A/N: Written with SSA-rtune.
Our sincerest apologies, life threw my writing partner and I serious curveballs. The loss of her mom and beloved aunt, illness, a pending major move and resignation from one job and acceptance of another, have had us juggling more than the norm. We haven't forgotten you and hope you all are still out there waiting for an update.
Maura looked from one to the other as they discussed the name that their suspect had given them. The more she listened, the more she realized that they had in fact not fully comprehended her words.
"Jane..." Pursing her lips she realized Jane hadn't heard her, and it hadn't even been enough for Frost or Korsak to look in her direction.
"Jane!" The name coming out of Maura's mouth far louder than she had intended, but for once she found she didn't care about how uncouth or rude it seemed.
Jane turned her attention away from Frost and Korsak, looking annoyed at having been interrupted. "Maura, what?"
"I don't think you understood what I said about him lying..."
"We get it Maur, we know all of this is a lie..." Jane began to say, effectively cutting Maura off mid-sentence, shaking her head, pushing her anger down.
"No Jane, the name he gave you, he was lying about it. His tone, his facial expression all say the name is false. There does appear to be someone, but it isn't David Romero." Maura explained quickly, recognizing that Jane was getting frustrated, and the last thing she wanted or needed was to antagonize her further.
Jane's head snapped up as Maura spoke, her eyebrows coming together as in a thoughtful frown. It was at that moment Frost spoke up.
"Maura's right Jane, there is nothing so far that is even registering on here. There are a lot of people with that name, but no-one is being shown in this area so far. And no criminal records are popping either with that name."
"Keep looking." Jane said, as she took in a deep breath. "He might be using an alias, so check that name isn't showing up as a known alias for someone else." Jane looked back at Maura, "Okay, you're sure he is lying about the name?"
Maura nodded, looking empathic. "Absolutely. There is someone else involved, but that is a false name."
Jane nodded slowly. "Okay, so we assume the name is false, but we still need to check it all out. Dammit, this just got a whole lot more complicated." Jane finally sank down on her chair alongside her desk; her head was pounding and her nose felt no better.
"I think he knew the person, albeit not well enough to be classified as close friends." Maura added after she'd given it a little more thought.
"So, what? Family? Friend of the family? Known to the area he lives? What Maur? That doesn't really help unless we can narrow it down." Jane said quickly trying not to let her frustration show in her voice, knowing it wasn't Maura's fault.
"I would suggest looking at family or close family friends first. Just because he might be close to them, it doesn't mean someone in the family isn't." Maura replied. "I sense he gave the false name out of fear of this person, and that he knows them well enough, at least by reputation for him to be scared of them. That suggests he knows them, so, like I've said, that in turn suggests some kind of family connection, or close family friend. Just not directly to him."
"Hate to break it to ya Doc, but that could also be someone from the area who runs the place." Korsak replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Could be someone from a local gang. C'mon, even you know in some districts, the gangs rule everything and just about everyone there."
"Oh." Maura sounded slightly upset that she hadn't been able to help more.
Jane sat at her desk, fiddling with her badge on her belt, before turning her attention to her phone, her nervous energy showing. "We need to know more about this kid's family. Bring them in Korsak. Parents, grandparents, cousins - I don't care who, even the pets, just bring the entire damn family in if you have to!"
Korsak's eyebrows shot up. "Hey, why can't Frost do it?" He tilted his chin in Frost's direction, who was keeping his head down.
"Cos Frost is doing the computer shit, genius." Jane's retort was swift as she then stood up again, pacing nervously. "There is more to this kid than he's letting on, and it's pissing me off that we're not getting any closer to an answer."
"Ya think?" Korsak muttered sarcastically, earning a glare from Jane and a slight shake of the head from Maura, who knew Jane was holding back her anger by a mere thread. Maura decided to step in, before it landed up in some kind of fight between Jane and Korsak, knowing Jane was itching to just let her anger out at someone. And while normally Korsak would have the good sense to back off, for some reason he was letting his own frustration show and the tension between him and Jane was building.
"Jane, how about we review this latest interview tape again? Perhaps we can pick something else up."
