Helpless

(Chapter Ten: Control)

It was pouring rain as Elliot sat across from Olivia at a booth in the back of a small café. They were waiting for answers and only one man could give them. Olivia raised her coffee cup to her mouth as she watched the door for the familiar face of a man she hadn't seen in almost three years. Elliot however stared at his watch nervously.

"He isn't gonna show."

"He'll be here. He told me he would be here and he will."

"He is already fifteen minutes late."

"He will be here. Relax."

"I don't like this."

"Don't like what, Elliot? We need answers and he can give them to us. Or at least point us in the right direction."

He stared at her with a clear look of frustration.

"You don't like it, because it is Porter."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. The look on your face said it for you."

He would never admit it, but she was right. It could have been any other man in the world and it would not have bothered him as much as Dean Porter walking back into her life. In Elliot's mind Dean Porter was the one who had kept Olivia away from him all of that time she was in Oregon. Sure is was Star who had convinced her to go to Oregon in the first place, but it was Porter who kept her there all of those months when she should have been back in New York with Elliot where she belonged.

"I don't like the guy," he scoffed.

"You don't have to. You just have to sit here and hold a civilized conversation with him over a cup of coffee long enough for us to get the information we need." She stared at Elliot as he curled the corner of his paper placemat in his fingers, obviously nervous about their meeting with Porter. "Nothing happened," she said as she leaned back in the booth and folded her arms in front of her.

"What?"

"Between he and I. Nothing happened."

"I didn't ask about that."

"And you never would, I know that. But I know you, El. That is what you are wondering and have been wondering since I cam back from Portland."

He raised his eye to stare into hers.

"I didn't tell you before because it never came up. And it wasn't really any of your business. But we are together now, so you have a right to know. Nothing happened."

"All of those phone calls when you first came back…"

She smiled. "We were friends. He wanted more. I didn't."

"You shot him down?"

"It wasn't really like that. He never really came out and said that he wanted to…. He just sort of hinted around. We would be talking and he would sort of stare at me and lean into me, like he was going to kiss me. I turned away from him. Not making it obvious I was shooting him down, just trying to show him I was there for business. And when that business had finished, I came back home."

"What did you talk about?"

"Besides the case? You, mostly."

"Me?"

"Yes. Apparently I drove him crazy. He used to ask me if my partner back in New York thought I was as big a pain in the ass as he did."

"What did you tell him?"

"That we were best friends. And we had worked together for many years. And if I was that big of a hassle, I would be glad to go home and he could deal with the hippie tree huggers himself."

"Good girl."

Olivia smiled. "Speak of the devil." She shifted her eyes to look behind Elliot and watch as Porter walked over to their table.

"Olivia," he said leaning to hug her as she stood.

Elliot stood with his coffee cup in hand to shake hands with him.

"You must be the infamous Elliot Stabler."

"I am." Elliot quickly slid into the booth next to Olivia, preventing Porter from sitting next to her.

"Olivia talked about you a lot when she was in Portland."

"Yeah well, we are very close."

"She said you were best friends."

"Oh, we are. But our relationship is a lot more than just a friendship," he said staring Agent Porter down.

"So," Olivia said clearing her throat, "can you tell us why the F.B.I. was investigating the victim?"

"Olivia, you know I can't give you details on an open investigation. Especially considering the fact that the two of you are way out of your district and have no claim to the case."

"No, we don't have claim to it. But we are kind of doing our own investigation and your name came up."

"How?"

"No, no. You first. Why are the feds involved?"

"We busted him on the embezzlement, but he isn't the one we want. We worked a deal, he was helping us gather evidence on the big shots behind the scam. Someone on the inside must have found out he was working with us and killed him to shut him up. Your turn. What are you doing this far from home? I know you are not in with us on this one."

"No. I knew Kate. We were roommates in college. Elliot and I were here for the wedding."

"Then after the murders you decided to come up here and try to work the case? You working with the locals?"

"Not exactly. We are kind of doing our own thing."

"That is illegal."

"Of course if we find any incriminating evidence we are going to turn it over to the sheriff and his team."

"Then why exactly did I get a phone call from you and not them?"

"Because, I found this." Olivia placed the flash drive on the table in front of her.

"What is on it?"

"Files. Containing enough evidence, contact information and bank account numbers, to put the entire group of thieves in prison for twenty five to thirty years."

"So why haven't you turned it over?"

"Because we want them for the murders."

"Why do you care? I mean I know she was your friend. But why don't you hand that over to me and step back and let the locals take care of the rest?"

"Because they have no idea what they are dealing with. They have never had a case like this." She exhaled and looked away from him for a moment. When her eyes met Porter's again they were full of tears. "Because we saw what those men did to them, to all of them. And I want justice."

"You saw the bodies?"

"Yes," she said softly. "We were there."

"You walked through the crime scene?"

"No. We were there when they were murdered."

"My God, Olivia." He reached across the table for her hand as her tears began to fall. But Olivia pulled away from him.

"I was supposed to be her maid of honor. Elliot and I cam in for the wedding and we were guests at the house. The night it all went down, he woke up to the sounds of the struggle downstairs. We were both unarmed. He woke me and we hid in the closet until it was quiet. We listened as they killed Kate and Max and her mother. We had tried to call out for help, but they cut the phone lines. They came back into the room and we hid under the bed. They had Kate's father and they made him open the safe. They were looking for something. When they didn't find it, they killed him. Elliot and I watched him die from under that bed. They trashed the place to try and make it look like a robbery. I think whatever it is they were looking for is on that flash drive."

"Where did you get it?"

"It doesn't matter. The information there is enough to close your case," she reached out and closed her hand around it once more.

"What are you doing?"

"It's yours. Right after you help us put away the guys who killed Kate and her family."

"Olivia, you are with holding evidence in a federal investigation. I could have you arrested."

"Are you sure?" She asked holding up the little black flash drive. "Do you have any idea what kind of lawsuit I could have against the F.B.I. if you arrest me and that evidence you want so badly is not on this?"

"That is blackmail."

"I'll do whatever it takes. But I give you my word. When those men are in custody, I will gladly hand over the flash drive with everything you need to close your case."

Porter shook his head and looked at Elliot.

"You are just going to sit there and let her incriminate herself?"

"I'm just here for the coffee." Elliot said with a shit eating grin. Even he hadn't seen that move coming. But he loved watching Olivia so cool and calm as she held Porter hostage for the information at her fingertips.

"Okay," Porter said. "You have a deal."

He and Olivia sat in their car as they watched Porter drive away.

"That was amazing," Elliot said with a grin.

"Thank you."

"You really carried that flash drive in there and waved it around in front of him knowing how important it was to his investigation? What if he had just taken it from you? Or arrested you?"

She laughed. "Then he would have had a good time explaining in court how your ipod play list could possibly be the link to closing his case."

"What?"

Olivia laughed and tossed the flash drive to Elliot.

"I switched them back at the hotel. This one just has a bunch of music on it."

"Where is the real one?"

"In a very safe place," she said with a smile and she pulled it from her bra.

Elliot laughed.

"I am not letting this out of my possession. It could save both our lives if we get into a bind."

"Damn you are smart!"

"I try," she said with a smile.

"So what now?"

"We wait. If I know Dean porter, the way I think I do. He will be back around with something that will help us. He wants this too bad," she said holding up the flash drive before slipping it back into her bra.

"You keep it there, I know a lot of guys who would be interested in it."

Olivia laughed and shook her head.

"Let's get out of here."

"Yes, ma'am."