We Know What You Did

5: Protective Uncle

Amanda called Sonny to let him know what happened. Sonny rushed to the precinct to see his niece.
"Where is she?" He asked entering the squad room. Amanda told him that Chelsea was still in the interview room. Sonny started to the door but stopped and turned to Amanda. "Uh, what'd he... do to her?" He anxiously shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"He slapped her," Amanda gave it to him straight. "Threw her against a wall. She's ok though. She's one tough kid."
"Gets it from her mom" Sonny smirked.  He took a deep breath and entered the interview room. "Hey Seabug," he called Chelsea by a nickname he hadn't used in a long time.
"Uncle Sonny I am so sorry" she broke down into tears. "I should've stopped talking and he wouldn't have done this" Chelsea cried. Sonny knelt in front of his niece and hugged her.
"Kiddo, this isn't your fault." Sonny reassured her. "He did this to you. You didn't deserve it."
"I knew it was going to happen though." Chelsea looked at him. Sonny didn't respond, as he wasn't quite sure what she meant. "I'd seen him act like this with mom. I guess I'm just old enough now he can beat me too."
Sonny squinted and shook his head in confusion. "Did Tyler abuse your mother?" Sonny asked. Chelsea nodded. "I'll be back" Sonny got up and walked out of the room. He needed to calm down before he did or said something stupid.

As Sonny was leaving the squad room, Fin walked in with Tyler.
"Sonny," Tyler sounded relieved. "Tell them this is ridiculous. I would never hurt Chelsea." Sonny fought the urge to punch the man in front of him. Fin pushed Tyler forward and into interrogation. Olivia joined Fin in interrogating Tyler.
"I don't know what Chelsea told you but I didn't hurt her!" Tyler defended immediately.
"Ok, so what did you do?" Fin sat down across from him.
"We were fighting. I was angry because she ran away. I'm her parent. I disciplined her." Tyler said.
"Discipline doesn't typically involve beating," Olivia commented.
Tyler clearly took offense to that statement. "I didn't beat her." Both detectives stared him down. "I hit her. And I grabbed her. She did trip but I was there to pick her up when she fell. Since when has it become illegal for a parent to discipline their child?"
"When it causes physical injury." Olivia said coldly.
"Wait, does she have any injuries?" For a second Olivia thought she saw concern on Tyler's face.
Fin ignored his question. "You beat your wife and now that she's gone you move on to your stepdaughter."
"Hey, keep my wife out of this" Tyler growled. "I didn't hurt Chelsea." Fin and Tyler stared each other in the eyes.
"You keep telling yourself that" Fin stood up and he and Olivia exited the room.
———
Sonny had gone to the court house to talk to Rafael Barba. He explained the situation and hoped that the ADA would have some way of charging Tyler for abusing his late wife and stepdaughter.
"Carisi, you know the answer" Rafael said. "Without your sister here to give a statement and with no physical evidence we can't charge him with abuse." Sonny ran his hand through his hair. Although he didn't like it, he knew his friend was right. "As far as with Chelsea, there isn't much of a case there either. Hitting someone once doesn't qualify as abuse. Assault maybe but even that would be a stretch to prove in court." Rafael finished.
"I can't let her go home with him" Sonny said. "Is there any way for me to get custody? He never adopted her."
"Your sister gave custodial rights to Tyler?" Rafael asked. Sonny nodded. "It'd be a long shot but you could request to take Chelsea into your custody, as you are a blood relative, until the adoption goes through. It'd buy you time to fight for full custody."
Sonny nodded and thanked Rafael before heading back to the police station.
———
Sonny and Olivia met with Pippa Cox, a lawyer for children and family services, to see if they had a case for Chelsea to stay with Sonny.
"I'm sorry detectives but there's nothing to go on." Pippa said solemnly.
"He hit her. He threw her against a wall." Sonny tried to stay calm.
"He claims she tripped." Pippa said. "Look, when it comes to cases like this, it's always tough. I had a four year old whose teacher saw burns on his back but his parents were cleared because of cultural practices."
Sonny shook his head. "He beat her mom. He's going to do the same to her."
"Unless you have evidence of that, there's nothing I can do." Pippa told him.
"How about what Barba said?" Sonny suggested. "Apply to take temporary custody. It'll give us time to figure out what to do."
"It's possible" Pippa said. "He hasn't adopted her yet?" Sonny shook his head. "I'll make some calls. Try and get a judge to hear the case."
"Thank you" Olivia said. She got up and opened the door for Pippa.
"I should go talk to Chelsea" Sonny turned to leave.

"Uncle Sonny, what's going on?" Chelsea asked when he entered the room.
"We're trying to make arrangements for you to stay with me for a while" Sonny sat down across from her. Chelsea nodded and choked back tears. "It'll be okay, Chels. I'm not going to let him hurt you."
There was a knock on the door and Amanda came in. "Carisi, Liv needs you in her office." She said urgently.
Sonny nodded and stood up. When he entered Olivia's office, Olivia was leaning on her desk, staring at the man standing in front of her.
"Carisi, this is John Greenwald, Tyler's attorney." Olivia folded her arms. Sonny awkwardly shook the lawyer's hand. "Tyler wants to take Chelsea." Olivia told her detective.
"What?!" Sonny remarked in disbelief.
"My client has the right to be with her. He isn't charged with anything and feels it would be best for the two of them to leave here. He has agreed to stay in the city while you continue your investigation." Mr. Greenwald spoke diplomatically.
"Doesn't Chelsea get a say in this?" Sonny asked.
Mr. Greenwald shook his head. "She's a minor."
"She's 15, not some little kid. Can't we let her decide?" Sonny was close to begging.
Olivia's phone buzzed and she looked at the text message. "She may not have to. It's Pippa, she found a judge to hear the case."