Author's Note: A word of caution about this chapter - jump to no conclusions about what comes next. Our story is far from over.

"Do you want to repeat that?" Monk asked, as he sat down in his brown leather chair. "I thought I heard you say the guy whose DNA was all over the murder site has been dead a year."

"Yep. That's exactly what I said." Leland replied.

"But, that's impossible…" Monk responded, a look of confusion on his face. "Unless…"

Leland nodded knowingly on the other end of the line. "Unless Cass planted the blood."

"Or the cops did it." Adrian countered. "I know that you've said that Rock's team is top notch, but how sure are you of that fact?"

Leland paused. "I don't really know the guys on the force, but I have gotten to know Rock. I trust him. If there was any possibility that one of his guys could have done this, he would have said so."

"Then that leaves us with Cass. But it still doesn't make sense. That would mean that Cass, while he was in prison, would have to collect a blood sample from a prison guard, store it somehow so that at least a year after he died he could…"

"Frame a guy for the murder of a woman that, as far as we know, he has no connection to whatsoever. I'm with you, Monk. It makes no sense."

"And, yet –" Monk paused. "There has to be a logical explanation."

"I agree. But, unfortunately, I'm without a clue as to what the explanation is. Haven't run into anything like this in my forty-plus years in law enforcement."

"Nor have I." Monk replied. "So, how do you propose we approach this?"

"I was hoping that you would have some ideas." Leland said.

Monk leaned forward in his chair resting his face against his closed hand looking very much like Rodin's The Thinker. Natalie peeked in at him and smiled. At least his mind was on more productive things than tearing himself down.

"I guess…we start at the beginning. What do we know about Simon Cass?"

Leland retrieved a toothpick from a plastic container that he kept in his pocket. Sticking it in his mouth, he rehearsed their knowledge of Cass thus far. "He was a plastic surgeon in Boston, who apparently was never employed by the city's main hospital – despite the fact that the hospital was the closest one to his facility. He was convicted of sexual assault of several patients based upon a DNA match with one of the victims."

"What about the other women? If not by the DNA sample, how did they find him guilty?"

"After the first victim came forward, the complaints of the other victims were given more consideration. There were so many similarities between the cases that the jury came forward with a guilty verdict - which, under Massachusetts state law bought him ten years to life for each sentence." Leland replied.

"Why did they release him?" Monk asked.

"Good question. I'll see if Rock's team knows any more on that."

"Also see if maybe Dana Shaw had any connection with any of these ladies. That could be motive." Monk noted.

"I would suspect that they would have already inquired into that."

"Not if, based on the DNA, they don't think he did it." Monk responded.

"You have a point. I'll write that down." Leland performed the action as he was saying it.

"Also, there's the blood. Where did Cass get his hands on it? How was he able to store it that long? What was his relationship with the guard that he would want to frame him – particularly knowing that the guy died a year earlier. It's all so bizarre."

"Indeed. So, I've written all of this down. When do you think you can get here?" Leland asked.

Monk looked up as Natalie walked into the room, turning her back to him so that he could help her with a zipper. Resting the phone on his shoulder, he assisted her and then accepted a kiss on the cheek as he picked the receiver up with his hand. "Probably not until the afternoon." He stated. "We're going to try to set up an appointment with the doctor."

Leland furrowed his brow. "Oh. Another doctor appointment? Is Natalie okay?"

Monk could hear the concern in his friend's voice but definitely did not want to discuss at this point in time. "Yes. Natalie is fine. It's for me. I'm going to try to see Dr. Kroger's son, Troy. He said that he'd make time to talk to me if I ever needed to talk and, well, I thought today might be a good day."

"Okay. That's important." Leland replied, asking no further questions. Monk was often helped in therapy and he was glad to hear he was reaching out to someone – though he very much wanted to help the couple wherever he could. "Call me whenever you're done or when you think you'll be able to meet. Meanwhile, I think I'll try to check into the background of Daniel Bledsoe and see what opportunity Cass might have had to obtain the man's blood. Maybe they had a blood bank at the prison or something and Cass just randomly took a sample."

