"Mommy?" Sophia said with a mouthful of oatmeal.

Natalie set down her coffee. "Don't talk with your mouth full, sweetie."

Sophia swallowed and drank a few sips of her milk. "You stay home today, Mommy?"

Natalie looked to Adrian who was immersed in case notes. "No. I will be with Daddy today, but I have a surprise for you."

Sophia bounced in her booster seat. "Surprise?"

"Yes. Miss Beth has some things to take care of, so you are going to spend the day with Molly instead."

Sophia grinned and clapped. "I wike Molly! Oolie too?"

Natalie smiled. "I think Julie has to work today. Maybe next time."

"I don' wike work," Sophia said with a pout.

"I don't either sometimes." Adrian closed the folder. "Did mommy tell you Molly is going to have a baby?"

Sophia's face brightened. "A baby? Wike Timody?"

Adrian stood to take Timothy from his high chair. "Well, we don't know if the baby will be a boy or a girl yet, but yes."

Sophia squirmed in her booster. "Down, Mommy."

Natalie unfastened her belt, freeing the toddler of her restraint. Sophia bounded across the living room to her toy basket. She reached in, then ran back to the table with her baby doll in her hands. "I help," she said.

"Help with what?" Adrian asked as he lifted Timothy to his shoulder to burp him.

Sophia held up her doll. "I teach Molly how take care of baby."

Natalie laughed. "You do that, sweetie. You're going to make a good mommy someday."

"Don't encourage her," Adrian said on his way to the kitchen. "She's got at least thirty years before she should even think about that sort of thing."

Natalie carried her dishes to the sink where Adrian had begun to wash them with one hand while balancing Timothy with the other. Natalie took the baby from him, then kissed his cheek. "I'm going to get him changed, then you need to get dressed too."

He looked at the clock on the wall. "This soon? I thought Leland wanted us to come in after lunch."

"He does," Natalie said, "but I'm taking you somewhere else first."

He shut off the water and turned to her. "Where are you taking me?"

She smiled as she walked to the stairs. "You'll find out when we get there."

"Dr. Bell's?" Adrian asked as Natalie parked outside the psychiatrist's office. "My appointment isn't until next Thursday."

Natalie turned off the engine. "I know, but he had a cancellation today, so I got you in early."

While Natalie released her seatbelt, Adrian stared at her, his brow creasing. "Here's the thing. It's Wednesday. I never see Dr. Bell on Wednesday."

"I know." She opened her car door. "But there's a first time for everything."

Adrian didn't move from the passenger seat of Natalie's SUV, but she didn't wait for him as she walked toward the office entrance. After a moment, Adrian left the vehicle, choosing to follow his determined wife into the waiting room. He met her at the receptionist desk, where she had already checked him in. "Natalie, I still don't understand why we are here. Why would you tell him I'm coming in today, a Wednesday of all things?"

"Because you needed to come," she said, taking a seat on the waiting room couch.

"I can wait until next week for my normally scheduled appointment."

She picked out a magazine from the coffee table. "Well, now he's expecting you." She opened the magazine.

"Natalie …"

"Adrian, how good to see you," Dr. Neven Bell said after opening the door to his office. "Won't you come in?"

Natalie looked up from her magazine. "You don't want to disappoint him, do you?"

Adrian was about to protest again, but when his wife gave him the look that signaled the end of the discussion, his shoulders slumped, and he followed his psychiatrist into his office. He walked to his usual, yellow chair, and took his seat. He looked around, still trying to figure out why Natalie felt the need to drag him there on a Wednesday of all things.

Dr. Bell took his seat across from his patient and observed him for a moment before he spoke. "Well, Adrian, I wasn't expecting to see you until next week."

Adrian rose from his chair. "You're busy. I'll come back next Thursday."

"No. No, please stay." Dr. Bell motioned for him to sit. "I'm glad you're here. So, tell me, what brings you here today?"

Adrian sat back down but stiffly remained on the edge of the chair. "I don't know. Natalie scheduled the appointment and brought me here."

Dr. Bell put on his glasses and flipped open his notepad. "I see. Well, Natalie must have thought it would do you some good. Tell me what has been going on in your life this week."

Adrian hesitated, then relaxed into the chair, settling his hands on the armrests. "I've been working."

"An interesting case?"

"A couple of them."

"And the work is going well?"

He rubbed his hands on his pants. "It's been difficult."

"But you're making progress?"

"I'm narrowing it down."

