A/N: Thanks for being patient and waiting for this update. I've been so busy lately; not to go into details, but I'm hoping to get this updated next week. As you can see, this story is coming to an end so I've thrown in some last minute twists, and don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Masterson or anyone else for that matter; if you're wondering what has happened to them. I'm going to let you get on and read it now. Please review if you have time. Thank you.
Alex took a deep breath; Kevin always had something up his sleeve. A trick or a decoy to keep her on her toes. The fact he didn't cross examine the one person who witnessed everything meant he had something big.
"The people call Kathleen Macks to the stand."
Kathleen, known to everyone as Kate took the stand. She shot a look over to Alexandria then back at Alex.
"Mrs. Macks; why were you brought on to this case?"
"I was asked to join the case by Detective Benson after a string of murders with little or no evidence arose. I was asked to assist with the profiling of the suspect."
"When you looked into the case notes, what did you find?"
"I discovered that Alexandria and Harper were twins who had an open, public on / off relationship. I profiled the defendant to be very manipulative, very well endorsed and a lot smarter than people gave her credit for."
"What lead you to Alexandria?"
"Detective Benson had been working the case, she made a connection between the murders that didn't involve SVU. During the investigation we were made aware of books being released by an author named Andrea Wiloflax; when I took a moment to think I noticed that Andrea Wiloflax is an anagram of Alexandria Wolf. She had appeared on TV earlier that week talking about the murders; a little investigating later we went to Miss. Wolf's home. It transpired from there that we needed to look at Miss. Wolf as a serious suspect."
"What happened when you went to the defendant's house?"
"She played innocent for as long as she could; then her brother interrupted. She said she wasn't really friends with Andrea, but they had some contact. When Detective Benson asked her for Andrea's number she called it. Harper picked up the phone; Miss. Wolf tried to convince us she'd give us the wrong number; however Harper revealed the truth when he reentered the room telling Miss. Wolf that someone had called the Wiloflax phone."
"What happened next?" Alex asked.
"The situation became very intense very quickly. Miss. Wolf said she hadn't 'finished' and wasn't going to let Detective Benson stop her. There was a struggle, Detective Benson's gun went off. It transpired that Miss. Wolf had tried to snatch the gun, and in the struggle, she was shot."
"What happened after that?"
"Detective Benson and I went to the defendant's childhood home. We went in and discovered that Harper and Alexandria had adjoining bedrooms through a small door in the back on the closets in their room. There was a secret room filled with their childhood photos; the room had been converted to facilitate Miss. Wolf's killing spree."
"What do you mean?"
"The room had photos from every crime scene pinned to the wall in the order of the crimes. There were video tapes of the Matthews' home being blown up; there were notes indicating who should or did commit each crime, and the method in which each person should be murdered. There were notes on her next book too."
"Do you believe in your professional opinion that Alexandria Wolf is the person responsible for the rapes, and murders?"
"I do, she had a lot of money which gave her the means to hire people to commit the crimes on her behalf. However, she is the master mind behind the whole operation if you will. She's a very manipulative woman who conned the criminals in to working for her. She manipulated her brother with sex, and tried to portray herself as someone who wanted to help. She projected herself into the investigation by going on TV. Miss. Wolf is a sociopath who at every opportunity took the chance to kill innocent people, and up to this day, no one knows why she did it."
"Thank you. Your witness."
Kevin stood up as Alex sat down. "Mrs. Macks, you've explained how you found this evidence, but none of that was with a search warrant, correct?"
"That's correct, but we didn't need one."
"And why is that? You entered my client's properties under false pretences."
"Objection. Mrs. Macks isn't on trial here." Alex called.
"I'm simply trying to understand how Kathleen and Detective Benson arrived at my client."
"Continue." The judge said.
"Please answer my question." Kevin Sacks said.
"We didn't need a search warrant because Miss. Wolf invited us into her home, and Detective Benson and I believed we heard someone crying out for help inside the childhood home."
"And was there anyone in the childhood home?" Kevin said.
"No, there was not."
"So what did you hear exactly Mrs. Macks?"
"I believe it was a TV with the video tape of the Matthews' bombing."
"You believe? So you're not sure?" Kevin said feeling more confidnet.
"I couldn't tell you for sure. I was not the one who entered the room first." Kathleen said.
Alex shook her head, this was Sacks' secret weapon.
"Your Honour, I move for a mistrial. The people obtained evidence from an unwarranted search. They illegally entered a property on false pretences. Without that evidence the people have nothing."
Alex stood up, "NYPD Detectives do not enter without due cause, Detective Benson heard a cry for help and entered the property announcing herself as an NYPD Detective."
"Counsellors approach." Judge Anderson said frustrated.
"Judge, you know I..." Kevin started.
"I am calling a twenty four recess, the people must provide Detective Benson to my chambers for a formal debrief. If she can not provide the necessary information; I will have to declare a mistrial and let the defendant go free." Judge Anderson banged her gavel.
"Court is adjourned until eight A.M friday morning."
"What the hell was that?" Olivia half asked.
"I don't know, if he can put doubt into Judge Anderson's mind, then he can pretty much kill our trial." Alex said walking out the court house with Olivia.
"We worked too damn hard to let her go now." Elliot said. "Liv, go to the chambers now; get everything cleared up."
Olivia took Elliot's hand, "I'm not going to let her get away with it. It was my call." Olivia hung her head a little feeling responsible.
Elliot cupped Olivia's cheek taking a moment on the steps together outside the court. "It's not your fault Liv."
"It is Elliot. I didn't hear anything, I needed a reason to go inside. I messed up and now she's going to walk free because of me."
"Was the TV on?"
"Yeah, it was on when went into the hidden room. Elliot I know where you're going with this, and I can't lie."
"Could you hear it from outside?" Elliot asked ignoring Olivia's previous statement.
"We heard the screaming and shouting." Olivia said.
"So you did hear a cry for help. Sure it wasn't a person; but you did hear what you thought was someone in need."
"In my heart, I don't believe that Elliot. I wanted to get her so bad, I..."
"Stop it Liv; we all wanted to get her and we all did what we had to do. We all bent rules, but you heard what you heard. Looking back and not believing it whole heartedly doesn't take away the fact you acted on natural instinct." Elliot nudged Olivia's chin with his thumb, "Look at me; you're a fantastic cop, and you're going to be a fantastic wife. Don't doubt yourself."
Olivia smiled and folded herself into Elliot's arms. "Thank you."
Elliot held Olivia tightly, "You don't have to thank me. You want to grab a coffee then go to see Judge Anderson?"
"No, I'll go now. We'll grab a coffee after." Olivia kissed Elliot and headed back into the court house. Knocking on Judge Anderson's chamber door Olivia waited for Taylor Anderson to answer.
"Come in Detective Benson." a stern voice said. "Take a seat."
"Judge Anderson, I..."
"Stop Detective. I know the tricks, 'Can you smell gas?' 'Did you hear that?'. I know she's guilty, I've seen the case file, but unless you're willing to take the stand and testify that you actually heard something she walks. So, did you, or did you not hear something in that house that gave you reason to enter Detective?"