Truth
The walls in Donald Walden's office were covered with overflowing bookshelves, which also held a huge array of small objects that must surely have high sentimental value, for they didn't seem expensive.
The limited wall space not stolen by bookshelves was covered with framed snapshots of people, mostly young boys and girls. Jane got closer and saw that both Dorothy and Elizabeth appeared in many of the pictures. They looked radiant and beautiful.
The door opened. Donald Walden was not what Jane had expected. He had no trace of the stiffness that abounded with the Gladworth family, or the elegance that Dorothy had, even when dead.
He seemed like a normal guy, smart but casual, relaxed and down to earth. His jeans were fashionably faded, but they didn't look like designer clothing; the heavy high neck sweater could have been knitted by his grandma – or bought at Etsy.
"Welcome. I'm Donnie. Hope you didn't have to wait too long, I got delayed by…." He pointed his thumb at the door, voice trailing off as he extended his hand to Jane and then Korsak.
The voice seemed too soft and gentle for man over six foot tall and hands as big as a baseball mitt.
Korsak and Jane chose the comfortable looking two-seater. The lawyer let himself fall into a sturdy, comfy looking armchair.
"So, you are here because of the will, aren't you?" His eyes were sunken, a dark shadow under them.
Jane shot a surprised look at Korsak. He seemed as disarmed as she was by his blunt frankness.
Jane turned back to the lawyer, quickly finding her feet again.
"Well, yes, but not only that. We are talking to everyone who was close to her. How well did you know Dorothy?"
He winced, swallowing. His eyes glistened, and he wiped a tear as he cleared his throat.
"I… excuse me. Dottie is… was… the mother I didn't have. She and I go back a long, long time." He cast his eyes down, cleaning invisible specks on his jeans.
Jane arched her eyebrows. He was either a hell of a good actor, or this man was really suffering.
"Would you mind telling us about this… shared history?"
"Let me get you tea first. I'm not good at bullet-point storytelling. And I'm still cold. It's freezing out there." He shrugged with a controlled, short shoulder shake, making Jane think of Maura.
He came back carrying a tray loaded with three small ceramic teapot-cup combos and brown sugar.
"I met Dottie when my parents kicked me out. I was 15. They found me fooling around with my boyfriend in my bedroom. My father gave me a shiner as a farewell gift, and I ended up bouncing between friends' houses until I had nowhere left to stay. One day I met this kid my age, we sort of hooked up, and he took me to this safe house for runaway gay kids. It wasn't much, but Dottie kept it funded well enough to keep the shelter going and support all twelve of us. I stayed there for," he shrugged, lost in thought. "For about three years, until I finished high school."
He took a white hankie from his back pocket, blew his nose quietly and took a sip from his cup.
"By then, Dottie and I… she somehow took a liking to me. I guess it was because I liked studying, I was polite and… I don't know. Thing is, she took me out to museums and the movies. We spent hours and hours discussing books – well, she talked about them, and," he smiled sadly. "She made me fall in love with the smell of books and the wonders of reading, like there was a whole new world out there that was so different from my small town. Anyway, it was then when I met Eli."
"Elizabeth Benson?" Jane took her notepad out and scribbled a few notes.
Donnie nodded, his face lighting up. "Yeah. She was the most loveable, sweetest woman ever, and Dottie adored her. She introduced her as her best friend, the one who would be there for us if she couldn't. Anyway, Dottie was always there for us, although Eli came over all the time, and went out with us as often as she could."
He took another sip, and gently wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.
"Funny, but Dottie never took me to her house. I didn't even know where she lived. I got upset once, and told her that she was embarrassed of this little fag." He shook his head, lips stretched by the way of a smile. "First and last time I ever saw her angry."
He shrugged. "She explained that her husband didn't like strangers in the house, and that she was much happier in the shelter, with us, anyway."
Donnie left the cup on the small table between them.
"So, time went by. I finished high school with really good marks, and got accepted at BU, Boston University." He waved his hand as he felt necessary to clarify what BU was. "I thought I had received a full grant, but it turned out that it was only a partial one. Dottie, covered the rest. I used the grant money to eat and buy a few clothes and books, but she took care of everything else."
He tapped on his thighs, his eyes unfocused as if reliving happy memories.
"Of course, I did nothing else but study. I wanted to be the best lawyer ever. Make her proud, and help her run the shelter. I wanted to help other kids like me."
He lifted his head, chest swelling, and looked around, proudly.
"I think I did. She was very proud and happy."
His smiled faded, lined burrowing his forehead.
"I just… couldn't help her."
Jane swallowed a lump that she discovered lodged in her throat, repressing the odd urge to get up and comfort the soft bear of a man fighting tears.
"We know the cause of her death, but we need to find out why, and who did this to her. Do you… have any idea who could have wanted them dead?"
He scoffed tiredly. "So, you don't think I had them both killed so I could profit from the money left for Safe Haven?"
"We don't accuse, Mr Walden. That's the D.A.'s job. We investigate."
