Chapter Two
Bell dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a small USB on a key chain and twirled it round his finger once before palming it. Frowning thoughtfully into the womans cold eyes, he placed his hand down on the table and shifted his feet. Behind him McAlister cleared his throat.
"We're fairly alike, you and I, Rizzoli," he conceded gently, tapping the keychain on the table. Janes eyes flashed sharply, before her gaze dropped to her balled fists. With a slight shake to her head, she let out a unsteady breath to calm herself down and set her eyes on the Bells Glock lying by to his elbow.
"We both have an affinity for shitty cliques?" she breathed, cocking her head to the side and causing him to smirk.
"A cop with wit! We like funny cops, don't we… Mac, what happened to the last funny cop we introduced to Mr. Coleman?" Bell threw over his shoulder loudly, though his piercing brown eyes did not leave the ex-detectives face. McAlister glanced over nonchalantly, before turning to face the other two- fully obstructing the doorway with his massive frame.
"He cut his tongue out and made him eat it," his deep voice was cold and hard, and Bell noticed with some satisfaction that Jane let out an involuntary shiver at his words.
"Dumb kid thought it'd be fun to take the piss… Mr. Coleman thought it'd be fun to take his tongue," he added darkly and watched as the womans eyes darkened, face twisted into disgust.
"You're not exactly selling this to me, you know," she growled, straightening her spine and raising her head to finally meet his gaze again. Her face was neutral, but her eyes held a fierceness that Bell was starting to admire. He searched her eyes before drawing himself back, leaning his spine into the seat rest before folding his arms over his chest.
"Like I said, we ARE alike. I know you- well, at least what motivates you." Jane raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to reply, but Bell continued as if he hadn't noticed her objection.
"It must bite… what they did to little Frankie..."
The ex-detectives mouth snapped shut and her eyes flashed with barely contained fury. As the muscles in her jaw clenched and unclenched, he was momentarily mesmerised by the raw emotion. He knew he'd hit the spot.
"Don't you d-"
"Two shots. First one enters the belly, puncturing the stomach- nicked the spinal column on the exit. Clean shot," McAlister states steadily over Bells shoulder, as if reciting the official report. His vigilant grey eyes are on the ex-detectives rigid face now, as if readying himself for conflict.
"But the second one… well, damn. The second one is MESSY!" Bell exclaims, as if he's describing a foul in a ball game, something trivial.
Jane snaps. Her fists slam down hard on the table, hard enough for Bell to hear a very audible crack though he's unclear if it is from the table or her clearly broken arm. She rises to her feet like a soaring creature of furious emotion and kicks the chair out from below her. An inhuman roar rips its way from her throat, an amalgam of agony and rage.
"SHUT UP!"
She towers above him, her eyes wide and her breath coming out ragged and heavy. McAlister takes a step into the room, ready. Bell doesn't move, clearly expecting this from the beginning. There is not a hint of fear in his eye, and he chooses his next words carefully.
"Your brother… was a good, clean cop," he paused, eying her carefully as if expecting another interruption but there was none. He blinks and his eyebrows knit together, hoping that she heeds his next words.
"The man who shot him, was not."
Her eyes fluttered closed with his words, and he watched curiously as her face slowly returned to its cold, neutral state. Her trembling stilled and fists slowly unclenching before falling gently to her sides. Taking a deep breath, her eyes opened again and they settled on Bell. Dark, fierce and determined.
"Okay, I'm in."
Bell smiled thinly and placed the USB on the table, sliding it across towards her.
"Welcome to the criminal element, Ms. Rizzoli."
"Pick up… Jane, please…" Maura found herself striding towards her Merc, fumbling with her handbag , searching for her keys. Her mobile was wedged firmly between her shoulder and her ear- this was her fifth attempt to call the detective. If she looked flustered to the other occupants of the parking lot, she couldn't care less. Her mind was in full overdrive, and her only objective was to find Jane.
Finally locating her keys, she tapped the button to unlock the car. The ringing in her ear paused before the pre-recorded voicemail click over. As her best friends recorded voice filled her ear, Maura sighed heavily and opened the car door before sliding in behind the wheel. There was a beep, and Maura licked her lips nervously.
"Jane, it's me… Maura. Please, call me back, if… when you can," she urged desperately, trying to convey her compassion through the simple request. With the phone still pressed to her ear, she paused a moment longer in the hope of hearing her friends voice. But the moment didn't come. Maura sighed deeply, ending the call before placing the phone down on the passengers seat. Pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, she leaned forward and took a moment to gather her racing thoughts.
Frankie was in the ICU, comatose with possible spine and brain damage. Frost had said there was another officer involved, but Maura had had trouble hearing him over the ringing in her ears. Logically, she knew that this was shock setting in and that the tremble in her hands as she now gripped the steering wheel was adrenaline- all Darwinite fight or flight instincts. Frost had continued speaking, but the doctors mind was now running through all the different complications associated with abdominal trauma.
So wrapped up in the terror for Frankies safety, it was only the mentioned of Jane and the fight with Angela at the hospital had snapped her back into reality. As concerned for Frankie as she was, she knew there was nothing within her power to help him… and so Jane became her primary focus. As she forced Frost to relayed the scene back to her, all Mauras thoughts turned to the unyielding detective and her heart restricted painfully.
"She blamed Jane! I should have defended her! I opened my mouth but… Then, Jane was behind her… just looking at us. Maura… her eyes… I've never seen Jane look like that."
