I arrive in my apartment and get welcomed by my waiting dog.
I smile and ruffle her furl. I silently thank the dog sitter for taking care of Jo.
I could have asked Ma to keep an eye on her, but that would mean that Ma nerves me.
I need much, but not that. Especially not now.
She should sell her ... flings in the Division One Café.
Coffee is her business, crime mine.
I know it sounds harsh, but Ma don't understand me when it comes to my job.
She don't understands that I love what I do or why I love what I do.
If it would be about her, I would stay at home, would have a bunch of kids and would cook for my husband ... or better to say a wife. And Frankie would have kept our father's plumbing in business.
And her whole world would be alright.
I am really not in the mood for such a conversation.
I give Jo fresh food and fresh water and start to walk toward my bathroom.
I pull my tank top over my head and drop it to the floor.
I can take care of that later.
I do the same with the rest of my clothes until I'm naked and in my bathroom.
It's not like Maura's.
It's plain and simple.
It has a toilet, a sink, a commercial tub, a shelf for towels and a shower stall.
I open the door and start the water. I step in and the warm jet hit my body.
I close my eyes as the water runs down my face and exhale through my nose.
I place my hands on the tiled wall and drop my chin to my chest.
My tense muscles in my body start to relax a bit and I welcome the feeling.
I lean my head back in my neck and run my hands over my wet face, groaning.
I start to wash my body and would love when I could spend the rest of the day in her, but I can't.
After the cleansing, I get out of the shower and wrap a bath towel around my body and emerge from the bathroom. I went into my bedroom and open a drawer of the dresser.
I take out an grey shirt with the print of the BPD and a black shorts out of it.
I put on a boy shorts and pull the shorts over it. The same with the shirt.
I glance briefly at my inviting bed and decide to lay down for a minute.
The claws of Jo's paws sound on the floor in the room and I look to the door.
Her tail is wagging excited as she looks expectantly at me and I have to smile. I pat the empty side of the bed, "Come here."
She wastes no time and jumps on the mattress. She comes up to me so I can pat her. She rolls up on my side and licks the palm of my hand.
I still smile and sigh, "You missed me, didn't you?"
Jo looks at me, places her sweet head on her paws and snorts.
I can feel my eyelids becoming heavier and close my eyes.
Benefits of such a operation, having more rest than usually.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I can hear the ringing of a phone as I come back to reality.
I groan and frown before I open my eyes.
I blink a few times as I glance at the red numbers of my alarm clock.
I'd took a nap for the last two hours.
Damn it.
I look at my bedside table and see that Tory's phone is blinking.
I hate the phone and I hate the fact that it's still ringing.
I rub the sleep from my eyes and take the device in my hand to accept the call. I hold it to my ear and almost make the mistake to say my real surname. I pause for a second, "What?" I grumble.
"Long night?" Tory laughs.
I hate him, "Kinda."
"Are you able to make a job?"
I take a deep breath and run a hand through my hair, "Depends."
"Do you want to work for me, or are you bullshitting me?"
I groan and Jo lifts her head, "Man, give me a minute, I just woke up." I rub my eyes and try to gather myself. "Alright, man. What do you need?"
"You have to make a passenger transportation." he says.
I raise my eyebrows and stare at the ceiling. "Where and when?"
"I've sent you everything you need to know. Be careful."
I sigh and and the call.
I open the new message from him and frown.
I've already heard the name, but I don't why.
I glance at mu other phone and take it in my hand.
I have missed a call from Korsak and one of Frost.
And three from Maura.
I groan again and sit up in the bed.
It's frustrating that she knows me already so well and in the same time she doesn't know me at all.
I am wondering if she really isn't clingy of if she told a fib, until I remember that I told her to call me if she finds out something new.
I type a quick message, telling her that I went home because I didn't felt good.
It's not a complete lie.
I do feel bad because of the current developments.
I send the message and sigh heavily before I get out of my bed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I sit in my Mazda and am on the way to the Singing Beach in Manchester.
It's a long ride, so I had stopped at a coffee shop to get me a well-deserved coffee.
I should pick up a person named CJ.
I still don't know why I know the name or what this person is going to do.
And this is making me uncomfortable.
I'd called Frankie during the ride.
I won't risk that we'll get another body and only I know the victim.
I've made the mistake once, and only once.
I bring my car on a parking lot near the beach to an halt and get out of it.
I blink against the sun and look out for this CJ person.
A few teenagers ogle my Mazda and I glare at them, giving them to understand if they dare to touch my baby, they'll lose a hand.
"Your ride is pretty impressive," says a female voice and I spin around.
A handsome young woman stands behind me.
She has long dark hair and eyes as dark as my own.
Her skin is sun-kissed and she is maybe 5'2".
I'm sure she has Latin American roots.
She is well buffed and in the same time a inconspicuous person. Kinda like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Her outer impression can be fatal.
A dangerous demon can be hidden behind this angelic facade.
She's wearing a light grey jeans, a white tank top, showing a little bit of her belly.
Well, she's pretty attractive.
I thrust my chin to her, "You must be CJ."
A smile tugs on the left corner of her mouth, "And you have to be Jane."
I lift my right shoulder, "Right. Troy told me to take care of you."
She chuckles and point at the Mazda, "Can you open hood for me?"
I sit down behind my steering wheel and do what she said.
She opens the hood and eyes the engine.
I walk back to CJ and lean against the car, "Like what you see?"
She looks at me and smiles slyly. "It's not bad."
I don't like how she's looking at me, especially not with Maura in the back of my head.
