"Where's Jane?"
"She went home."
"Why?"
"She didn't want the department to be under scrutiny."
"Because?"
"She knew the victim."
"Knew him how? I thought that he was a drug dealer."
"He was. She met him when she was undercover."
"So?"
"She was concerned that it would be seen as a conflict of interest."
"Why?"
"She thinks that she is going to become a suspect."
"And why is that?"
"She wouldn't say."
"That's odd."
"I don't know what happened between the two of them, but things went south."
"How?"
"She had all the evidence on him that she needed. She was days away from being done. She was driving from his place, late one night, and she was in a hit in run. All of the evidence disappeared. She was banged up pretty good. She took it really hard. She blamed herself, for not being able to catch him. We were never able to prove who crashed into her. Money buys silence. He couldn't by her silence, so he found another way to shut her up. It was a really rough time for her. She took a year off."
"That doesn't sound like Jane, to take time off."
"She worked for some consulting firm, for a year. She moved out of state. None of us heard from her for almost a year. I remember I was sitting at my desk, and I just happened to look at the calendar. I realized that the next day would be a year since she had left. When I looked up, she was standing in front of me."
"You didn't ask her where she was?"
"Yes, I did."
"And?"
"She told me that she had moved to Virginia, to work for a consulting firm. She said that she was back, and she didn't want to talk about it."
"And?"
"And that was it. We never talked about it again. I was just glad to have her back. She's one hell of a cop."
"How long ago was this?"
"It happened at the end of two thousand and three, it was New Year's Eve, I think. She came back December thirtieth of oh-four."
"I've never heard her talk about it."
"And you won't. She never talks about it. If you mention the name Nicholas Bentley, she walks the other direction."
"What happened?"
"I don't know, she never told me."
"Does Frost know?"
"It was before his time."
"You have no clue?"
"If I had to guess, I would say that she got too close."
"How do you get too close?"
"Jane always gives all of herself to her work. When she commits, she's in it until the end. She'll do whatever it takes to get her guy, and sometimes that can be a flaw."
She doesn't look up, when she hears the sound of stilettos clicking on the stick bar floor. She stares at her beer, as the ME slides into the booth, on the other side of the table. She drums her fingers on the tabletop.
"I thought that I would find you here," Maura comments.
"You found me."
"Now do you want to talk?"
Jane looks up. Her eyes meet Maura's. She maintains eye contact.
"Maura whatever you hear, about me, just remember, I'm not a murderer? Ok?"
"I know that you're not a murderer."
"You might think otherwise."
"Why is that?"
"Because I have motive, and means."
"You were with me at the time of death."
"People can convince you of things that change your view of people. Just remember, I'm not a murderer."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because things are going to come up."
"What things?"
"Things that no one knows about me."
"So? Jane I know you. I know that you're a good person. I know that you didn't kill him."
"I'm not a good person."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because I'm not."
"Why would you even say that?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Find out what?"
"The truth."
"About what?"
"About me."
"What about you?"
"The kind of person that I am. Maura, I am not who you think that I am. I am not a hero. I'm a cop, and sometimes I not even good at that."
"I really wish that you would just tell me what you think is going to be said."
"You have to find out on your own."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Why?"
"Because I am your best friend, and I deserve to know."
"And you will, but I won't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because if I do, you won't want to be my friend anymore. You won't want to have anything to do with me. You will never understand what happened, or why. "
"Jane, what happened? What happened that was so bad, that you left Boston? You love Boston. You love being a cop. Why happened?"
"I screwed up. I made a mistake. I couldn't face my co-workers, everyday, knowing what I did."
"Then why did you come back?"
"Because being a cop is the only thing that I've ever been good at."
"That's not true."
"You'll understand, soon enough."
"Why did you take yourself off this case?"
"Because if I didn't I would probably lose my job."
"How?"
"It wouldn't look good. Questions would be raised."
"Why?"
"Because of my history with the victim."
"What history?"
"I hated him, that's not a secret. I don't want to be blamed, if his murderer can't be found. Whoever did it, did the world a favor. As much as I hate him, I didn't do it. I would never do it."
"You don't have to convince me."
"I will," she replies. She slides out of the booth, and places money on the table. She heads for the door.
"Jane..." Maura calls after her.