Maura closed her eyes firmly, reaching out to grip the steering wheel tightly.
How could Angela be so cold? Maura forced herself to suppress the soring rage she felt towards the Rizzoli matriarch, and her thoughts quickly turned back to Jane. Opening her eyes again, she noticed how the knuckles on her fists had turned white and she quickly let them drop to her lap. Shaking her head, she frowned out across the parking lot in needed to find Jane, to talk to her, to comfort her … whatever she needed. Maura needed to be there. She knew that Jane probably wanted her solitude, probably intending to build a ten foot wall of defence around herself… Maura couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't. She swallowed heavily and picked up her mobile up again. Sending a quick text off the Frost and Koisak instructing them to check the Robber, she dropped the phone back down and started up the ignition.
Koisak sighed softly at the empty bar that greeted them as they entered the Robber. There wasn't a soul in sight, excluding the barman who was mopping up a spillage near the stools. Jane wasn't here. Frustration coursed through him, and he felt the bitter urge to punch something. He glanced up at Frost as the detective made his way over to Janes usual booth and was disappointed to see him turn back and shake his head.
Moving to pull out his phone, he scrolled over Mauras number and hit call. As he did so, the barman looked up at the two and scowled.
"You looking for Rizzoli, you just missed her… luckily."
Koisaks head whipped up, as did Frosts.
"She was here?" Frost questioned urgently, his eyes wide and alert.
"Yeah, about ten minutes ago. Asks for a drink… sits there nursing the damn thing for a few minutes and then goes and smashes it on the ground! Doesn't say a word, and then! Then, she storms outta here like a damn hurricane…" the man growled, pushing the mop back into the bucket before shaking his head and pushing it towards the back of the bar.
The detective glanced over at his partner and he saw him swallow heavily. As he opened his mouth to speak, he heard a small 'hello' in his ear and remembered that he was calling Maura. Clearing his throat roughly, he turned away from the bar and stepped towards the exit.
"Doctor-"
"Please tell me she is there," Mauras voice sounded faint in Koisaks ear and he frowned darkly, shaking his head slightly before remembering to speak up.
"She was here, but she left about ten minutes ago. Are you at her apartment?"
"I am. It is… a mess."
Maura gently stepped over the collapsed pile of wood that was once a coffee table and gazed around the destroyed apartment. Books had been ripped from their shelves, a lamp lay broken by the far wall and a picture frame lay shattered in the fire place. The disarray was painted with such heartbreaking emotion and the doctor felt despair, envisioning the detectives every strike and blow. Moving into the kitchen she found a dish towel covered in what appeared to be blood lying in the sink, and her heart sped up.
"Barry said that Jane had been wounded. Where?" she asked quietly, turning away from the sight before heading towards the bathroom.
"Neck, no major damage but the docs at the hospital insisted that she have stitchers," Frosts voice replied, his voice distant and she knew they'd put her on loud speaker. Maura felt a small surge of irrational disapproval, as she suspected the chances of Jane actually following that advice to be exactly 0%. As she reached the bathroom she sighed, her suspicions proving to be correct. The bathroom counter was covered in bandages, used swabs, disinfectant and more blood.
"It looks like she probably attempted to dress her own wounds. There is blood here, but not much… my main concern would be the risk of infection if she doesn't have it sutured soon," Maura explained, gently reaching out to pick up a small pill bottle labelled Vicodin. Quickly checking the contents, she was relieved to find that the majority of the little capsules still remained. Feeling a little twinge of guilt for even entertaining the thought, the doctor placed the bottle back on the counter and sighed.
"Frost and I are gonna' head to the docks and have a look around. I'll call Tommy and check in with them. Don't worry Maura, we'll find her… okay?" Koisak muttered, and she felt a small measure of gratitude for the reassurance. She heard him end the call and slipped her phone back into the pocket of her dress pants.
The doctor looked sadly into the mirror, staring passed her own frazzled refection and tried to imagine what was going through her friends mind. Concern, despair, grief… anger? These were just some of the emotions waring away in her own mind, she could only infer to how Jane was feeling. She thought about Frankie lying in a coma in the ICU and shuddered involuntarily. How could it come to this? Jane was missing, Frankie was hurt and because of a fellow policeman. Someone he trusted. She felt her anger surge up into her throat and she leant over to grip the sink, taking a few much needed breaths to calm herself down.
Suddenly, a dark thought drifted into her mind.
As a sinking feeling settled into her stomach and panic rose up in her throat like bile, Maura turned and raced down towards Janes bedroom. Almost hesitant and dreading at what she might find there, the doctor stepped towards Janes bedside draw. With a trembling hand she pulled on the handle before letting out a small moan.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she whipped out her phone and dialled.
"Maura-"
"I need to you get to the station. Now!" She demanded frantically, grabbing up her hand back and racing towards the front door.
"Her gun is missing. I know where she's going, Frost."
A/N: Oh my god! Thank you everyone for all the support! I'm trying for dark but hopefully not too ansty... Also sorry about making Angela so cold in the last chapter. In my head, she's just really emotional and immediately regrets her words. I needed a catalyst in the story to push Jane to her limit and knowing the importance of family with the Rizzoli clan... well 'nuf said. And full disclosure, things are gonna get much worse before they get better again.
ANYWHO! Thank you again for the reviews! Let me know how you see this thing heading.
PEACE! X