Chapter 32

"I'm Jamie Roenick." Jamie said holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Jeffries said returning the handshake. "Is there someplace where we can talk about the nature of the case. The ADA said it was highly confidential."

"It is. We can use one of the briefing rooms but I have to find Fin before we talk."

"Okay, I'll wait in the bullpen." Jeffries said.

/Chung Chung/

Jamie walked up to the roof of the precinct and found Fin looking over the side. "I knew I'd find you up here." Jamie said.

Fin looked back at her. "Hey. How're you doing?"

"A lot better than Elliot. You really think we'll find his daughter."

"I hope so." Fin said and put his arm around Jamie's shoulder. "No parent should have to go through that."

Jamie sighed and rested her head on Fin's shoulder. "Yeah, you got that right. Anyway, there's a Monique Jeffries here from Vice. Apparently, Don called her in to help us with the case. She's waiting downstairs in the bullpen for us."

"Oh, this is gonna be a little awkward." Fin stated.

Jamie looked at him. "You know her?"

"I was her replacement." Fin answered.

Jamie took a breath. "This is gonna be awkward."

"Yeah."

/Chung Chung/

Nicole sighed as the doctor did his best to stitch up the wound. She looked at the doctor. "Mind just how deep your sticking that thing."

"Sorry, there's not too much light around." The doctor answered.

She grabbed his hand. "Than take the rest out and just wrap it."

"Nic, give him a chance." Munch commented.

She looked at him. "You wanna take my place? It's not exactly like he froze it."

"Okay, there's no point in agruing. Doc, just do what she says." Cragen ordered. He turned to Nicole and Munch. "We need to get that guy back to New York. Right now we have no idea just how high this thing runs. We need to get you," he said to Nicole, "Back where your more safe."

"We can't exactly fly out in this weather." Nicole pointed out.

"We could if we had a bike with a basket on it." Munch replied.

Nicole chuckled. "Yeah and a dog named Toto."

"Funny." Cragen said. "Cut out the Wizard of Oz analogies."

Munch pointed to Nicole. "She started it."

"Oh, sure blame the wounded one." Nicole stated as the doctor finished with her arm.

Munch smirked. "But of course. I know I'm safe because it's not like you can fight back."

"Don't test me, John." Nicole said playfully.

Cragen shook his head. "Okay, doc, when exactly will it be safe for her to travel?" Cragen asked.

"Well, first of all, when the tornado passes and we get power back. But once the storm is over, I don't see why she can't leave within the next day or so."

"Day or so?" Nicole questioned. "Just how many more attacks are there going to be on my life by that point?"

"It's the best I can do. I mean you're lucky to be walking right now."

"Well your not going to be so lucky soon if I can't leave once the storm is over." Nicole said standing up facing the doctor.

Munch grabbed Nicole's arms. "Okay, calm down. As soon as the storm's over we'll all head back to New York, including him." Munch said pointing to Lange who was still unconscious on the floor.

"How the hell are we going to get him back to New York? Hog tie him and throw him in the cargo hold of the plane?"

"That's not a bad idea." Munch stated.

"No, we'll escort him back to New York the same way we would any criminal." Cragen stated. "Handcuffed and shackled."

"Where the hell are we going to get shackles?" Nicole asked.

"Okay, then we'll keep him tied up with the rope. Either way he's making the trip to New York."

/Chung Chung - Two Days Later/

Nicole walked in escorting Lange to interrogation. "Holy crip it's a crapple." Jamie commented watching Nicole.

"Funny." Nicole said as she pushed Lange into the room and shut the door.

Fin looked at Nicole. "Holy shit, you're one big bruise."

"I've become a pain in my own ass, but enough about me." Nicole replied walking to her desk.

Fin looked at Jamie, "She's been around John too much."

Jamie nodded and smiled at Fin. Then she walked over to Nicole. "Glad you're back, partner."

"It's good to be back." Nicole said looking up at Jamie. "Any news on Kathleen?"

Jamie looked grimly at Nicole and shook her head. "No. And Elliot's going nuts."

"Well, I don't blame him." Nicole replied.

"Yeah, well, maybe we can get some answers out of that guy you brought back with you." Jamie said as Elliot walked into the bullpen.

"What guy?" Elliot asked walking up to them.

Nicole stood up from her desk and looked at Elliot. "El, I'm sorry about Kathleen."

Elliot looked at Nicole. "Can I talk to you outside?"

"Yeah, sure thing." she said and followed Elliot out.

/Chung Chung/

Nicole and Elliot left the bullpen and walked a ways down the hall. Then Elliot turned and looked at Nicole. "You gotta tell me what's going on and who's involved. Because apparently if I ever want to see my daughter again, I gotta bring you to them."

Nicole frowned at him. "My God, I can't believe they would do that."

"Yeah, well they did and I swear, if they so much as touch a hair on her head..."

Nicole shook her head. "We won't let that happen. We got someone in interrogation right now who may be able to provide some answers on where we can find Kathleen."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get in there and talk to this prick!" Elliot yelled.

Fin, Munch and Jamie came running out of the bullpen when they heard Elliot yelling. "Hey, calm down Elliot." Munch said as he ran to them.

Elliot sighed and looked at Munch. "I can't stand around here twiddling my thumbs if that asshole in there knows where I can find my daughter."

Fin and Jamie came running and Fin placed his hand on Elliot's shoulder. "Hey, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go in there."

