Chapter 6:

A.D.A Casey Novak sat cross-legged on Olivia's desk. She had just listened to everything that the detective's just told her about what they found at Margo's house. She didn't look happy. "It's not enough."

"What are you talking about? What about her diary?" Olivia asked slightly angry. She was standing in front of their dry-erase board, which held pictures of both Margo and Isabella Palenti.

"The girl never wrote about being abused, all you have is speculation."

"The woman threw her out when she was fifteen!"

"Which isn't uncommon. I've seen many children thrown out on the streets it doesn't mean they were molested."

"Casey this girl won't even talk to me."

"Yeah, right after her rape it doesn't surprise me."

"She had no problem talking to Elliot. Does that sound normal to you?" Cameron interrupted.

"She knows Elliot. She grew up right next door to him. For all you know, that was the first time she was ever sexually assaulted."

"Casey you didn't seen her apartment," Olivia broke back in. "She had stuffed animals, dolls, and a number of other childish toys."

"They could have just been things she took with her when she left home, you don't have anything on Palenti for the girl's rape-" she was cut off by a loud crash sound behind her. Everyone in the room turned to see Elliot at his desk and his desk chair on the floor by the detective's set of lockers. He was glaring sharply at Casey.

"That girl's name is Margo." And with that he walked out of the squad room. The remaining people looked at each other, wondering who would follow him.

"I'll go," John offered. He stood up from his desk and followed Elliot's path out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house entirely. He looked around and saw Elliot walk into a store at a nearby corner. John followed suit and reached his destination just as Elliot walked out with a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. "I didn't know you smoked." he said, standing next to the younger man. It was the first time Elliot noticed John. He chuckled lightly, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it with his brand new lighter.

"Not since I was in the service," he answered through a puff of smoke. He coughed lightly. He hadn't had a cigarette in twenty years it was hard getting used to the feel of it.

"You know more people die from second-hand smoke than first-hand?" John said, waving the smoke away from him.

"Spare me." Elliot said taking another puff.

"So why pick up this disgusting habit again? I mean, we've had our share of tough cases but you're taking this one to the extremes." Elliot paused a moment before answering.

"She was right there. She lived next door to me for fifteen years. She was suffering next door to me," he corrected. "And I never even noticed."

"Elliot you can't blame yourself. We all make mistakes."

"I'm a cop. I should have been able to see something."

John didn't say anything for a moment. "You care about her don't you?" Elliot looked at him with a shocked look on his face. Then he started to smile.

"She reminds me of my daughter."

"Which one?" Elliot chuckled.

"All of them." He took another puff. "I have to help her. I failed her for fifteen years. I can't do it again." He took one last long drag of his smoke before throwing it away. Then he walked back to the station house. John followed close behind.

"Would it kill you to throw your cigarette in the trash? You know most of the litter on our streets are cigarette butts because people can't take the time to just throw it in the trash can!"

"John!" They walked back to the station house and up to the squad room. Inside they noticed many people arguing about Elliot.

"He's lost it," Olivia was saying.

"And people say I'm violent!" Cameron added.

"You broke a computer monitor." Fin remarked.

"It froze."

"What did we miss?" Elliot asked stepping closer. Everyone turned to them and instantly went quiet. Elliot instantly felt uncomfortable, but he wouldn't let it show. He worked hard to get this image and he planned to keep it.

"Feeling better?" Cragen asked, more irritated than worried.

"Much," Elliot said honestly.

"Good, now can we get some work done, we still have to find more evidence if we're going to make an arrest." He walked back into his office. The detectives turned back to their desks. Olivia was the first to notice Margo Palenti, cleaned, standing in the doorway behind John and Elliot. She was holding what looked like Elliot's coat in her arms.

"Hi Maria," Olivia said calmly. Everyone looked to see her standing there. She looked very nervous to have everyone staring at her. Elliot walked towards her and led her to someplace quiet for the two of them to talk.

"What are you doing here?" Margo looked down at the coat in her hands.

"I wanted to return your coat. And apologize for hitting your daughter. She just caught me off guard. Are you mad at me?" She asked nervously.

"No," he said honestly. "No, But ah, Maureen is." Margo blushed.

"Sorry." She lifted up the jacket. "Well here, thanks." She turned to leave.

"Margo!" Elliot called, stopping her in her tracks, the response he was aiming for. She turned back, fear dancing across her eyes.

"What did you call me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Well that's your name isn't it? Margo Palenti. You slipped up, you told me you live next door to me." Margo walked back, the anger evident on her face.

"Look, I don't know what you think you know, but you don't. Now please drop it!"

"What will you do if I don't?"

"Keytech has many lawyers on payroll, I call them, you can kiss your job goodbye. Don't make me do that." They were silent for another moment. Then Margo turned around and began to walk away. Elliot dropped his jacket and pulled out a set of handcuffs. He grabbed Margo's wrists. "Hey!"

"Margo Palenti you're under arrest for assault of a police officer."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" she yelled, struggling to get away.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford and attorney one will be appointed for you. Do you understand your rights as I have read them to you?"

"Bite me! Get off me! You can't do this!" She started kicking the air in front of her. Elliot struggled to keep her moving. "Get off! You can't do this! Bastard! Get the hell off me!" Olivia, Fin, John, and Cameron came out to watch what was going on. All were surprised to see what was happening. None expected that Margo was so violent.

Elliot threw Margo into lock-up. She ran to the bars reaching out hoping to grab at him. Elliot back off just in time to miss her hand. "Margo tell me what she did. Tell me what your mother did to you." Margo pulled back her hand. she looked at Elliot with a look that sent chills down his back, and starting laughing menacingly.

"You don't get it do you? You have nothing. Nothing you do will put her away. She's smarter than that. You might as well give up detective. I did." Elliot kept his face emotionless. Even though this new side of Margo was slightly scary. "You can't win."

"I can try."

Chapter 6 is up and running, and bringing a whole new light to this victim gal. So tell me what you think. Really I like reviews. And for the record, this is part of a trilogy, the character Cameron Holiday shows up in the first story and the next two. Please please please stop asking! Let me put it simply. If you don't read the first story, the rest WILL NOT MAKE SENSE! It's been a while, so, click on my name, which appears next to the story, and read the Replacement. It really is a fantastic story if I do say so myself. Then when you finish that, read Celebrity, and I promise this story will make more sense. Cameron is a MADE UP CHARACTER! SHE CAME FROM MY MIND! Plain and simple. Ok, jeez, I gotta start making these shorter. Ok, I'm trying to get a bigger word count. Lol, well, bye!

Bob.