Jane and Nadine made their way to a small cafe and sat down in a window booth. Looking at Nadine, Jane could see what Maura had seen all along. Nadine had a wonderful mind, and even when she smiled, the pain in her eyes told a different story. They held mysteries even Stephen King would find difficult to write. A deep want swamped Jane, she wanted to know Nadine's story.
"What?" Nadine asked as she noticed Jane staring at her, "Do I have something on my face?".
"No" Jane smiled, "I was just thinking".
"What about?".
"You" Jane paused, "Nade, how did you get here?".
Nadine's eyes dropped to the table, whatever had happened in London, was still very raw. Jane watched as Nadine inhaled, she was ready to talk. Reaching out a comforting hand, Jane held Nadine's in hers and flashed a warm smile.
"I was twelve when I met Romeo; he was friends with my brother, they met at Camp Carnival. They both worked there for the summer. Romeo stayed with us for a few weeks after to get a feel for English culture" Nadine paused as a lump rose in her throat, tears threatened her eyes. "He stayed with us for a year, then offered to let me and Nate stay with him during the following summer".
"Nate was your brother?" Jane asked.
Nadine nodded softly, she gripped at Jane's hand as she choked back the tears; "We spent the summer with him in Florida. He treated me like a princess, he showered me with gifts and showed me off to all his friends". The tears that were threatening Nadine's eyes now fell as she remembered the summer she lost her family. "He flew back with us, my Mum said he was like family, and he was always welcome" the girl took a deep breath in, her voice cracked under the memories. "I stayed at a friends house on February ninth, I came home and it was like walking in on a horror film. There was blood everywhere. My Mum was at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes were open, I can still see them looking at me every time I close my eyes".
Jane moved closer to Nadine and embraced her, pulling her in tightly, she felt Nadine's stiff body loosen and relax in her arms. Nadine's walls came tumbling down as her burning sorrow swarmed her entire being. "It's okay" Jane whispered softly as she cradled Nadine.
"My Dad was in the kitchen" she began again, "He was cooking dinner, Romeo threw the burning fat on his face, his skin was peeling and blistered, he didn't even look like my Dad anymore. He was a stranger with my Dad's heart" Nadine buried her head in Jane's shoulder barely containing herself, but wanting to talk. "His throat was cut, he had the phone in his hand, he dialled nine nine, but didn't get the chance to finish". Nadine stopped talking, she held on to Jane like her life depended on it, she felt small and vulnerable, but in Jane's arms she felt safe.
"My brother" she paused, "Nate was upstairs in his bedroom, I was covered in blood, I ran to him screaming, I couldn't stop crying" Nadine's heart began beating faster in her chest. "Romeo had rigged a gun to a cable and attached it to the door handle. When I opened the door I shot him. I tried to save him... I held him in my arms and called an ambulance, but they took too long. I couldn't stop the bleeding".
Jane kissed Nadine on her forehead and held her a little tighter; a tear fell down her own cheek listening to Nadine. She wanted to pull her in close and never let go.
"Romeo came home, he saw my family laying dead. He took them away from me, he made them empty beings and didn't care. I lost everything because of him, but I had no one left. He promised me a new life, away from the bad memories and flash backs".
"Nade, don't blame yourself, he took everything from you".
Nadine finally looked up at Jane and broke the embrace; "He killed my family, and I became his slave".
Jane looked at Nadine and wiped her tears away, "Sweetheart listen to me, you did what you had to do to survive. No one can blame you for that".
"I can" she paused, "I lived with the man who killed my family, I slept in his bed and hung on his arm like a trophy wife" pausing again, Nadine whispered, "Maybe this is what I deserve".
"Don't ever say that, Nade you're one of the bravest people I have met. You didn't deserve that then and you don't deserve this now. You came to me for help remember? You wanted to do the right thing, we're catching a serial rapist because of you. You're a good person".
Nadine and Jane cuddled once more, the waitress brought over their breakfast and tea; eating slowly, Jane kept an eye on Nadine. She could see the pain was tearing the girl apart; Jane often had to remind herself that Nadine was only fifteen, but had the horrific experiences that made her appear three times her age. Her knowledge fascinated Jane; how could someone so young be so in tune with the world, yet so insecure with herself?
/
Maura walked in to the squad room, stopping a few feet in the door way, she noticed Jane wasn't there. "Where's Jane? Is it Nadine? Is everything okay?" Maura almost spat out the words as a panic set in.
"Jane is with Nadine, they're getting something to eat" Korsak informed Maura.
"Oh. Okay" Maura sounded defeated, "I have the DNA results back. The semen is a match to Ashley Beaterman's profile".
Just as Maura finished talking, Jane and Nadine entered the room, "Sorry we took so long, service in the corner cafe was terrible" Jane lied.
Maura smiled brightly; "Your results Jane'.
Jane read through them, "Damn it. Ashley!".
"You're still caught up on this dead guy thing?" Korsak asked, "He faked his death. It's simple".
Jane almost choked on her coffee; "This from the guy who thought is was so out there" she raised her eye brows with a sarcastic disbelief. "So he faked his death to become a murderous rapist?" the sarcasm was still ripe in Jane's voice, but hints of doubt penetrated her words along with a deep uncertainty. A thick haze trapped Jane, drawing in thoughts and empty theories. As the haze formed a chain around Jane's mind, she felt the onset of a stress headache.
"Ashley had no financial trouble, he wasn't in to drugs, he was a straight A student" Frost thought aloud trying to piece together the puzzle of frustration he was contemplating with.
"Can I see a picture of him? The man who attacked me" Nadine's voice was heard, but the nerves in her restricted the volume.
"If you think it will help" Jane picked up Ashley's photo, he was younger, clean shaven and had a Hollywood white smile. Jane was hesitant at first given the broken girl she had eaten breakfast with, but she needed a break in the case, and Nadine's raw emotion maybe the key. Nadine's eyes were fixated on Ashley's chocolate brown eyes. The whole room fell silent as Nadine made a connection with her attacker. She tilted her head slightly to the right, she touched her own face, running her hand across her cheek.
"Nade, are you okay? Do you recognise him?" Jane's questions were almost a plea as they ran wildly out of captivity.
"I'm not sure. Not completely anyway. It's still fuzzy" Nadine sighed heavily. "He had long hair, like a weave. I felt it on my face". Nadine closed her eyes, silence fell across the squad room as all eyes fell upon the English girl. A buzz circulated as the detectives found new hope in Nadine's memory. "It was a woman. He was wearing a dress, I remember seeing make up, lots of it. His voice was soft, he kept apologising". Nadine paused again; "He said it was a compulsion. You're looking for a woman".
Jane who was sat on the edge of her desk almost fell in shock. At no point had she considered Ashley had become a woman.
"That could work" Maura said breaking the silence, her thoughts processing. "Ashley could be a pre- operation transgender".
Korsak smirked, the English immigrant just broke the case.
"A woman" Jane's haze began to lift, as did the headache that had squeezed her brain.
"Ricky said his brother was prancing around like a fairy, wearing lip junk. What if this is what he meant?" Frost recalled.
Jane's mind began driving at high speeds running every red light and stop sign. She picked up where Frost left off; "Ashley faked his own death, so he could live life as a woman".
"Ashanti".
Everyone looked at Nadine once more, the same question fell upon them all. Did Nadine just name her rapist? Did Nadine just name the water murderer?