DEATH IN THE LIGHT OF DARKNESS
A/N Of course thanks to all the folks who bring these characters to us whether on the page or the screen.
Maura checked her watch for the fifth time in ten minutes. The Sunrise yoga class began at 4 AM. By 5 they would all be greeting the sun in the Savasana, or Corpse position. She would give Jane another five minutes before calling it a night and going home.
Dark eyes followed Maura's every move. She was getting frustrated waiting for her date. Too bad Detective Rizzoli would not have the pleasure of Doctor Isles company tonight. He finished his water and made his first move. "Excuse me." A deep cultured voice interrupted her thoughts.
Caught up in her thoughts, Maura almost slid off the bar stool when a strong masculine hand closed around her wrist. She regained her equilibrium and gave the handsome stranger an embarrassed smile.
"I couldn't help noticing that you were waiting for someone." The man smoothed his silk D&G tie and flashed a smile similar to her own. "My… dinner companion seems to be missing as well. If I may be so bold, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?"
Beautiful manners, impeccable clothing and highly polished shoes. Hair and skin, even the nails perfectly groomed. Tall 6'1". Obsidian eyes, but not cold, eyes burning with intelligence and passion for life. A perfectly symmetrical face with amazing cheekbones. Slender aquiline nose and firm lips centered above a deep cleft chin. "I usually don't have dinner with strangers." Maura said with a smile. Something about him put her instantly at ease.
"I beg your pardon." He actually gave a small bow before offering his hand and saying. "Please allow me to introduce myself. Charles Owen Darwin. I am most happy to make your acquaintance."
Maura allowed him to take her hand and raise it to his cool firm lips. She smiled again and introduced herself. "Dr. Maura Isles, Medical Examiner."
Charles gave her a small wink and teased, "I knew you looked familiar to me. I have seen you speak on several occasions. However, until now, the fortune of meeting you had escaped me." After all timing is everything.
His hands were long, slender and strong. The hands of a surgeon or an artist. "Are you in the medical field, Mr. Darwin?"
"Please call me, Charles." He gestured to the small table he had occupied before approaching Maura. "Would you care to join me? And, please call me Charles or CO. Mr. Darwin makes me feel stodgy." He guided Maura to the table with his hand centered in the small of her back. "Would you like to look at the wine list, Dr. Isles?"
"Maura, please. I would love a glass of wine." She settled in the chair he held for her and decided Jane could find her own dinner tonight.
"Argh!" Jane groaned seeing the 911 on her phone display. She pulled into the parking lot at The Dirty Robber and placed a call to Frost. "Rizzoli."
"Partner, you will not believe this one. Even Korsak said he's never seen anything like it."
Jane scribbled down the address and sent Maura a short apologetic text. This was the third time she had cancelled in two weeks. A lot of early morning yoga and long evening runs were in her immediate future. She returned the phone to her belt and entered the address into the GPS.
"Nice of you to show up Rizzoli." Detective Boone drawled. "Your green friend is inside waiting for you. Now you can hold his hand and tell him it'll be all right."
"Thank you for holding it until I got here, Boone. Now get your ass out there and keep the press out of here." Jane followed the sound of retching and found Frost his face buried in a barf bag truly looking green. "That bad?"
He nodded and pointed to a small room in the middle of the hall. Jane pulled on nitrile gloves and used the toe of her boot to push the door completely open.
"What in heaven's name?" Jane entered the room eyes taking in every detail.
The only furnishings were an old iron framed double bed and a water damaged chest of drawers. On the top of the buckled pressboard lay a silver serving tray filled with a silver comb and brush as well as a long handled mirror and five small glass vials each containing a different colored liquid. "After everything has been dusted for prints, bag and tag everything on that dresser."
"I called Doctor Isles, but haven't heard from her yet. Candy took the call from dispatch and said she would get Dr. Hill out right away." I shot everything in the room, want me to do another roll just to be sure? Korsak is talking to a couple of homeless men, they found the body and flagged down a black and white."