I clear my throat and stuff my hands in the pockets of my jeans, "Uh, what is your role in all of this?"
She straightens up again and grins, "I should take care of you ..." she let her eyes roam over my body. "And your car."

My eyes shoots to hers. Does that mean she's a kind of reward that I can't decline? "Is that so?"
"Tory is very pleased with you and your work. At the weekend takes a pretty important run-out place and he wants his driver and her car in perfect condition," she says and wraps her arms around my neck.
I have to resist the urge to push her away and I lick my lips, "And who says that I'm into women?"
CJ leans in, "He's a very good judge of character." she whispers in my ear.
I hold my breath and close my eyes. Don't get me wrong.

I am not a cheating asshole.
I am absolutely faithful person.
It even never crossed my mind to cheat on a person that I love.
I could see what cheating does to a person.
My father cheated on my mother and it broke her heart.
He was the only man she ever was with and he misused her credulity, her kind-heartedness.
And now I have to do the same with Maura.
Maybe I can keep that down, keep it at flirting.
CJ looks in my eyes, "Unless you have a girlfriend."
My heart clenches painfully, "I ..." I lick my try lips again and shake my head. "No. No, I don't have a girlfriend."
God, forgive me.
She takes her distance again and smirks. "Then we'll have hell lot of fun together."
I force myself to smile and close the hood again, "Where should I drop you off?"
She smiles and opens the passenger's door.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have dropped CJ of at a hotel close to my spare garage.
I grab a beer from my refrigerator and stare at the untouched bottle.
I haven't expected to find myself in such a situation or have thought that Tory has so much clout.
Me a cheater? Never. Normally.
A knock at my door pulls me out of the train of thoughts.
I sigh and went to the door. I don't need more surprises for today.
I open the door and my stomach drops.
Maura stand in front of me.
She's now wearing a form-fitting red dress.
"Maura," I whisper.
She walks over the threshold and looks around. "I thought I could stop by after you told me that you don't feel well."
"What if I would have someone else here?" I ask.
"Do you? Do you have someone else here?"
I immediately regret my stupid question and close the door. "No." I answer truthfully.
She looks at me and frowns.
I walk over to her and place my hands on her hips.
A electrifying feeling flashes through my body. I lean in and frown as she pulls her head back, "What is it?"
"Jane, you could be contagious."
"I am fit as a butcher's dog," I growl and press my lips to hers.
With that kiss I'm claiming her and tell her in the same time that I am hers and only hers.
She moans a little and wraps her arms around my neck.
I run my tongue along her bottom lip and she opens her mouth immediately.
I deepen the kiss and pull her closer.
She doesn't protest but pulls my head down.
I let my hands wander to her back and over her butt, giving it a light squeeze.
She gasps and breaks the kiss, "What's going on?"
I press her body against mine, "I want you. Here and now." I say with a husky voice.
She gasps again as I lift her up and wraps her legs around my waist.
I carry her directly to the couch and lay her down.
Suddenly my mood shifts and I look in awe at her. I tug a strand of hair behind her ear.
She holds my gaze and smiles at me.
"I love you," I say before I lean my head down and kiss her gently.
Maura holds with her hands my head in place.
I let my left hand roam over her bare thigh and she closes her eyes.
But suddenly she stops my by holding my wrist before my hand can disappear underneath the fabric of her dress.
I am absolutely confused and furl my eyebrows.
She drag her eyes open again and licks her lips, "Jane, we can't."
As I already said, I'm confused. "Why not?"
Maura caresses my check and sighs, "I'm not only here to check on you."
Now, I'm even more confused. "Well, we're about to do more than that."
"I have news about the victim."
Well, that's what I call a turn off. I sigh heavily and sit up again. "Okay. Hit me."
She sits up too and straightens her dress again. She opens her purse and take an file out of it.
She also open that and shows me a few pictures with the hematomas, "I have seized the hematomas of Liam's body."
I place my elbows on my knees and lean forward, still holding the photo in my hands. "Yeah, I can see that."
She licks her lips and places three other photos on my coffee table, "Do you see the difference at this and this photo?"
I look at the named photos and furl my eyebrows, "Yeah, the hematomas look like they have different seizes. Perhaps a blow with a elbow."
"That's what I thought first too." she says and looks at me. "But you can see the pattern of a fist. At each hematoma."
I think short and scratch my neck, "So ... we're looking for two offenders. Probably a small man and a tall man."
"You can't exclude a man and a woman," she replies.
My heart speeds up and I laugh nervously, "What? Liam's is what? 6'3" tall? What kind of man wouldn't defend himself against a woman?"
She furls her eyebrows, "I didn't say that he haven't defensive wounds. How could you know that he hasn't defended himself?"
My racing heart stops abruptly. I am such an idiot. I could slap myself. Stupid mouth and stupid brain. "Uh ... guessing?"
She huff and rolls her eyes. "I don't like guessing."
I chuckle amused, "You solve murders."
"By forensic facts. The evidence are watertight." she replies seriously.
I clear my throat and lick my lips. "Okay, okay. You win." I take a deep breath and stare at the photos. "Can you tell with which caliber he was shot?"
She nods, "Yes, a .45."
I rub my left eye with my middle finger and sigh, "So, we're probably looking for a killer couple who kill innocent fishmonger. Great, we don't have enough crazy people on the streets of Boston."
She sighs too and glance down at her watch, "I should go, Jane."
I look at her and nod. "All right. Thanks for coming by and sharing the news."
She puts her shoes back on and gets up. "You're welcome."