"That's a thought." Monk replied. "Let me know what you find."

Monk hung up the line and within minutes, he and Natalie were on their way to Julie's to pick up the children. Filling her in on the latest on the case, they agreed that they would make the shopping trip short so that he could join Leland at the Agency for a few hours that afternoon.

Arriving at Julie's, Lee and Abby ran to their mother, nearly knocking her off her feet when they saw her.

"Careful! Careful!" Monk gently scolded, rescuing his wife by picking up one child around the waist in each of his arms and then swinging them in circles to their uproarious delight. Julie laughed and looked at her mother while her step-father took a seat on Julie's carpeted floor and listened to tales of their sleepover with their sister.

"Boy, has marriage changed him." Julie grinned.

Natalie smiled wistfully. "Actually, I don't think it's changed him at all. It's just revealed the man who was there all along -a sensitive, loving, honest and loyal one-in-a-million husband and father."

"One in a million? Hmph." he asked, flashing his dimples at her through what was already appearing to be a shadow of a beard.

"Are you eavesdropping in on our conversation?" she said, playfully.

"You were standing ten feet away. I couldn't help but hear."

"Well, just mind what you were doing. This is between Julie and me."

He shrugged. "Fine. If my wife wants to compare me to 7,849 other guys – I'll just have to up my game."

Julie burst out laughing. "Up your game? What have you done with my dad?"

He winked and returned to talking with the children.

Natalie walked over to Julie's cabinet to get a glass of water. "Do you mind? Time for my thyroid medicine."

"Sure. You know you don't have to ask." She responded. "So, where are you all heading out to?"

Natalie poured a glass out of the tap and took her pill, then took a seat at Julie's island. "Well, Adrian has an appointment with Dr. Kroger at ten and – "

"Dr. Kroger? Dad hasn't been to a psychiatrist in a while. Everything okay?" she whispered.

Natalie looked toward Adrian who glanced at her solemnly. Everything in her wanted to tell her eldest daughter what was going on, but she knew it wouldn't be right to break her promise. So, she told only part of the truth. "Just dealing with a little stress." She replied. "You know, getting out of the hospital – getting back to work – preparing for a new baby in less than two and a half months – just stuff."

Monk smiled almost imperceptibly. That's my girl.

"What are your plans today?" Natalie asked.

Julie shrugged. "Travis is pulling a sixteen hour shift, so I just planned on hangin' out and chillin' around the apartment."

"If it's cold in here, I can talk to your landlord and make him check the thermostat or furnace." Monk responded.

"Still listening in." Julie said under her breath. "No, thanks dad. We're good. But thanks." She giggled.

"Why don't you come with us?" Natalie suggested.

"Come with you? Oh, I don't know…"

"Oh, come on – we haven't gotten to hang around for a while as a family. Adrian can do his appointment and then we can all go to lunch and after that, shop for the nursery."

"Shopping." Monk grumbled.

"You're the one who got me this way so hush!" Natalie replied.

Immediately, Monk blushed and that was the end of that. Inwardly he fought back the thought that indeed he had gotten her this way and his worry about their child quietly returned.

"You don't mind?" Julie asked,

"Mind? We'd love to have you along, isn't that right, Adrian?"

Monk snapped himself out of where his thoughts were heading and managed a smile. "Absolutely. The more the merrier."

Julie bounced on her heels. "Alright then! I'll go! It'll be just like old times. But let's take both cars so you guys don't have to drop me off after."

Natalie scrunched her nose up and smiled towards Monk who for that one moment cast his feelings of inadequacy aside and simply enjoyed being dad.

Troy Kroger sat in his father's position across from Adrian and listened as Monk told him about his health and getting back to work and about just about anything that came to mind aside from the real reason for his visit. And, although Troy knew what he was doing, for a while he let him babble on, figuring that it was important for Monk to feel as comfortable as possible for their therapy to be successful.

