"In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories."

It comes with the Badge __________________________________________________________________________

Last Time:

Benson stared at the wooden desk. "I understand."

Ryan watched Olivia for a long moment, unsure of whether to pity her or be angry. Confused, she walked out in a huff and didn't look back. Grabbing her cell phone, she called Jared. "Jared? It's Ryan, can we meet somewhere for dinner? I need to talk to you..."

__________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3

Back on the Job

***

          Detective Ryan Jamerson was off duty, with her boyfriend, Detective Jared

Moore. The two were eating at Michelangelo's Italian Restaurant. Candlelight dinner, music playing in the background, it was all set up by Ryan's beloved boyfriend Jared. Ryan was flushing the whole time, and in her mind, the thought of a certain question lingered in the back of her mind. The night dwindled away, and Ryan got more nervous about what was to come. Dinner ended, Jared led her to the car.

Ryan smiled faintly at Jared as he opened the car door for her. Sliding in carefully, and tucking her dress under her, she closed the door. "Thanks sweetheart."

          He grinned and walked around, starting the car. "Not a problem." He took her hand. "I have something I want to talk to you about."

That's when Ryan heard her cell phone ring. Glancing at it, she sighed. "Jamerson."

It was Olivia, and she was crying. "Ryan, I'm so sorry I can't testify."

Ryan tried to understand what she was so worked up about. "Olivia, I understand if you can't do it. It's okay."

She heard her take a deep breath. "I can't sleep, my nightmares are horrible, and I'm afraid I'll wake Elliot."

Jamerson looked at her watch, and motioned for Jared to keep driving. "Well, you can stay with me for a while if you want...I have a fold out couch."

Olivia paused. "That sounds good actually. Can I?"

Ryan smiled. "Of course. What's the address?" Olivia gave it to her slowly. She nodded. "I'll come pick you up right now, grab some things and leave a note for Elliot so he won't freak out."

Benson laughed faintly. "Okay, thank you."

Ryan hung up. "That's Detective Benson, I'm her temporary replacement. Think we can stop by and pick her up?"

Jared looked at the address and smiled, something disappointing lingered in his eyes. "Not a problem." He kissed her cheek softly. "Anything for you sweetheart."

Jamerson blushed. "She's going to stay with me for a bit."

He nodded. "That's sweet of you."

"She was raped too."

Jared fell silent. "I see. I guess that means you want me to kind of back off for a while?"

Ryan shook her head. "No, she needs to be exposed to men, so she learns she can trust them again. It will take a while."

He kissed her again. "It took you a while too love."

She nodded. "That it did."

Jared sped down the street, halfway to Olivia's apartment already.

***

Olivia packed nervously, and started jotting a note to Elliot. 'Elliot, I'm going to stay with Ryan for a while. I'm worried my nightmares might keep you from sleeping. When I can deal with them more, I'll be back. Until then, stay safe. Love always, Olivia.'

Benson heard Ryan knock softly on the front door, and she crept out of the house and nervously smiled. "Thank you so much."

Ryan grinned and took her bag. "Hop in the cab, I'll drive and make Jared get in the bed."

Olivia noticed Ryan was wearing a long black cocktail dress that accentuated her figure. She frowned. "Did I interrupt anything?"

She realized Olivia was talking about her dress. Jamerson turned and looked at Jared, wondering if he had been considering asking her to marry him tonight. "Oh, no, not at all." Ryan grinned. "We just got done with dinner."

"Oh. Who's the boyfriend?"

Jared climbed out of the F-150 and took the bag. "Glad to be of service."

Ryan slid the keys out of his hand. "You get the bed."

He kissed her cheek, and Ryan flinched lightly and gave him an apologetic look when she did. Jared rubbed her shoulder softly and headed for the truck.

Olivia looked at her. "You still flinch?"

Ryan glanced at her; Olivia was about an inch shorter than her. "Can you imagine not flinching?"

Without commenting, Olivia locked the door to her house, climbed in to the passenger's seat, and closed the door.

