Sins of the Father

8

A/N:Thanks so much for your continued support readers! 

Golden Gate Motor Inn

Brighton Beach.

11:30pm Friday.

"We are on the scene at a parking lot of east 16th street, where the dead body of suspected serial rapist John Aberdeen was found. Police have yet to release details as the medical examiner is still investigating the cause of death. Just a few hours ago, Police from the Special Victims Unit released a photo of this individual in an attempt to gather information on his whereabouts..."

"No!" Veronica Aberdeen wailed, drowning out the television reporter. "No! No..." She sank to the floor in uncontrollable sobs. How could he? Her husband promised her he would be back, that he would keep her safe. He promised. A sudden hopelessness overwhelmed her. What would she do now?

A murmur got her attention and she turned away from the T.V . to her daughter, Stepha. Oblivious to the tragedy that played on the screen, Stepha yawned and stuck her tiny fist into her mouth. Veronica tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear and wiped away her tears. Carefully, she reached into the crib and picked up her eight-month old, bouncing her over her shoulder. "Okay sweetie, it's okay."

As Veronica comforted her daughter, her mind processed her next steps. Her gut told her that John didn't rape those women, and he certainly didn't kill himself. There was another side to this, and she would prove it. But first she had to secure her own safety. She popped a soother in her baby's mouth. She had to leave, and leave now.

xxx

16 street parking lot.

11:45 pm.

The scene was all too familiar for Dr. Warner. The M.E's first impressions were that death was instantaneous. The bullet had been fired directly into the temple, shattering the skull and shredding the frontal cortex. Within seconds, John Aberdeen's vital systems shut down and he was no more. With her gloved fingers, she picked up the shell casing from a 9mm and examined it briefly before placing it in the plastic evidence bag. Using a cotton swab, she brushed the blood around the entry wound. A second swab picked up traces of blood from the jagged shards of glass on the passenger side window. The swabs were placed into separate, meticulously labled containers.

Warner exited the vehicle and tore off her gloves, nodding to CSU to collect the body.

The circus of media and police had subsided somewhat, leaving Detectives Munch and Fin, along with Stabler and Benson in a semicircle around her as she looked up at them. "I still have to perform an autopsy, but I'm sure it's a suicide. Single gunshot to the head," she said. She knew the how, but it was the detectives job to determine the why.

"He got scared, didn't wanna get caught." Fin stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"What about the bruise?" Olivia asked Melinda.

"Blunt force trauma to the side of the skull, matches the victim's description of the knock on the head she gave him."

"We found the branch she hit him with, there was traces of blood, it'll match with his." Elliot said with confidence. He looked to Munch, "Anything on the gun?"

"An unregistered 9mm Sig," Munch replied, "Typically used as the side arm of choice by a number of armed forces. Serial number was sanded off. There's no way to trace it."

"Not that it matters," Elliot finished scribbling the details in his notebook, a cold glint in his eye. "Our perp is dead."

xxx

Olivia walked away from the crime scene and stepped into the squad car. It was almost too much. Elizabeth's attempted suicide and eventual murder, Mac's assault, and now the perp was dead. She looked over at the evidence bag that sat on the passenger seat. They had recovered Mac's heels from the gravel road, and the dogs tracked the few hundred yards that Mac had run to escape her attacker. There was no trace of her shirt or jacket however, and the detectives had concluded that it had been dumped by the perp before he got to the parking lot. Her thoughts wondered off for a few moments, entraced by the flashing lights of the marked cars. She felt like she was in a dream and she desperately wanted to wake up.