Sharon crossed her arms, a tight pout placed on her lips as she listened intently.
"I first saw him at my case."
"He looks so much like him!"
"I think he's stalking us."
"Do you think he wants to take Lauren from us?"
Sharon held her hand up, stopping them from overlapping each other. Young people and their capability to talk so fast, she thought with a small smile to herself.
"The question you need to ask yourselves is if you want a security detail following you until we detain him."
Andy tilted his head. "But the guy's done nothing wrong. For all we know, he may be one of the juries at the court and he's living here."
"Andy, the fact that he looks like Stroh has made them tense."
Kris bit her lip. "He might know that Lauren's Stroh's and he might want to reclaim his niece."
"How do we know the guy is his brother? Or his cousin? Or has completely no relation to the bastard?" Andy asked.
The knock on the door stopped Sharon from replying and Julie came into the office with a bright smile.
"Lauren's a bit fussy but nothing a bottle of milk can't solve."
Kris smiled, standing up. "I was hoping to wean her off milk but her noise machine should help. Do you want me to-"
"No, no. You stay here, dear. After I get her to sleep, I'll head to bed myself. Goodnight, my lovelies."
"Night, mother." Sharon smiled.
"Goodnight." The rest chorused as Julie left the room.
Sharon placed her hands on her hips. "Can you guys talk to a sketch artist so we can identify this man?"
Rusty nodded. "Yeah, now?"
"No. Tomorrow. First thing." Sharon said. "For now, we all head to bed. I have this covered, I promise."
...
Kris couldn't sleep, she kept thinking about the man.
Sighing, she got out of bed and headed just a door down into Lauren's room where she found Rusty coercing her to sleep.
"I woke her up, sorry."
"It's fine. I couldn't sleep."
"Neither could I," Rusty sighed, rocking Lauren back and forth. "I just feel like someone's going to take her whilst we're unaware and it will be so..."
Kris nodded, sitting beside him. "I uderstand."
She leant her head on his shoulder and smiled at her talkative daughter.
"You're a good mom, you know?"
"But why do I feel as if I can't protect her?" Kris asked, taking her daughter into her arms.
Rusty shrugged. "That's every mother's prerogative, I guess."
Kris checked the time. It was only 1 AM.
"Want some hot chocolate?"
"Why not?" Rusty smiled, following Kris and a walking Lauren downstairs.
"We can plan Lauren's birthday party." She said, making them hot chocolate.
Rusty groaned. "I need to find somewhere that sells Prince Charming costumes."
Kris giggled. "You also need to find the Cinderella to your Charming."
"I'm sure Gus would just love to squeeze into a costume and wear a blonde wig."
Kris laughed, careful not to wake the other people in the house this late. "He will make a wonderful Cinderella!"
"Bipstick!" Lauren said, making her parents chuckle.
"Yeah, Gus will look lovely in pink lipstick." Kris agreed with a cheeky smile.
Rusty sipped his hot chocolate. "Let's not make my boyfriend a cross-dresser. Please."
"It's just for one party." Kris grinned.
"Knowing you, it won't be just for one party..." Rusty shook his head with a smile.
...
Sharon watched as Rusty yawned for the third time as he tiredly told the sketch artist his interpretation of the man's face.
"What time did you guys get to bed last night?"
"About 4. Lauren was too energised for our liking..." Kris replied for him as she held the child in her arms.
Sharon nodded, folding her arms as she looked over the artist's shoulder at the picture. The man did look familiar to her and that concerned her.
Quietly, she left the room and found Andy waiting for her outside.
"Well?"
"He looks familiar. He was definitely at Kris' case." Sharon replied with a deep frown. "He really looks like Stroh but more... buff?"
Andy sighed, sticking his hands into his pockets. "He might be looking for revenge. Do you want to order a security detail just in case?"
His partner shrugged, rubbing her arms. "I don't know. I do not want to offend them if they do not wish to have one but Rusty's my son. I can't just stand by and watch him suffer. I need to do something."
"Then get that security detail," Andy said, walking off.
Sharon returned to the room to find the artist packing up. He handed her the sketch and she gave it to Tao. "I want this man identified immediately, please."
"Yes, Captain." Tao nodded, leaving.
She turned to Rusty and Kris who were silently napping against each other as Lauren slept, clutching her mother's chest.
"Let's leave them for now..." Sharon told Sykes who nodded and left the room with her.
...
"Sharon?"
Sharon turned around to face Buzz who held an iPad with a profile on it.
"We managed to identify the man. Kris and Rusty had their reasons to worry as the man is Phillip's younger brother, Deckard Stroh."
She took the iPad and read through the notes. "Arrested multiples of times, for attempted murder, kidnapping, theft..."
"This man is dangerous. Forget just having the detail, we're putting these kids into all-around surveillance here." Andy said. "This guy's been stalking them and he could kidnap the child."
Sharon took a deep breath. "What we'll do is send them home but the surveillance would be there not here. Forcing them to stay here is inhumane. They need a sense of normality and home could give them that. Lauren would be comfortable with her cot and toys and Rusty and Kris would be safe."
Andy begrudgingly accepted, noting that his idea was a bit over the top but this family needed to be protected. He had grown fond of Rusty and now, Lauren.
"We can't put this guy in jail if he hasn't done anything." Buzz noted.
"So we'll set a bait," Sharon replied simply. "Or we will dig into his prison history and find something to stick on him. He won't get away with this.