Chapter Four

Stabler slowly climbed up the steps to the crib room. He peered in to find his heavy sleeping partner on the small cot. Quietly, he walked over and knelt down beside the bed then gently grasped Olivia's arm. "'Liv, come on."

"Mmmmm."

Elliot faintly smiled when sharp brown eyes opened up to him. "How'd you sleep?"

"Okay," quietly replied the detective.

"How long?"

"What time is it?" Olivia started to sit up, her right hand brushing her hair back.

Elliot stood back up while responding. "Nine."

Olivia Benson gave out a heavy sigh and lifted her attention to her partner. "Two hours."

Stabler only sighed inwardly but he knew over the weekend Olivia would be forced to go home. He was relieved Cragen had given those orders to Olivia otherwise he knew she would stay the weekend to work. "You look like you did some progress."

"Yeah," replied the detective. She swung her feet over the bed and stood up. "I came up with fifty-eight possible victims."

"Jesus," whispered Elliot. He followed Olivia out of the crib and went down to the squad room below. "That's one sick bastard," he muttered.

Olivia strolled up to her desk and lifted up a heavy file and handed it to Elliot. "That's what we have to work with."

"Great." Elliot opened the file and just quickly flipped through them all. All he saw was one young male face after another flash by his eyes.

"Anything new?" inquired Detective Munch. He slowly approached the group with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Victims." Stable turned and held up the folder. "Lots of them."

Munch tilted his head down and peered over the rims of his glasses. "My… he's been busy." He lifted his head and looked at Oliva. "How many?"

"Maybe fifty-eight." Detective Benson slid her hands into her pockets and she now noted the captain coming over to them.

"We need to work on the victim list today," commented Donald Cragen.

"Already done," stated Elliot. He handed over the folder then added, "Compliments of Olivia."

The captain slightly glared at Benson but let it go with a sigh. He began flipping through the countless possible victims and slowly his head shook. "Get this stuff down to the M.E. See if she can start matching this stuff up."

"Fin and I can check out the school today," mentioned Munch.

"Do that," ordered Cragen. He then looked back at Olivia and Elliot. "You two need to work on Stern some more." He handed the folder to Olivia then started to walk away but stopped. He partially turned around and said, "And see if forensics finished processing the perp's apartment."

"You got it," called Elliot.

Detective Benson was already going to her desk to get her coat. She swung it on as she turned around; she noted Fin and Munch already headed out. She glanced over at Elliot. "M.E.'s first?"

"Yeah." Elliot straightened out the collar on his khaki trench coat.

"I bet forensics has plenty for us." Olivia picked up the heavy folder again and shook her head.

Stabler followed his partner through the squad room. "Probably," he finally agreed. "Just more ammunition for Cabot."

Olivia inwardly grunted at her partner's remark.



Chapter Five

Detective Munch shifted a little in the wood chair but he kept his focus on the young man.

"So he was never weird with you?" questioned Fin.

"Nah… not weird with me," replied the student, "but Mr. Stern in general… he is weird." The young man was in tenth grade and Mr. Stern happened to be his geometry teacher. "What's this about anyway?"

Detective Munch faintly smiled at the student. "We're just checking on your teacher, Larry."

The student, Larry, looked at Detective Munch and his face was still covered in confusion. "Is this about that guy Bobby?"

Munch exchanged a quick look with his partner. "You know something about Bobby?"

Larry shrugged a little then after a heavy sigh, he said, "I've heard stuff from my buddies."

"Like what?" urged Detective Tutuola

Larry shrugged yet again but informed the detectives of what he's heard. "Some of the guys in my class said they've been to Mr. Stern's place to get extra help." He paused and studied the two detectives for a moment before continuing his story. "They said weird stuff happens at his place."

"What kind of weird stuff?" Fin took a step closer to Munch but eyed the teenager.

Larry looked up at Odafin and replied, "I don't know." He lowered his gaze back to Detective Munch. "They never say what stuff. One of them was buddies with Bobby… he's convinced Mr. Stern did something to Bobby."

"We're going to need the names of your classmates that told you this stuff." John Munch pulled out a tablet from his coat pocket; he prepared to write the names down.

"Yeah sure." Larry puckered his lips some as he tried to recall who said what then he recited the names aloud. "Joseph Macintyre, Ben Luthors, and I think Dodge too."

"Dodge?" John Munch lifted an eyebrow as he peered over the rims of his glasses. "Dodge Ram or Dakota?"

Larry chuckled and shook his head. "That's his nickname, Dodge… his real name is George Gush."