"You'll figure it out. You always do." Dr. Bell jotted a note before looking up. "Now, how is everything with your family?"

Adrian rolled his shoulder. "They … they're fine."

"Just fine? You're sure?"

Adrian rubbed the armrests. "Yes. I'm sure."

Dr. Bell took off his glasses. "Are you sure there's not something you would like to talk about?" He paused, but when Adrian didn't answer, he continued. "When I played baseball, I learned how to read the pitcher's signs to know what kind of ball he would throw. Whether it's a fastball or a curveball, there are certain cues you learn to look for …"

Not another story, Adrian thought. I don't have time for this. I have work to do. Why did Natalie bring me here? Okay, sure I'm worried about this situation with Sophia, and she is concerned about my fears … but I think they're quite rational this time. Aren't they?

"And you, Adrian, have a sign for when something's bothering you."

"What?" he asked in response to hearing his name.

"Cues, signs. I was saying you have one."

"I do?"

"Yes. That little shoulder hitch you do. I can always tell something is bothering you when you do that. Now, would you like to talk about it? That is what you pay me for, after all."

Adrian sighed, resigned to talk to his doctor, even though it was the wrong day. "I suppose Natalie was a little concerned after our conversation last night."

"What did you and Natalie talk about?"

"We … we talked about a situation we have with Sophia."

Dr. Bell put on his glasses and picked up his notepad. "Yes, Natalie gave me a little background. She said a man has come forward claiming to be Sophia's biological father. That must be a little concerning."

Adrian laced his fingers. "Yes," he said as he looked at his hands. "Natalie and I were both a little … shocked. We had been under the belief that both her parents were deceased."

"How do you plan to proceed? Is he going to seek custody?"

"He says he won't. He just wants to do a paternity test to confirm his suspicions."

Dr. Bell rubbed his balding head. "Are you worried that if it is confirmed, he will change his mind?"

"It has come up."

"Have you consulted with a lawyer?"

Adrian nodded. "We did that yesterday."

Dr. Bell returned his glasses to his nose and jotted another note. "And this conversation you had with Natalie last night—was that in regard to your meeting with the lawyer?"

Adrian stared at his hands, twisting them back and forth. "Natalie felt good about what the lawyer told us. She doesn't think Hayes could win custody."

"And you?"

"The lawyer said it is very rare for an adoption to be reversed unless there's abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or …" He looked up, his forehead deeply creased. "She said sometimes it can happen in the case of mental illness."

Dr. Bell removed his glasses and leaned forward. He looked intently at his friend. "You are worried that if this were to go to court, you might be found unfit because of what happened in your past."

Adrian nodded as he rubbed his hands on the arms of his chair. "I was removed from the force because I was declared unfit."

"You were, but that was a long time ago, and you were reinstated. You were the one who chose not to remain on the force this time because you enjoy your freedom as an independent contractor. And now, you have successfully held that job for many years. With that job, you support a wife and three children."

"But it was a psychiatric discharge, Dr. Bell. What if they find out how at one time I couldn't get out of bed? Then, when I did, I needed a nurse for everything. How can a man who can't take care of himself be declared fit to take care of a child?"

Dr. Bell leaned back. "And how long has it been since you needed a nurse?"

"Nine years, two months, and fifteen days, but the fact remains, I wouldn't have survived those years without her."

"The court isn't going to judge you on what happened at that time. They are going to look at what kind of a man and parent you are today. Tell me, do you believe people can change?"

He studied his doctor for a moment before nodding.

"Adrian, the change I have witnessed in you in the last few years has been truly remarkable, and I see no reason to believe things will ever go back to the way they were."

"But, I still worry and fear, Dr. Bell. I still have these … things I can't control. I don't know if I will ever be free of them."

"I know, but you have learned to live with them and excel despite them. In fact, some of those things make you the brilliant detective you are."

"It's a blessing and a curse."

"Now," Dr. Bell said, "do you think you would have been allowed to adopt Sophia in the first place if what took place years ago had been a deciding factor for them?"

"But, at that time, we thought Sophia was an orphan. They probably figured I was better than … a pack of wolves. But if Hayes is her biological father, they might think she is better off with him than someone … like me." He looked back at his hands.

Adrian, from what I can see, you are an excellent husband and father. You have proven that. Your wife loves you. Your children are thriving. In fact, I would say your children are very fortunate to have you. I wish there were more fathers like you. Then, let's not forget Natalie's involvement. I don't have to tell you what a good mother she is."

