Olivia Benson sat in her office, listening intently as the latest victim, Grace Keller, recounted what little she could remember about her assault. Grace sat across from her, voice trembling, clutching a cup of tea as though it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
“I don’t remember much...” Grace sighed. “He attacked me from behind. Everything went blurry after that. I just... I remember a smell... like wood... sandalwood?”
Olivia leaned forward slightly, sensing something important in that detail. “Sandalwood? Are you sure?”
“I’m not positive... but it was really distinct. When he got close, I smelled it.”
Olivia nodded, trying to reassure Grace. “Thank you. That could be very helpful. We’re going to do everything we can to find the person responsible.”
After Grace left, Olivia called Fin and Rollins into her office. They sat down as Olivia shared the new detail.
“Grace mentioned a sandalwood scent,” Olivia said, her hands resting on the table. “Does that ring any bells?”
Rollins furrowed her brow. “Sandalwood? Not exactly common. Could be a cologne or some kind of personal care product.”
Fin agreed. “Yeah, but it’s specific. I’ll start looking into stores or brands that sell sandalwood-related products.”
Olivia nodded. “Good. Also, we should check past cases to see if any other victims mentioned this smell. I’ve got a feeling this isn’t the first time.”
A few days later, Rollins returned with a discovery. “Olivia, I found another past victim, Emily Harris, who also mentioned a sandalwood scent, but it got overlooked in the original report.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Then we might be dealing with a repeat offender. They could have a habit or a signature. Let’s find out what links these victims together.”
Fin came back with more news from his investigation. “Both Grace and Emily, along with two other victims, all have something in common. They attended self-defense classes at a community center in Brooklyn in the last few months.”
“That’s suspicious,” Olivia muttered. “We need to check out that center.”
At the community center, Olivia and Fin met Ian Morrison, a self-defense instructor with an easy-going, friendly demeanor. He explained that the victims had all taken his class, but he claimed to know nothing about the attacks.
“It’s terrifying to think that the women I taught could be targeted like that,” Ian said, shaking his head. “I’ll help you guys in any way I can.”
Olivia fixed her gaze on Ian, watching his every move. “Do you know anything about the sandalwood scent the victims described?”
Ian chuckled lightly. “Oh, I do wear a sandalwood cologne, but that can’t mean anything, right?”
Olivia didn’t respond to his flippant remark, just nodded. “We’ll continue investigating.”
Days later, Olivia’s suspicion wouldn’t let her rest. Despite Ian’s calm exterior, something about him didn’t sit right. She decided to follow his movements.
One late night, Olivia watched as Ian left the community center and slipped into a nearby abandoned building. Olivia and Fin quietly trailed him, making sure not to be seen. After Ian left the building, they snuck inside.
Inside, they discovered a hidden room behind a shabby curtain. The room was filled with recording equipment and photos of the victims plastered across the walls. Olivia spotted a video camera still running, showing footage of the assaults. To her shock, the attacker in the video wasn’t Ian — it was another man.
Olivia’s mind raced. Ian wasn’t the one physically carrying out the attacks — he was the mastermind. She and Fin searched the room and found information on the man in the video — Adam Foster, a troubled individual who had also taken Ian’s self-defense classes.
Hours later, in the interrogation room, Olivia sat across from Ian. Her eyes were sharp, her voice steady, but there was no mistaking the tension in the air.
“Did you really think you could get away with this forever, Ian?” Olivia said, her voice low but commanding. “We found your room. The tapes. You didn’t attack Grace, but you orchestrated it all.”
Ian remained calm, even offering a slight smirk. “You’ve got nothing to charge me with. I’m just a self-defense instructor. You can’t prove a thing.”
Olivia leaned back in her chair, staring directly into his eyes. “We’ve found Adam Foster. We have the tapes. You manipulated him, Ian. You made him do everything, and now he’s going to tell us all about it.”
Ian’s smug demeanor began to crack. His smile faded, and his voice wavered. “He’s... He’s weak. He had no will. I just showed him the path.”
“And that path,” Olivia said coldly, “leads straight to prison.”
Days later, Ian and Adam were both in custody. Olivia stood outside the community center, reflecting on everything the SVU team had uncovered. The case had finally come together. Ian had been the puppet master, using his influence to manipulate others into committing his crimes.
Rollins walked up beside Olivia. “I can’t believe he went that far. It’s like we almost missed him.”
Olivia sighed, looking up at the darkening sky. “Sometimes the ones pulling the strings are the people we least expect. But justice is served, and that’s what matters.”
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