Getting in to the car and starting the ignition, Ryan opened the back window and turned up the radio. Country music was playing and Jared sighed. "Go figure."

She turned to Olivia. "He doesn't like my music."

Olivia smiled faintly as they drove away, leaving Elliot in peaceful sleep. She sat there silently for a long while, just trying not to cry.

Ryan turned to her. "You know something, after this trial, Alex, you, and I need to go out for drinks."

Benson grinned faintly. "Sure, that sounds good."

Jamerson smiled. "Cool." She glanced in her rearview and saw Jared staring at her with a smile on his face. "Do you believe in love Olivia?"

Olivia looked out the window. "Love? Well sure, I loved my mother..."

Ryan sighed. "I mean like true love..."

She frowned. "I'm not sure. I think that perhaps it's possible, just rather rare."

Jamerson nodded. "You think more highly of it than I do." She shrugged. "I'm not sure that it's possible after what happened to me." She sighed. "I'll never be able to love a child of my own because of him." I do believe in the ability to love, but I do not believe that everyone can love."

Olivia sighed. "I've never met anyone who's been so passionate about the subject."

Ryan shrugged shyly. "Do you love Elliot?"

She turned to her. "Love him? We aren't even a couple officially."

Jamerson laughed and grinned. "He thinks you are."

Olivia blushed. "Oh."

Ryan turned to her. "You know, he stayed with you as often as he could. When his ex-wife was admitted for attempted suicide, he stayed with you, not her."

She shook her head. "No, Elliot wouldn't do that. He treats Kathy better than that."

Without saying another word, Ryan pulled up to an apartment building and turned the car off. "This is our stop." She got out and tossed the keys to Jared in the back. Pulling Olivia's bag over her back, she grinned. "I'm a bit anal retentive so the apartment's going to be pretty clean.

Olivia nodded. "Not a problem."

Jared kissed Ryan lightly when the two headed up to her apartment. "I'll call you later Jared." He winked and headed back to the car. When he pulled away, Ryan shuddered fiercely.

The insecure motion caught Olivia's eye. "What?"

Ryan smiled falsely. "I always tell him never to wink at me, because that's what Jerry did to me when I first saw him. He must've forgot for a second, but I can't help it. It still brings everything back up."

Olivia sighed. "Does it happen often?"

She nodded solemnly. "Even after five years."

"Wait. Five years ago as of when?"

Ryan ran a hand along her opposite elbow, somewhat wrapping her arms around herself. "December."

Olivia looked down. "So if you don't get a conviction by then, it's gone."

She nodded and walked in to her apartment. "The bathroom's down the hall. Kitchen's on the right."

Benson headed in to the bathroom and stared at her self in the mirror. Opening her bag, she pulled out her toothbrush. "Damn it."

Ryan grinned and walked in behind her. "What?"

She looked in her bag. "I forgot everything except my comb and toothbrush."

With a coy grin, Ryan opened her bathroom cabinet and showed Olivia her wide range of beauty products. "I've got enough shit in there to run my own salon."

Olivia grinned. "Now we're talking."

Ryan sat down on her double bed. "Hey, can I get your opinion on this case? The potential perp doesn't fit with my opinion on the murderer. Take a look at this."

Benson sat down next to her; she examined the two photos. "Teenage victims...both brutally attacked after the rape." After a silent moment spent in deep thought, Olivia nodded. "We had a guy do things like that a couple of years back. Huang explained that the perp blamed his victims for making him do that, and that's why he beat them to death."

She looked at her fellow cop. "Did they ever get the guy?" It was a weak hope, but maybe if he were still out it would widen their evidence field and give them more victims to interview.

Olivia shook her head. "Sorry, we put him away plain and simple, and besides, he used object rape...he was a bit smarter and didn't leave any fluids behind.

Ryan sighed exasperatedly. "Yeah well, since we can't match the fluids yet, all it's doing is making it harder."

Benson sighed. "I'm sorry." Then she looked back at the pictures, something caught her eye. "Look at this." She pointed to a small earring in the girls' ears. "They both have the exact same earrings. What is that?"

