Disclaimer - These characters are not my own. I am truly thankful to Janet Tamaro & Tess Gerritsen for creating such wonderful, rich characters with whom I hope to have many more good times! Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, critique in a respectable manner - I welcome it!
Chapter Seven
The elegant surroundings of Top of the Hub brought a smile to Maura's face. They had left Bistro Du Midi and swung past Rialto, an elegant Italian-themed restaurant and finally, had arrived at the last name on the list. Approaching the podium where a slightly older woman stood, Jane withdrew her badge and flashed it at the woman. Holding up the picture, Jane wasted no time.
"Seen her before?"
"No."
"You sure about that?"
"Positive. Now, do you have a reservation?"
"I'll ask the questions, thanks." Jane replied, glowering at the woman. The woman maintained a smile as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Jane." Maura's whisper sounded and the Detective flicked her glance in Maura's direction. "Jane!" Maura said again, with a deeper urgency to her tone.
"I'll be right back." Jane offered the head-waitress a false, forced smile as she stepped away from the podium, dragging Maura but the sleeve of the light cotton jacket that complimented her outfit. "What!"
"She's lying."
"How can you tell?"
"Almost all authentic facial expressions fade after four or five seconds. She was still smiling at you long after your question."
"Maybe she likes me." Jane waggled her eyebrows suggestively, her hoarse voice dropping an octave. Maura permitted a short smile.
"It's a possibility. However with her asymmetrical facial expression and inability to remain still, I believe she's lying to you."
"I hate it when people lie to me." Jane said, shaking her head as she turned back to the woman, whose expression changed for the briefest of seconds to one of fear as the Detective approached once again.
"We can do this the hard way, or the easy way." Jane declared, toying with the badge in her hand. "You've seen this woman, I need to know when."
"Yesterday, she was here for a brunch meeting." The woman finally revealed, rushing through her words as her shoulders sagged with relief. "11:30 AM."
"Who was the meeting with?"
"A man, he looked like a man she regularly dines here with, but different."
"His brother." Jane commented, glancing to Maura. The pieces were slowly beginning to fall into place. On a whim, Jane returned her gaze to the waitress. "Does she have a reservation any time soon?"
"I can't tell you that! I'll loose my job!" Jane sighed.
"Why don't you just turn the book around and look away." She suggested. Incredulously, the woman gave a slight nod of agreement and did as Jane had suggested. Snatching up the book, Jane scanned the list of names.
"I don't believe it." Jane snorted, tapping Jessica's name for the following evening. "What game is this woman playing at?" Returning the book to the podium, she shared a brief glance with Maura before clearing her throat.
"Was there anything else?"
"Yea, I'll need to re-schedule my reservation. And have a word with your manager." At the last part of Jane's sentence, the woman's eyes widened in horror. Meekly, she nodded.
Some twenty minutes later, Maura and Jane emerged from Top of the Hub and, while standing on the sidewalk, Jane placed a call to Frost, informing him of the information she'd received and the plan she'd laid to motion. It would mean all hands on deck and bringing Korsak into the fold, but it had to be done. Ending the call, she looked at Maura grimly.
"If I'm right, I can't imagine how unstable this woman must be."
…
Neither woman spoke as Maura drove the Prius towards Jane's apartment. After a brief detour back to the precinct, Maura had waited with trepidation as Jane had laid out her plan to Cavanaugh before calling Korsak. Now, with the wheels set into motion and nothing but time on their hands, the two women had called it a day, departing from the station. It had been an unspoken agreement they would go to Jane's apartment. Particularly since the prying eyes of Angela Rizzoli were still residing in Maura's guest house.
Jane's stomach grumbled and she looked up, embarrassed as Maura eased the Toyota alongside the curb, cutting the engine.
"I'm famished." Jane admitted.
"We could order pizza?"
"You wouldn't mind? You seemed disappointed we couldn't keep our reservation at Railto."
"Rialto." Maura corrected with a soft smile playing on her lips. "And I'm not disappointed. I'm still with you, am I not?"
It was Jane's turn to offer a soft smile and she lent across the gearbox between them, cupping Maura's face in her hands, pulling it closer to her own. The sensation of Jane's lips against her own overwhelmed the M.E, causing her to moan softly. In turn, that simply noise only fueled Jane's growing passion.
"We need to get inside. Now." Jane growled, pulling away from Maura and throwing the door open. The seat belt still wrapped about her, however, snapped her back as she tried to leap out of the car hastily.
Maura's soft giggle only served to further the blush on Jane's cheeks as she unstrapped herself before climbing out of the vehicle and slamming the door shut, jogging around to Maura's side and holding the door open, offering Maura her hand.
"My, you're quite the gentleman." Maura commented with a playful smirk as she accepted Jane's gesture, the Detective hoisting Maura out of the car and directly into her arms. Linking their fingers, she drew the older woman towards the door.
"Not now, Jo!" Jane growled through gritted teeth as she swung the door to her apartment open, granting Maura access to her home. Jo Friday stood on the arm of the sofa, barking incessantly.
"We should walk her." Maura pointed out.
"I pay a kid to walk her twice a day. She doesn't need to go for a walk, she just wants attention."
"Oh, I'm sure she gets plenty of that. Don't you?" Maura knelt down to caress behind Jo's ear and Jane stood back, watching them, recalling the night after she'd escaped Hoyt, for the second time, and Maura had brought the scruffy dog to her apartment. Along with a tortoise, who now resided with Frost. Smiling fondly at the woman, Jane moved towards the kitchen.
"Thirsty?"
"Do you have Perrier?" Maura asked casually, rising and moving to stand beside the kitchen counter. It struck Jane then just how precise her friend was; anyone else would have lent against the counter, or even dropped onto the sofa. Maura however was far more elegant than that.
"Beer?"
"Mt. Franklin with a squeeze of lime?"
"Beer?"
"Very well." Maura conceded, accepting the bottle of Miller Light Jane provided. The two women clinked their drinks in toast before sipping, holding each other's gaze.
"C'mere." Jane set the bottle down and moved to stand before Maura, impatiently taking the beverage from Maura's hand, setting it aside. Cupping Maura's face with her hands, she pressed her lips to the Medical Examiner's, trying to convey how she felt in just that one kiss. Maura returned Jane's embrace with an unexpected passion, surprising the Detective. When they parted, it was Jane who found her chest heaving, heart thundering.
"I want you to touch me, Jane." Maura's voice was low, her eyelids heavy with arousal as she held Jane's gaze, showing Jane a side that surprised the Detective. Swallowing thickly, feeling her own arousal growing, Jane could only nod mutely as she kept her arms about the woman, pressing her lips to Maura's once again. They moved as if dancing, slowly, delicately, towards the bedroom, their kisses soft, tender, undemanding. With the heel of her boot, Jane kicked the bedroom door shut, effectively leaving Jo Friday to her own devices.
