Covid Can't stop us: A Jay Halstead Story

Season 8 Episode 3 "Tender Age"

"When this case is over, I really need your help with something." She whipped to Hank, he nodded. They walked up to Adam who was standing over a dead body.

"Hey." He said. "It is absolute overkill in here. Had to be personal. This is Claudia Ward, she's the matriarch of the family. House is In her name, she's got 1 GSW to the back of the head. She was running to the front door, her killing was the cleanest of the three." They walked into the kitchen where a body was leaning against the wall, battered and bloody. "This is Benny Ward, 22, he's got bruising, defensive wounds. Looks like he got pistol whipped. His sister is over here in the kitchen." Adam lead them over into the kitchen where Kevin was taking notes over a females body.

"Gabriella Ward, Makayla's mother, one to the stomach two to the back. She bled out... slowly." 

"No signs of a robbery yet, cash was left on the table out front." Kevin said. "Purses and wallets, plain view." 

"No forced entry?" Emma asked.

"Front and back door where both unlocked." Kevin said, Voight printed to little bloody foot prints that lead through the kitchen and outside to the backyard. 

"Little girl?" He asked.

"Prints match Makayla's  shoes, we think she was inside." Adam said. "She was hiding here in the  pantry, shooter makes his way to the front, she runs out the back." Adam said, Emma sighed.

"Mom told her to run." Voight nodded in agreement, as they headed off the scene Voight pulled Emma aside back out front. 

"If you want off this case, because of the nature of it, tell me now." Emma shook her head. 

"No, it's not like mine, I don't think. I'm fine right now." Emma said, Voight nodded and they got in the car.

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Back in the bullpen Emma and Kevin pulled out the bulletin bored as Rocky came around from the back. "Med cleared the girl, no physical injures.  Burgess is with here and DCFS is on the way." 

"What do we got?" Voight asked, Emma sighed.

"Not much. Ward family, no priors except for Benny, he's got a year old possession charge." Emma said.

"I think the shooter used a suppressor. No one heard or saw anything. 0 cams."  Jay sighed, Adam appeared behind him.

"I connected with forensics, it's going to take some time. Three bodies, that's a lot of DNA." Adam said.

"Three people living in one house, that's a lot of foot traffic." Emma said. 

"Well we work the why first. Home invasion gone wrong? Family disagreement? Murder turned triple homicide? A hit?" Voight said, "A lot of possibilities  as to why and that will lead us to who." Kevin came in from the back. 

"I got a possible why. Rocky found out that Benny Ward's yearlong possession charge is not the full story. Kid's got a couple gang dispersal cards, quite the social media presence, according to CPIC and the gang unit he's been the enforcer for the Gangster Prophets for the past two years." Kevin said.

"Okay so he had enemies." Jay said.

"A lot of enemies." Rocky said holding up a file. "CPIC sent over a whole list, back and front sided, over a dozen death threats online." Rocky said.

"So wait. We think this is gang retribution, that they would do a whole family like that?" Adam asked.

"Listen, no reason is ever going to feel like enough Adam." Voight said as Emma answered the desk phone.