Cold Summer Heat Chapter 2
I don't own Rizzoli and Isles or it's characters.
Jane secured her gun on her hip before heading out for the precinct. Her emotions were all over the place as she thought about the scared tone of Maura's voice. She replayed the short conversation in her head trying in vain to remember the voice. She fought the frustration that resulted when she just couldn't place the deep voice she heard on the other end of the line.
She had put a call in to her captain who had put out an all points bulletin and alerted the entire Boston police force that one of their own had been abducted. Maura wasn't a police officer, but she was indeed one of them. Jane made sure her disappearance was treated as such. She had put a call into her partner and also one into Korsak, her former partner and good friend.
Jane was hurrying into the precinct when the ringing of her phone stopped her. Her heart stopped briefly as she reached for it, hoping it was Maura's abductor. She was both relieved and disappointed that it was Brad.
"Any news?"
Jane was a bit irritated that he would call her so soon after they parted, but then cursed herself for being even the slightest bit upset with him. He was there when she got the call and he saw how affected she was.
"No, nothing. Listen, Brad, I'm sorry but I have to concentrate on this. I'll call you when I can." Jane allowed herself to think of how they were less than an hour earlier. Life was so not fair sometimes.
"Okay. Please be careful." Bradley seemed to understand as she listened to the line go dead.
Jane headed to the squad room where Frost was already at his computer. She was nothing but nerves as she clumsily made her way to her desk. "Where do we start?" Frost appeared as anxious as Jane.
"We need to get to her place, but I want to go through her office and lab first." Jane wiped the sweat that had formed on her brow as she turned to head out. Korsak was coming in and instantly recognized the agonized look Jane carried.
Vince took her by the arms and stopped her. "Slow down. What have you got so far."
Jane immediately felt supported with Vince Korsak, her former partner. He had been her mentor for so long that he read her better than anyone. "Not much at all. A phone call, an unfamiliar voice, and Maura scared to death."
Korsak looked over at Frost who almost on cue had the answer he knew was coming. "Number was from a prepaid disposable cell phone. No way to trace."
"I knew something was wrong with her today. She was pissed at me for pushing." Jane ran her hands through her hair as she struggled with her control. "She's had contact with him before tonight."
"Okay, let's toss her office, dump her phones, check out her place." Korsak fell in behind his former partner as Frost got busy dumping Maura's cell as well as home phone.
Maura watched quietly as the her captor paced in front of her. He seemed nervous and stressed which worried her. She shifted, trying to ease the cramping in her arms as she sat on the floor of an old abandoned building. She was soaked with sweat as there was no air circulation at all in the building.
"What is it you want from Jane?" Maura hoped that getting the man to talk would help calm him a bit.
He knelt down in front of her, pushing the sweaty hair from her forehead with the barrel of his gun. "You really don't need to know."
"How can she fix this if she doesn't know who you are or what you want?" Maura knew she was treading on dangerous ground. When he didn't answer, she tried a different approach. "What's your name? If we have to hang out here, it would be nice to know what to call you. I'm Maura."
"I know who you are. I'm Drayson. Does that help you any?" Drayson ran the barrel of his gun slowly down Maura's face.
"Yes, it does in fact help a lot. Drayson, could you untie me, I'm cramping up and it's so hot in here." Maura watched his expression hoping he would show her some compassion.
Drayson laughed as he let the gun fall from her face to her chest where he used the barrel to push her light shirt from her shoulder. "You could lose this shirt, if that'll help some."
Maura tried to hide her fear as she wondered what exactly Drayson's plans were for her and for Jane. Drayson's phone rang causing Maura to jump. She tried to listen as he quickly walked away from her as he talked. Maura realized Drayson wasn't working alone and that he was the hired hand. This made her even more nervous for Jane.
Jane wordlessly searched through Maura's desk drawers. She was looking for something out of the ordinary. Everything was out of the ordinary in Maura's complex world. Jane slammed her hands down on the desk. "We need to get to her apartment. CSU is dusting it now."
Korsak agreed as he figured they wouldn't find anything here. He glanced up at Jane when her cell rang. She quickly grabbed it. "Rizzoli."
"Ah, Jane. So good to hear your voice." Jane motioned to Vince that it was the same guy as before.
"Is Maura okay?" Jane's tone was desperate as she tried to listen for any background noise.
"Maybe. We're going to play a game, Detective."
"No games." Jane was pissed and already out of patience. "What do you want?"
"I told you, you will know when the time is right. Until then, I want you scrambling, sweating."
Jane had switched the phone to speaker so Korsak could hear. "Fine, but let me talk to Maura first."
"I call the shots, Detective. I'm in control now." Jane watched as Korsak tried to place the voice as well.
Jane cringed at the comment. "Okay, tell me. What do you want me to do?"
"I told you, I want you to sweat." Jane looked at Korsak totally confused. "How far is Dr. Isles' apartment from where you are now?"
"Not far, three miles maybe." Jane could feel the nerves building as she waited.
"Well, that's good for you. You have exactly fifteen minutes to get to her apartment. I will call you in exactly fifteen minutes and you need to be there."
Jane and Korsak headed out of Maura's office. "Then what?"
"Fifteen minutes, Rizzoli. Dr. Isles will pay for every minute you're late." Jane figured this was a fairly easy direction to follow so she let her mind try to place the voice again. She tried to think back to as many old cases as she could while making her way out to the front of the precinct.
"Oh yeah, Jane? You must be at Dr. Isles' apartment in fifteen minutes by foot. Better get running." Jane cursed out loud as she listened to the voice laugh at her through the phone.
"Why are you doing this?" Jane yelled into the phone as she leaned up against her car.
"I will know if you cheat, Rizzoli. If you want to chance it, go ahead. Remember Dr. Isles is counting on you." Jane looked at Korsak and Frost who had joined them outside. She looked down wishing she hadn't pulled jeans on, but thankful for grabbing her tennis shoes. There was no question Jane wouldn't cheat and risk Maura's safety.
Jane took off when the line went dead. Frost ran with her, staying by her side. Jane looked up, noticing the starless sky. It was well after midnight, but the warm air was immediately a factor. Jane glanced at Frost as they ran without conversation. She was unsure if she would make it in time as she glanced around wondering how this guy would know if she caught a ride.
Sweat ran down Jane's face as they picked up the pace as they got closer to Maura's apartment. Jane checked her watch as she realized it was going to be close. '
"Come on, move, move, move!" Frost yelled as Jane stumbled up and into Maura's home. Her phone rang and she immediately answered.
"Wow, Rizzoli. That was impressive. Three point three miles in…sixteen minutes. Thanks for playing. I have to go pay a visit to the lovely Dr. Isles now."
"NO!" Jane cried as she struggled to catch her breath. She fell to her knees when the line went dead. Korsak entered the room in time to see Jane nearly fall apart.
Frost knelt down beside his partner. "Maybe he's bluffing. My watch says we made it, Jane."
Jane shook her head as she slowly got to her feet. "Doesn't matter. I can't win against a ghost."