Later

Mac let Max run into the office before her. The door shut behind her just as Jennifer walked over with a few yellow notes.

"Busy day?" Mac assumed.

"Not so bad," Jenn reassured as she rubbed Max's head.

"I better get coffee and get started," Mac said as she looked through the messages. She headed for the break room and found Claire, Harm, and Samantha there.

"Casual clothes and bring your dog to work day was last week, Mac," Harm said teasingly as she entered the breakroom.

"Funny," Mac smirked as Max ran up to Harm.

"I'm a funny guy," Harm said and crouched down. "Hi there, buddy. Did our girl do okay?" Harm scratched Max's ears.

"She did," Mac reassured as she filled her mug.

"What a beautiful dog," Samantha patted Max's head.

"He sure is," Mac agreed.

"What happened to the puppy you talked about getting?" Claire asked her mother.

"Ask your father," Mac motioned for her husband as she sipped her coffee.

"Isn't one dog enough?" Harm reasoned. "And we have a pony?"

"Actually, getting a puppy when you have an adult dog is smart. The big dog will help train the puppy. That's how my father always did it," Samantha butted in.

"See," Mac said.

"Is it gang up on Harm day?" Harm wondered as he looked at his watch. "Oh look, it's time to leave."

Mac shook her head with amusement as she got a quick kiss, then Harm disappeared out the door.

Samantha and Claire laughed. "Come on Max, we better get some work done," Mac said.

"I have a client meeting," Samantha excused herself.

Claire followed her mother. "Did you consider just bringing home a puppy?"

Mac chuckled. "We'll see."

After lunch, Mac got back from walking Max just as the Winters appeared at the office. Mac still hadn't changed into more formal clothing since she didn't have any appointments until after lunch and she needed to walk Max. She'd had lunch outside enjoying the warm weather.

"Nice dog," Mr. Winter offered his hand. "And I hope there's good news."

Mac shook hands with Mrs. Winter too.

"Let's see if Claire can sit with Ben while we talk," Mac suggested. "Come on, boy," Mac let Max off the leash. "Go lay down."

Claire came to greet them. "Hi Ben, want to color?" she signed.

Ben lit up and took Claire's hand.

"Thank you," Mac smiled at her daughter. "Come with me," she motioned for her office.

Max lay down by her desk as she sat down. "Coffee or tea?" she offered.

"No, just news," Mrs. Winter said anxiously.

Mac smiled. "After the weekend visitation with Mr. Hayes, he let his lawyer know that he wouldn't be contesting the adoption."

"Wait! What?" Mrs. Winter sat up straight.

"That's amazing!" Mr. Winter said. "What happens next?" he wondered.

"The judge agrees that the adoption should be finalized," Mac explained with a happy smile. "Congratulations."

The Winter's hugged and kissed, then they stood. "I don't know how to ever repay you, Sarah."

Mac stood. "Seeing you so happy is all the thank you I need," she reassured.

Mrs. Winter rounded the desk and hugged Mac. "Thank you."

"I'm happy that this ended so well," Mac said.

"I think we should celebrate with ice cream," Mr. Winter suggested and took his wife's hand. "Ben will love that."

Mac watched them go, then sat down again. She reached out and scratched Max's ears. "I love it when the good guys win."

Later

Mac had let Max out in the garden after their run. After her shower, she went outside and found him in the shadow with Matthew and Kelly.

"Mom, when's dinner?" Matthew wondered.

"I was thinking about firing up the grill," Mac stepped down from the deck and checked to see if the gardener had been there to tend to the flowers. She noticed that the lawn too was neatly trimmed. She loved their garden. It was one of the reasons she'd wanted the house. The house was old. It had been built in 1887 and it held a lot of history. It had been modernized through the years of course, but every owner had kept some of the history intact. The garden had been overgrown when they bought it. The old lady who'd lived there hadn't kept up with her gardening. They had spent some time on it and the result was beautiful.

