"Ok." I sighed, watching Elliot circle Stemple like a bird of prey in the interrogation room," Don…where're Munch and Fin?"
"Out looking for our girl, where do you think?" The Captain sighed, and I wasn't surprised at all to see that he looked almost as tired and exhausted as I felt. It was later than I cared to be up. Like I had told Stemple, I had a bunch of homework waiting for me at home. Sometimes it's hard being a fifteen-year-old detective for the Special Victims Unit, while juggling school and a social life.
I sighed.
"Not any more we're not!" A familiar voice called out. George, Olivia, Don and I all wheeled around, and saw Munch and Fin striding towards us. They both had melted snow in their hair, as I could see. Munch gave his head a shake, sending water all over Oliva.
"Nice one, Munch." Olivia muttered.
"Find anything?" I asked Fin.
"Nada," The man growled, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his coat and scowling, "Hey Captain! Next time you're handing out assignments, make sure that Munch and I AREN'T the ones who get to run around New York with Missing Persons all day!"
I chuckled weakly, as Don said wryly, "I'll keep that in mind."
"How about you guys? Anything outta Stemple?" Munch asked, nodding his head at the door to the room.
"Nothing but a few veiled marriage proposals for our kid here!" Olivia said, elbowing me humorlessly.
"Fuh-nee." I said saradonically. I looked from Munch and Fin to George Huang,
"Truthfully, we were doing just fine until the good docter here went and threw a monkey wrench into our entire works here…."
George sighed, and rolled his eyes uncharacteristically.
"George doesn't think Stemple's our guy," Don summarized, saving the man from any further poking or prodding.
"Who else could it be?" Fin exclaimed, his eyebrow creasing.
Huang shrugged, "How am I to know? Maybe Stemple does."
"Talk to him, George," Olivia said lightly, "See what you can get from him."
"Let's hear what Ell has to say, first!" I said, crossing the hall in one bound, and flipping the switch on the speaker on the wall. I leaned against the glass, watching the two men inside.
"You like 'em young, Daniel?" Elliot demanded, tapping a forefinger on the picture of Veronica, still resting innocently on the table, " You like 'em young?"
Here Elliot got nose to nose with the man. I could Elliot was trying to fight down his poisonous rage, as was normally the case with him and Pedophiles. Stemple wasn't saying a word, crossing his arms stubbornly, jamming his chin into his chest.
"Answer me!" Elliot yelled, smacking him.
I made a convulsive movement towards the door, but Don blocked me.
"Let it go!" He said, grabbing me by the shoulders.
"Let it go?" I demanded, eyes flashing, wrestling free from his grip " NESS, Captain! You know you shouldn't have let Elliot in there! He'll kill the !"
"What's the matter, Stemple, you scared?" Elliot was raising his voice again. He reached across the table, and yanked another photo from the case file, "Does kidnapping little girls make you feel strong? An ounce less pathetic than you really are?"
"Don't…call me…PATHETIC!" Stemple was screaming now. His face was twisted in anger, pain, regret?
"Where did you take Veronica?" Elliot asked again, this time sounding a little calmer than he had before.
"I already told Darlene…..I don't…..know."
"Then what do you know, Daniel? You can at least tell us that, right?" Elliot smiled suddenly, and sank into the chair opposite the man, who was obviously shaken by the detectives mood swing, "Of course you can! That's good. Why don't you start talking to so we can all go home and call it a day?"
For about five minutes, the pair of them were silent.
"What is he trying to do? Sweat it out of him?" Olivia pressed her face against the glass, " We tried that already. The man is a rock."
"I don't know, and I don't think Elliot knows!" Fin commented.
"This is ANOTHER long shot…." I said, catching Don's eye, " But….what if George is right? What if Stemple is telling the truth? What is he is innocent, and we're setting Elliot on the wrong man?"
"We know he was stalking you, Darlene!" Munch said.
'That's not what I said, " I said, cocking my head, "I mean…..what if Daniel Stemple really is being framed?"
