To Hell and Only Halfway Back Chapter 14
I don't own R and I.
Maura sat quietly next to Jane as she spoke with Christy Marks' mother. Maura knew Jane was doing her best to get permission to speak with Christy alone, convinced she would open up more without her mother hovering. Jane was patient, obviously understanding how mother didn't want to let daughter out of her sight.
Jane was running on fumes at this point and Maura noticed she made sure to keep something in her hands at all times. Maura watched carefully, more interested in Jane's actions and movements than what she was actually saying to the young girl. The mother refused to leave the room and Maura had moved her position to the other side of the room with her. It was important for Christy to concentrate on Jane as much as possible and maybe she could if her mother wasn't so close.
It was a quick conversation as Christy described her abduction, her abductor and where she was held. She wasn't harmed, just scared but the man was nice to her. Maura couldn't help but smile as Jane smiled at Christy as they talked. Jane really was good with children. Jane continued to grip the rolled stack of papers that served no purpose other than to keep her hands busy. Nervous energy.
Once Christy and her mother had left the station, Jane made her way into the briefing room. She slowly walked along the wall where the pictures of the eight victims were on display with their names written underneath. Maura wanted to speak to Jane but was afraid of interrupting her thoughts. Korsak made his way into the room as well and motioned for Maura.
"She wants to have another go at McFadden's son; you don't want to be in here for this." Korsak guided Maura out and into another room.
"Vince, can't you do something? Get some of these other officers involved? I don't know how she's still standing." Maura did her best not to sound too panicked, but she could tell Jane was about physically done.
"I would give anything to send you two home, but McFadden will not stop until he gets her. We know this, she knows this." Korsack watched as Maura's slight nod showed that she knew this as well. "You, however, are going home."
"No, Jane specifically wanted me to stay with her. You cannot do this to her now." Maura now didn't try to hide the panic in her voice.
"Maura," Korsack took her arms in his hands gently, "It is not safe. Jane can't be concerned for your safety as well as her own."
"She needs me, Vince. She needs to know I'm alright, she needs to know she's alright. She will worry more if you send me home to Boston." Maura looked up as Dylan McFadden was led in handcuffs into the room she just left.
"She's not getting a say in this. It's from higher up. You will be escorted and have around the clock protection until this is over and McFadden is in custody or better yet…dead." Korsak nodded to the two FBI agents that were assigned to Dr. Maura Isles until the completion of this case.
Maura turned back to face Korsak with tears in her eyes. "Don't I get to say goodbye?"
Korsak only shook his head as Maura was led out of the station. He knew how close Maura and Jane had gotten. He knew how Jane depended on and drew strength from Maura. He also knew that Jane would neglect her own health and safety to make sure Maura wasn't harmed. She was in enough danger as it was, worrying about Maura would only make it that much tougher on Jane.
Korsak headed into the room to find Jane surrounded by Frost, and a few other agents. Dylan was seated across from her once again the silence was deafening. Korsak stood behind Dylan as if daring him to move.
Jane stood then and walked to the wall with the pictures of McFadden's latest victims. She inserted Christy Marks' photo into the number nine slot, despite believing she was not a number at all. Jane turned to face Dylan, taking in his eyes as he scanned the photos. She watched carefully as he took his time with each photo. "Why are you showing these to me?"
"You said you wanted to help. So help." Jane's tone was very short and her impatience evident in her voice.
"What is it exactly you need me to do?" Dylan focus had shifted to watching Jane as she continued to move along the wall.
"I want to know where your father is. It is as simple as that. I don't want to play games. I'm not going to make deals. I want to know, and I want to know now." Jane stopped pacing and moved closer to where Dylan was sitting.
"If you're not going to make me a deal, then what's in it for me?" Dylan stared into Jane's eyes.
"I'm preparing to arrest you for the abduction of Christy Marks. Given your connection to Duncan McFadden, no jury will go easy with that charge despite the fact you returned her safely." Jane sat down on the table in front of Dylan causing him to back away a little so that he could see her face. "I suggest you work with me and tell me where your father is."
Dylan dropped his gaze to Jane's body where his eyes fell onto her side where her gun hung on her hip. Jane sat still despite the nausea that was forming being so close to McFadden's son. "Are you left-handed, Detective?"
Jane glanced up at Korsak quickly before returning her gaze to Dylan. "Yes."
Dylan glanced down at his hands that were secured in front of him. "My father is left-handed, so was my brother. My father was closer to my brother, said it had to do with the way their brains were wired."
"Dylan, tell me about his first victim." Jane kept her voice low, trying to capitalize on Dylan's state of mind.
"Even after my brother died, he still didn't care about me. I was always trying to prove to him that I was just as good and just as smart as my brother." Dylan looked at Jane for a long few seconds before turning to the wall again.
"Talk to me Dylan. What did he make you do to prove to him." Jane lowered herself down into a chair so that she was eye level with Dylan.
Dylan stared into Jane's eyes. "He had a plan before he escaped from prison. He always has a plan." Jane nodded encouraging Dylan to continue. "I had to get you involved, his plan is centered around you."
Jane took a few seconds to look around at everybody in the room before turning her attention back to Dylan. Her voice was a bit louder, more forceful as her patience was depleted. "Tell me about his first victim."
"I killed her per my father's orders. I killed her, claimed her and marked her. Beth Crenshaw. Didn't know her, but he told me where to find her, and how to do her." Dylan moved his eyes from the picture back to Jane. "I'm not like him at all. I didn't like it. I didn't want to hurt her."
