Chapter 6: Move Along

Munch didn't see the rest of the 1-6 until Monday morning. He had expected it to be a normal day, and it would have been, if everyone hadn't been staring at him.

"Something on my face?"

He wasn't going to drag it out of them. If they had something to say, then they could say it.

No one said anything about it right away. It wasn't until John was coming back from lunch that he found himself in a hallway, standing face to face with Detective Benson.

She knew it wasn't fair but she blamed Munch for her inability to get Alex off her mind. "A little heads up would have been nice." Her voice oozed of venom.

"I assume you mean Alex."

"I didn't mean the lochness monster."

"It was an oversight on my part. If it makes you feel any better, I also forgot to tell her you would all be at the same table."

So she didn't come to show off in front of me. Olivia wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse. "What are you two?"

"We're friends."

"Like normal friends or …" The Alex she knew had no interest in men, but three years can change a lot of things. Olivia couldn't know for sure.

"Does it make any difference?" he asked her calmly. "You chose someone else."

"It's not so simple," she insisted.

"But it is," John countered. "I'm not here to debate your choices or the reasons behind them. I can't possibly fathom what it was like to be in your shoes for those three years, but I imagine it was worse being in Alex's.

You lost her, but she lost everything. At the end of the day, she went through three years of hell to find out the people she cared about (for the most part) were either dead or gone. You don't get to move on to someone new and try to keep her frozen in time."

Olivia grunted.

"And not that it's any of your business, there's nothing untoward going on between us."

John went back to work.

Olivia cursed herself repeatedly.

Shellshocked

June 2007

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"

"Someone broke into our house. My husband confronted him, and there was shouting. Now there's no noise. I think my husband's dead!"

"Ma'am, is the intruder still in the house?"

"Yes. My daughter and I are locked in the bathroom."

"Is he close to you?"

"I think he's searching the rooms. He's going to find me. I can't let him get my baby!"

The poor mother was hysterical.

"Ma'am. The police are on their way. Please stay hidden."

"Unfortunately, the responders came too late," Lupo lamented as he heard the tape.

Jessica Walker knew they wouldn't get there in time, and she sacrificed herself to save her daughter.

Now, Cassandra was an orphan.

The house was covered in blood. Henry Walker had confronted the intruder in the living room and got a good swing in with a bat before he got slashed to death.

His wife Jessica got murdered upstairs in the hallway. She had defensive wounds on her hands and wrists.

"She put up a hell of a fight," Dr. Warner told them. "Not all of the blood matched her blood type. I think she got her killer with the knife before he killed her."

"So we have his DNA."

"I think we do." She had the DNA of three different people; two of them were probably the victims.

Back at the 2-7, they had little Cassandra. She was four years old and was found hugging her dead mother. She had been covered in blood and wouldn't talk.

"Why didn't the killer go after the girl?" Green wondered.

"Maybe he had a conscious," Lupo said sardonically, "a tiny one."

"Or maybe he didn't see her," Van Buren suggested. "It's possible that she hid and came out once after the killer got away."

"Just because he didn't see her, doesn't mean she didn't see him," Lupo added.

She might be their only witness, and she won't talk.

Of course Branch wanted answers as quickly as possible. The Walkers had been some of the richest philanthropists in New York and the media was going crazy.

"What did this guy do to get so rich?" Lupo questioned.

"He married Jessica Greenfield," Green told him. "She's old money."

The Greenfields started off with a small granite exporting company in New Hampshire and grew into a conglomerate that sold all kinds of construction materials and goods.

"Who's the next of kin?"

"According to Jessica's best friend, Anna Tyler" who had called in as soon as she saw it on the news, "both her parents are dead and Jessica had one sister. Jessica was estranged from the family because they didn't want her to marry a lower class man who got through med school by taking out student loans.

She waited until she was 25, took her trust fund, and made off to marry him. She hadn't spoken to them since. "

They had no idea where the sister was. "She may be living abroad." Apparently Margaret Greenfield had a knack for doing that.

"Squeaky clean family gets offed. Robbery gone wrong?"

They didn't know what it was. They just knew it was ugly.

Orphans

Alex had been in bed when she got a call from Jack McCoy. "We need you at the 2-7."

"Me, why?"

"Double homicide, prominent family in the community, Branch is going nuts, the police aren't getting answers fast enough. Peluso isn't picking up. They need someone from the office to move things along."

Of course he's not. "I'm on my way."

Twenty minutes later, Alexandra Cabot made her way to the 2-7. She walked confidently, using makeup to cover her sleep deprivation and got to the precinct to ask. "Where are we and what can I do to help?"

