[Chapter 8 : Trying To Get To The Truth]

As Olivia walked back to her desk, she saw a parcel on her desk. Moving closer she noticed it was a single rose and some chocolates and peanuts. She looked questioning at Amanda and Fin.

'Don't look at us. We've just come back from the other school.'

Olivia sat down and found the note with the goodies. She opened it.

'Hey you. Tough first case back. Thought you could use something to boost your energy. Whenever you feel ready, I'm here. Take your time, you're worth the wait. B.'

Olivia sat back in her chair, still holding the note in her hand, smiling. 'I'm here. Take your time, you're worth the wait.' Those were words she had never heard in her life. She had thought for sure she'd lost him when she pushed him away a few weeks ago. It appeared that he hadn't gone far. He knew she was working this case. He probably knew the by now they were all running on fumes, hence the energy boost. And he knew that this would be a tough case for her first up. She liked the way he'd let her know he was still interested without forcing her to see him.

'And that smile?' Amanda quizzed Olivia as she walked by. It was good to see her friend with a smile on her face.

'Um, maybe not everything in my life is as messed up as I thought.' Olivia said shyly as she walked over to pour herself a coffee.

'Liv. Don't even think about that.' Nick said as he walked into the squad room. 'We've got the warrant.'

'Too late. I'd already put action to the thought.' Olivia said as she walked back to her desk empty handed and put on her jacket.

'Fin. Amanda. Go with Liv and Nick. Be safe guys.' Cragen said as he stood at his door.

Sitting in the car as Nick drove, she was playing with her phone. Suddenly she opened it and started typing.

'Going to serve a warrant on the guy we think took the girls. Thanks for the boost. Can I call when I get a moment? Liv'

A few minutes later while they were still on route, her phone beeped.

'Hey. Call anytime. Working a double. Be careful. B'

She allowed her head to rest on the back of her chair. Maybe there was light at the end of this very dark tunnel.

They had been interviewing the two suspects for three hours by now. Nick and Olivia had been going at Philip Martin and Fin and Rollins had been busy with Donna Kerry.

'Just tell us what you did with them. Are they still alive?' Snapped Nick.

'Wouldn't you like to know?' Came the sarcastic reply.

Just then there was a knock on the window. The Captain giving them the signal that he wanted to speak to them.

The Captain gathered his detectives in his office. He needed to see where they were at both with the case as well as individually. They were nearing the end of the second day on a very difficult case and he needed to check where his detectives were at.

Fin and Amanda were the first to file in to Cragen's office. Fin stood on the side of Cragen's office with his hands in his pocket and Amanda took a seat in one of his chairs towards the back. Nick and Olivia quickly followed and Nick stood forward lean against the back of a chair. Olivia stood opposite Fin on the other side of Cragen's office. The captain looked between the four and knew he had his work cut out for him. His crew were tired, very tired but he had to motivate them to keep going, they still had two missing children.

'I sent a uni to go wake up Munch, Captain.' Fin spoke.

And just as he did there was a knock on the door and Munch walked in.

'Sorry I'm late Captain'

'No problem John. Ok, where are we?'

'Captain, they sticking to their story and not giving us anything.' Nick said quite dejectedly.

All the others just stood silently. Captain Cragen drew in a deep breath.

'OK guys. I know you are all extremely tired. We've been going for almost two days. But we have to remember why we are all here. We have two ten year old girls, who knows where and in what shape, we can't stop now. Any suggestions?'

'What if we swop suspects? Try to use the fact that we've been in with the other and they've spoken to us.'

'Could work.' Olivia replied.

'Ok. Let's try that. Have we heard anything back from forensics?'

The room remained silent. The captain took the silence as a no.

'Ok, someone phone them and tell them to kick some ass. We need something as in yesterday! Who's next in the crib?'

Each of them looked at each other. The all were so tired. Fin spoke first.

'Amanda, you go. I'll take the next one.'

'Thanks Fin.'

'I'll phone forensics.' Olivia offered

'Ok. Munch you partner with Fin and take Philip Martins. Liv and Nick, you have a go at Miss Kerry.'

The captain sat back down at his desk and put on his glasses. He was going nowhere tonight. His team needed him, if only for moral support.

Olivia put down her phone. She'd just spoken to forensics and they assured her that they too were working though the night to get them any piece of evidence they could find.

