Theodore Johnson Simmons' Apartment

331 Westchester Avenue

Bronx, New York

May 17, 2005

Amy had made a breakthrough in the case. After she left the station house, she made her way to ADA Novak's office. She asked for a warrant and an hour later got it to search Simmons' place. The connection between Rosewater and Simmons stood out like a sore thumb.

And so did her car. She drove a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse. She inherited it when her parents died. Munch recognized the car and motion to Fin to pull over. Amy saw them coming and climbed out of the car with the warrant Novak had given to her.

"You are suppose to tell us these things, not run straight to the ADA. When the Captain finds out, he'll be furious with you! Don't ever do that again!" yelled Munch.

"You idiot, be quiet! I came here alone because I had a feeling he was going to flee! He is the only connection we have to this case. If he fled the country because of Rosewater, then the case is screwed. I know what I did was stupid, but I had to come here just to make sure. His tenant said he hasn't moved out yet. So that's when I called Casey and told her to go to the precinct and get you guys to come and help me," said Amy angrily. "I'm sorry."

Fin looked at Munch then looked at her. "It's okay. We just got worried and we were frustrated that you didn't even call us. Just don't do that again okay? The last thing we need is for Cragen to have a heart attack."

They walked into the building and went to the second floor where Simmons lived in apartment 2B. Fin knocked on the door. "Simmons! This is the police! We have a warrant to search your place!"

There was some movement inside and then it stopped. The three looked at each other and nodded. They pulled out their guns and Amy and Fin kicked the door down.

A whistling sound could be heard from somewhere in the apartment. Munch went to an open window and saw Simmons escaping down the fire escape to a car below in an alleyway. "CENSORED!" yelled Munch. "He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

Amy put her gun away. She then turned heel and left the apartment. She slid down the banister and ran out of the apartment complex to her car. Munch and Fin looked at each other and they both yelled, "Go! I'll stay and secure the place and call for back up!" They looked at each other for a moment and finally Fin pulled out his cell phone and began to call for the extra support.

Munch put his gun away and ran out of the apartment. He ran down the stairs, jumping the last few, and made a mad dash to her car and clambered inside the passenger seat. "Can you wait for just one second!" he cried.

"No. Seatbelt on?"

Munch hastened to put his seatbelt on. "Yes! Now go!" he shouted. Simmons pulled out of the alleyway and accelerated out of it. Amy put the car in gear and went after him.

Now Munch was not a big fan of speeding, especially in unsafe road conditions. So he began to feel a little sick every time Amy would take a sharp turn or hit the acceleration pedal. He managed to grab the radio and put in an emergency call. "Suspect is fleeing 331 Westchester Avenue. He is now turning onto Southern Blvd! He's heading for I-87! Set up a road block immediately!" He began to moan and put up the radio.

"Don't even think about getting sick John! You'll be paying for the expenses if you mess up the interior in this car! Think of something else to take your mind off it!" yelled Amy.

"Like what! Me chasing you with a jug of ice water if we survive this! Slow down!" he moaned.

Amy was now doing easily 85 mph just to keep up with him. He weaved in and out of other cars and so did Amy. Munch began to turn green. Then they saw the road block up ahead. Simmons saw it too and slammed breaks. So did Amy and she turned the car into a position in which he couldn't turn around and back out. Simmons gave up and turn off the car. Cops had guns pointed in his direction. Amy got out and screamed "DON'T SHOOT HIM! HE'S A SUSPECT! DON'T SHOOT! HOLD YOUR FIRE!"

She pulled out her gun and ran to his car. She pointed it at him. "Get out!" she yelled. Simmons slowly got out of the car. She grabbed him and put handcuffs on him. She walked him over to the other cops. "Get him out of here!" she cried.

She then ran back to her car. Munch had the passenger side door opened. He was getting some air when she came running to him.

"I'm okay. Just don't do that ever again okay? Please, my life depends on it," he wheezed.

"What's the matter, John? Can't stomach the need for speed?" she said.

"I hate speeding."

Amy cell phone rang. She pulled it out and answered it. She then took it away from her ear. Cragen was shouting to her.

"Damn, he's pist. What did you guys do to make him this mad in the morning?"

Munch looked at her. "Before we left, he yelled at Fin and me about yesterday. You just made his day when you went straight to the ADA without telling any of us what you had on this guy."

"Well, apparently the media got a hold of the car chasing we just did. He's yelling at me for being a reckless driver. But I wasn't doing reckless driving," protested Amy.

"Doing 85 in a 40 mph zone isn't reckless driving!" Munch asked incredulously.

"Not unless you have to keep up with a fleeing suspect."

"You're insane!" he cried.

