Alex continued to watch the curiousness that was Amanda's family gathering from the quiet of Olivia's office with Judge Donnelley and Casey. In the next room? Olivia had already vowed to keep an eye on this while Amanda conducted the oncoming interview. But… the sergeant quickly closed the door behind her. No need to have someone wander in.

Amanda's family listened to her ballad in mounting fascination. But she paused after the part about collecting Juliette. So as to gage everyone's comprehension. They were smart people. But... A lot had been dumped into their laps.

Juliette herself was thoroughly stunned into silence, now that she had the whole picture. Tully had also gone quiet. Even Kim had. Getting all three of them into such a mode? Not easy.

As for Boaz? He was very still. Never had he met his wife's first husband. So he had nothing to say.

Now this just left one more of the adults in the visitors' number. Beth Anne was a very calculating type of person. And she did not quite like these moments involving family drama. This wasn't a secret. Just as it wasn't one that she could turn vile when they occurred. Enduring decades of insanity could do so to a person.

The matriarch spoke in a tone of surprise. "Incredibly… I am following every word that you have to told us, Amanda. Just how small is your world here in Manhattan?"

"Sometimes a tad too small."

"But this all really started because Miss Cabot and her colleague noticed TJ, Dash, and Magda at the crowded courthouse? Because the planets were aligned?"

"Yeah." confirmed Amanda. "Something like that."

"Where are the good Samaritans?" Beth Anne pointed to the lone mirror in the room. "Are they on the other side? Watching?"

Amanda responded, "Mhm. Their boss, too. And she is a judge."

The last part threw Beth Anne for a loop. "Excuse me? Was she already here, like Miss Cabot and her colleague?"

"Two for two."

Beth Anne sighed, recalculated her bearings. "You are also seriously avoiding a certain subject. Do TJ and Jettie know? Is that the missing bit?"

"Wow. That's three for three." Amanda shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Big Jim is in town. Technically. But… he died."

A loud shock fell in room again. Juliette and Tully both already knew about the demise of James Rollins. Had had a smidgeon of time to process it. But now… the rest of the 'main family' had been roped in. Good and well.

The detective looked to her middle sister. Kim was no stranger to grief. She had even worshipped Big Jim in her younger years. But… Kimberly Nicole was also the type to keep grief to herself if or when in a public setting. It was her way.

So Amanda turned her gaze on Boaz. He continued to just watch the conversation. It was not his moment. But he was most certainly thinking of ways to look after the family later on.

Amanda looked back to her mother. Big Jim had given Beth Anne two children, but… he had also been her abuser, once upon a time. No way that this development was not invoking big feelings for her.

Beth Anne spoke in a carefully-controlled tone, "How did that man die?"

"The whole picture currently remains to be seen." Amanda told her mother in all honestly. "But… It looks like he was intoxicated and had an accidental misstep. There was even a witness to his whereabouts just before… it happened. She blew the case wide open."

"Good. But where…?"

Amanda understood the unasked question. "He was at a fountain in Central Park. But I made the body identification."

Quite the look of sorrow showed on Beth Anne's face when she heard these words. How she understood the horror of body identification. For… She'd done the same thing when her own parents died.

Beth Anne spoke seriously and clearly to her first daughter again. "I am so incredibly sorry that you had to do that. Truly. Are you okay?"

Briefly, Amanda wondered if she'd see pigs flying past the window if she were to look out. Could she remember the last time her own mother had been good to her? No. This had to be a dream. Right?

The detective said, "I will be okay. Thank you."

Beth Anne gave a nod of approval before turning to Tully. "And… He hurt you?"

The younger woman bobbed her head. She had since cleaned up with mess with makeup concealer, she could still feel it. And the humiliation? It remained.

"He did. In more than one way." Tully sighed. "And… I've since learned after making to NYC that there's another kid on the way."

Had the situation been any more than what it was, Beth Anne would have been snide towards Tully. At the very least. She knew that the younger woman did not seek her approval. Whatsoever. But… Tully's body language alone said she was at least waiting for a verbal kind of lashing.

But the older woman continued to show the younger one some grace. "Are Dashiell and Magdalene aware?"

"No. I don't have the emotional capacity to think about initiating that conversation. Right now, I'm just glad they're sleeping."

