Chapter 21
"Breaking News: Police shoot out with kidnapping and murder suspect in Public Gardens. Early reports indicate at least one fatality and undetermined number of injured. Stay tuned as we develop this story."
"As we continue our coverage of the dramatic rescue of kidnap victim Jennifer Shelton in Boston Public Gardens. Detective Jane Rizzoli, who was instrumental in the rescue of Shelton, has been injured in the shoot out. Detective Rizzoli is listed in serious but stable condition."
"As reported earlier we have learned that the Boston Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli has apparently stopped a second attack on innocent bystanders in less than a week. Rizzoli, if you recall, stopped a possible robbery at a coffee shop on Thursday. Earlier today it had been confirmed that Rizzoli was involved in the standoff with kidnapping and murder suspect Natalie Pennington. Rizzoli was injured in an exchange with the suspect but is listed in serious but stable condition at Mass General."
"And now more information on our developing story. As we reported yesterday, Natalie Pennington was gunned down in Public Gardens. Pennington was the chief suspect in two homicides and was said to have had another potential victim kidnapped held hostage inside the Garden near the lake. Boston police responding to the kidnapping were forced to exchange fire with Pennington when she fired at the kidnap victim Jennifer Shelton. Ms. Shelton sustained only minor injuries. However, Detective Jane Rizzoli was shot during the exchange. Detective Rizzoli currently remains hospitalized in stable condition."
"As information continues to develop with this investigation there are some shocking discoveries. KNBC has learned that among the items recovered from Pennington's vehicle was an AR-15 rifle with several hundred rounds of ammunition and three other handguns. A .22 was used in the exchange with the Boston police."
"We have also learned that Pennington was planning on some sort of assault on Savio Preparatory High School. Motivation behind this planned assault that was foiled by the police is not yet known. There are unofficial reports that Pennington, a former student of Savio, was seeking to avenge the death of her sister Sara Pennington but that information has not been confirmed."
"As reported earlier Pennington was found with an AR-15 semi automatic rifle and three handguns in her vehicle. As previously reported it was believed that Pennington was targeting an Open House event at the Savio Prep High School but that assault was foiled by the shoot-out in the Gardens."
"We are learning some disturbing details as this case progresses. There are now unconfirmed reports that a manifesto written by Pennington was recovered during the search of her vehicle and that manifesto is said to be highly inflammatory. There are unconfirmed reports that Pennington was attempting to avenge the suicide death of her sister Sara Pennington from five years ago. Investigators are now turning their attention to the circumstances surrounding Sara Pennington's suicide In an effort to understand the motivation behind the shootings and planned assault."
"An update on our developing story. As more details come to light it has now been confirmed that the suspect, Natalie Pennington, had intended to attack the Savio Preparatory Open House. Police now confirm that they recovered an AR-15, four handgun and over five hundred rounds of ammunition. Inside sources also say a document written by Pennington was recovered. Our sources, who are not allowed to make official comments, have told this station that the recovered document does explain the rationale behind the murders and the planned assault on the school."
"Hard questions are beginning to be asked as more details come to light following the standoff at the Public Gardens. Police have now confirmed that Pennington targeted Savio Prep. Pennington, a former student, has been described as deeply disturbed with a long history of mental instability, treatment and hospitalization. As investigators continue to review the writings left behind by Pennington it is clear that she was attempting to seek revenge against those she felt were responsible for her sister's suicide five years ago."
"As details come to light Savio Prep has to deal with some tough questions as allegations of sexual assault and a cover-up start to surface. Savio Prep has released a statement stating they are committed to providing a safe learning environment for their students and have launched an investigation into allegations of an underground culture of competitive sexual conquests and possible sexual assault. Savio Prep insists they are also cooperating fully with official investigations."
"A shocking update to our lead story, investigators have found evidence of an underground sex club at Savio Prep. Investigations have unearthed multiple encrypted website pages containing numerous photos and videos of sexual acts being recorded and posted by the students. Federal investigators have seized computers from inside the school and it is being reported that the encrypted websites were maintained and administered by a faculty member at the school. Officials continue to investigate the growing sex scandal which now may include child pornography charges."
