"Dreams deferred lie dormant,

seeds waiting for the right season."

Jane woke to a familiar weight on her chest and the soft warmth of someone snuggled into her side. Blinking her eyes open, she found Beni sprawled across her, his small body rising and falling with her breaths. Maura was tucked against her, her head resting on Jane's shoulder, her soft curls brushing Jane's cheek.

Jane smiled faintly, the comfort of the moment easing the tension from the previous day. Beni began to stir, his little hands stretching out as he rubbed his eyes. His movement woke Maura, who shifted slightly, her hazel eyes fluttering open.

"Late night at the precinct?" Maura asked softly, her voice still tinged with sleep.

Jane nodded, brushing a hand over Beni's hair as he yawned and snuggled closer. "Yeah. Sorry, I didn't let you know I'd be late."

Maura smiled warmly, her gaze softening. "It's alright. I figured you were buried in the case."

Beni looked up at Jane, his small voice breaking the quiet. "Missed you, Jane."

Jane's heart squeezed, and she kissed the top of his head. "I missed you too, buddy. Were you keeping Maura company while I was gone?"

Beni nodded sleepily, wrapping his arms around Jane's neck. Maura chuckled softly, leaning in to press a kiss to Jane's cheek.

"It's nice to have you home," Maura said gently.

"Kiss me too, Maura." Beni smiled as he leaned into Maura's kiss. "Now kiss Jane again." Beni pointed and giggled when Maura kissed Jane on the lips again before they both grabbed him and kissed his head.

"Feels good to be home," Jane replied, her voice filled with gratitude. She held both Maura and Beni a little closer, savoring the rare, quiet moment.

Beni's head suddenly perked up, his little nose sniffing the air. He wiggled in Jane's arms, his excitement building as he squealed, "Nonna! Breakfast!"

Jane chuckled, sitting up as Beni tugged on her hand. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!"

Maura slid out of bed gracefully, a fond smile on her face as she adjusted her robe. "Looks like Nonna's cooking wins again."

Beni grabbed both their hands, pulling them toward the door with surprising determination. "Come on!"

They followed him into the kitchen, where Angela was bustling around, humming as she flipped pancakes. The table was already set with plates, syrup, and fresh fruit.

Angela turned with a bright smile. "Good morning, my loves!" She swooped down to give Beni a kiss on the cheek. "Are you ready for some pancakes, my little man?"

"Pancakes!" Beni exclaimed, climbing onto a chair with Jane's help.

Angela glanced at Jane and Maura. "I thought you two could use a good breakfast after all the running around you've been doing."

Jane rubbed her face, sitting next to Beni. "Thanks, Ma. I'm pretty sure I could eat my weight in pancakes right now."

Maura smiled, pouring coffee for herself and Jane. "It smells wonderful, Angela. Thank you."

Jane leaned back in her chair, finishing the last bite of her pancake. She looked over at Maura, who was sipping her coffee serenely. "So, what's the plan for you and Beni on your day off, Dr. Isles?" Jane teased with a grin.

Maura raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth lifting in a small smile. "I was thinking we could visit the park, maybe read some of his new books, and—"

Jane's phone buzzed loudly on the table, cutting Maura off. Jane glanced at the screen and sighed. "It's Korsak. They must've found something." She quickly opened the message.

Korsak: We got a lead. Need you back here ASAP.

Before Jane could respond, Beni's lip quivered. His little voice trembled as he said, "No, Jane. Don't go."

Jane's heart clenched as Beni's eyes filled with tears. He slid off his chair and clung to her leg, his small hands gripping tightly. "Play with me, Jane. Please?"

Maura set down her coffee, her gaze soft with concern. "Beni, Jane has to go to work to help people. But I'll be here to play with you."

"No!" Beni wailed, shaking his head as he buried his face against Jane's leg.

Jane crouched down, running her fingers through his hair. "Buddy, I don't want to leave either, but I have to. It's really important, okay?"

Beni sniffled, his little shoulders shaking. "Stay."

Jane pulled him into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head. "I have to go catch the bad guys, buddy."

Beni nodded reluctantly, still sniffling but loosening his grip. Maura kneeled beside them, brushing a tear from Beni's cheek. "We'll have so much fun today, Beni. Let's make Jane proud, alright?"

Beni gave a small, shaky nod, his fingers gripping Jane's sleeve one last time before letting go.

As Jane turned toward the door, Maura caught her eye. "He'll be okay," Maura said softly.

Jane gave a small, grateful nod, though her heart felt like it was being tugged in two directions.

The sound of Beni's small voice calling out, "Bye, Jane!" as she stepped out the door nearly broke her. But as she climbed into her car and started the engine, she took a deep breath.

Jane walked into the bullpen, her coat still slightly damp from the crisp morning air. She headed straight for Korsak and Frost, her expression sharp and expectant. "Alright, what've we got?"

Frost leaned back in his chair, spinning the monitor to face her. "Something's off with Evelyn Parker."