Jamerson grabbed a photo and looked at it. "That looks like platinum, flags of some sort maybe..."

Olivia sighed. "Do you think we have it in evidence?"

Ryan nodded. "I'm positive. There was a whole bag of jewelry from the first vic, and I saw earrings." She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her keys. "Want to come with me? I'm gunna go to the precinct."

With an all too sly grin, Olivia nodded. "It's an excuse to get me back in the game, of course I will."

Pulling her leather jacket on, Ryan handed Olivia her own jacket and locked her apartment on her way out.

***

When they reached the precinct, they went straight to the case evidence and Ryan pulled out the earrings. "They're not flags, they're sickles. Take a look; how sick is that?"

Olivia looked at the initials on the jewelry. "That's where I got my ring from my mother. She gave it to me when I got in to the SVU. It's Sinclair's Jewelers, I think it's on 6th street."

She turned to Ryan. "I can get us there faster." Ryan handed her the keys.

"Got your badge?" Ryan patted her pockets to double-check herself too.

"As always." Olivia jumped in the truck and sped off.

Ryan grabbed her cell and started calling Munch and Fin. "John, we just got a break on the case, we need you to meet us at the Sinclair's Jewelers on east 6th street."

Groggily, he gave an affirmative response and hung up.

She rolled her eyes. "Twenty bucks says he won't get out of bed."

Olivia raised her eyebrow. "You're on."

Ryan gave her an odd look and got out of the sedan just as she stopped the car. "It's open until ten, they should be closing right about now."

The two knocked loudly on the door. "Police!"

When a gentleman in a suit opened the door. "How can I help you?"

"This is Detective Benson, I'm Detective Jamerson. We've found a piece in one of our open cases we believe is one of yours."

Munch walked up behind them. "What'd I miss?"

Ryan grinned. "Olivia here noticed a common pair of earrings between the two vics. We're going to have a quiet talk with the sick bastard who gave them out."

John laughed. "Give me his name, I'll go back to the precinct and look it up."

Olivia smiled. "That's what we're working on. Can we come in Sir?"

He opened the door and allowed the two women in. "May I see the piece?" Upon receiving the piece, it took him barely over a minute to nod. "Yes, I made five of these, all for the same customer."

Olivia smiled. "We're going to need those records."

The jeweler smiled. "Anything for New York's finest."

Ryan smiled. "Thanks." He highlighted the name of the customer from his credit card bills. "Jeffery Thomas?"

"What's he done?"

Olivia frowned. "We've reason to believe he's using these earrings to charm girls before her rapes and murders them." She handed the papers to Munch as they walked out the door and he got in his sedan.

Ryan turned to her after they left the store. "That can't be, Carolina said she'd never seen him before..."

Benson checked the address. "He lived just down the street from her, maybe she just didn't recognize him."

"That makes any hope of ID useless. Wait a minute, let's go pay him a visit right now."

Olivia gave her an odd look. "It's almost half past ten."

Ryan smiled. "I don't need to talk to him, I just need to see his car."

Benson looked perturbed. "What good will that do?"

Jamerson smiled. "Carolina was a smart one. She noticed that this guy was driving a red four door instead of some generic repair van."

Olivia smiled. "It never hurts to listen to the vic." Ryan laughed for a moment before hopping in the truck and driving towards the address.

When Olivia and Ryan reached the house, they pulled up behind a red four-door Toyota Camry. Ryan grinned. "Wouldn't you know?"

Benson nodded. "Lights are on. Let's go talk to the upstanding citizen."

Ryan climbed out of the cab and grinned.

Knocking loudly on the door, Olivia frowned. "Mr. Thomas? Police!"

Jamerson looked inside and saw a man starting to run out the back door. Ryan motioned for Olivia to take the right and she'd take the left. "I think our upstanding citizen in hiding something."

Olivia nodded and took off, in brisk jog, after the prick.

Ryan ran around the other side of the house, climbing up on and jumping over a fence in to the alleyway, watching him cross the road. "Olivia! He's across the street!"