"So, that's about it." Monk said after a while, brushing his hands nervously up and down his thighs with a slight grin on his face. "Things are just about perfect. Life is good."

Troy took out a pen from his pocket and jotted a few notes in a notepad then raised the pen to his face, tapping it against his chin. "Glad to hear it. Glad to hear it. So - why are you here?"

Monk looked at the young man whom he once knew as a precocious teen and pictured him that way still. Troy seemed too young, too inexperienced, too much NOT his late father, Charles.

"I just stopped by to um, you know - chat."

"I see." Troy replied jotting another note down in his pad which made Monk even more nervous. "You had me make time in my schedule on an emergency basis to just chat?"

Setting the pen down on the pad, Kroger leaned back and looked at Monk disbelievingly. Adrian smiled then nervously shifted in his seat and then rolled his shoulders, adjusting his neck. "Well…I, I – um, when you put it that way. I guess that does sound a little silly."

"And, expensive." Troy noted. "I mean, if you just wanted to chit chat you could have met me at the grocery story or the bookstore."

"We can do that?" Monk inquired.

Kroger set the notepad off to the side and leaned towards his patient. "Mr. Monk. I know something is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes. And, I know that I'm not my dad or even half the man that he was or, truthfully, even that you are. But, I am good with people and I'm good at what I do so maybe if you would like to give it a chance, maybe I could help you. Please, let me help you."

The nervous grin faded and Monk's gaze dropped to the floor as he rustled with his pant leg and picked at a thread on his sleeve. Troy sat patiently waiting for him to come around. Finally, after around five minutes Monk inhaled and tried to share the diagnosis that to date only Natalie and their doctors knew.

"It's our son. The son in Natalie's womb." He said softly. Troy remained quiet, allowing Monk to come up with his own words.

"He, um…he, um… he has um…" Why couldn't he say it? Why was this so hard? Your son has Down's Syndrome. Your son has a chromosomal defect.

"Take your time, Mr. Monk." Troy said, sympathetically. "We take a break for lunch after your appointment, but if need be, I can work through."

Monk looked at him and shook his head. "No...that won't be necessary. Eat your lunch."

"Alright. But first, I need to know what is bothering my client."

Monk nodded once and closed his eyes, taking several long moments to gather his thoughts. Finally, he spoke. "Our baby, he has…he has a birth defect."

"Oh. I'm sorry. What is wrong with him?" the young man asked.

Monk fidgeted with his hands, trying to spit out the words. "He h-has, he has a heart defect." he stammered. "He um, he has a hole in his heart and the doctor says it may or may not heal on its own. It's in the upper chambers of his heart. And if it doesn't heal then he may have to have surgery after he's born."

Monk's heart was pounding hard in his chest due to the struggle within yet he tried not to show it. Why couldn't you say it? What is wrong with you? You're a terrible parent. He thought, clinching his fists to redirect the emotion.

"I see. And, again…I'm sorry. I imagine that is a scary thing to face?"

Monk shook his head repeatedly. "Yeah. It's very scary. Numbingly scary. And hurtful. I - I r-really wish it wasn't even happening."

"I imagine that's true. News like that doesn't come easy under any circumstance, but I believe your reaction to it is normal."

"It is?"

"Yes. You are going through the grief cycle. You didn't lose the child but to a certain extent you have lost the image of a healthy child that you had pictured when you and Natalie first found out you were going to be parents again. And, you're grieving that loss. You just have to let it run it course." He said.

"Really?" Monk responded, considering what the young psychiatrist had said. "What about the guilt? Will that leave too?" he asked.

Troy tilted his head, reaching again for the notepad. "Guilt? Tell me about that. Why do you feel guilty?"

"Well…I can't help but think that it's my fault, like somehow my defective genes made their way into his system and caused this."

Troy sat back. "Mr. Monk, no parent wants their child to have to suffer and no decent person, given the chance, would want to bring harm to a child. They wouldn't even risk it. But things often go wrong in the body, anomalies that aren't really anybody's fault, which can bring about difficulties that we never would have chosen for our child. Let me ask you this, if you were allowed to choose something for your child – say…you take his heart defect and he can have your healthy heart, would you do it?"

