A/N: While I appreciate the guest pointing out that the term 'gypsy' may be culturally insensitive. All I can say is that I have a little experience with this community in Wichita, Ks and they didn't care, as long as it wasn't used negatively.
My Boston research led me to discover My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding on TLC. I've read multiple interviews with the designer and she freely refers this community as Gypsy. In addition, I have searched the term gypsy and even found a website .org which helps people trace their ethnic heritage. If anyone from this community is offended, I will rewrite this immediately.
Oh and I google crime stuff all the time to find interesting surnames. I had no intention when I started this story to have it be a lesson in Romany/gypsy/traveler community.
Chapter 7
"Nina, what did you find out about Tom Reynolds? Jane asks returning to the office.
"His brother works at Northeastern Correctional, which is where the father is doing his time." She replies to the detective.
"Interesting. So maybe this has something to do with Carlos Senior?" Jane observes.
"There's more though, Nick Vardos has a sexual harassment complaint on file with the state." The analyst begins.
"Against who?" Jane asks.
"The complaint is sealed, pending investigation." Nina explains.
"What? It's sealed? They don't usually seal those complaints unless..." Jane says thinking out loud. Then moving over to sit at her desk, she picks up her phone.
"Jamie Barber?" Jane says as the call connects.
"Jane Rizzoli?" She asks, "You don't call, you don't text... let me guess, this is work?"
"Let me take you to lunch?" The detective asks.
"Lunch, lunch? Like in a restaurant lunch?" Jamie asks, still trying to determine why the lanky detective is calling her after three months of radio silence.
"Yes, I'll swing by your office and pick you up. We can go that Mediterranean Cafe down the block from you." Jane replies smoothly, ignoring the reference to their past relationship. "It is work, but it'd be great to see you and you get a free lunch." she adds.
"I'll just meet you there Detective. About 1:00?" Jamie responds, curious about seeing the Italian again.
"Great and Jamie?" Jane pauses, unsure how to ask, "Any chance you could look up a case file for me and maybe pass along some info at lunch?
"You're pushing it Rizzoli!" She says, then adds, "Give me the number?
"You look beautiful as always!" Jane says hugging the petite investigator for the Commonwealth.
"Flattery, Jane?" Jamie says pulling back to look at her face.
"It's not flattery if it's the truth," the detective says sweetly.
"Let's get seated, I can tell that I need to be an arms length away to resist your charms today." She says waving to the hostess. "Can we sit back there?" She asks pointing to her usual table.
After ordering lunch, Jamie looks over at Jane and says, "Are you still seeing her?"
"What?" Jane asks.
"I assume that you met someone and that's why our 'friendship' was put on hold." She states running her tongue over her bottom lip.
"Oh, well that's kind of complicated, so the easy answer is yes." Jane says looking down at the table.
"Hmm, okay." Jamie says considering that reply before continuing, "So this really is about The Midtown Hotel Sexual Harassment case, the one that's sealed?" Jamie says assuming a more professional approach to the detective.
"Is there anything you can tell me about the case? The accuser Nick Vardos' girlfriend was murdered two days ago. Nick Vardos and the victim's mother both work at the Hotel and we haven't been able to locate them. I went to the Hotel this morning and spoke with the Chief of Security, Tom Reynolds, who bolted out the door when I asked him about their whereabouts and if he knew the victim." Jane explains.
"What's the victim's name?" Jamie asks, picking up her water glass to take a sip.
"Ana Santos." Jane replies
Practically spitting out the water, Jamie tries to still her reaction. Taking a moment to compose herself, Jamie asks, "The mother's name is Maria?"
"How do you know that?" Jane asks.
"We need to go back to my office, I think I can get that file released to you for your investigation." Jamie says as their food arrives.
"Tell me about your relationship with Ana Santos?" Jane asks the surely Chief of Security.
"I want an attorney." He replies.
"Interesting, isn't it Korsack?" Jane says turning to her partner.
"I'd have to agree Jane." Korsack replies.
"Korsack, do you think he wants an attorney because of Ana's murder or the other thing?" Jane says casually.
"Oh, I bet it's a little of both." Korsack replies. "Obviously he's deep in this, he tried to run from you when he wasn't even being questioned."
"Wait, I want to make it clear that I didn't know that Ana was dead when you asked about her." Reynolds can't help but say in his own defense.
"I thought you wanted an attorney?" Korsack says to him.
"I do, but I don't want you guys to think I had anything to do with a murder." He says defensively. "I may not be the best guy out there, but I'm not a murderer!"
"So you draw the line at sexual harassment?" Jane asks sarcastically.
"I didn't sexually harass anyone. I-I-It was a misunderstanding." Reynolds replies. "Look, I thought he was gay, so I hit on his girlfriend, is that really such a big deal?"
"You hit on your employee's girlfriend?" Korsack questions.