SVU Squad room

The three walked back into the squad room. Cragen was furious now. The newbie cop went to the ADA without coming to him first and presenting what she found out. The whole case now could have been jeopardized and Internal Affairs would be coming down to his office any second. When he saw them walk in, he walked out of his office and pointed to Amy. "You, in my office now!"

She walked in and he slammed the door. "Nice going. The media got a hold of the wonderful driving you just did!" He hissed. "You do realize that once Internal Affairs comes down, they'll literally drag your ass out of here before I can save it! You've done a good job already of screwing up and going back to homicide. And this is your second day too, a new record in my unit. I'm suspending your pay for a couple of days. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said. "But you do realize why I did it?"

"Yeah, I understand why you did it. However, you could have jeopardize the case by the actions you did. The ADA might have a hard time prosecuting now. You're lucky I'm not suspending a whole week of pay. However, I gotta punish you somehow so that way Internal Affairs doesn't come down here and ask why I didn't."

"Thanks," she said. "May I leave now?"

"I guess," he said.

She opened the door and left his office.

"She's alive," joked Stabler.

"Keep that up Elliot, and you won't be in the next five seconds," snarled Amy.

Benson laughed and said "Ouch. She's learning fast, Elliot."

Amy sat at her desk and began fiddling on her computer then brought up a document she typed last night.

"Okay. While you guys were at home and doing nothing, I was figuring out why Simmons was in the middle of this mess. Apparently Angel ran away from her home and went to Simmons' apartment. Simmons knew Angel from school and they had been secretly dating. I guess they were running low on money so Simmons decided to swindle the Rosewaters out of 500 grand." "However, Angel decided to go a step further and she threaten her dad that she report his drug smuggling schemes to the FBI and the press. So I'm figuring that Daddy decided to kill his daughter. He threatens Simmons to help him so Simmons drops her off in the park and then Rosewater came to finish the job."

Everybody looked at her. Benson and Stabler were shaking their heads. Fin, laughing, said "Rosewater smuggling drugs into the country? Yeah right. Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the future Munch-like character, complete with conspiracy theories and doubts in the government."

Amy glared at him. "Then how do you explain why he has his own port and security hmmm Fin? Let me finish explaining. I guess Rosewater change his mind and decided to kill our little friend that we have in custody. The file that my friend gave me had a little side note saying that Rosewater had been calling the place for quite sometime when she did a follow up to make sure Simmons' was paying all the money he owed him."

"How do you know he smuggles drugs?" asked Novak.

"That little journal she had in her locker. She had dates when his new shipment came in that port of his and usually that's when she would go out."

Novak walked over to her computer and saw what she had. "Okay. So he tries to kill both of them and then he flees the country through his own port after he disposes them. It's a farfetched theory, but it does answer some things like the partial fingerprint on the victim's body. Let's ask Simmons himself."

"You're actually buying this?" asked Fin. "No offense, Amy, but your theory is just way outta whack."

"Then does anyone else have a theory they can offer? Because I'm tired of you guys picking on the newbie. Let's get some results here before the some guy gets away with murder," said Cragen walking out of his office. He pointed to Amy and Stabler. "You two take a crack at him."

"Why can't I?" asked Munch.

"I have a feeling you might slug the guy after he made you sick with his car chase act, John," said Cragen with an amused smile on his face.

Munch frowned at Cragen.

"He looks happy," said Novak.

Simmons was sitting at a table, frowning. Once in a while he would mutter a few things, but for the most part he remained silent. Novak was looking from Cragen to Amy. She wasn't sure that Amy should go in and question this guy. After all, she was the newbie.

After Stabler shut the door, Novak asked Cragen if he was doing the right thing. "Of course I am. I'm just testing the new kid's nerve, that's all."

Novak shook her head. "You never ceased to surprise me," she said and began to watch what was happening.

"So is it T.J. or Theodore?" asked Stabler to Simmons.

"T.J." he replied.

"You know," began Stabler, "That was some pretty cool driving from what Detective Amy is telling me. So why did you flee the police when they arrived, hmm? I mean we weren't sent to kill you or anything like that for that matter."

"I didn't do anything," replied Simmons.

"Well if you didn't do anything, then why didja flee from us? We were just going to ask you a few questions about your girlfriend named Angel," said Amy.

"Because I...,"

"Bull! Don't even start with your excuses! Somebody was going to kill you and you know it! That's why you fled, wasn't it? Hey Elliot, tell him what we found in his apartment."

Elliot began to count the items on his fingers they had found. "Well we found an airplane tickets, some clothes belonging to a girl, a murder weapon,..."

"We were going to flee the country so that's why I had those and I did not kill her."

