Brenda returned early from bereavement leave to work the case of an armed neighborhood security guard gunned down in cold blood. She was unable to return to her home because that's where Willie Ray died, and she and Fritz were living in a hotel.

Raydor had determined who the leak was and she and Pope hoped to have everything cleaned up before Brenda returned. Since she returned three weeks early, she was there when they confronted their suspect.

The suspect wasn't anyone in the department, but the significant other of Detective Gabriel. Ann had been paid by an opposing attorney during the lawsuit against major crimes to get dirt on the department. She was to infiltrate the department and report back what she learned. Gabriel was crushed and had no knowledge of what had been happening.

Brenda learned that Commander Taylor would be assuming Pope's role when Pope was promoted and realized that she had spent the last years of her life listening more to murderers than those she loved. She seemed determined to change that in the future. 

Despite learning of Detective Gabriel's role in the leak, she told him she could not work major crimes without him and he agreed to stay.