Title: Silent Ghosts
Author: AoN (bellalinguista)
Word Count: 3,700
Genre: Mystery, Angst, Tragedy
Rating: PG13
Summary: The murder of an archeology professor brings forth memories once buried deep. With little evidence to point them in the right direction, Jane and Maura must hurry to find their killer before they strike again. (Canon up to 5x06).
Chapter Two
-22 Years Ago –
Breathe.
Just… Just breathe.
It will all be over soon.
"…seven, eight, nine, ten," she murmured quietly to herself. The pain subsided, but only slightly. She still felt uncomfortable and completely aware that the pain would only soon return. The relief was only temporary and when the pain would return, it could possibly be worse.
Possibly.
Eventually, it would be.
But everything would soon pass, she reminded herself, trying to drown out the sounds of the rapid fetal heart rate that was being tracked on the monitor to her left.
It was an impossible task.
Everything would pass, she repeated.
As soon as it arrived… As soon as the baby arrived, she would be able to go back to her normal life. The baby would be adopted to what she could only assume would be a nice family and she would go back to school and pretend this whole ordeal never happened to begin with. She couldn't be a mother. She wasn't ready to be one, either. She was only sixteen.
She was still only a child herself.
"Ah!" she gasped as another contraction hit. Once more, she closed her eyes, silently repeating her simple mantra to herself: Breathe. Just breathe. It will all be over soon.
"One," she began to count again. "Two, three, four..."
She stifled a whimper. Her eyes fluttered opening to scan the still empty hospital room. There was no one here to comfort her, to help guide her through, or to tell her that everything would be alright. Even though she didn't want to, she had to do this alone.
"...f-five," she murmured, but this time the counting did not help. It did not distract her, but she continued regardless.
"Six, seven, eight, nine, ten."
xxxx
Present Day - Boston Police Department
Hand covering her mouth, Maura silently watched from behind the two way mirror as Jane and Vince sat across the table from their suspect in the interrogation room. With furrowed eyebrows, Maura continued to watch. Through their questions, Maura learned more and more about her student's personal life, privileged information that never came up during their lectures or office hours.
Why didn't, for example, the name she gave them match the hotel's records?
Oh, because she wasn't registered under her full name: Victoria Daniels-Williamson - her last name became hyphenated after her parents' divorce during middle school. She normally just went by Daniels since Daniels-Williamson would normally run off the allotted space given to surnames.
Maura caught herself wondering if this was the case with her own class roster. Suddenly, she couldn't recall.
After pointing out the California license that Victoria had presented to them, Jane asked why she was in Boston and Maura found herself nodding along to Victoria's answer: she was taking a summer class at BCU with Dr. Isles. This was all information that they already knew, but had to ask regardless. They needed it on record.
What Maura didn't know, however, was that she was trying to get a head start in medical school, so things wouldn't be so intense when she moved the rest of her belongings from Chicago before the fall semester.
Taking a single class over the summer wouldn't make things that much easier, Maura thought. At least, that is what she concluded from her own experience in med school. She was glad those times were behind her. She didn't mind the constant studying and the constant exams. No, Maura actually enjoyed learning. There was one component to her schooling that she was glad to put behind her: dealing with the living. Working with the dead was a lot quieter.
And the dead were less judgmental.
"Chicago's not exactly in California," Vince pointed out, causing Victoria to explain that her mother resided in the Windy City. She and her older brother normally spent their time between San Francisco and Chicago, where her mother still was at this very moment. Her mother ran a hospital downtown which didn't allow her much time off. It was one of the things her mother and father would bicker about.
So the summer course accounted for Victoria being in Boston, but what about her father?
He was in town for the archeology conference at BCU, the one Maura had mentioned earlier in the evening at the crime scene, but, once again, they needed this information on record. The professor had reserved a hotel room for both him and his daughter so Victoria could escape dorm life for a couple nights, but Victoria found it quieter to study on campus. Archeology professors, apparently, were a rowdy bunch.
As were medical examiners. Maura still grimaced at the memory of the aftermath of the pre-conference party she hosted in her own hotel room only a couple weeks ago. She had tried her hardest to make the room a bit more presentable, but Maura made sure to tip the house service well.
But would they be rowdy enough to harm a fellow professor? No…? No, Victoria's father got along with nearly everyone he met, but Maura couldn't help but wonder if perhaps there was an untold tale of a paper, research, or an article being scooped from under someone's nose. To have years of hard work taken from you - that certainly could have been a motive.
