I have another question. Is the resource/reason for Tim Speedle's estrangement from his family ever discussed or revealed?
Free Relief
Baxter Murphy was pleading not guilty by reason of mental illness. The mental illness being the message he received all his life from his parents about being their only biological child. How that biology made "not special." Horatio almost couldn't believe it. But then again, part of him could from all he had seen through the years. How Baxter was treated was unfair, and even Horatio had to agree, cruel but it didn't give Baxter a license to kill innocent people. He knew what he was doing was wrong in the eyes of the law and didn't care. He hunted down these families and waited for a time when he was most likely not to be seen. And when he was arrested, bragged he'd done a good deed. in his mind. Baxter Murphy was eligible for the death sentence for each count of murder. As it stood right now, all cases were going to be tried together. The date for the trial was yet to be set.
No surprise.
Baxter's attorneys were filing every frivolous motion their brains could think of. The argument could be made this was the right of every citizen charged with a crime but it got old.
Where were the rights of the victims and their families?
Even if she was sightless Jen Williams would have to live forever with the scars, physical and emotional, of Baxter Murphy's rage. That and the guilt of surviving an attack her friend hadn't. Two more families each lost three people, two of whom were children who's lives had barely started. Horatio looked forward to seeing this guy strapped to a table with a needle in his arm.
The second phase, the fun one—of Horatio's day started when he pulled into his driveway. Seeing the faces of his children at the end of day was like daily therapy. When he pulled in on this evening he could hear the giggles of his children and wife from their secluded backyard. Stepping out onto the deck, Horatio was greeted with squeals of excitement. Kyle reached him first, wrapping his arms around his dad's waist. Horatio picked him up and hugged him tightly.
"Hey buddy," he said, kissing the boy's cheek. By then, Faith had reached him and wrapped herself around his leg. She looked up, way up for her tiny body and gave him a huge grin.
"Hello princess," he said, scooping her up in his other arm.
"Daddy," she said, crystal clear, placing a big, wet kiss on his cheek.
"Yes, baby. Daddy loves you, too."
Horatio insisted on full daddy-duty that night. While Aimee and Kyle played a game of Mouse Trap, Horatio gave Faith a bath. Sleepy from the bath and baby massage Faith snuggled into her dad's shoulder.
These were moments Horatio savored.
He held his little girl for a few more moments after she was sound asleep—just enjoying the warmth of her tiny body snuggled into him and the sound of her soft relaxed breathing. He kissed one more after he laid her in her crib and quietly left the room. Shortly after, Kyle was full of stories from the day. While Horatio washed and rinsed the boy's hair he heard about his soccer practice and then the caterpillars races he and his friend Rory played in the backyard. Personally Horatio and his wife believed that the reason Kyle didn't have all these new allergies like other kids nowadays was because he played with bugs, played in the dirt, was known to eat a bit of it once in the while, whether it be by accident or not and oh yes, most likely wouldn't take a bath if his mom and dad never made him.
Swaddling, like Horatio had suggested to Tim and Lorelei had worked like a charm in getting baby T.J. to sleep. The baby was now sleeping for five hours at night before waking for a feeding and diaper change. The three hours made an incredible difference to the daily lives of his exhausted mommy and daddy. Tim could just hear Horatio telling him "see? I told you!" Lorelei though insisted he tell his friend and mentor. Since he had to live with her, Speed promised his girlfriend he would.