Jane raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "How so?"

Frost tapped the screen, pulling up a series of transactions. "Her accounts don't add up. She's been receiving deposits from the offshore account we've been tracking—small ones at first, but they got bigger over time."

Jane leaned closer, squinting at the data. "So, she's in on the scam too?"

"That's the weird part," Frost said, shaking his head. "She never sent Derrick any money. Not a dime. And when she was dating Travis, the money flowed the other way. Travis sent her cash—not the usual setup we've seen with Derrick or Rebecca."

Korsak frowned, rubbing his chin. "That's backwards. If she's part of the scheme, why would Travis be sending her money?"

Jane straightened, her mind racing. "Unless she's not just a mark. Maybe she's a key player. What if she's the one orchestrating this whole thing?"

Frost nodded. "That could explain the larger deposits she's getting now. Maybe she's been cutting herself a bigger slice of the pie."

Jane's jaw tightened as she processed the information. "So, she's not a victim. She's a suspect."

Korsak leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed. "But that still doesn't explain why Travis was sending her money. If she's the mastermind, why not just take it from the offshore account?"

Jane glanced at Frost. "Do we know where Evelyn is now?"

Frankie steps into the room. "I can head over to her house with patrol and bring her in for an interview."

Jane sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Alright, go, Frankie. Keep digging into her accounts and see if we can trace where the money is going. If Evelyn's pulling the strings, we need to find her before someone else turns up dead."

Frost nodded, already turning back to his computer. "On it."

Korsak glanced at Jane. "What's the plan?"

Jane's eyes narrowed, her determination clear. "We find Evelyn, and we find out just how deep this thing goes."

Jane leaned over Frost's desk, frustration evident in her posture. "Frankie just called. Evelyn wasn't at the house. Her son said she's not home."

Frost furrowed his brow. "Her son?"

Frost tapped rapidly on his keyboard, his eyes scanning the records he'd pulled up. "Jane," he called out, motioning for her to come over.

Jane approached his desk, her coffee forgotten as she leaned in to see the screen. "What've you got?"

Frost gestured to a profile picture on a social media account. "Evelyn's son, Daniel Parker. He's 26. No job listed, but his bank account shows regular deposits, enough to live comfortably. And check this out."

He clicked to bring up an old college photo, showing Daniel standing next to none other than Travis Walker. The two men were smiling, arms slung around each other's shoulders.

Jane's eyes narrowed. "They know each other. This isn't just some random connection—this goes way back."

Frost nodded. "Looks like they went to the same university. Same fraternity too. I'm digging deeper into their connection, but this is definitely more than a casual friendship."

Jane straightened, pulling out her phone. "Good work, Frost. I'll get Frankie on this."

She quickly dialed Frankie's number, pacing as she waited for him to pick up.

"Yeah, Janie?" Frankie answered.

"Frankie, I need you to go back to Evelyn's house and interview Daniel again," Jane said, her voice firm.

Frankie hesitated. "You think he's involved?"

"I'm not sure yet, but he's hiding something," Jane replied. "We've got a photo of him and Travis from college. They were tight. I want to know what Daniel knows about Travis, Evelyn, and all this money moving around."

"On it," Frankie said. "I'll let you know what I get."

Jane hung up and turned back to Frost. "Keep digging into Daniel and Travis's history. If they've been running some kind of operation together, I want every piece of it laid out."

Frost nodded. "You got it, Jane."

Frankie stood at the door of Evelyn Parker's house, his hand resting on the doorframe as he addressed Daniel. "Look, I just need to ask you a few more questions. It won't take long."

Daniel hesitated, glancing nervously inside before nodding. "Alright, come in," he said reluctantly, stepping aside to let Frankie enter.

The house was neat, almost too neat, as if Daniel had spent the morning tidying up to avoid questions. Frankie noticed a few signs of lived-in comfort—a coffee cup on the table, a throw blanket draped over the back of the sofa—but the atmosphere felt tense.

Daniel gestured toward the living room. "We can sit here."

Frankie took a seat, pulling out his notebook. "So, about your mom—when was the last time you saw her?"

Daniel shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. "Uh, maybe two days ago? She's been busy, you know, with work and stuff."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "Work? What kind of work is she doing these days?"

Daniel hesitated, then shrugged. "She didn't really say. My mom's always been kind of private."

Frankie leaned forward slightly. "And what about Travis Walker? You two go way back, don't you?"

Daniel's head snapped up, his expression guarded. "Yeah, we were in the same fraternity in college. But I haven't talked to him in years."

Before Frankie could press further, the sound of the front door opening cut through the air. Evelyn walked in, her face showing a mix of surprise and apprehension as she saw Frankie.

"Detective?" she asked, setting her bag down on the table.

"That's me," Frankie said, standing. "Evelyn, we'd like you to come down to the station to answer some questions."

Evelyn frowned but nodded. "If it'll help clear this up, sure. Let me grab my coat."