Maura's gaze hardly left Victoria. With each question, Maura saw her usually confident student sink more and more into her seat. The tears that had started at the crime scene, it seemed, came to a stop. Victoria was in shock - did she realize why they were questioning her?
"Are you sure you can't think of anyone at all who would want to hurt your father?" Vince asked once more, for calcification.
Victoria shook her head.
"Listen, Victoria, I know this is going to be difficult," Jane began. "But can you tell us where you were tonight? What you were doing this evening?"
With bated breath, Maura waited for an answer - perhaps it wasn't even an answer she was waiting for, but just a reaction. She was waiting for something that would show that the moment of clarity had finally arrived. There was no more beating around the bush, so to speak.
This was confirmation: all three of them now knew for certain why they were in the Boston Police Department. They knew why they were here in the middle of the night, in this cold interrogation room.
How did Jane do this time and time again? How did she sit across from a complete stranger, asking them questions in relation to a terrible crime? While emotions would run high, Jane would, normally, remain calm - stoic, even, just as she was now.
Maybe the question Maura really should have been asking was one that frequently crossed her mind: how do people deal with the living? How do they do it? How does one deal with judgmental glares, teasing, or ghastly expressions of pure dread, or even horror?
Maura knew horror. Maura was well acquainted with horror, as was Jane. They were not strangers to grotesque crime scenes. They had frequently seen the inner-workings of serial killers. They had had their lives threatened more than what they would have liked as well.
The young woman sitting in front of them - did she have these inner-workings too?
For a moment, Victoria sat in silence. "I, uh, I went out to dinner with my father," she managed to answer. "Downtown at Les Zygomates. He wanted to get away from everything to do with the conference for a little while."
"And after dinner?" Vince pressed.
"W-we went different ways," Victoria stuttered. "I went to the library back at BCU to study some more for Dr. Isles' exam. He insisted I shouldn't, that I was prepared enough, but.. but this is my first class of my med school career. I have - I want to do well."
Jane nodded along slowly as Vince took quick notes on his pad. Maura watched as Jane, who became even more stoic (if possible), sat up a little straighter in her seat. "Can anyone confirm that you were in the library tonight?" she asked.
Maura felt herself pull back slightly at the question she had been dreading. Tension was returning to her neck. All of this evening's efforts to relax had been for naught and she could only foresee another bath being nothing but futile.
"The keycard registered to you was used to access the hotel room, ten minutes before your father was shot," Vince pointed out.
Maura couldn't watch any longer. She stepped away from the mirror, but it was not enough to distance herself from the situation. She made her way out to the empty hallway, lingering for a moment. Maura soon realized if she stayed, she would bare witness to a scene she had watched time and time again, but now, it was different.
Maura knew their suspect.
It was not a serial killer, obsessed with seeking revenge against her best was it her mob boss of a biological father. Maura never believed she had demonized these suspects before - she prided herself on letting science shape and form her opinions, but this time…
This time, the suspect was someone who sat front row of all of Maura's lectures. It was someone who engaged in discussion, and who frequently attended office hours. Victoria was a brilliant, kinda student.
But even brilliant, kind people are capable of murder, a voice from the back of Maura's mind pointed out.
Maura retreated to the homicide unit's offices. The entire floor was empty. It was late, well after operating hours. This is where, Maura decided, she would wait for Jane to come find her.
It was early in the investigation, Maura reminded herself. There were different angles they needed to look into. The case could not simply be open and close, but…
But what if it was and Maura was refusing to see otherwise?
"Maur?"
Turning around, Maura found Jane lingering in the doorway. As Jane took a step forward, Maura cast her gaze to the ground.
"They're taking her to-"
"Jane, I can't work this case," Maura started, looking up at her. "I have a personal connection and I can't approach it with a-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up!" Jane interrupted, walking over to Maura who was standing in the middle of the office. Jane reached out and placed her hands on Maura's shoulders. "She's here until we get a judge to sign off on a warrant to review the security footage. That's gonna be tomorrow morning."
"You don't believe she did it?"
"Doesn't matter what I believe," Jane replied. "I gotta follow protocol. The evidence, right now, is pointing a certain way, but… I think that's all gonna change in the morning. Besides, do you really want Dr. Pike to be working this one?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Although they both knew Jane's tone was conveying that of a jokester, the reality of the matter was that no, it was definitely something they did not want, by any means.