Benson grinned, pulling her jog in to a sprint. "Got him."

Jamerson was close behind Olivia when she tackled the guy to the ground and held him there. "Why you running? We just want to ask you some questions...nothing more..."

Ryan pulled out his wallet. "It's the guy."

Olivia grinned. "We're curious about some custom jewelry you had made, and we'd like to ask you about them."

The two detectives pulled him to his feet after cuffing him. "Would you like us to do that down at the station alone, or quietly in your apartment?"

Jeffery frowned. "I'll talk in the apartment."

Ryan jerked him around. "Good choice."

Olivia helped her take him back to the apartment. Once inside, they removed the handcuffs but blocked the only way to the door from the living room. "Now, about these earrings." She dangled the evidence bag in front of him. "Why did you have five pairs of these made and why were two pair found on deceased rape victims?"

Jeffery shook his head. "I...I dunno."

Ryan pulled his head back by his hair, and stared at him from behind. "Wrong answer. What do you do for a living Mr. Thomas?"

He frowned. "I'm a teacher."

Benson snickered. "You wouldn't happen to teach high school would you?"

Jeffery nodded. "I do, that's correct. I teach freshman, sophomore and junior history."

Ryan snarled. "It would figure. Would either of these girls happen to be your students?" She showed him the picture of the vics.

He nodded again, wearily. "Yes, where is this going?"

"They're both dead Mr. Thomas." Olivia was definitely pissed. "Now, why did they both have a $900 pair of earrings on from you?"

With a heavy frown, he shook his head. "I can't believe you'd think I'd kill them. I didn't hurt those girls."

Ryan jerked his head back again. "You're not answering the fine lady's question Mr. Thomas."

Jeffery sighed. "I had them made for any students who participated in the state wide history competition and did well. Five of them did."

"Did you like those girls very much Mr. Thomas?" Ryan smirked. "Maybe...too much?"

He frowned. "I don't like what you're insinuating. I wouldn't hurt them."

Olivia flipped open her cell. "I'm going to wake Cabot up and make her wake a judge up. I want a search warrant for this place."

Jeffery turned to her. "You can look through whatever you want...what are you looking for?"

Ryan grinned. "Anything of interest. We'll also need the names of the other three girls you gave those earrings to."

He nodded. "Abigail Davies, Kayla Meyers, and Jessica Hartley."

Olivia walked in to his bedroom and opened his closet. "Whenever you want us to stop looking, just say so and I'll call the ADA."

Ryan smirked; this guy was clueless. She began to open all the kitchen cabinets. "I've got a pair of glasses in here. Do you wear glasses Mr. Thomas?"

Jeffery shook his head. "They're for reading only."

"Do you wear them at school in front of your students?" Mr. Thomas shook his head negatively. Ryan opened her notepad. "How tall are you?"

He shrugged. "About five nine or five ten."

Olivia grinned. "I've got a plumbers jumpsuit back here."

Jeffery frowned. "I used to work for that company."

Ryan laughed. "So what. You still have it."

Benson walked out with it in her hand. "And it has blood on it."

"Twenty bucks says it's got some of your little soldiers on it too." Olivia held it up. "We're going to have to confiscate this."

He shrugged. "Whatever you need."

Ryan turned to him. "We're also going to need a DNA sample, will you come down to the station with us and give one?"

Mr. Thomas frowned. "I'd like to call my lawyer."

Olivia's cell phone rang. "Benson."

Munch grinned. "You're guy happens to have two priors. Two counts of sexual assault on his record and he works with teenage girls."

She nodded. "So we've heard. Wanna wake Cabot up about an arrest warrant?"

"What've you got?"

Olivia held up the uniform. "Well, we've got glasses that he doesn't wear around his students, a plumber's uniform and a red four door. Not to mention he's about five foot nine."

Ryan's voice carried from the bathroom. "We've also got a bottle of temporary hair dye. Brown."

Benson grinned. "Did you get that?"

Munch laughed. "Hair dye? What color's his hair now?"

She turned. "Greying blond."

