Chapter 11

One Week Prior

While Jane had returned to work after her return from Miami everyone realized there was something off with her. She was quieter. Slightly more withdrawn but not completely removed from the group. But everyone would say she was different. They couldn't get her to talk about it. Which didn't really come as a surprise to anyone but Maura. Jane had a tendency to not talk about personal issues with anyone. Except Maura. So when the group found out that Maura was also given the freeze out it had them all worried.

Jane sat at her desk on her second day returned to active case work doing something that she normally complained about. Paperwork. Usually Jane exerted more effort complaining about police paperwork than it would have taken to just do her police paperwork. But there was no complaining coming from Jane today. She just sat quietly at her desk filling out her forms and completing her investigation recaps.

"Has she said anything to you yet?" Frost whispered over to Korsak.

"Nothing. And she hasn't said anything to Maura either," Korsak whispered back.

Jane had greeted her partners in crime detection the previous morning with no explanation other than she was back to active duty. When both asked, she simply answered it was still a confidential FBI investigation but that her role had been insignificant. She added she was glad to be back. And that was it.

"She's starting to really worry me. She hasn't complained about filling out those reports in triplicate once today." Frost looked over at his partner and wondered what could have bothered her so much so quickly.

"Let's give it another day or so and if she hasn't snapped out of it we can try again," Korsak offered. But he more than anyone understood getting Jane to talk about anything she didn't want to talk about was next to impossible.

Frost nodded, "I'd feel better if at least Dr. Isles knew what was going on."

Jane felt them staring at her. She understood that they were worried about her and she was not trying to give them any reason to worry but she just had so much going through her head she got lost there at times. She had managed to avoid long conversations with her mother and with Maura since her return but she was running out of legitimate excuses for cutting conversations short or for why she couldn't have lunch or dinner. Frankie and Tommy understood something was up but her brothers had always left Jane alone knowing she would talk to them when she was ready.

In the distance she heard the elevator ding and then the all too familiar sounds of Maura's heels making contact with the floor. Normally, the sound of Maura approaching would put a smile on the detective's face. But she'd been trying to limit her time with Maura since her return. She had asked Maura to run the tox screen on Frank's hair sample and the results had been ready since yesterday. She hadn't claimed them yet and most of her didn't want to know for certain what she was sure the results would confirm.

"Hey Doc," she heard Frost greet Maura.

"Detective," she acknowledged Frost. "Sergeant Korsak." The sounds of her footsteps kept heading directly towards Jane. She finished her sentence on the report and turned to greet her best friend. She didn't want to upset Maura and she wasn't looking to ignore her. So she greeted her first.

"Hey Maura," she said as upbeat as she could manage.

"Jane," she said and smiled as Jane turned to greet her. She was well aware that Jane had been avoiding substantial conversations with her since her return from Miami. She wasn't rude. She wasn't short. But she no longer lingered to chat or just hang out. And Maura missed that. Missed her. Plus, she was worried. She had the lab results for the tox screen for Jane and was surprised Jane hadn't asked for them yet.

She had requested two extra tests that Jane hadn't asked for including a DNA profile. There was something about all of this that bothered Maura. So when the results came back she was more than a little surprised that the DNA profile was a match for Frank Rizzoli Sr. As far as she knew Jane hadn't heard from her father in almost two years. So why she was requesting a tox screen for him and labeling it a John Doe Maura couldn't understand. But she understood that Frank was somehow tied into Jane's trip to Miami and the FBI investigation. And based on the tox screen results, Maura now also knew that Frank was using. That fact alone was going a long way towards explaining Jane's withdrawn behavior.

"I'm sorry I had to cancel our lunch. The lab got backed up and I needed to help with some of the backlog," Maura offered as she approached Jane.

"That's alright. It gave me a chance to get caught up on some paperwork. We can have lunch tomorrow."

"Actually, I was hoping you were free for dinner."

Knowing she couldn't put her off again without risking hurt feelings Jane quickly answered. "Sure. I'd like that. Dinner dinner or take out?"

