So here it is folks, thanks for your comments.
Some of you will recognise a familiar scene here minus a dodgy priest and a Rizzoli bump. Put on your Hazmat suits guys, we're about to wade deep into the toxic angst that I hinted at in the first chapter.
Chapter 2
'Ladies and Gentlemen we will now begin our decent into Barnstable Municipal Airport, please fasten your seatbelts for landing, we will have an update shortly regarding progressing the flight to our original destination of Boston Logan, Once again American Airlines apologises for this interruption to your flight schedule'
There had been some initial panic amongst the passengers when the unscheduled stop-over at Hyannis was announced, but the air crew had done a great job of setting worried minds at ease. Now as the plane pulled safely on to the runway, people started chattering about delays and booked transfers and waiting relatives.
Dr Maura Isles had other worries. Had she overstepped the mark with her best friend? Had she been too forward? Had she misread the signs that seemed to point to the detective harbouring feelings similar to her own? She was desperate to know if Jane would be waiting for her when she arrived. Finally her wandering brain caught up with the concerns of her fellow passengers. If the detective was going to meet her at the airport, she would need to know about the delay.
She retrieved her new Kate Spade purse from under the seat in front of her and pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled down the list of names until she came to Jane's number. I can't call her, what if she had no intention of picking me up? Hmmm text message…
[J, flight changed slightly. Will call when I know more, don't answer if you are "unable" to pick me up and as per our agreement I will see you at work Monday. M x]
She tried not to be disappointed when after several minutes of checking and rechecking her phone she hadn't gotten a return text, at least acknowledging hers.
It seemed like an eternity before the Captain made the announcement that everyone had been waiting for.
'Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for your patience, the ground crew have rectified our technical problems and we would ask that you now prepare once again for take-off and we will have you to your intended destination within the hour'
Maura overheard a female passenger in front saying something about the plane having had a problem with its 'phalange', several passengers snickered at the reference. The joke was lost on the M.E. who accessed the part of her brain that stored facts about airplanes. She was just about to inform the stranger that there was definitely no part of the aircraft called a 'phalange' when she heard Jane's voice in her head saying 'give it a rest Dr Smarty Pants!'.
Thoughts of the Detective brought the honey blonde back to her previous neurosis. And I kissed her, what was I thinking?, I said no pressure…make your decision in your own time and then I kissed her. Then again, she reflected, it was such a sweet kiss, albeit a stolen one. Maura smiled now at the memory, pleased with herself for being so daring, if things didn't work out the way she had hoped, at least she'd gotten in that quick kiss. Those soft lips had tasted of grape lip balm. Who would have ever imagined that rough and tumble Detective Jane Rizzoli would use such a product? It made her heart feel warm to know this private detail about the more delicate side of her friend. It was, something she knew that not many people would know.
Perhaps that would be all she could have as payment for all the love that she kept in her heart, one fleeting kiss in a café at the airport?
Surely not.
She had overanalysed the whole conversation many times over the last two weeks, barely keeping up with events at the conference. She was excited at the prospect of a new dimension to her relationship with Jane, but what if it didn't happen? Could she really divorce the friendship from the attraction that had grown so naturally alongside it? Would Jane still look at her the same way or would it be so awkward that they couldn't possibly maintain even a platonic companionship?
These sombre thoughts continued to plague her 45 minutes later as she stood waiting to collect her luggage from the belt.
She typed out another text message, but then thought better of sending it, she called the familiar number instead…it rang…and rang…and voicemail. Maura bit her lip nervously. Should she call again? Yes... maybe she hadn't heard it ring she surmised. More ringing followed by a second chance to hear the gruff 'Rizzoli, leave a message!'…Maybe her phone is broken. Maybe you're making excuses because you don't want to deal with the fact that she doesn't want you the way you want her to want you… Third time lucky that's what people say right? Although the chances that doing anything three times in particular could somehow effect a predetermined outcome is of course nonsense….oh… voicemail!
Shoulders slumped, defeated by a cell phone, Maura headed to the rental car desk. She didn't even care about the indignity of the tears that she couldn't seem to stop from forging a silvery path down her cheeks.
Twenty minutes later and she was sat behind the wheel of a black Dodge Avenger, the trunk full of luggage. As she pulled out of the airport she considered heading up the coast to Rockport for the weekend, maybe take some time to pull herself back together before facing Jane on Monday… she sighed, though she didn't much feel like going home to her empty bed, she also felt weary from having been away from home this past fortnight…
Rounding the corner at speed and trying to free her car keys from her pocket at the same time. Jane collided with a very pale looking Lieutenant Sean Cavanagh.
"What the fff!...Oh…sorry sir!" She quickly side stepped him and took up her fast pace towards the exit.
"Rizzoli wait up, I just spoke to Korsak, he said to keep you here until Frankie comes to collect you!"
"Like hell!" She didn't hear his response as she opened the door to the exit and took the steps two at a time. The cool night air stung at her wet clothes. She didn't realise her hands were shaking until her fifth attempt at unlocking the car door.
"Jane, at least let me drive you." The familiar voice said from behind her.
