Title: Till Death Do Us Part (6/15)

Author: KatRose

Disclaimer: Simply put, Dick Wolf's, not mine.

Rating: PG

Spoilers: None that I can think of

Author's Notes: The dates for this story are all 2004. I also have to thank kukrae for all her help, wisdom, cheerleading and browbeating me into getting this story written.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



CHAPTER 6

SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT

SQUAD ROOM

JUNE 4 - 8:00 AM

Cragen sat in his office talking on the phone with the head of the bomb squad. "I don't care what your orders are, Jack, I need to know what you found and I need to know now! That was one of my guys' wives that was killed. I know that protocol demands separation of our units, especially in something like this, but dammit man! If this is a mob hit, I need to start protecting Elliot and the rest of his family."

"Don, until we know more, we're working under the assumption that this isn't a mob hit directed at Stabler. If we go in with one idea and we're wrong, then we could end up in more trouble and more deaths," Jack McKinley said. "I know you're worried about your people, but we screw this up because of pressure from you, it'll be BOTH our heads and you know it."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Cragen replied. "Just keep me in the loop."

"As much as I can, Don."

Fin and Munch were lounging outside Cragen's door when he hung up the phone.

"Anything, Cap," Fin asked.

"No, same answer that we give to other units when we're investigating something involving them. 'No comment.' "

"That sucks," Munch said. "If they'd let us in, we'd be able to help with their investigation and maybe find the assholes that did this faster."

"That's probably what they're afraid of, John. We can't unduly influence this case or there'll be hell to pay when it goes to trial. We have to allow them to do this by the book so the people behind this are not only tried, but convicted and then summarily executed."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to give up on our end of the case, does it?" Fin asked.

"What do you mean?" Cragen responded.

"Well, if they're going to be looking at the bomb and Kathy's death, why can't we keep looking at Hatagov and his little house of horrors?"

"I see what you mean," Munch stated, "you mean keep looking at why he had a nice little S&M room in the back of his supposedly clean club. And look into the possibility that he's running prostitutes or drugs out of there too. Perhaps anything we find there might be able to tie him back to the bombing."

"Fine, go ahead, but *be careful*, we don't want IAB coming in and saying we're interfering with another division's case or that we're trying to falsely create evidence here to convict a man we suspect of being involved in Kathy Stabler's death," Cragen said. "Be quiet about what you're doing and *don't get caught*," he stressed.

Fin and Munch quickly headed out before Cragen could change his mind.

WHITE NIGHTS

KELSII HATAGOV'S CLUB

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN

Fin pounded on the door figuring someone had to be inside, even though the club wasn't open for business for another twelve hours. Munch went around back hoping to find an open door or some indication of life inside. Fin's pounding was answered before Munch's snooping paid off.

"We're closed. Whaddya want?" asked the burly man at the door.

"To come inside," Fin said.

"Come back after eight tonight."

"Not gonna do that. We need to see the manager now," he said.

"'Bout what?" asked the man.

"'Bout the woman found in the club a few weeks ago and the other activities that we took notice of back then," Fin responded.

"Don't know what you're talkin' about. The dead woman wasn't found in the club."

"Wha' dead woman?" Fin asked.

The burly man tried to slam the door shut on Fin, but was thwarted when Fin stuffed his booted foot in the doorway. "I think you just gave me cause to come inside." Fin pushed his way inside, calling to Munch on the radio. "Munch, front door's open, I'm going in."

"Be right there," Munch responded.

Moments later Munch arrived at the front door and found Fin standing with a burly man looking more than a little disgusted with himself. Over what, Munch didn't know, but he felt certain he'd find out soon enough.

"Hey, thanks for opening up for us," Munch quipped. "We appreciate it." Turning to Fin he asked, "Got somethin'?"

"Oh, yeah," Fin answered. "Ivan here said the 'dead woman' wasn't found in the club."

"Oh really?" Munch responded. "What dead woman?"

"That's the question I was about to ask."

"So, Ivan, got an answer?" Munch asked, turning to the burly man.

"I want my lawyer," came the answer.

"Sounds good to me," Fin said, grabbing the man by the back of the collar. "Let's get you down to the station and you can call him from there."

Fin hustled the burly man into the sedan while Munch got behind the wheel.

"Hey! I'm driving," Fin said, shutting the backdoor.

"You got the perp, I got the keys. Means I drive," Munch retorted.

"Guess we better put the sirens on to make sure the pigeons know which way to fly."

SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT

SQUAD ROOM

"Who's this?" Cragen asked when Munch and Fin returned.

"Don't know yet. He lawyered up at the club," Fin said.

"Why?"

"Something about the dead woman not being in the club."

"What dead woman?"

"Same question we asked," Munch said, "when he lawyered up. Didn't get another word out of him in the car."

"Take him to Interrogation after you give him his phone call," Cragen replied.

"Will do, Cap," Fin said, dragging the man over to the phone. "Make your call, slime ball. I'll be over here waiting."

While the man made his call, Munch asked Cragen, "Did you hear from Elliot yet?"

