I Know This One
Chapter 8--A Daughter's Intuition


SVU Squadroom
16th Precinct

"So we're saying that Melody Banks's killer had an accomplice?" Cragen asked.

"We know Nathan Grainer was attacked while Brian was still in interrogation," Olivia explained. "So either the two events are completely unrelated or Brian has a friend working with him."

"What are the odds that there is no connection between the two?" Munch asked from his desk.

Elliot removed the pen from his mouth where he was busy chewing it into submission. "I'm not buying that. You got three million people in this city, what are the odds that Nate would be attacked randomly while we're investigating the murder of a girl that was obsessed with him?" (A/N: I have no idea how many people live in NYC but I figured it was a good estimate)

"If Brian was so in love with Melody, he would have done just about anything to get rid of Nate," Fin chimed in. "Gotta eliminate the competition."

"Looks like we need to do a little research into Brian's life then," Cragen concluded. "Find out who he talks to, who he hangs out with, anything you learn, I wanna know about it."

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Hudson University
Blakeman Lodge

Elliot banged his fist on the heavy wooden door once again yielding no response.

"Maybe he's not home," Liv sighed.

"Then I'm gonna bang on this door until he comes home," Elliot answered. He continued to knock until the door flew open revealing a quite disheveled looking college student. "Are you Gregory Myers?"

"Who wants to know?" the boy asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"NYPD," Olivia said flashing her badge.

Suddenly Greg's eyes were wide awake. "What do you want?"

"We need to speak to you about Brian Beckner," Elliot said. He noticed how Greg's demeanor had changed just by mentioning Brian's name. It was a subtle change, not one that would be noticed by everyone, but Elliot's trained eye caught it and he knew Olivia had noticed as well.

"What about Brian?"

"We were just wondering about your relationship with him," Olivia posed the question. "We spoke to a Dr. Billings in the Chemistry department and he said that you and Brian were lab partners last semester."

"Y-yeah we were," Greg stuttered.

"So you know him well?" Elliot asked.

"Well we worked together in labs and hung out a few times, but I wouldn't say we were good friends."

Olivia nodded slowly and scribbled a few notes onto her pocket notebook. "Can you tell us where you were last Wednesday?"

"I was in the library," Greg responded quickly. "Had a big test Thursday morning."

"Thank you for your time," Elliot said before heading towards the lobby and out of the dorm. The pair walked to their car in silence, each processing the newly received information. "You think he's lying?"

"Well he did offer up that alibi pretty quickly," Olivia pondered as she slid into the passenger's seat. "He didn't really strike me as the kind of kid that studies on a Wednesday night."

"You mean because he was still in bed at one o'clock in the afternoon?" Elliot laughed. "Besides who studies on Wasted Wednesdays?"

Olivia stopped in mid-movement and stared at her partner like he had just admitted to murdering the president. "What do you know about Wasted Wednesdays?" she asked while trying not to burst out laughing.

"What?" Elliot faked innocence. "You think I never partied when I was younger?"

"But you never went to college," Liv answered. "Well okay you did but you said you commuted."

"Doesn't mean I didn't have friends that would let me crash in their rooms," he smiled wickedly before pulling out of the parking space and heading towards the entrance to campus.

"I learn something new about you everyday," Olivia laughed.

"There are things you will never know about me Liv," he laughed.

"Like what?"

"Let's run his name and see if we come up with anything," Elliot said quickly before flashing an evil grin.

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SVU Squadroom
16th Precinct

"Our friend Greg has a record," Olivia announced as she paraded into the bull pen, waving papers triumphantly.

"For what?" Elliot asked.

"A couple parking tickets and an arrest for aggravated assault," she read off the paper before handing it to her partner.

Elliot read over the papers, nodding slowly. "Bar fight that got out of hand," he surmised. "But it might give us a reason to bring him down for questioning."

"Elliot," Cragen called from the doorway to his office. He waited until Elliot joined him in his office before continuing, "Did we get a statement from Nathan Grainer yet?"

"He's being discharged today," Elliot responded. "Maureen said she'd bring him by on their way back to campus."

"Good." Cragen thought for a minute before proceeding, "You know you can't question him right?"

"I know."

"Get Olivia to take his statement and then send them on their way," he told him sternly. "We're pushing the boundaries on this one as it is."

"I understand Cap," Elliot said before exiting the office.

"Elliot," Olivia called from the doorway where she stood with Maureen and an exhausted looking Nate, "you have company."

"Hey sweetie," Elliot greeted his daughter with a chaste hug before turning to the young man. "How you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a Mac truck driven by an elephant," Nate responded dryly.