Maura smiled, "Take out is fine. And maybe a movie?" They hadn't had a movie night in a few weeks and she was just really looking to spend some time with Jane.

Jane nodded, "My place or yours?"

"Mine. I'll handle the food. You bring the movie. I believe it's your turn to pick."

Jane smirked. Last movie night was Maura's choice. A foreign language film Jane couldn't make any sense of but Maura seemed to have enjoyed. "Deal. I didn't feel like reading my movie tonight anyway," she said with a smile. It felt good to make plans with Maura. Maybe Maura could help snap her out of her funk.

"That was an excellent movie Jane. It won an Oscar. I'm just trying to broaden your horizons."

"My horizons are broad enough thank you very much. I'll bring something we both will enjoy. Would you mind stopping for a drink at the Robber before we get food?"

Maura was a little surprised Jane had asked but immediately took her up on the offer. "Not at all," she said.

Jane leaned past Maura in her chair, "Hey guys?" Both Frost and Korsak looked up from their desks. "Drinks at the Robber?"

Both detectives smiled. They both felt that was a step in the right direction. Maybe Jane was going to be ok. Frost answered first. "Sure. It's Korsak's turn to buy."

"It is not. I bought two times ago."

"No Vince, I did. Frost was last time. Then it had been me. And Jane was before me. So in fact, it is your turn."

There was no arguing with Maura's memory. Korsak didn't even try. "Alright. First round is on me." Jane set the time and the boys happily went back to work.

"Did you need anything else?" Jane asked as Maura hadn't made an effort to head back to the morgue.

She looked over at Frost and Korsak to see if their attention had turned to something other than the two of them. "Actually, I wanted to let you know that the lab results are back for that John Doe sample you wanted tested."

Jane flinched a bit but recovered quickly. "Can you bring it home with you tonight so we can talk about it then?"

Maura nodded, "Sure." She figured Jane wouldn't want to discuss the results in front of the guys and she really needed to let Jane know she knew the sample was Frank's. She was relieved when Jane said they would discuss it later that night. She had been feeling guilty for prying into Jane's affairs the way that she had.

"Thanks," Jane said and looked at Maura. "We can talk about everything tonight. Ok?"

Maura smiled and felt a sense of relief. Jane seemed ready to talk about Miami and the investigation. Tonight was starting to shape up better than expected. She headed back down to the morgue to finish out the day.

R&I

Jane told Frost she had to run an errand but was available by phone if they got a call. Considering she had arranged drinks for later, Frost wasn't too concerned about her having to head out for a while. He was already on his way to believing that Jane was returning to normal.

Jane headed downtown and parked her car. She looked around not really looking for anything in particular. It was more of a reflex. A cop taking in her surroundings. She lingered outside for a minute but that entered the diner and saw the person she was looking for. He saw her too.

"Vanilla!" came Rondo's over the top raspy voice. Each time Jane heard him it made her smile. "You are too fine Five-O." If he wasn't so sincere Jane would have been offended. But it was Rondo. And she had come to expect his flirtations.

"Rondo, really? Every time?" she asked.

"Hey, I can't help that I'm caught up in your true beauty," he said with a sly smile.

"Try. Hard." But she couldn't help but smile. "So, do you have something for me?"

Jane had taken a seat in the booth across from Rondo. She pulled out the menu on the table and headed it to him. She wanted him to get something to eat. She would be eating later with Maura but she wanted to make sure Rondo had a decent meal. He smiled at the gesture and nodded to the waitress. She came over and he placed an order for a burger, fries and a milkshake. Jane just asked for water.

"Someday Vanilla, we will have a meal together," he said with a smile.

"I'm sure we will. But today is not that day. Now again, do you have anything for me?"

"It's been tough Vanilla. That wasn't a run of the mill favor you asked from me."

"Tell me something I don't know Rondo. I already knew what I asked of you wasn't going to be easy. What I need to know right now is whether or not you found any information."

