1-2-3 Years...
Chapter Six
When Olivia had rushed for the warrant and drove against mad traffic all she was thinking was about Ray and his conniving ways. What she hadn�t thought about was what was right in front of her. She hadn�t even imagined that she would have to face both Alex and Jena. She wished she could turn around and run back outside, but it was of no use. She could have just headed towards Ray�s room and arrested him but Elliot was already walking towards the two women so she had to follow.
�Hi! Olivia, Elliot.� Alex greeted.
�Hey�� Elliot said first.
Olivia only nodded. She stole a glance at Jena but she was looking at everywhere but her. After last nights phone call Olivia had expected that. Like she had told Ray in the morning, knowing that Jena still harbored rage towards her made her feel the same way. So, Olivia too remained silent without even bothering to acknowledge her presence, just as she was doing.
�Hey Eve.� Elliot, the most ignorant of the group greeted the youngest woman.
�Hey Elliot, this is my mom.� Eve, who seemed to have more manners than her older counterpart, introduced Jena.
�Hi Ms. Rollins. I am Detective Stabler, I am working with Olivia on Mr. Whalen�s case.� Elliot said extending his hand.
Jena simply shook his hand without bothering to fill in with few words.
�Hey Jen.� Olivia finally said looking directly at her. She figured for the sake of civility she would take the first step. And also because remaining silent was what Jena could do, not her.
After last night, Alex had imagined that Olivia and Jena�s meeting would be uncomfortable. What she hadn�t imagined was the amount of detestation Jena felt towards her girlfriend. Though Olivia seemed a little more eager to mend the broken bridge it was clear that Jena was the one who was still holding the grudge.
�Ray is in the OR. He had some internal bleeding so they are trying to ascertain its source.� Jena replied making Olivia�s one word greet unheard.
�He seemed fine yesterday.� Elliot said a little surprised by the information.
�You don�t have to wait. I�ll make sure the hospital informs you when he is out.� Jena said rudely ignoring Elliot�s concern as well.
�That is okay. We will wait. We have a warrant on his name.� Olivia said taking a step forward baiting Jena to react.
�Warrant for what?� And Jena did react. She asked finally turning towards Olivia.
�Don�t play innocent with me Jen. For all I know you were in it too. After all, you always made Ray do your dirty work.� Olivia returned Jena�s glare with her own.
�What are you talking about?�
�I am talking about Ray and his self defense scenario for murder.� Olivia knew that her words would remind Jena of the same breakfast conversation she was referring too.
And it did. Jena waited to hear more before she responded.
�You were out of town. Ray knew about Davis. He purposely puts Eve in his class. Pretends that he catches him red handed and walks in with a gun. He knows he has to make it look like an accident or self-defense so he struggles a little. The only thing that went wrong was that Davis was a little too strong and when the gun went off both were shot.� Olivia recited her theory like she was throwing punches at Jena.
�What�. You out of your freaking mind here. Who the hell is Davis?� Jena asked completely confused and angry.
�Mr. Mathew Davis is the man who was shot along with Mr. Whalen.� Elliot filled in hoping that his little sentence could buffer whatever was going on.
�We don�t know him.� Jena answered honestly.
�When will you stop lying Jen?� Olivia then turned to Elliot and Alex, like they were the jury and she was testifying. �Honesty is not one of her traits. I just found out a little too late.� She explained.
�God! Liv. Get over it, will you? It�s been too damn many years for you to bring all the shit up again. This is what I didn�t want. This is why I never wanted to see you again. It�s always drama with you, big drama over nothing. Now when there was nothing you could get on me, you are weaving false accusations on a man who is fighting for his life.�
�This is not personal Jen� this is work.�
�Work my fuc�� Jena paused.
Raising Eve had taught Jena to watch her language no matter how enraged she was. She took a second to shallow the word �fuck�. That moment�s pause also allowed her the sense to lower her volume before she spoke.
�You are accusing Ray on the basis of a joke that we all sat and laughed at years ago. Yes, I remember the conversation you are framing your theory against. That was a joke Liv and even you know that.�
�That was a joke but that also is how Ray�s mind works. And that is not the only reason. No one would issue a warrant on that Jen. There are other proofs, like Jaq was the detective who handled Davis� case. Not to mention the fact that this morning Ray insisted that I stay away from you. He knew that once the cops interviewed you, you might slip. That is why he kept repeating that I should not see you.�
�That is it. Isn�t it? That is what this is about. He told you to stay away from me and you go and get an arrest warrant on him. You can�t hurt me anymore so you are going after one man I ever loved.� Jena�s voice wasn�t loud but it was sharp nevertheless.
Both Alex and Elliot had closed in on the two women hoping that they could obstruct anything physical, if it came to that. Eve on the other hand was holding tight to her mom�s thigh.
�You can stop flying on your high horse Jen. This is work. It has nothing to do with you or me.� Olivia took a step back. She wanted Jena to know that it was work, so she got out of Jena�s personal space.
�You can say whatever you want. I know this is not work for you. And I�ll not let you use Ray as a sacrificial lamb in your personal vendetta against me.� Jena too took a step back.
Regardless of how angry she felt, she didn�t want a scene either. She dug into her pocket and took out her cell.
�I am calling a lawyer. You two better not even go near him, without his lawyer.� Jena warned as she dialed a number.
She was still waiting for the phone to be picked up when a nurse touched her shoulder from behind.
�Mrs. Whalen?� She asked.
�Rollins. But I am his family.� Jena said closing her phone. �Is he out of the OR? What happened?�"Ms. Rollins I think its best if the doctor talked to you.� She said directing Jena towards a private room.