Olivia put her hand cautiously on Nathan's lower back, careful not to hurt his already tender ribs, as she directed him to the interrogation room. She returned a moment later, grabbed a bottle of water and her notepad before disappearing into the room again.

Maureen sunk into her father's desk chair, the last few days' events finally catching up with her. She propped her head up on her hand and sighed heavily.

Elliot crouched in front of her, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "How you doin?" he asked just above a whisper.

"I'm all right," she lied.

"Now I know you take after me," Elliot laughed as he stood and walked over to the coffee machine, filled a cup and brought it back over to his daughter. "You'll never admit when something's wrong."

Maureen accepted the cup graciously and took a long sip before setting it on Elliot's desk. "What do you mean?"

"Something's wrong, I can see it in your eyes," Elliot said perching himself on the edge of his desk. "Care to tell me what it is?"

Maureen sat in silence for a while, contemplating whether or not she should fill her father in. "What's going on between you and Olivia?" she asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked trying to cover the look of surprise that he knew was present on his face. He couldn't believe how freely his daughter had asked him something about his personal life.

"C'mon Dad, I saw you two at the hospital," Maureen reminded him. "You looked pretty comfy together."

Elliot tried not to smile. "It's nothing beyond a professional relationship sweetie."

Maureen nodded before adding, "She likes you."

"And how do you know that?" Elliot asked.

"I'm a woman," she laughed. "I can just sense these things."

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Interrogation Room

"So where do I start?" Nate asked as he tapped his fingers nervously on the table.

"Where were you before you were attacked?" Olivia asked.

"I was leaving my job at the café," Nate responded slowly. "My shift was done at three and I was headed back to campus. I turned down a side street that takes me right to my dorm when I felt something hit the back of my head."

Olivia jotted a few notes down, but mainly she listened. The less writing the better because any written notes could bring sanctions on the squad for over-stepping their bounds in what should have been Vice's case. (A/N: I'm not really too sure who would handle an assault case but that sounds good) "Then what happened?"

"The guy started kicking me in the stomach," Nate recalled, visibly wincing from the memory.

"Did he say anything?"

"He was mumbling something but I couldn't make anything out," he said. "I think he was drunk."

"Why do you say that?" Olivia asked.

"Well I could smell the alcohol and his words were pretty slurred. But thankfully he was still coordinated enough to beat the crap out of me."

Olivia tried not to laugh, but she enjoyed Nathan's dry and sarcastic sense of humor; it reminded her a lot of Munch. She smiled at the boy across the table from her and delighted in seeing him crack a smile as well. It's always easier when the victims can still laugh, she thought to herself before mentally scolding. Stop thinking of him as one of your victims! He wasn't sexually assaulted. I'm only interviewing him to look for possible connections to Melody Banks. "Anything else?" she asked after gathering her thoughts.

"Not really," he sighed. "I kinda blacked out and after I woke up I was able to reach my cell and call 911. Then I called Maureen."

Olivia nodded and shut her notepad. "Well it looks like we're done here Nate. I think it best if you get home and get some rest."

Nathan nodded silently, pulling himself up and wincing in pain from his ribs.

"Didn't they give you any pain medication at the hospital?" Olivia asked as she held the door open for him.

"Yeah they did. I'm hoping it'll kick in any second now." Nathan stopped the minute he noticed Elliot and Maureen talking at the former's desk. He watched them for a minute before turning to Olivia and saying, "Thanks for not letting him interrogate me."

"Why's that?" Olivia asked a little taken back by his remark.

"I've never had a good track record with meeting parents," Nate confessed. "I always end up saying something stupid and that's just with regular parents. I can only imagine the stupid shit I would say to a cop."

Olivia smiled in spite of herself. "He's not really that bad of a guy. You just have to know how to keep him happy." Before she could even think about the double meaning of that sentence, Nathan was eyeing her with raised brows.

"And how do you do that detective?" he asked with a smile. Olivia's mouth opened to speak but Nathan cut her off. "I'm only kidding. Besides I've heard the stories from Maureen. I know how close you and Mr. Stabler are."

'And just how much does Maureen know!' Olivia's mind shouted but she was able to keep her outward appearances cool. "She's waiting for you," she said noticing Elliot and Maureen looking in their direction. "Go home and get some rest."

"Thanks Detective Benson," Nathan said quickly before leaving Olivia's side. It wasn't long until both he and Maureen were on their way out the door leaving the rest of the SVU squad to put the pieces together.


I wrote this little ditty in the last half of my awesome spring break. But sadly I must return to school next week so I may now be updating for a while. I will however try to write every now and then. You know, between the studying and papers and tests and parties :)