When Partners Collide

When Partners Collide Chapter 5

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When Partners Collide

Chapter 5

Arriving back at the squad room Olivia clocked that there was an unease among some of her team around her. She guessed news of their kiss for Turpin was doing the rounds. She wondered that if she was back as a detective if anyone would have been so uneasy, Munch would have wound her up, she summarized and Cragen would have made sure it did not bring any tension in their partnership. Deciding that everyone can just get over it, Olivia started the briefing.

"Carisi, do we have anything?" "Nothing, Turpin was very careful to put everything in the hypothetical, so asking questions, 'if you had a child?' A lawyer would have him out before he's even gone through booking. I can't even get him for inciting a sexual act as you both entered into it freely...if you get my drift" Carisi said looking at the floor awkwardly. "Let's hope Kat and Oki get something" Johnson said. Just as he said that Kat and Oki walked back into the squad room. "We lost him" Kat said. "This guy is beyond careful, He changed cabs three times and I lost him on foot as he crossed Times Square and got into an unmarked town car." Oki continued. "Well, I guess we just have to hope he contacts Elliot again" Olivia said, frustrated that this man appeared to be slipping out of their grip.

As they were reviewing every piece of information and evidence on the case Elliot's 'Bill Mathers' cell phone rang with instructions from Dick Turpin to meet him in Battery Kessler in Queens at 6am tomorrow morning. "This dude has a liking for abandoned buildings" Fin growled knowing it was going to impossible for back up to be close by. "Rick, do you think you and your team can see the best way of getting eyes and ears on that spot?" Olivia asked Johnson. "It will be difficult, but I think we can do it. But we can't be near, you two are going to have to make the arrest." Elliott and Olivia nodded, and everyone got to work preparing for perhaps their one and only chance to catch Turpin.

Olivia walked into her apartment well past midnight and, after thanking Lucy who had agreed to stay overnight and apologizing for being so late, she went and took off her make-up, showered, changed into some comfortable clothes then taking a coffee she went and sat in Noah's room knowing it was pointless sleeping as she needed to be out again in a few hours. Watching Noah sleep, Olivia began to process everything that happened that day, pleased that Elliott and her managed to convince Turpin, and surprised at how comfortable it had been, even when they had been asked to kiss it had felt normal. Olivia thought back to the moment when she caught the look in Elliot's eyes before they kissed, that look of desire, it wasn't a look Olivia was expecting, an apology yes but not a look of tender care and almost wanting to make her happy. She always knew under the cocky bravado was a tender man, but she rarely glimpsed it. Suddenly jolting up in her chair she quickly looked at her cell phone and, realizing she must have dozed offed, got up to prepared for the arrival of Elliott.

Making their way to Battery Kessler, Olivia and Elliott were silent, partly due to the lack of sleep, but also because they both knew there was a lot riding on them. Back up was at least 5 minutes away if something did go wrong. As they approached Elliott turned to Olivia "You ok?" he asked. "I'm fine" Olivia responded giving her stock answer that Elliott knew normally meant she wasn't. He smiled to himself pleased that to see her stock answer hadn't changed in the decade they hadn't seen each other. Olivia looked at him and he could see in her face the same emotions he knew were mirrored in his - anxiety, pressure and adrenalin. He pulled up at the wire mesh gates on the beach on 193rd Street and waited, it was a wide-open space with no place to hide, Elliott could see why Turpin picked it as he put on the blacked rimmed glasses again and they waited.

Soon they could see a black SUV approaching with blacked out windows. Olivia and Elliott got out of their car. Turpin got out of the driver's seat and ordered them to stay where they were. He walked over to Elliott and told him to put his hands on the car bonnet and after checking he did not have a gun, he ordered Elliott to take his shirt and belt off.