John smiled. "Perfect, I'll call Cabot."

Ryan walked out with the hair dye and the perp's sketch. "You got an evil twin Mr. Thomas?"

Jeffery looked confused. "I'm an only child."

She laughed. "Well, if you didn't do it...then Carolina must've made it all up because this looks an awful lot like you."

Olivia brought out his razor. "Did you ever have a mustache Mr. Thomas?"

He nodded. "Yes, I shaved it off this week because my girlfriend didn't like it." Jeffery blushed lightly.

Ryan snickered. "Bet she'd like it even less if she knew she was sleeping with a rapist."

Her phone rang and Cabot was on the other line. "Jamerson."

Sounding extremely tired, she sighed. "You're lucky Judge Taylor was still awake. You've got your warrant."

Ryan couldn't keep from grinning. "Great."

Olivia looked at her. "Hmm?"

Jamerson pulled out her cuffs and dangled them around. "Thanks a million Alex."

"No problem." A click told her that Alex wasn't thrilled about being woken up so late, but that she was glad he was going to be off the streets tonight.

Ryan turned to Olivia. "You want the honors?"

Olivia shook her head. "It's your case."

Jamerson cuffed him. "You have the right to remain silent, if you should choose to give up the right, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can't afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court."

Jeffery looked at Olivia. "Wait a minute, you can't do this! I cooperated with you!"

Olivia shrugged. "Doesn't mean you aren't guilty. Let's get that DNA sample to test."

Ryan roughly shoved him in to the back of the sedan. Olivia got in the passenger's seat.

When Jamerson got in and started the car, she turned to Olivia. "You're a great cop, you know that?"

Olivia smiled. "You're not so bad yourself Ryan."

She grinned back and drove down to the station.

***

Elliot woke late the next morning to find that Olivia was not there. 'Oh no! Oh no!!' When he sat up nervously, he noticed the note. Olivia had left a lipstick kiss on it. He smiled lightly. 'She didn't have to worry about my sleep...' He got up and went to take a shower before calling her.

***

Ryan arrived at the station to see most of the squad in Cragen's office. She also saw Jared in there. Silently, she joined them. Olivia stood next to her. Cragen was talking quietly. "With a new team we will have plenty of man power to pay more attention to these cases. I want to be sure that these teams will be paired perfectly for optimum work capacity. Elliot, I want you to train Detective Moore." He looked to Jared. "The teams will be set up like we talked about over the phone last night." Cragen turned back to Jared. "He's going to need a guy to talk to when you two start this case." He handed a folder to him.

His hard blue eyes met Olivia's. "Detective Benson. I thought I told you that you were off-duty until further notice."

Detective Jamerson cleared her throat. "I asked for her opinion on the case. If anything, the blame lies with me."

Cragen looked at her. "What blame?" His glance hit both of them. "I want to commend you two on the apprehension of Jeffery Thomas. His DNA matched perfectly and CSU teams found a list of the other three girls' weekly routines and home addresses."

Ryan shivered faintly. "Thank you Captain."

Olivia smiled. "Am I back on duty?"

He nodded. "You'll work with Ryan for the next two cases. I figure with two cases under his belt, I'll know whether or not Jared's up to this."

Jared looked over at Ryan and smiled. "Good job babe."

She gave him a scolding look and blushed faintly. Cragen handed Ryan a folder. "You two have a separate case too." Olivia frowned but looked at the folder with Ryan for a moment.

Cragen sighed. "Dismissed. Munch and Fin are still together. Elliot, will you stay behind for a moment?"

He nodded and the rest of the detectives walked out. Elliot looked up. "What is it Captain?"

The Captain frowned. "If you feel that you need to be paired with Olivia to help her through this, I'll understand."

Elliot shook his head. "It's not a problem for me. I would recommend not pairing her with Jared though, I do not think she trusts him at all...and it will be harder for her to come to trust him now."

Cragen nodded. "So noted. Thank you Detective Stabler."

Stabler smiled. "This a gruesome case?" He held up the folder.

He shrugged. "Not any worse than the rest of them."

