Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

The Devil You Know	By : SisterWine Category: G through L > Law & Order Views: 3165 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Law & Order, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-The Devil You Know
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Part 6
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Alternate Scene
- 14-Alternate Ending 2
- 1
- 2
- 3
Two

Justin Paxton
Ware It Up Furniture
Upper East Manhattan
6:56 PM

"What can I do for you, detectives?" Justin strolled back to his lavished desk, after shutting the door, behind them, as they entered the cluttered but neatly arranged large office, in the back of the store. His toned frame fit elegantly into his dusty-gray suit, yet nothing in his demeanour gave away his orientation. An elegant eyebrow curved upwards as he was shown a blown up copy of Aaron Jasper's driver's license.

"Do you know this man?" Olivia asked, watching Justin's expression as he stared at the photo.

"Yes." Justin reclined back in his tan computer chair and smiled up at the two detectives, who remained standing instead of taking a seat in the offered chairs, across from him. "Aaron and I had a few dates. Why?" His interest piqued as Olivia replaced the photo in her jacket pocket and took out her notepad and pen. Running a hand through his salt and pepper hair, he divided his attention between the two detectives. Well-manicured fingers interlaced, letting his elbows rest on the arms of the chair. "Is it a crime to be gay, in Manhattan?"

Elliot looked around the office and picked up a small, wooden plaque with an engraving for "Best Design Winner". "When was the last time you saw Aaron?" Replacing the plaque on the drawing desk, where he had found it, he turned around to acknowledge Justin and wait for an answer.

Justin thought back, biting the tip of his tongue, in thought. "Thursday night. We went to my sister's wedding reception." The smile faded and was replaced by concern. "Did something happen, while I was out of town? Is he in some kind of trouble?" Looking from Olivia to Elliot and back again, Justin sat forward, a stern expression now firm on his pace. "What's going on?" Clasping his hands together and leaning forward on his desk, he waited.

Scratching his left temple, Elliot stepped forward. "Where were you, last night?"

"My flight didn't get in until 12:30, this morning. I caught a bite to eat, at Joe's Diner, on 54th, then went home and went to bed. Why?" Justin stared up at Elliot in frustration.

Olivia wrote his answers down and looked up as Justin and Elliot both paused in an awkward silence. "Flight from where?"

Looking from Elliot to Olivia, Justin took a breath. "I left Friday morning for Boston, had a meeting with my building foreman, on a project, and came back. Again, what happened to Aaron?" Justin shifted uneasily and was becoming angered as his questions went unanswered.

Elliot shifted. "Was anyone with you, at any time, between those times?"

"No but, my building has drivers. The one I had last night can corraborate." Justin didn't bother looking to the other man as he said his explanation.

Olivia shifted. "What was the driver's name?"

"Sheila something. I don't know her last name." Frustration entered Justin's expression, again. "Please. What happened to Aaron?"

Elliot cleared his throat and swallowed. "Aaron Jasper was found dead on a park bench, this morning." He kept a close eye on Justin's expressions as the other man processed the tidbit of information. He could tell Justin had been genuinely shocked to hear the answer and mentally noted it, glancing over to his partner and making sure she had gotten the same impression.

"He- wha--, how? I just talked to him before final boarding. When?" Justin shifted in his seat and then shifted again, uneasy at the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Just before 1 AM." Olivia clarified.

Justin shook his head in disbelief. "We didn't get out of parking until 1. Sheila picked me up in Parking Garage 4."

Elliot sighed. "Thanks for your time, Mister Paxton."

SVU Squadroom
Tuesday, 23 Octobre
8:23 AM

"Where are we with dating service, Jasper used?" Captain Cragen stopped at Fin's desk. He had come out of his office, after getting off the phone with Trace. With a case folder, in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, he had been hoping for some good news. The more he tried to put down the folder, the more times he had picked it back up again. The folder he held had been from a similar incident, a few years prior. Cragen hoped for differences.