Harm loosened his tie as he crossed the living room. He put his briefcase down by the stairs as he headed to see where everyone was. He had been at the courthouse all afternoon. The case was coming to an end and he was hopeful that they'd get the sentencing before the weekend started. He stepped out on the deck and saw Matthew and Kelly busy with their phones. Max was asleep in the shadow. He saw Mac out on the lawn, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans as she stood with his back to him. He smiled.

"Hi, Dad," Matthew looked up from his phone. "Mom was thinking about firing up the grill."

"I was," Mac said as she turned to them.

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed.

"I could start with the salad?" Kelly suggested after finally tearing her eyes away from the phone.

"Thank you," Mac said as she walked up to them. "You go change. You can be in charge of the grill."

Harm smiled. "I think I can handle that."

"How was your day?" she wondered.

"I shot some holes in the prosecution's case," he said cockily.

"You think you'll win?" she assumed. She found his cockiness very sexy. Of course, she never would let him know that.

"I have a good feeling," he leaned in and kissed her. "How was your day?"

"Good," she smiled happily.

"You got to give the Winter's good news," he reached around her and pulled her close. "I'm glad."

"Me too," she relaxed against him.

"Where's Claire?" Harm wondered.

"Out with friends," Mac explained. "She'll be home later."

Harm nodded. "I better change. What are we grilling anyway?"

"Seafood," Mac moved back.

"Good," he kissed her softly. "I'll be right back."

Later

Mac found her husband in their office as she was carrying some clean towels back to the closet in their bathroom. It still surprised her how many towels one family could go through in one week. Harm was looking through a file and taking notes on a legal pad.

"I thought you went for a run?" she questioned.

He looked up. "I got this idea and had to check some things out. It's too late for a run now. Maybe we'll run together in the morning?" he suggested as he ran a hand over his waist. "I've been dropping too many workouts in the last weeks."

She nodded. "We can do that."

"I'd hate for people to wonder what someone looking like you are doing with a fat guy," he said as he stood.

"I'm not worried," she reassured. "Besides, I'm not just after you for your body."

He chuckled. "Good to know."

"Is there something happening on the case you're working on?" She was curious.

He followed her to their bedroom after shutting down the office for the night. "Just something the investigators missed," he said thoughtfully.

"Are you about to make people look bad?" she questioned as she headed for their bathroom.

He slumped down on their bed. "Just a little," he called out.

She appeared in the doorway. "What did they miss?"

"An important witness," he said with a confused look. "It was a call from an old lady living next door to Lieutenant With. She saw him come in at 2200 the night of the knife fight. There's no way he would be home then if he stabbed someone at 21.50. Ten minutes to get across town, not even a Navy Seal would manage that."

"But there were three witnesses who saw him fleeing the crime scene?" Mac mentioned.

Harm nodded. "But two of the witnesses were placed into a police car and they heard the description of the man the third guy had described on the radio. When the police brought in Lieutenant With they put him in front of the witnesses and asked if he was the guy. They agreed it had to be him."

"They didn't use a lineup?" Mac was surprised.

"No, they were pretty sure it was the right guy so they took a shortcut. Besides they had the Lieutenant's knife at the scene with his fingerprints on," Harm explained.

"Now how do you explain that?" Mac questioned as she pushed off the doorframe and walked over to the bed.

"The Lieutenant's brother has a police record. He's using drugs. He was by the Lieutenant to borrow money the day before the knife stabbing. I think he stole the knife from his brother," Harm stretched and yawned. "I'm having the neighbor on the stand in the morning. I'll create enough reasonable doubt to get my client off."

Mac ran her hand through his hair. "You're the master of finding what other people missed."

"I like a challenge," he smiled and sat up.

"You're tired," she smiled and leaned down and kissed him softly. "Get some sleep. I'll just get another load of towels out of the dryer and I'm turning in too."

He nodded. "I could help," he said as he stood.

"I appreciate that, but you need your rest. You can do the laundry the next time," she said with a smile as she headed for the door.

"Yes, ma'am," he said as he headed for the bathroom.