"Without question." Monk replied.

"Then there is nothing for you to feel guilty about. You did not choose to give him the defect and while you cannot necessarily just make it go away, knowing you as I do, I would say you will stop at nothing to make sure he has the best medical care out there and he'll never lack for love. That's just who you are. You have nothing to feel guilty over."

Monk inhaled, wanting to say more but couldn't bring himself to do it. A few more minutes passed by without anything consequential being said and then Adrian's time ran out.

"See you in another week?" Troy asked. "Maybe we can work through some of the fear you have."

Adrian nodded once and thanked his former psychiatrist's son then left, feeling more guilty and more conflicted than when he had come.

Walking out of the office, he had to cross a glass enclosed bridge and take a flight of stairs to get back to Natalie and Julie in the lobby. He stopped for a moment and watched them as they talked. He finally had everything that he always wanted, a wife and three children who looked at him as a hero; and yet, he felt anything but the hero. Here he stood a man with many defects and he couldn't even say the words Down's Syndrome. What a pathetic mess he was.

Natalie spotted him once he reached the lobby and smiled broadly saying something to Lee and Abby who turned and came running.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look what we made you!" Lee said, holding up a piece of paper that he had colored with crayons Natalie brought in their activity bag. Abby had a similar piece of artwork and both children's personalities shone through with Lee's picture consisting of light neutrals kept precisely within the lines and Abby's exhibiting bold, friendly colors. Taking the papers from them, he bent down and hugged both of them deeply, closing his eyes and then kissing them both on the sides of their heads.

"Thank you. Daddy loves them and he loves you too."

Natalie noted that his demeanor seemed anything but relieved but she couldn't quite place what she was seeing. She turned to Julie. "Julie, would you mind taking the kids to the family restroom before we get ready to go?"

Julie took hold of her sibling's hands and began to walk them to the restroom. After she was out of hearing distance, Natalie patted her seat and then looped her arm through his when he sat down.

"So, how did it go?" she asked.

"Meh." He replied. "He thinks I'm going through the grieving process. Wants to see me again next week. And here, I thought I was doing better."

Natalie sighed. "You are doing better. So much better that at times I almost forget how you once were."

"Well, that old man is still in there, I guess." He replied. "Sorry to say."

"Well, I love that old man too. I love every bit of him." She said, raising her hand to the hair by his temple. "Speaking of, I'm seeing some silver threads in those raven locks."

Monk frowned. "Yeah. Now they will really think I'm the kids' grandpa."

"Sexiest grandpa on the planet." She said.

He turned to look at her. "Was just a figure of speech. I'm really not sure I'm ready to be called a – wait, Julie's not…?"

Natalie laughed. "No. At least not that I know of. I think they are waiting until Travis's schedule gets a little less crazy."

Monk shook his head. "That's good. Very good. I always thought that couples should wait until they were at least 35 before they became…you know…intimate."

Natalie stopped and stared at him, an incredulous grin on her face.

"What?"

She bit her cheek to avoid laughing and then hugged his arm. "Nothing. I was just pointing out how incredibly handsome my husband is and how proud I am of you. I know you're scared but you're pressing on and doing whatever you need to do for the good of our family. Like going to see Troy. I'm sure that wasn't easy. But, you did it because you know how much we need you and how much I need you here with me when our little boy gets here."

Monk turned to her and looked deep into her eyes. "I'll be here. I'm not like my father to cut and run."

"Oh." Natalie said, a serious look appearing on her face. "I didn't mean."

"I know you didn't." he said equally as seriously. "But, I wanted you to hear it. Nobody should ever have to feel they are going through something like this alone. Nobody should have to carry that burden by themselves."

