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MAY 23rd, 1986
UPON ARRIVING AT THE PRECINCT, THE JACKSON FAMILY WAS ALREADY NOT HAPPY. Katherine and Joseph, the matriarch and patriarch of the family, led the way into the building.
They stopped at the front desk, the receptionist looking up, "Oh, hello. Can I help you?" she asked.
Joseph Jackson crossed his arms, a stern look on his face, "Yes, you can," he stated firmly, "Rebbie Jackson. Where is she? We were informed that she has been detained here for the past two weeks without proper cause."
The receptionist's eyes widened in realization, recognizing the iconic figures standing before her, among them the famous Jackson 5. She quickly picked up the phone and made a call to inform Finn and Olivia of the Jackson family's arrival.
"Yes, Olivia," the receptionist said as quietly as possible into the phone, looking like she was ready to shrink and disappear from the intense gazes of the family who was staring at her as if she was the one who had arrested Rebbie, "The family is here. And be warned, they are not happy!" she whisper-yelled.
Olivia and Finn's hearts sank as they heard the news of the Jackson family's arrival. They exchanged a quick, nervous glance before Olivia straightened her blazer and cleared her throat, "Thank you," she said to the receptionist, hanging up the phone as she turned to face Finn, "We need to handle this situation delicately, Finn. Let's not make any more rash decisions. These guys have more money than they could ever dream of and probably a team of lawyers that could bury us in paperwork for years."
Finn nodded in agreement, his mind racing with all the potential outcomes of this unexpected turn of events. As they made their way to greet the Jackson family, Olivia took a deep breath to steady herself. The weight of the situation bore down on her, knowing that they were about to face one of the most iconic families in music history.
As they approached the Jackson family, Olivia extended her hand in greeting, trying to appear calm and composed despite the anxiety swirling within her, "Hello, Jacksons. I'm Detective Olivia Benson, and this is Detective Finn Tutuola. We're taking the lead on this case regarding Rebbie Jackson. We understand there have been some misunderstandings, and we are here to address them with the utmost respect and transparency."
Katherine Jackson, her eyes filled with concern and authority, spoke up, "Well, Olivia, we appreciate your willingness to discuss this matter. Our family holds justice in high regard, but you need to let my daughter go."
Joseph's expression remained unreadable as he observed the detectives, his silence commanding attention from everyone present in the room, "I don't know what kind of precinct this is, but what kind of cops keep someone under lock and key for weeks? This is unacceptable," he boomed, his voice echoing through the precinct.
"Detectives, there's no way Rebbie did this," Janet spoke up, "My sister is one of the most honest and transparent people I know. There must be a mistake," she implored, her eyes pleading with Olivia and Finn for understanding.
LaToya stepped up, her heels clicking against the floor, "You've got the wrong person in custody."
Jermaine nodded in agreement, "Yeah! What kind of police department are you running here?" he demanded, crossing his arms in indignation.
"Yeah!" Randy added, "What gives you the right to keep our sister here like a criminal without any proper evidence?"
"Listen, we are doing everything we can to rectify this situation," Finn sighed, "But for now, with your famous family status, how about we get you guys in a more secluded area?"
Olivia quickly led the Jackson family to a private conference room, offering them seats and refreshments as a gesture of hospitality. The detectives could feel the tension in the room as they awaited the inevitable discussion that lay ahead.
"So, why was she arrested again?" Jackie asked as he sat down, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his seat.
"Somebody was murdered in her apartment building," Olivia said, "And in a recent discovery, her fingerprints were found at the crime scene."
"Her fingerprints were found at the crime scene?" Tito asked with furrowed brows, "Okay, so she was there—that doesn't mean she killed this person!"
Marlon leaned forward, his eyes narrowing, "Exactly! There must be some mistake or misunderstanding here. Rebbie wouldn't harm a fly, let alone commit murder," he stated firmly.
Michael was sitting there silently, his brows furrowed in concern. He didn't know what was going on. All he knew was he was pulled out of bed and brought to the precinct in the dead of night without an explanation. His brothers' voices resonated around him, but his mind was elsewhere, pondering the possibility of such a horrendous accusation against his beloved sister. His eyes scanned the room, observing each member of his family deep in discussion with Olivia and Finn. He could sense the unease that lingered in the air, and his heart ached at the thought of his sister being convicted of a crime she didn't commit.
"Not only that," Finn added, "But her alibi isn't adding up. We have reason to believe she's hiding something."
LaToya's eyes narrowed at Finn's statement, "Hiding something? What do you mean?" she demanded.
Olivia, knowing that she and Finn should not trifle with this family, sighed, "We are not trying to accuse Rebbie of anything—"
"Oh, really?" Randy raised his eyebrows, "Then why don't you just let her go and find the real killer instead of wasting time with all this nonsense?" he shot back, frustration evident in his voice.
"You just need to let her go," Joseph said, "There's no crime here. At least not one my daughter committed."
"We can't prove that right now," Olivia replied, "And until we can prove it, we can't just let her go."
"Our hands are tied until we gather more evidence," Finn interjected, "We need to be thorough to ensure that justice is served, whether that exonerates Rebbie or not."
Tension thickened in the room as the Jackson family exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of frustration and anxiety. And as it seemed, everyone started protesting against holding Rebbie there against her will. It was clear that the detectives were in for a long and arduous battle with the influential family.
Michael sighed, speaking up for the first time, "Okay, I understand she has to stay here, but do you really have to keep her in that stuffy interrogation room? You don't have anywhere else you can keep her?"
"We have another room," Olivia said, somewhat awkwardly, "I'll put her in there."
