Part 11
I do not own or make claim for profit on any Rizzoli and Isles works owned by THPTB
Cavanaugh looked dumbfounded at Susie. Inhaling deeply, his eyes slightly teared at the astringent smell of chemicals and cleaners that perfumed the air in the lab.
"Chang, are you sure the blood DNA is inconclusive?" Cavanaugh asked as he blinked away the eye irritation.
Susie looked almost insulted at the insinuation that she would not thoroughly check every detail before giving her report on any evidence, preliminary or not.
"Sir, I assure you that I have double checked everything. The more aggressive tests that are needed can only be conducted by Dr. Isles, because she is the only one, as of right now, who is certified to run them."
Cavanaugh sighed as he thrust his hands in his pockets. He looked around at all the scientific machines and wondered how he could navigate his department through the murky waters ahead. The lieutenant in him knew that he needed the M.E. in to confirm everything and see where the evidence gathered so far would get them. The only reason she was not here right now, was because of her close ties to Jane. He needed a break on this case, but before anyone was called in, he wanted to make sure Maura was clean.
"Okay, Susie, thanks for all your hard work. Do me a favor and do a mockup of the scene and see if the surroundings give us any clues."
Susie nodded in agreement and turned back to her work. Cavanaugh left the lab and headed for the elevator. Thinking about everything and how nothing came back on the unsub blood, except for the fact that it was male. As he stepped into the lift, Sean pulled his phone and called Vince to ask him to go to his office and wait for him.
Detective Korsak gathered all his notes together in some semblance of order. He felt pleased with the extra steps he and Frost had taken. The older detective never liked investigating one of their own, but in this case he wanted to be out in front of anything that might turn up. He and Frost vowed that if it turned out that Jane had somehow orchestrated the murder, they would do everything to protect her. Not that they really believed Jane would, but it was a just in case kind of pledge between the two men.
Vince put the files in his brief case and headed to Sean Cavanaugh's office, after a quick pit stop downstairs. As he sat down, he idly wondered if he would ever take over the lieutenant's desk. The office itself wasn't very opulent, not like the higher up brass. Somehow he didn't think so. He would probably retire out before that promotion. Once settled Korsak took out the folders containing all the information they had gathered so far. He hoped he had the answers to the questions that Sean had.
Walking in to his office, Sean was glad to see that Vince was already there with notes on the investigation; moreover, he was happy to see a fresh, steaming cup of coffee from Division One.
"Thanks Vince, the coffee is much appreciated." Cavanaugh took a second to sip the dark rich Colombian brew. "So, where are we at, Vince?"
"Sean, I tell you, whoever did this was good. So far we have come up empty on fingerprints, hair and foreign substances. The only real thing we have going is the blood drop we found on the inside door latch."
Sean knew of the blood and knew who he needed to call in to do further testing on said blood.
"Vince, what's your gut feeling about Rizzoli and Isles?"
Korsak looked almost angered by the question, but knew he had to cover all the bases to make a solid case.
"My gut feeling is that neither woman had anything to do with Casey's death. My keen detective skills prove that neither really did not have anything to do with it."
Sean was amazed that Vince took it upon himself to go in that direction.
"Good work Vince. What were Jane and Maura up to at the TOD?"
"Jane was with Angela and the twins until she was called out to a scene at 7:27pm. She worked it until 4:30am. She arrived at Maura's home where she keyed in the alarm, which was specified to her, at 5:10am and was instantly reset. I also had Frost pull traffic cam images that builds a timeline for Jane from the scene to Maura's neighborhood in Beacon Hill, with no stops in between."
The Lieutenant nodded in agreement with Vince's findings. "What about Maura, Vince? Were you able to establish a solid timeline for her to?"
Korsak flipped the file closed and pulled a similar file out from his brief case.
"I had to do a little more digging on Maura, but with her consent I was able to expedite everything. Dr. Isles worked until 6pm, from work she returned to her home disarming the home alarm at 6:47pm. She made a brief call to 'Scotty Shots'. She rearmed the system at 7:32pm. It seems she taking gun classes on safety and target practice there. I spoke with the owner and just so happens he requires digital and manual sign in sheets, on top of that he has video surveillance on each individual shooting lane. The Doc was there until 10:38pm. She arrived back home at 11:15pm."
"Were she and Jane ever together during the evening hours?"
"No, Jane was with her Mother and the girls at Mama Mona's Italian Restaurant while Maura was at home briefly that evening before heading to Scotty Shots."
"Is Maura's gun registered?"
Vince flipped through a couple of sheets. "Yes, she has a Taurus 738 TCP, serial number 956433, pink in color. Which matches the one on file at the gun club and in the video being fired by Maura"
Both men grinned at the 'chick' pistol.
