Chapter Four
Present day - Boston
She had arrived in Boston little more than six months ago. She set up house in Beacon Hill and settled into her new job: Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth. She was proud of that title; it meant a lot. All the years of hard work had paid off and now she was at the pinnacle of her career. And all before she had hit 45!
She had literally been in the job for a week when she had run into Detective Jane Rizzoli, who was undercover as a hooker. It had been an embarrassing first meeting. Jane, however, had found it all rather amusing and invited her to the Dirty Robber for drinks. Two weeks later and they were celebrating the resolution of their first big case together. Dr Maura Isles had been introduced to beer! Several bottles later and both women were leaning on each other for support, something they had found was a natural and frequent occurrence lately.
When Maura had stumbled and fallen against Jane, she had laughed, but then as she looked up and caught sight of the way the detective was looking at her, her laughter stilled. When Jane leant in to kiss her, there was no option but to return the embrace.
It had been so long since anyone worthwhile had spent the night in her bed. It was a lifetime away from Ian; another world in fact. Africa seemed so far away now. There had been lovers, women mainly, that she had enjoyed dates with and on occasion, she had spent the night with them, always at their place. She would never bring them back to her home. Not anymore.
But when Jane Rizzoli went down on her in the bathroom of the Dirty Robber five months after that first night, she had realised something spectacular: she was falling in love.
The countdown had begun a week ago. She had tried several times to sit Jane down and explain, but there had always been one thing or another that just got in the way. Today was no different.
They had been lying in bed together, naked as usual, when the call came in. Jane's phone rang first and then Maura's. They answered with their usual "Rizzoli," "Isles."
"God, can we not just enjoy one entire weekend in bed, naked together?" Jane groaned as she tossed her phone to the side and rolled into Maura, her arm instantly snaking around her waist to pull her in close. Her lips pressed gently against the flesh of Maura's shoulder.
"I don't disagree; however, duty calls."
Jane groaned some more as Maura pulled away and climbed naked from the bed. Looking back over her shoulder, she grinned at the dark-haired detective's pouting. "Come on, if we're quick, we can shower together."
~R&I~
The crime scene was a family home. Nothing more interesting than a suburban household with neighbours either side, on a street like any other street. Only this house was home to something grisly. It was a home where once upon a time a mother came through the door and found three smiling faces staring up at her, but not tonight; tonight the three smiling faces lay like sleeping children, each of them in their nightwear. All of them lay side by side. Their mother was sprawled out across the floor in front of them, her right hand stretched out as though it were reaching for them.
Tears sprang to Maura's eyes as she was reminded instantly of the four little girls that had belonged to Sarah Gregson. "Hey, Maura, you okay?" Jane asked, discretion at the fore as she gently guided Maura to the side by the elbow.
"Oh, yes… its just…" She looked into Jane's big brown eyes and found compassion looking back at her. "Jane, we need to talk," she said firmly.
"Alright." Jane arched a brow, wary of where this would take them. The 'we need to talk' routine usually meant the end. But she didn't feel that way about Maura Isles, not the way Maura was looking at her right now. "Let's get this done and we can do just that."
Maura nodded. "Yes, I'd like that."
~R&I~
The morgue was bustling as everybody came together to work towards finding the killer of the Cruises. Mateo, Diego and Liliana had all died alongside their mother Graciela, horrible, violent deaths, and Maura Isles seethed as she silently performed each autopsy. Whoever did this needed to pay, and she would make sure they did, with the evidence. And if that wasn't enough, well they would pay.
It was late by the time she had finished. Jane had texted earlier to let her know that the team would be working through as they followed the leads. So far, everything was pointing towards the husband. He had warrants out for him already for various crimes, including one for assault on his wife.
Maura held her anger in check. Looking at her wrist, she noted that the time was just gone 11 p.m., which meant it was still only 8p.m. in California. She sat down at her desk and hit the Skype button on her iPad and waited as it rang through. She grinned at the blonde who answered. "Hello darling, I miss you."