"Kill who? Who didn't you kill T.J.!" exclaimed Amy.

"Angel!" yelled Simmons. He looked at both of them and sighed. "Angel was my girl friend in that prep school. Unfortunately, I got kicked out because of a fight I got in. A couple days later she arrives on my doorstep asking if she can live with me. Said she ran away from her place. So I invited her in. We were getting along for two months. Then one day she comes home with one of those tuition bills. We barely had any money. She had her bank card with her, so she ran to the bank and got 500 grand to pay for it and to support us for a couple months until she found a decent job."

"Then her father found out. He kept calling us, threatening us to give it back. Angel decided to retaliate and use his drug smuggling scheme to prevent him from threatening us. He told the police and took me to court and they ruled that I owned every penny back to him. I guess it still wasn't enough for him so called me while she was at school one day. He told me to bring her to the park because he wanted to talk to her. That's last time I heard of her. He seemed so sorry about what happened. Now if your done, I'm gonna wait for my lawyer." He put his head down and never looked at them until they left the room.

Inside Cragen's office, Cragen asked them what they thought. "He seems legit," said Stabler. "I think Rosewater might have done something else to convince him to bring Angel to the park, but everything is linked to what she said," and pointed to Amy.

"What do you think?" asked Cragen.

"I think he's telling the truth. I would have fled too if the most powerful guy in the city wanted me dead." Amy turned to Novak. "Counselor, do we have enough for a warrant to search Rosewater's place?" she asked Novak.

"I think so. I don't think a judge would like me to interrupt their lunch break but I could probably get a warrant. I'll go now," and Novak left the room.

Stabler looked at the window and then turned to Amy and said "I underestimated you," he said. "I would like to offer my apologies to giving you hard time earlier and I guess the others would like to do the same." He nodded to the window.

Benson, Munch, Fin and Novak had their faces crammed in the tiny window. She opened the door as they hastily backed away. Benson first approached her holding out her hand.

"Congratulations and welcome to our squad," she said. Amy shook it.

"Yeah sorry about yesterday and today," said Fin and gave her a pat on the back. Munch muttered "Nice job" and Novak said almost the exact same thing Stabler said.

"Hey Casey! When are you going to get that warrant? And when are the five of you are going to get to work!" yelled Cragen from his desk.

Everybody hastily went about their business.

Judge Lena Petrovsky's chambers

"This better be good Casey," said Petrovsky. She was in the middle of a very nice lunch when Casey called and asked for two warrants. She hated to be interrupted in the middle of her lunch break.

"I need a warrant to search Alex Rosewater's place," Novak said.

Petrovsky looked at her. "You're kidding, right? Why would you want to search the Rosewater's place?"

"We have a suspect in custody that tells he was in an agreement with Rosewater to bring his daughter to the place she was murder. We also suspect that the port he owns is a base of operations in which he smuggles drugs in. I need a warrant also to search his port."

Petrovsky was still looking at her. "Do you have anything else besides circumstantial evidence? Because I would really like to get back and enjoy my…"

"We have evidence that Rosewater was after the victim's boyfriend. He had a ticket leaving the country today and also we have a diary stating clearly when Rosewater's next shipment of drugs came in."

She looked at her. "Had them over," grumbled Petrovsky and began to sign them. "Okay you got your warrants. Now do me favor."

"What?" Novak asked.

"Don't ever interrupt me on my lunch break!"

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind when I ever decide to call you for a warrant," and left swiftly out of her office. Novak began to call the others on her cell phone that she had a warrant for Rosewater's house and port.

Rosewater Residents

Hotel Room 38

Trump Tower

One Central Park West, upper west side

Cragen split up the squad. Benson and Stabler would be going to Rosewater's place while Munch, Fin, and Amy would search the port. He would be staying at the precinct just in case if something came up and he had to go somewhere.

"This is the police! We have a warrant to search the premises," shouted Benson. No one answered.

A cop came with a door rammer and busted down the door. Guns out, Benson and Stabler entered the apartment. "They were in a hurry to leave," said Stabler.

The apartment was a mess. Clothes scattered everywhere, wastebaskets upturned, and closets were ravaged. The Rosewaters were gone.

"Damn," said Benson and moved over to the master bedroom. She searched the desk and found receipts for two airplane tickets. She gasp when she saw the date. They were leaving out of La Guardia Airport today!

"Elliot! Call Cragen now! They're leaving the country today!"

Stabler came out of the master bedroom closet and pointed inside it while he dialed on his cell phone. Benson looked inside and saw a big container of betadine. "This is what they used at hospitals as a surgical scrub," she said.