"I have to!" Elliot yelled as Cragen, Olivia and Jeffries were making their way down the hall.

"What the hell is going on here?" Cragen asked.

Munch was standing next to Nicole and she looked up at Cragen. "Elliot knows about Lange and wants to be in the interrogation room." she said..

Cragen looked at Elliot. "That's not a good idea, Elliot. I think we should talk in my office." he said. Elliot looked at Cragen and then took off down the hall. "Okay, I'm gonna go talk with Elliot." Cragen said and walked off.

Olivia looked in the direction of the bullpen and couldn't help but think that if they didn't find Kathleen it was definitely going to destroy Elliot.

/Chung Chung/

Olivia walked into the bullpen as Elliot came barreling out of Cragen's office. She looked at him sympathetically. "Elliot? What's going on?"

Elliot looked at Olivia. "He just took me off the damn case." he replied..

"I'm sorry, Elliot. But maybe it's for the best."

Elliot glared at Olivia. "For the best? My daughter is out there somewhere, alone and scared and I can't be there to comfort her." he said on the verge of tears. "Liv, I have to find her."

Cragen had come out of his office and had heard the conversation between them. "Elliot, I know you're hurting right now, but you're too close to this and you'll lose perspective. Let us handle it okay? Go home and be with Kathy and your other kids. They need you right now." Elliot sighed and looked at Cragen. "Take some leave. We'll keep you updated. I promise."

Elliot nodded, grabbed his keys off his desk and left the bullpen. Olivia watched him leave and then turned her attention back to Cragen. "Captain, this is destroying him."

"I know." Cragen sighed and walked out.

/Chung Chung/

Fin, Jamie, Nicole, Munch and Jeffries were all still in the hallway when Elliot came walking down the hall. Nicole stopped him. "El, are you okay?"

He shook his head. "Cragen took me off the case."

"And you're okay with that?" Jamie asked.

"No. But I don't have a choice." he said and looked at the group. "Just bring my daughter home, please."

Munch looked Elliot. "We'll do our best, man. Go be with your family."

Elliot was about to say something but decided against it and walked off down the hall. Nicole watched him leave and then looked at her friends. "We have to find her and fast." she said.

"Yeah." Jeffries stated. "If we don't, I hate to think what it'll do to him."

Just then Cragen came out of the bullpen and headed for the group. "Okay, Nic, John go home and get some rest."

"Don, I want to interrogate that son of a bitch." Nicole replied.

"Look, I understand. But you need to relax. All this stress isn't good for you. You have to think about your baby now, okay?"

"Don's right, Nicole. Fin and Jamie can interrogate him." Munch added.

Jamie was shocked. She looked at Fin and then back to Nicole and Munch. "Whoa, hold on here, you're pregnant?" she asked.

Nicole nodded. "I found out down in Dallas."

"Well, then it's settled. You go home and get some rest. We'll handle your suspect."

"Hey, your pregnant too. Why don't you go home and get some rest yourself?" Nicole asked.

"Because I wasn't beaten and shot and God knows what else." Jamie replied.

"She's got a point, honey." Munch said.

Nicole sighed and looked at Cragen. "At least let me watch behind the glass."

"Okay. But nothing more, you only get to watch."

"Fine." Nicole replied.

As everyone was walking toward the bullpen, Jamie stopped Nicole and smiled at her. "Congrats by the way."

Nicole smiled back. "Thanks."

/Chung Chung/

Fin and Jamie walked into the interrogation room. Jamie sat across from Adam Lange, while Fin leaned against the wall behind him. Munch, Nicole, Jeffries and Cragen were watching through the glass.

"You know I could sue you for false arrest." Lange said.

Jamie laughed. "False arrest? You were caught in the act trying to kill my partner."

Lange jumped up from his chair. Fin stepped forward, grabbed him by his shoulders and shoved him back down onto the chair. "Sit your ass down." Fin ordered as he moved around the table and sat next to Jamie.

"Now what I want to know is why you tried to kill her?" Jamie asked.

Nicole was on the other side of the glass, steaming. "He's not gonna give us anything." Nicole replied.

Lange leaned forward on the table and looked at Fin and Jamie. "I know my rights. The only thing I have to say is that I'm sorry I didn't get to finish the job. Now I have nothing else to say. I want a lawyer."

Before Fin and Jamie could say anything, Nicole burst into the room and grabbed Lange. Munch, Cragen and Jeffries followed her as she slammed him against the wall and got in his face. "You piece of shit! You put a knife to my fucking throat and you think you have the right to anything! You're going down! Now tell me who sent you to my hospital room!"

Jamie grabbed Nicole and pulled her off of Lange. "Nic! Come on, let him go! You're not gonna get anywhere this way."

Nicole let Lange go and he slipped down to the floor. Jamie let Nicole go and Munch took her out of the room. Jamie sighed and looked at Fin, Jeffries and Cragen. "Okay, put him in a cell for tonight and we'll deal with this in the morning when we've all had some sleep." Cragen said.

Jeffries picked Lange up off the floor and escorted him out. Jamie looked at Fin and Cragen and shook her head. "We need another shot at him, Don. We need to know if knows anything about Kathleen."

"I know, Jamie, but he's not gonna be talking anymore tonight. Besides, he requested a lawyer, there's nothing we can do anyway. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll get some answers." Cragen stated and the three of them walked out of the interrogation room.

TBC...