Ruthless

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Officer: "Homeowner found him eating out of the trash. The kid looks eight or nine, real skinny, no coat."

Olivia: "What's his story?"

Officer: "Won't talk. The kid's pretty freaked out."

Elizabeth: "No wonder, you've got him locked up in the back of your car." she scoffs, giving the kid a small wave through the window

Officer: "Just keeping him safe for you kiddie cops. I figure, he eats garbage, he's abused."

Olivia: "What do you think, homeless or runaway?"

Elizabeth: "He looks pretty clean for a street kid" she shrugs, opening the door "Hey, buddy, how you doin'? I'm Elizabeth, this is Olivia. What's your name? Look, you're not in trouble. We just want to talk with you. Please tell me your name." she softly pleads

Jacob: "Jacob Nesbit."

Elizabeth: "Hey, Jacob. You live around here?"

Jacob: "97th Street."

Olivia: "97th Street? That's just a block away. Who do you live with?"

Jacob: "My mom and my brother."

Olivia: "Yeah? What about your dad?"

Jacob: "He's dead. Please don't tell my mom I was eating." he pleads, making the pair exchange a look

•••

Elizabeth: "You sure are hungry."

Jacob: "I've never had pancakes before."

Elizabeth: "Really? Your mom's never made them for you before?"

Jacob: "No, she says they're against the rules."

Elizabeth: "What rules?"

Jacob: "About food and stuff. What's good to eat, what's not. How much food I can have."

Elizabeth: "Your brother have rules, too?"

Jacob: "Yeah, but Adam never breaks them."

Elizabeth: "Well, what happens when you do break them?"

Jacob: "I get a punishment."

Elizabeth: "What's a punishment?"

Jacob: "I don't want to talk about it."

Elizabeth: "Jacob, I'm just trying to help you out here, but I need for you to trust me."

Jacob: "My mom says what happens at home stays at home."

Elizabeth: "And what you and I talk about in this room stays in this room."

Jacob: "I can't tell you" he shakes his head, making her sigh "It's against the rules. Can I finish my breakfast?"

Elizabeth: "Yeah, of course."
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Cragen: "We can't keep him here unless there's some allegation of abuse."

Olivia: "He's scared out of his wits. He doesn't want his mother to know that he was eating. Something is going on here."

Cragen: "All right, check her out. I'll call ACS and see if they've got anything on the family."

Olivia: "Okay."

•••

Adam: "Can I help you?"

Olivia: "I'm Det. Benson. This is Det. Stabler."

Adam: "Let me get my mom. Please wait here."

Olivia: "Kid's awfully polite."

Elizabeth: "Or just obeying the rules." she scoffs