Adrian lifted his eyes and looked directly at his doctor. This was Neven Bell, a man he had learned to trust, a man he could call his friend. Surely he wouldn't lie to him. "So, you don't think they would take my daughter away from me?"

The doctor smiled. "No, Adrian. I don't think they would. Being a biological parent doesn't make you a better parent. Your children couldn't possibly be in better hands than they are with you and Natalie.

"Thank you, Dr. Bell." His worry lines softened. Perhaps his doctor was right.

They stood and Dr. Bell smiled. "Speaking of your children, do you have any recent pictures? I haven't seen them in a while."

Adrian grinned as he pulled out his wallet. He opened it and a string of plastic-protected pictures fell out, so long it nearly reached the floor. "Here's Sophia," he pointed. "She did that puzzle all by herself, and here's one of Timothy eating his first solid food. He's growing so fast, and …"

The conversation continued as Dr. Bell escorted his patient back to the waiting room, Adrian describing each picture in detail. They stopped just outside his office door.

Dr. Bell patted him on the shoulder. "I'm glad Natalie called. It was good to see you, Adrian."

Natalie returned her magazine to the coffee table and joined her husband, taking his arm. "You seem happy?"

He patted her hand. "It was a good visit. Thank you for bringing me."

She looked at him as they exited to the street. "Even though it's a Wednesday?"

He shrugged. "First time for everything."

After the visit with Dr. Bell and a light lunch at a nearby deli, Adrian and Natalie made their way to Captain Stottlemeyer's office where Natalie rapped on the closed door.

"Come in," the captain called from inside.

"You wanted to see me?" Monk asked, opening the door.

Stottlemeyer looked up from the stack of papers on his desk. "Yes, come in. Take a seat."

Monk and Natalie did as he asked and took their seats in front of the desk. "Do you have something new on the case?" Monk asked.

"Yeah." The toothpick bobbed in his mouth. "One of Randy's detectives brought this up yesterday." He pushed a folder closer to Monk.

"Something from the Gomez case?" he asked, opening it.

"Take a look."

Monk opened the folder to see a photograph of what looked to be a shoe print in dried mud. He picked it up for a better look.

"That's from the woods behind Gomez's house," Stottlemeyer said. "The age of the print puts it in the time frame of the murder. Thankfully, it hasn't rained since then.

Monk looked up. "Looks like it may have come from the kind of boots the uniformed officers prefer. What size is it?"

"Size 10. Same as the print at Gray's house, but check out the next page."

Monk flipped the photo of the boot over to discover another photograph. This one contained the image of a couple of brown fibers, held up with a pair of tweezers. He turned the photo over to read the results of the lab test. He looked up. "Artificial—used in the production of wigs and hairpieces."

"Those were found on a tree just outside of Gomez's fence. Unless someone else wearing a brown wig was messing around back there, the perp was wearing a hairpiece of some sort."

Natalie leaned forward for a closer look. "So, he didn't care if people saw he was a cop, but he felt the need to alter his appearance."

"Right," Stottlemeyer said, "or he isn't a cop and the uniform was part of the disguise as well." He reached across the desk and flipped the page. Here's something else interesting. We can't, of course, prove this came from the perp's truck, but these were found lying on the ground next to where the kid said he parked."

Monk looked at the picture, then held it up and squinted. Within the photo, were two, small, white strips of plastic, colored green on one end. "What are they?"

Natalie looked over his shoulder. "Those are glucose testing strips."

Monk turned to his wife. "For diabetic patients?"

"Yes," she said. "My cousin has Type 1 Diabetes, and I've seen her use them."

Stottlemeyer nodded. "Someone with Type 1 has to monitor their blood glucose levels regularly because they are dependent on insulin. Knowing their glucose determines how much insulin they need. See, they prick their finger, then put a tiny drop of blood on the end of the strip. The blood reacts with an enzyme in the strip called glucose oxidase. That reaction then produces a different chemical called gluconic acid. From the acid, an electrical current goes into the meter. The higher the level of glucose in the blood, the stronger the electrical current."

Monk adjusted his neck. "They have to prick their fingers? With a needle?"

"A very tiny needle," Natalie said. "It doesn't hurt."

"But, a needle?" He rolled his shoulder. "I don't suppose there was any blood on those strips."

"No, unfortunately not," Stottlemeyer said. "They are unused, not even a fingerprint. The thing that surprises me, though is these glucose strips are not cheap. For someone to drop a couple like that, they must have been in a hurry."