He nodded. "Sorry, I'm… I'm so angry that I… not your fault. Excuse my outburst." He took a deep breath. "I've spent the last week not sleeping, trying to find out who could have done such a thing, but also why… it doesn't make any sense. Eli was not well, and Dottie…"
"Terminal cancer."
His brow tensed and nodded.
"I came to the conclusion that the funds were the only plausible explanation. I would have accused myself, only I know I didn't do it."
He looked around the room.
"It's not much, but we have enough donors to get by. Safe Haven was Dottie and Eli's way of leaving a legacy behind. Money never brought them, or me, happiness. We keep things small enough to make the kids feel safe, but big enough to take in every homeless gay kid we can find. But… the money… I'd give it all, and more, to have them back."
He lifted his eyes and held Jane's firmly.
"Dottie and Eli were my family, my mothers." He sighed. "But I'm still responsible for the kids; it is only because of them that I manage to keep on going."
Jane realized she was trembling.
"What else can you tell us about Dorothy and Elizabeth?"
"They were the most amazing couple I've ever met,"
Jane gasped.
"With the shittiest life ever. I wish someone could have done for them what they did for others. The Gladworth are the most unpleasant, snobbish and backwards people ever."
The pained eyes turned into a glare directed at no one in the room.
"Their families did everything they could to keep them apart. They didn't manage to completely ruin their lives, because they couldn't keep them away from this," He raised his palms up. "This, their charity work, but otherwise…" A warm flush melted his face. "They were so happy together, working together. They were so in tune with each other. Dottie was the cheeky, outgoing one. Eli was always blushing but she was the real strong one of the two. Eli was like a walking encyclopedia. She inspired me to become an advocate. She had started studying law, but had to give it up when her family made her marry that asshole of a husband."
Jane chewed her lips, and pressed her hands under her legs.
"Anyway, when their husbands died, we all thought they'd eventually get to live together as they had been dreaming of for years but…" Donnie shook his head. "Their families managed to put a stop to that too. I don't know how they managed. I guess they both had grown too old and tired to keep on fighting."
He smiled sadly. "I guess they are together now, forever. And we have Safe Haven to make their work, their lives, and their love mean something."
He looked up and shook his head, as if coming back from the world of his memories.
"I'm sorry. How un-lawyer like of me. I must be boring you with all of this." He shifted in his seat, trying to regain a bit of expected dignity.
Jane shook her head. "We are very sorry for your loss. You really are helping us." She felt like they were finally getting the break in the case they needed. But it still didn't completely clear the lawyer, or find a motive, nor the killer.
The thought of Donnie turning out to be the killer depressed her. He seemed genuinely devastated, and the entire story was just so overwhelmingly sad.
She thought of Maura and her insides twisted with a whirlwind of emotions that took all her strength to keep in check.
Korsak came through for her again.
"Where were you last Saturday, between 5 and 10 am?"
Donnie shook his head. "Um… I had a call around 6 am, I went out at... let me check exactly." He got up and went to his desk. There he checked his diary, tapping on it when he found what he was looking for.
"Yes. I got to the hospital at 6:45. I was with Jimmy, one of our volunteers. He had found a gay kid unconscious after a beating."
Jane winced while Korsak took notes.
"So, why do you think anyone would have wanted them dead?"
"Like I said, they were amazing women. I can't figure out what kind of sick bastard would want to kill two old, sick ladies. I don't know. I keep thinking that it could have been motivated by hatred from a homophobic parent, but we don't really have contact with our kids' families."
Jane and Korsak crossed glances. They had a lot of work to do.
Jane sat in her car outside Maura's house. She had kept her emotions at bay for the entire interview and the drive back, but now they were flooding out. She propped an elbow on the window and pushed her fingers against her forehead, rubbing it while covering her eyes.
Donnie's account of Dorothy and Elizabeth's relationship felt as if he had been describing Maura and her instead, except that she had allowed herself to be tied down by fear and doubt.
Dorothy and Elizabeth would have given everything to be in her place, completely free to explore and live these new feelings with the support of their families.
Jane's thoughts shifted to her own extended family. They would never, ever do that to Maura or her. Constance was a snob, but quite open-minded. Hope and Cailin certainly wouldn't reject them. Her Ma would bitch about the grandchildren but adored Maura. And Frankie… He would never hate her. He just didn't have it in him.
Their families wouldn't mind if they got together as a couple.
Together.
"I guess they are together now, forever." Donnie's words burst like a flare in the night.
I am an idiot.
At that very second, she knew what she had to do.
She crossed the street in a few strides, opened the door and blasted into the kitchen. Maura and Angela looked at her disconcerted.
"Maura, we need to talk. Upstairs. Now."
Angela and Maura looked at each other and shrugged.
As they got inside Maura's bedroom, Jane closed the door and locked it. In one motion, she turned around and kissed Maura, wrapping her in a tight embrace.
When she broke the contact, Maura leaned back, her mouth open.
Jane took a deep breath.
"Maura Isles. I love you. I am in love in you. That's it."
Maura felt her knees give way.
Jane held her, proudly, happier than she had ever been in her life. It felt better than catching every single killer in Boston, than stopping every murder.