"No, but I did hear from Olivia," he answered. "She's heading over to the Stablers' to see if there's anything she can do to help out. She said she'd called me later this morning."

"Let her know ..." Munch started, not sure what he wanted to say.

"Yeah, I already told her you guys were working on things and that we're here if Elliot or the kids needed anything. I'm sure we'll hear from her if there's anything we can do," Cragen said.

Fin's suspect put down the phone and looked like he wanted to make another call. Fin intercepted the man and said, "You're coming with me. Got a nice little room picked out just for you. This way." He walked the man into the interrogation room, pulled out a chair and said, "Sit. We'll let you know when your mouthpiece gets here." With that he left the room and locked the door behind him.

"He's all secure, Cap. Just gotta wait for the lawyer to show up," he said. "Any news on Elliot?"

"I just told Munch that Olivia's on the way over there now. She said she'd call in if there was anything we could do to help."

"It's gotta be hard on Elliot with all those kids. Glad Livia's around to help," Fin said.

STABLER RESIDENCE

QUEENS

10:00 AM

Maureen heard the knock on the door first. She looked out the window to see who was there. "Hi, Olivia," she said, unlocking the door. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Thought your dad could use my help while he took care of funeral arrangements," she replied.

"Dad's not down yet, but I can hear him moving around upstairs, so I don't know what his plans are yet," Maureen said. "Can I get you a cup of coffee? I just put a pot on for Dad."

"That would be great, thanks," Olivia said, coming into the kitchen. "How'd you sleep? Did you get any?"

"Some. I closed my eyes a bit and woke up about an hour ago. Don't know if you'd call it sleep, but I did rest my eyes."

"Good. Where are your sisters and brother?"

"Dickie's still sleeping. Lizzie is taking care of her dolls, cuddling them and making sure they're safe. And Kathleen's getting dressed," she answered.

Olivia and Maureen quietly chatted while the rest of the household got started on what would be one of the toughest days in their collective lives. Kids trickled into the kitchen one by one greeting Olivia with a hug and kiss before sitting down to whatever snacks they found in the fridge or cupboards.

Soon Elliot joined them saying, "Livia, I didn't expect to see you this morning."

"Where else was I going to be when my partner needed me?" she asked back.

"Did you talk to Cragen yet?" he asked.

"Yeah, last word was the bomb squad was still sifting through the debris and getting things sent over to the crime lab for analysis. Munch and Fin were looking into White Nights, hoping to find a lead from that direction. And Cragen had been told to back off of the homicide part of the case."

"Why?!" Elliot asked excitedly.

"Because the higher ups didn't want any question of tampering or undue influence when they catch the guy that did this. If our unit stays out of it, there's a better chance that this prick ... oops, sorry kids," Olivia said looking at the family.

"That's okay," Lizzie said. "Daddy says worse all the time."

Elliot glared mildly at his youngest daughter and shot Olivia a look that said 'don't start.' Olivia wisely didn't say a word.

"Back to what I was saying, there's a better chance that the suspect's lawyer won't be able to convince the court that his client was railroaded if we stay out," she finished.

"Yeah, well, I don't like it," Elliot said.

"I know, I don't either. But you let them handle this, Elliot. I don't want Kathy's death to go unpunished because you won't let homicide do their jobs."

"I hear you, Livia."

Elliot finished his coffee and said to the family, "I need to go see Father Brian and make arrangements for your mother's services. Livia, do you mind staying with the kids?"

"Of course not," she answered.

"Dad," Maureen asked, "can I go with you?"

"Go with me?"

"Yeah, to make the arrangements. I want to be a part of this."

Elliot looked at his oldest daughter, really looked at her for the first time in a long time. He realized she wasn't the young girl or flighty teenager he remembered. She was an adult asking to help put her mother to rest. "Sure, honey, I'd love to have you along." He reached out to give her a hug. She hugged him back and he whispered, "Mom would be so proud of you."

Kathleen started to ask if she could go too, when Elliot said, "I want the rest of you to stay with Olivia. I need to know that you'll be safe." Kathleen wisely didn't push for inclusion at this time.

"I need to check in with Cragen," Olivia said. "But beyond that, I'm yours."

"Daddy, why don't we, all of us," Kathleen said, motioning to her younger siblings, "go down to the station with Olivia. We couldn't be any safer than in a police station, could we?"

"I don't know if that's ..." Elliot started.

"Elliot," Olivia interrupted. "That's not a bad idea. I can check in with Cragen and find out what Fin and Munch have been up to and the kids will be around people they know and care about."

"Okay, just don't go anywhere else without letting me know."

"Not a problem," Olivia said. "Kids, get your stuff, looks like we've got a road trip."

When the kids went for their backpacks and purses, Olivia took Elliot aside and said, "Don't worry about them. Fin and Munch will love having them around. And you'll know exactly where they are."

"I know. I'll give you a call at the station when we're done," he said. "Maureen, you ready?" he yelled up the stairs.

"Coming."