FF: Facts, Just the Facts (CH 3)
A Rizzoli & Isles Story
By Enginerd
Chapter 3 – Evidence Gathering
Jane shook the small metal detector with irritation. It didn't even detect the 35 cents in change she found by her good old-fashioned flashlight and blind hand sifting. With a growl, she tossed the worthless device aside and pointed her trusty flashlight under another bush, what felt like the millionth one that evening. She was about to give up hope of finding the bloody projectile when a small reflection in the dirt caught her eye. With a spark of anticipation, she crawled on her knees, which were soaking up the moisture from the still muddy ground.
She growled when one of the branches she had pushed out of the way sprung back and slapped her in the face. Once she got to the shiny speck, her purple-gloved fingers dug through the muddy dirt to reveal a spherical object with pointed protrusions. "Ha!" she said victoriously and quickly bagged the evidence.
"Frost! This is it!" she said triumphantly.
"Thank god we're done!" he said, standing up from an adjacent bush where he had been scanning with a hand-held metal detector. He groaned as he rubbed his back.
"You're too young for back pains," she commented with a smirk.
"I'm too young to be out this late," he countered as he walked up to her.
She stared at the overhead bridge, then looked at him. "If we assume someone was on the overpass with a slingshot, we should be able to figure out the height of the unsub with what we have right?"
Frost took the evidence bag and looked at the bridge. "I'll need to get the height of the bridge and then use Dr. Isles' data from the body, with a few assumptions about the position of the head . . . we could get a range of heights," he said. "Not exactly conclusive, Rizzoli."
Jane frowned. "You're sounding like Maura. Come on, let's start measuring!"
"Now?"
"No time like the present," she grinned.
"To sleep!" Frost complained, getting a heavy sigh from his partner.
"All right sleeping beauty," she relented. "Go home and get some zees. But you'd better be bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready to kick ass tomorrow!" she called out to her partner, who had already departed for his car.
Jane shook her head and sighed with a smirk. Vince would have never admitted wanting a break first. Guess that's the difference between old school and today's batch of detectives, she thought.
The sound of footfalls startled Jane, whose hand instinctively went to her weapon as she quickly turned to face the unexpected noise. She stopped herself from drawing her gun when she saw who was there.
"You really don't like donuts do you?" the Lieutenant said wryly, walking up with a bag and a tray of three coffees. Impeccably dressed as always, Jane thought, absently glancing down at her wrinkled shirt and muddy jeans with irritation.
"Checking up on me?" Jane blurted with irritation.
"Do I need to?" The Lieutenant countered conversationally as she went to a bench and sat.
"No," Jane said tightly, wanting to punch her. Thankfully, she didn't need Korsak to recognize that was a bad plan.
"I got old-fashioned ones. I prefer chocolate-covered but the icing always gets stuck to the bag," she said with a slight frown. "The coffee is black – I don't like to bother with sugar or cream packages," she said, leaning towards the still-standing detective to hand over a coffee to a confused detective.
"Thanks," Jane said uneasily and sat down. She glanced over to see a donut being offered. She hesitantly accepted it, looking at it as if she had never seen a donut before.
"So, what are your thoughts on the case?" the Lieutenant asked, dunking a donut in the coffee and taking a healthy bite.
"You weren't lurking in the shadows listening?" Jane asked flippantly.
"Didn't get here soon enough," she said, sipping her coffee.
"Why are you here? I'm getting the impression that you don't trust me. And I have done absolutely nothing to warrant that lack of trust on a case. I may not have conducted myself as smartly as I should have but . . . why are you here?"
The Lieutenant chewed her donut a moment and looked at Jane. After swallowing, she took a sip of coffee before speaking. "I've known a lot of police officers in my career. On paper and by reputation, they were outstanding. Almost super-cops. But I've been disappointed too many times to trust that paper and those reputations," she said, sipping her coffee. "So I've learned to only trust my own observations."
"And from your observations so far, I'm a total fuck-up," Jane said flatly.
