Chapter 5: Searching For The Truth
Olivia came in early the next morning. She was alone in the squad room when she heard a noise coming from Casey's office. She rose slowly, walked down the hall, and rapped her knuckles on the door. "Casey?" she said questioningly.
"Yeah?"
"Can I come in?"
"Sure, Livia, anytime."
Olivia opened the door, entering slowly. "What's up? What're you doin' here so early?"
"I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking about the connections between my rape and Risten's. "
Olivia crossed the room to meet Casey, who had taken a seat on her couch. "It looks like the same guy, but we won't know for sure till we find some more pronounced connections, Can you remember anything else?"
Casey shook her head helplessly. "Nothing rings a bell."
"Give it time." Olivia's voice was gentle.
"Livia, if I do that, he might find another victim."
Olivia was about to speak again when there was a knock at the door. "Cone in," she called.
Elliot entered the office then. "You two are early birds today," he observed.
Casey and Olivia laughed. "Well, you know what they say, El. The early bird catches the worm."
"I guess you're right, Livia. Listen, I think I have something that could help us crack this case wide open."
Both Casey and Olivia leaned forward. "What is it?" they asked in unison.
"You and Risten were both examined at the same hospital, so I got the staff to release both rape kits. Then, I took them to the Crime Lab and asked Siper to do a DNA comparison. Both samples matched to a Buddy Fowler. He lives on the Upper East Side."
Casey gasped. "I prosecuted him three months ago for child molestation."
Olivia nodded. "I remember him. Wasn't he sent to Rikers?"
Elliot nodded, too. "I checked the records. He was paroled two weeks ago."
"Did you tell Cragen?" Casey queried.
Elliot smiled. "We got a warrant. Let's go pick him up."
"Do you wanna come with us?"
Casey nodded. "I wouldn't miss this arrest for the world, Livia."
With that, the four of them left the office, determined to find Buddy Fowler.