"Sean, I also have traffic cam pics that makes up a timeline for Maura also. I can, with all assuredness, say that Jane and Maura did not commit this crime."
Sean motioned for Vince's paperwork. He looked through the files briefly and handed them back.
"Good work Vince. I'm glad you went ahead and took the initiative to clear Jane and Maura, because we need to call in Maura. The lab needs her expertise in DNA matching."
"What about Jane?"
"For all intents and purposes, Jane is still on family leave. No matter what shape their marriage was in, they were still married at TOD."
Korsak gathered his papers and stood. He nodded once and left Sean's office. On the way back to his desk, Vince grabbed two bottles of water from the breakroom and headed into the bullpen. He put one water on Frost's desk and took the other one with him to his desk.
"Well Korsak, where are we with Cavanaugh?" Frost asked as he cracked the seal on the water bottle.
"We are good as far as the Lieutenant is concerned. Good work on creating a solid timeline for Jane and Maura. Now we have to call Maura in to run some kind of tests and only she has the credentials to access some."
"Access, are they looking in house, Korsak? Because the only thing the crime lab cannot access is department files that contain DNA samples that they use to rule out scene contamination by the force. Only Maura can access those because she is the M.E. for the Common Wealth of Massachusetts."
"I know. We have something going with that blood drop, but Sean wants us to call in Maura to handle it."
Frost said nothing, just nodded and turned back to his monitor where he was going over the crime scene photos again.
Korsak picked up his phone and dialed Maura.
"This is Dr. Isles."
"Maura, it's Vince. We need you to come in and help with the Jones's case."
"Have you cleared it with Cavanaugh?"
"He was actually the one to suggest it, because the lab is at a standstill due to the lack of clearance."
"I will be in shortly, Vince."
"Thank you Maura. See you soon."
Later that same day: Crime Lab
Dr. Isles sat at her desk and went over the DNA reports again for the fourth time. She picked up the phone and dialed Korsak.
"Vince, we have a problem."
"Please, Maura don't tell me it was a brother in blue."
"I am afraid so Vince, but there is a bigger problem. The blood drop, it matches a Rizzoli male."
Vince frowned at the phone.
"What do you mean a 'Rizzoli male'?"
"Sargent I do not want to go into details any further, but I do need to ask you to get in touch with Tommy Rizzoli. I need to obtain a fresh blood sample from him to rule out any connection with him."
"Okay, I can do that. Maura are you sure?"
"Yes, Vince. Please, I need this to be done as soon as possible."
"I'll get right on it."
Frost looked up in askance, Vince shrugged and called Angela to locate Tommy.
2 hours later in Maura's office
"Maura, is this going to hurt?"
"No more than any other needle sticks."
Tommy looked over at Chang who was sitting in as a witness to evidence collection. Doing his best Rizzoli smile, he tried to charm Susie. Chang was unimpressed by the action and reciprocated with a frosty stare she picked up from her cop hero, Detective Jane Rizzoli.
"Alright Tommy we are all done." Maura said as she placed a Band-Aid over the stick site.
"Okay Maura. You know this is really neat being down here with you. I know I was in the morgue before, but wow, seeing you so professional and working? You and Janie will be good together."
Maura looked nonplussed at the statement while Susie just grinned.
6pm that same day: Maura in her office
Maura sat at her desk and looked over the tests again. What turned up astounded her. She picked up the phone to give the findings to Korsak.
"Korsak."
"Sargent Detective Korsak, this is Dr. Isles. I have the results from the Rizzoli tests."
Vince frowned at the professional phone etiquette Maura was using.
"Okay, and….?"
"Detective, I require you and Detective Frost, if he is available, to come to my office, now."
"We are on our way."
Vince and Barry were in Maura's office looking at the results of the blood test.
"As you can see gentlemen, this is the reason I wanted to present this evidence in person."
Frost shook his head in disbelief.
"Are you for real, Dr. Isles?"
"Yes, Barry. I am very 'for real'."
"A Rizzoli and nobody knew it."
"Vince all we can do is interview the family and hopefully we will reach that very conclusion. That way we will exonerate Frankie and Tommy."
"Dr. Isles, it says here that Casey died of strangulation and not a GSW?" Vince was beyond confused.
"Yes, Sargent. After going back over the autopsy I found evidence of suffocation."
"Strangling is a crime of passion, so you don't think this was premeditated Doc?"
"No Vince, I really don't." Maura replied, still slightly dazed from the information she discovered.
"Okay, let's go Frost, let's get this 'newly discovered' Rizzoli."
Frost shook his head at the curve ball this investigation just threw them. Turning on his heel, he followed Vince out of the Medical Examiner's office.