"So what do you all feel like eating?" Cricket looked from Jane to Maura, smirking as she spoke.

Quick to cut off any unnecessary confrontations, Maura swiftly asked, "What do you suggest? I don't come to Dallas very often, and Jane has never been here. We would appreciate a local person's take on the cuisine."

"Well, if you like BBQ, Sonny Bryan's isn't too far. It's just off of Inwood," Sharon offered with a smile, glad to be helpful. "Or, if you want to try some Tex-Mex, Chuy's is really good. It's on McKinney Avenue. Oh! Jake's Burgers is on McKinney, too. They've got the best burgers in Dallas. For Italian, Maggiano's is great, but they're a little far out; they're in Plano, and I don't know if we really want to drive that far out. But, if we don't mind the drive, we could also go to Babe's in Frisco. They have the best fried chicken around. Of course, nothing is as good as homemade," she finished with a definitive nod of her head.

"Okay," Jane said with a glance of disbelief to Maura, "What about some place where everyone can get what they want?"

Heather shrugged. "Bread Winners? They're just off McKinney, and, if we hurry, we can get there before the crowd."

"Sound great." Jane wrapped her hand around Maura's elbow, escorting her to Gigi's car. "Let's go."

The other women stood, watching the two walk away.

Cricket frowned. "Awfully handsy with each other, aren't they?"

"Yes, very friendly with each other. The Lord has things to say about being that kind of friendly with your neighbor," Carlene said, eyes narrowing as she watch Jane and Maura walk away.

"Mmmhmm," Cricket answered with snark, "Something about not lying down with the same…"

"How's Blake, Cricket?" Amanda asked, a gentle smile rolling across her features. "I hear he's found himself a new ranch hand."

"He's fine," the brunette snapped back, spine going straight. "Let's go before we all start smelling like a pack of mules. It's too hot out here to just stand around."


"What a charming place," Maura said as they all took a seat. "The outdoor patio theme set inside is very creative in this instance. If the food is as lovely, I must remember to bring Mother here the next time we're both in town."

"Yeah, it's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be," Jane opened the menu and perused her lunch choices. "Hey, Maura, you want to split something?"

"Actually, yes," Maura set her menu down and scooted closer to Jane so they could look together. "What do you have in mind?"


As the two spoke about their lunch, Carlene leaned over to whisper to the rest of the group, "Gigi, was there something you weren't telling us about your guests?"

"Not on purpose," Gigi answered, frowning at the two hidden behind the menu. "Constance told me Maura would be more than capable of representing the foundation. She didn't say anything about her friend."

"I just don't think that we who are representing charity in the name of our Lord should be doing so with those kinds of people." Carlene glowered harder at the back of the menu. "We must show them the error of their ways. It's the only good, Christian thing to do."

"Don't you all think you're out of line here?" Amanda whispered, lowering her head as she spoke. "Who cares what might or might not be going on between them behind closed doors? We don't know anything about these women. All we know is they've taken time to come down here and help us. We don't even know what they do for a living."

"That's a good point," Heather said, trying to back her friend. Raising her voice, she said, "You two know what you want?"

"Yes, I believe so," Maura nodded as she set the menu down.

"Great, I think we're all set." Heather motioned for the waiter, who came over to take orders. Once everyone's was taken and the waiter left, she began again. "So, what do you two do, anyway?"

Jane looked to Maura, who gave a slight nod yes. "Well, I'm a Homicide Detective," she said, sitting straighter in her chair, "And Maura is the Chief Medical Examiner. She's a doctor."

"Chief Medical Examiner?" Carlene was clearly confused. "What do you do?"

"It means, Carlene," Cricket deadpanned, "That she cuts up dead people for a living."

Shock and horror ran over the petite blonde's face. "Oh, that's just… that's just…"

"Factual," Maura offered. "I examine the remains of the victims so that Jane and her team may find those that did harm to that victim. I speak for the dead. Someone must."

"That sounds like a very noble thing to do, Doctor Isles," Amanda commented as she glanced around the table. "Sounds like both of you have noble professions. I take it you work with Detective Rizzoli a lot?"

"Every day. I couldn't do what I do without Maura." Jane glanced to the woman on her left and smiled. "She's the best in her field. Boston PD is lucky to have her."

"And Jane as well," the doctor blushed, glancing down to the table before looking back at the other women. "She was the youngest person to ever become a homicide detective in Boston, the first female detective, and she apprehended the notorious serial killer Charles Hoyt, also known as The Surgeon, twice."

"Twice?" Cricket's eyebrow rose. "You let him escape?"

"No, I didn't let him escape," Jane shot back, her hands visibly clenching and unclenching atop the table where they rested. "The FBI let him escape."

"Well, I certainly hope it doesn't happen again!" Sharon said around a mouthful of bread. "He sounds dangerous if he could escape the FBI."

"It won't happen again," Jane assured her, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms in front of her.

"How can you be sure? If the FBI let him escape once, it could happen again." Cricket's eyes widened just a smidge as if to say, 'Don't you think?'

"Well, he's got to be on death row, right?" Gigi asked, voice cracking through the room. "That's one of the things I like about Massachusetts. They're not afraid to fry people who deserve it."

Amanda scoffed. "Oh my Lord, Mother."

"Amanda, please don't use the Lord's name in vain," Carlene reminded in a sing-song manner.

"It won't happen again because he's dead," Jane said as she took in a deep breath.

"See? The system works. Serial killers get what's coming to them." Gigi nodded. "That's how it should be. An eye for an eye, right Carlene."

The petite blonde nodded. "Well, the Bible does say that, and it can't be wrong if the Big Man Upstairs says it's so. The Justice System is only carrying out the work of our Lord."

"Yeah, the Justice System," Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm going to little girls' room. Excuse me." Without another word, the detective left the table.

Maura watched her walk away, unsure of what to do. "You'll have to excuse Jane," she offered to the expectant looks she was receiving before she, too, stood. "Charles Hoyt is a sensitive topic of conversation for her. I'm sorry I brought it up." She pushed her chair in.

"Why? If she caught him and he's dead, what's the issue?" Gigi looked confused.

"The issue, Gigi, is that that Jane," the doctor stopped, unsure if she should tell these gossiping women any more about them but decided that Jane also deserved a fair amount of respect. "Charles Hoyt was not executed. He trapped us, and, defending us both, she killed Hoyt using a scalpel and with nothing more than her bound hands." She ran her fingers across the light scar on her neck. "Please excuse me. I need to check on Jane."

The table was quiet for a long moment. It was Amanda who spoke up first, a small smile on her lips. "My," she said as she picked up a piece of bread. "This bread here is really good, isn't it?"


Cricket is just so much fun to write...