Jane stopped in her tracks, and flicking her hair back across her shoulder, she nodded. "Sure, gives me something to do while Korsak goes and gets the family." Jane then looked across at Korsak. "You still here?"
"Going now. Jesus." Korsak quickly pulled his jacket on, and disappeared through the bullpen doors, as Maura placed a hand lightly on Jane's elbow and used it to guide them to the interview room they had just left. Frost watched out of the corner of his eye, letting his body relax as Jane disappeared from view, before turning his attention back to his search.
Dominique hung up the phone and thought about her options. They hadn't connected her to the bombing and knowing Jane, it must be making her crazy right now trying to find out why it happened in the first place. The kid had been very valuable in placing the explosives. Who knew a child could be so talented.
She looked back at the screen of the recently acquired laptop. She couldn't believe just how easy it was to garner something like this, even behind prison walls, and she couldn't stop the smile at the thoughts of just how much this was going to help her. Her connections were still solid, whether it was individuals or gang members who she used, and right now these connections were being used to their full advantage. Settling down, she began to access the internet, again marvelling how things had moved along in such a short time since her incarceration.
Whilst the laptop had been a little more complicated to get - requiring her to use someone within the prison who was under less supervision and being allowed access for much more mundane use, for Dominique to then coerce - admittedly with force - into giving her the machine, the actual means to gain online access had been easy. All she needed was for one of her friends to purchase a mobile hotspot in the form of a 3G USB jumpdrive and she was set. Being pre-paid was also an added bonus, allowing them total anonymity. Small, easy to smuggle in, and untraceable. Dominique just loved technology.
.
She sat back slightly against the back wall as she was perched on her bed, and she watched the computer find a signal before quickly opening the browser. She had been given a name of someone who might well fit her purpose, as well as a web site address. The moment she began to read the blog entries, Dominique knew she had the very person she needed to make this happen. He was ideal, and best of all, she knew exactly how she could get hold of him.
Her phone rang again and looking at the number she felt the anger in her build. Her father was trying to reach her again. She had so far been able to avoid speaking to him. He had allowed her to be jailed years ago and no amount of pleading from her had provided any release. She had done that herself, just as she had long ago learned to take care of things on her own. He had heard about the bombing, just as he heard about the attempt on Jane Rizzoli's life. She knew her father was angry with her for bringing attention back on the family, but Dominique was done playing games. Jane would be with her or dead. And anyone who got in her way would pay.
Ignoring the phone as it rang again, she thought about her next move. She knew that the aftermath of the destruction Jane had witnessed had affected her. She knew Jane. Ever the hero, she would leave no stone unturned trying to find out who was behind the explosion. This Dr. Isles however, she knew nothing about her except that she seemed to have a very close connection to Jane. It suddenly registered that whilst she had asked for information about Dr. Isles to be brought to her some days ago, there was still no word, and it angered her even more to realize that something she'd asked for still hadn't been done. Snatching her phone up, she quickly dialled a number.
"Yes it's me...no...I want you to find out everything you can on Boston's Medical Examiner, Maura Isles...yes everything, where she lives, who she knows...and just what is her connection to Detective Jane Rizzoli...when? Today...its not impossible! Dammit I asked for this days ago and I am now passing this on to you, since it appears that Suarez couldn't do even a simple thing asked of him. I also want him dealt with, since it's important to send out the message that I am not to be messed with." Her voice rose as she grew exasperated with the incompetence she was being presented with.
Dominique listened to something being said, before looking even angrier, "Yes, that means killing him! I hardly meant taking him out for a meal. Don't fail me...I'm done being patient." Even as she disconnected the call she could feel the anger building inside her. She knew she had made a mistake with the attempt on Jane's life. She needed more information before she made another move, in the meanwhile, she would make Jane's life such a living hell that she was going to welcome her with open arms.
The set of Jane's shoulders broadcast just how exhausted she was. Watching as she rolled them, Maura frowned when she saw Jane wince, knowing her injured shoulder was still bothering her. With a sigh she placed her hands on them and started to massage, gently at first.
When Jane didn't object, Maura worked on her shoulders a bit more, trying to help her ease the tension she was feeling, the muscles obviously tight under her fingertips.
