Sorry it's been so long since my last update. Got very sick. Am better now. Getting back on my feet with stories.
Not knowing what to expect from a conversation with Herod Fraiser, Olivia followed Fin across the precinct floor. To the more isolated of the holding cells. Last she'd heard of this man? He'd been in rather drug-induced rage at the Calico Mountain apartment building.
Just how had everybody known to look in the direction of that almighty dump to begin with?
Providence. Or… the providential act of Doctor Warner finding the apartment address on a slip of paper… located in the pants pocket of Amanda's quite-recently deceased father. Olivia held back a sigh when she remembered that an official cause of death hadn't been delivered. Yet.
Why had Herod, Beth Anne's own twin brother, even been aware of Calico Mountain? The team honestly didn't know.
But what they did know for certain? Big Jim Rollins knew Howard Clark. The murdered man from the Calico Mountain apartment that everyone was looking for now in the first place. Both of them had crossed each other's paths because of a one-in-a-million chance. During a weapons expo. Way down south.
Yet one more fact about Howard Clark? Unbeknownst to his fiancée, he had been a successful drug dealer. The picture forming now? Big Jim had come up to New York from Georgia… without telling his wife mostly because he'd probably hurt her again so he could look for Howard. Score more of the good stuff. But then he'd accidentally done himself in because of intoxication.
What the team was quite unsure of was whether or not Big Jim had been able to even connect with Howard Clark. If… At all.
The team's extra confusion came because they were just not sure how Herod factored in. Although it was more than a safe deduction that he had trashed Howard's apartment and murdered him. But most of all, they were confused because Herod was Beth Anne's twin brother.
Nothing about this case made sense. But a chat with Amanda's peculiar uncle was quite possibly the cure.
Giving a nod of acknowledgment to the guard on duty at the holding cell area now, Olivia found herself standing face-to-face with Herod. But Fin stood by on guard. Just in case.
Herod stood tall. Just over six feet. His resemblance to Beth Anne was plain: fair skin, blond hair, blue eyes, and a firm build. But then it stopped there. Herod clearly looked like his physical appearance had seen better days because of longtime drug use. It was a miracle that he was in one piece today. The man's clothes were also ragged. Same for his shoes.
But Olivia spoke with all the authority she could muster. "I am Sergeant Benson. Do you have any idea of where you are? Or… How you made it to this building?"
"Am… I in jail?" Herod asked after dully surveying his immediate surroundings.
"Not quite." Olivia shook her head. "You're in my precinct at the Manhattan Special Victims Unit."
Herod furrowed his brow. "That's a different kind of name. But… No… I can't remember how I got here. At all. Was I hit by a dump truck on the way?"
Olivia responded, "No. But it isn't a surprise that you don't remember anything. My people found you in the middle of a terrific drug bender."
Now Herod's memory grew more clear. "Back the Calico Mountain building. But… How did you get to my directi… wait a second…"
"Spit it out." demanded Olivia. "Now."
"You've met my twin. Haven't you?" Herod actually looked afraid. "But what about my other sister? I don't even know her name. Just that she is alive."
"Sir," Olivia told Herod. "I have met them both. And more members of your family. But I am incredibly proud to say that your oldest niece is one of my best detectives. And… She is nearby."
Quite taken aback, Herod bleated, "Can I see her?"
"You know," Olivia decided. "I think that's her call. But she knows you're here. And she even has a beat on who you are. Tell me, why were you at Calico Mountain? This is a long way from Loganville."
Herod thought about it. "M'am, I've been up here for a very, very long time. Haven't spoken to my own twin for as long. Don't even have a proper home."
The sergeant lifted one eyebrow at this. "No?"
"No." Herod said firmly. "I live at The Lydia Motel. It's a hellhole. But it's what I can afford. Anyway… Howard Clark always peddled the good stuff. Don't know how I made it to his building, so toasted. But he was already dead when I got there. And the place was trashed."
Olivia snarled, "Why should I believe you?!"
Herod's mind took an abrupt turn at the critical juncture. "Don't tell me: Big Jim is in town."
"Correct." Olivia confirmed. "The address to Clark's apartment was found in his pants pocket."
But Herod cried out, "Big Jim is dead?! How?!"
"That remains to be seen." answered Olivia. "When was he last time you saw him?"
"Not since after he'd just married Tully Jo Gordon. I'd gone for a visit. However... I didn't talk to Beth Anne because we are not even friends." recalled Herod. "But Big Jim and I always were. He wanted me to meet his bride. So I did. All of us even hung out in Smyrna together. Got drunk."
"But you really haven't seen them since?" Olivia finally let her surprise show. "At all?"
"No." the man behind the bars repeated. "Why? Is Tully okay? Did Big Jim hurt her?"
Olivia nodded. "Yes."
Not even asking how Olivia knew, Herod growled, "Why… If that son of a bitch wasn't dead… I would kill him."
"Just what makes you go that far?" Olivia pressed.
"I may make some choices that society disagrees with, but I could never harm someone physically. Hell no." Herod made an effort to look Olivia in the eye now. "My parents were literally the worst in that fashion. But then I didn't find out for a long time that Big Jim was beating my sister."
"Why didn't you stop him? Bail out your twin?" Olivia asked. "Sounds like you had the opportunity but never took it."
"My own moral compass was too loose for it to occur to me." Herod shrugged. "M'am? Big Jim loved knives. And he used to carve stars on things. Check Howard's body for stars. When I got to his place, all I did was get the safe out of the wall. And I tried to get it open. Desperation is as desperation does."
Olivia said, "Thank you for the tip."
Now optimistic, Herod said to Olivia, "May I go?
"Uh-uh." the sergeant tapped the bars of the holding cell. "You were caught doing some very bad things. I still have to put you in the system. But your cooperation could earn you some leeway with a judge."
"Got it." Herod's tone was very sober. "I understand."
"Excellent." Olivia gave him an affirming nod. Thank you again for your cooperation. It has been appreciated."
Fin said to Olivia as they headed back to the bullpen, "Wow. That's that. Nothing new to my knowledge has come up about Howard Clark. Or where he got any of his drugs from. But I know that they were able to get the safe open at the crime lab."
"And…?" Olivia said.
"They found fingerprints on it that belong to Howard and Herod. Nothing inside but more drugs to sell." Fin reported blandly. "And nothing suspicious came up about Howard's job as a security guard. I checked. Sarge… I know it isn't the kind of update you'd hoped for…"
"But it's better than absolutely nothing. I thank you for the initiative." praised Olivia. "Rollins should be back from seeing Tully and the others off by now. I am going to go by the medical examiner's office now so I can ask her if she at least noticed any star-shaped carvings."
"But," Fin began to realize what Olivia as driving at. "You're going to bring Rollins with you so you can try to pick her brain?"
"Mhm." Olivia let out a relieved sigh as they finally made back into the bullpen. "I'm betting we've got one sure murder in our path because of Howard Clark."
"Plus, we haven't seen any more sexual overtones past the ones that Tully brought to our attention to start with." Fin remarked. "But her abuser was bumped off."
"Gold star." said Olivia. "Unless we get one more plot twist, we might just be looking at the end of this case. Already."
"Good." Fin made shooing motions. "Go. Find Rollins. The rest of us can hold the fort down again."
More thankful than ever, Olivia hurried off.