On his way to Roosevelt High School Monday morning, Bobby placed a call to the Brooklyn SVU, asking for Detective Bernard or Detective Garrison. Jen Bernard came on the line after a moment. "This is Bobby Goren, Jen."

"Good morning, Bobby. To what do I owe this pleasure? How is little Harry?"

"Harry is fine, but I need a favor."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Betty Trafalgar, would it?"

He smiled. "What makes you think that?"

"I remember how you are. Follow the evidence where it leads and nothing is inconsequential. We found out about Betty on Friday afternoon. The six-one caught the case. It was called in as a domestic; now it's a homicide. I talked to the lead detective Friday. Gomez is their primary suspect, but they don't have enough to bring him in yet. The 911 call was anonymous. Neighbors heard arguing, but no one will come out and admit it was Gomez she was arguing with."

"Of course not. He's a mean son-of-a-bitch and they all probably know it. They're afraid of him. They don't want him to find out who pointed a finger at him so none of them will. What did they find in the apartment?"

She let out a small, sad sigh. "They didn't believe me when I told them Betty had a little boy. They found a box of kids' clothes in a corner in the second bedroom next to a sleeping bag, but no toys or games—nothing that told them a child lives there. There was a dresser in that bedroom, but it was empty, except for the top drawer. They found drug paraphernalia in it, along with about four ounces of pot and some rolling paper. The kitchen was neglected and the fridge was empty except for a half gallon of spoiled milk, a package of moldy hot dogs and something they think used to be lettuce...or hamburger. The pantry had a couple of boxes of dry cereal, and that's it. In the master bedroom, they hit the jackpot. There was a lock on the door and they had to bust it down. They found drugs, paraphernalia, porn, a large assortment of sex toys, and eight thousand dollars in small bills."

Bobby shuddered at the thought of Harry in that place. The poor little guy deserved better. "Any sign of a struggle?"

"That was hard to tell, given the state of the place. Apparently, Betty was more concerned with getting high than with housekeeping."

"Or with taking proper care of her son," he said, unable to keep the anger from his voice.

Quietly, Bernard said, "You know how it is, Bobby. You saw it a hundred times. You know what drugs do to people."

"I do." He'd seen it in his personal life as drugs took his brother further and further away from him. "Harry talked to us about his parents. He said his mother always acted funny when his father was around. Whatever he did to her before she died, she was probably too high to be aware of any of it."

"Is Harry settling in?"

"Yes. He shares a room with my son for now. We're looking into buying a house near my wife's family. Then he'll be able to have his own room."

"Are you saying you're willing to take the little guy on a permanent basis?"

"That's right. I have a 4:30 appointment this afternoon with Judge Haversham. I'm bringing Maggie and Harry to talk with her."

He could hear the smile in her voice when she replied, "That's a good idea." She paused for a moment before adding, "It was nice to see you, Bobby. You look great and you have a beautiful family."

"Thanks, Jen. You look good, too. How is your baby?"

"Not so much a baby anymore, but doing well. He plays football in high school."

"Did it work out with his father?"

She paused, then answered, "Unfortunately, no. I'll look into the Trafalgar case and let you know if anything else turns up. The autopsy results should be in soon."

"Thanks, Jen."

He slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket. He arrived at Roosevelt at ten til seven and found the principal in his office. Dennis Ovilla looked up when Bobby stopped in his doorway. "Mr. Goren?"

Bobby stepped forward with a nod. "I'm Robert Goren."

Ovilla extended his hand. "Welcome to Roosevelt. I want to thank you for filling in for Mrs. Archambault, but I'll warn you that you have your work cut out for you. Trying to teach the past to a couple hundred apathetic teenagers who are mired in the present is a particular challenge."

"I'll do my best to make it interesting for them."

"Glad to hear it." He held out a thick envelope. "Here's your orientation package. Sorry to throw you to the wolves right away, but Mrs. Archambault was put on bedrest after she went into premature labor and the replacement I had lined up for her couldn't get away from a previous commitment on such short notice. So I had to scramble for an immediate substitute." He held out a manila folder. "Mrs. Archambault left this for you. The rest of her books and teaching aids are in her classroom. Come on. I'll take you there."

As they walked through the mostly deserted halls, the principal gave Bobby a brief orientation. "There's a map of the school in your envelope there, as well as a booklet of the school's rules and regulations. As for your class, Mrs. Archambault is currently teaching the Civil War."

