What a Pair - Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Rizzoli and Isles - the credit goes to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I'm merely borrowing them for a fan fiction idea. Please read and review. Thanks.
A/N - This is set before Charles Hoyt and before Jane and Frost are partners. Also, the medical aspect may be a little bit off so please forgive.
A/N2- And thank you all so much again, this story has broken the 100 review mark and I'm so appreciative and happy that you all like it so much! Thank you!
...
Mark Lendin took out his keys to open The Weight Room and was surprised to find the door already opened. He cautiously put his bag down and looked around, wondering just what was going on. Nothing seemed to be amiss, but he knew it was best to proceed with caution.
"It's just me, Mark," Tim Adams, the owner of the gym, called out from the office behind the counter.
"Oh. Hey, didn't realize you were coming so early," Lendin said.
"Well, after you called me yesterday once the detectives left, I decided I should get here as soon as possible. I don't want my gym getting bad press - two guys who frequent this place got killed. That's not gonna bode well for business," Adams said.
Lendin couldn't argue that point. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, I only called you because this is your place. I'm not really sure that you're being here will stop any kind of bad press."
Adams sighed. "You're right, it may not. But at least being here I can keep a closer eye on things. Maybe notice more suspicious activity or something."
"Maybe," Lendin said, putting his bag behind the counter.
...
Korsak stood up from his desk and stretched, the long hours in his chair finally catching up with him. He wondered how Rizzoli and Isles were faring in their quest to find the key. Just then Frankie, in uniform, walked in to the bullpen.
"Any word on if Jane and the Doc are still joined at the wrist?" Frankie asked, smirking.
"I last talked to them about an hour ago, and they were. But beware, your sister is hot under the collar, as we expected. I think she is going to make an attempt on both of our lives."
Frankie laughed, pulling out his cell phone and bringing the photo up on the screen. "Nah, she'll retreat when she sees this little tidbit."
Korsak laughed. "Yeah, you should know by now, Frankie - Jane does not retreat. The woman is like a damned bulldog."
Just then, Korsak's desk phone rang. "Great, it's probably Jane again," he said, looking down at it and sighing. "Korsak."
"Detective, it's Ramone down in the main. I have Charles O'Reilly down here asking to see Rizzoli but I don't have her logged in. He says its related to a case she's working on, can you come down?"
"Yeah, I'll be right down. Thanks."
...
Korsak met Charles O'Reilly down in the main lobby of the station.
"Hi. I'm Detective Korsak," he said, extending his hand. "How can I help you?"
The dark-haired man of no more than twenty-three years shook Korsak's offered hand.
"I'm Charles O'Reilly, sir. I go by Charlie. I was friends with Brandon Gray and Jason Trelmer."
Korsak scanned the list in his hand that he had brought down from his desk. There it was - Charlie O'Reilly - third on the lift chart that had been posted on the wall at the gym.
"Come on, son, let's go up to my desk. Can I get you a cup of coffee or anything?"
"No, sir, I'm fine," he said, but Korsak could tell he was shaken up. Putting his arm around the kid's shoulders, he led him upstairs to the bullpen.
...
"Well, are you going to look at me all day or are you going to ask your question?" Jane asked, impatiently.
"Questions."
"Questions? Great, what am I - one of the world's greatest mysteries?"
Maura tilted her head and looked at her. "Well, you are kind of an enigma. It's a puzzle."
Deep sigh. "I know what an enigma is, thank you. And I also know that I am the furthest thing from being one."
"Not to me."
Jane took out two coffee cups and filled them and with Maura in tow, got the needed accompaniments. She then motioned for Maura to sit across from her at the kitchen counter and they prepared their coffee, their cuffed hands resting closely on the counter.
"Okay, I think I'm ready for the inquisition," Jane said sarcastically.
Maura, trying to compose what she was going to say, said nothing and deliberately sipped her coffee. Jane's dark eyes searched hers expectantly. The silence was deafening.
...
Korsak held the letter Charlie gave him by the edge. It was very similar to the letter Brandon Gray had received.