"What? What happened?" Maura whispered out of breath.
Jane kissed her again, softly, her lips, her cheek, her hair.
"I'm an idiot, and I'm making up for it."
Jane held Maura's shaking hands and smiled, mesmerizing her.
"Come on, let's go back. We have a party to prepare for."
Jane gave herself a smug grin and unlocked the door.
As they returned to the kitchen, Angela followed them with her eyes. They looked odd, smiling at each other as if they had a big surprise prepared.
Other than that, nothing was different. The jokes, the teasing, Maura's complaining about Jane making a mess, Jane's complaining that Maura forgot that this was a birthday dinner for an adult.
Everything seemed normal.
But something was different and Angela couldn't quite put her finger on it. She carried on preparing the cannoli determined to find out.
A while later, Tommy, Lydia and little TJ came in, and Maura's neat, quiet, elegant dinner party became a raucous gathering. Korsak joined in a while later.
TJ had already begun to make his first real steps. Jane and Tommy were on the floor encouraging him. When TJ reached Jane's arms, she lifted him up and gave Tommy a smug grin.
"That's my boy. Come with Auntie Jane, the best auntie in the whole entire world."
Maura stopped stacking up plates and looked at the scene, falling in love with Jane all over again.
Angela saw her, and frowned.
Korsak came over and stood next Maura.
"Mind if I refill my beer?" He lifted the empty one in his hand.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. How inconsiderate of me to leave you dry." She winked at him.
As she gave Korsak a full bottle, she got closer and whispered.
"So, what happened with the lawyer?"
He puffed and shook his head. "Terrible. Poor ladies. It turns out they were a couple and…" He told Maura the key points of the story.
Maura looked at Jane, finally understanding.
It was unexpectedly fitting that their love had found its way thanks to two deaths.
Angela barged in, upset she had missed out in that very interesting looking conversation.
"It's 7 pm and Frankie will be here any minute. We should...?" She pointed at the other side of the room.
Maura nodded and finished clearing up the kitchen island.
Angela clapped her hands.
"Come on people, let's get ready. Frankie should be coming any second now."
They all stood in the dark, standing out of view, giggling like teenagers.
Maura stood behind Jane and discreetly caressed her back, making Jane stiffen. Turning her head slightly over her shoulder she gave Maura a mocking glare that sent a shiver running down her spine.
TJ started to cry and Jane, desperate for something to do with her hands that didn't involve Maura, rocked him in her arms whilst smiling and making funny faces.
Maura smiled at them, completely unaware of Angela's stare.
A few minutes later, the bell rang and the door opened. "Hello? Anyone home?" Frankie asked.
Lights and cheers came on at the same time.
"Happy Birthday!"
While Frankie finished greeting everyone, Jane came over to Maura slipping her hand around her waist, and leaned in. Maura shivered again, smiling as if nothing unusual had happened.
"So, did you get him a present?"
Angela saw the gesture from the corner of her eye, and pursed her lips.
"Oh, I bought him that jacket that he said he had liked. Let's hope it fits, he seems small but he is well built."
Jane winced. "Maura... god…"
Maura arched her eyebrows, "What? I have hugged your brother many times." Then her lips formed a small O.
"Jane…" She smiled shaking her head.
"What? Fine. You're right. You see? I told you I was an idiot."
They stood staring at each other, smiling, for a brief second forgetting they were in the midst of an Italian birthday party.
"Come on people, food is ready." Angela gathered everyone, her eyes still trained on Jane and Maura.
Dinner went on as usual, everyone talking at the same time, and yet Jane felt relaxed for the first time in years. After almost two hours, with the table depleted of food and drink, Angela stood and began to clear up. Maura stopped her, her hand softly touching Angela's arm.
"Don't worry, Jane and I will do that in the morning."
Jane heard "Jane and I " and "in the morning", and pressed her lips tight, afraid that everyone would hear her thumping heart.
Angela protested. "Okay, but at least let me clean the leftovers. It'll be a minute."
As Tommy was about to leave, Jane kissed a sleeping TJ softly. He smiled.
"I'll be damned. You are good with kids."
"What do you mean," Her lip curled, but she was actually quite pleased. "Of course I am good with kids. I'm the best with kids and murderers."
Angela left the dishes neatly piled up and wiped her hands. "Okay, I better be off then. Are you sure I…"
Maura smiled, shaking her head.
"Go and rest, we'll take care of it. Thanks for the wonderful meal; exquisite, as always."
Angela smiled, unable to resist Maura's charm. She gave her a big hug.
Jane saw her Ma turning to her and raised her palms up. "Uh, no hugging Ma. But great cannoli! You're the best." Angela leaned in and gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek.
"Ma…" She groaned, but gave Angela a small, warm squeeze on her arm.
As soon as Angela left, Maura turned the safety lock on the back door.
Turning slowly, darkened eyes locked on Jane.
"We need to talk. Upstairs. Now".
A/N: Thanks for all your comments and follows, and a huge special thanks for Radleks and Vez87 for helping me getting this finally out.
Would love to know what you thought of this chapter, so before you go, say hi!