"No wonder," muttered Detective Munch as he jotted the name down. "Thanks, Larry."

"Hey no problem. Is that all you needed?" The student reached to his side to pick up his books.

"No," replied Fin.

Larry hefted his pack and settled it into his lap. He looked up at Odafin in question.

"Did you ever go to Mr. Stern for extra help?"

"No way." Larry stood up and slung his pack around behind him. "I see a tutor if I need help."

Fin and Munch both exchanged quick looks then nodded at the teenager.

"Thanks, Larry." Munch stood up and grabbed his black fedora from the table.

"Sure."

"See yah, man." Fin watched the student go then he looked at his partner. "I'd say this teacher had these kids spooked."

Detective Munch put his hat on and slipped his notepad away. "Well let's see how spooked the other kids are."

"Right behind you." Detective Tutuola followed his partner out of the library into the school hallway.



Detective Benson shoved her hands into her leather jacket pockets. Her head was hung low as her thoughts filled her mind. She was carefully putting the pieces together and trying to break down Mr. Stern.

"You think you got him figured out?" quietly asked Stabler. He stepped ahead of his partner and opened the door out of the Medical Examiner's office.

"I think," quietly admitted Olivia. She stepped through the open door and waited until Elliot caught up with her.

"What's your label?" Elliot was fishing around in his pockets for the car keys as he walked to the car.

"A murdering paedophile."

Detective Stabler only stared ahead at the squad car about a hundred feet away. "Not a schiz?"

Olivia considered it then shook her head. "Elliot, he doesn't have the actions of a schizophrenia." She lifted her head and peered up at him. "He's not shaking uncontrollably… shaky voice or moving all over the place. Sweating. No riddle-like talking… none of that."

"Unless he's on really good medicine."

Olivia huffed at that as she stepped up to the passenger door. She gazed over the roof of the car at her partner, whom was walking around. "And he's not a pathological liar either."

"Just a regular liar," concluded Stabler. He opened the car door and got it.

Detective Benson didn't move as she thought some more about Howard Stern. "Or he's covering something," she muttered.

"'Liv, come on," ordered Stabler.

Olivia lost her train of thought and it disappeared like a whisper in the wind. She got into the car and Elliot drove them back to the precinct.



"Hey George, we need to talk to you," called Detective Munch.

George Gush stopped in the busy hallway and turned around to find two older men behind him. "Goddamn it, its Dodge… Dodge. And who are you two?" He studied them then smirked. "Some Fed wannabes?"

"Something like that," replied Detective Tutuola.

"N.Y.P.D. actually," stated Munch, he held out his badge. "I'm Detective Munch and this is my partner Detective Tutuola."

"Detective what?" Dodge looked at Fin. "Tutu?"

Detective Tutuola narrowed his eyes and stepped up closer to the teenager. "Tu-tu-ola," he corrected.

Dodge swallowed and glanced over at Munch in hopes for some support.

Detective Munch just smirked.

"Look… sorry, man." Dodge held up his hands in defence to Fin. "It's just… it's an unusual name."

"So is the name Gush," sarcastically commented Detective Munch. He noted his partner backing away from George. "You think you can answer some questions for us?"

Dodge sighed and scanned the hallway; he noted all the students had pretty much cleared the hallway. "I need to get to class."

"We can write you a note." Fin gave the guy a challenging look.

Dodge faintly nodded his agreement. "Alright." He studied them both for a second. "What you need?"

"You know Mr. Stern?" inquired Detective Tutuola.

Dodge shook his head as his expression went into shock. "Yeah… I sure do." He faintly licked his lower lip then said, "It's about time you cops busted him."

Detective Munch deeply sighed and pulled out notepad from his pocket again.



Elliot pushed Mr. Stern into a chair in the interrogation room as his partner came up from behind.

Detective Benson slammed a pile of photos onto the table in front of the teacher. Immediately all the photos scattered across the table and showed one young teenage boy's face after another.

Mr. Stern stared at all the photos, there were some of them he recognized more than others but he knew them all.

Stabler went to the door and quietly closed it.

"How many were yours?" first started Olivia.

Howard Stern shook his head but he peered up and saw how stoic the female detective was right now. He also noted how there were dark circles forming under her eyes. He licked his lips and looked back down at the pile. "I didn't kill these kids." He lifted his hands up and picked up one photo of a boy that had a round face, blue eyes, blond hair, and freckled face. He then started to pick another photo from the pile.

"You raped them then killed them," hotly stated Elliot.