Without a comment, Elliot nodded and walked out of the office. "Detective Moore, we've got a six year old boy who has been raped and murdered. The parents have no idea who could've done it. The mother found the body in their home upon returning from work."

Jared frowned deeply. "Shall we talk to them?"

Elliot nodded. "I'm driving." Jared didn't comment, just followed him out the door.

Olivia looked at Ryan. "What do we have?"

Ryan shook her head. "Two dead prostitutes. Same DNA, same MO. We've got both of the victims IDed and I was thinking we'd talk to the younger girl's parents. Problem is, of the two cases, one of them is almost four years old."

Benson nodded. "Well the statute is set at five years so we can go on it. Only problem we'll have is trying to get the witnesses to remember. Otherwise, it sounds good."

Jamerson handed her the keys. "I didn't sleep very much last night, you should drive."

Olivia reluctantly took the keys. "You and me both." She laughed faintly and glanced at the address before heading out of the station.

Munch looked at Fin. "Think they'll make good teams?"

Fin shrugged. "What's it matter? They're both going to use us to run around for 'em. When's Cragen gunna give us a case?"

Cragen walked out. "You may just get your wish Fin, I just called Olivia back in." As if on cue, Detectives Olivia and Ryan walked back in to the station house, and Olivia looked rather irritated.

"What the hell was that Cragen?" Olivia walked up and glared at him. "Don't tell me you're taking me off this case!"

Captain Cragen couldn't help but laugh. "No Olivia. I've received a call from homicide. I'm assigning you and Ryan to another case instead."

She frowned. "Why?"

Cragen handed her an address. "No report has been started yet, go check out the scene. You'll know why then." Olivia handed the other folder back to Cragen and walked out of the station once more with Ryan at her side.

Fin looked at the case file. "Who's that for?"

He grinned. "It's your lucky day Tutuola." He handed him the case file and walked back in to his office.

Munch flared at Fin. "You had to open your mouth."

***

Olivia and Ryan slid under the police line and saw the body being wheeled out. "Why is SVU on this? Was she raped?"

The cop nodded. "Not only that. Detectives, I think you two should see this."

A breath caught in Ryan's throat as the Detective pointed to the wall inside the house of the victim. Written in bright red across the wall was a phrase the made the detectives' blood run cold. It read: 'Olivia, do you like your new partner, Ryan? I know I do...' Ryan stepped back. "No..."

Olivia looked at her. "How could he have known?"

Ryan shook her head. "I've no idea. We were just assigned our teams thirty minutes or so ago..."

Benson shivered. "What worries me more, is he after you or me?"

Detective Jamerson shook her head. "I haven't the faintest clue...right now it looks tied."

Olivia turned to her with a somberly amused look on her face. "You can win this one if you want."

Ryan chuckled faintly. "No thanks. Let's get this site analyzed and talk to the family, a guy that's after one of us will kill again."

She nodded. "We'd better get started."

As the two walked out, a cell phone rang.

"Benson."

"Jamerson." Ryan and Olivia's voices echoed simultaneously.

The two looked at each other and laughed faintly. Ryan held a hand up. "Hi Jared."

"Are you okay?" He sounded concerned.

Olivia waited patiently for Ryan to finish her call. "Yes Jared, I'm fine. No, we're both fine. Don't worry, just stay on your case and let us work ours. Yes, you too, bye."

Benson gave her a peculiar look. "Did he say 'I love you'?"

Ryan shook her head. "No, just 'stay safe'."

Olivia rolled her eyes as she opened her car door. "Hopeless romantic, eh?"

Jamerson nodded and get in after her. The two headed back to the station house to look up all the family addresses they could find and cross-reference the address book they found in her house with the system to look for any leads.

***

Jared looked over to Elliot. "They're both fine, Ryan sounded a bit shook up but I think they're just a bit shocked."

Elliot sighed. "This is not going to happen again, if this guy's after Olivia he's in for a world of pain."

Moore looked at his watch. "From me too, when was she supposed to be back?"