Maura nodded. "But I don't like the idea of her being..." her voice trailed off. "She's a good student and I know that doesn't attest to anything since many criminals were good students -"
"And many more good students are not criminals," Jane pointed out. "I know what you're doing, Maur."
"And what exactly is it that I'm doing?"
"I think," Jane began, moving her hands from Maura's shoulders to her own hips. "That Dr. Isles is trying really hard not to go with her gut."
"I can't allow-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know," Jane interrupted. "Dr. Isles also can't listen to said gut."
Maura nodded in accordance.
Jane lowered her hands and took a step back. She fetched her wallet which she had tucked away in her desk drawer for safe keeping. "Just do what you do best, Maur," she said. "We'll find whoever did this-"
"So you don't believe she did it," Maura pressed again. "At least, your gut doesn't believe she did."
"Well, my gut's been a lil queasy recently," Jane pointed out. "Nothing to do with the case-"
"Hormones-"
"Yes, as you and your textbook brain keep telling me."
Maura forced a small, meek smile.
"I didn't mean to snap," Jane quickly apologized. Her voice then began to whine. "It's late and I was already in sweatpants, lounging on the couch and watching the game when I got the call. Now I just want to go to bed."
"As do I, Jane. That stress relief bath was all for nothing. It's rather upsetting."
"Maybe you should take another," Jane suggested. "You know, since you're tense and everything."
"Maybe," Maura repeated as she slung her purse onto her shoulder, but her mind was already made up. "Regardless, I won't be able to sleep and I have an exam to give in the morning… She's a good student - a good person," Maura said after a pause. It didn't matter how many times she repeated it; the situation was not going to change. "She takes part in discussion - really bright - and comes to office hours, not just for course work, but for professional advice-"
"We're gonna figure this out, Maur, don't worry," Jane reassured. "But listen, for now, it's late and we can't do anything. We gotta at least try to get some sleep."
xxxx
To the average Bostonian, it was a perfect night: not a cloud in the evening sky, accompanied by a gentle breeze - a rare occurrence for their Cradle of Liberty. What a posh and absolutely absurd nickname for a city. Cradle of Liberty. Of Modern America.
Beantown was not any better.
Whatever the case, not everyone on this evening was a Bostonian. Some found this evening, as quiet and calm as it was, to be rather nippy - even more so if some were sitting in deafening silence in a parked rental car in the underground parking garage of the Boston police department. Others would probably agree: sitting in a parked rental car in the underground parking garage of a force some were trying to avoid was not a brilliant idea.
But things had not gone as they should on this quiet and calm night and now some had loose ends to take care of, regardless how reckless actions could be considered. If not, the desired outcome may be unobtainable.
The rumbling of a car engine disrupted the silence of the night, indicating it was not the wanted target. A moment later, the car came up the ramp on its way out of the garage. Its visual confirmed that it was not the one, so the wait would continue.
The awaited car soon approached, not making a sound, as most hybrids don't. After it passed, the headlights of some other vehicle, along with the engine, came to life before pulling out of the spot in order to follow.
xxxx
It had taken Maura a good few minutes to start up her car and pull out of the parking garage of the police department - yet the bluetooth connection was still loading, preventing her from listening to her latest podcast subscription. She had planned it as her attempt to distract herself while driving back home.
Although it was not what she had expected, it was taking Maura's mind off of things. Was the issue with her phone or the Prius itself? Would she have to inform the dealership and her cellphone company? Maybe both? Perhaps it was a wireless issue and she should try to connect her phone through the USB port. Maura would have to try before her morning commute.
For now, Maura would have to rely on the FM radio. Reaching a red light, Maura looked down at the touch screen and pressured the source bottom in the upper right corner before selecting the FM option. Instead of the usual classic station she normally listened to, Maura was surprised by loud, heavy rock, causing her to jump up in the driver's seat. Heart racing, Maura quickly turned down the volume and changed the radio station, making a mental note to discuss Jane's musical tastes later.
Eyes back on the road, Maura nearly jumped again. How long had the light been green? She looked into her rearview mirror, discovering that there was another car waiting behind her.
"Oh, shoot," Maura mumbled under her breath, but as she glanced back to the light, it turned yellow. Frowning, Maura quickly took a left turn, as did the vehicle behind her. Maura expected the vehicle to switch lanes and make a spectacle in passing her up, but the vehicle never did. It remained coasting behind Maura - so unlike Bostonian drivers. Maybe she should have more faith in her fellow drivers, but…
But this felt odd.
