Protection endures,

not as a shield, but as love in motion.

Jane blinked her eyes open to the soft light filtering through the curtains, the faint hum of birds chirping outside. She lay still for a moment, taking in her surroundings. Her chest was warm and weighted, and when she looked down, she smiled softly.

Beni was sprawled across her, his tiny body rising and falling with each breath. His bear was tucked under his chin, and his small hand clutched a fold of her shirt like a lifeline.

To her side, Jane felt a familiar warmth pressed against her. She turned her head slightly, careful not to disturb Beni, and saw Maura curled in close, her head resting lightly against Jane's shoulder, her arm draped over Jane's.

Jane let out a quiet sigh, her lips twitching into a faint smile. She'd never admit it out loud—at least not yet—but she secretly loved moments like this. Beni, using her as a human mattress, Maura nestled close, the world quiet and still. It was a kind of peace she didn't often get to experience.

Her contentment was interrupted by the faint buzz of her phone from the nightstand. She stretched out carefully, her fingers brushing the device, and pulled it toward her without shifting too much.

Unlocking the screen, she saw multiple texts from Frankie.

Frankie:Hey, Jane. You up?

Frankie:Got some news from Korsak. Thought you'd want to know.

Frankie:Call me when you get this.

Jane frowned slightly, her detective instincts kicking in. She typed a quick response, keeping her movements subtle to avoid waking either Maura or Beni.

Jane:What's going on? Can't talk right now.

Almost immediately, her phone buzzed again.

Frankie:Just got confirmation on something Korsak was digging into about Leah's dad. It's big. Let me know when you're free.

Jane stared at the message, her mind already running through possibilities. Whatever it was, it sounded important. She glanced down at Beni and Maura, her resolve softening.

Not yet, she thought. Whatever Frankie had to say could wait just a little longer. Right now, she wasn't ready to leave this moment.

As Jane settled back into the pillow, savoring the rare tranquility of the morning, she felt Maura stir beside her. Maura shifted slightly, blinking awake as the faint vibration of her phone on the bedside table broke the stillness.

Her hand reached out instinctively, grabbing the device and squinting at the screen. Jane watched as Maura's expression shifted from drowsy to focused, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Lab results?" Jane asked quietly, careful not to disturb the still-sleeping Beni sprawled across her chest.

Maura nodded, sitting up slightly to scan the messages.

Jane barely had time to settle Beni into a more comfortable position on her chest when Maura came rushing back into the bedroom, her laptop tucked under her arm. Her movements were quick but careful as she closed the door softly behind her, not wanting to disturb Beni.

Jane raised an eyebrow, her detective instincts immediately on alert. "What's got you moving so fast, Maur?"

Maura set the laptop on the edge of the bed and opened it, her hazel eyes scanning the screen intently. "I just reviewed the lab results," she began, her tone calm but serious.

Jane shifted, sitting up a little straighter while keeping Beni securely nestled against her. "And?"

Maura turned the laptop toward Jane, though she didn't expect her to read the intricate reports. Instead, she summarized with quiet precision. "Both Leah and Nana were killed by the same person."

Jane's expression hardened, her jaw tightening. "You're sure?"

Maura nodded, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she scrolled to a highlighted section. "The DNA evidence recovered from both bodies—specifically under Leah's fingernails and on Nana's clothing—matches. It's the same person. Additionally, the injuries on both victims indicate the same murder weapon was used."

Jane's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. "What kind of weapon?"

Maura glanced back at the screen. "A blunt instrument. Likely a metal pipe or similar object based on the contusions and bone fractures."

"Damn," Jane muttered under her breath, her free hand clenching into a fist. "So this wasn't random. This guy—whoever he is—wanted them both dead."

Maura nodded solemnly. "It's highly likely. The precision and similarities in the methods suggest premeditation."

Jane exhaled sharply, her gaze dropping to Beni. The little boy stirred slightly, mumbling softly in his sleep before settling again. Jane's heart twisted as she looked at him, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her shoulders.

"So Nana wasn't just collateral damage," Jane said, her voice low. "She was targeted, just like Leah."