As she turned to get ready, Frankie glanced at Daniel, who looked pale and uneasy. "We'll be talking to you again too, Daniel. Don't go anywhere."

Daniel swallowed hard, nodding silently as Frankie followed Evelyn out the door.

Jane sat at her desk in the bullpen, her gaze locked on the murder board. The photos of Derrick, Rebecca, Travis, and now Daniel stared back at her, their lives tangled in a web of deceit, greed, and death. She tapped a pen against her notebook rhythmically, her mind racing to connect the dots.

"What if…" she muttered under her breath, leaning closer to the board.

Korsak walked over, holding a coffee cup. "What's on your mind, Rizzoli?"

Jane didn't look away from the board. "What if Daniel and Travis started this whole mess?"

Korsak raised an eyebrow, taking a seat. "Go on."

Jane pointed to the photos of Derrick and Rebecca. "Derrick and Rebecca were the perfect middle players. Rebecca was running fake profiles, pulling money from multiple men, while Derrick was doing the same with women. But what if Travis and Daniel were the ones pulling the strings? They've got a history together—college, the fraternity—and they're both tied to these offshore accounts."

Korsak nodded slowly. "So you're saying they set up Derrick and Rebecca as their cash cows?"

"Exactly," Jane said, her voice gaining momentum. "They feed them the tools—the fake profiles, the tricks to lure people in—and sit back while Derrick and Rebecca do all the dirty work. Then, once the money's funneled into the offshore accounts, they take their cut."

"And when things started to unravel?" Korsak asked.

Jane's jaw tightened. "Derrick gets killed with a 1700s bayonet—something rare, something that sends a message. Rebecca gets taken out next with a reloaded bullet, like someone's cleaning house. Travis and Daniel knew the walls were closing in, so they started tying up loose ends."

Korsak leaned back, considering her theory. "It fits. But why would Travis send money to Evelyn?"

Jane tapped the photo of Daniel. "Maybe Daniel needed help. Maybe Evelyn figured out what they were doing, or maybe she wanted a cut to stay quiet. Either way, Travis sending her money feels like a bribe or a payment to keep her in line."

Korsak sipped his coffee, his expression grim. "If you're right, we're dealing with two people who have no problem killing to protect their scheme."

Jane nodded, her eyes narrowing. "Then we need to get ahead of them before they take out anyone else."

She stood, determination written all over her face. "Let's see what Evelyn has to say at the station. Maybe she knows more about Daniel and Travis than she's letting on."

Jane sat at her desk, her fingers drumming impatiently on the surface as she waited for Frankie to return with Evelyn. Her mind was racing, turning over every detail of the case, when a small, familiar voice broke through her thoughts.

"Jane!"

Jane looked up, startled, to see Beni standing with Maura just a few feet away. He was beaming, clutching a paper bag in one hand and a juice box in the other.

"Beni?" Jane said, her voice softening as she stood. A smile crept onto her face. "What are you doing here, buddy?"

"We brought you lunch!" Beni announced proudly, holding up the bag.

Maura smiled, stepping closer. "He insisted we come by. I thought a break might do you some good."

Jane crouched down, ruffling Beni's hair. "Well, aren't I lucky? What's in the bag?"

"Sandwiches!" Beni exclaimed, bouncing slightly. "And cookies!"

Jane chuckled, taking the bag from him. "You're the best, you know that?"

Beni grinned and then launched into an animated retelling of his morning. "We went to the park! Maura pushed me on the swings really high! And there were ducks, and I feded them bread, but not too many breads."

Jane glanced at Maura, who gave a small shrug and smiled. "He's very enthusiastic about nature."

"Well, sounds like you had a great time," Jane said, sitting back in her chair and pulling Beni into her lap. "Thanks for coming to see me, buddy."

Beni looked up at her with wide eyes. "Bad guys?"

Jane hugged him tightly. "We are working hard to catch all the bad guys." Frost nodded as Beni looked around the room at him.

Maura placed a coffee on Jane's desk. "I figured you could use this as well."

Jane grinned. "You're a lifesaver, Maura. Both of you."

Frankie walked into the bullpen with Evelyn in tow, her expression a mix of defiance and unease. Jane, still holding Beni on her lap, glanced at Maura and gave her a pointed look.

"That's my cue," Maura said softly, leaning down to kiss Beni's head. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's let Jane work."

Beni frowned slightly, but before he could protest, Frost stepped up with a bright smile. "Hey, Beni, you want to see Guardian Chogar King?"

Beni's eyes widened, his frown forgotten. "Yes!" he said eagerly, practically leaping off Jane's lap to follow Frost.

Jane smirked, standing and grabbing her notepad. "Good timing, Frost."

Frost grinned. "I've got this."

Jane turned to Maura, her expression softening. "Thanks for bringing him by. I'll see you at home later.

Maura nodded. "Take your time. We'll be fine."

As Maura and Frost led Beni out of the bullpen, Jane's expression hardened as she turned back to Korsak. "Let's get this over with."