Andre scooped up the little munchkin, his voice playfully stern, "Daddy's off to work. Make sure you get some sleep at home, and no staying up all night like a little night owl, got it?" The little guy was already defying him, snuggling into Andre's chest, his yawns becoming more frequent as sleepiness took over.

Andre stroked his son's cheek, indulging him with a soft smile, "You can sleep in a bit in the morning."

The morning buzzed by, and Cooper's face popped up on a video call, "Where's my favorite little man?"

"Out like a light," Mia replied with a smirk.

Cooper signed off with a quick, "Later."

It wasn't long before Anya chimed in with a video invite, and an exhausted Jade called her BFF. Mia's status update followed soon after: 'The little one's asleep.'

With that, the calls mercifully ceased.

Come midday, Chad was notably absent from the team lunch.

Donnie knocked on the door, "Boss, I'm ordering takeout. What's your poison?"

"I'm heading back to the hotel. Molly's waiting for me there."

Donnie's response was a silent nod.

With only minutes to spare, Chad rushed back to the hotel to grab a quick bite with the girl.

He'd gone to bed late the night before, so he took the chance for a power nap at the hotel.

When he woke up, he found Jade curled up beside him, fast asleep.

As Chad left the room, he gently tucked her back into the covers, adjusting her position with the utmost care before slipping out quietly.

He made a beeline for Easton's office at the precinct. "Got any leads?"

in frustration, "You're the sixth person to ask

"Who else came

your mom, Jiang City's

Chad's face was unreadable.

Chad decided to lend

warned, "Captain, you should stay out of this. Everyone knows Molly's your sister. With her as a suspect, you can't

at a technicality, "Legally, I'm

evidence. "The guesthouse is old; the wiring's a mess. Could've been an electrical fire. Plus, there were new kitchen gadgets for Coleen - all being examined. We're still waiting on the forensics for some fragments." Chad asked about the

they were awake, but door-to-door inquiries had turned up zilch. They

peek at the

Andre could do more than just

afternoon, Chad spent two hours in Easton's office,

...

swamped with work at the precinct, making it

deepened, Molly's calls grew more frantic. "Bro,

there. Lights on, doors locked.

"Please hurry."

Try to

for

was just a

Officer Chad at the sound of a familiar voice on the phone -

Easton's office one last

coroner dropped by with a strong cup of joe for Easton. "Don't be

all watched over Molly like she was our little

coroner left, Easton realized she never visited without reason, but she just wanted

...

Chad was back at the

room, now commandeered

shower, she lay in the

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