Stabler sighed. "The maid said Marissa would be back in an hour, she's thirty minutes late."

Jared groaned and sat down in one of the too-expensive-to-sit-in chairs, annoyed. "I know it's going to be hard for her since she lost her son, but this guy's going to go after other little boys if we don't get him."

Elliot frowned, knowing every word out of the detective's mouth the truth.

***

Olivia and Ryan looked at the final product, a page long list of people to interview. "She was quite popular wasn't she?"

Jamerson nodded. "It's a shame."

Munch looked up as he noticed their return to their desks. "The ME called, she said she's got something for you."

Olivia sighed. "Did it sound good?"

John chuckled lightly. "Nothing's good in this line of work."

Ryan motioned to Olivia and the two headed towards the ME's office

Olivia frowned. "Maybe she'll give us a time of death."

Jamerson looked down at the ground. "I'd prefer DNA but that would get us started on the questioning.

Her partner nodded, agreeing fully. When they met up with the ME, the two looked somewhat hopeful. "What'd you find?"

She smiled falsely. "I apologize but all I can tell you is that she died around 11 o'clock last night. She was raped with a blunt object and her cause of death was a definitely from being crushed under a heavy object. There were tire tracks along her chest so I'd assume she was run over by a car."

Olivia turned away. "Lovely way to die."

"That's not the half of it, she was posthumously raped."

Ryan ran out of the room and tried not to gag. "How disgusting is that?!"

***

Jared looked up at Elliot. "Hey, I'm going to head over to Ryan's house, the two might want the protection after that case. You want to come?"

Elliot shook his head. "Tell Olivia I said hello and I wish I could but I have a date with the kids today as soon as I interview Marissa."

Moore smiled. "That must be nice."

Stabler smiled. "Yeah, I love getting to see them as often as I do."

Jared shook his head. "I meant just having kids in general." Without another word, he climbed out of the sedan in the lot and walked over to his car, climbing in a leaving a very unsettled air behind him.

***

Olivia knocked softly on the door of the victim's mother, Mrs. Valdez. "Mrs. Valdez?"

The woman stood wearily in the doorway. "Yes?"

Ryan smiled falsely. "I'm Detective Jamerson, this is Detective Benson. Are you the mother of Tiffani Valdez?"

She shook her head. "I am Tiffani Valdez."

Olivia looked at her. "Wait, what?" She pulled out an evidence bag of a military ID card and pills. "Are these yours?"

Mrs. Valdez nodded. "Yes, my purse was stolen last week, I didn't bother to report it because I had no credit cards in it, I just found my ID missing this morning."

Ryan frowned. "Can you tell us where it was stolen from?"

Startling the three women, Ryan's cell rang. "Jamerson." She nodded and gave a few 'uh huh's before hanging up. "Well this is all we were able to find of your belongings. Sorry for wasting your time Mrs. Valdez."

Olivia looked at her oddly as she left. "What the hell was that?"

Ryan gave her a frightful look. "There's another victim...alive."

The two got in the car and raced down to the hospital. "Did you get a rape kit?" Olivia was doubtful.

Doctor Campbell, the presiding ER doctor nodded. "There were only a few minor wounds aside from the extensive blood loss."

Unsure of whether to be relieved or shocked, Ryan nodded. "We'll need those samples and is the patient conscious?"

The doctor nodded slowly. "Yes, she is. I'll take you there now and you can pick up the samples on her way out."

Olivia thanked her and walked outside for a moment to answer her cell phone. "Benson."

Cragen responded. "Olivia, I need you two back here now, the identity of the first victim has been discovered. I'm sending a sketch artist down to talk with the new victim now. Get back to the station house asap."

Rather distressed, Olivia motioned for Ryan to follow her and she headed towards the car.

Ryan turned to the doctor. "My apologies, something's come up. We will return later to speak with the victim. Can I get the samples?"

The doctor nodded and retrieved them. "Here you are."

She smiled. "Thank you so much." Ryan walked out and got in to the car, which Olivia had waiting right outside. "What's up?" Olivia explained on the way to the precinct.