Jane?... Cavanagh didn't call her by her first name ever, even in the hospital after the shooting…She was getting nowhere fast trying to unlock the car. He held out a hand for the keys.
"Sure… whatever! I want the lights on though!" she demanded.
"Of course." he said patiently as he opened the car door and slid behind the wheel. Jane got in the passenger seat. This is weird… being chauffeured around in your own car by your boss... what was happening? What was so bad that she had to see it in person?...she could Just ask him…Korsak had obviously filled him in on what was going on. What if…No..Jane was suddenly gripped by the realisation that she did not want to know, not just now.
They rode in silence.
The brunette stole a glance at the Lieutenant, he was clinging to the steering wheel and staring straight ahead.
She rubbed at the scar on her left palm aggressively, as if the hardened tissue there was some kind of medical patch that would release a sedative into her bloodstream and ease the tension that had taken over every inch of her.
Come on, come on, come on! The traffic was light for this time of the evening but it still felt like the longest car journey ever. When they finally reached their destination Jane practically jumped out of the vehicle before it had come to a complete halt.
Her cop instincts took over as she assessed the setup of the scene before her. It was a very familiar one. A homicide. She couldn't determine exactly where the body was, but she knew, that somewhere in the gloom of this cold night there would be one. But who did it belong to? To whom did it belong her internal Maura corrected.
Crime scene tape had no business being on this drive.
No…this was supposed to be a haven from the horrors of the job.
She stared at the gawping faces of her friend's neighbours, emotions ranging from plain curiosity to horror and shock, each expression highlighted eerily in the lights from two cruisers. She leaned back against the car that she had only a moment ago been so desperate to vacate. Suck it up Rizzoli, Maura is fine, she's on a plane right now for Christ sakes… You need to find Korsak and punch him in his fat gut for getting you all riled up. So one of Maura's neighbours had had a heart attack or something and had expended his last breaths frantically trying to get to the doctor who wasn't even home. Or some desperate housewife with a…
"Jane." There it was again…Jane. Cavanagh put a firm hand on her shoulder pulling her from the strange musings of her panicked brain.
"I think we need to speak to Korsak." He said. She let him guide her forwards, flashing their badges at the unfamiliar officer securing the scene. It was only then that she realised that Brookline was technically outside their jurisdiction. Why had Boston homicide been called to this scene at all?
A strange car was parked in the driveway. Korsak was stood to the side of it talking on the phone. He ended the call abruptly as he saw them making their way towards him.
"Korsak?"
"Jane."
Okay enough!
"What's with the 'Jane'? Tell me what the hell is going on… right noooOOO" She didn't recognise her own voice as she caught sight of the body splayed on the floor, honey blonde hair surrounding the back of a head that was turned away from her, facing the house.
"It's…it can't be…she…" No words. No sentences. No - anything. This is not happening.
"Jane…" Korsak put a hand on her back, Cavanagh put a hand on her shoulder.
"Shit Vince...this is messed up!" Cavanagh.
"I know Sean." Korsak.
"Jane…" her old partner tried again. She snapped out of her paralysis. She was being managed, they were managing her. She shrugged off their hands.
"That's not her car!" she shook her head, "her flight didn't even get in yet, look at what…look at the clothes…Mau…" She couldn't say the name. "She would never wear something like that!" She was desperate.
"I ran the plates, it's a rental car from Logan" said Korsak. "I'm sorry Jane, it's definitely…"
"No, NO Korsak!…she just texted me less than an hour ago" she said reaching for her phone. Damn she'd left the useless implement back at the café.
She wrestled with her brain to come up with an explanation..."It's someone who looks like her, a sister maybe, you remember she's adopted…right…?" He shook his head sadly. A sister, yes that explains it... She heard herself, she sounded just like any grieving family member at a crime scene. She dealt with them on a weekly basis. It's not my husband, he's at work. Not my daughter, she's at school.
She grabbed the hair at the back of her neck and gave it a sharp tug to reign in her emotion. Wild brown eyes turned back to the hideous sight before her.
She had received that text hadn't she? She wasn't sure what she had read now, the screen was cracked, maybe it wasn't even from the M.E. No, this is unacceptable!
Korsak and Cavanagh exchanged worried glances.
Frost appeared from across the lawn, he had clearly been retching somewhere as usual. But tonight it wasn't even mildly amusing. Upon seeing Jane he immediately quickened his pace and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Oh Jane." His voice crackled with emotion
"Not you too Frost!" she said pushing him away gently. As her eyes met his, she realised that maybe he had been doing more than vomiting, hidden from view. Tears threatened her own eyes. She rubbed her eyebrows with the thumb and forefinger of her left hand as she attempted to compose herself. She needed all her strength to face what she was about to do next.
She felt three pairs of sympathetic eyes on her and many pairs of strange eyes as she took a shaky step towards the body. They all faded away and with each step she felt herself shutting down.
Bending down to examine the still form, her breath caught in her chest. No amount of self-control, or years of homicide experience could prevent the pained howl that escaped her mouth as she finally accepted the evidence in front of her.
The walls of grief closed in and her knees buckled.
So there is chapter 2…eek I hope you're not disappointed. I was highly caffeinated when I wrote this chapter so forgive me.