"Or nervous. It appeared the perp had been interrupted while still in the house. If it scared him and he ran, that would also explain the torn fabric on the fence and the strands of the wig on the tree. The adrenaline could have made a normally steady hand shake, causing him to spill the strips." Monk rubbed his eyebrow. "Captain, you said one of the officers involved in the drug busts we've been investigating had gone out on medical leave. Do you know why he is sick?"

"No, and HIPPA laws prevent me from finding out," Stottlemeyer said. "Do you think there's a connection?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

The captain lowered his head and ran his hand through his hair. He released a deep sigh. "You're right, Monk." He looked up. "I still don't like it. I don't like it any more than I did the first time you brought it up, but I'm running out of options."

"What do you want me to do?" Monk asked.

He reached under some papers and tugged out a thick folder. "These are the transcripts from the interviews we did of everyone else in the chain of command on those busts. I'd like you to read over these and see if anything stands out to you. As far as I can tell, all we've got is some missing alibis, but no motives. Then, come back tomorrow. I'm bringing in Officer Barlowe, the fourth narcotics member. I'd like you to be here for the interview.

Adrian and Natalie arrived at Luke and Molly's apartment at 4:30 to pick up their children. Luke answered the door, and they could see he had been helping Sophia build block towers while Timothy watched from his bouncy seat. Sophia ran to hug them, then Molly came in from the kitchen.

Natalie embraced her. "Thank you so much for watching them today. I know it was last minute."

Molly smiled. "I'm glad I could help. Luke got off early, and we all had so much fun."

"How are you feeling?" Natalie asked.

She looked at Adrian, then leaned closer to whisper. "A little nauseous first thing in the morning, but other than that, I feel great."

Adrian's mouth watered as the savory scents of garlic and melting cheese wafted his way. "That smells good. What are you cooking?"

"Lasagna and garlic rolls," Molly said. "Why don't you guys stay for dinner. We've got plenty."

Natalie looked to Adrian. "I don't know …"

"Her lasagna is the best," Luke said. "You're going to want some."

Adrian lifted his hands. "Fine with me."

"Well, okay, but let me help you." Natalie followed Molly back to the kitchen and went to work on a salad.

Adrian followed Luke into the living room where Timothy cooed at him from his bouncy seat. Adrian picked him up, and the baby patted his cheek with a chubby hand. Adrian smiled. "I missed you too."

Luke looked up from his spot on the floor. "So, Julie told us the news about Ryan Hayes. That was quite a bombshell."

Adrian settled into the closest chair. "You could say that."

"We've known him and his family all this time." He added a blue block to Sophia's tower. "I never would have guessed."

Adrian glanced at Timothy, who was contentedly investigating his father's watch. "So, how well do you know Ryan Hayes?"

"I've spent a little time with him, mostly in group meetings. What do you want to know?"

"Has he had any more trouble with his drug addiction since you met him?"

"He's stayed clean. I can't say he never craves it. All former addicts do from time to time, but so far he's beating it."

"What about his schooling? When we interviewed him, he said he's going back to college for physical therapy."

Luke handed Sophia the green block she requested. "As far as I know, he's keeping up with his classes. He's been in counseling for his PTSD and seems to be better. I just hope this recent event doesn't set him back too much."

"Do you know much about his family?"

"They're a good family, Adrian. His parents have been married forever, and his sister is a sweet girl. They go to our church. Ryan started coming with them after he came back to California. As I said, I don't know him really well, but I've seen some positive changes in him since he joined our recovery group. He's been working hard to get his life back on track, but I can't see him seeking custody. He can barely take care of himself right now."

"He said he just wants to know the truth," Adrian said.

Luke stood and helped Sophia with the last block at the top of the tower. "I would want to, wouldn't you?"

Adrian stared at his daughter for a moment. "Yeah, I would."

Luke turned his attention to Sophia. "Are you ready?"

She hopped and clapped. "Knock over!"

"Okaay, go." Luke jumped out of the way and ducked.

Sophia ran into the tower, knocking the plastic blocks in every direction. A shower of bright, primary colors descended upon the living room. She laughed and Timothy squealed. Adrian recoiled in the chair, pulling the baby to his chest to protect him.

Luke looked up and grinned. "Sorry. I forgot to warn you. Those things fly everywhere."

Adrian picked up the block that landed in his lap. "You encourage this?"

Luke shrugged. "What's the fun in building towers if you can't knock them down?"

Adrian frowned and was about to state his opinion when Natalie popped around the corner. "Dinner's ready."

