Chapter Three: Plan

Alex

When I hear the phone ring at eleven o'clock I know it has to be you. You left me 3 messages when you got home from work, wondering where I was. I know you didn't call my new work line because you're still angry. But after listening to your voice on the home answering machine I can tell you need to talk to me and I wish you'd just called me at the office. I stop listening halfway through the second message and pick up the phone as it rings.

"What's wrong?"

"Long day Lexi, I just needed to hear your voice." You sound so tense.

"What happened? New case?"

"Yeah. Vic's about 24, just moved out on her own. Apartment was broken into and ransacked. Money and jewelry all missing, plus a couple of art prints from her family. She's convinced her mom's step-dad raped her. By the time we got there she was wandering back and forth over the apartment cutting at herself. Took me almost an hour to get her to put the knife down and sit down to talk to me. It was pretty bad. I've seen terrified victims before but Alex, this girl was a mess. Before I calmed her down she kept saying, 'have to cut him out have to cut it out.'"

"You said she's convinced the step.. what step-grandfather--- raped her? You're not sure yet?"

"Guy's got an iron-clad alibi. He's in the hospital dying of colon cancer. At the time the girl was being raped he was receiving pain meds directly from a nurse and night attendant. There's no way he could have done it, even if nobody could pinpoint his whereabouts-- the guy can hardly move, much less get across town to rape his granddaughter."

"So what are we thinking?" I don't catch myself before I say it… 'we.' I wonder if you noticed.

"Not sure. We're running the MO, and Munch and Fin have gone to talk to the mother. Huang's set to talk to Kaylie tomorrow at the hospital, and El and I are going back first thing in the morning to try and get an actual statement from her."

"What's your gut?"

"My gut? My gut is she's telling the truth."

"But the grandfather?"

"I think whoever she saw reminded her enough of him that she's got it committed to her head that way. I guess my gut is we have to wait to hear from Huang. But Jesus, Alex, by the time they stopped counting up all the nicks and cuts on her body they were up to one-hundred and twenty-two. 122 Alex. Something seriously disturbing happened to this girl and until I get a clear statement from her I'm lost."

"It'll be alright Liv, don't worry." I try to sound reassuring, but I can only imagine what the rest of your week is going to be like.

"So, how's the new job?" I can tell you're trying to be magnanimous, trying to sound like you want to know.

"It's the job. Not quite as frantic as New York, but still enough to keep me busy. I had a court appearance today, and another tomorrow, but it's fairly simple stuff. It's good to be back."

"I'm glad… I missed you today. It was odd to come home and not have you here. I even went by your old office. Not sure why though. My feet just sort of took me there. I miss seeing you."

It's sweet, this side of you. Your voice is absent of all the anger I felt the last time we talked, and I can finally hear you again instead of your frustration. I wish I had been there today. It would have been much better than fighting ridiculous motions in court all day. I'm sorry your day was rough, and I know you probably won't sleep much tonight, worrying about the case instead. I wish was there now, to help you sleep.

Olivia

I've given up being angry about your new job. After today I honestly don't care as much what you do while you're gone. I didn't get a chance to talk to the guys yesterday, but I'm determined today. I've got to get schedules worked out and put this new case to bed as soon as I can so I can get on with my plan.

As Elliot and I drive out to the hospital to see Kaylie, I pop the question.

"Look, I know you have some vacation time coming and I also know you don't intend to take it. So… instead of letting it go to waste I wondered if maybe you'd be willing to sign it over to me? I need to gather some off-days so I can do something personal."

"Personal huh? Would this have anything to do with a certain blond former ADA?"

"Not former, but yes."

"What do you mean not former?"

"Well, that's kind of the problem. She passed the Oregon bar and now she's working as a temporary ADA for some county in Oregon. I was already worried about her deciding not to come back, and now she's got back the job she loves on top of it."

"And my vacation time is going to rectify this how?"

"Well, I was hoping I could get Munch and Fin to sign some over too, then I could take like a month and go out to Oregon and bring her back."

"Like she's what Liv? A runaway child? I know you don't like it, but she's a grown-up Liv, you can't just haul her back against her will."

"That's not exactly what I had planned."

By the time we get to the hospital, Elliot is grinning… and promises to get the guys to hand over some of their vaca by the end of the day. I put my plans out of my head and get ready to talk to Kaylie.

She's lying still in the hospital bed, staring out the window into the city. As I enter, a tear escapes the corner of her eye.

"Kaylie, do you remember me from yesterday? I helped get you out of the apartment and here to the hospital. Do you remember what we started to talk about last night?"

"It was him." Kaylie doesn't turn her head, and I sit in the chair next to her bed, interrupting her gaze out the window.

"Kaylie, we talked to your mom last night. You're grandfather is a very sick man, he's in a hospital too. There's no way he could have been at your apartment last night. I need you to think really hard and try to tell me what you remember about last night."

Huang enters the room quietly; the nurses warned us that Kaylie is sensitive to men in her proximity. I need him to oversee this questioning, but none of us want to send Kaylie spiraling again.

"Kylie, it's important that you tell me everything you remember about last night. That way we can catch the guy that did this to you."

