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Four hours later and the rain continued to fall as Jane and Maura left the crime scene. The unsteady breath and shaky hands of the detective caught Maura by surprise. She knew this one would take its toll on Jane, but she never thought it would happen so quickly.
"Jane, look at me," Maura started, taking one of her hands and covering it with her own, "I can see that you are not alright, and that is ok, but you know that this job is what you do better than anyone else, Davidson trusts you, and he knows that too. So don't be afraid."
"It's the worst I have ever seen Maur, I can't, I mean... I am not afraid it's just ya know, kids... this kind of case, sometimes it makes me wonder whether there is anything truly good in this world."
The sound of cars rushing past and the aimless chatter of people huddling under umbrellas, filling the sidewalk on their way to work surrounded the two. Jane let out a deep sigh while simultaneously pulling her hand from its warm home between Maura's and used it to open her car door.
"C'mon, no point standing here, it will be fine, let's catch this son of a bitch."
I can see them both standing there. Perhaps the rumours are true. No matter, she will be mine before long, with the case in Rizzoli's hands everything is on track. But first I must finish what I have started, only an incompetent fool would lose a grasp on his emotions and jump too early. It is all planned. I must wait. But how do I wait when they stand there flaunting what should be mine right in front of me? No. I must hold on. It will happen, patience, self control, it is something everyone else seems to lack. Except her... she knows, she understands, I have watched her. Soon.
The precinct was bustling when they arrived. Separating at the elevators, Maura headed down to the morgue and Jane went to see if Korsak or Frost had any leads on the anonymous phone call made. As she was making a beeline for her desk, Jane noticed the two sitting together.
"Hey guys, anything?"
"Not a lot Jane, still working on that phone call." Frost quickly answered shooting a mischievous look at Korsak.
"What...? What was that?"
"Nothing Jane."
"No really, what was that look for?"
"Where's the Doc Jane?" Korsak quickly asked in a hope of steering the conversation in the direction he wanted, "I noticed you two turned up together this morning, a bit far to go to pick her up wasn't it?"
"I didn't, she stayed at my apartment last night, something about my mother and more decorating" Jane answered waving her hands in exasperation. With an eyebrow raised at Frost and a smirk on his face Korsak simply turned his chair in the direction of the evidence board and murmured something that sounded suspiciously like "oblivious".
Sitting at her desk Jane glanced up from the crime scene photos she had been examining and her eyes landed on the clock in the corner. 9pm. The rain had turned to drizzle and nothing had been accomplished. Preliminary evidence showed no fingerprints and the suitcases were generic, found at just about every department store in Boston. Even follow up on the emergency call proved inconclusive as it was simply traced to a disposable cell. Jane had talked to Frankie and the two other officers who had been sent to question the occupants of the buildings surrounding the dumpsite. Their work had turned up absolutely nothing. It was almost too perfect, Jane thought as she continued to sift through photos and previous case work from Davidson. The dishevelled looking detective had arrived at Jane's desk just before lunch, with two boxes filled with case files in his hands. It wasn't until he silently opened the first box and pulled out two pictures of bodies left in exactly the same manner as his niece that Jane understood the magnitude of what she was about to take on.
"Maureen Evans, she worked at the Diner three blocks down I used to go there 'bout three times a week. We found her last Monday," Davidson started as he lifted the second photo on top of the first, "and this is... was Steven Franks, he had just started at BCU, he was a doing so well too after everything that had happened."
"What do you mean 'everything that had happened'?"
"He... he was abducted when he was 16, we thought he was dead, I was the lead on the case, we found him after 3 weeks. I knew he had started in the science programme a month ago Jane, his mother had said he was so excited."
"This isn't your fault Davidson. I am going to catch this guy. For Maureen, Steven, Kelly and for you, I will catch him."
It wasn't till the click of heels on the wooden floor sounded through the empty bullpen that Jane pulled her eyes away from the files she had been given by her fellow detective. Maura knew Jane would still be in the precinct. She also knew she would be sitting hunched at her desk, littered with photos and reports. It was for this reason the medical examiner decided she had to pry her best friend away from the case so she would at least function the next day. All it took was her hand placed gently on Jane's shoulder and she felt the tense muscles underneath relax.
"I know Maura, I know, let's go, I don't think I am going to get any further staring at all of this anyway."
"I am glad to see this took less persuasion than last time, otherwise I would have had to forcibly remove you from this chair." The blonde grinned as a smile crept from Jane's lips up to her eyes.
"Yeah, right. I think we already established you punch like a girl." She grabbed the jacket from the back of her chair and strode after Maura who was headed for the elevator, trying to look insulted.
"Forcibly remove," she repeated and chuckled, "really?" raising an eyebrow at her best friend as she caught up to her.
Angela Rizzoli had never been one to back down from a challenge. So as she stood staring at the newly decorated bathroom in Maura's guesthouse she felt an incredible sense of accomplishment. Paint speckled her face and her hands looked as though they had spent more time in the tub of begonia coloured liquid that would cover the walls than they had holding a brush.
Turning to go and wash the colours off, Angela saw the lights in the kitchen flick on. Observing the daily habits of Maura had become somewhat of a routine for the older woman. She did not realize though just how much she would learn about her own daughter in the process. Of course, she thought, as she saw unmistakeable dark and untamed curls at the corner of the window frame. Angela was not even mildly shocked that Jane was there despite the late hour.
"Why am I not surprised?"