Content to Just Be - Chapter 4
Elliot pulls into the space reserved for them in the Marriot parking lot. “Let’s get this over with. I wanna find this guy as soon as possible,” he says to Liv as they make their way to the front doors.
“Tell me about it. That way I’ll have time to…” she stops mid sentence and glances sheepishly at Elliot.
“Spend time with Alex?” he finishes for her, with a knowing smirk.
“Yeah, that…” Olivia replies softly.
They make their way up to the 10th floor to see what they can find that might clue them in to where the father might have gone. They search the hotel room high and low, inside and out, for anything that might give them some sort of hint. Olivia’s cell rings.
“Benson,” she answers.
“Liv, it’s Fin. We just finished talking to the Senator. She says he owns a lake house with his brother in upstate New York. You wanna take it, or you want us to?”
“I suppose you should. You and Munch are closer. We’ll go back to the squad and go through the evidence we have already for anywhere else he might have gone, just in case.”
“Cool. We’ll keep you posted.”
Liv slips her phone back into her pocket and turns to Elliot.
“He’s got a lake house in upstate New York,” she shares. “Fin and Munch are on it. We’ve pretty much looked at everything here. Let’s get back to the squad room and see if there’s anything in the evidence we have so far that might point to another place he could be, just in case. Then we can head to his apartment and see if that helps us at all.”
“Great. Let’s go,” Elliot says as he fishes out his car keys. They walk to the car as quickly as they can. They just want to find this guy. No one has the right to drown his kids, no matter how sick he is.
Elliot notices that Liv is fairly quiet during the ride back to the 1-6. “You okay, Liv?”
“Yeah, I’m just thinking about this case, and….El, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure Liv, what’s up?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?”
“Promise. Scout’s honor,” Elliot says, holding up his hand.
“Do you think…how do I…?” Liv trails off.
“What is it, Liv?” Elliot probes.
“Well, I was just thinking…doyouthinkAlexwouldmoveinwithme?” she mumbles, almost to herself.
“Sorry? I didn’t quite catch that,” Elliot says with a smile on his face.
“Yes you did, you cheeseball. Don’t make me say it again. I feel silly enough having to ask you about it in the first place,” she says, punching him lightly in the arm.
“Hey now! I’m driving! But yeah, I think she would. You do have to ask her first, ya know?”
“Ha ha, so funny, El. I know that! I was thinking of asking her this weekend. Saturday night actually. I have a nice night planned.”
“Liv, I think she’s been good for you so far, and I’m glad that you feel like you’re at the point to ask her and that you feel comfortable enough to get my opinion.”
“Thanks, El. I really appreciate it,” she says as they are walking up the steps to the 1-6.
They walk through the double doors and head to the evidence room. They start in on the details of Mark Castillo’s life. They discover that he had previously made threats to his ex-wife about taking the children, but he had never followed through before. They look through divorce papers, medical history, and various other documents, trying to get an idea of who this guy is and how they should deal with him. When Cragen knocked on the door 3 hours later, they look up in surprise. “Go home, you guys. Olivia, I’m sorry you had to come in today. I don’t want to see either of you until 10:00 tomorrow. Go home. Get some rest.”
“Thanks, Cap. Have you heard from Munch and Fin yet?” Elliot asks.
“Yeah, I just spoke to them about 10 minutes ago. They met the brother at the lake house and he wouldn’t let them in without a warrant. They said that they’d call Cabot and ask for one.”
“Great. Why is there always a brother who demands a warrant?” Olivia mutters into her hands.
“Go home, you two. There’s nothing more you can do here tonight. It’s already 11:00.”
“K, thanks, Cap,” they respond in unison.
“Liv, you need a ride?” Elliot asks.
“Um, lemme call Alex and see where I’m going first,” Liv says as she pulls her phone out of her pocket.
“Cabot,” a tired voice picks up.
“Hey, hon. Did I wake you?”
“No, it’s just been a really long day. Are you on your way?”
“Yeah, I think El’s gonna drop me off at your place. That okay?”
“Of course. See you soon!”
“Bye, babe.”
“Hey, El? Could you drop me off at Alex’s?”
“Sure, no problem. I haven’t seen her in a bit anyways.”
“Thanks. And thanks for your advice.”