She turns her head, and meets my eyes. "He did it to me. Just like before. But this time he raped me. This time he didn't just touch me. This time you can get him."

"Honey, your grandfather didn't do this. He couldn't have."

Kaylie starts to cry, and I gingerly lay a hand on her shoulder, trying to gauge her reaction. When she doesn't pull away, George steps forward and speaks quietly.

"Kaylie, my name is George. I'm a friend of Detective Benson's. Why do you think your grandfather was the one that raped you? Has he done he ever hurt you before?"

I'm pleased to see Kaylie responding to Huang's voice-- although I don't know why. You and I both know that George could lull an angry cheetah into submission. She doesn't turn to face him, but as he pulls a chair up next to mine I don't feel her tensing under my hand. I start to pull my hand away, wanting to let George have time with her alone, "Kaylie, I'm going to go find your doctor ok? Why don't you talk to George---"

She grabs my hand and turns frightened eyes to me, "Don't leave me!"

"Ok… ok. Look, I'm going to sit right here ok?"

Kaylie nods, and I look at George, encouraging him to continue.

"Kaylie, why don't you tell me a little about your grandfather?"

Several hours later we not only have an official statement, a police sketch, and a suspect, but I have two months worth of vacation time from the guys. Munch and Fin go to haul in our suspect, and I let Elliot drive me home. I have some things that need to get taken care of.

Alex

"Hey hot stuff! How'd it go with the victim today?"

"It was pretty rough, but once George got her talking we sorted out a few of the details… including the bit about the grandfather."

"So what's the story?"

"Turns out the guy's a first class creep. Whole family thought he was a little odd, but nobody pegged him as a molester. First time he touched her he was visiting over the summer, took her to a movie and felt her up in the theater after insisting she sit on his lap.

"He came to visit every summer for the next three years, and each time he found an opportunity to molest her. She's not sure why he stopped visiting, but George thinks it has to do with the guy's target group. By the time he stopped coming around Kaylie was ten, and starting to hit puberty. The theory is he wasn't interested in women, just little girls. When Kaylie started looking more definitively feminine, he lost interest and stopped visiting."

"Jesus. So how does that tie in to the rape? Didn't you say the guy was dying of colon cancer or something?" I can't help licking my lips; this is the kind of case I'd love to try. Talk about justice, this girl deserves a heaping of it.

"Once we were able to convince Kaylie that her grandfather couldn't possibly have been the doer, she sat down with our artist and they were able to render up a decent sketch. We lucked out on evidence too,"

"Please tell me he left DNA."

"Better than that-- DNA inside her, and fingerprints on her belly. Guy was so busy holding her down that he didn't bother to wipe off the evidence when he was done."

Casey must be thrilled, only thing missing is an actual suspect

"And?"

"We got a hit. Guy's never been nabbed for rape, but he's faced a slew of harassment charges, a few sexual assault's that got dropped, and two B&E's that got pled out. Munch and Fin are picking him up tonight."

"I still don't understand how she linked the guy to her grandfather?" The connection seems important, and I'm wondering what you left out.

"Truth is, the guy looks exactly like the grandfather. Talk about body doubles."

"Are they related?"

"No. That's the weirdest part. Absolutely no connection. George is pretty sure it's the reason she flipped out so fast after the attack. He's calling it a minor psychotic break. She thought she was being raped by a former molester. The time in between her molestation and her rape had allowed her to finally feel comfortable. The sight of being raped by a man nearly indistinguishable from her molester pushed her over the edge."

"Hence the pacing and the cuts?"

"Exactly. Huang says that the fact that most of her cuts are centered on her upper legs, thighs, and hips indicates her desire to … 'excise' the traces of her former molestation. He says the suicide attempt was really secondary."

"Wow." You've had an incredibly full day. I can picture that sparkle in your eyes. You love this. You love finding the right guy. I wonder if you had that smug look on your face when you gave Casey the evidence. I'm sure you did. I wish I could be there with you to celebrate. I wish it was my case; this is the kind of case we could work on together, especially come trial time. Late nights at the office, business dinners, celebrating at home… together…

Olivia

You've gotten very quiet, and I can hear you thinking on the other side of the phone. I wonder what you're thinking about, but I think I know.

"Alex? You still there?"

You sound startled, and a little breathless, "Yes… yes still here, sorry. Just got caught up in my own brain."

"Thinking about anyone special?"

"Maybe." You go quiet again.

"Alex?'

"Sorry. I just… missed you all of a sudden."

"What you didn't miss me already?"

"Yes, but… I just… I was thinking about your case, and wishing I was there to work it with you. Casey must be thrilled."

"As thrilled as Casey gets yeah. Is everything ok?"

"It's fine Liv, I'm just tired. I've had a few late nights trying to get ready for this first trial. It's pretty simple, I just wish you were here."

"Well... you can always come back you know."

"Olivia." I hate that tone in your voice. I know you're tired of me saying it, but I can't help being afraid.

"I know Alex, I know."

"I'm still coming back."

We spend some time talking about your case, about your new job. I try to be supportive but I know I don't sound like I am. Listening to you be excited about work makes me realize that I'm right.

To get you back, I'm going to have to go to you, and give you a reason.