"Understandable. Are you okay?"

"Mhm. Just shellshocked: I'm a mother and a widow before the age of thirty. But everyone has been real good to us." Tully grazed her nails against her lower middle. "I haven't seen Big Jim. Not yet."

Beth Anne asked her, "Do you want to?"

"No. Still… He is… He was… my husband. I should go. Even if only to start paperwork for cremation because I refuse to bury him. But I just have no idea how the process even goes."

"Don't worry. I will help you."

Tully bobbed her head in surprise. Beth Anne's continuing generosity had stunned her. Into silence.

Beth Anne patted Tully's hands comfortingly before looking across the table. To Juliette. She tried not to flinch under her big sister's gaze. It was intense.

The matriarch said to her, "Did you tell TJ not to come to Manhattan because you were frightened that Big Jim would follow?"

"Uh-huh. But he still showed up, wildly. So did TJ and her babies. That's my understanding." Juliette told her sister. "That… and that no party told the other because they weren't talking."

Tully chimed in, "All true. She didn't miss a beat."

Amanda watched her family converse for a few more moments. Helping each other straighten their ducks out. It was like watching her own thought process in action. Bizarre.

Getting the conversation back on track, Amanda handed her mother an iPad mini, one of many the department kept for displaying evidence photos and the like. It was time to get a final ball in motion. She hoped.

"Does this," she showed her mother one photo in particular. "Begin to ring a bell?"

Amanda had shown Beth Anne a picture of the topless mermaid knife that had been procured from the Calico Mountain crime scene. They'd come so far… Asking about the weapon right now felt like the right thing to do. For now.

Beth Anne donned a pair of leopard-print progressive glasses from her purse. She wanted to be able to see the image clearly. Did she have any idea of what to expect? No. But… She certainly did not expect to have a core memory unlocked.

"Amanda Juliette," she said to her as she handed the iPad to Boaz. "I knew Big Jim for decades. And I mean decades. He won that knife at a carnival on our first date. Why do you have a picture of it? At all? I haven't seen it in… a long time."

But Amanda at last began to sputter. So Olivia chose this moment to bail her out. Watching this conversation was like watching a NASCAR event. Just… In very slow motion.

"The knife has come up as evidence." Olivia pretended not to notice as nearby, Tully touched a hand to the spot bearing her knife cut. "We thought it might be worth making an inquiry about… Since all kinds of happenings have been falling into place."

Beth Anne wound herself down. "That kind of day, sergeant?"

She nodded. "Yes, m'am. Like you wouldn't believe."

"Very well. Is there anything more?"

"Actually…" but Olivia looked towards the mirror, one eyebrow arched.

But the people on the other side recoiled. Olivia was looking directly at Alex. Like she could see her.

"What?" Casey squawked when she realized what was happening. "How did she kn…"

"Incredible. Just incredible." Donnelley shook her head in amusement before turning to the third member of the trio. "Any idea what she wants? Alexandra?"

She bobbed her head. "Yes, actually. I will be right back."

Exiting Olivia's office now, Alex trekked across the bullpen towards Nick's desk. He was busy organizing his notes about all that had occurred at Calico Mountain. But it was time for Alex to tag him in. At last.

She said upon drawing level to him, "All well in Nickland?"

The man paused and rose to his feet. "Hey. Did Sergeant Benson ask for something?"

"Kind of. I understand that she told you earlier that your fiancée's family was en route. Well… They're here. And in the conference room."

"Oh. Who, all told?" Nick wanted to know. "I've been preoccupied."

Alex tarted up her friend's appearance. "Tully and her children are still here. So is Juliette. But Kim is here now. So are her mother and her stepfather."

"Got it." Nick found himself taking a few calming breaths now. "They are called Boaz and Beth Anne. She's from the state of Georgia. He's from The Netherlands. Uh… Specifically, Rotterdam."

Alex realized that Nick was taking just to steady himself. So she let him have a few more moments. But only that.

She said to Nick, "Are you good?"

Nick nodded confidently. "I am. Thank you."

Alex gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Any time. Let's go."

Amanda met Nick at the door to the conference room. And… momentarily… they only had eyes for each other.