"What's the betting that he used it recently?" asked Stabler. "Hey Cap," he said to his cell phone. "You better get a squad over to La Guardia Airport right away. Rosewater is leaving the country."

Rosewater's Port

Upper Bay

Brooklyn

BAM! A squad of cops following Munch, Fin, and Amy ran into the docking house. The employees who busily working stopped what they were doing shocked that the cops had enter the building. Rows of tables had white powdery substances and others had crystal clear rocks. Some even had drugs that were about to be introduced to the market.

"Jackpot," said Fin. "Okay everybody get away from the tables nice and easy. We don't want any trouble," he said.

"What do you mean trouble?" ask Amy.

"Usually they sometimes pull out guns and decide to have a standoff with us before they go down, but I don't think they'll do that here. There are so many substances around here that one gun shot could set the place on fire. It doesn't look like they carry guns," he replied while looking around.

Munch looked at him. "Well let's not take that chance. The last thing I need is my fourth wife calling me and asking where is her money for the month while my ass is lying in some morgue burnt to a crisp." He began to help the other cops escorting the employees out.

Amy looked at Fin. "He's been married four times!" she asked incredulously.

"Don't even ask. You're a lot saner without knowing," he whispered. "Trust me."

"Riiiiight. So I guess it is that bad?"

"Never mind," grumbled Fin and began to help Munch.

"What!" she shouted to him.

She sighed and began to help them and the others escorting the employees out while Fin called in a group from Narcotics.

La Guardia Airport

Grand central parkway

Queens

Cragen led a squad of cops into La Guardia. He went to one of the security guards and showed him a picture of Rosewater's face. "Yeah, I helped him pull put his bags from his car. He made his way down your left. What's the matter?" the guard asked.

Cragen told him to get guards around Rosewater's car. He then went into the airport and went to his left. Everybody gasped as he ran into the airport with the squad.

Finally he saw them going through the airport security line. He shouted to the security guards to hold them from going through the line. Alex and his wife were grabbed by two guards.

"Alex Rosewater you are under arrest for the murder of Angel Rosewater," he said and grabbed Rosewater's arm and put him in cuffs. Mrs. Rosewater looked at him with a shock look on her face. She dropped her handbag and began screaming.

"You killed her! I knew it all along. Why you son of a CENSORED! I should kill you! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

With that said, she launch herself to Rosewater, but the guard held on to her. Cragen began to escort Rosewater out of the airport and continued to read him his rights while the squad escorted his wife behind him. She was still screaming at him when they put him and her in a car.

SVU squad room

Novak walked in tired that night. She had been in the courthouse all day and decided to swing by to tell the others that she would arraign Rosewater tomorrow. "It's not going to be easy with all the publicity that the case is bringing," she said walking in. "My boss wants to get this out of the way and fast. I'll see you guys tomorrow." With that, she left for the night.

It had been a long day for all of them too. Everyone was trying not to fall asleep on their desk. Everyone was ready for Cragen to give the word so they could go home. However, he would not dismiss them until he made an announcement. They began to grow restless. When would he come out?

Finally he came out with a smirk. "Ladies and gents," he began. "As you all know that Amy is still new to our precinct and as a tradition all the newbie detectives have to buy coffee for everyone on the squad in the precinct."

Amy looked at him. "What!"

"All right," said Fin. "'bout time somebody bought me coffee. I'll like a black coffee with three sugars."

"I'll like a black coffee with two sugars," Benson said.

"Just black coffee for me," chimed in Stabler.

"I would like green tea, no sugar," said an amused Munch.

They gave Amy the places so she knew where to pick them up. All she was missing was the Cragen's favorite type of coffee. "I'd better have enough money for all of this," she thought.

Everybody was getting ready to leave. She still didn't have the Cragen's type of coffee he wanted in the morning. "When is the Captain going to tell me what type of coffee he likes?" she asked.

"Ahhh, yeah about that part Amy," began Benson.

"You have to guess how he like his coffee," said Stabler.

"And you have to guess his favorite place too," said Munch.

"Plus he knows the difference between our coffee from the coffee bar and a local shop," said Fin remembering how he had try to trick the captain and miserably failed.

"Well I know where he likes it from," said Amy brightly.

Everyone burst out laughing. She frowned at them.

"I do too," she protested. "In fact I'll make a bet with Munch and Fin."

"With us?" Fin asked.

"Yes. If I get it right then you two will have to apologize in front of everyone in the whole squad seeing that you guys haven't yet."

Both of them turned pink at this remark. They glared at her. "And if you get it wrong?" asked Fin menacingly.

"Then I'll give you both fifty dollars and buy you coffee or whatever you want for the rest of next week," she said.

"Deal!" Munch and Fin both shouted and they shook on it.