Again the response to this story has been beyond what I could ever imagined to thank you to all of you.
Disclaimer- belongs to TNT, Tess Gerritsen and Janet Tamaro... not me *sniff*
Happy reading guys!
"Mommy can we watch 'toons?"
"No honey. No TV at dinner time, you know that."
She followed the little girl as she sighed and hoisted herself up onto one of the chairs. She set two plates down, one in front of Holly and the other opposite her. Sitting down she was met by eyes that mirrored her own.
"Why not Momma?"
Maura was surprisingly taken aback by the little girl's question. Why does she always insist they eat together? Her mind was drawn back to lonely night after lonely night of sitting at tables by herself. How do you explain that to a three year old? She reached to cut up the meat on Holly's plate and, when she was finished, cleared her throat.
"Holly, you know sometimes Mommy has to stay late at work and Annikah has to put you to bed?" she saw the little girl nod and begin to tuck into her food.
"How does that make you feel baby?"
Holly chewed over her food and looked across at her mother, "Sad."
"Why does it make you sad?"
"Cause you's not there."
"Right. So you know that Mommy's Mommy and Daddy have to go all the way around the world for work, not just stay the night like I have to sometimes."
She knew that her tone was serious, but was still a little shocked when bright eyes looked straight in to hers, waiting for her to continue. Maura never did stop getting surprised by her.
"That meant that lots of nights Mommy had to go to bed with no one. How do you think that made me feel?"
Unblinking and with such conviction Holly said back, "Sad."
"So now I want to spend as much time with you so I don't get sad again." Maura's face was soft and smiling but Holly's expression remained straight.
"I'm sorry Momma."
Maura reached to wipe away the tear that had crept its way along her cheek. "You don't have to apologise sweet girl, because thanks to you, I'm not sad anymore."
With that an ear to ear smile formed on the child's face and she began to babble on about the day's events, the previous conversation easily forgotten.
Jane clicked her neck from side to side. It had been a long day, and she had a feeling it was going to get even longer.
At least they had a name for the bruised and beaten man down on the slab in the morgue, thanks to Frost running the reconstructed photo. Michael Fisher. 22 years old, it had been his birthday last week. He'd been arrested five times for drunken disorderly conduct, but Jane couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He'd been bounced around the foster care system. No parents... no one to come and pick him up. To Jane the least they could do is find the SOB that had done this.
Whilst Jane was focused on the case, something else was also capturing her attention, toned calves, soft curves and sweet smelling golden hair. Crap, now is not the time to be worried about a school girl crush. Crush? Damn! Crush is more than just thinking she's hot.
"Rizzoli you've gotta come take a look at this." Korask cut through her thoughts and she jumped up faster than a bullet, grateful for the distraction.
"I put the MO through the Boston crime database and I got three other hits."
"Oh wow Korsak you might be onto something! Look there" she pointed at the screen, "They're all within a five mile radius of where we found our vic, and they all have practically the same TOD's that's not a coincidence. This has got to be the same guy!"
"All three murders happened around four months ago. Isn't that a long time for one guy to stop killing?"
"Yeah but it's not unheard of, there was just something preventing him from doing it. Why didn't anyone link these cases before?"
"Look at the victim types Rizzoli, they're nobodies, drug addicts, prostitutes, no one misses them."
"Yeah well they all belong to someone."
Their discussion was cut short by the sound of approaching footsteps and the appearance of a well-known face.
"Detectives, I have the results from the navy blue fibre Dr Isles found between the victim's teeth. It's a blend of rayon, cotton and polyester."
Two blank faces stared back at her, suddenly feeling self conscious she stumbled over her words, "It's... uh... commonly used in... uh... strong clothing items... such as uniforms."
Jane tried to smile her biggest grin, "Thanks so much Susie." But the criminologist was already walking away.
"Well that should narrow it down, how many companies use navy blue uniforms?"
"Uh, Jane?" Korsak spoke in a hushed tone which caught Jane off guard.
"Why are we whispering?"
"Look around Rizzoli." Jane turned in her chair and caught a glimpse at the number of uniformed officers near the coffee pot.
"Oh God! This guys a cop! Christ that's all we need!"
"Keep your voice down Jane."
"I'm gonna call in Dr Isles, see if she can confirm that these cases are linked."
"Not a good idea Rizzoli, cops find out, cops talk. You know that."
"Then what do you suggest I do then old man? Beam them across using my telekinetic powers?"
The sergeant chuckled, "Don't old man me. You could always do it the old-fashioned way."
"No offense Korsak but we need to know now, this psycho's probably already planning his next attack so I don't think a letter is going to be quick enough."
"No Jane, how about you pay her a visit?"
"What! No! I can't do that I barely know the woman! I can't just barge in at nine 'o' clock at night when I'I've not been invited!"
Korsak batted his eyelashes and wiggled his eyebrows and said, "You know her well enough to call her Maura."
Jane just punched his arm and growled, "No means no."
Holly had been fed, bathed and put to bed. She had only demanded one story tonight so Maura was rewarding herself with a glass of red wine. As she was about to take her first sip she heard a knock at her door. Walking over all sorts of horrible scenarios started running through her head, until she opened it, and on the other side stood a rather dishevelled looking Jane.
"Sorry doc, I know it's late but we really need your help on something."
Still a little shocked by the unexplained arrival Maura took a moment to gather her thoughts, "Of course detective, please come in." She gestured to her living room and Jane walked inside.
"Nice place Maura." Jane surveyed the room the way she'd looked over Maura's office earlier in the day. Everything had its place, and expensive looking artwork adorned the walls. For some reason Jane liked it though, despite how different it was to her own apartment. She convinced herself that this was to do with all the valuable furniture that Maura had in there, rather than the fact that it all reminded her of the doctor herself.
"Please, take a seat."
They both sat on Maura's sofa, a little closer than what most colleagues would, but still, neither moved.
"I've got some old autopsies that we want to know if you think that the same guy killed them and the victim we found today." she handed Maura the three folders.
"Of course I can, would you like to stay?" Maura flinched at how quickly she said that, thinking that she sounded desperate. "I mean it won't take long to look over these."
"Thanks Maur I appreciate it." Jane smiled warmly, however her smile was outshone by the one plastered across Maura's face because of the nickname.
Her face fell though as she began to read over the files and she subconsciously ran her hands over her jawline, "Did you find out the name of the young man we found earlier Jane?" she looked up at the detective who saw something in her eyes that made her heart melt a little.
"Yes. Yes we did, Michael Fisher."
"And his parents, did you find them?"
"No, no parents that we know of."
Maura sighed, it was then that Jane saw the grief on her face, she reached out and placed a hand on her knee. Hazel eyes lifted to meet Jane's brown ones as Maura said quietly, "Everybody is somebody's child."
As Jane went to respond, her attention was drawn away from Maura to a little voice at the bottom of the stairs, "Mommy?"