"Yeah, she's hot and sweet. I just, I guess I thought since she was being nice to me..." Reynolds begins to explain.
Interrupting him, Jane says, "You do realize that she was being nice to her boyfriend's boss and not to you, right?"
Stammering, Reynolds looks down and admits, "I do now."
"Tom you need to tell us everything that you know about Ana and Nick Vardos and get in front of this." Korsack advises him.
"D-don't I need a lawyer?" He asks.
"Not if you didn't kill her." Jane responds challenging him. "Where were you and what were you doing on Tuesday evening around 10 pm?"
"Let's see, Tuesday the Bruins were playing the Sharks in San Jose, the game started late and I was with friends watching the game at Harry's Hockey Bar." Reynolds replies.
"Just write it all down and we'll verify it. If it all checks out, you'll be out of here in an hour or so Mr Reynolds." Jane replies, clearly frustrated.
"Nina, did you find anything between James Reynolds and the Santos'?" Jane asks returning to the bullpen.
"No, but James just bought a new fishing boat and paid cash for it." Nina replies, "$28,000 cash."
"Corrections doesn't pay that well." Jane replies. "Keep digging, that's not enough to get a warrant for his phone records."
"I did get the victim's phone records and there are two numbers that I can't identify. I gave them to Frankie and he's trying to track down who bought them." Nina adds.
"Okay, send him a photo of Tom and James. One of them probably bought one of those phones and I'm betting on James." The detective replies.
"Jane come on, we're going to Mass Gen, we finally located Maria Santos." Korsack says hanging up his phone. "She's in the ICU."
"Take Maura, I'm going to meet up with Frankie and see if we can track down Vardos." Jane says, grabbing her phone and keys, then to Nina, "Tell him to text me his location."
"I am the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth and we are investigating this woman's daughter's murder." Maura explains to the ICU Nurse Manager.
"Her daughter was murdered?" The nurse says turning pale.
"Yes. Do you know anything about it?" Korsack asks.
"N-no, but this woman was brought in to the ER two nights ago by a young guy." The nurse explains, "She had no ID, so we couldn't identify her until today. The guy slipped into her room and left her purse. We caught it on our camera, but we still don't know who he is."
"Can I see that video?" Korsack asks.
"Sure, I'll have to call security and have them show it to you." The nurse replies.
"Dr Isles, I'll go look at the security footage and maybe you can look over Mrs. Santos' chart and find out why she's here?" Korsack says, looking at the Nurse.
"I just need to make a phone call to make sure that I can release the patient information to you Dr Isles." The nurse says apologizing for making her wait.
"I understand. I'll wait right here for you." Maura replies smiling.
"It would appear that Maria Santos was given a near fatal dose of Flunitrazepam." Maura explains to Jane.
They are now upstairs in the bullpen reviewing their findings from the afternoon.
"So she was rufied?" Jane says incredulously. "And dropped off at the hospital by Nick Vardos?"
"Who we still haven't located." Nina adds.
"Vardo is the Romany word for wagon, the surname is typically used by English Romany people." Maur explains. "In fact Boston has a rich history of Romany people. 'My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding' on TLC stars a Boston area designer who has made her name by designing dresses for the Romany or Gypsy community here in Boston."
"Really Maur, gypsies?" Jane says sarcastically venting her frustration as usual.
"Jane the term gypsy is used to refer to many cultural groups who are 'travelers'. There are Hungarian, Irish, Scottish, English, German and even Spanish communities who have bands of people referred to as gypsies." Maura replies.
Not waiting for Jane to roll her eyes, Maura turns to leave, "Oh and Jane, I know just who to call to help us." She adds before walking out.
Watching her walk away, Jane runs her hands through her curly locks and sighs. "Nina see if you can find us a contact in the Romany/Gypsy community," she asks.
"I'm guessing that you just got off the phone with Sondra Celli?" Jane asks from the doorway to Maura's office.
"Yes, Sondra and I go way back. She's been a great supporter of the Isle's Foundation Charity Ball for the past seven years." Maura explains.
"What did she know about the Vardos' family." Jane asks.
"It's a large family, so she asked me for a photo and I didn't want to overstep, so I told her that we would stop by her studio." Maura says stepping around her desk to lean back on it.
What time are we meeting her?" Jane asks, trying to focus on the doctor's face and not think about their earlier encounter and whether the doctor is wearing the thigh holster again.
"10 am tomorrow for brunch." Maura says running her tongue over her bottom lip nervously.
"Brunch? I thought you said we're stopping by her studio." Jane rolls her eyes before she crosses the room. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" She says softly, her voice thick with desire.
"Maybe." Maura says, standing up away from the desk. Her eyes on the detective's lips.
"I'm almost done upstairs. Meet me at my apartment in an hour, we, uh, need to talk." Jane says pulling herself out of Maura's spell.