"You'd offer them extra help," started Olivia, "they'd come to your house." She folded her arms and walked around the table to stand at his side. "You'd earn their trust after a few sessions. Slowly start touching them… more intimate each time."

"Then you'd take them down to your basement." Elliot stepped up to the table, grasped the sides, and hunched forward. His eyes levelled with Mr. Stern but he wasn't looking at Elliot. "Tie them up." His voice lowered deeply and hints of venom seeped in his tone. "Rape them."

Mr. Stern was shaking his head but he continued to gather up photos from the pile. He would neatly stack them in front of him, faces down so they couldn't be seen.

Olivia bent forward and brought her face close to Mr. Stern. "And skinned them alive until they died."

Mr. Stern closed his eyes and he sensed the female detective straightening up. He swallowed and quietly whispered, "I didn't kill them."

"Then what are all those knives for?" contested Stabler.

Mr. Stern gradually opened his eyes to look at Elliot. "I didn't touch those."

"Just decoration," chided Olivia. She walked away and stood by the barred window.

Howard Stern glanced from one detective to the other. "I didn't kill those kids. I wouldn't have harmed them like that."

"You harmed them, you killed them," growled Elliot. He straightened up and walked away before his anger got the best of them.

The teacher kept shaking his head and he kept picking through the scattered photos on the table. "Those boys wanted it," he muttered.

"Oh god that's sick," stated Olivia in disgust. She pushed off the ledge of the window and stalked over to the perpetrator.

"It was my job to teach them," hotly replied Howard Stern. He looked up and locked eyes with Olivia.

For a brief instant, Detective Benson saw a flash of anger in his eyes.

Mr. Stern quickly broke the eye contact and looked at the photos again. "I never hurt them… I never killed them." He quickly glanced between the detectives then back at the pile of face down photos in front of him. "I just taught them to be men."

Olivia finally realized what Howard Stern had done with all the photos on the table. She flashed a puzzled look to her partner then looked back at the stack the teacher had on the table. She then saw that six of the photos had been carefully fanned out on the right of the desk.

Howard Stern pushed the stack of photos forward then quietly said, "These were the boys I taught." He looked only at Olivia. "That I… raped."

Detective Stabler took a deep breath and held it for a few moments. "And the other six?"

"They are not mine," whispered the teacher as he studied them.

Olivia Benson took a step closer to the table and she carefully reached down to pick up the stack of photos. She then picked up the six photos of the other boys and rested them face up on the stack. She then made her way to the door.

Detective Stabler appeared at the desk with a notepad and pen. He slapped it on the table in front of Mr. Stern. "We'll need a full confession."

Howard Stern stared at the yellow notepad then looked up at the retreating detectives. "You are missing one."

Detective Benson's hand stopped on the doorknob and she looked over her shoulder at the teacher.

"There was one girl too," he revealed, "that I taught."

Detective Stabler fisted his right hand up but remained in control of his anger. "Who?"

A very faint grin tugged at the corner of Howard Stern's lips. "I'd like a lawyer now."



Captain Cragen approached Olivia Benson's desk and peered down at his detective.

Elliot Stabler stopped working when he saw the captain appear. He noted the tension in Cragen's shoulders and he knew why the captain was here.

"Olivia?"

Detective Benson tried to ignore him at first but now she couldn't so she slowly lifted her head. She lowered the missing person's report onto the stack of other ones. "Captain?"

"Go home," ordered Donald Cragen.

"Captain, I can't until we finish up with these missing person's reports."

Cragen took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Your partner can handle it."

"No offence to Elliot but I can do this faster," countered Olivia.

Detective Stabler quickly jumped in for the rescue. "She's right, captain. She already knows where Stern taught so she can go through it faster."

"Thanks, Elliot," deadpanned the captain.

Elliot faintly shrugged and looked back down at his paper work.

Olivia was now staring at Captain Cragen and a bit of a smirk on her face.

"Finish with these reports then I want you gone," hotly ordered Donald. "Is that clear?"

"Yes." Benson saw how Cragen immediately relaxed so she softly added, "Thanks."

Cragen's worry lines on his brow disappeared and he faintly shook his head as he walked back to his office.

Olivia returned to sifting through the reports and tried to match up the missing girls to the schools where Stern taught. It was tedious work especially trying to decide which girls may have been in Stern's classes or not. She paused in the middle of her work and looked over at her partner. "Why'd you do that?"

Elliot pulled away from his report work. "Do what?"

Olivia faintly narrowed her eyes. "You know what."

