Chapter 28

"What the hell happened?" Captain Benson wanted to know as she and Detective Stabler approached the front door of Detective Klass's apartment building. There were multiple sector cars outside and an officer at the door.

"This way Captain," the officer at the door pointed into the building. There in the lobby was Detective Bruno.

"I heard an ambulance had been dispatched. I don't see it. Who's hurt?" Olivia demanded of her detective.

"You just missed it. Betty is being rushed to the emergency animal hospital. Klass and Scott went with her," he heaved a sigh.

"Emergency priority?" The Captain asked.

"Patrol cars are escorting the ambulance," Bruno nodded.

"Where is Rollins?" Olivia wanted to know, now worried that she hadn't seen the blonde.

"She's upstairs with the body. IAB is already on the way," Bruno let her know.

"Great, just what we need," Elliot shook his head.

"Head them off at the pass. I want to speak to Rollins," Olivia told him. Elliot nodded and she quickly headed upstairs to Klass's apartment. Officers let her under the crime scene tape at the front door of the apartment. Not far into the apartment she found Dylan Jovin's body face down on the floor. The blood that soaked his clothes was clearly from the bullet holes in him.

"Rollins?" Olivia gives her a look.

"You weren't wrong. He came back," Rollins shook her head.

"We needed him to testify against Caitlin," her Captain reminded her.

"We have Caitlin's prints on the gun. We have her confession. We have Lance Kirkpatrick. We even have Dylan's written statement, which was put together, with his lawyer present. That has to be enough," Rollins said.

"I don't know. Dylan's statement could be thrown out. The defense can't cross examine a paper statement," Olivia heaved a sigh.

"Even if he'd survived, his words would be useless. He picked the lock on the front door. The minute he was fully inside the door, Betty charged at him. He stabbed her. We yelled at him to stop moving but he wasn't interested. He charged at us, knowing full well that injuring a police dog was going to get him in trouble," Rollins told her.

"Who hit him?" Olivia asked.

"Bruno and I both got him, as far as I can figure," she admitted.

"IAB is on their way. You're still on maternity leave. This is going to get ugly," the Captain shook her head.

"He broke into an NYPD detective's apartment, which was just outfitted by TARU. He stabbed Betty. You think they're going to call this a bad shoot?" Rollins asked.

"No, this is on me. I knew that Dylan could show up and I had you in the apartment. You tell them you were following orders, ok?" Olivia gave her a look.

"Speaking with your detective I see," Captain Renee Curry gave her a look.

"Detective Klass's dog, Betty, has been rushed to the emergency vet. Stabbed by our dead perp," Olivia told her.

"So, I gathered from downstairs. I thought Detective Rollins was on maternity leave," Curry gave them a look.

"She is and that is my responsibility," Olivia told her.

"I'll worry about responsibility later, once I've had time to investigate. Seeing as there were a lot of police officers here, I'm guessing there was a threat on Detective Klass's life?" Curry asked.

"The deceased was arrested by her and her partner Jared. He'd recently gotten out of prison," Rollins spoke up.

"There's more to it," Curry said.

"Oh, it's a long story," Olivia told her. That's when her phone rang and she quickly picked it up. The two women could tell the person on the other end of the phone was agitated. Olivia tried to calm them down with little success.

"I have to go. Detective Klass…" the Captain said.

"I hope Betty is going to be ok," Curry told her. Olivia nodded and left the room. She quickly headed downstairs and was met by Elliot. After explaining, he told her he'd drive and they left the scene, heading for her SUV.

To Be Continued…