Breaking Free Part 13
Hello all! Thank you for all your support from Breaking Free. I know it's a little wild concept, but I'm having fun. This is a little longer, but plots are being set. Okay, well more plots. As always I own nothing.
Jane sat at the interrogation table and studied the man across from her. The same man that for years had tormented her with everything from her height to her sexuality. Now he claims to be her brother? No, not claim. Is proven to be her half-brother.
Korsak looked to Frost, silently indicating someone should start the ball rolling.
Frost adjusted his tie and pressed it against his rock hard chest. He cleared his throat and jumped in.
"Detective Crow, your blood was found at the crime scene of the murder of Casey Jones. How did that blood get to where it was?"
Crow looked across the table at the four detectives. He looked at the one standing and made a decision.
"Detective Frost, before we go any further I politely request that Detective Frankie Rizzoli leave the room." Crow said quietly.
"What? You will not just order who comes and goes." Frankie objected.
"Frankie, please…just..." Jane implored.
"Alright, but you better fill me in." Frankie took one more long look at Crow. In a protective brotherly fashion, dropped a kiss on the side of Jane's head and then left, closing the door with a soft 'snick'.
Korsak cleared his throat. He was senior detective, so it was up to him to get things moving. He decided this was a time when he needed to step up and take the bull by the horns.
"Detective Crow, did you murder Casey Jones?"
Jane closed her eyes. She began to get a headache from all the stress.
Crow looked at Jane and never looked away.
"Murder no, but I did take his life."
"Crow I really strongly advise you to ask for a lawyer before we go any further." Vince advised seriously.
"I don't want one right now. I need Jane to know the story, unfiltered."
Vince tossed his pen down and had no choice but to go on.
"Okay then Darren, then walk us through what happened two weeks ago, the night you took Jones' life."
"To do that, I feel I must talk about my life and the history I share with Jane."
37 Years ago 1977:
Bethany Crow bustle her way through the afternoon patrons of the local Southey bar and grill, Crack Potz. It was a hard job, but she enjoyed being a waitress/bartender. She found meeting different people was the high point of her job. She mentally crossed at that sentiment as she saw her least favorite customer walk through the door, Tony Gilberti.
The man was beyond obnoxious. He thought any and every woman wanted him. Bethany couldn't and wouldn't be bothered by him.
"Ho there's the sweetest piece this side of town. Hey Bethany, when ya gonna give me a taste, huh?"
Bethany found this man so revolting, she wanted to vomit every time he walked through the door. Along with his sleazy attitude, he wore the cheapest cologne that smelled like it came from horses' piss mixed with pig shit. He was the only one who made her glad for the day she would put her degree in office administration to good use.
Bethany slid behind the bar and was more than happy to put three feet of mahogany between her and the walking definition of a horrid womanizer.
Bethany just tilted her head and pulled Gilberti's preferred beer on tap, Killian's Red, and slid it across the bar. Just by bad luck, the bottom edge of the mug caught on a rough spot in the shiny, lacquered bar. It barely tipped, but it was just enough to slosh a bit of the amber beverage over the rim of the glass and onto Tony's hand.
Tony sat there, his anger built until he was on the verge of a rage.
"Why you little bitch. I come in here almost every day. Telling you how hawt you are and how I want to treat you special. AND you throw beer at ME!? Nobody does that to Tony Gilberti!"
Tony reached across the bar and grabbed Bethany by the front of her shirt, he made sure to grab up her nipple in the bunch, but before he could enjoy the feel of the young, firm flesh within his grasp, his hold was broken and he was unceremoniously dumped on the aged wood floor.
"What the hell Frank!?"
Frank Rizzoli stood over his long time neighbor, breath even. Waiting for Tony's anger to either dissipate or ratchet up another couple of notches and duke it out with him.
"What the hell? I'll tell you what the hell. You come in here and you harass this poor girl. Then you try to rough her up because of a little spilled beer? You're an ass and you will thank me later for saving you from yourself. Now, I suggest you get back to your garage or home to your wife and little Geovanni. And for God's sake, wash that stinking cologne off."
Gilberti picked himself up off the floor and brushed the back of his work pants off. He gave both Bethany and Frank a hard glare and left.
"Well that was pleasant." Frank said in a humorous voice.
Bethany was intrigued by her knight in shining armor. He was handsome if she had to say so herself, and she did.
"Well thank you so much, with whom do I have the pleasure of thanking for my rescue from the town ogre?" Bethany said kindly, brown eyes sparkling.
Frank pulled off his ball cap and sketched a playful bow.
"Oh fair maiden, I am but a humble plumber, Frank Rizzoli." Frank replied cheekily.
Frank took in Bethany's light brown skin and tightly curled hair. He could easily see why Tony would want this beautiful woman under him. She was beautiful.
They both laughed to ease away the rest of the residual tension.
