Chapter 16
Everyone in the room watched as the two mentally challenged people hugged each other. It took a moment or two for Olivia to shake her surprise off, but she quickly asked,
"This is your Doug?"
"Yes! Alan brought me over to Doug's place," Stephanie couldn't help but smile. Olivia knew they needed to dig deeper. Dr. Huang was intently listening from Kenny's desk. He didn't want to interrupt unless he absolutely had to. Olivia had built a rapport with Stephanie and now he wanted to see if she could create one with Doug.
"Why don't you two have a seat?" She offered Fin's desk chairs to the two. Elliot quickly ferried Stephanie's family and Doug's mother over to Munch's empty desk, not wanting them to interrupt.
"Doug, you know Alan?" Olivia started.
"Yes, he helped me when I first moved into my place," Doug explained.
"He works at where you live?" The detective wondered.
"He visits. My place isn't the only place," the man said.
"Ah ok. So, he would bring Stephanie with him?" Olivia gently asked.
"Yes. We play chess," Doug smiled. He still wasn't really giving up much information and she wondered why. It was then that she saw Stephanie take his hand. Doug turned his head toward her, a look of confusion on his face.
"Alan is gone," she told him. More confusion on Doug's part so Olivia stepped in.
"She's right. Alan has passed away. I'm sorry," the detective said. Doug looked at Stephanie for confirmation and she only nodded, squeezing his hand. He began to cry and Olivia quickly fetched the tissue box off of her desk, handing it to him.
"Why?" Doug managed through his tears.
"My teammates and I are trying to find out. I promise," there was no way that Doug needed to be burdened with Stephanie being abused, especially since it seemed more and more like Alan was a good guy, not realizing just with whom he'd gotten into business with. There must have been something that Linda had on him or over him that pulled them together. Alan must have suspected something, knowing that if he left Stephanie with Doug, nothing bad would happen to her. Certainly, Doug did not kill James Lorigo. The spreadsheet was the only solid lead they had left.
"What's going to happen to Stephanie?" Doug asked.
"She has family from upstate that have come to get her," Olivia said.
"You're leaving?" This question was directed right at Stephanie.
"I can't. Not without you," she told him. Olivia looked right at Huang. He knew it was time for him to step in. This was no place to burst any bubbles, this was something that the families would need to do.
"Hi, my name is George," he introduced himself to Doug.
"Hi George," Stephanie smiled at him, seemingly not holding any grudges for what he had helped pull out of her.
"Hi Stephanie. Lunch is on the way. I know you said you like a good tuna melt," he smiled at her.
"Uh huh. So does Doug," she said.
"Well, it's a good thing I ordered two then huh?" George asked. Doug smiled again and Stephanie hugged him, glad to feel him hug back. The families were watching the interaction unsure of what to do. No one wanted to be responsible for pulling them apart but at the same time, they both needed help living in today's world.
Olivia looked to Elliot and the look on her face just conveyed everything she was feeling. How much more could Stephanie go through? That's when Elliot's phone rang. He quickly answered it. It was a short phone call.
"The forensic accountant found something," he said.
To Be Continued…