"Mmmm..." reaching up, Jane grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her around to face her. "Thank you" she said huskily. Jane knew she was reaching the end of her rope. She could feel her body fighting her from all sides and while she hadn't said anything, she had for a brief moment wished that Maura would do just what she had done. She felt guilty for even indulging in such a thought with everything that was going on around them, but she was grateful.
"Jane you need to..."
"Take a break, I know...I can't Maura, not yet." They had viewed the video twice now. It was glaringly obvious that this kid was hiding something but he had recovered so quickly that it was hard to get anything else out of the interview. Frost hadn't turned up much and with Vince on the way in with at least two more to interview, possibly more, she couldn't leave, not yet, not now.
"You're not going to be of any use if you can't focus, come on, twenty minutes on my couch downstairs at least, please Jane." Looking at her, Jane couldn't ignore the plea in Maura's voice; the concern.
Pushing herself to her feet, she staggered as she stood up and with a wan smile she squeezed Maura's hand, "Fine, for you, twenty minutes...come get me when Vince gets here please." Walking away she didn't pay any attention to Frost as he walked past. She couldn't remember being this tired ever.
"She okay?" Barry looked at Jane's retreating form with concern.
"I hope so, I truly do, did you find anything?" Maura refocused her attention on him while she took a seat, she was tired herself and wondered if she might be able to snatch a few minutes of sleep.
"Nothing! I'm starting to get a little pissed off, this kid is good, his blog is chock full of information and he alludes to a bigger cause, but I can't find anything. And his family? Half of them exist in the system only for the past six years or so. I mean shit, who is this kid? It's like suddenly half the family decided to become criminals on a whim, and he wanted to become a nutjob of a different kind."
Maura paused as she thought about what Frost had told her, carefully dissecting the information, "It is unusual for someone to suddenly become criminally active. Usually it's down to two main causes. The first is they simply weren't caught. However, I suspect since you said it's more than one family member that isn't the case here. One person and it's probable. More than one, particularly if they are related, and the odds drop dramatically. The second cause, and I suspect the most likely here is that a criminal element of some kind was removed from the neighborhood and they were able to operate without fear or reprisal."
"A gang or leader of a gang?"
Maura nodded. "That is most likely. If someone high enough up in the chain of command is removed, it could very well open up positions for people you haven't seen before on the system as they step up. The more involved they become, the greater the chance of being caught if they don't have people to take the fall for them - the foot soldiers if you like. Of course, it doesn't explain this child's desire to do what he has done. That is far more in depth, and he shows the classic signs of a psychopath."
"Doesn't help us much though does it?" Frost sighed loudly feeling as if he was getting absolutely nowhere.
"Perhaps," Maura looked thoughtful again, "If there was a power struggle, and the family stepped up; does knowing who they replaced help in anyway? By establishing a pattern of behavior we might be able to trace how others involved in the bombing got to know of this child. Vince did say it could have a gang connection, hence his reluctance to talk."
"Hey, that isn't a bad idea. I'll go and start running some stuff through the system. I'll also need to talk to someone involved in our gang unit to see if they might have any information." Excited, Frost rushed out to speak to his connections in the gang unit hoping he would have some information for Jane when she got back.
Maura mulled over the information that she and Frost had just gone over. She felt unnerved. This was much bigger than they initially thought and she wondered how much more Jane could deal with. She was still reeling from the attempts by Dominique and now this? Not to mention the intimate moment they had shared that they still hadn't discussed. She didn't know how to broach the subject, because it was completely unchartered territory for her, and if she was being honest, while she was excited about the whole prospect of her and Jane sharing more than just a good friendship; it also terrified her. Right now it also seemed unimportant in the whole scheme of things, even though the bombing had been the trigger to the entire event. Maura hated feeling so confused over things, and that was also how she felt. Was this the time to say something? Was it too much with everything else going on around them? What if Jane or she acted on impulse again without having any kind of discussion? So far, it hadn't been awkward between them, but Maura knew that might change should it happen a second time.
