AN: This is my first original CI story so let me know if I should keep going! Thank you!
Disclaimer: All owned by Dick Wolf
She pulled her laptop bag and purse tighter onto her shoulder and zipped her coat up against the wind. It was February in New York and winter showed no signs of slowing down. Her hair whipped against her face as she hurried across the street to the parking lot. She'd been the last one in the office. She didn't love that this lot had no lights, but it was the closest to her building and there hadn't been any problems. She sighed as she clicked the 'unlock' on her key fob and opened the passenger side door to throw her things in. She didn't hear the footsteps until it was too late. The smell of pot was the last thing she was aware of as someone cracked her over the head and she fell crumpling to the ground.
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"Ellie Canter, according to her drivers' license", Eames called to Goren from across the parking lot. She had found the woman's wallet thrown in the corner, no cash or credit cards inside, just the ID. It was hard to tell if it was her, as her face had been bashed in. It was a pretty good guess though.
Eames walked over to where Goren was standing. He hovered over the body, taking in the woman's features. "45 years old, Address in SoHo", Eames continued. "No wedding ring", Goren started. "What was she doing out here?"
"It's a pay-per-month lot. Probably worked in one of those buildings. I'll have the cops start a canvas, see if anyone knows her." "No defensive wounds", Goren said. "A blitz attack," Eames stated. Goren nodded. "Just like the others. No wonder we got this one." Eames sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. It had been the February from hell for New York City, and consequently for Eames and Goren. Blitz attacks up and down Manhattan streets. Parking lots, parking garages, parks. Women in their 40's, unmarried, professional. Always left the ID, took everything else. Trying to make it look like a robbery, but there was something…else…in the signature. Something that Eames and Goren were trying to piece together. Because it was the only way they were going to catch him.
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Back in the autopsy bay, Goren poked and prodded at the wound on Ellie's head while Rodger's outlined the basics.
"COD was blunt force trauma. No signs of sexual assault. Nothing illicit on her tox screen. But I did find lithium in her system".
"Lithium", Eames answered back, "Isn't that used to treat…" "Bipolar disorder", Bobby interrupted, "Ellie was being treated for bipolar disorder." "Does that jive with anything in the other women's files?", Eames asked. Rodgers shuffled some papers around, searching for an answer. "Small traces of lithium in the other women", she said. "Smaller traces than Ellie?", Eames asked. Rodgers nodded. Bobby brought his hand up to his mouth, his eyes darting back and forth between the files. "They…they stopped taking their medication. But Ellie didn't. Why? What was different for her? What did the other women's friends and family say? About their moods leading up to their deaths?" It was Eames' turn to search the files, looking for statements from collaterals.
"Here", she said, "Melissa's sister said that she'd had the flu for the last week. That she'd only gone to the park that day because she was starting to feel better. Jennifer's boss said that she'd been unusually bright and cheery at work in the weeks leading up to her death. Planning a party for the staff, taking on new projects. Ester's friend said she picked up a guy in a bar two weeks ago. Very unlike her, she said."
At Eames' words, he started pacing. She could practically hear his gears turning. "Melissa…it could have been a depressive episode. Jennifer and Ester…mania." "They lied to their friends and family?" "Well, people don't exactly advertise mental illness. But these women. They were successful, had social lives, lived on their own. That can be difficult when dealing with bipolar disorder." "So why would they stop taking their medication if they were doing so well?" "It happens a lot. People think they feel better, they stop taking their meds. Or they feel numb, miss the high." "Except for Ellie," Eames said. "But why? This is the connection…I just…I just can't see it", Goren said in frustration. "We gotta find out more about Ellie," she said.