"Jury is still out on that, Rizzoli. Though I still think you have your head up your ass," she offered, biting her donut.
"Isn't that the same thing?" Jane said with annoyance.
"No," she said, making Jane more frustrated. "But you are letting yourself get distracted."
"Well with my head up my ass, it is rather hard to concentrate on anything else…not to mention sit down comfortably," Jane countered sarcastically.
The Lieutenant chuckled. "You should really try the donut," she said, finishing hers.
Jane looked down at hers. "Isn't this a little cliché? Cops and their donuts?"
"Perhaps. But I don't worry too much about stereotypes or what people think of me anymore. I've learned that as long as I do my job well, it's no one's fucking concern. I'm a cop who loves donuts - deal with it!" she declared defiantly.
Jane looked at her with reluctant amusement, then looked at her donut and took a bite, which melted in her mouth. "Good GOD these are good!" she said with a mouthful, looking between the unexpectedly delicious treat and her boss with amazement.
"Told you," she said smugly, sipping her coffee.
"Where did you get them?" Jane asked, knowing she would have heard about a bakery that made donuts as good as these.
"Homemade."
"You made them?" Jane asked with surprised.
"Hell no. I don't cook."
"I can cook," Jane blurted, then felt stupid, gaining the Lieutenant's thoughtful gaze. It was a long uncomfortable moment before she responded.
"And you're taller than I am," she stated with an annoyingly knowing smirk.
"You dress nicer," Jane offered lamely. That much would be evident to a blind woman, Rizzoli thought with an internal groan.
"Only after years of training by someone who really cares about clothes," she said with a laugh, then sobered and looked at her curiously. "Are you really worried about being compared to me, Rizzoli?"
"I . . ." Jane said, not knowing how to answer that.
"Don't be. You've got a lot going for you, even if you're not on your A-game at the moment. I had a similar problem once. And I got through it, so there's hope for you yet," she said, standing up and sticking her hands in her coat pocket. "I know I'm going to regret this but…if you need to talk about it, I'll listen."
Jane was wondering what the hell she was talking about, though it sort of seemed like a pep-talk, in a back-handed complimentary sort of way. But what problem? Talk about what?
"Kids these days," the Lieutenant said, motioning to the third coffee and shook her head. "My partner, Harry, would never have admitted he was tired before a mere woman," she chuckled at the memory. "Goddamn chauvinist pig," she muttered fondly, making Jane chuckle in spite of her confusion.
"If you want, you can tell Frost I came by and was wondering where he was," she said with a slight grin.
Jane chuckled again, considering it. "He'd be on pins and needles around you all day, hell, probably all week."
"Yeah," she readily acknowledged, her smile still in place. "See you tomorrow, Rizzoli," she said and walked off into the darkness.
R&I
"Hey, Jane! The computers are back!" Frost greeted her happily as she came to her desk the next morning. He was well rested and on his computer, finishing the projectile path calculations. "But…I have coffee," he said curiously when Jane placed a large cup on his desk, next to his cup.
"That's from the Lieutenant," Jane said with a shrug as he picked it up.
"It's . . .why would she give me cold coffee?" he said, glancing towards the Lieutenant's office curiously.
"It wasn't cold when she stopped by last night, after you left," she noted conversationally, logging onto her computer.
"She was at the scene last night?" He squeaked, which was a new sound for him, Jane noted with amusement.
"Brought coffee and donuts. Damn good donuts," she said appreciatively.
Frost looked at her suspiciously, trying to gauge her. His eyes widened when he spotted the Lieutenant walk towards Vince with a folder.
"Lieutenant, thanks again for the coffee and donuts," Jane said to her.
"Thought you might appreciate it, after putting in all the extra hours last night," she answered, then eyed Frost for a long moment. He physically shrank in his seat.
Wondering what was going on, Korsak eyed Jane curiously, receiving an innocent shrug from his former partner.
Jane barely withheld a grin as she logged onto her computer, considering the Lieutenant might work out after all.