Elliot hung up his desk phone and stood up, making his way over to the pot of freshly made coffee, to refresh his 1/3 full cold coffee. "Calicci called me, about an hour ago, said he did some digging, after we left, yesterday and came up with a few people Aaron turned down. One name stood out; a Jacob Martinelli." He paused to pour his coffee and replace the decanter before heading back to his desk. "Martinelli was apparently one of the first few dates Aaron Jasper ended early. When asked why, Jasper said Martinelli was a little too excited to go out and became jealous of Jasper, after only one date. Apparently, it became so overwhelming that Jasper filed for a temporary restraining order, last month. My buddy at Metro said Martinelli has been a very bad boy, busted for possession with intent to sell, a few misdemeanours and domestic violence charges within the past two years. Also, has a pretty bad temper. And, each time, his lawyer managed to get him off."

Cragen exhaled. "Where is he, now?"

"Last known address is an empty loft, up in Tribeca. Mail's been forwarded to his lawyer's office. Home address is either unlisted or a motel residence." Elliot sat down in his chair sipped his coffee. He rifled through a few of his papers and picked up a fax, his friend in Metro had sent him. "His lawyer's name is Erik Matthews. Matthews is a very prestigeous attourney for Caldwell & Jameson in Manhattan." He stared at the faxed photo of the young man before handing it to his partner, across the combined desks.

Cragen chewed his lower lip in thought. "Let's start out with questioning the lawyer and getting him to offer his client to chat with us, first. We don't need Caldwell & Jameson stirring up a commotion that doesn't have to be." He recalled an earlier incident, in his career, that had him up against another lawyer from the firm and it nearly cost him his job. "Tread very lightly."

Manhattan Courthouse
Lower Manhattan, front steps
11:15 AM

Matthews sat on the lowrise wall that lined the fountain, to the left of the courthouse. His work laptop was open and up with a page of reference for another client of his firm. He sat with his back to the street, under the ever-shrinking shadow of the tall, stone building in front of him. Stabbing his fork into the plastic container of Caesar Salad, he picked up a good sized bite and chewed, noticing the two detectives as they approached, from the corner of his eye. He swallowed and stabbed another piece of lettuce and cherry tomato and chewed his bite before scrolling the screen down to read on. A legal pad with detailed notes rested on his leg as his bowl of salad sat between he and his laptop, on the gray cement wall. His pen had been madly moving fluidly across the paper as he jotted down useful notes for his upcoming continuation. He paused in his writing and flipped the pad over, placing it under his leg and slipping the pen behind his left ear.

"Erik Matthews?" Elliot and Olivia stopped and flashed their badges before introducing themselves. "Detective Stabler. This is my partner Detective Benson. Your office said you had court all day. Sorry to intrude on your lunch but we'd like to ask you about a client of yours."

Swallowing the mouthful and briefly glancing up at the two credentials, Erik cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the napkin he had draped over his leg that rested on the wall, in front of him. "What can I do for you, detectives?" His voice had been slightly hoarse from speaking in court, all morning. He had a fresh, young sounding voice to match his youthful appearance. Tired caramel eyes flickered up at the photo Olivia showed him.

Olivia watched the young lawyer as he gave little acknowledgement to them or their questions. "Jacob Martinelli. Have you seen your client, recently?" Between the cloud cover and the shade from the building, she had to pay attention to his mannerisms as he shrugged and blinked up at her, tiredly.

"Yes." Matthews sighed and used the back of his right forefinger, the same hand that held his fork, move a lock of chesnut hair from his forehead. "What kind of questions do you wish to ask my client?" Erik stabbed another forkful of salad and took a bite, chewing slowly and carefully. He swallowed and glanced over at Benson's partner, who wrote down their conversation.

"Look, counselour, we're not here to pick a fight with you or your client. We have an investigation and we'd like to ask Martinelli where he was two nights ago." Elliot stopped his writing and shifted his position, staring down at the pale young man.

Erik blinked as he read Elliot's expression. Checking his watch that he wore on his right wrist, he sighed. "Jake was with me, the other night. My lunch is almost over and I'm due in court until 2:30. If you care to wait, I will produce him for you, when I get out." A cool breeze blew across his blue dress shirt and forced a small shiver out of him as his breath caught. Erik stiffened and shifted on the hard seat.