The detectives turned to see the famed ADA at their service.

"We think their daughter might have seen the killings, but she won't talk, not even to our child psychologist."

"She might be in shock. Let me see her."

Alex followed Green to the room they had her in. They put a recorder in a friendlier room than the interrogation room the used for suspects.

Cassandra was a beautiful girl, blond hair, blue eyes, she looked like a miniature Alex.

"Hi Cassie," Alex assumed she didn't go by Cassandra. "My name is Alex. Do you mind if I sit with you?" Alex sat down next to her.

The girl had been in a ball. She looked up and saw a woman who looked like her mother. She came closer. "Mom's gone. God took her back."

"I know, and I'm sorry. My mom's gone too."

"Is she with God?"

"She is."

Cassie came and hugged Alex. "I want my mom."

Alex returned the hug gently. "I know, and I'm sorry."

The officers were amazed.

"How did she …"

Alex took her time with the little girl. Asking her about her favorite color (sky blue), what she liked to do, (watch Disney movies), and about her parents.

"Daddy was a doctor. He made sick people better."

"He was a good man."

"He was the best Daddy. Mommy would help poor people. She said we should give back because we have so much."

Her mother sounded like Caroline.

Alex felt like she had been this little girl once.

"Do you have any stuffed animals at home?"

"I have Toby. He's a tiger."

The officers were listening from outside.

"Go get Toby. Maybe she'll talk if she has him," Anita told them.

Of course, they had to deal with a media circus while going in and out of the house. When they came back, Alex was eating lunch with the little girl who was telling her about how she saw Wicked on Broadway with her parents.

"They would take me to shows and we would sing together at home. Mama would play the piano."

Alex hadn't played in years. "What's your favorite song?"

"Beauty and the Beast."

A knock came to the door. Green handed her Toby. She nodded in thanks and gave him to Cassie.

The little girl hugged him. "Toby's safe."

"He is safe, and you are too. We won't let anyone hurt you."

"Like the mean man who hurt Mom."

"Did you see him?"

She nodded.

Alex got some crayons and paper. "Can you show me what he looked like?"

She drew a big man with a square jaw and a scar on his cheek.

"If I bring an artist here, do you think you can help him draw the man?"

She nodded.

They got a sketch artist, a female one since men seemed to make her skittish, and they got a composite done.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

Cassie nodded. "Can I bring Toby?"

"Of course."

Alex took her from some fresh air. "When she's ready, we'll see if she can tell us what happened."

Van Buren nodded. "We'll see if this face comes up in facial recognition."

Family

"Mommy used to take me to the park to play."

"Do you want to go to the park?"

"I want to go to the swings."

Alex found her a swing set and they started to swing.

"Your pretty, like Mommy."

"Thank you Cassie. You're sweet."

"I don't want to be all alone."

"You won't be."

"But I lived with my mommy and daddy, and they're with God now."

"I know, but we'll find someone to raise you, so you're not alone."

"Will you raise me?"

"Me?"

"I want you to be my Mom. You remind me of her."

Alex couldn't say no. The little girl needed a family, and Alex needed one too. "I'll keep you for as long as the courts let me." Alex needed a family court lawyer. She had no idea how this worked. Her fostering with Antonio had been with made up paperwork.

They stopped for ice cream on the way back to the precinct and then Cassie told her story.

"I heard glass break. I went to get mommy and daddy, and Daddy told us to hide and call 9-11."

She took a breath.

"Mommy hid us in the bathroom and Daddy fought the mean man."

"How do you know they fought?"

"I heard my Daddy yell 'get out' and there was screaming and crashing and then I didn't hear my Daddy anymore."

"And what did your Mom do?"

"She was on the phone with 9-11. They said they were coming but we heard noise again. The mean man was still in the house."

"What happened next?"

"Mommy made me hide in the linen closet behind the towels. She left the bathroom and then I heard her screaming. She fought the mean man too."

"Then what happened?"

"I heard sirens, so I knew the police was here. I left the closet, and I saw the mean man over my mom. He had a knife."

"Was that the man you drew with the artist?"

"Yeah. He ran away."

"Will she hold up on the stand?" Green questioned. She might be too young to testify.

"If we get his DNA, we won't need her to."

Red Tape

DCFS came for Cassie. Alex asked if she could foster her.

"That's not normal Miss. We have screenings in place."

"I'm the Bureau Chief. I already passed a background check with the city."