"Well, thank you. Would you let me repay your kindness with a beer, Mr. Rizzoli?"
Frank looked at Bethany. He felt the spark of attraction. It felt good. He loved Angela, but years of watching her floss her teeth in bed when he wanted to her to be sexy was putting a dent in his feeling of manliness. Coupled with the fact that his new born, Janie, had the colic, he was batting zero in the sheets.
"Only if you call me Frank. May I call you Bethany?" Frank asked as he sat down on a stool.
"That's fine Frank. What will you have?"
Frank continue to smile as he thought. What he was thinking though, had nothing to do with beer.
"I'll take anything dark that you have on tap."
Bethany pulled a frosty mug from the cooler and began the poor.
"Oh, so you like dark things, huh?"
"I'm a man who likes a little of all things. I always believed everything should be judged equally."
From then on Frank would stop by every chance he got to see the beautiful dark skinned, Bethany. She laughed at all his jokes, even fixed him up when he cut himself on a rusty pipe. He found his life quickly filled with, lustful and not so lustful, thoughts about sweet Bethany.
One day he came in and Bethany was not herself. He could tell she was worried. He caught her as she swept by him.
"Hey hey hey, what's wrong sweet lady?"
Bethany took a deep breath. She was not a woman who burdened others with her problems, but Frank had proven himself to be a friend.
"Frank, it's just horrible. I made a mistake!"
"Why, what's going on?"
I was doing my wash and the water burst through the wall, now my landlord said it was my fault and that he was going to evict me if I didn't get it repaired." Tears came to her eyes as she thought of having to give up her independence and move back in with her parents.
"Hey, now, don't cry. Tell you what, why don't I take a look and fix whatever needs fixing."
"Oh Frank I couldn't possibly let you do that. Part of the reason I am so stressed is because with paying rent and utilities, I have just enough left over for groceries and not much else."
Frank stood and gave Bethany a half arm hug, reassuring her.
Bethany felt safe in Frank's embrace. Time and time again he had proven himself a gentleman with her. Even though there have been times when he could have had more from her, he always treated her with respect. Never saying anything more than beyond a polite flirt here and there. Yes, she felt safe with Frank.
"Come on B-NY (pronounced bee-knee) let me help you."
"Oh Frank, thank you. Could you come tonight and take a look at it?"
Frank smiled and nodded in agreement.
"When will you get off?"
"I'll be off shift in about two hours."
"Okay, I have another job to go to right now, but I will be back around 7pm? Is that good?"
"That's perfect, Frank. Thank you."
Frank smiled and left, but instead of a job, he was going home to Angela. He thought of his marriage and the woman he loved. He never understood why Ang just didn't get him. Why did she always expect more when he was giving his all? Pulling into his driveway, he parked his truck near the garage in the back. He got out and went into the garage and pulled some things he knew he would need to do the job for Bethany. He turned as he heard the back screen door slap shut.
It didn't take long for Angela to start yelling his name as she crossed the yard with baby Jane in her arms.
"Frank, where are you? Oh, there you are." Angela noticed the parts and supplies her husband was loading in his truck.
"Frank, are you getting ready for tomorrow?" She asked eying her husband as he pack away the things on his truck.
"No Ang, I got an emergency job to go to." He explained while keeping a steady eye on locking down his toolbox lid.
"Frank, it's so late, surely they don't expect you tonight. Its supper time for God's sake."
Frank sighed. If only Angela could be quiet and just be happy he was a working man who tried to provide. Where was his happiness?
"Ang, we need the money, with Janie's needs, our needs. Any extra is a blessing." Frank stated emphatically. He hated the white lie he was telling, but surely if the landlord liked his work he would call him out for all his plumbing needs. It really had nothing to do with Bethany.
Angela looked confused and worried. She knew Frank had been acting different lately, but nothing she could pinpoint.
"Okay, Frank." Angela studied her husband, "Do you want to take a plate or a sandwich with you, so you will have something to eat?"
Frank looked up at Angela and smiled.
"No Ang, sweetie you do enough of everything to keep us going here at home while I'm out all day trying to make a dollar for us."
Angela preened under the praise of her husband. She knew he was hard at times, but underneath it all, he was still a softy.
"Okay, Frank. You just be careful and I'll leave you a plate in the oven."
"Thanks Angela, that sounds good." Frank placed his hand on Jane's head and kissed her cheek.
"I have to go Ang. I'll be home when I can." Frank said as he got back in his truck and carefully pulled away from his wife and daughter.
Present Day: BPD
The room was contemplative as Crow finished his story. Jane was hurt, angry and another million different emotions all begging to be recognized.
Crow stretched out his arms in front of him, the clanging of the steel handcuffs sounded loud in the near silence.
"As you can probably surmise, I was born nine months later from that night. I believe you were almost two, Jane." Crow finished.
