It was just before six by the time Nikki made it home that evening. She had called a few times during the day to check on Nora and Isabelle but her partner assured her that the two were getting along just fine, even if Isabelle still wasn't talking much. When Nikki stepped into the living room she found the young girl napping on the couch with Nora's thigh as her pillow.

Nora smiled when Nikki held up the bags of carry-out. "What'd you find out?"

Nikki set the bags down on the coffee table and stole a quick kiss. "Why don't we..." she began as she motioned toward the bedroom.

Nora slowly replaced her leg with a pillow and followed Nikki into the other room. "So?"

"And how was your day?" Nikki asked as she started changing.

"Long," Nora sighed as she flopped onto the bed. She reclined back on her elbows, "but fine. We went to the park and did a little shopping. Izzy is still being pretty quiet but I was able to get a little out of her."

Nikki popped her head out of the closet. "Izzy?"

"I told you," Nora smirked.

Nikki laughed as she finished changing, then sat down next to Nora. "What did she say?"

"She was in bed when she heard fighting in the other room. She got scared so she squeezed herself down along the wall and under the bed."

"That poor thing," Nikki breathed. "Did she get a look at him?"

Nora sat up. "She won't talk about him, but she did see them when they came in, just before she got under." She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees as she massaged her temples. "I don't think she'll be able to give a good description but she may recognize him when we find him."

"Haven't found him yet," Nikki complained. "Rosalie did scratch him though, we're still waiting on DNA. Plus, we may have his initials."

Nora glance sideways at her partner, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Turns out Rosalie was a methodical bookkeeper. She didn't use actual names but she did use initials. Verret is still going through her appointment book but, apparently, she had an important meeting with D.M. the night she was killed."

"How do you know it was important?"

"It was circled in red," Nikki supplied.

Nora turned her head to study her hands. "So maybe D.M. didn't like the importance of the meeting." Nora sighed when Nikki reached over to massage her neck. "Any family?" she asked.

"A mother. Dan was able to track her down just before I left. We couldn't find a record, I'm thinking she had a friend in Vice but I couldn't find anyone to confirm. We ran her prints, they matched a runaway with a juvenile record from Montgomery, Alabama. Her real name is Rosalie Fernandez. She was kicked out of the house when she got pregnant by her boyfriend."

"If the mother kicked her out then what does this mean for Izzy? She's been through so much already."

"When the boyfriend was killed in a raid on his meth lab Mrs. Fernandez tried to find her daughter, that's why there was a missing persons report. She's coming to identify the body and said she would take Isabelle with her." During the conversation Nora had let her clasped hands hang between her knees as Nikki's hand scratched up and down her back. "Are you going to be okay with that?" Nikki asked quietly.

Nora turned her head and locked onto the concerned brown eyes. "Of course."

"Nora," Nikki said quietly at the same time the name was screamed from the other room.

The detectives jumped up and ran to the screaming child, Nora immediately pulling her into a tight embrace. "Shh, shh, shh I've got you now. It's okay. I'm sorry I left."

"Bad man," Izzy cried as she buried her face against Nora's chest.

"No sweetie, he's not here. It's just us."

"I hear him."

"It was just a dream," Nora tried to soothe her.

"No," Izzy disagreed. "I hear him."

"What?" Nora asked. She looked up at Nikki and motioned with her hand for her partner to give the house a once over.

Nikki was about to search when her eyes found the television. "Isabelle, is the bad man on the TV?"

Nora looked to the newscast and when Izzy didn't answer Nora pulled her back slightly. She ran her thumbs under Izzy's eyes in order to dry her tears. "Is the bad man on the TV?" The girl nodded slowly. "Can you show me which one he is?"

Izzy turned to watch the television and when the anchor was on the screen alone she turned back to Nora. "Him," she whispered.

"Good job sweetie." Nora reached over and hit the power button on the remote.

Nikki went into the other room to get her cell phone, she came back with the phone to her ear. "Did you notice the turtleneck? A bit odd for a news anchor."

"Donald Matthews," Nora added.

Nikki nodded and again walked out of the room. "Dan, we think we may have him..."

"You don't have to be afraid of him anymore," Nora said as Izzy burrowed into her hold. "We will make sure he goes to jail and he won't hurt anybody else." She felt the child finally relax against her. "Why don't we see what Nikki brought us for dinner."

For the second night Nora found herself in the guest room with Isabelle clinging to her in sleep. Her own sleep, though, was proving elusive for the blonde, but she didn't dare leave. It was decided that nothing could be done that night so the detectives had spent a quiet evening at home trying to reassure the child that she was safe. Dan said he would call Georgia in to find everything they could on Donald Matthews. Hopefully by morning they would have more than Isabelle's word with which to question the bastard.

When Isabelle whimpered in her sleep Nora tightened her hold and whispered reassurances to her. The blonde was torn, the detective part of her wanting to personally arrest Matthews. But another, more surprising part, wanted to stay and protect the child. Nora thought of their day together, Isabelle had stayed close by her side all day. Even at the park the two merely sat on a bench and watched the other children play. A few times she had managed to draw the child out, actually receiving small smiles, until the detective part of her brain would kick in and she'd ruin the mood by asking about the crime.

As she laid there she decided there was only one person, other than Nikki, who she could trust to watch over the child while she kept her promise.

Before heading off to bed Nikki poked her head into the guest room and, to her surprise, found green eyes staring back at her. The two watched each other for a few seconds before Nikki brought her fingers to her lips and then waved her partner a kiss. Nora smiled and winked back.

"I promise it will be okay," Nora said as she sat next to Isabelle in the backseat as Nikki drove them to their destination. The girl had one arm wrapped around Nora's and with her free hand she reached up to play with the medal around the detective's neck. It was a calming habit she developed while sitting on the park bench the day before and employed multiple times since. "I have to help Nikki catch the bad man today." Isabelle tightened her hold on the blonde's arm. "You will be safe here." Nora reached under the girl's chin and tipped her head up. "She did okay with me didn't she?" she questioned as the car stopped in front of her childhood home.

The three climbed out of the car and Nora carried the child to where her mother waited on the front porch. "Hey Mama, this is Isabelle."

"Hello there Isabelle," Mrs. Delaney greeted warmly. "I hear you get to keep me company today." Nora set the child down and Mrs. Delaney crouched down to her level. "I still have some toys inside from when my children were little. I'm sure you and I will have a fun day, Isabelle."

"Izzy," the girl whispered.

"Izzy it is then," Mrs. Delaney said as she took the girl's hand and stood back up. She was surprised to find her daughter hastily wiping away tears.

Nora cleared her throat at being caught and bent to look Izzy in they eye. "I will be back as soon as I can."

"Otay," the girl whispered as she tightened her grip on the older woman's hand.

Mrs. Delaney shared a quick glance and smile with Nikki before Nora straightened. "Thanks Mama."

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine," she promised.

The detectives got back into the car and gave a final wave before pulling away. "I want this son of a bitch Nikki."

Nikki reached over and laid a comforting hand on her partners leg. "He's not even going to see us coming," she vowed.