Bobby grinned. "That's one of my favorite times in our history."

"Glad to hear it. The Civil War and Reconstruction will take you through the end of the school year." He unlocked a classroom and opened the door, flipping the light as he stepped into the room. "Here is your classroom. If you have any problems or concerns, just let me know. The school day starts at eight. Late bell is at eight-ten. You have classes every period except for the one immediately after lunch, which is a planning period—or a regrouping period, as you need it."

Bobby accepted the principal's outstretched hand. "Thank you, Dr. Ovilla."

"Good luck, Mr. Goren. You'll need it."

Bobby watched the principal leave. The Queens neighborhood that the school served had a reputation for being rough, and Ovilla's attitude reinforced it. He had never been one to shy away from a challenge, and he welcomed this one.

Sitting at the desk, he flipped open the folder Mrs. Archambault left for him. First he reviewed her lesson plans and then he turned his attention to her notes about her classes, which were detailed. There were more than a few students who caused her headaches but they were pretty evenly balanced with the students who made her career choice worth it all. Most of her students, however, were average performers who neither shone nor caused trouble.

He was still reading when the students in his homeroom class, a thirty minute period at the beginning of the day, began to trickle in. His only requirement during that period was to take attendance after the late bell.

After introducing himself, he took attendance, making note of the half-dozen kids who arrived after the late bell. He filled in the attendance book Mrs. Archambault left for him as the kids talked quietly among themselves. They fell silent while the morning announcements were made, and most of them left when the bell sounded to indicate the changing of classes. Four students remained for his first period class.

One of them approached his desk, and he looked up at her. She was a perky blond with streaks of blue in her hair. She gave him a sunny smile. "I'm Janis. Do you know if Mrs. Archambault had her baby?"

"No, she hasn't. Not yet. It's too soon for the baby to come."

"But they told us she was in labor."

He nodded. "Premature labor. They were able to stop it, but she can't return to work right now."

"So you'll be here for the rest of the year?"

"We'll see how it goes."

She smiled. "Don't let these jokers chase you off."

"Don't worry. No one chases me off if I don't want to go."

Her smile widened and she returned to her desk, making sure to put an extra wiggle in her step. Bobby turned back to the papers in front of him, amused. Ah, teen hormones.

The bell rang two minutes later and he closed the folder. He flipped to the proper page in the attendance book and took attendance. Only two kids were absent. Not bad for a school in a troubled area. He stood up and limped to the board, where he wrote his name. Then he turned to face the class, looking over the assortment of students who looked back at him. There were girls with short hair and boys with long hair. He saw lip rings, eyebrow rings and nose rings. One boy and two girls sported dred locks, and hair color ran the spectrum of the rainbow. He knew better than to judge them, though. Placing his hands on the back of his chair, he leaned on it and said, "Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 1863. Who can tell me the significance of that time and place?"


Six classes a day, plus lunch and his planning period, made for a very long day. He'd broken up half a dozen fights and twice as many exuberant couples making out in the hall. As soon as the last bell rang, he gathered his things, including the textbook for his class, and went out to his car.

Alex and Mike had picked up the kids so that he'd be on time for his meeting with the judge. He drove to the squad room to pick up Maggie and Harry.

The two children were seated on his desk when he entered the squad room, watching Mike fill out a report. Maggie looked up before he got to the desk. "Hi, Daddy!"

Bobby smiled at her. "Hi, mouse. Hi, Harry."

Harry gave him a shy wave. He looked around the room. "Where's Mommy?"

"Getting coffee," Maggie answered.

Bobby looked over Mike's shoulder. "Still working on that case?"

"If there weren't children around, I'd tell you exactly where you can go."

"I'll use my imagination."

Mike laughed. "How was your first day of school?"

"Long. Are you guys ready to go?"

Both children nodded, and Maggie asked, "Are we gonna see Your Honor, Daddy?"

Bobby smiled as he lifted both kids to the floor. "We can stop by to see if he's in his chambers if you want." He nudged Mike's shoulder. "Come on over for dinner."

Mike grinned. "That sounds like a plan. I'm getting tired of burned grilled cheese sandwiches."

Bobby glanced at the captain's office, but it was empty. "Come on, guys."

