Part 4

"He did this…I'm telling you Korsak" Jane was sat on the edge of her desk – frustration an understatement. Her arms were folded over her chest, her back rigid.

"Look you don't have to convince me… but we need the evidence. We have nothing – and the interview with the husband didn't exactly nail this."

"His alibi is bogus. I'm not denying he is sleeping with the secretary but he sure as hell wasn't with her last night. I showed him pictures of his wife, her face caved in and see how he reacts. He shrugged his god damn shoulders!"

"Jane… we need evidence." Vince looked up from his computer, over the top of his glasses. "Why don't you go down and see if Maura has anything"

"I just called her… she's still working on the reports. There is a back log down there…could be a couple of days till we get everything through" Jane pushed her hand through her hair, drawing it back from her face. "… hopefully she will find something that can help us."

"Well – I will go speak with the Captain and let him know the good news" Vince stood from his desk – "I'm sure he has people he needs to update"

Jane just nodded. "Well – until then I'm going to have some uniforms keep tabs on the husband – make sure he doesn't go missing."

"Jane" Vince warned, "By the book…"

"Yeah, yeah… by the book" Jane reached for her phone from her pocket, "I'm putting in a call and then going to head out for a bite to eat – back later"

"Double cheese burger and fries – for you" The plate was placed in front of the detective.

"Thanks Mike" Jane wasted no time in digging into the fries.

"And…pasta for yourself" he placed the second plate in front of Maura.

"Thank you"

"Enjoy you two." Mike walked away from the table leaving the two of them together.

"Thank god for this place" Jane lifted the burger to take a large bite. Chewing at speed she then continued to speak "Makes a bad case bearable"

"A salad wouldn't harm once in while Jane" Maura commented as she looked at the greasy burger in front of the brunette. "And… a run…"

"Are you saying I'm fat?" Jane barked as she lifted the burger and took a bite.

Maura shook her head, "No you're defiantly not fat. You don't eat enough to be fat… you need food in your fridge to make you fat!" Maura took a bite of her own lunch, then continued, "The runs… they result in the release of chemicals that would raise your mood."

"Ok you sound like my mother…enough!"

"I'm just saying… a happy Jane is a more bearable Jane to be around!" Maura smirked over the table.

"A happy Jane is one who gets to eat a burger without being lectured. Plus… you said I can get them happy chemicals in a much more exciting way… that would usually involve me at least getting a nice meal before" Jane winked.

"Well if you fancy a nice meal… I can assist. What do you say… tomorrow night… we can celebrate our first day been on annual leave before this wedding madness begins."

"I never say no to a decent meal! It's a date" Jane agreed "I'm going do my best to sort out the case files for the hand over this afternoon and then I can at least enjoy my time off. A good week or so without thinking about work is what I need… I think"

Maura nodded "Yes … it will do you some good."

"You know what would do me some good… getting the case from this morning moving forward. Please tell me you're going to have something for me by this afternoon"

I'm just waiting on the results coming through… someone above my pay grade pushed the case through as a priority. I'm not sure why this is getting so much attention from the mayor's office but…it is…"

"I just need the evidence to prove he did this… that bastard sat smirking across the table in the interview earlier. I'm telling you it's him!"

Maura could feel the anger levels raise from Jane's side of the table, "Listen…as soon as I get them …you get them"

"Thank you" Looking over Maura's shoulder Jane noticed the door to the bar open and her younger brother walking in. With a groan she rolled her eyes, "Oh god…here we go"

"I knew I'd find you here…"

Jane didn't respond but Maura did turn "Afternoon Frankie" she moved up in her side of the booth so he could take a seat next to her. "Take a seat"

He did." Afternoon Maura…"

"Do you care to join us for a bite to eat" Maura continued to be welcoming.

"He doesn't" Jane answered for him, "I'm not in the mood right now Fankie"

"I gathered that considering you haven't responded to one of my many texts this morning. We said we'd talk … we need to talk"

"We never said anything. You said we'd talk" Jane corrected.

"Look… we need that chat about what the hell you're playing at"

"Frankie" Jane warned, "If you utter a god damn word about Rachel I'm likely to give you a black eye just before your wedding. I'm still not over the way your burst into my kitchen yesterday…."

The mention of Rachel had drawn Maura's interest.

"I know somethings going on between you two…"

"She is a grown woman Frankie…and so am I. Whatever happens…or doesn't happen between the two of us is nothing to do with you"

"She's married!"

"Leave me Frankie" Jane warned, "I don't need this right now"

"I don't need this ever…" he responded back, "I'm marrying her sister. I don't need a life time of awkward family gathering because you couldn't keep it in your pants"

"Jesus Christ… I just wanted to eat a damn burger... between you and my personal trainer here I'm about ready to go back to work…" She pushed her plate away from her and turned to her brother, "I'm sure you have more to worry about with your wedding coming up next week than who I am or am not sleeping with!"

"I'm just worried about the guy's big mouths after a few drinks and Rachel's husband hearing all about your night out together at the wedding!"

"Ok… not that it has anything to do with you… we went out… I got talking about my life or pathetic excuse of a life, she got talking about hers… she made me laugh… she made me feel like a normal god damn person not a fucking tragic mess…we had a good night. That's all you need to know. The guys see me with any girl around this place and start chatting… you know that… they need to worry about their wives and less about who I'm taking home" Jane was officially off her food, "You know what…I got a lot of work to do… I'm heading off. Sorry Maura." It was more than clear Jane was infuriated, she took enough cash from her jean pocket and through it down on the table in front of her, "Worry about your wedding…and not about me…got it!" she directed this at Frankie now.

Standing from the booth she began to walk away, but something stopped her, she turned and walked back to the table, "By the way…if you ever walk into my house again and talk to me the way you did yesterday we are going to have very big problems. I'm just about managing to wake up in the morning and lead a normal life… how I manage to get through my days is down to me. I don't need you monitoring what I do" with that said she didn't give Frankie the chance to respond, she turned her back and left the bar.

Jane had gone back to the station briefly after the exchange between Frankie and herself at the bar – she finished up the handover within the hour, her mind racing. She felt as if the walls of the station were closing in on her and she knew she needed out. Cleaning it with Korsak she arranged for her annual leave started a few hours earlier than agreed.

Now she was sat on her drive way, in the front seat of her car, her hands were squeezing tightly on the steering wheel – her knuckles white. She felt a cold sweat settling on the back of her neck and down her back. "Jesus Christ" she muttered. Looking to the passenger seat there was a bottle of vodka she'd just picked up from the store, she then looked at the missed calls on her mobile – Frankie and Maura. Both had left messages also. Jane didn't care.

Taking the bottle and phone from the seat she opened her car door and stepped out. She was home.