Detective Stabler faintly grinned then replied, "I know you, 'Liv. You won't be able to relax this weekend if you don't get this done." He lowered his attention back to the report he was writing up. "And you don't trust anybody else to do it right."

Benson huffed at that and returned her focus to the reports.

Within about five minutes, the tall blond ADA arrived in the squad room with her attaché dangling from her side and a manila folder in her right hand.

"Hey, Cabot," called Elliot.

Olivia quickly lifted her head.

"Detective." Alex faintly smiled at Detective Stabler then her eyes focused on Olivia. Her smile broadened more and Olivia returned the smile.

The ADA however didn't stop and kept marching onto the captain's office.

Detective Benson quickly dipped her head back down and continued with her work.

Elliot didn't quite understand the exchange between his partner and the counsellor but he just shook it off. He did peered across to Olivia's desk and noticed she had a large stack of reports building up to her right and to the front of her yet the stack to the left was thinning out. "Getting there?"

"Yeah," answered Olivia. "Almost finished." She never looked at her partner and instead kept scanning over the young teenaged girl's report.

Alex Cabot shoved the folder away into her attaché, which rested on her lap while she sat in a chair. "Is that it, Don?"

"I think so." Cragen sifted through his folders for a moment then looked back up. "That's all the reports from forensics and the M.E." He then went a little more serious and asked, "What about this girl?"

"I don't know yet," confessed the counsellor. "Branch is pressing me to go the death penalty."

"He wants a deal, doesn't he?"

The ADA sadly nodded. "He wants the death penalty dropped and he'll give the girl's name."

"We need that name, Alex."

"I know, I know." Alexandra Cabot slowly stood up. "I'll see what I can do."

Cragen gave an appreciative nod and before he let Cabot out of his office, he called, "Alex?"

The ADA stopped reaching for the door knob and turned around.

"Can I call in another favour?"

Alex folded her arms as she turned to face the captain. Her expression held the what question for his favour.

"This weekend, can you call Olivia… check in on her."

"Don, I am not her mother." Alex's hard stare kept him quiet but only for a moment. She couldn't quite figure out why Cragen flinched when she said that.

"I know, Alex but-"

"Don, no." Alex dropped her arms from her chest. "I went to dinner with her and tried to get her to open up." She shook her head and grabbed the door knob finally. "I'm not going to force her to open up." She turned the knob and said, "It's her call now." She then opened the door and stepped out. She closed the door then started for the two main doors of the squad room. Yet as she crossed through the squad room, she looked over at Olivia.

Alex's pace slowed down. She now realized how messy Olivia's hair was, dark circles under her eyes, and the detective's skin seemed almost paler than normal. Alex's walk slowed so much she came to a stop and Alex suddenly did an about face and went back to Cragen's office.

Olivia had as much as a confused look as her partner.

"What was that?" muttered Elliot.

Before Detective Benson could reply, she saw Munch and Fin come strolling into the squad room.

"Looks like Stern sure loves teaching," stated Detective Munch.

"Oh?" urged Olivia.

Elliot leaned back into his chair with his hands over his head. "We got a confession."

Detective Tutuola sat at his desk but looked across to Elliot and Olivia. "For everything?"

"Just the rapes," answered Olivia, who went back to her reports.

"Aren't you suppose to be home?" Detective Munch corked an eyebrow in Olivia's general direction.

Detective Stabler shook his head at John in hopes to silence him.

Alex Cabot slammed the office door to get Cragen's attention. "Don, give me her home address."

The captain peered up from his paperwork and found a serious ADA before him again. "Alex, I can't do that… you know employee information is confidential."

The ADA faintly nodded as her lips pressed together as she considered his answer. She then came up to Cragen's desk, grasped the edges, and bent forward so her face was close to his. "Either you tell me where Olivia lives or you can find yourself a new ADA."

Donald Cragen quickly looked up from his paperwork and knew the counsellor's threat was serious. Yet Cragen couldn't help but faintly grin at Alex's attitude. "Alright."

Alex Cabot straightened up to her full height again and folded her arms as she waited for him to dig out the information.

Donald continued to thumb through the folders in his lower desk drawer until he found Olivia's. He carefully placed the folder down on the desk and grabbed a sticky note. He jotted down Olivia's address and peeled off the note.

Cabot gratefully took the note and tucked it away in her jacket's pocket. "Thanks." She turned around and quietly left the office again.

Donald watched her go for a moment as he sat back in his chair with an amused expression. Content with how things were working out, he put Olivia's folder away and continued with his paperwork.



To be continued…