Long Way Around
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use.
Jane stood outside Agent Dean's hospital room and thought about what he told her about the FBI operation against Doyle. With Patrick Doyle in the hospital, the FBI was probably moving against the rest of his crew now. Other mob families would be trying to quickly fill the void left by Doyle. That meant everyone connected to Doyle was in danger as other families sought to consolidate power. She needed to see Maura.
Jane went two floors down to Constance Isle's room and knocked softly on the door. She heard someone say "Come in." Inside she found Constance alone.
"Hi Mrs. Isles, how are you feeling?" Jane asked.
"Please call me Constance, Jane. Considering I was hit by a car, I think I'm doing okay. How are you though? Maura told me what happened at the warehouse."
Jane took Maura's seat by the bed and said, "She did?" Jane asked surprised.
"Well, I don't think she gave me all the details. She did tell me Patrick was shot. She left a little while ago to talk to the FBI."
"So you know Patrick Doyle?" Jane asked.
"Yes, I do. I realize that must be somewhat confusing, but I know him quite well," Constance answered.
"I mean you know what he...does for a living?"
"Yes, but that has never been important for my relationship with Patrick. I have Maura because of him and that is all that has ever mattered to me," Constance said resolutely.
Jane sighed. "He's at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted list. The FBI Agent who was in the warehouse with us betrayed my trust. He shot Doyle. But when Doyle returned fire and shot the agent, I shot him. I shot Patrick and I don't know if Maura will ever forgive me for that."
Jane paused to gather herself, running her hands through her hair. She sat forward on the edge of her chair and looking directly in Constance's eyes said, "But that isn't the most important thing right now. Maura is in danger. The FBI knows about her connection to Doyle so that means anyone could. Doyle's enemies will be trying to take control of his operations right now and anyone connected to him is a target. That means both of you need protection. If Maura won't listen to me about her safety you have to make her listen to you."
"I'll listen," a voice said from behind Jane.
Jane stood and turned around. "Maura? Are you okay? What did the FBI want?"
Maura waved her off. "I'm fine. I'm not sure what exactly the FBI wanted other than to harass me. I refused to talk to them, just like you always told me. I am still absolutely furious with you but I agree that it is time to take every precaution. My mother will probably need to be here a few more days."
"I'll get uniforms stationed here outside her room and I want around the clock protection on you. I can get Frankie if that makes you more comfortable."
Maura nodded and said, "Okay."
"Um, can I talk to you in private for a second?" Jane asked.
"Fine," Maura said and they both stepped outside the room.
In a low voice Jane said, "Dean lied to me and the reason he was in Boston was Doyle. He followed Doyle to the warehouse. It wasn't my fault."
"I know. The FBI told me they've had surveillance on him for awhile. They were trying to question me about my meetings with him. But you still shot him, Jane, when there was no reason to."
"He shot an FBI agent. He's a dangerous criminal, Maura," Jane hissed.
"And he's my father," Maura said with the same flash of anger she showed at the warehouse. After a pause she said more softly, "As far as I know he's the only connection I have to my birth mother. If you took that away..." Maura trailed off as the tears started to fall.
"Maura," Jane said as she reached out for Maura's arm.
"No, don't," Maura said, crossing her arms and turning away from Jane.
"I'll send Frankie over right now. Please call me if you need anything or if anything sketchy happens. Okay?"
Maura wouldn't look at Jane but she nodded and Jane left.
Jane went outside to the cruiser she had haphazardly and illegally parked on the street half a block from the hospital and turned her phone on. She had eleven messages from Lieutenant Cavanaugh and about a million from her mother. First she called Frankie to fill him in and he easily agreed to stay with Maura.
Then Jane drove to the station where she was met by Cavanaugh as soon as she stepped into the bullpen. "Patrick Doyle just died. The gunshot wounds weren't fatal but he sustained massive internal injuries and bleeding from the fall and the doctors were unable to save him."
Jane suddenly felt dizzy and grabbed a chair to sit in. "Fuck," she muttered.
"This is good. You helped bring down a mob boss," Cavanaugh said, confused about Jane's demeanor.
"I wasn't trying to kill him. And Maura is going to be devastated."
"Well, it's better this way. If he went to trial, Maura's connection to him was bound to become public knowledge. This is better for her."
"Don't ever say that to her. It seems that in the past 24 hours she's had a change of heart about dear old dad. But look," Jane continued, snapping back to the immediate issues, "the FBI knows that he's her father and we don't know who else knows, so she's not safe from Doyle's enemies right now. I assigned Frankie to stay at her side at all times. We need to station a uniform outside her mother's room at the hospital until she can go home."
Cavanaugh agreed. "Right, I'll get on that. The FBI has arrested at least ten of Doyle's lieutenants since he was shot."
"Which means all the other crime families are re-positioning themselves and shit is about to get ugly."
Jane started to leave and Cavanaugh said, "Where are you going now? Do you know how many people are looking to talk to you? The FBI, IAD, the Chief of Police's office, the press."
Jane shrugged, "I have some things to take care of."
Jane left the station and went to Maura's house to find her own mother. As soon as she entered the guest house Angela started in on her. "Jane, why didn't you answer your phone. I saw the news about Patrick Doyle and the shooting. Why are you always involved in these crazy shootings?"
Jane put her hands on Angela's shoulders to make sure she had her full attention. "Ma, I need you to focus for a second. Patrick Doyle's enemies may come after Maura. Frankie is with her, but I don't know if it is safe to be at her house. I want you to pack some stuff and I'm going to take you to my place to stay until things calm down. Do you understand?"
Angela stared at Jane's face. "You're being serious?"
"Yes. Go pack."
While Jane waited for Angela to be ready, her phone rang with a number she didn't recognize. She answered, "Rizzoli."
"Jane, it's Constance. Patrick died."
"I know, I just heard. How's Maura?"
"She's very upset. She's gone to see if she can see him before his body is taken away. Your brother is with her."
"She's never going to forgive me," Jane said, her voice noticeably cracking.
"She will, you just have to give her time. But there is something you need to do for her. You have to find her birth mother. She won't let on how important it is to her and she won't ask for help, but she wants to know who she is."
Jane listened as Constance recounted all of the information she knew about Maura's birth mother. They hung up promising to talk again the next day.
Frankie took Maura downstairs to Doyle's operating room and watched her browbeat the FBI agents standing guard until they let her in to the room. Patrick Doyle was lying on the operating table with his whole body covered in sheets except for his face. Frankie checked out the room and stepped just outside the door to let Maura have some privacy and gave the FBI agents standing around the corridor his best Rizzoli glare.
Frankie listened to the sound of Maura crying for what seemed like forever but was probably fifteen minutes. After another good five minutes of silence, Maura opened the door behind Frankie. She kept her head held high, despite the obvious puffiness and redness around her eyes, as she strode through the crowd of FBI agents. Frankie glared once more at them and followed her back to her mother's room.