Chapter Twenty One: Doyle.
Maura Isles was officially over it. Years of death and being the voice for those that had often passed before their time had pushed the Chief Medical Examiner to her professional breaking point. When she most needed to be available for Jane, she had been required to perform and oversee autopsies on twelve bodies found at a serial killer's dumping site. She had been working on fumes for six straight days and she was flat out over it. She couldn't do this anymore. She had other priorities; namely Jane and her wellbeing.
She had come to a pivotal decision, but she needed to talk to Jane about it first. As such when she finally found some time to escape the office she had travelled to the rehabilitation facility to see Jane. She hadn't at all anticipated the news she received at reception. "What do you mean she checked herself out?"
"Exactly as I said ma'am, Jane Rizzoli checked herself out this morning." The receptionist said with a sad smile, having seen many people come and go during her time only to wind up right back there because they didn't complete the treatment cycle.
Maura's grip on her purse tightened as she nodded stiffly to the receptionist before turning on her heel to return to her car. As she walked she played over the last conversation she had managed to squeeze in with Jane a couple of days prior and it didn't do anything to qualm the rising fear in the pit of her stomach. Jane had been on edge, had so much as admitted she was still struggling with a desire to drink and that she wasn't sure she could fight the urge much longer. Had she lost Jane to her demons again?
Maura gripped the steering wheel tightly when she sat down in her vehicle. She sighed heavily with resignation at not knowing where to even begin to look for Jane, as she doubted the woman wanted to be found; not if she had given in to that urge. That reason alone was why she didn't drive straight to the nearest bar to see if the Italian had taken up position; she didn't believe for a second Jane would make it that easy to be found.
Reluctantly Maura pulled out her phone and called Framingham Correctional Facility. "Hello this is Doctor Maura Isles; I would like to speak with Officer Catherine Etheridge please. It's urgent."
She waited for what felt an eternity before she heard the woman she was after on the other end of the line. "Maura, what's wrong?"
"It's Jane. She has checked herself out of the facility and I don't even know where to begin to look."
"Shit. I can't believe she did that; that she is actually gonna go through with this insanity."
Maura was perplexed. "Go through with what? What's going on?"
"I think she's gone to confront Doyle."
Surely she hadn't heard correctly. "Excuse me? Did you say she has gone to confront Doyle?"
"She didn't tell you? Of course she didn't tell you. Well fuck Maura… she asked me to help her get in touch with him via an inmate here. It's the last thing I wanted…"
When what she heard processed it took all the high society politeness instilled in her by her adoptive family to allow her to maintain a modicum of calm. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I'm stupid. Maura all I can do is tell you what I told her."
"Please."
"I have no idea if this will make sense to you, but it was to meet at the headstone in the cemetery at eight this evening."
Maura looked at her watch, it was 7:30pm and she was at least 45 minutes away. Her stomach lurched into her stomach; at least that was how it felt. She had several choice words for Cate that were quite unbecoming of a lady, and far greater concerns. "Thank you; I do know what is meant by that. Goodbye." She ended the call, she had to get to Jane before she did anything stupid and if her gut feeling was anything to go on, her beloved was very likely to do something stupid.
Dusk was beginning to make way for night as Jane stood face to face with Patrick Doyle in front of Maura Doyle's gravestone. The red sky provided enough illumination for the pair to engage in a silent stare down, with neither seemingly wanting to acknowledge the other's presence verbally.
Eventually Paddy cocked his head to the side and said, "Are we gonna stand here all day or are you gonna spit out your reason for summoning me?"
"You had Rossi killed." Jane spat out angrily, watching on as he shrugged nonplussed; "Why?"
"She disobeyed me when she went after you. I couldn't let that go unpunished, or other people might have gotten ideas about going after you and Maura." He studied her carefully; it wasn't his usual behaviour to just appear at the request of anyone. Then again, Jane wasn't just anyone; it was the woman he entrusted to protect his daughter.
Jane couldn't help the scoffing noise that escaped her lips. Sarcasm dripped from every word she spoke, "Oh gee thanks Doyle."
"I would have thought you would be happy she was dead."
"Really? Really Doyle? Because I have so enjoyed watching Maura grieve a woman who tried to murder me!" She was snarling now and pacing agitatedly. "She thinks you're gonna have me taken out next."