Elliot stepped forward. "You are aware that's impeding an investigation. We can arrest you for failing to produce your client."

Erik closed his laptop and shut his legal pad, placing the pad on top of the laptop before gathering his bowl of salad up to finish it. "You can. But, that won't get you any closer to him or an answer to your investigation. What is this about, exactly?"

"A young man was found murdered, not too far from here. Your client was one of the men listed on a homosexual dating service as a compatible match." Olivia watched Erik's reaction to her words as she explained the situation. She noticed him perk up at the mention of a dating service and hold her gaze as she continued. "We've spoken to the other men on the list. Jacob Martinelli is our last piece of the puzzle. We just have a few questions for him. That's all."

The young lawyer looked carefully at both detectives and checked his watch again. "I haven't seen him since yesterday morning." Placing the cover on his bowl and his laptop and pad into the black carrying case, that leaned against the wall, behind his left foot, Erik stood. "He hangs out in Queens, with his brother. Find his brother, chances are, you'll find him." Clearing his throat and hoping the detectives would get the subtle hint of his annoyance, Erik met eyes with Elliot. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a client waiting for me."

As they watched the lawyer nod a farewell and hurry up the stairs and into the building, Elliot went over the notes in his hand. "I'm gonna stay with the counselour. Make sure he doesn't tip off Martinelli and then ask him about our boy, 'Jake.' You wanna grab Fin and take a wander around Queens?"

Olivia nodded and made her way back to the car, grabbing her phone and dialing Detective Tutuola.

Manhattan Courthouse
3rd Floor Men's Room
2:15 PM

Flushing and turning to face the door, Erik paused a moment from unlocking and opening the stall door. He had heard someone walk in and stop at the row of sinks. He swallowed and wiped his mouth with a nervous hand before exiting the stall to wash his hands. He made his way to a sink, two spots down from where a co-worker stood, fixing his tie. Soaping his hand and running the water, he thoroughly washed his hands and then cupped them, bending over to rinse his mouth and wash his face. When he stood up, the co-worker was walking out and Elliot was standing a few feet away. Wiping the excess water off of his face and taking a breath, he stared over at the detective via reflection. "Something else I can do for you, detective?"

"Impressive moves, counselour. You must have been the top of your class, in law school." Elliot stood with his hands in his pants pockets. He had watched the young man successfully defend a young woman wrongfully accused of arson. He sat in the very back row along with another man, who also watched the young counselour in action.

Erik forced back the heaving he felt and breathed deeply, not wanting to move until the feeling dispersed.

Elliot stopped and took a long look at the young man before him. "Are you ill, counselour?" He had noticed that Erik's face had paled considerably since he walked into the Men's Room but had figured that it had been the lighting that discoloured the scene.

Dropping his head and closing his eyes, Erik swallowed shallowly before opening them and making his way to the towel dispenser. "I told you and your partner. I don't know where my client is, Detective Stabler." Taking a towel and wiping his hands before turning back to the other man, Erik shifted. "What department are you with, again?"

"Special Victims."

"Rape cases." Erik took a breath.

Elliot sighed. "Yea, this one went a little further than that. Look, we just want to talk to him. And this little cat-and-mouse game, isn't making our job any easier."

"What time was your victim allegedly being raped and murdered?"

Elliot thought for a moment and studied the young man. "Early hours on Monday morning. Where's your client, Counselour?"

"I can't help you, detective. My duty is to protect my client from being railroaded, for one. And, two, I haven't seen him since yesterday morning." Erik tossed the used paper towel away and then moved back to the far wall, to gather his case and suitjacket. Bending over and reaching for his things, he felt the illness rise from his stomach and prayed it waited for him to get back to his office.

"You said he was with you all night?" Elliot paused to turn around and see the younger man collect his things.

Erik turned to see the detective staring at him, from across the room. "He hasn't always been my client."