Instead of letting it be, Maura decided to test out her theory. She switched lanes and then checked her mirror - the vehicle didn't switch lanes. Okay. Fine.
She sighed and returned her attention to the road, but the nagging feeling had not disappeared. There was a tug to check once again - just to double check, just to make sure that Maura was being silly. It was just one more glance to confirm that the car was gone.
Just one more glance to-
The vehicle was still there.
Still frowning, Maura tried to convince herself that this was all in her head. Without reaching for her turn signal, Maura took a quick right, as did the vehicle behind her. No, still a coincidence - nothing more. All she had to do was take the next left to get back to the main road and-
No, still there.
Okay, alright. Everything was still fine.
Maura needed to take one more left. In one more left, Maura would have driven in a circle with whoever tailing her. Maura pushed the call button on her steering wheel, but she was met with a female robotic voice claiming that the option was not available. The bluetooth still was not working.
"Shit!" Maura hissed, grabbing her phone from the cup holder.
Fumbling, Maura dialed Jane's number and brought the phone to her ear. Jane picked up after a couple rings and Maura quickly cut her off before she could start whining. "Jane, I'm being followed," she stated.
"What?"
"I'm being followed," Maura repeated. "I noticed about a block away from the precinct-"
"Maura, are you sure?"
"Yes, Jane, I'm sure," she replied calmly.
"What type of car?" Jane asked.
Maura glanced into her rearview mirror again. "Silver mercedes."
"Mercedes?"
"Yes, that's what I said. I can't make out the front plates - it's too far away," Maura informed. "Jane, what if it's one of Paddy's men?"
"We're gonna make sure they leave you the hell alone," Jane replied. "Gimme a second, Maur."
For a few moments, Maura heard Jane's muffled voice as she spoke into her radio. Although Maura could not hear what was going on precisely, she knew what Jane was doing.
"Okay," Jane returned to the phonecall. "There'll be a uniform waiting for you in front of the precinct. Hopefully, that'll be enough to spook our little Mercedes buddy. I'm on my way too. Stay on the line, alright?"
"Alright," Maura said. "But what if it doesn't spook them?"
"Then, you keep driving, Maura."
It was not the best idea, but it was better than nothing at all. Maura made her way back to the police department, answerings Jane's simple questions: was it still there? How about now? Was it still following her? Did it suspect anything?
Maura answered each question, complying with Jane who was just doing her job. She was also being a concerned friend.
"I'm parked outside with the unit," Jane informed.
"You already made it back?" Maura questioned. "How fast were you going? Studies say-"
"You can tell me all about those studies later," Jane interrupted. "Right now, I wanna make sure you're safe."
Make sure you're safe, Maura's mind echoed back to her. That was Jane being Jane. Being the protector - her protector. Maura's. Jane once confessed that she would never leave Maura behind. Maura had been unconscious during the confession, but Vince told her about it later. That was when Maura silently promised to never leave Jane either.
Of course, it had been silent. When it came to discussing her own feelings, especially in relation to Jane, Maura struggled to find the right words. Or the right occasion. For instance: this was not the right occasion.
"How far out are you?" Jane asked.
"I'm about a minute out - less than that," Maura corrected. "I'm approaching the final turn - you should see my headlights."
"Yeah, Maur, I see them," Jane reassured. "Was this car directly behind you?"
"Yes," Maura answered, glancing up at the rear view mirror after she took the turn. There were no lights. No one was following her. "Jane?"
"Listen, you go after them alright?" Maura overheard Jane instruct before speaking to her again. "You're clear, Maura."
Before Maura could thank her, Jane had ended the call and the patrol unit drove by, silently flashing its lights. As Maura pulled up to the curb, Jane made her way to the driver's side. Maura unbuckled and pulled herself out of the car. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Maura met Jane's concern expression.
"You alright?"
Maura nodded.
"Good," Jane nodded in unison. "We saw the car matching your description go straight as you turned - probably realized what was going on. You have reason to believe that its Paddy?"
"Considering I'm his only biological daughter," Maura began. "Everything suspicious may be linked to Paddy Doyle, whether I want it to be or not."
"Unfortunately," Jane grumbled. "But you're alright?"
"You've already asked me that," Maura pointed out.
"Guess you got me there," Jane murmured before clearing her throat. "So, uh, I'll escort you home, okay?"
Maura nodded and spoke up after a short moment. "Will you stay with me?"
Without skipping a beat, Jane replied, "Yeah, of course."
One thing was certain: Maura's mind was definitely distracted now.
To Be Continued