“Anytime, Liv.”
They head to the car and begin on their way, the traffic not that heavy because of the late hour.
“Tell me about it. That way I’ll have time to…” she stops mid sentence and glances sheepishly at Elliot.
“Spend time with Alex?” he finishes for her, with a knowing smirk.
“Yeah, that…” Olivia replies softly.
They make their way up to the 10th floor to see what they can find that might clue them in to where the father might have gone. They search the hotel room high and low, inside and out, for anything that might give them some sort of hint. Olivia’s cell rings.
“Benson,” she answers.
“Liv, it’s Fin. We just finished talking to the Senator. She says he owns a lake house with his brother in upstate New York. You wanna take it, or you want us to?”
“I suppose you should. You and Munch are closer. We’ll go back to the squad and go through the evidence we have already for anywhere else he might have gone, just in case.”
“Cool. We’ll keep you posted.”
Liv slips her phone back into her pocket and turns to Elliot.
“He’s got a lake house in upstate New York,” she shares. “Fin and Munch are on it. We’ve pretty much looked at everything here. Let’s get back to the squad room and see if there’s anything in the evidence we have so far that might point to another place he could be, just in case. Then we can head to his apartment and see if that helps us at all.”
“Great. Let’s go,” Elliot says as he fishes out his car keys. They walk to the car as quickly as they can. They just want to find this guy. No one has the right to drown his kids, no matter how sick he is.
Elliot notices that Liv is fairly quiet during the ride back to the 1-6. “You okay, Liv?”
“Yeah, I’m just thinking about this case, and….El, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure Liv, what’s up?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?”
“Promise. Scout’s honor,” Elliot says, holding up his hand.
“Do you think…how do I…?” Liv trails off.
“What is it, Liv?” Elliot probes.
“Well, I was just thinking…doyouthinkAlexwouldmoveinwithme?” she mumbles, almost to herself.
“Sorry? I didn’t quite catch that,” Elliot says with a smile on his face.
“Yes you did, you cheeseball. Don’t make me say it again. I feel silly enough having to ask you about it in the first place,” she says, punching him lightly in the arm.
“Hey now! I’m driving! But yeah, I think she would. You do have to ask her first, ya know?”
“Ha ha, so funny, El. I know that! I was thinking of asking her this weekend. Saturday night actually. I have a nice night planned.”
“Liv, I think she’s been good for you so far, and I’m glad that you feel like you’re at the point to ask her and that you feel comfortable enough to get my opinion.”
“Thanks, El. I really appreciate it,” she says as they are walking up the steps to the 1-6.
They walk through the double doors and head to the evidence room. They start in on the details of Mark Castillo’s life. They discover that he had previously made threats to his ex-wife about taking the children, but he had never followed through before. They look through divorce papers, medical history, and various other documents, trying to get an idea of who this guy is and how they should deal with him. When Cragen knocked on the door 3 hours later, they look up in surprise. “Go home, you guys. Olivia, I’m sorry you had to come in today. I don’t want to see either of you until 10:00 tomorrow. Go home. Get some rest.”
“Thanks, Cap. Have you heard from Munch and Fin yet?” Elliot asks.
“Yeah, I just spoke to them about 10 minutes ago. They met the brother at the lake house and he wouldn’t let them in without a warrant. They said that they’d call Cabot and ask for one.”
“Great. Why is there always a brother who demands a warrant?” Olivia mutters into her hands.
“Go home, you two. There’s nothing more you can do here tonight. It’s already 11:00.”
“K, thanks, Cap,” they respond in unison.
“Liv, you need a ride?” Elliot asks.
“Um, lemme call Alex and see where I’m going first,” Liv says as she pulls her phone out of her pocket.
“Cabot,” a tired voice picks up.
“Hey, hon. Did I wake you?”
“No, it’s just been a really long day. Are you on your way?”
“Yeah, I think El’s gonna drop me off at your place. That okay?”
“Of course. See you soon!”
“Bye, babe.”
“Hey, El? Could you drop me off at Alex’s?”
“Sure, no problem. I haven’t seen her in a bit anyways.”
“Thanks. And thanks for your advice.”
“Anytime, Liv.”
They head to the car and begin on their way, the traffic not that heavy because of the late hour.