We Know What You Did

9: Disclosure

Fin called Olivia to let her know who the victim was. Olivia subsequently called Sonny to find out what he knew. Sonny brought Tyler to the precinct to interrogate him under he guise that he would be reunited with Chelsea.
———
At the precinct, Olivia and Amanda sat with Chelsea to get her statement.
"Just tell us what happened," Olivia coached her.
"I asked my dad if I could go out with my friends tonight." Chelsea began. "When he said no, I argued. I shouldn't have talked back. If I kept my mouth shut, he wouldn't have done this" Chelsea derailed.
"What happened next?" Olivia guided Chelsea back on track.
"He threw me to the ground" Chelsea continued. "He kicked me in the side. And that's when I accused him of treating me like mom and so he did." Chelsea paused and wiped away her tears. "He pushed me onto the bed and he... he raped me."
"It's ok Chelsea. You're safe now." Olivia reassured her. "He won't hurt you again."
"How do you know?" Chelsea looked terrified.
"Because we're going to make sure he gets locked up for a long time" Olivia told her.
Chelsea nodded but she didn't believe it. Tyler abused her mom for years and why would it be any different with her.
———
Sonny walked into the squad room with Tyler. Tyler was put in a conference room to wait.
"Where is she?" Sonny asked Fin. "I need to see her."
"She's with Liv and Amanda. She's ok" Fin told him.
Sonny shook his head. "Her stepdad raped her. I find it hard to believe she's 'okay'." Sonny entered the interview room without knocking. Amanda was about to ask the intruder to leave but when she saw who it was she stood down. "Seabug, I'm so sorry" Sonny went over to Chelsea but the girl turned away. "Hey, it's ok now" Sonny tried to get his niece to look at him but Chelsea just slid further away. "Chels, look at me, you're safe. I'm here." Chelsea still wouldn't look up. Sonny looked at Amanda and Olivia, unsure of what to do or say next.
"Carisi, my office?" Olivia got up and gestured to the door.
Not wanting to leave his niece but knowing his boss was just looking out for the girl, Sonny reluctantly agreed. "Chels, I'll be in the other room. But if you need me, I'll come right back, ok?" Chelsea gave a barely noticeable nod before Sonny and Olivia left the room.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Amanda asked.
"Not particularly" Chelsea sighed. "Uncle Sonny is the only living relative I have left and I'm scared of him. I'm scared he's going to hurt me the same way Tyler did." Chelsea panicked.
"Hey, take a deep breath. You know your uncle loves you very much and would never hurt you" Amanda reasoned.
"I never thought Tyler would either!" Chelsea commented. Chelsea pressed her hands against her eyes. "I don't know what to do now."
"We'll help with that" Amanda informed her. "It'll be ok."
———
Fin went into the conference room where Tyler was sitting. "Where is Chelsea? Is she alright?" Tyler asked immediately.
"Yeah, she's ok." Fin took a seat across from Tyler. "Why don't you tell me what happened tonight?"
"You should be asking Sonny!" Tyler was clearly angry. "He pulled Chelsea into the hallway during the reception and next thing I know she runs off crying and we can't find her. Whatever Sonny did or said must've upset Chelsea."
"How about before that?" Fin asked. Tyler looked puzzled. "What happened before the ceremony? Did anything unusual happen?"
Tyler sat back in his chair. "What do you mean?"
"With Chelsea. Was she acting strange, did she say anything to you?" Fin was hoping to get Tyler to bring up the argument on his own.
Tyler sighed. "She wanted to go out with her friends tonight. I said no and she got upset."
"Did you argue? Did things get physical?" Fin interrogated.
"I don't think I like what you're insinuating, detective. And unless I'm under arrest, I'd like to take my daughter back to the hotel now." Tyler stood up.
"Alright." Fin stood as well. "Let me go talk to my Lieutenant." He left the room and went over to Olivia who watched the whole thing. "What should we do?"
Olivia sighed and ran her hand across her forehead. "We don't have enough to hold him. All we have is Chelsea's statement. We're going to have to let him go until we have more evidence."
"But not with Chelsea" Sonny had been quietly standing in the corner.
Olivia nodded. "I agree. How much does he know?"
"He's a smart guy. He knows why he's here, even if he won't admit it" Fin told them.
"So let's go with the assault, but leave out the rape accusation. Tell him Chelsea had injuries consistent with assault and legally, DCS has to take her until we work this out." Olivia ordered. Fin nodded and went back into the room to tell Tyler.
"Now as for Chelsea" Olivia began.
"She doesn't want to be with me" Sonny sounded sad.
Olivia frowned sympathetically. She knocked on the window to the interview room, summoning Amanda. "We don't have enough to hold Tyler so we have to let him go." Olivia told Amanda who was angered by this information. "Carisi and I were talking about what to do with Chelsea."
"No offense, Carisi, but I don't think she'd want to stay with you. She's afraid of being hurt again." Amanda said. Sonny's eyes flickered with surprise that his niece thought he'd hurt her and then anger that Tyler did this to her. "She can stay with me" Amanda followed up. Olivia and Amanda waited for Sonny to speak.
Sonny nodded. "Yeah, yeah, as long as Chelsea's okay with it. Thank you, Amanda."
Amanda nodded and went back into the room to update Chelsea. Once Tyler was gone and Amanda had taken Chelsea back to her apartment, the other detectives left the precinct.