Julie wasn't exactly sure what they were saying to each other but had to clear her throat to get their attention when she returned with her younger siblings as her parents were engaging in a rarely seen public display of affection. The two jerked apart when they heard her and both blushed when they in turn saw their younger children standing side by side staring at them with arms crossed.

"Sorry." Julie said with a grimace. But, before her parents could respond Lee reacted. "Don't worry, Joo-wie. We're use to it."

Julie looked at him in surprise. "You are?"

"Yeah." Abby replied. "Them two are like dat all the time. 'Sweethot, can you do this? Honey can you do dat? Then them kiss, kiss, kiss."

Lee screwed up his face and all three adults shared a much-needed laugh.

A few minutes later, they gathered their things and began to head to the car. About halfway there, a bus passed by with a sign on the outside of it advertising for another store near the city that sold not only CBD but also sold marijuana, which was legal in the state. Underneath the advertisement, which consisted of a large marijuana leaf, it listed a host of health benefits that the legal drug purported to provide. Seeing it gave Monk some thoughts about Cass. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

Natalie turned to look at him, recognizing immediately by the look on his face that she had lost him to work.

"You've figured something out, haven't you?" she said.

Monk looked at her. "Not really figured it out, but I've got another thought about Simon Cass that I need to run by Leland. Sweetheart, would you mind terribly if I…"

"If you don't go shopping with me and Julie?"

He looked at her through pleading eyes and she couldn't help but sigh.

"I guess it's okay if you don't go. But don't you want to eat lunch with us?"

Monk shook his head. "I'm not really hungry."

Natalie looked at him with understanding. "Okay, honey. You take the car and go see Leland. I'll have Julie drive me home."

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Just one thing before you leave." she said.

"Yeah?"

"Winnie the Poo or Peter Rabbit?"

Monk looked at her as if she should know. "Poo, of course!"

"Poo it is." Natalie replied, waving to him as he left.

Monk drove across Boston using back roads to make his way to the agency. When he arrived there wasn't a soul around and even Heather's car was missing. Parking the car, he reached for his cell phone and hit speed dial #2, Leland Stottlemeyer. Leland picked up on the first ring.

"y'ello." He answered.

Monk could hear the sound of highway traffic in the background. "Um…hi, Leland. This is me, Adrian…Monk. I just got back from seeing Troy and let Julie go shopping with her mother. The two needed some, you know, 'girl time', and who was I to intervene."

"That's good." Leland said, through raised eyebrow. "Is this what you called to tell me?"

Adrian shook his head. "Oh…no. That…that would be a bit silly. I was just thinking about some things about Cass and was just wondering if you were going to be back here any time soon so we could discuss."

Stottlemeyer shook his head even though Monk couldn't see him. "Actually, I'm out on 93 heading towards Quincy. Looks like our Mike Strazek got himself arrested in a bar fight just inside city limits. Randy and I are heading down to interview him right now."

"Oh, okay." Monk replied. "Did Heather go home too?"

"Yes. John Michael woke up with an upset stomach this morning and she said Ambrose wasn't handling it so well. I think John Michael is better, but Ambrose needs someone to comfort him so I gave her the rest of the day off."

Monk smiled sadly. "Okay. Well, alright then. I guess I'll just do a little investigation by myself."

"We should be back later tonight I would expect. If not, I can catch you tomorrow." Leland said.

"Okay, Leland. I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know what you find out with Strazek."

"Will do. Take care."

Monk hung up the phone and considered what he would do, now that he had the day all to himself. He could return to the hospital and ask Barry to look up some specific information on Cass; but the very thought of going back into the basement made him cringe. And so, he sat back and closed his eyes, trying to meditate on the specifics of the case. But, each time he did, his thoughts drifted to his son and to the session with Troy.

Why couldn't I say it? Why could I not say that my child has Down's Syndrome?

The thought of it plagued him. Was it because his child would be different? All of his children were different. Julie was vibrant and caring, artsy and was always giving of herself. Lee was already showing signs of genius and unfortunately had a few of his father's obsessive traits from time to time. And Abigail, while not scoring as high on the IQ test as her brother had every bit of the spunk of her mother and her loving ways as well. So, what was the problem?

