Monday came and went without Henrietta returning any of his calls. While Dean was more than happy to keep Gavin for as long as he needed, he knew there was a family who’d be worried about him and was in a hurry to help facilitate the closure Gavin needed to see that.

On the one hand, he felt like shit knowing the likely reality that the kid was still too young and full of hope to see. The reality that his birth parents, if they were out there at all, probably weren’t as hopeful for a reunion as he was.

Dean also knew that as someone who’d grown up with two parents who’d never let a day pass without reminding him of how much he was loved, he had no right to crush Gavin’s hope like that. Maybe Gavin’s parents were decent people who’d simply realized that he deserved a better life than they had to give him, and giving him up had been an act of love, or maybe they’d never given it another thought. Either way, no matter how painful the truth was, Gavin deserved to have it so he could start making decisions about the life ahead of him.

For the time being, school was out and they had a few weeks to get to the bottom of a twelve-year-old mystery. Dean had dropped Gavin off at his mother’s house, since some of his nieces and nephews were still staying over for the holidays. The kid was a hell of a lot more well behaved than Dean had expected, and he was intent on keeping up his end of the deal as long as Gavin was staying with him, so he set off for social services to track down a certain overworked agent.

Sure enough, Henrietta was at her desk when Dean managed to charm his way past the receptionist. She was on the phone when he showed up in front of her cubicle and the way the color drained from her face made it clear she’d gotten his messages.

“Yes, I think we can absolutely hold the Roman fundraiser at the Seasons. Mhm. Can I call you right back? Thanks, Kelly.” She hung up and spun her chair to face Dean. “Officer Garza, I am so sorry I haven’t had the chance to get back to you. We’ve been slammed all morning and I still haven’t been able to find another placement for Gavin.”

“Don’t worry about it. The kid’s no trouble, and that’s not actually why I’m here.”

“He’s not?” she asked doubtfully.

“He’s with my mom now, and as far as I’m concerned, he can stay with me until we get all this sorted out with the Newports,” he said, taking a seat in front of her desk. “I had the chance to talk with him, and I know why he keeps running away.”

“You do?” She seemed shocked, and Dean couldn’t blame her. He didn’t exactly look like someone who’d be great with kids, but he’d been a teenage boy recently enough that he knew talking down to Gavin was the surest way to get him to clam up.

“He needs closure, and after what happened with his adoptive parents, I can’t say I blame him.”

Henrietta’s expression fell. “No,” she said quietly. “It’s just about the worst thing that could happen. Not that the Kriegs’ arrest had anything to do with him, but when a child is adopted and given up later, people make assumptions. They think it’s because he’s damaged, and that kind of thing gets into your head at that age. After a while, you start believing it and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“I don’t think Gavin is damaged,” Dean said, frowning. “But I do think he needs to know who his birth parents are, one way or another. Not knowing is holding him back from moving forward with this new family.” He hesitated, knowing he couldn’t say much more without betraying Gavin’s confidence.

Henrietta listened, nodding thoughtfully. “I think you’re right, but it’s not that I haven’t tried. The adoption was sealed, and even if his birth parents did change their mind about being found, the agency’s hands are tied.”

“Maybe, but mine aren’t.”

She looked up, her eyes widening. “Officer Garza…”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I bent the rules,” he said with a smirk. “I’m not saying this in any official capacity, but I’ve got some vacation days saved up, so I figured it can’t hurt to look. Unofficially and all.”

She shook her head. “What you’re talking about could get us both fired if anyone found out.”

“And if they don’t, it could be the boost this kid needs to get on with his life. I’m willing to take that risk, and the fall for us both if it goes sour.”

Henrietta worried at her bottom lip for a few seconds before getting up from her chair and digging through the filing cabinets behind her. After a few minutes, she pulled out a small folder and dropped it in front of Dean. “I can’t share the contents of this file with you unless you have a warrant, but I need to go make some urgent copies. I trust that I can leave these here until I get back, and that you’ll both be here when I return.”

Dean grinned. “I am a professional.”

He waited until she’d rounded the corner and he heard her muttering something about losing her mind. Once she was gone, he swiped the file and tucked it into his jacket to leave the office before he lost them both their jobs.