"What have you got for us, Doc?" Detective Sonny Carisi inquired.
"Female, early-twenties, blunt-force trauma to the head, deep laceration to the jugular and carotid, raped and sodomized." ME Tobias Burke greeted. "Same as the victim from last week."
Lieutenant Olivia Benson knelt next to the body with a regretful scowl. "Any ID?"
"No ID, just like Jane Doe Number One." ME Burke answered. "I'll know more when I get her on the table but unofficial cause of death, cut throat."
"Spree killer?" Carisi questioned as they walked back to the cruiser.
"Hmm, not a spree killer," Olivia said thoughtfully. She smiled and nudged him playfully. "What are they teaching you in law school."
Carisi ducked his head, smiling bashfully. "Ha, uh, serial killer. Sorry, uh, I was up late."
"Helping Rollins with Jessie?" Olivia remarked. "Is she still sick with her ear infection."
"Poor thing, she screamed all night," Carisi answered, "I know she was in pain."
"Ugh, I remember when Noah used to get them." Olivia said. "I am so glad we're past that stage."
"Looking five in the face." Carisi remarked. "Big age."
Olivia pushed her hands through her hair and sighed. "I know. Where did time go? I swear he was just this little guy yesterday, all small and squishy, needed me for everything. Now he's an actual boy and he's so energetic and active."
"How's things with him and Tucker?" Carisi inquired.
"They're getting along great." Olivia said, pulling the seatbelt across herself. "I think Noah likes having a male figure around. Must be nice not to have only old mom to play with."
Carisi smiled. "Yeah, I know my sister's kid loves having men around. It's just something about us big playthings. We don't say 'stop or ow or don't do that' like mom does."
Olivia chuckled. "I guess so. In any case, it's someone to help with the heavy lifting."
"Noah, when he falls asleep on the sofa?" Carisi teased.
"Exactly." Olivia laughed.
"Alright, Amanda Doe," Detective Amanda Rollins began, "early-twenties female found abandoned down at the docks in Battery Park. Beaten, raped, sodomized, throat cut. No ID, not in the system."
She clicked and changed the screen.
"Holly Doe," she continued, "also early-twenties, raped, sodomized, beaten, no ID, not in the system. Found in an alleyway in SoHo. We have their photos out on all the news stations and online, we have a few foot officers passing out missing posters in the areas they were found in. So far, nothing, not even a crazy psychic claiming she's under water."
Olivia snorted. "Someone's been reading through my old case files. I will say this, he was correct, she was under water-a water pipe. Remember that one, Fin?"
Detective Fin Tutuola grinned nostalgically. "Ah man, what was his name, Christmas?"
"Valentine." Olivia answered.
"Thanksgiving." Fin retorted bemusedly.
"Only after we threw him in jail." Olivia said. She smirked playfully. "He was only right because he was the one who killed her and put her body there."
Carisi and Rollins exchanged amused smiles.
"Sounds like we missed all the fun." Carisi remarked.
"That's the thing about this unit," Fin said, "fun never stops."
"Okay," Olivia redirected good-naturedly, "our Jane Does. Same MO. No DNA found at the scene but presence of spermicide."
"So, killer wore a condom." Fin observed. "That won't do use any good."
Olivia sighed and stared at the side-by-side photos of their victims lying on the ME's table, blue-grey and dead. "We have got to get this son of a bitch before he kills someone else."
"Let me guess," Olivia greeted, "beaten, raped, and throat cut?"
"How did you know?" ME Burke responded with a sad smile.
"What's it Munch always used to say, 'you get the chocolate bunny'?" Fin remarked. "Any ID or bodily fluid?"
"No ID, no sperm present." ME Burke said. "Same as last time." He pulled a sheet over the body. "Sorry, guys."
"Damn it." Olivia muttered quietly. "Goddamn it." She walked off the edge of the pier. "SoHo, Manhattan Valley, Battery Park. SoHo, Manhattan Valley, Battery Park."
"You good, Lieutenant?" Carisi called.
"There has to be a connection, Carisi, there has to be." Olivia stated angrily. "Same MO, same type of woman, there has to be a connection. He likes young, blonde, white women. He dumps them in neglected places but he doesn't stop to make sure they won't be found quickly." She came back to the scene. "Have you checked the surrounding areas for sperm? Maybe he takes a step back and watches?"
"We go over the area with a fine-tooth comb, Lieutenant, I promise you we haven't missed anything." ME Burke assured her.
"I know, I'm sorry," Olivia said quietly, "I promise I'm not questioning your impunity."
ME Burke smiled agreeably. "I understand, Lieutenant. It's frustrating. I promise you have the full support of the ME's office. I'm going to do everything I can to help you guys catch this bastard."
"We have got to be missing something." Olivia muttered as they went back to the car. Her cellphone started ringing. "Hold on. Hello? Yes it is. Is he okay? Okay, I'll be right there." She hung up. "Head back to the station. Drop me off at Noah's nursery school on the way, something's happened."
"Look Noah, there's mommy." Miss Hannah said. "Go see her."
The tearful little boy ran to Olivia and wrapped his arms around her legs. "Mommy."
Olivia picked him up and settled him on her hip. "Hey buddy, tell me what's wrong?"
"I was scared." Noah whimpered.
"Oh what, honey?" Olivia cooed.
Noah buried his face in her shoulder. Olivia squeezed his side playfully.
"Tell mommy."
"I thought you didn't come back for me." Noah said pitifully.
"I'll always come back for you, baby, I promise." Olivia said sweetly. "Just like day before yesterday, just like last week."
"I miss you." Noah squeaked.
"I miss you too, but sometimes mommies and their little boys have to be away from each other for a little while." Olivia soothed. "Mommy goes to work and catches the bad guys so we can have an apartment and food and toys, and you go to school to play and make friends. But I will always come to get you, or I will send Ed to get you, and then I will see you at home."
"But sometimes you don't come home and I'm sleeping when you come home." Noah said quietly, clinging to her tightly. "And I wanted you to read to me and give me my kisses but you're not home until its real, real later and I'm sleeping."
Olivia sat down on the floor and held him in her lap. "Well, how about I read you a story now, and give you your kisses now, that way if I don't get home until it's real, real later, you still got them?" She smiled encouragingly. "Go ahead, any story you want."
Noah trundled over to the bookshelf and grabbed a copy of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. "Read this." He settled in her lap against her chest. Olivia put her glasses on and opened the book,
"If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. If you give him a glass of milk he'll probably ask for a straw. When he's finished he'll ask for a napkin...
Noah was asleep in her arms by the time she finished reading, just in time for nap time. She lay him on his mat and covered him with his blanket. "You fell asleep before your kisses." She pressed one to his soft, warm forehead." She went to the arts and crafts table and found a piece of paper. She took her lip gloss out of her purse and applied some, pressing two kisses on the paper. Sweet Noah, you fell asleep so here are your kisses. Love, mommy." She folded the paper and put it poking out from under the mat. "Will you make sure he sees that?"
"Of course." Miss Hannah said with a smile. "He'll be alright."
Olivia smiled over her son. "Yeah, he's gone through worse."
TBC