***

Stabler walked in to the precinct to see Olivia and Ryan talking with Cragen. "I thought you two were at the hospital..."

Ryan gave him a sharp look. "Judge Warren's daughter...she was victim from earlier today."

Elliot shook his head. "She's been a great help with putting away these sex offenders too..."

Olivia nodded. "She was only twenty-two."

Jamerson shook her head. "That's the not the worst of it, she was a virgin. She was engaged, I figure we should go break the news to the fiancé."

Benson closed her eyes for a moment and nodded. "This is the worst part." She walked out of the station in a huff.

Ryan looked up at Elliot. "Where's Jared?"

Elliot looked at his watch. "He's over at your place, he said he's planning on staying over with you."

She laughed. "That's what he thinks. When'd he leave?"

He shrugged. "Around two pm."

Ryan nodded and walked out to meet Olivia. She looked at the clock; it was a bit past four. "We'll probably have to call it a day after getting the sketch and interviewing the fiancé."

Olivia nodded. "It's a shame. I might stay late."

She looked at Olivia carefully. "You're not working alone, this guy may be after you."

Benson smiled. "Thanks."

Ryan didn't reply as they pulled up to the rather large house of her fiancé, John Brenner. Olivia rang the bell, and shifted uncomfortably when a butler answered the door. "I'm Detective Benson, this is Detective St-er-Jamerson. We're looked for a John Brenner..."

The butler looked carefully at the badges and led them in. "He'll be with you in a moment."

After about ten minutes, a tall man with tanned skin and golden hair walked down the stairs. "Sorry about the wait, I had wedding plans to finish up."

Ryan bit her lip. "We came to talk to you about Janet, Janet Warren w-is your fiancé correct?"

He nodded. "Yes. How is that of any interest to you, Detective?"

Olivia sighed. "I'm sorry to tell you this but Janet Warren is dead."

Mr. Brenner shook his head. "No. That can't be! She was here just last night."

Ryan frowned. "What time did she leave your house?"

He thought about it for a long moment. "Around nine thirty."

Olivia looked at the ground for a moment. "Then I assume she died around the time she arrived home. How long does the commute usually take?"

John shrugged. "An hour and half in typical traffic, but traffic was light that time of night."

Ryan nodded. "So around ten forty-five or eleven?"

He nodded. "That's about right. She can't be dead..."

Olivia held up the picture, her face was untouched but the coldness of her flesh was still stunning. "Is this her?"

Mr. Brenner's eyes went wide. "Yes! That's her!" His eyes started to water. "Who would do this to her? Why?"

Ryan sighed. "We think it may have to do with her mother being a judge."

He shook his head. "This is terrible. Did she suffer?"

Olivia took a breath lightly. "It's hard to tell at this point."

He poured a large glass of whiskey and took a heavy drink. "I, can I come down to the precinct tomorrow and speak with you? I need some time alone."

Ryan glanced at the half-empty bottle of whiskey and knew what he was thinking. It sounded pretty good to her right now too. "Of course. If you do not come down tomorrow though, we will pay you another visit."

Mr. Brenner nodded. "Of course."

Olivia smiled faintly and nodded goodbye as the two got in to the car. "I don't think he had anything to do with it."

Ryan nodded. "I concur. Did Cragen say he would notify the parents?"

Benson nodded and the two headed back to the station.

***

Cragen waited for them by Olivia's desk. A single piece of paper was in his right hand. He looked all too serious and the two cops fell silent as they approached. "Detective Jamerson, I believe it is critical that you see the sketch of the perp. that your victim described. It might alarm you but do not worry, it will be handled appropriately." As Ryan approached Cragen and reached for the piece of paper, Detective Jared Moore walked in and smiled.

"Hey sweetheart, how are you?" She stopped what she was doing and allowed him to put an arm around her but she flinched as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

Captain Cragen looked nauseas but remained silent.

***End Chapter Three***

Disclaimer: (I kept forgetting this!) I do not own the Toyota Camry or the Ford F-150. Also, I obviously don't own Law and Order: SVU