Jane looked at Korsak as she stood and backed away from Dylan. The name of the first victim was never released, but Dylan knew it. Korsak pickup up on the same detail as Jane went back to the wall.
"But you did. You killed her and you marked her…junior." Jane looked again at the first victim's photo.
Dylan was suddenly grinning at Jane with the arrogant smile that he knew got to her. "My initials are D.M.; yours are J.R."
Jane fought the anger, the frustration, the fatigue, the nausea to make her way back towards Dylan. She remembered Maura's guess about the first victim being marked by a right-hander. Maura hardly ever guessed at anything, and she was fairly certain she didn't guess this time either.
"Tell me about the little girl you brought to me." Jane once again resumed her position on the table in front of Dylan. The close proximity seemed to affect Dylan in a way that seemed to favor her efforts.
"I got to her first. I didn't abduct her, Detective. I saved her." Dylan once again let his eyes run down Jane's body. "I didn't hurt her, didn't plan to at all."
"You will go down for the murder of Beth Crenshaw. You know that. Your father used you and has no intention of helping you now. You know that, don't you Dylan?" Jane had returned to her comforting voice as she watched Dylan struggle with his emotions.
"Yeah, I know that. I pissed him off, you know. Messed up his plan." Dylan grinned again, but Jane knew it was not directed at her. "He's pissed now. I pissed him off."
"You want to make this right somehow, don't you Dylan?" Jane continued to stroke Dylan in hopes of getting the information she needed. "Tell me where he is."
"I don't know where he is, I really don't." Dylan looked Jane directly in the eyes. "I do know he's pissed. I do know that he wants you and I do know that he will get you."
"You know more than you're saying." Jane taunted hoping she was right.
"I know Christy Marks is not number nine. I do know that much, but then so do you." Dylan directed his gaze back to the wall and at the photo in space number nine.
Jane hung her head before standing up to leave. Dylan wouldn't give her anything and she was done trying with him.
"Detective Rizzoli, get some sleep. You looked whipped." Dylan's voice demanded her to turn and look at him. "I do know that my father views you as his only challenge. He's determined, you know, and you don't stand a chance right now."
Jane made her way out of the room and into the squad room where the activity was constant and the noise numbing. Maybe she should get some rest. They would come get her when number nine was announced, she was sure of that. Jane looked around for Maura, immediately concerned when she wasn't close by. She approached Korsak as she exited the room leaving Dylan McFadden to be official charged and arrested for the murder of Beth Crenshaw. He would be taken back to Boston where he would be serve his time.
"Korsak, have you seen Maura?" Jane's voice was raw displaying her every emotion.
"Jane, she's on the way back to Boston." Korsak held his hand up stopping Jane's protest. "It's not safe for her to be here given the circumstances."
"It's not safe for her to be there, given the circumstances!" Jane was angry now and the whole squad room knew this. "I wanted her here for a reason. Dammitt!"
"Jane, she's safe. FBI agents are with her and will stay with her around the clock until McFadden is done." Korsak tried to calm Jane but knew any attempt would be useless.
"Rizzoli!" Captain Crane was fast approaching and Jane immediately looked for the closest chair. "Number nine is up."
Jane rubbed her face with her hands as he handed Korsak the address. Dylan did nothing to disrupt his father's plan it seemed. "Where to?"
Korsak's face was red with anger as he headed out of the precinct knowing Jane would follow. He motioned for Frost as FBI and local detectives all prepared to head out. Korsak said nothing and Jane didn't ask again. They drove through the Michigan streets until Korsak pulled up in front of the familiar hotel. The lights from the police cruisers reflected off Jane's face as she didn't need to ask where the victim was. She immediately boarded the elevator with several members of her team. She knew she would not be alone at all from this point on and she was actually somewhat comforted by that.
Jane showed her credentials to the officers at the door and stepped cautiously into the room, her room where she had been staying. She had tried to prepare herself for the discovery of the ninth victim, but she wasn't even close. The anger, frustration, and fear that filled her body at the sight of McFadden's last victim before her was enough to make her loose her balance. She dropped down onto the bed that had been Maura's, refusing to look at the woman that now occupied hers.
It took a few minutes for Jane to get her bearings. She looked around the room, knowing McFadden wouldn't leave anything he didn't want found. She knew she would need to make her way over to the victim, but just needed something to ground her. Maura's personal items were still in the room where she had left them and Jane made a mental note to gather them before clearing out of the hotel. She suddenly felt relieved that Maura had been sent home. Her body jumped wondering if maybe she was McFadden's target after all and that he settled for claiming a member of the hotel staff. No, McFadden was smarter than that. He would know that Jane wouldn't have left Maura out of her sight.
Jane knelt down to the level of the victim. She removed the sheet that covered her, immediately looking for the marking that was ever present. Sure enough, an innocent woman that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jane pulled the gloves from her hands, letting them drop to the ground. She made her way into the bathroom where she proceeded to splash cold water onto her face.
The cold water kept Jane breathing, functioning. It also helped hide the tears that flowed without her permission. Dylan was right, she was no match for Duncan McFadden. It was all she could do to hold up her own weight right now. Her body shook against her will and her mind flashed images of every victim up to and including the hotel maid that was still lying dead in her bed. She pulled out her phone and dialed Maura's number. She listened to the sound of her voice as her call went directly to voicemail. Maybe she was on the plane. Hopefully she was on the plane.