aww RAy, don't you like the attention? We'll get you, you sonofabitch."
"Elliot-" Olivia warned. To him she sounded so far away as to be imaginary. He ignored her warning.
He caught Ziegler's eye and fixed the gaze. "You did this to get a woman. Can't get one any other way, can you Ray? What, you gotta compensate for having a small d-"