They each grabbed a hand. Bobby led them to the break room, where he stood in the doorway and watched Alex pour freshly brewed coffee into two mugs. She added sugar and cream to hers, leaving the other black. Turning, she smiled when she saw Bobby and the children in the doorway. "How was your day?"

"I'll tell you about it later. We're going over to the courthouse."

She leaned over to give Maggie a kiss, then she kissed Harry's head. "I'll see you at home."

Bobby squeezed the kids' hands. "Go press the 'down' button for the elevator."

Maggie and Harry ran ahead as Bobby walked with Alex back to the squad room proper. "You haven't changed your mind about Harry, have you?" he asked.

"Of course not."

"I talked to Jen Bernard this morning. I'll give you the details later. Everything indicates that Harry was little more than an afterthought to his parents."

"Then it's a good thing he's with us now. Foster care would just continue his nightmare, and he would never recover from his childhood. Kind of like you..."

He paused for a moment, then brushed his lips over hers. "I have to go. I'll see you at home."

"Good luck."

He limped off toward the elevators as Maggie called to him. "The elevator's here, Daddy!"

"I'm coming, honey."

Alex walked to her desk, setting Mike's coffee in front of him as she watched Bobby follow the two children onto the elevator.


Marsha Haversham looked up from her desk as her bailiff led Bobby and the kids into her chambers. "Hello, detective, children."

Bobby extended his hand to her. "Hello, Judge Haversham. Thank you for seeing us."

She shook Bobby's hand and watched him lift each child into one of the large leather chairs in front of her desk before he sat in the other chair. She was a handsome woman in her mid-fifties with warm, compassionate eyes. "How can I help you, detective?"

"We've come to discuss Harry's future with you, Your Honor."

She opened a file on her desk and scanned its contents. "Well, obviously, he can't be returned to his parents." She looked at Harry. "Hello, Harry."

Harry smiled shyly and reached out to grab Maggie's hand. Haversham's voice was quiet and kind. "Who is your friend?"

"Maggie," Harry answered, his voice not much more than a squeak.

"Hello, Maggie."

"Hello, Your Other Honor."

Haversham looked to Bobby for an explanation. He smiled softly.

"Judge Burrows has the distinction of being 'Your Honor'. She had to testify in his court a year and a half ago."

"In a criminal court?"

"She was a witness to a crime, and her testimony helped put the suspect away."

Haversham looked impressed. "What a remarkable child."

"Thank you."

Haversham looked down at the file on her desk, then asked, "How has Harry been getting along with your family?"

"Fine. He fits right in. That's what I wanted to discuss with you. Harry knows that his mother has gone to heaven."

The judge looked at Harry, who still held Maggie's hand in a white-knuckled grip. "I'm sorry about your mother, Harry. It's my job to decide what is best for you, and I take that job very seriously. There are a few things I can do, but whatever I decide, my goal is to find the right family for you, so you can grow up happy, safe and healthy."

Harry looked frightened, and Maggie said, "Can't Harry stay with us? We can be his fam'ly! He a'ready gots a bed an' stuff. If he stays with us, then he'll have a mommy an' daddy, an' a brother and baby sister, and me!"

"Part off that is up to your parents, Maggie."

Maggie smiled at the judge. "Mommy and Daddy want Harry to stay with us. I a'ready asked."

Haversham smiled at the intelligent little girl, then looked at Goren. "Is she right, detective?"

Bobby nodded. "The last thing Harry needs is to be buried in the foster care system. He is comfortable with us and he's settling in. Why disrupt his life any further? We have the resources and the ability to make him part of our family, and it's what we want to do."

The judge looked back at the children, noting how Harry clung to Maggie. Bobby watched her for a moment before he spoke again. "Ever since Harry joined her class, Maggie has done everything she knows to do to protect him. When he finally told her what his life at home was like, she helped him to hide, to escape from his father. I don't have to tell you what probably would have happened if he had remained at home, under the radar."

Haversham looked at him, and a silent understanding passed between them. She turned to Harry. "Harry, what do you want to do?"

"I wanna stay with Maggie and her mommy and daddy."

Haversham smiled at the timid little boy, then she turned back to Bobby. "I'll have one of my court officers look into the situation. Once I am satisfied, I will issue a permanent order. In the meantime, I think it will be in Harry's best interests to remain in your custody. The provisions that have been made for Harry's protection will also remain in place as long as the danger to his safety exists."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

He rose and the children slid from the chair. Maggie looked up at him. "Does that mean Harry gets to stay with us, Daddy?"