Unlike her lawyer girlfriend, Olivia checked her mail only once a week, on Friday evenings. That way she could write checks and balance her finances and also respond to any personal mail on Saturday afternoon, leaving her rest of the weekend free of hassles. So, on the end of the very stressful and very eventful week, Olivia sat down with her diet coke and started to rummage through her mail while Alex sat besides her reading a weekly law journal that she subscribed to.
�You should let me pay few of the bills. May be the utilities.� Alex suggested seeing that one side of the pile was getting bigger, which she assumed was of bills.
�They are included.� Olivia replied tearing open yet another letter.
�Included in what�your rent. You don�t pay any.� Alex said putting down the journal, determined to talk the financial nitty gritty with her girlfriend.
�Exactly and I don�t pay any utilities either.� Olivia took out a correspondent from the opened pile and handed it to Alex. �That�s the real estate management firm that manages this building. Mr. Ritters handles my account and he makes all the necessary payment for all the requirements of the building. That�s the monthly statement.�
Alex scanned the document for a moment or two before her illusion of Olivia�s financial status collapsed. �This is all you made this month. I don�t understand, I thought the real estate owners in the city made the most money here.�
�You could if you have more than one building or if you managed it yourself. I am paying John more than double of what the PD pays me for just collecting rent, maintaining the building, paying the employees and taxes on time.�
�You couldn�t do that yourself?�
�Not if I want to still be a cop. So, babe, the only thing this white elephant gives me is a free place to live in. Considering the rent in the city it is a big help. But it doesn�t make me a millionaire.� Olivia said flipping through another mail.
�Well�if you don�t have rent to pay, then maximum of your pay is a saved. If you factor that, you should be able to save a considerable amount. Ever since I moved here, because I didn�t have any rent to pay, my savings account is actually going uphill.�
�I don�t have any savings.� Olivia rudely cut Alex�s thought.
They had never discussed each other�s financial standings but that didn�t warren a curt reply. So, Alex looked up a little shocked at the tone of Olivia�s response, when her eyes fell on a square envelope that Olivia had just opened. Olivia was glaring at what seemed to look like a card, while Alex picked up the envelope. It was a hand written address. Something about the handwriting seemed familiar to her, but she didn�t think much of it as she concentrated on her girlfriend whose face was darkening as she stared at the card.
After couple of more seconds Olivia simply handed Alex the card. It was an invitation for a funeral with four words scribbled on it. �You are not Welcome.�
For the funeral of Ray Whalen, who had passed away on that Tuesday afternoon. An artery that was grazed by the bullet had burst open unexpectedly and the doctors were unable to repair it on time. Due to which he hemorrhaged and died. Though Jena never married Ray, she was the mother of his child and the only woman that Ray had ever loved, so his parents allowed Jena to arrange his funeral. Which meant that Olivia was not welcome at his funeral. That was given that didn�t need to be spelled out but to Jena who never ever missed a chance to hurt, had to put it in writing. So, she posted a funeral invitation on Olivia�s name as well.
�Ray was right, if given a chance she will hurt me more.� Olivia stated unable to believe what was right in front of her. �It certainly is not enough to her that I was wrong. I was wrong and I admit it. It wasn�t Ray who had the gun it was Davis. I wrongly accused him. And I am sorry. But she had to send this to rub it in.�
Alex was the one who had remembered Eve�s chatter with Jena about Mr. Mathew Davis being the one who took out the gun. That revelation had thrown out Olivia�s theory and hence throwing her out of the case as well. After that Olivia had spent rest of the week with guilt-burdened heart, which Jena had just managed to make it heavier by the invitation.
�Olivia come on now, this is not the first time an innocent man was accused in an investigation. It happens all the time. Cops have to look in every direction to find the real one. Even Donald said that given the background information that you had on Ray, it wasn�t your fault that you came to that conclusion.�
�Yes, but Jen was right. I used my own issues with her to convert his good willed words into a double meaning ones. And while he only wished me well even till he died and I was standing outside with a warrant. What a friend I have become?� Guilt once again took over Olivia as she remembered a man who had been a big part of her life at one point. �Jen was right, that was a joke. A casual joke � like you and I would share right here. In fact it was right here in this dining room.�
Olivia took a second to look around the dining room to make sure that the scene in front of her mirrored the one in her memory.
�He was sitting in that middle chair and Jaq was in that head chair. I came and sat right where you are sitting. Jen had got into a fight in the club couple of nights ago and a guy had re structured her face and Ray was only kidding about killing him. I took that innocent moment and made it into a murder plan. It was all my deceitful mind and me not him. He wanted me to be happy. He said this was his redemption. That I had found you and I was happy.�
�Olivia look�.� Alex said getting up from the chair and kneeling in front of her girl. �Don�t beat yourself over it sweetheart please. Let it go. There is nothing you can do now. She knew she could get you with this that is why she sent you this. Don�t let her win.�
Alex tossed both the card and the envelope in garbage as she protectively hugged her girl. Shielding her from any more pain.
�And you forgive me?� Olivia asked. She knew that Jena would never forgive her once again, but she needed to know that at least Alex would.
�Yes, sweetheart I do.� Alex forgave Olivia. Her love would forgive her million times if she had to.
Couple of hours later, Olivia had calmed down and Alex was in the bedroom. Olivia picked up the rest of the junk mails and tossed it in the garbage bin. While doing so her eyes once again caught on the painful envelope and card that Alex had tossed while consoling her. She picked it out of the garbage and walked to the locked room. She unlocked it and put it in the room where she stored all the pieces of her broken heart. After seven years, Jena still manage to chip a piece out of her heart.