R&I
"Guess who has a three million dollar life insurance policy?" Jane said with a big smile as she went into Maura's office.
Maura looked up with a welcoming smile that always lifted Jane's spirits.
"Greg Johnston?"
"Ding ding ding, give the lovely lady a prize!" Jane said with a grin, sitting on the edge of Maura's desk.
"That is certainly an interesting bit of information," Maura allowed.
"It certainly is. There's more," Jane said enthusiastically, making Maura smile; Jane's recent funk seemed to be over.
"Do tell," Maura said with interest.
"I shall," Jane answered primly. "His only remaining relatives are his brother Richard and sister Gwyneth who are, interestingly, the beneficiaries."
"Hmm. They came in yesterday to identify the body," Maura said thoughtfully. "They both seemed quite upset."
"I'm sure they were," Jane said with a thin smile. "Seems our investigation is interesting the insurance company; they've placed a hold on a payout until the cause has been determined. So how's the forensics on the projectile?"
"The blood found matches the victim and the shape matches the indentation. It is the object that hit Mr. Johnston," she said confidently. "Though I am not familiar with the projectile's origin," she added with a frown.
"Ah," Jane said with a satisfied smile. "Well, it seems that this is a specially made martial arts weapon used in martial arts tournaments," Jane said and saw Maura's face cringe in confusion.
"Why would anyone compete with a throwing weap…?"
"Illegal tournaments - like the Fight Club," Jane explained.
"Fight club?"
"An underground fight with no rules that people gamble on?" she explained.
"They fight in . . . mines?" Maura said in confusion.
"Maura! Fight Club is…."
"Whoa, Rizzoli! What's the first rule of Fight Club?" the Lieutenant said, joining them in Maura's office.
"Don't talk about Fight Club," Jane replied solemnly, completely confusing Maura.
"Why on Earth not?!" Maura said with irritation, looking between the amused women.
The Lieutenant motioned to Jane to have her explain.
"We were quoting the movie lines from the movie Fight Club."
"I see," Maura said flatly, clearly unimpressed, which made the women more amused.
"Ok Rizzoli, how would you like to visit the brother with me?" the Lieutenant said, looking at her expectantly.
"No Frost?" Jane asked curiously, wondering why the Lieutenant wanted to do an interview with her. Was it that she still didn't trust her? Jane wondered with niggling irritation.
"He'll be with Korsak, visiting the sister."
"OK?" Jane said uncertainly, seeing the Lieutenant nod and walk out. Jane frowned slightly.
"I'll meet you at my car in fifteen," the Lieutenant said, pausing at the door. "Very nice outfit, by the way, Dr. Isles," she said with a warm smile and walked out.
"Thank you," Maura called out with a smile.
Jane glanced over Maura's outfit. Of course the outfit was very nice; it was always very nice. When her eyes lifted up, pausing at Maura's chest, her friend spoke, jarring her out of her appreciation of her . . . outfit.
"Seems you two are getting along better," Maura said happily, looking where the Lieutenant left with a warm smile.
"Yeah, I guess. Something is still . . . ," Jane said before pausing and shaking her head.
"Still…?" Maura prompted curiously.
"Off," she said, shrugging, not wanting to get into it any further, suspecting she would end up annoying Maura . . . again.
"How so?" Maura really wanted to help Jane through her difficulties with her boss, who seemed so much like Jane that she was honestly surprised the two had not hit it off.
"Uh, I'm not sure," she said honestly but quickly added "I've gotta go. Don't need to annoy her by being late," Jane said wearily.
"Don't worry, Jane. I am sure things will work out well between you," Maura said with a confident smile. Jane had an ability to make people comfortable that she had always admired.
Jane was warmed by Maura's tireless support. "I'll see you later. Oh, and I love your dress," she offered, glancing over her outfit once more with a smile, surprising Maura, who silently watched Jane quickly leave to meet her boss.
Maura's fingers absently trailed down the seam of her plunging neckline as a pleased smile formed.
TBC...
