Maura came to groggily in the back of a van which was travelling quickly by her guess. Due to her feeling dazed, and the unfamiliar sensation of travelling in the darkened back of a van with her hands tied behind her, rather than sitting in a seat looking out, she found it hard to judge speed. But there certainly didn't seem to be any stopping at traffic lights or anything to suggest they were still within Boston.
Whilst the road may not have been particularly bumpy, being bounced around on the hard deck of the van, with her arms tied behind her back was uncomfortable, disorientating and she felt nauseous. She imagined she must have been administered something as well. As she thought back she remembered someone clamping a large hand across her mouth, a sharp prick of a needle in her deltoid muscle, and then being hefted up and carried away. She remembered struggling for a minute or so as they cleared the backyard and the gate, but didn't remember the van. What could act that quickly in intramuscular preparation she wondered? Midazolam? Ketamine? Some other anaesthetic agent?
As she was wondering, the van suddenly halted and she was throw forward towards the partition the driver sat in front of. She heard feet coming around and someone opening the door. A large man in a black beanie opened the door and looked in
"ah so you're awake then. Right, get up and follow me"
Maura uncomfortably wiggled herself to the back door of the van. Everything was hard with her arms behind her back. A large hand came forward and helped her stand as she pushed her legs over the back of the van.
She followed the large man in to a small building. She could see nothing else nearby, and realised they must be somewhere on the outskirts of Boston, or maybe a bit further, depending on how long she had been unconscious for. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom inside the small building, she saw there were several other men. This she was surprised by. She had presumed the man was acting alone. Serial killers occasionally acted as a pair. But a whole group? Way too much likelihood to make a mistake and leave evidence. As her eyes continued to adjust she exclaimed in astonishment
"You? Really?"
"Hello Maura" replied Paddy Doyle
"You're killing MEs? Why?"
Paddy looked up and smiled "Me? No. I'm not killing MEs Maura. But I heard someone was, and I heard there was no real progress in chasing down the killer, that you are on the small list of highly likely targets, and I reckoned I can keep you safer than the BPD. You don't really hear of serial killers grabbing their victims from the hands of the mob do you?"
Maura stared at him in astonishment "so you kidnapped me for my own protection?"
Paddy grinned "genius ay? No one is going to get you with these guys watching over you!"
Maura looked horrified "but what will Jane think?"
Doyle looked up "Rizzoli? Well she will think you've been taken, and that will be a bit stressful in the short term for her, but in the long term I think she will appreciate I just want to keep you safe. Which is all she wants too Maura."
Maura stood struggling to comprehend his logic. She could see his point in that no serial killer was likely to get her whilst she was held by Doyle's mob boys. But the killer might not act for months. What would she do for all that time? What would Jane do? What would everyone think? She looked at Paddy trying to work out what he wanted from her? Surely he didn't expect her to thank him? As she continued to look blank he smiled
"Look Maura, it was the only way. If you and Rizzoli knew what I had planned, the killer would know too. It had to be this way. But how about you sit down and we'll have a cup of coffee"
Maura unsteadily walked over to the offered chair and sat down
"How do you know anyway? This serial killer is on a limited knowledge basis even within BPD. Only ten people know, and I know all of them"
Doyle looked up enigmatically "I have my ways. I know what I need to know Maura. Now how do you want your coffee? I'm pretty limited here as you might imagine. I can do creamer and I can do sugar, else I can do black"
Maura sat sipping the strong black instant. It was far from her usual choice of coffee, but in the circumstances, holding the warm cup between her hands was comforting, and the caffeine seemed to be slowly reducing the fog in her mind that whatever the abductor had given her had left.
…..
"well Maura, if that's your decision, I will return you to Boston and the hands of Detective Rizzoli". Maura tried to look down to hide her blush. Paddy looked at her perceptively "Maura, is there something more going on between you and Detective Rizzoli than best friends?"
Maura sat quietly and Doyle continued "look Maura, if you have chosen the detective, I can accept that. I will never like that she is a cop, but I do like that she would die for you, or kill for you. For her I am not sure which would be the biggest sacrifice"
Maura continued to look down quietly
"Look Maura, all I need to know is that you, and I find it strange to say this to you of all people, but I need to know that your heart is not ruling your head here"
"I never thought I would say this to someone that had kidnapped me, but thank you for the thought. I thought we'd decided over these last two days, that no matter how well intentioned you are, this isn't the solution to keeping me safe. Jane and the BPD will hunt for me, and knowing Jane they will eventually find you and blow your safe house. And I can't sit here for months. Because that is how long it will take. I need to work. I need to see my friends and Bass. I need to live. And imagine what it will cost if you have two of your payroll guarding me 24/7 for months till they find this killer. That isn't a business proposition"
Doyle tried to remain gruff "You've never been a business proposition to me, Maura"
"I know that. But really, this isn't practical. And I appreciate you have shown that our precautions aren't enough. And once I return, I will talk with Jane and Korsak and Cavanaugh and take it more seriously, I promise"
"I hope I won't live to regret this Maura. You know what you mean to me"
"and I appreciate that. But I need to get back to my life"
"Yes Maura. Let's make it happen. I will call Rizzoli"
…..
"Rizzoli"
"Detective. It's Paddy Doyle. You'll find Maura sitting waiting for you at the Reedsdale Road entrance to Blue Hills Reservation. Please don't try to trace me or where she has been. She will explain. And Rizzoli, take care of her!"
The line cut off and Jane was left with a dial tone.
