Sins of the Father

13

A/N: Back to Olivia and Mac! Thanks so much for reading!

Squadroom

130 am

Olivia took a long and weary sigh as she gazed at her teammates. They were all gathered in a semicircle around the board where pictures of victims mixed with reports and statements from police, blown up pictures of the video Olivia had seen and colored marker lines connecting them. Standing in the center Captain Cragen drew them in with his calm gaze. "Thanks to Huang and Morales, we managed to track down our perp." He pointed to a picture of a young man with sandy blonde hair and a faint goatee. "James Richardson, a thirty-three year old white male, previously charged and convicted of sexual assault seven years ago. He was sentenced to seven years in leavenworth and dishonorably discharged from the Navy." Cragen looked over to their resident tech. "Morales?"

"From the last transaction on Richardson's credit card account, we managed to find the house in the video. Forty-two Oak drive, Westchester county. We believe Richardson is inside with the other victim, whom we haven't identified."

"There is something else we need to consider," Huang interrupted. "Though I don't have proof, I believe that Richardson's father was Terrance Mclean, a man convicted of rape thirty three years ago, however I can't be certain he knows this."

"So what does he want?" asked Olivia, "Why did he leave me this video?"

Huang tapped his chin. "He wants us to respond with ultimate force... He's diverting us from something."

"Elliot," said Cragen, "Call Cabot, tell her we need a warrant for Richardson's apartment ASAP. We need to find everything we can on Richardson"

"On it."

Fin held up a file. "Check this out, Richardson and Aberdeen were College roomates and high school buddies. Munch tracked down their old alma mater at Hudson. First year roomates, then they both dropped out. Aberdeen went to trade school and Richardson signed up for the Navy."

"The navy?" Olivia's head snapped up.

"Yeah, a few years later, he gets nailed on sex assault charges, sentenced to leavenworth for 7-15. he was released three months ago."

"Think that explains the Mac connection?" Stabler glanced over at his partner.

"I better give her a call..." Olivia reached for her phone.

"No need to... I'm already here."

Olivia turned to see Mac leaning against the doorway to the squadroom. Her hair was a little dishevelled and her face lined with dark circles. Gone was her well put together look, replaced by a simple white sweater and jeans. Behind her a worried Commander Rabb peered into the squadroom. Olivia stood up,"Mac," she said, surprised. "We need to talk." She ushered her into a private room and gestured for her to take a seat. Mac paced instead, arms wrapped around her body protectively.

"It was the wrong man." Mac said finally.

"How did you know?" asked Olivia.

"I trusted my instincts. I had to see the body... to make sure," she licked her lips. "John Aberdeen didn't assault me."

Olivia nodded and put her hand on Mac's shoulder, guiding her to the couch. They both sat down. Olivia rubbed her palms together and steepled her fingers. "He sent us a message. We know who he is now." She leaned forward "Does the name James Richardson ring a bell?"

Mac closed her eyes for a moment.

The courtroom had just been renovated, the distinct smell of hardwood varnish and paint added a layer to the procedings as Mac paced the courtroom in front of the Members. "The Defendant, Lieutenant James Richardson, had a history of reckless and perverted behavior before he was even accepted into the Navy, as testified by his peers from Hudson University. He then continued that behavior despite warnings from his superior officers. On the morning of July 17 2000 he entered the female shower on the U.S.S Lexington, where he saw Ensign Littman alone and crying in apparent emotional distress. Instead of following protocol and alerting another female crewmember to the scene, he approached her and made lewd sexual remarks before pinning her to the floor and fondling her breasts. If it wasn't for Commander McCrae's interference, Lieutenant Richardson would have gotten away with rape..."