Chapter Six

They cleaned up the mess. Maura leaned over Jane, lightly trailing her fingers over the back of her neck. Jane shivered with desire. The woman knew Jane's every weak spot.

"Why, Maura, are you looking for some of those good endorphins?"

"As it happens, yes, I am. And you?"

"Oh, I could use some of those excellent endorphins. Shall we?"

So they retired to the bedroom.

Frankie's prediction came back to bite them. Jane and Maura found themselves in Cavenaugh's office, facing both Jane's boss and the Assistant Coroner. Neither looked happy.

"Rizzoli, did I not tell you to stay out of this Fortier affair?"

Jane hung her head. "Yes, you did, sir."

The Assistant Coroner was a short man, losing both his hair and his patience.

He glared at Maura.

"Isles. What the hell did you think you were doing? You hired a private detective! My God, that shows a lot of confidence in the department. What do you think the prosecuting attorney will do

with that? I can see it now, 'The daughter of crime boss Paddy Doyle hired a private detective to

help a murderer!' That's it. You touch nothing–nothing to do with this case. Anyone named Doyle is also to stay out. Got it?"

Jane glanced at her partner to check her eyes. Maura would go one of two ways. Her eyes were filled with tears–fortunately. Jane reached over and held Maura's hand. Her other hand dug in her pocket for a tissue. That she handed to Maura. Jane waited.

"I know it was wrong. But I've known Dr. Fortier for ten years. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I just wanted to help her. And, I can't help who my father was. He didn't raise me."

The Assistant Coroner looked extremely uncomfortable. Maybe he was one of those men who hated to see women cry. Jane concentrated on shutting up.

"Rizzoli, I'm done yelling at you. Get out."

Jane was feeling panicked. Leaving Maura alone could lead to real trouble. She looked back and forth between the Assistant Coroner and her partner. Luckily, her boss was not a stupid man.

"On second thought, you can stay and do the supportive thing."

Jane felt her entire body relax.

"Isles. I know you care about every body that comes it. Have you read the report on what your friend did–alright, allegedly did? Here, read this."

He handed Maura a file. Jane felt Maura's hand leave hers to read and turn pages. Jane couldn't resist the temptation to peek at the file. It was sickening. A deaf, homeless man had been bludgeoned and stabbed with a fallen elm branch. The chart showed multiple stabs. The crime scene photos were sickening. Jane felt acid in her stomach. Maura was shaking. She put the file down and gave it back.

"It's terrible. I had a suspicion, but she's mentally ill. I had hoped...that she had come across a body and maybe tried CPR. Honey, you remember we did CPR together at that free clinic.

The science is not on her side." The tears were falling again. "May I at least hire a lawyer for her?"

"I don't recommend it. You could do it anonymously. Just avoid the Doyle name." His tone was suddenly kindly.

"I'll do that. And I'll let the private detective go. I'm sorry I interfered. Sometimes I emote rather than think."

"I'm aware of your disability, so ..." He kind of grimaced. "No matter what I say at this point, I'm going to get myself in trouble, aren't I."

Jane smiled. "Yep. Even I know that, and I've skipped out on all those classes."

Cavenaugh gave Jane a pointed look."Yes, you have, which will be remedied. Soon."

Jane was proud of this deflection. She mentally patted herself on the back.

They emerged rebuked, but safe. The guys gave them a quizzical look, while Jane gave them a thumbs up.

Jane found herself doing forensic bookkeeping with Frost. She had always avoided it, thinking she would be bored, but it was fun.

"Gotya, you little bastard!", she crowed.

"Pipe down Rizzoli. I'm trying to work over here."

" Sorry, but this perp had twenty shell corporations, and I finally found the real one. Gotcha, gotcha, and now I'm gonna bust you.."

"God, Rizzoli. Shut up, will ya."

"Cranky Frost? Not getting any?", asked Korsak.

Frost retaliated by sticking headphones over his ears.

Jane was having fun. She loved following the trails of false information to see how the perps had hidden their money. She could do this all day, and the plus was nobody was shooting at her. The more she played with the records, the more Frost glowered. It finally entered Jane's head...''

"Oh God, he's pissed because he's our official expert on this. Better fake a question..", she thought." But this is way easy. He'll know and be even madder."

The solution arrived in the form of Angela. She went straight to Jane's desk, peering at the computer screen.

"What are you doing?"

Jane knew very well that her mother was actually there to pressure her to propose to Maura.

Her mother was an open book. "So help me, if she mentions the word grandchild..." Jane thought.

"I'm finding ways people cheat with their financial records."

"But there are so many numbers, and what's that?"

Jane knew very well it was a metes and bounds land description, and could draw it in her sleep.

She faked a puzzled look. "Ask Frost. He's our resident expert."

Angles walked over to Frost, tapped him on the shoulder, and asked him to explain the description

He leaned over Jane's computer, while Angela pointed out the part she couldn't understand.

Frost grinned. "This is a description of some property. If you follow the description, it shows each side, and, what do you know, only three sides. These fools are trying to sell a crooked line. You got some real jerks there, Rizzoli. Have fun with it."

Jane noticed his mood shift right off. Her good deed for the day.

"That's very interesting. So, speaking of buying things, when are you going to get an engagement ring for Maura?"

Jane's hands stiffened on the keyboard. She waited for part two.

"I'd really like to have some grandchildren before it's too late, and since you're the only one of my children involved with anyone, it's really up to you, Janie."

"Janie" gritted her teeth. "I'll get to it, Ma. Give some time, please. I'm not sure if she wants to get married right now. Okay? Besides, she's worried about her friend going on trial."

"Oh, I know. I remember her. It's so sad that someone like that, so intelligent, would just lose her mind. When is her trial?"

"Next week. So, don't bug me about proposing. Not until it's over."

Angela looked miffed, but finally she left. Jane went back to her work. Sure enough, the family had sent up a cloud of Quit Claim Deeds and slipped the faulty legal description in the middle of them. Jane almost laughed at their nerve. But she knew it might piss off Frost again. After a second, she noticed someone standing behind her chair, which she hated unless it was Maura.

Jane whirled around, ready to confront...Oh Korsak.

"Sheesh. What?"

"You're good at that."

"Well, keep it quiet, I just got Frost back on my side."

"So, Jane, when are you gonna pop the question?"

"Since when is it everybody's business?"

"I know you want to. I've been there often enough. So what's stopping you.?"

"I've tried, but the words won't come out. I mean, what if she doesn't want to?"

"Hey, who wouldn't want to marry you, Rizzoli?"

"I have a whole list, lemme tell ya.. Maybe after this trial. The whole thing is such a mess."

Korsak. considered. "You might want to wait even later. She drew one of those prosecutors

who think mental illness is all faked."

Jane's spirits sunk. "Oh god...whatever...I was hoping they'd put her up in some nice hospital

for the rest of her life. Don't let anyone tell Maura. Please."