"It appears so," Maura confirmed, her voice gentle but firm.

Jane shook her head, her mind spinning with possibilities. "Why? What connects them? Leah owed people money, sure, but Nana? She wasn't in that world."

Maura reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Jane's arm. "We'll figure it out, Jane. The evidence will lead us to the truth. It always does."

Jane glanced at Maura, her gratitude evident even through her frustration. "Yeah. But until we do, I'm not letting my guard down. Not with Beni in the middle of all this."

Maura's hand lingered for a moment before she withdrew, her voice soft but steady. "And neither will I. He's safe here, Jane. With us."

Jane nodded, her resolve hardening. "Then we better start connecting the dots—fast."

Jane sighed deeply, her gaze fixed on Beni's peaceful face. She hated the idea of leaving him, even for a moment, but she knew there was no choice. With new evidence tying Leah and Nana's murders together, the pressure to find answers was heavier than ever.

Maura seemed to sense Jane's hesitation. Without a word, she leaned forward and gently scooped Beni from Jane's chest. The little boy stirred slightly but didn't wake, instinctively snuggling into Maura's arms as she slid him onto her lap.

"Go," Maura said softly, her eyes meeting Jane's. "I'll keep him here with me. He's safe."

Jane hesitated for a moment longer, watching as Maura adjusted Beni's blanket and smoothed his hair. The sight of him so small and vulnerable tugged at her heart.

"You sure you've got this, Maur?" Jane asked, her voice laced with both concern and gratitude.

Maura gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course. He'll be fine. We'll be fine."

Jane stood, grabbing her jacket from the back of the chair. "Alright. I'll call if anything comes up. And if you need me—"

"I'll call immediately," Maura interrupted, her tone firm but warm. "Now go. The sooner you solve this, the sooner we can bring him some closure."

Jane nodded, her jaw tightening with determination. "Thanks, Maura. For everything."

Maura's smile softened as she adjusted Beni in her arms. "You don't have to thank me, Jane. We're in this together."

Jane walked into the bullpen, her boots clicking against the tile as she shrugged off her jacket. The energy in the precinct felt tense but focused. Frankie was leaning over Nina's desk, both of them engrossed in a flurry of documents and computer screens.

When Frankie spotted her, his expression lightened with relief. "Hey, Jane! Glad you're here. We've got some big updates."

Jane raised an eyebrow, crossing the room to join them. "This better be good, Frankie. I left Beni asleep on Maura to come here."

Nina looked up from her monitor, her eyes sharp with determination. "Trust me, it's worth it. We've been digging into Leah's dad's background, especially his work with WalkerTech."

Jane pulled up a chair, leaning forward with interest. "Alright, what did you find?"

Nina turned her screen toward Jane, pointing to a highlighted document. "So, it turns out the technology Leah's dad, Henry, was working on wasn't just some small innovation. It was a major breakthrough—something to do with energy efficiency in industrial systems. The kind of advancement that could save companies millions, if not billions."

Jane frowned, her detective instincts kicking into high gear. "So they fired him to cut him out of the profits?"

"Exactly," Nina confirmed. "WalkerTech tried to claim the rights to the technology, thinking he hadn't filed for patents yet. But here's the kicker—Henry was smart. He filed for the patents months before they fired him, and the patent office awarded them to him just before his death."

Jane's eyes widened slightly, her mind racing. "So, when the company tried to sell the tech…"

"The buyer found out the patents belonged to Henry, not WalkerTech," Nina finished. "By law, they couldn't proceed with the sale unless the profits were paid to the rightful owner—or his estate."

Frankie chimed in, his voice grim. "The whole deal fell apart for WalkerTech. They went bankrupt trying to cover their losses, and the sale profits were put into a trust for Henry McCallister. After Henry and his wife died, Leah became the beneficiary."

Jane sat back, absorbing the information. "And now Leah's dead. Which means Beni is the next in line for that trust."

Nina nodded, her expression serious. "That's right. And we're not talking about pocket change, Jane. We're talking millions. And this specific trust passes down a bloodline, so it doesn't matter that there is no established named succession."