"Maura and me were supposed to have dinner tonight at the Robber. She's probably still there waiting. I'll swing by there after we finish here. She deserves a few hours to relax." Jane took a step closer to the bed and felt a burning sensation in her hands. She rubbed the small scars on each palm feeling fingers of worry tickle her spine.
A young woman in her early thirties lay spread eagle on the bed. Her hands and feet had been tied to the head and foot boards with silk scarves. Her head had been shaved and her nude body lay under four strips of fluorescent lights. Her shaved head, arms, chest, stomach and legs were covered in crude drawings cut into her skin. The same pose repeated from her head down.
"Any idea what the carvings mean?" Frost asked coming to stand beside Jane but keeping his gaze fixed to the ceiling.
"No, but it means something to the killer. Looks like he used her for a sketch pad and then finished her with these neck wounds. "
The wounds in question were two squared openings on both sides of the woman's neck. The skin had been opened with a surgically precise cut and the skin peeled back. The muscles had been severed and moved aside. The carotid and jugular on both sides were missing. There were only two thin lines of blood visible; one on either side of the victims throat.
"I've had a wonderful time, Dr. Isles., Maura. Would you mind if I asked you to have dinner with me again tomorrow night?" Charles asked fixing Maura with his most seductive smile.
Maura returned his smile and admitted, "I've had a wonderful time tonight." She knew she already had plans for something with someone, but looking in Charles eyes it didn't seem important. In fact, nothing seemed important except spending more time looking deep into his smoldering eyes.
"your phone is ringing again." Charles said waving a lazy hand in the direction of her purse.
"Excuse me." Ringing again, had she missed a call? Maura pulled the phone from her purse and noticed she had missed 6 calls. All were from Frost except the first one from Jane. Jane! Tomorrow she and Jane were attending a charity function for P.U.K.E. She took a few steps away from Charles and dialed Jane first.
"Maura are you OK?" Jane demanded seeing the name on the display and grabbing the phone before it could ring a second time.
Reacting to the panic in Jane's voice, Maura assured her friend. "I'm fine. Did something happen? You didn't show up for dinner."
Jane was able to calm down as soon as she heard Maura say she was fine. "I was in the parking lot at the Robber when I got a call from Frost. We've all been trying to get in touch with you. Are you sure your phone is working properly?"
"I had two glasses of wine with dinner." Maura informed. She didn't feel the need to tell Jane she had dined with a very attractive man.
"Are you still at the Robber, I'll come get you? I need to talk to you about this case." And she very much wanted to pull Maura into her arms and fall into a dreamless sleep.
She wasn't at the Robber. Maura looked around unsure for a moment where she was and how she had gotten here. "I'm…at home." With a handsome stranger sitting on my sofa holding my hand and gazing at me with concern.
"Honey, how many glasses of wine did you have tonight?" Jane asked worry clear in her tone. Maura was speaking very slowly and almost slurring her words.
Maura's heart thundered in her chest at the endearment. She loved it when Jane acted possessive. "Just a couple. I'm fine. Don't worry."
The more Maura sought to reassure her, the more worried Jane became. Frost was still green and clutching a new barf bag like it was a life preserver and Korsak had suffered a dog bite earlier in the day. This Friday night was not a good day for the Boston PD. "Baby stay there, I'll home as soon as possible." Jane waited until she heard Maura promise. "See you soon." She ended the call and called Murray.
"Dr. Isles isn't gonna like you checking up on her." Frost warned.
"That's why you're going to ask him how many drinks she had and if she drove home." Jane heard Murray's voice and passed Frost the phone.
"What's up with Dr. Isles?" Korsak asked limping over to get a look at the body. "These look like those drawings on cave walls." he observed. "I bet Dr. Isles knows what these represent."
"How's your ankle?" Jane asked trying to contain the grin fighting to escape.
"Very funny. Next time we get a call where ankle biters live, you go in first. Little bastard broke the skin in five places. I had to get a damned tetanus shot."