Chapter 11
"So you think this guy is going to come home? I mean he's been trying to trace us this whole time," Olivia wondered.
"He's got to sleep sometime," Elliot smirked, sipping on his coffee. They were sitting in their unmarked car outside Charles Cray's apartment building. They had had the motor pool change the license plates since the suspects were supposedly following them. They hoped that would throw the suspects off.
"What if they're hopped up on something? I mean how are they covering us all this time, working their regular jobs, and sleeping?" Olivia wanted to know.
"You think there is a third guy?" Elliot gave her a look.
"If they aren't hopped up on something, then why not?" She shrugged.
"Makes sense but we just found out there were two of them. Finding a third guy seems next to impossible. Also, whoever it is has to know that they're doing something illegal," he said.
"The alpha has been perfecting his technique as he went across the country. So when he got here, how did he find Cray? Then he manages to find a third guy? Or maybe he bumps into a team already in progress? Somehow this perfect storm occurred and now they're hunting together," Olivia frowned. Elliot had this thoughtful look on his face before grabbing the radio.
"SVU portable to Central," he said.
"This is Central. Go ahead SVU portable," came the reply.
"I need a plate run. It's a white Ford panel van, Alpha, Lima, Charlie, five, nine, six, four," Elliot told them.
"Stand by, SVU portable," came the reply.
"Did I miss something?" Olivia wanted to know.
"That van circled the block, twice," Elliot frowned.
"SVU portable, this is Central," the radio crackled to life.
"Go ahead Central," he said.
"Van is registered to a Charles Cray," Central responded.
"Ten-four, SVU portable out," Elliot answered.
"So you think our guy knows we're here?" Olivia wondered.
"Not sure why else he'd circle the block…" he stopped in the middle of his sentence. The van had stopped up the block and began to parallel park.
"Maybe not. What guy parks if he thinks the cops are here?" Olivia asked. Elliot just shrugged; his eyes never leaving the van and then its driver as he exited the vehicle. Cray was carrying a large black duffel bag.
"What do you think is in that bag?" Olivia wondered.
"Surveillance tool kit? Tell Munch and Fin," Elliot told her. She nodded and grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to the other two detectives. Then she sent a text to Kenny. She had an idea.
"He's fishing around in the duffel for something," her partner suddenly said. That's when Olivia noticed Elliot reaching for his gun. She quickly did the same, unclipping her holster before pulling out her weapon. They watched as Cray pulled out a different set of keys than the ones he used to drive the van.
"Why wouldn't you keep your car keys on the same ring as your house keys?" Olivia asked.
"SVU portable to Central," Elliot suddenly had an idea.
"This is Central. Go ahead SVU portable," the reply came back.
"Does Cray have another vehicle registered in his name?" He wondered.
"Stand by, SVU portable," was the answer. Olivia took the time to alert Munch and Fin that Cray had entered his apartment building. The radio crackled to life but neither partner heard it as the sudden sound of gunfire and bullets whizzing around them.
"Ten-thirteen! Shots fired!" Were the last words over the radio before it went dead.
To Be Continued…