Chapter 24
It had been a long night and it had slowly stretched into the early morning hours. Everyone was dead on their feet and the next shift would be along shortly. All samples were being collected and then sent to the FBI lab but Melinda was dealing with the bodies or what remained of them.
"How many does that make?" Olivia asked the Medical Examiner. She'd caught her colleague at the back of the mortuary van where the last of the bodies had been loaded into.
"Too many, but if you're looking for a more definitive number, thirty-five. That doesn't include the others we found before all of this," Melinda said.
"How was he getting away with this?" The Captain couldn't believe it.
"I can't say for certain but once I can identify the victims a clearer pattern may emerge," the Medical Examiner promised.
"Well just keep me posted. The Fibbies will have their hands full with this one. I sent Fin and Churlish back to the precinct to get the files together," Olivia heaved a sigh.
"Get some rest Liv. Howey is someone else's headache now. Especially since Huang is helping them with the profile he worked up. I'm guessing New Jersey has decided they don't want any of this mess?" Melinda asked.
"Detective Gonzalez of the New Jersey State Troopers already read his DA the riot act over the phone. I may give him a job if he got himself fired," Olivia smirked.
"He'd be a great fit," the Medical Examiner chuckled. She wished her friend a good day before climbing into the van. Olivia wished her well and headed back to her SUV. There, she found a surprise leaning up against the driver's door.
"Elliot… I thought…" the words died in her throat as he pulled her into his arms.
"How are you doing?" He asked.
"I'm exhausted," she admitted.
"Is Lucy still on duty?" Elliot wanted to know.
"She promised to get Noah to school before she heads home," Olivia said.
"Then I suggest we both find the closest bed and get some sleep," he told her.
"You home now?" She wanted to know.
"I'm home now. The case is done," Elliot didn't have the heart to tell her about the crazy night with the drug dealers and the mobile drug lab. Never mind the fact that he and Reyes had almost gotten themselves killed. She didn't need that on her plate.
"I'm driving," he told her and she made no argument, handing him the keys, which meant she was really tired. They climbed in the SUV and Elliot pulled the vehicle into traffic. He wheedled his way through the now early morning traffic and despite his apartment being closer, Elliot made the conscious decision to go to her apartment. His mom's aide had been living at his place and he needed sleep, which he wouldn't be able to do if he had to worry about his declining mother.
"Thought we were finding the closest bed," Olivia gave him a look at a redlight.
"Ever the detective, Captain. I didn't want to disturb Ma," he admitted.
"How is Bernie?" She asked. She could tell by the steely look that what he was about to say wasn't good.
"She's forgetting a lot. Randall is coming into town to help out," Elliot said.
"Where is he coming from?" Olivia made a note that he hadn't spoken much of Randall, even when they were partners.
"Florida. He told me the other day that Joey is in the city. I thought he was still in the service. Those years away really did not help anyone," he heaved a sigh.
"Hey, you helped your marriage. You got years with Kathy that you know you would not have had here. You would have had to have visitation with Eli only, instead of getting to be there for him as a dad," she reminded him.
"No matter my decision, someone was going to get screwed," he huffed.
"Sometimes that's just the way it goes. What we need to do now, is make the most of what we have," Olivia said.
"I have every intention of making the most of it," Elliot promised.
To Be Continued…