Jane looked at Darren. Really looked at him. Finally, she could see it, there in ridge line above the nose. That part was all Frank Rizzoli.
"Vince, could we maybe lose the county jewelry?" Jane asked as she shook off the excess emotions.
"Sure thing, Jane." Vince reached across and removed the handcuffs.
Crow rubbed his wrists and shook out his arms. "Thanks Rizzoli."
"Okay, so we know how you became, how did that lead you to killing?" Frost asked to try and get the interview rolling again.
"It was how he was talking about your kids, the girls. He was saying such horrible things."
"Saying bad things about kids doesn't normally lead to murder." Korsak chimed in.
"I'm sorry, Jane. Vince he wasn't just talking, he was going on about he was going to make sure that they knew what a real man was and how they should treat a real man. That it didn't matter anyway now that he was not their daddy anymore."
"Fucking bastard!" Jane exclaimed. "He was talking about him signing away his parental rights. God, I knew he was sick, but I never knew he was so evil."
Frost pick up the interview again. "So, you killed him for wanting to teach his kids the right way to treat a man?"
"Frost! He was bragging about how he was going to rape them!" Crow yelled. "How he was going to teach them the way he tried to teach their mother all those years ago." Darren wiped furiously at his eyes as the promised threats of sexual violence thundered through his mind spewed from the mouth of the very man who was supposed to protect and keep the girls safe.
"Years ago? Jane, what is he talking about?" Frost questioned.
Jane took a breath and closed her eyes.
"When we were in high school, Casey tried to get me to have sex. When I said no, he turned to force. If it wasn't for a group of kids walking by, I would have been in trouble." She reluctantly shared.
"And you married this shithead, Jane?" Frost questioned aggressively.
"Hey! Back off Frost!" Crow demanded.
"Let's all take a moment to settle down!" Vince pounded the table as he stood.
As the room calmed, he sat back down. He picked up the ball and questioned Crow next.
"So you heard him threaten Jane's girls with sexual violence, why not just report him?"
"You don't understand Vince, when these monsters get it in their head to sexualize a child, it doesn't just stop. They keep going until they get what they want done and then it isn't enough. Next thing you know you're dealing with a serial pedophile."
Jane looked at Crow, her brother.
"Were you a victim, Darren?" She asked not unkindly.
Darren looked at her, he never sat in on an interrogation lead by Jane, but he now understood why her closure rate was so high. She had a way to cut through all the noise to get through to the cold hard facts.
"Yes, so you see, I know all the signs. I knew the first chance he got he was going to harm those girls. Who and what would I be if I just stood by and let him?" Crow took a deep breath, "Don't you understand? I saved them. They will never have to feel the shame of being a victim now."
The team took a moment to digest the information for a moment.
"Why did you strangle then shoot him?" Frost asked after a time.
"What are you talking about shooting, I strangled Casey to death."
Vince, Frost and Jane all looked at each other.
"Darren, are you saying you did not shoot Casey?"
"No. I strangled him. All I wanted to do was stop him. Stop him from hurting the girls like I was hurt!"
"Will you excuse us Crow, we'll be right back."
Frost and Korsak stood to leave.
"Jane, you coming?" Asked Vince.
"You guys go ahead; I want to stay here for a few more." Replied Jane.
Frost pulled the door closed after him.
"You think we can believe him?"
Korsak look into the room through the 2-way mirror.
"I do. I believe him."
"Then what the hell, Vince?"
"Not what the hell, it's what do we do now?"
At that moment, Cavanaugh walked into the room.
"Jesus Vince? Why is Rizzoli in the room with the suspected murderer of her husband?"
"Sean, that's just not any suspect…"
"I know, I know. He's one of us, but still…"
Now it was Korsak's turn to cut Sean off.
"No Sean, that's also happens to be Jane's half-brother."
Cavanaugh shook his head. Maybe retirement would be the best option, but it won't be at a cabin by the lake. No, his retirement will surely have four rubber walls.
"Did he confess to killing Casey at least?"
"Yes, Sir, he did, but we know he didn't kill him."
"Well who did? Mary fucking Poppins and then she just flew away with her freaking umbrella?"
Both Vince and Barry knew the L.T was blowing off steam, but still, rude was rude.
"You tell us Sean?" Vince was fed up, fed up with everything to with this case. The way he was treated. One day he would chuck his piece and badge at the brass and tell them to shove them up their ass where they kept their brains.
"Okay, Vince. Maybe I can beg a favor from Dr. Isles and have her exhume Jones' body. Maybe she can find something that Popov missed. Are we even sure that he autopsied the right body?" Sean dictated as he left the room.
Frost watched their boss leave.
"Sometimes Korsak, I long for the private sector where I would be treated as the computer god that I am."
Korsak shook his head in agreement.
"Come on whiz kid, until then we have a mystery to solve."
Frost and Korsak left the room to continue their search for a killer.
Thank you for reading.