"Right. Ok. I did some asking around. I'm sorry Vanilla. I couldn't get anyone to tell me. I tried everyone I could think of that might know and tell me. But I didn't get anywhere."

Jane figured it was a longshot. But she had to try anyway. It wasn't crucial that she find out who was controlling Montoya's drugs in Boston. There wasn't any real reason that she even needed to get that information. But she knew the Feds wanted that from Frank. And she wondered if Frank would give it. Finding it out for herself may not have accomplished anything more than satisfying her own curiosity. She wasn't sure. But maybe knowing that information could be useful down the road. But considering Rondo hadn't come up with anything it seemed to be a moot point.

"Don't worry about it Rondo. I do appreciate you asking around for me," she said with a smile. She tried. It was all she could do.

"Why you are chasing drugs Vanilla? You switching to Narc or something?" Rondo looked at her not trying to hide his curiosity. He had chased down many different pieces of information in the past for Jane but never had she asked him about drug distribution sources.

"No. It was just something I was trying to figure out." Jane sat with Rondo while he ate. She then gave him some money for asking around. It was approaching time to meet the guys and Maura at the Robber so she headed out. Without any idea from Rondo, Jane decided maybe she should just let the entire matter drop. All of it seemed to be out of her hands anyway.

R&I

Drinks at the Robber were pleasant and relaxed. Everyone, Jane included, had a good time. After a few drinks Maura and Jane headed out. Jane stopped for a movie and Maura stopped for Chinese takeout. They met at Maura's for their prearranged movie night.

As Jane got drinks for them both Maura dished up the food onto two plates. Jane settled in at the kitchen island and Maura joined her but also slid a file across the island to her. Jane knew what it was. She swallowed the food she just placed in her mouth and looked at the closed file. She didn't make an attempt to open it.

"Bottom-line it for me," Jane said looking up at Maura.

"The ELISA came back positive. The mass spectrometry then confirmed the positive test results."

Jane gave no outward reaction. "Which drugs?"

Maura knew the file and didn't need to open it to recite the results. "Oxycodone, cocaine and methamphetamines."

Jane released the breath she was holding. "Son of a bitch," she muttered more to herself than to Maura. Maura didn't say anything for a minute. She was trying to figure out the best moment to tell Jane she checked the DNA profile and that she knew the hair sample belonged to Frank. But she was trying to get an overall sense of Jane's reaction to the results first.

Jane broke the sudden silence first. "Maura, thank you for running the test. I know it's not exactly procedure to run tox screens for non-existent cases." Jane paused and put her hand on top of the file. She then looked up at Maura. She drew a breath and continued. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"There's something I think you should know too," Maura tried to add as a warning. She needed to tell Jane she knew the file test was for Frank.

Jane went to say something but her phone rang. She pulled her phone from her hip and looked at the caller ID. The number wasn't one she recognized but the area code was 305 which Jane knew to be the Miami area. She paused for a second and then answered the call.

"Rizzoli."

"Jane," came the voice at the other end. Jane wasn't too surprised. She knew in that moment a call from Miami would come from one of two people. If she placed bets she would have bet money on who she thought it was going to be and she would have been right.

"What do you need?" she asked. Maura watched Jane as she took the call. There was a noticeable change in her demeanor and tone. Steeled. Reserved. Marginally angry. She stood up from the island and walked away from Maura wanting to take the call in private. Maura respected her need for privacy and didn't move from where she had settled.

About a minute later Jane walked back into the kitchen. Jane's expression worried her. "I'm sorry Maura. I have to go," she said and she started to clear her dinner plate. Maura realized Jane was simply trying to channel some sort of nervous energy.

"Jane, I'll get that," she gestured to the dishes. "Is everything ok?"

She paused before answering. "I'm not sure really. I'm sorry. I don't have time to explain. I'll tell you everything when I get back," she said as she headed for the door.

"Back?"

"I need to go back down to Miami," she said quietly. "I'll be in touch." She walked out of Maura's house without giving her any chance for further questions. As she got into her car she wondered how it was that her father still possessed the ability to pull her back into the tragedy that had become of his life.