Kisses for Papi

Eric smiled listening to his 4-year-old daughter talk about the puppet show she saw when she were with her mother and brother but his eyes were sad. It hadn't been a good day at the lab.

A three-year-old girl had been murdered. The person responsible for her death, her mother was in the infirmary at the county jail after trying to commit suicide. She had left a note for police after she called 911 and took a cocktail of pills and booze stating she were "going to a place beyond their reach." Also she admitted to killing the child. The child wouldn't let her sleep, she complained in the note, and was "always screaming."

The woman told the 911 operator that she finally snapped that morning when the child started violently vomiting after she ate breakfast. There were burn-like sores around the child's mouth. Drain cleaner was in the remains of the child's cereal. This substance had caused the burns around the child's mouth.

"Poor baby was poisoned but that's not what killed her," Alexx said, examining the toddler's body. The child had the classic signs in her eyes of being strangled and her lips were a pale blue. There was a foam-like substance around her mouth as well. "She was strangled."

Eric flinched looking at the child's body as he took the required photos for evidence.

"Do you have any idea what that is? It looks like foam but that's not consistent with strangulation."

"I know more once I get her to autopsy. But I would say baby girl was choking on her vomit while she was being strangled.

"Where is this woman now?" Alexx asked.

"Miami General. They pumped her stomach. She'll make it," Eric answered. "She'll be available for questioning in the county infirmary by the morning. Frank and Wolfe are going down there."

"Who is the child's father? And where is he?"

"Anonymous donor. Single mother, used IVF to get pregnant four years ago."

"Some people shouldn't allowed to reproduce. I'd love to get my hands on this doctor."

Both were thinking the same thing; No doubt at times parenthood was stressful and utterly exhausting, especially if you were doing alone. But this wasn't a case of an exhausted, stressed single parent losing control. This was a premeditated murder. When the poison made the child ill but didn't kill her. She strangled the child. Although a stressed-out parent was a stressed-out parent, no matter what age, this woman couldn't use youth as an excuse. She was 43-year-old. She had used IVF to conceive because she was still single, with no romantic prospects and was afraid she would never have a child otherwise.

Seeing her father was sad, Chloe climbed onto his lap.

"Why are you sad, daddy?" She said, putting her palms on Eric's cheeks and staring him in the eyes. "Was somebody at 'ork mean to you?"

This time Eric smiled for real. He knew Chloe said this because when she had attended daycare, sometimes other children were 'mean' to her.

"No princesa," he replied, giving her an Eskimo kiss. "Daddy just had a bad day at work."

"Oh," Chloe said. "I make it better," she said, giving him a big hug and kiss.

"Thank you, honey. I feel better. Do you want to play Candy Land with me before your bath?"

"Yeah!"

Chloe didn't mind that Eric had her little brother in one lap when they played the game. The three-month-old looked at the colorful board intensely.

"Now, mijito," Eric said to Ethan. "Daddy's going to put you in your swing for a bit while I give your big sister a bath."

"I'll take him," Calleigh said, coming into the room, smiling.

"Okay. No swing. You get to go to mommy." Eric kissed his wife's forehead when he handed her their son. "I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too, babe."

Calleigh knew the day and particular crime scene had been hard for her husband. No matter how seasoned the investigator the murder of a child was always harder to see. It was understandable that he would want to spend time with the kids when he got home, more than usual. The day had been hard on Horatio and Alexx as well. Although it wasn't usual Horatio had called that evening asking to talk to Chloe. The two chatted about the girl's day Chloe told Horatio about the puppet show and the pizza parlor. Calleigh knew considering the day's events Horatio had just wanted to hear the voice of the little girl he loved like a daughter.