The worker saw Cassie clinging to Alex and didn't want to take her. "I can lose the paperwork, but my boss will call you on Monday."

"Thanks."

Alex just realized. She had nothing for a child in her apartment.

She called a friend. "Hey Trevor, would you be interested in doing some last minute shopping."

"The things I do for pretty blondes," Langan thought to himself. "And she won't even put out!" He got to the mall and bought clothes, movies, and toys for Cassie.

He even brought them to Alex's apartment.

"Cassie, I want you to meet my friend Trevor."

She hid behind Alex's leg when he came in.

"She's a bit skittish right now."

"Maybe this will cheer her up." He got her a stuffed panda.

"Thank you!"

"Isn't she a sweetheart?"

"Now don't go defending the guy who took her parents from her, cause I will have to beat you up."

"I'd like to see you try."

Alex folded her arms.

He relented. "From the sounds of it, I doubt the guy who did this could afford me."

"That's probably true."

"How long are you keeping her?"

"As long as I can."

"You want to adopt her."

"If the court will let me."

"Let's strike two birds with one stone. I'll represent her in court, and then this killer can't hire me."

"You'd do that for me?"

"No, but I'd do it for Cassie."

"You're a bonehead."

"See you Lex. Bye Cassie!"

"Bye Trevor!"

Motherhood

Alex looked in her cupboards and realized she needed more child friendly foods. No kid likes eggplant or endive.

"What do you want for dinner Cassie?"

"Do you have pancakes? Daddy would let me have breakfast for dinner on Saturdays."

"I can make pancakes."

25 minutes later, both she and Cassie had a stack of pancakes with warm maple syrup on top.

"How about we watch a movie after this?"

Cassie nodded.

They put The Aristocats on (cute Trevor) and Alex dimmed the lights. The two blondes curled up under a blanket and began to watch.

Alex couldn't help but sing along. She tended to favor the Disney movies with a jazzy vibe.

She had a lovely voice, just like Cassie's mother. Cassie knew she found the right Mama and she fell asleep.

Media

All of the news channels were reporting on the Walker murders.

"Philanthropic Doctor and Wife murdered in a home invasion."

"Police have been silent as to the motivation for the killings and if there are any suspects, but neighbors believe it must have been a robbery gone wrong."

"Henry and Jessica were the nicest people," an elderly woman told CBS news. "I can't think of any other reason for people to hurt them."

"Henry and Jessica had a four year old daughter Cassie Walker. Police have not said where Cassie is staying only that she was unharmed in the attack."

Henry and Jessica lived in a nice house in a safe neighborhood. The tragedy was shocking to everyone who knew them.

Alex had a lot to do on Sunday. She had to get groceries now the she had a child in tow. "Gummy vitamins, juice, milk, bread for sandwiches."

Cassie had a more refined palate than Alex had been expecting. Her mother didn't just give her chicken fingers and easy mac.

The little girl liked cauliflower, green beans, and salmon.

"Hopefully, I can cook this stuff." She got better during her time in WPP, but cooking still wasn't quite natural to her.

She had forgotten all about her coffee date with Munch until he called to let her know he'd be a little late.

"Oh about that … mind if I bring a guest."

John couldn't believe it when he saw a miniature Alex in the ADA's arms. She had the hair, the eyes, and what looked like designer shoes.

"Did you clone yourself and forget to tell us?" he questioned.

"John, this is Cassie. Cassie, this is my friend John."

She turned and saw a peculiar looking man, but he seemed harmless. "Hi."

Isn't she adorable? "How about I get our orders? What would you like Cassie?"

"Can I get a lemonade?"

Alex nodded.

"What does John do?"

"He's a police officer."

"My Mom said when you're in trouble, you call the police."

"That's right."

"But she called and they didn't come."

"They tried, but they couldn't get there fast enough."

John came back to with two coffee samples and lemonade.

Cassie thanked him before Alex could prompt her. What a polite little girl.

"So is Cassie your niece or …"

"We caught a case yesterday. Her parents were killed in a home invasion."

"The Walker case," John realized.

Alex nodded.

"What do you like to do Cassie?"

"I like to sing. Mommy used to play the piano with me and Daddy would play the guitar." The little girl's eyes lit up as she described a typical Friday night at the Walker household: homemade pizza and music.

"I've been known to make a pizza or two," Munch told her.

"Really?"

Alex actually did own a piano. She had just kept in in storage since she hadn't been using it. She just needed to get it delivered to her apartment and tuned.

"Would you be up for a musical Friday with me and Cassie?"

"I'd love too."