Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: Sorry this took so long, and that this chapter's not so terribly long. It's a shame. I write everything out long-hand and then type it out, so it seems SO much longer than when I post it here. Sad... Either way. I'm writing again. Sorry for the delay. I have two more chapters in my notebook and, provided I can actually update here (anybody else having issues with the site? too slow these days) I will keep updating. Hope you enjoy!
'punzzle
PS. Sorry for the mix up and repost if it caused and issues for anyone. This is the correct version.
Monday, March 6, 2006
9:14am
NYPD 16th Precinct
SVU
"I heard you spoke with the M.E." Don Cragen stalked out of his office and approached the conjoined desks of Stabler and Benson—"what do we know?"
Olivia turned to face him, a mug of water in hand, and stepped forward, coming to halt at the right of her seated partner.
"Semen is a match to a 2001 unsolved" she answered—"Rachel Dickson".
Cragen lifted a brow—"the hotel case?"
Olivia nodded.
"No match to the boyfriend their either" Elliot interjected, flipping a file on his desk shut.
"What about your current suspects?" Cragen inquired.
Olivia shook her head and perched herself on the edge of Elliot's desk—"unlikely, seeing as they would have been fifteen at the time, but we're not ruling them out".
The captain nodded, mulling over their current state of affairs.
"So, what's your next move?" he asked finally.
"Go back to Mary Westcott" Elliot explained, rising to his feet, "seems she may have had more of an 'introduction' to Matthew Stormer than she let on".
"Good" Cragen nodded.
11:23am
Willow Towers on 8th
Penthouse of Mary Westcott
Elliot waited just inside the elevator, his arm held against the open doors to let Olivia pass through before him. The pair traveled down the crème-tinted hall of one of the poshest buildings in New York and stopped at the red-painted door of 'Penthouse B'.
"Some place" Elliot commented dryly, casting a glance down the hall to their left where a large palm took up an expansive bay window.
"Indeed" Olivia agreed, raising a hand to knock.
"Stormer may have been right about one thing" Elliot mused as the penthouse door opened slowly to reveal the pale, un-made face of Mary Westcott.
"Mary" Olivia greeted the girl softly.
"What's up?" the woman questioned. Her green eyes were rimmed with red—evidence that she had slept little since they spokelast.
"Could we speak with you?" Olivia requested.
The blonde nodded slightly, closing the door momentarily to unhook the chain and allow them passage. Opening the door, Mary turned and retreated silently to the living room on slippered feet. Her waist-length hair hung over her pajama-clad shoulder in a loose braid and slipped behind her neck as she dropped into an oversized, white leather chair.
The young woman, clad in pink, candy-cane striped pajamas, pulled her legs up onto the seat to embrace her knees.
"We know this has been hard on you" Olivia began, seating herself across from the young woman, "but we needed to ask you a few more questions".
The blonde sniffed and nodded—"anything I can do to help" she said in a weak voice.
"How well do you know Matthew Stormer and David Reeth?" Olivia questioned, flipping open a blue, coil-ring notebook.
"Not well—I don't know that David guy at all. He's some friend of Matt's".
"You've never seen him on campus?" Olivia pressed.
Mary shook her hazy head—"um… no, I don't think so."
Olivia nodded and flipped forward a page or two.
"What about Matthew Stormer?"
Mary scoffed quietly—"'Big Man on Campus'" she said, her voice cracking slightly.
"How so?" Elliot questioned.
Mary looked up at him standing off to Olivia's right, appearing to notice his presence for the first time.
"Rumor has it he has this" she paused, blinking, "photo album he keeps a record of all his conquests in" she explained.
"A photo album?" Elliot knit his brow.
Mary nodded—"Pictures, naked pictures, of the girls in his bed. He never stays with one for more than a few weeks, and once he's fucked them, it's pretty much over".
Elliot arched a brow at his partner.
"Did Matthew and Robin ever…" Olivia began.
"No" Mary answered quickly, "never".
"What makes you so certain?" Elliot queried.
Mary turned to him, her green eyes taking on a fierceness he'd yet to see—"Because I would have known" she insisted, "Rob would have told me".
Elliot nodded, offering her a soft, sympathetic look.
Mary sniffed again and brushed angrily at a rogue tear.
"Besides, Robin didn't believe in premarital sex" Mary continued. She chuckled softly—"values; Rob was raised in the church. Her father would have…" she trailed off.
Mary cleared her throat.
"She was a virgin".
Olivia blinked her dark lashes slowly before looking back at Mary.
"Mary… you and Matthew; was there ever anything between you?"
Mary laughed hoarsely.
"Yeah. Hatred".
Olivia stepped into the bright, mid-morning sun and sighed heavily, pausing on the white-washed steps of Mary Westcott's building. Elliot came up behind her, the glass doors swinging shut behind him, and nodded at the bellman who tipped his gold-rimmed hat in their direction.
Olivia turned as Elliot approached before the two descended the stair toward the car.
"Who do you believe?" she questioned, halting at the passenger door.
"At this point" Elliot opened the drivers-side door and looked at her over the roof, "I'm disinclined to believe anyone until I see those photos".
Olivia nodded and pulled open the door.
"Let's go see a man about a trophy".