Shaking his head, Monk knew that if he just sat there that afternoon and mulled these things over, he'd be in precisely the same shape he had been in the night before if not worse. And so, he had to get busy, get his mind off of personal matters for the time being and onto professional.

Kelsey. He'd look into poor Kelsey's case and see what he could discover there – which meant, he'd need to call David.

Reaching in his coat pocket, Monk pulled out the folded hospital mailer that was still there. On it was David Ramos home phone number and his address. He'd gotten along well with the young man. Perhaps David saw or knew something that could help bring their friend justice.

David's phone rang and a woman speaking Spanish answered it.

"Hola, este es el teléfono de David."

Monk hearkened back to his days in California where speaking Spanish was pretty much a requirement as it was practically a second language.

"Sí, señora. Quería hablar con David Ramos. ¿Está él ahí?"

"Mama!" Monk heard the male voice say on the other line. "Te dije que no contestaras mi teléfono. No van a llamar."

"Entonces necesitas disculparte." The woman said.

"No, mama! I am not going to apologize. I promise, I'll get another job…now, just go into the other room." He said, sending her away. "Hola. Este es David."

"Hello, David. This is Adrian…Monk. How are you doing?"

David was surprised to hear Monk's voice. "Hi, Mr. Monk. I'm doing okay. I'm surprised to hear from you. How did you find me?"

"Pam gave me your information." He said. "I'm really not happy with the way that the police have been handling Kelsey's case and was wondering if I might come visit you to talk about her and about anything unusual you may have seen or heard during those last weeks that she was alive."

David looked through the house to make sure nobody was listening. "Listen Mr. Monk, I'd like to help you but you don't know what you're messing with. Whoever killed her did so without a care that she was a daughter and a sister and a friend. And, if you go poking into all that, I don't think they would care who you are either. They would kill you, just like they killed her."

"David, I put my life on the line every day in these kinds of cases. I can't concern myself too much about that. If you know something, you need to say something. For Kelsey's sake as well as your own. Don't let them get by with it, if you care."

"If I care? Mr. Monk. I cared very much for that girl. She was my best friend. Even still, she's gone now and I have to survive. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Goodbye." David said, hanging up the phone.

Monk bowed his head. 0 for 2. What was he going to do now?

Shaking his head with a disgusted sigh, he took the paper with David's information and began to refold it to put it in his pocket. Just then, he realized what was on the opposite side. Unfolding the paper, he looked at the title.

CRISPR-CAS9

An Age Without Disease and Disorder

A public discourse on the science and ethics of CRISPR technology

Hosted by Dr. Sandra Marks, PhD. MIT and Dr. Jonah Levitz, M.D. Tel Aviv Hospital

April 20-25, 2020 - Faneuil Lecture Hall – Massachusetts General Hospital – Boston, MA

9AM – 9PM Daily

"Huh. This must be the conference that Pam was working on." He said has he opened the mailer further and began to read.

For many, the revolutionary breakthrough of biochemists Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier in re-engineering the CAS9 enzyme and the potential this breakthrough has in eliminating genetic defects and disease, marks a watershed moment in the history of modern science. Today, nearly ten years later, scientists and medical professionals are just beginning to uncover its applications. Are we truly entering an age where diseases such as Cancer, Alzheimer's and AIDs or genetic disorders such as Huntington's Disease, Down Syndrome, Sickle Cell Disease and Cystic Fibrosis become things of the past? Can we design away human suffering? What are the ethical considerations of germline level genetic editing and is there, as some have said, an existential threat to humanity inherent in these scientific explorations? Join scientists and medical professionals from around the world as we discuss the current state of this exciting new technology, the practicalities of future applications and what rules should be established to ensure that in modifying the human genome, we are not flirting with disaster.

Monk carefully folded the document and placed it back in his pocket. They have a cure for Down's? They can fix the baby?

Immediately and without hesitation, Monk drove to General Hospital.