[Chapter 5: The Search]

At the ten o'clock meeting, the detectives filled each other on what each had found out in the preceding hours.

Fin and Munch had spent the last four hours separating the good leads from the bad leads from the NYPD tip line. 'Not much to go on from the tip line and so we started to look at CCTV footage in the area but again we came up with zilch! No one and nothing seems to have seen these girls.' Said Fin quite despondently.

Amanda stood up and walked up towards the board and pinned four photos to the board. 'Sorry I am a bit late guys. I had one last called to make before I could give feedback.'

'That's fine, Rollins. You got anything for us?'

I've got four perps who have all serve time and are on the sex offenders list. I've contacted their parole officers and all four have to be home after nine pm so after this meeting I plan on joining their parole officers as we knock on some doors.'

'Ok great work.' Cragen said. At least that was something. 'Nick and Liv?'

'We went through the employment records of all who work at the school. They seem to run a clean ship. No criminal records that we can see.' Offered Nick.

'Liv, what is that look?' Cragen could see that she was thinking about something.

'Um… probably nothing sir' she replied

'Liv, apart from Amanda's four sex offenders, we have a board full of nothing. I'm taking all ideas here.'

'The grounds keeper, Philip Martins, his worked at five schools in eight years…'

'Go on' encouraged Cragen

'Well, as far as I can see his record is clean, but he has worked in five different states. I just can't help thinking why he keeps moving.'

'Caretakers do live on the grounds and they know the grounds as well as anyone.' Contributed Munch.

'Yeah but we can't question the guy just because he moves around.' Liv said.

'Ok, this is the plan. Liv, do some more digging. See if you find anything more on this guy. We need to rule everyone out, you might as well start there. Amanda, Fin and Munch you go with the uniforms and parole officers and see what the four have to say for themselves. Nick, you continue to handle any tips or leads that may come in and help with background checks. And guys, if we are still nowhere by the early hours, I need you to start rotating time in the crib. Start with two hours each till you've all had a chance and then increase it to four if we still working. When we are tired, we start missing clues.

There were nods all around as the detectives moved away.

By the time Amanda, Fin and Munch returned it was just past 12am.

'Hey Liv' said Munch 'you still behind that computer.'

'Yip. Still at it.' She replied as she stood up to stretch. 'You guys get anything?'

Captain Cragen walked into the bullpen as his detectives started to relay their news to Olivia.

"Well, three of our friends were at home. They all have alibis and we checked two of the alibis and they pan out. The third alibi we can only check in the morning.' Amanda offered.

'Our fourth friend wasn't home. He's violated his parole by not being home by 10pm. We've contacted his parole officer and they trying to find him.'

'Ok. Fin stay on them. We need to find this guy ASAP! If he has the girls….'

'I know Captain. I'm work with them to help them and they know how urgent it is.'

'And Amanda,' said Cragen turning around to face Amanda. 'About that other alibi…. It's tomorrow morning.'

'That it is.'

'Where's Nick?' Munch questioned.

'The tip line was very quiet and I was doing the background checks so we thought its best that he take the first shift in the crib.' Olivia replied.

The detectives were quietly going about their business when Nick came back down and headed straight to the coffee machine. He hated these types of cases where no one really got enough sleep.

'Hey. What did I miss?'

'Hi sleepy head.' Olivia said looking up at her partner who was still wiping the sleep out of his eyes. 'Three of the four parolees have been found and cleared. The fourth, Michael Hopkins, is in the wind. He wasn't home when Fin and the guys knocked on his door after ten, violating his parole. Fin and Munch are working with their parole officers.'

'And the background checks?'

'Difficult to do at 2am when people are asleep but I'm doing what I can.'

'And your guy that you have the feeling about?' Nick knew Olivia had worked this unit long enough to have good gut instincts and on a case like this instincts were all they had to go on.

'Mmm. I'm not sure. Still have the feeling that something is amiss but I have nothing to go on. No criminal record, nothing suspicious on social media, or on the Net. He did help us search the grounds so maybe I'm wrong. But I want to phone the other schools later when people are awake. There's nothing I can do at this time of day.' She said in frustration.

'Amanda.'

'Yes, Liv.'

'Wanna go get some shut eye?'

'You guys all ok?'

'We're all tired, Amanda, but we all can't go. So get going.'

'Thanks Munch'

'Enjoy, partner.' Fin rubbed her shoulder as he walk past.

'Excuse me Capt.' Olivia knock on Cragen's door.

'Liv, come in. Got any news.'

'Wish I had Capt.'

'What's up then?

'Capt, Nick is back and we've sent Amanda up. How about getting out of here for few hours?'

'Oh I don't know…'

'Capt, we all working the case and you sitting doing paperwork waiting. What if I call you if we get a lead? We need a fresh face for the cameras in a few hours.'

'You'll call me?'

'Straight away, Captain.'