It was only as she pushed the door open did Maura realize she had made her way towards her office automatically. She stopped herself from entering the morgue properly, knowing Jane hadn't been there for long, and also knowing Jane had asked her to be woken once Korsak had arrived. Making a decision, Maura turned on her heel and headed upstairs - to see if Korsak had indeed arrived, and if not, she would wait at Jane's desk until he appeared. One thing Maura was certain of was that Jane needed to rest, so that was the least Maura could do for her right now.
Korsak strode in the bullpen, his eyes darting around, ready to face Jane and her temperament the minute he saw her. He was still feeling pissed at having been sent out like he was, and if anything, the whole thing had flared even more as he got back and saw that Frost wasn't even at his desk.
"So much for being on the computer." Korsak muttered, only then aware that Maura was sitting demurely at Jane's desk, her back straight, feet crossed at the ankles and hands held lightly in her lap. He took in a deep breath as he approached, knowing the doc didn't deserve his wrath about Jane's attitude.
"Vince." Maura looked up as he appeared by her shoulder, a smile on her face. "Do you have the family?"
Korsak nodded, "Yeah, just put the Dad and Mom in interview two. Where in the hell are Frost and Jane?"
"Jane is resting under my orders, while Barry is talking to someone in the gang unit about a possible lead."
Korsak's whole demeanour relaxed on hearing Jane had been sent to rest, knowing it would hopefully put her in a better mood. Maura stood up, making him step back slightly to give her room.
"I promised Jane I'd wake her once you were back. We'll be there shortly."
"Sure doc, take your time."
Maura stepped into her office quietly and watched as Jane slept. Her body was finally relaxed but she could see the dark shadows under her eyes. It was rare to catch Jane like this, unguarded, relaxed, and she hated to wake her, but she had promised.
Leaning over her she whispered as she shook her gently, "Jane...Jane, Vince is back..."
Jane heard Maura's voice in her dream and couldn't keep the smile off her face as she turned toward it.
Seeing Jane smile was enough for Maura to smile herself, before leaning closer, this time gently placing a firmer hand on Jane's shoulder.
"Jane, you need to wake up."
Finally Jane's eyes fluttered open and for a second she looked slightly disoriented until she remembered where she was. "Maur." Her voice was scratchy from tiredness, and Maura began to wish she'd allowed Jane to sleep for longer, even if she knew it would be a move likely to anger the brunette.
"Vince has the parents upstairs." Maura backed up with deliberate care, giving Jane the chance to wake properly and to move off the couch.
"Okay." Jane pushed herself up with a slight grimace as the movement pulled on her aching shoulder.
The grimace didn't go unnoticed by Maura, who moved across to her desk. She pulled a drawer open, and without a word pulled some painkillers out, as well as a bottle of water before returning to Jane, who was sitting upright, pulling her fingers through her now unruly hair.
"Tylenol." Was all Maura said as she handed the bottle of pills and water over.
"I'm all right." Jane replied, even though she snatched them out of Maura's hand, and without hesitation, she had two pills out and down her throat as quickly as she could.
"No, you're half left."
Jane sat there slightly stunned for a second as Maura smirked down at her. "There are times when I regret you learning how to make a joke or be sarcastic."
Suppressing a light laugh, Maura began to walk towards the office door. "I'll meet you upstairs." and didn't wait for a reply as she disappeared from view.
Korsak was standing outside the interview room in the small room that was attached to it, looking through the one way mirror at the parents as Maura quietly joined him.
"Have they done or said anything?" Maura asked, deliberately keeping her voice low, her attention taken as Jane also appeared in the room seconds behind her.
Korsak looked up at Jane, and gave her a small smile which she returned, both silently communicating to the other that they were now okay again.
"Not said a word or done a thing since we left them here." Vince shifted on the balls of his feet slightly. "You wanna take a shot at them first?"
"Yeah, why not mix it up a bit." Jane replied, as she turned, opening the door, which she held open for Korsak to follow her. "Maur, can you do your facial thing for us from here?"
"I can." Maura replied, turning around to look at the people in the interview room properly for the first time since arriving, and she couldn't stop the gasp from escaping, stopping Jane in her tracks.
"Maura? What is it?" Jane's voice suddenly seemed a long way away as Maura felt her world begin to spin on its axis and her arm came out, her hand scrambling to grab the edge of the window frame in front of her.
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