Dear Charlie,
You are beautiful. I've watched you at the gym and have found it difficult to take my eyes off of you. I also know that you run, maybe we can run together. I'm anonymous for now, but if you'd like to meet me, I'll be at the two-mile mark of the Charles River Tuesday morning around six a.m. I'll find you and reveal myself and hopefully we can run together.
Hope to see you then.
"I brought that because I had talked to Greg Gray and he told me Brandon received something like this. So I'm freaked out."
"You did real good, kid. This gives us a lead. You can't share this information though, with anyone. You got that?"
"Yes, sir. I understand. So what do I do now?"
"You stay put at home. We have a solid lead here and can't have you doing anything to jeopardize it. Okay? So please, go home, stay there for a few days. Hopefully by Tuesday morning, we'll have a suspect. You don't have any clue who this could be from? No one's approached you at the gym or anything?"
Charlie shook his head. "No. I don't."
Korsak studied O'Reilly. He was about as tall as Jane.
"Tell me, son, what do you wear when you run?"
"Baseball cap, running pants, t-shirt, sunglasses ... why?"
Jane could easily get into that get up, Korsak thought. "Just needed to know. Thanks for this, kid. Remember, not a word to anyone. Go home and stay there. I'll drive you there myself if you want."
"No, it's okay. I have my car, but thanks."
"And I will update you."
"Thanks, Detective," Charlie said. Korsak could tell he was shaken up.
"It'll be okay, Charlie. We'll get them."
Korsak walked Charlie down, dropped the letter off at the crime lab to be submitted for prints, then headed back up to his desk to find Jason Trelmer's file. He dialed the phone number on file.
"Hello?"
"Joe. Hello, it's Detective Korsak, I was wondering if I may talk to you for a minute."
"Of course, Detective," he replied.
"Do you know if your brother received an anonymous letter from someone at The Weight Room?"
"Greg asked me that too - I don't know. I didn't find anything, but I didn't go to his locker at the gym yet either. I have the key for it, if you'd like it."
"Yeah, I think I would. Can I come get it from you?"
"Of course. Do you have any leads yet?"
"We may. Look, I'm on my way over now, okay?"
"Okay."
Korsak hung up the phone. He knew Jane was going to be monumentally pissed off at him for not picking her up, but he was confident he could handle this one on his own. He did need to inform her of the fact she'd be going undercover at the crack of dawn Tuesday morning, though.
...
"Isles! Earth to Isles," Jane said, waving her right hand in front of Maura's face to get her attention.
Maura focused and pulled herself out of her thoughts - her thoughts of what she would say to Jane.
"Where the hell did you go? I've been sitting here lookin' at your mug for ten minutes."
"Why would you be staring at my coffee mug for ten minutes?" Maura questioned, confused.
Jane face-palmed herself, shaking her head. "Not your coffee mug, it's another word for your face. Wow, I've never met anyone who takes things as literally as you do."
Maura paused for another minute and Jane's frustration level rose. "Come on already."
"Okay. You're a woman," Maura said.
Jane nearly spit out her coffee. "Wow, and I thought I'm the detective. Great observation, Doctor."
Ignoring her smart ass remarks, Maura continued. "You've obviously worked hard to get where you are - after all I guess it can't be easy to be in your male-dominated field."
Jane shrugged, waiting for Maura to get to what she had a feeling was going to be a very long-winded point. "Of course I've worked hard - and your point is ... ?"
"So it should come as no surprise to you that both you and I are in the same boat. I mean, medical examiners are mainly men. I worked hard to get where I am too."
Jane leaned in a little, unaware she was doing so.
"Isles, this is the longest preamble I've ever heard. I'm assuming you really do have a question or at least a point to make here?"
"I do. I want to know why a woman, in a similar situation as myself, would purposely make me feel more disrespected on a professional level than any man ever has."
Jane's coffee cup stopped midway up to her lips and her jaw went slack.
Maura slowly leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee, her eyes glued to Jane's, awaiting her response.
TBC