"A private service was held today for Natalie Pennington whose crime spree and subsequent death sparked a series of investigations into Savio Prep that led to the arrests of Savio Principal Charles Harrington and two faculty members in a child pornography ring. A representative for the Pennington family released a statement expressing their condolences to the families of Brett Alan Jenkins and Randall Jefferson Keyes. The statement admonishes the assault against their daughter Sara allegedly committed by Keyes and Jenkins but states that the allegations should have been a matter for the courts to decide allowing Keyes and Jenkins due process. The Pennington family does not condone the actions of their daughter, Natalie, expressing a wish that all issues involved in this case should have been resolved in a court of law and not in the court of public opinion or a court of vengeance. The family welcomes the continued investigation into the circumstances of Sara's sexual assault and her suicide stating that as difficult as this time is they would like the truth to finally come to light. They requested some privacy as they grieve the loss of both their children and for all those who suffered loss or injury as a result of this tragedy."
"Tonight on Piers Morgan, the exclusive first interview with kidnap victim Jennifer Shelton along with her sister former Boston Police Department media liaison Belinda Simmons. An exclusive interview with the sisters that are tied to murder, kidnapping and a shocking teenage sex scandal that has led to the arrest of four school officials, including Principal Harrington, on child pornography charges."
It had been an absolute media frenzy. Jane had done everything she could to avoid the storm including escaping the city to finish her rehab. The press attention was unbearable and Maura had talked Jane into spending her three weeks leave in New York instead of Boston. Jane was at the heart of one of biggest news stories in Boston. The lead detective on a case that involved murder, kidnapping and a foiled mass murder plot against a school now in the midst of a massive sex abuse/child pornography scandal. There wasn't a media outlet that hadn't tried to make an offer to secure Jane's interview. But Jane being Jane declined all offers.
The press was easy to keep away from the hospital but Jane was released after just two days. Once she was released the press was camped out at her apartment and at the Beacon Hill home of Dr. Isles. Jane was ordered onto medical leave for four weeks. After the first week both Jane and Maura were ready to get away and Jane agreed to finish out her rehab and leave while staying with Maura in New York City. The security in the building for Maura's penthouse kept the New York press at bay and the escape had been good for both women.
Jane had no desire to answer questions about what had happened. She had no desire to be a part of the frenzy. She explained herself to the ones she needed to. She had given her official statement twice. Once to Cavanaugh. A statement documenting and detailing the actions taken in the investigation into the deaths of Jenkins and Keyes. A statement explaining how Jane had concluded Natalie Pennington's murder site at the Public Gardens and an accurate accounting of what occurred leading up to both her shooting and Natalie's. She didn't leave anything out of the statement she gave to Cavanaugh.
Her second statement was one given to federal investigators. The second statement detailed everything Jane knew about Savio Prep, the website she saw the one time she was able to access it, the conversation she had with her lieutenant and the principal plus what was told to her by Sara Pennington. Jane outlined everything she knew to the federal investigators. She held nothing back. She wasn't evasive or defensive. She wasn't looking for forgiveness or absolution. She wanted one thing and one thing only. She wanted the truth to be told.
In the end that was all she could do. She couldn't change the past. She couldn't magically change how she reacted to Sara's information. Nor could she fix what she saw as her weak attempt at follow-up to what she knew. But she could tell the truth. Accept responsibility for the things she did or didn't do. Accept the consequences of her failures. For within the truth Jane had hope. Hope for impacting the future. Hope for changing the status quo. Hope that the lessons needed to be learned from all of this would be learned and reacted to. Jane had hope for real change.
Her time with the federal investigators was hard. But she answered every question asked as best she could. Her frankness and candor had impressed the investigators. They found it a refreshing change to discuss issues with someone who did not try to skirt their culpability or get defensive about the choices they made. Jane was deemed to be a credible witness. In an off the record conversation Jane was told that BPD was considering making changes to some of their mandatory reporting and investigation policies regardless of undercover investigation statuses.