They crowded around Luke and Molly's small table with Timothy in his bouncy seat beside Natalie.

Adrian looked around. "You're going to need a bigger place."

Molly selected a roll from the basket. "I know. We're going to start looking for a house soon."

Natalie swallowed a bite of salad. "That's wonderful. Are you going to stay in the city?"

"Yes," Luke said, serving himself a large piece of lasagna. "We want to be close to family."

The conversation continued until the meal was finished. Sophia scampered back to the living room where Luke put in a video for her to watch. Timothy began to fuss, so Natalie picked him up and gave him a bottle. Adrian helped Molly clear the table, then they returned with coffee and a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

Molly took a cookie and passed the plate. "Have you guys decided what you're going to do about Ryan Hayes?"

Adrian stirred his coffee. "Do you mean the paternity test?"

Molly nodded.

"We haven't decided," Adrian said. "We've both been … a little worried about the implications of it."

Natalie lifted Timothy to her shoulder, and he found his thumb as his eyes began to droop. "We saw a lawyer yesterday. She made it sound like it would be nearly impossible for Ryan to get custody even if it is positive. Since he was unaware of her birth and the adoption before it took place, it would only be granted under extreme circumstances."

"So, it would only be for the sake of knowledge," Adrian said.

Molly swallowed her last bite of cookie and wiped her mouth. "My parents never hid my adoption from me, and I'm glad they didn't. It always made me feel special because when you're adopted, you're chosen. It's a wonderful feeling knowing that. Now, I never imagined I would meet or learn anything about my birth parents because we thought I'd been abandoned. I'm glad I didn't have my biological father in my life, but I sure would have loved to know my mother if I'd had a chance. And of course, meeting you guys has been one of the best things that ever happened. Learning about Trudy and having a relationship with you hasn't diminished my love for my adoptive parents one bit. It has simply given me more people to love and care about." She looked at the napkin in her hands before she spoke again. "I can't tell you what to do, but I will say that in my experience, I am thankful to know who my birth mother was and my family on her side. It completes me if that makes sense. With my biological background, I have a fuller picture of who I am."

Luke smiled at his wife, then turned to his guests. "Ryan Hayes has made some mistakes, but he is a good man." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "If his suspicions are correct, I think Sophia would like to know him when you are both ready for it. I know his sister, Tracey, would like to meet her also. She loves kids and is really good with them."

Adrian glanced to the living room where his curly-headed daughter was singing along with the video she watched.

"I appreciate your opinion. It's just hard … I'm supposed to protect her, and I'm just not sure what is best."

Molly touched his arm. "I know the idea of her having someone else in her life is scary, but she'll never stop loving you or needing you. I'm twenty-nine, and I still need my daddy sometimes. She doesn't have to have any knowledge of him until you're ready to tell her, but if you know, at least you'll have that choice, and so will she."

Natalie leaned over and rubbed her husband's back. "Thank you, Molly. You've given us a lot to think about, and thank you for dinner. It was delicious."

Adrian's face brightened. "It was very good. Did you know lasagna was one of Trudy's favorite meals?"

"No wonder I like it so much," Molly said. "Did I tell you we visited her yesterday?"

"You did?"

Molly looked at Luke who nodded. "I wanted to tell her about the baby, and well, there's something I want to ask you."

Adrian turned to his stepdaughter.

"Luke and I were wondering. If the baby is a girl, would you be okay with us naming her Trudy?"

His lips parted, but he had to swallow against the lump forming in his throat. "That … that would be just fine. It would be wonderful, actually." He blinked back the tears forming in his eyes. "She would be so happy and proud."

Molly squeezed his arm. "Thank you, Adrian."

Natalie reached across his shoulders and hugged him. "I can't wait for this baby."

Adrian nodded, but he wasn't able to speak. The love in the room was palpable. It penetrated every fiber of his being, flowing through sinew and tissue, warming his heart and soul. Luke, Molly, and their little one on the way were, without a doubt, part of his family and part of his heart. Knowing the joy the relationship had brought him, did he have any right to deny that same happiness to his daughter and her birth father, should Ryan Hayes prove to be so? The idea of allowing another man into her life still scared him, whether or not it was possible or even desirable for him to gain custody … But, would giving into that fear steal from them what he felt now? "Perfect love casts away fear." He had read that in Molly's Bible. He looked around the table. This was love, maybe not perfect, but as close to it as he could imagine. Perhaps it could cast away even his fear.