She pushed her chair back with all intention of getting up and finding Nick so they could start speaking to Donna Kerry. But she just sat there with her elbows on her knees and her head hanging down. She was truly tired. Then it dawned on her, she promised to call Brian hours ago. She grabbed her phone and started texting.

'So sorry haven't called. Have had no time. Suspects not giving it up. We've had 15min break, heading back in now. Liv.'

She then put her phone back in the drawer and went to find Nick.

'I can't help you. I don't know anything.' Kerry said

'Ok. Let' try this once again. When last did you see the girls?' Olivia tried to press the reset button for the third time. Maybe if they could catch her changing any detail in her story, they could force her into telling the truth.

'As I said before, detectives, I saw the girls as the kids went out to recess and that it the last time I saw them.'

'And after recess, it took you more than half an hour to discover the two of your students did not return after the break?' Nick said as he walked around the room.

'I wish I had noticed it earlier, but we were doing an activity which required the children to move around. So, I'm very sorry but I didn't notice that they didn't return.'

'So how do you think a book that your class were reading landed up under the bed in your spare room?'

'Maybe it fell out of my bag.'

'Do you normally take you schoolwork into your spare bedroom?' Olivia questioned the teacher. 'Because I know I don't often go into my spare room with my daily bag.'

'I guess not.'

'So how did it land up under the bed?'

'I don't know! I don't know!'

'Could it be that they were in your spare bedroom?' Nick was now leaning on the table.

'I guess so but why?'

'Could they of gone home with Philip?'

'No, he loves children. He knows its against the rules to have the school kids at our house.'

'But he has done it before. Hasn't he?'

'What?! No! You lying to me! I want my lawyer!'

By 11pm that night both suspects had lawyered up. The detectives were frustrated that they had being unable to get more out of the suspects. With both of them hiding behind their lawyers, the detectives spent the rest of the night trying to find any piece of evidence or information that they could use to get a confession or that would lead them to the girls.

During the night Fin and Munch both had their turns in the crib. And although the detectives were getting some sleep, it wasn't restful sleep or nearly long enough to allow them to feel rested. It purely was enough to keep them going.

At 7am Olivia sat at her desk, she knew she had to go speak to her Captain. He had offered to help her whenever she needed but she still hated asking for favours especially when they were in the middle of a case. She could just cancel but she also knew how important it was for her to keep these appointments and she knew cancelling one would make it easier for her to keep cancelling every time something came up. With one last deep breathe she got up and walked towards his office'

She knocked on his door before opening it.

'Captain, a word?'

'Sure Liv, what's up?'

'Um, it's not about the case.'

'That's okay. Have a seat.'

'You know when you said if I needed anything….'

'And I meant it, Liv'

'Thanks Captain. My therapy sessions…..um, I try to schedule them at the end of the day but this week the Doc could only see me in the morning.' Cragen was glad she had come to him but he could see how difficult it still was for her to accept that she needed help.

'What time?

'8am. But if you need me here I can reschedule. I'll just say we working a case and …'

'Liv, its okay. Go. Actually I was thinking that giving you all some time away from this case would be helpful. So go to your session and maybe go grab a bite to eat somewhere. I'll see you at 11am. And Liv I know you didn't get a chance in the crib last night, so work that into your day.' He could see she was going to protest. 'Fair is fair Liv. They all going to get time off even when they slept last night. Same goes for you'

Olivia just nodded.

The captain walked Olivia out his office.

'Listen up guys,' he said to get his troops attention. 'Day 3, new rules. Everyone gets three hours off in the next twenty-four hours to get out of here. This does not replace the hours in the crib. So even if you get the one, you also take the other. Captain's orders. When you are working I need your head in the game. Liv's going to start the out-of-office rotation. Back to work.'

Cragen turned around and put his hand on Olivia's shoulder. 'Take it easy on yourself, ok?'

'I'll try.'

Olivia walked to her desk to retrieve her things out of her desk.

'So what you gonna do with your three hours?' Amanda and Fin both looked at her with a smile.

'Following up on a secret package that landed on your desk yesterday?'

'I wish. Got somewhere I must be. Sorry have to run. Tell Nick when he gets up?'

'Sure. Ok. See you Liv.'

Fin could only think ok a few appointments that Olivia would leave work for in the middle of a case and neither would be considered fun.