He nodded. "Yes. He gets to stay with us."

Maggie released Harry's hand and ran around the judge's desk. Haversham turned toward her as Maggie hugged her. "Thank you, Your Other Honor."

The surprised judge hugged her back, then watched her leave with her father and her friend.

He guided the children out of the room and led them down the hall to Judge Burrows' chambers. He knocked on the door. After a moment, the judge opened the door, surprised by his visitors. "Detective Goren." He looked around for his favorite little witness. "Hello, Maggie."

A bright smile lit up her face and she ran to him as he knelt to accept her hug. "Hi, Your Honor!"

She pulled back and he looked at her. "Look how big you've gotten. Have you started high school yet?"

She giggled. "No. I'm in kiddygarten. This is my friend Harry. He lives with us now because his mommy went to heaven."

Burrows extended his hand toward the shy little boy. Harry tentatively touched his fingers as the judge said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry."

He rose to his full height and extended a hand toward Bobby. "It's good to see you. I wish I had more time, but I'm due on the bench in five minutes. Bring Maggie back to see me. She's always a delight."

"Thank you, Your Honor. We couldn't be here in the courthouse without stopping by to see you."

Burrows smiled and placed his hand on Maggie's curly head. "It was a pleasure to see you again, Maggie, and a pleasure to meet you, Harry. I have to go now because I'm due in court, but you get Daddy to bring you back soon and we'll have milk and cookies while we catch up. Okay?"

"Okay!" She hugged his legs. "Have a good court time, Your Honor."

With a good-natured laugh, Burrows patted her head and watched as she grasped her father's hand. Harry took Bobby's other hand and they walked away. Maggie looked over her shoulder and waved. The judge waved back and then returned to his chambers.


By the time Bobby got home, Alex was already on her way to pick up Tommy and Molly. While Maggie and Harry played, he began dinner. Mike arrived about twenty minutes later. He pulled a six pack of beer from the paper bag he carried and set it in the refrigerator beside the dark German beer Bobby favored, then he began poking around in the pots. "Potatoes, green beans..." He cracked the oven door open. "And chicken. Not bad."

"I'm so glad you approve," Bobby replied.

"I admit, just about anything would be better than what I've been eating."

"Do you miss Carolyn and Sean?"

"Sure, I do. She called a little while ago. He's having a blast getting spoiled rotten and she's about fed up with her mother's judgmental comments."

"So when are they coming home?"

Mike shrugged. "She won't say. When she's ready, I guess. She's still mad at me for not going with her."

Bobby opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. He handed Mike a beer and took one for himself, opening it and taking a drink. Opening his beer, Mike watched as Bobby added milk to the potatoes and mashed them. "Why didn't you go?" Bobby asked.

"I get enough censure from the people I work with. Why should I subject myself to it from people I don't know or care about? They've already made their judgments, and nothing I do or don't do is going to change their minds. Carolyn is obligated to them; I'm not. I'd rather stay here and work, where I can do some good. She said she understood, and that she wouldn't force her mother on me, but she's still annoyed with me about it."

"Sometimes you just can't win."

"What would you have done?"

"I don't know. I can't work. Maybe I would have gone."

"You're working now."

Bobby smiled. "Yeah, I am."

"Do you like it?"

"After one day? I suppose. It's interesting, in any event."

"I don't think you could pay me enough to go back to high school, even as a teacher."

"Every job has its own rewards, Mike."

Mike took a drink of his beer. "More power to you, buddy, if you can see the rewards in that."

Bobby set the potatoes on a back burner to keep warm while he took the chicken out of the oven. He could see the rewards in a teaching career. The opportunity to enrich young minds was a powerful one. A lot of people couldn't see it, but he could. If he was able to reach even a few of the kids he'd seen earlier in the day, then it was worth the effort he put into the job. Granted, he had another goal, to save those kids from the likes of Martin Gomez, but if he could instill a love for learning in a couple of young minds along the way, so much the better.

Once, he'd allowed his mother to convince him that his was a worthless life. He'd gotten past that over time, and he'd gone to great lengths to prove to himself that he could make a difference. In recent years, since Maggie came along, and then her siblings after her, he began to believe that his life was, indeed, worthwhile. And now, he knew it was.