Shadows of the Badge

Chapter 11: Veil of Secrets

The revelation at the end of Chapter 10 left Lieutenant Elliot Stabler with more questions than answers. As he stood beside Jet's desk, the image of the redacted file on the screen burned into his memory. The Mockingjay Firm's involvement in sealing away a file connected to Olivia's daughter was a twist neither he nor Olivia had anticipated.

"Jet, can you dig deeper into the connection between the firm and this file?" Elliot asked, his voice a mix of determination and frustration.

"I'll try, but they've covered their tracks well. It won't be easy to break through their firewalls legally," Jet replied, her fingers already dancing across the keyboard.

Leaving Jet to her work, Elliot stepped out of the Organized Crime unit's office, his mind racing. He needed to talk to Olivia. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, but each piece seemed to unveil another layer of complexity.

Meanwhile, Olivia was at the SVU precinct, unaware of the latest development. Her phone rang, and seeing Elliot's name on the screen, she answered immediately, sensing the urgency in the call.

"Elliot, what's wrong?" Olivia asked, her instinct telling her that this wasn't a routine call.

"Olivia, we've found something. Jet discovered that a file related to your daughter has been redacted by The Mockingjay Firm. Catherine's firm," Elliot explained, his voice tense.

The news hit Olivia like a wave. "Why would Catherine do that? What is she hiding?"

"We don't know yet, but I think we need to confront her about this. There's more to her story than she's telling us," Elliot said.

----------------------

Olivia and Elliot met at a quiet coffee shop, a neutral ground away from the precinct and the prying ears of their colleagues. The seriousness of their mission was evident in their expressions as they sat down with their coffees.

"Okay, let's think this through," Olivia started, her mind sharp and focused. "If Catherine's firm redacted that file, she must have a reason. We need to find out what that is."

Elliot nodded, his experience in organized crime investigations making him well-versed in unraveling complex situations. "Agreed. But we should be cautious. If we confront her too aggressively, she might shut down or hide whatever she's concealing even deeper."

Olivia considered this, weighing their options. "True. Maybe we should start by asking her about the file indirectly, see how she reacts. If she's hiding something, she might give herself away."

"Right," Elliot said. "We need to watch her response carefully. Any hesitation, any slip-up, could give us a lead."

They discussed their plan in detail, considering various scenarios and how Catherine might react. They agreed that while they needed answers, they also had to be mindful of the potential implications on their professional relationship with Catherine.

"Let's also keep in mind the legal aspects of this," Olivia added. "We can't afford to overstep or break any laws in our pursuit of the truth."

Elliot agreed, his respect for Olivia's commitment to doing things by the book evident. "We'll play it smart. We're not just detectives; we're also parents looking for answers about our child. We have a right to know."

As they finished their coffee, they solidified their plan. They would approach Catherine calmly and professionally, asking her about the file and carefully observing her reactions. Depending on her response, they would decide how to proceed further.

------------------------

Determined to get answers, Olivia and Elliot made their way to The Mockingjay Firm. Upon arrival, they were greeted not by Catherine Bluemoon James herself, but by her assistant. The bustling atmosphere of the firm stood in stark contrast to the purposeful intent of their visit.