Olivia watched them. So did Alex. Both women wondered briefly of that kind of joy was what they displayed towards each other during those tiny in-the-moment moments. Or if people noticed. But they proceeded to migrate to Olivia's office. Neither of them wanted to intrude on the upcoming moment.

Amanda stood at the head of the table with Nick beside her. Quiet fell again.

"We will introduce the kids to Nick later. When they are awake and sociable." Amanda addressed to her family at large once more. "Kim has met him before. Jettie met him today. But I'm honestly not sure if TJ has. Yet."

The aforementioned person gave a nod. "Yes. Nick popped in briefly to check on us after we got settled in. So… that just leaves…"

All eyes now fell to Beth Anne and Boaz. They had two very different personalities. Very different. But in the end, everyone respected that they were the heads of this dysfunctional, albeit now-healing family… no matter how odd they all were as a collective. Nothing would be normal about this collection of people. Ever.

Amanda steered Nick to where her mother and her stepfather now stood. Great quiet had fallen all over again. Swiftly.

Nick had seen a picture of Boaz and Beth Anne before. Amanda had snapshots of her family. But at this point, she'd turned them into a book for Zara. So she could be familiarized. Right now… It just felt strange that all of the living adults of the Georgia kin were in the room.

But Amanda spoke pointedly. "Say hello to Nick Amaro. He is my love. I am his. As you know, we are planning a future together. Please be nice to him. We are partners here, on top of everything else. And we are best friends. Nick is a wonderful man."

Beth Anne shook hands with Nick first. "It's nice to meet you… circumstances being what they are."

"Likewise." Nick returned. "I can't imagine life without Amanda. We've been through a lot together But we come out on top. Every time."

"Excellent. I am pleased."

Nick wanted to pinch himself. He could see that Beth Anne's niceties were taking a tremendous effort. But Nick also knew that Amanda would have been devastated if Beth Anne had been anything less than pleasant just now. Did Nick appreciate the effort? He did.

Continually amused, Boaz told Nick, "Welcome to the family. Chaos like what is unfolding is our normal. You get used to it. Eventually."

Behind him, Kim, Tully, and Juliette nodded. The patriarch was correct. Totally.

"But," Boaz continued on. "Beth and I have always wanted a son. The two of us are over the moon it's you. We've also been told of your mother and your daughter. Even Amanda's new life milestones. Beth and I are elated. But… I think it would be best if we talk about it all after this case is done. Our treat."

Nick had never been through 'meet the parents' before because Maria's had passed before he'd even met her. But he would set his best foot forward just now.

"Alright." Nick shook hands with Boaz to seal the deal. "I am looking forward to it."

"Wonderful." the matriarch now turned to his other half. "And how about that, Beth? A family gatheri… Beth?"

She had gone weirdly quiet in the last few moments. A sight in the bullpen had caught her attention. Beth Anne Viola De Vries then felt her blood run cold. In the blink of an eye. Later, she would be pleased that she hadn't vomited.

And Beth Anne heard her husband say her name. But he sounded far off. Instead of responding to Boaz, Beth Anne made haste for the door. Opened it. Stood. Looked out. No one dared say a word. But only because they were utterly perplexed by her strange behavior.

At last, Beth Anne saw that her eyes were not playing tricks on her. Just what had they walked into?

Being led by whom Beth Anne supposed to be one of Olivia's people, there could be seen an older caucasian man trekking across the room. He was older. About her age. And… the best word to describe his overall appearance? 'Disheveled.' But then she'd taken a second look at that godforsaken tattoo.

No way…

Quite as puzzled as the rest, Olivia exited her office. Approached Beth Anne from a wide angle. Hot water? Straight ahead. The dazed look on her face? Indicative of an epiphany.

Olivia gently guided her to the side and some distance from the conference room door. "I know that look on your face. Quite well. Amanda makes it when she's thinking deeply."

"Hm." Beth Anne made an effort to look at the sergeant. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Olivia motioned towards the direction of where Fin had taken the suspect. "Clearly, that suspect jogged a memory. But I'm guessing it's unwanted?"

"Yeah. So is he."

"And that man is…?"

Begrudgingly, Beth Anne responded, "He is my good-for-nothing useless twin brother."