Elliot nodded and had thought of something to say, in return, but before he could open his mouth, his cell phone buzzed from his pants pocket. Turning to answer it, he left the men's room and stepped over to the windows, across the way from the Men's Room door. "Stabler." He listened as Olivia told him she and Fin had followed and caught up with Jacob Martinelli, at an Irish pub, in Midtown and that they were on their way back to the precinct, for questioning. "I'll let Matthews know." His back had been to the door and had missed Erik coming out of the restroom but had called to him as the lawyer made his way down the hall, to the lifts. "Counselour!" Elliot ran to catch up to the man as he stopped and turned around to flash Elliot a tired look. "My partner picked up your client, in Midtown."

SVU Interrogation
Room #2
3:03 PM

"Why don't we start by you telling us where you were, Sunday night. It's in your best interest to answer the questions in this case because, once your lawyer gets up here, this deal goes away and you go back to jail for possession of heroin." Olivia leaned on fingertips, the table between them. She watched Martinelli closely and when the door opened, neither she or the man sitting in the chair, made a move.

Jacob sat in a relaxed pose and only tilted his head and smirked as Elliot stepped in. "That doesn't look like my lawyer." Martinelli was a man of 40, with old money roots and his ego and demeanour certainly showed it. He sat with his legs crossed and hands folded on his lap, waiting patiently for his young lover to show up and bail him out. A smirk spread on his lips as Olivia straightened and backed up to lean against the wall, her back to the observation glass.

"He'll be in, in a minute." Elliot smiled and slipped his hands into his pants pockets as he came to a stop a few feet in front of the closed door. "You really made this a lot harder than it should have been." Narrowing his eyes and shifting his stance as he stared at the man in the chair that shrugged and became amused by the detective's assertion. "You sure know how to pick 'em. But, all we wanted to ask you was where you were, Sunday night. The fact that your residence has been cleaned out, mail forwarded to your lawyer's office and when my partner attempted to talk to you, you happened to have had a dime of heroin, in your possession. You're lookin' more and more guilty by the second, Jake."

The door opened and Erik entered, closing the door behind him. "Answer the question, Jake." His expression had been one of mixed feelings as he had wanted to collect his client and leave, going home for the rest of the day to spend in bed as he hadn't been feeling well. Yet, it had also been one of curiosity and need for answers, in order to better help his client from being framed for murder.

Grating his teeth over his bottom lip, Jake smirked, "You know where I was."

"Tell them."

Sighing, annoyedly, Jake leaned forward and placed his hands on the table. "Erik and I went to dinner with my brother and his wife, caught a show in the Garden, then went home. Erik," motioning to the lawyer, "said he wasn't feeling well so, he went to bed and I watched some TV." His tone leveled as he looked at Olivia and answered. Turning his gaze over to his lawyer, his motioned that he was growing impatient of still being in Interrogation, while his lawyer was there. "You gonna do what I pay you for, or what?"

Erik's stomach churned. "You still have heroin possession to deal with. Sorry, Jake, my hands are tied. I'll see you at arraignment, in the morning." He turned to leave but stopped as his client snarled and bolted up from the chair, fighting off the two detectives that tried to keep him from attacking his lawyer. The door opened and two more, uniformed officers entered to control the angered man while Captain Cragen grabbed Erik by the arm and ushered him outside.

Cragen had watched the entire scene unfold and had been a little curious as to why Erik chose to leave his own client in jail, for the night. "Who's side are you really on, counselour?"

Erik swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment as he listened to the cursings and ravings of his client, that carried out, into the squadroom. "When he's sobre, Jake is better composed. The decision to leave him in lock up, doesn't come from me but from his father; a now retired senior partner of my firm. I'm meeting with Mr. Martinelli, tonight, and tomorrow, Jake will go straight from arraignment to rehab. Again." A wave of nausea flashed over him and he paled a bit as the two uniformed officers escorted Jake to lock up. "Excuse me, I'm due back at the office."

The captain's brow furrowed as he nodded and watched the young man leave without a glance over to his client that yelled for him.

Continued.
- 1
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Devil You Know