Given Jane's aversion to the media and press coverage about the entire ordeal, it was an unusual circumstance to find Jane sitting down to watch a news program. She had avoided the TV and papers in the last two weeks filling her TV watching time with sports, movies or documentaries Maura had wanted to watch. But tonight was different. Tonight she needed to see what Belinda had learned from everything that had transpired and what she was going to say. She had no idea how the interviews were going to go but she was compelled to watch.
8:00 pm came and Jane turned on the program. As the opening credits began to play Jane's attention was fully on the two women sitting in studio with Morgan. The only outside factor she was even remotely aware of was the proximity of Maura. Jane's hand was wound tightly into Maura's and Jane was sitting curled into Maura on the couch. She still found that any tactile touch with Maura grounded her. Maura allowed for as much body contact as possible accepting the weight of Jane leaning into her. Maura was determined to continue to be for Jane what she had been since this all had started: her rock.
Jane watched as Morgan began to ask a few warm up questions. Soft pitches to relax both Jennifer and Belinda. Given the quick response by both Jane was fairly certain the first few questions were scripted. He was slowly taking Jennifer through the kidnapping and her rescue but had not yet walked down the path of what Natalie's motivation was in targeting Jennifer and he had not touched what Belinda's involvement in the entire ordeal. That was what Jane wanted to hear. She needed to know what truth Belinda was going to tell.
"Belinda, you play more than a supportive sisterly role in all of this. You actually have been involved in the aspects of all of this at various stages from the beginning. What has impacted you the most from what has transpired?"
Jane felt herself inch closer to the TV. This was going to be the moment Jane would get her answers. Belinda was quiet for a moment as if thinking about the best way to answer that question. She then took a deep breath and began to deliver her answer.
"I think what has impacted me the most has been the painful realization that all of this could have been avoided. There are so many tragic consequences layered through this whole ordeal that never had to happen."
"Explain that please," Morgan encouraged.
"All of this started because something very tragic happened to a young girl. Something that never should happen to anyone. Something that could have been prevented at several points before it occurred. But more than that, what happened to this young girl after the events was absolutely inexcusable. How things were handled cost, very unnecessarily, the lives of four people and will be carried as a burden for countless others for years to come.
"Sara Pennington was attacked and sexually assaulted. She never did anything to encourage that to happen. She didn't deserve for that to happen to her. She fell victim to two boys who valued status and popularity more than valuing a human being. They took from Sara what they wanted without thinking or caring about the devastating consequences she would suffer. Those two boys were wrong in what they did. Wrong in action. Wrong in justification. They perpetrated a heinous crime.
"But they had help. They had someone who created a ruse to trap Sara. They had someone who betrayed Sara's belief in friendship and goodness. That betrayal is something Jennifer will have to live with for the rest of her life.
"They had someone to lie for them. Someone who knew and understood what they did but instead of helping hold them accountable to the wrong that was done that someone chose to help them hide from responsibility. Someone chose personal gain over doing the right thing. Someone who chose a lie over the truth. I will have to live with that for the rest of my life.
"They had a community full of people who found it easier to ignore the plight of this innocent girl than to admit their perfect world may not be so perfect. A community who all too quickly vilified a girl who was brave enough to try to call out the wrongs- not just for herself but in an attempt to call out the wrongs suffered by others- only to see that bravery mocked and dismissed. A community that found it easier to embrace the lie rather than accept the truth. Each and every person who dismissed or demeaned Sara Pennington because it was the easier path to travel will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.
"So what has impacted me the most has been the slow realization that we live in a society that puts too little stock in virtue and truth and too big a premium on self-preservation and deceit."
Jane took the remote and turned off the TV. She had seen everything she needed to see. She leaned back and rested into Maura who pulled Jane into her arms. They settled into each other and into a comfortable silence. After several minutes of silence Jane finally spoke.
"She told the right truth."
A/N Tomorrow's chapter will conclude this particular story. Your thoughts and reviews have been beyond amazing. Thank you to all who read this story. For the Guest reviewers who never seem to let me respond back individually….thanks for your postings!