Several hours later. Casey returned looking agitated.
"What's up Casey?" Fin asked taking notice.
"All of you come with me." She said. Fin, Munch, Olivia and Penn followed her into Cragen's office.
"What's this about?" he asked.
"Close the door." Casey said. Everyone watched curiously as Penn stepped further into the office and closed the door behind her.
"Care to share some details?" Munch asked.
"This jacket is a model of perfection. First in his academy class, accommodations with in his first six months, medals for bravery, brother hood honors. Tested fifth out of two thousand on the sergeant's exam. Promoted to captain in record time. He turned the dirtiest precinct into the most requested post in all of the NYPD." Casey said.
"Sounds like an angel." Munch said.
"Sounds like a bunch of made up bullshit to me." Fin said with a snort. "No one is that clean. Even the commissioner has a couple of right ups in his file."
"Your not doing your job if you don't get suspended standing up for something." Olivia said.
"What's the catch Casey?" Cragen asked. "Do you think the file is fake? Forged some how?"
"Not sure, but I know that something is not right." She answered.
"So you brought us in here to tell us nothing." Penn stated. "Great use of time." Casey looked at her with a scathing look.
"Ok then. What can you offer?" Casey asked.
"Can I see that file?" Penn asked. Reluctantly Casey handed it over.
"Dose anyone have anything else to add?" Cragen asked.
"Julia Gains is clean, even under her maiden name of Wineman. No record, her finances are clean and medical records confirmed her one miscarriage. However it makes no mention of having four kids. Only the one, a healthy baby girl four years ago." Olivia said.
"Doesn't tell us much. We suspected the kids might not belong to both, different mothers." Fin said.
"Gains said he would fax the birth certificates over in the morning. That will hopefully clear up any questions regarding that. What else?"
"Nothing on Stryker so far. I called Oregon. The secretary told me she had never heard of anyone by that name. Intrigued I asked to speak to a supervisor and she informed me they were all out to lunch. I kindly requested she check the files just in case. She came back ten minutes later saying she had the file but couldn't for the life of her remember who he was. She said she would check with the chief and over night the file." Munch answered.
"Sounds like we are done for tonight. Everyone go home. We will meet tomorrow." Cragen said dismissing everyone.
"Any one get the feeling we are standing in a mine field waiting for the explosions to start?" Casey asked. Everyone nodded.
"Anyone up for a drink? Carmines?" Fin asked.
"Sounds great." Olivia answered.
"As long as there is food." Munch replied.
"I could use a drink." Casey said. Everyone looked to Penn as they began to collect their coats and bags.
"You in new kid?" Fin asked.
"No. I have a dinner date." Penn answered. Without further explanation or even a backward glance she pulled on her coat and hurried out of the squad room, cell phone to her ear.
"Ok then. So much for team bonding." Casey said.
"Hey if I had a date I would be hurrying out of here to." Olivia said.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Penn was again the first to arrive in the squad room the next morning. She was sitting at her desk looking through files when the others started to arrive.
"Looks like that drink turned into a few drinks." Penn said. Fin and Olivia entered the squad room looking like they had a rough night. They each had very bloodshot eyes with dark circles around each eye.
"Let's just say I woke up on someone else's couch this morning." Fin said dropping into his chair. "Anyone have any aspirin?" he asked.
"Yes aspirin and coffee." Olivia chimed in. Munch arrived coffees and doughnuts in hand. He appeared well rested and smiling ear to ear.
"You young bloods need to learn when to quit." He said passing around coffee and doughnuts. "I knew when to say no and had a very pleasant night."
"You said no because you were falling asleep." Fin said with cheek. Munch glared at him over the top of his spectacles.
"What did you do with Casey?" Penn asked. Fin looked up from his coffee with a look of concern.
"Where did Casey end up?" he asked. "I can't remember."
"She slept in my guest room." Olivia answered. "She left with me. Said she needed to go home and would be here later." Fin's expression changed from concern to a large toothy smile.
"We did have fun last night." He said. "Do I hazily remember…" Before he could begin reminiscing about their night Cragen entered the squad room looking heated.
"We are in it now." He exclaimed. "IAB and 1PP are asking questions. They want to know how big this case is and they want assurances we are not conducting a witch hunt here. This will bring a lot of negative attention to the department and they want to know it is for a good reason."
"More like they want to get out ahead of it and put a positive spin on it in order to save their asses. If this blows up we will be the one's losing our shields not the brass or IAB." Munch said. Cragen shot a glaring look at Munch who knew that meant his opinion was not appreciated or needed at that moment.
"Tell me something new." Cragen said.
"Stryker's file is here but I haven't had a chance to go through it yet." Munch answered holding a large mailing envelope.
"Munch and Fin focus on that. Do we have the birth certificates yet?" Penn produced several pages of paper from the file on her desk.
"New York birth certificates. Mother listed as a Naomi Hess and father listed as Dawson Gains. Dates match the ages of the kids." She described handing them to Cragen.
"Well that changes everything. The kidnapped kids were born and raised in Oregon, not New York." Cragen said. Disappointment rippled across everyone's face. Cragen passed the papers around the squad room. When they finally reached Munch he took an extra long look at them.
"So now all we have for leads is this detective Stryker's file?" Cragen asked rubbing his forehead.
"And Casey's forged personal file theory." Penn answered sarcastically. Cragen did not appreciate this comment.
"I think I have a lead." Munch said. He was still holding the copied birth certificates in his hand. Everyone stared at him.
"These may not be real." He stated.
"Care to explain." Cragen said.
"Dawson Gains is a high ranking, powerful official. If he wanted to get a few real but fake birth certificates it would not be hard. We need to interview the clerk who issued these certificates."
"John you're stretching." Fin said. "Why go through the trouble? Paying off city clerks is extortion, plus bribery and conspiracy to commit fraud against the city of New York. Those are heavy charges to be facing."
"Let's find out. Olivia and Penn talk to the clerk and get the real story out of him. Munch and Fin call the hospital in Oregon where the kidnapped kids where born. I want the original copies here, now." Penn looked to Olivia and rolled her eyes, which was noticed by Cragen.
"Do you have a problem with those orders?" he asked.
"No sir." Penn answered truthfully.
"Then do you have a question about my orders?" he asked struggling to keep calm.
"Why is it that Benson and I always have to chase Munch's weird conspiracy theories? They are his theories why doesn't he chase them?" Penn asked with no hesitation. Munch, Fin and Olivia all inhaled sharply and held their breath waiting for Cragen to explode. Cragen's hands curled into fists and a vane began to pulse above his right eye. Everyone waited silently looking from Penn to Cragen.
"We can discuss that when you come back from interviewing the city clerk." Cragen barley opened his mouth when he spoke. Penn opened her mouth to argue. Olivia felt this would be a good time to intervene.
"You got it captain." She grabbed Penn by the arm and pulled her towards the elevators. Even as their backs turned the corner the vain over Cragen's eye continued to pulsate.
Olivia did not say anything until they reached the squad car.
"Look I don't know how things were done in major crimes or the eighth but you don't ever question an order from your commanding officer." Olivia did not yell or raise her voice in any way. Her tone was sharp and serious, like a big sister to a little sister.
"Just testing the boundaries." Penn stated. Olivia shook her head and got into the car.