Jane's jaw tightened, her mind connecting the dots. "So whoever killed Leah and Nana might have been after that money. They wanted to eliminate anyone standing in the way of getting to Beni—and the trust."

Frankie folded his arms, his voice tense. "And if they're willing to kill for it, they're not going to stop until they get what they want."

Jane exhaled sharply, leaning forward again. "We need to lock this down. If the trust is what this is all about, we need to figure out who's pulling the strings. Who benefits if Beni's out of the picture?"

Nina nodded, her fingers already flying over the keyboard. "I'll dig deeper into WalkerTech's old executives and anyone tied to the original deal. If there's a paper trail, I'll find it."

Jane stood, her fists clenched as her determination solidified. "Do it fast, Nina. We've got a little boy caught in the crosshairs, and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to him."

Frankie placed a reassuring hand on Jane's shoulder. "We'll get them, Jane. We'll keep him safe."

Jane nodded, her jaw tight. "We'd better."

Jane sat at her desk, the corners of her eyes narrowing as she flipped through the copies of documents in front of her. Among them was Beni's birth certificate, the ink smudged slightly over the misspelled name. She tapped her pen against the desk, her mind racing.

"Misspelling," she murmured to herself, staring at it. "This wasn't a typo—it's too deliberate." She leaned back in her chair, piecing it together. If the misspelling was intentional, it might've been done to hide something—or someone.

Jane held up the birth certificate, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Look at this," she said, pointing to the subtle misspelling of Beni's last name. "Doesn't this feel… off to you? Like, it's too small to be a mistake, but big enough to cause problems if someone tried to trace something?"

Frankie leaned closer, squinting at the document. "Yeah, it's weird. You think it was intentional?"

Jane nodded slowly, her mind racing. "I think it might've been. If Leah wanted to make it harder to connect Beni to something—or someone—they could use a misspelling like this to throw people off. I need to know if Leah was aware of it. She might've been trying to protect him."

Frankie frowned, crossing his arms. "So, you think this ties back to that trust fund from Leah's father?"

"Exactly," Jane said, her voice firm. "If Leah knew about it and tried to keep Beni hidden, this could explain a lot—why she was on the streets, why she was so secretive. We need to figure out who's behind it."

Frankie tilted his head thoughtfully. "You want me to dig through the financials again? See if there's any mention of a trustee or contact info.

Jane nodded, her determination clear. "Yeah, see if we've got a contact for this trust. If Leah knew, it changes everything. If she didn't... She trailed off, her eyes darkening. "Then we might be going in the wrong direction."

As the team turned back to their respective tasks, Jane's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, her expression softening slightly when she saw Maura's name on the screen.

Maura:Beni's awake and asking for you. We're fine, but keep me updated.

Jane texted back quickly.

Jane:Will do. Keep him close, Maur. I'll be home soon.

Jane's phone buzzed in her pocket again, and she glanced at it briefly. It was a picture from Maura—Beni sitting on the sofa, his blanket wrapped around him, holding a cup of juice and grinning sleepily. Jane's heart clenched at the sight, a protective wave washing over her.

Snapping back to the moment, she turned to Frankie and Nina, her expression firm. "Alright, listen up. I need to get back to Maura and Beni, but you keep me in the loop. Every new lead, every new detail—you call me immediately."

Frankie nodded, his face serious. "You got it, Jane. We'll keep digging and send you updates as soon as we find anything."

Nina glanced up from her screen, her tone reassuring. "We're close, Jane. If this is about the trust and the money, the connections will show up. I'll make sure of it."

Jane gave them both a tight nod, grabbing her jacket and slinging it over her shoulder. "Good. I trust you two to handle this."

Frankie smirked slightly, trying to lighten the mood. "And what are you gonna do, sit around and play house?"

Jane shot him a glare, though there was a hint of amusement behind it. "Yeah, Frankie. I'm gonna sit around and make sure Beni doesn't end up in the middle of any more chaos. You got a problem with that?"

Frankie held his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, no complaints here. You're good at multitasking."

Jane rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile as she turned toward the door. "Alright, I'm out. Don't let me down, you two."