"Relax Rizzoli would ya? You're safe because she loves you. I might be a shit father, but I don't want her hurting. The stuff with Rossi was necessary for the protection of you both." Paddy spoke calmly, feeling somewhat amused that the former detective couldn't see the bigger picture. They had always had an understanding, Maura came first and he had never gone back on that word.
Jane stopped pacing and glared at him angrily, "So what do you call all those beatings you had sent my way in prison then Doyle?"
"Penance."
"What the hell? Penance for what Doyle?" She already knew the answer; it was because she didn't take his advice and let him take the fall for Leary's death. It was because her conscience prevented her from being in a position to care for and protect Maura for a significant chunk of time.
"You know why Rizzoli," he answered coolly.
Jane shoved her hands in the pocket of her hoodie and wrapped her fingers around the cool steel of the pistol she had procured illegally earlier in the day. Debate raged in her head about whether she was going to use it, the part of her demanding she end it all was starting to win out. Still she gritted her teeth and grinded out her defence, "It wouldn't have been a problem if you hadn't called me and told me you had him tied up waiting for me, Doyle."
"I didn't expect you to kill him Rizzoli. I underestimated the depth of your love for my daughter." For a moment his hazel eyes did flash with regret; so much of what had transpired inevitably fell back on him just because of who he was.
"She's everything," Jane whispered hoarsely.
"I know. Maybe I coulda done things differently; but what's done is done."
She pulled the pistol from her pocket and pointed it in Doyle's direction, "Get down on your knees," she growled angrily.
He held his hands up to signify he wasn't a threat, but he didn't do as directed. "Think about what you're doin' here Rizzoli. She won't forgive you for this."
Jane laughed, "Do you really think she gives a fuck about you? You've destroyed everything she holds dear." She faltered for a moment, almost lowering the weapon before regaining her composure. "You destroyed me Doyle and your punishment is due."
Staring into her darkened eyes he realised that the humanity that had always been present there had disappeared. Reluctantly he did as directed and got down on his knees. "You kill me Rizzoli; you're as good as killing her. You know that don't you?"
The free hand running through her hair was the only indicator she gave that she may have been second guessing her decision. She thought about Maura and everything she held dear; the sanctity of human life and living life the right way. She had never deserved Maura's forgiveness and in her mind she came to the conclusion there was only one way to truly free Maura from all the heartache in her life. "She doesn't need the ilk of you and me in her life anymore Doyle. She deserves a life free of all the heartache we bring her. I'm like you now and I can't live with that."
Jane pressed the muzzle of the pistol against his forehead, "She'll be happier without us."
Doyle closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable; feeling that in some ways it was fitting this was the way he went out. His eyes shot open though when he heard an all too familiar voice cry out.
"Jane, don't." Maura implored loudly as she flipped off her heels and sprinted bare footed towards her beloved and the gun she had pressed to her father's forehead.
"Stay outta this Maura, I'm gonna end this." Jane growled angrily over her shoulder.
"And then what Jane?" Maura pulled up a few steps away from the Italian and tried to reason with her, "This isn't you. You're not a murderer Jane, please don't do this."
Jane turned her head to the side so she could look at the woman she loved. "I murdered Leary. Don't tell me I'm not a murderer," she hissed angrily.
"No honey, you killed him, there is a very big difference between being a killer and a murderer." Maura could see that the irrational side of Jane was in clear control and it scared her. "Jane, please give me the gun." She stretched her hand out towards her love, hoping that she would hand the weapon over.
"All he does is hurt you Maura. I gotta end this, so you can be happy." Tears streaked Jane's face now as all the pent up emotions from her failure to protect Maura from the realities of her mob boss father surfaced.
"And then what Jane? You barely survived killing a man in the heat of the moment. You will destroy yourself if you kill in cold blood. It is not who you are." She stepped right up next to Jane and placed a calming hand on the arm that held the gun and reached over to grab it with her other hand, "Just let it go. He's not worth it; I need you Jane. Please stay with me."
Jane let go of the gun and stepped backwards, her chest heaving as she struggled to suck in enough oxygen. She watched as Maura stepped around in front of her, blocking her view from Doyle. She wanted to say something more but found she couldn't, so she focused on calming her erratic breathing.
Maura's gaze softened and several tears finally escaped, "It's going to be okay." She turned to look at her biological father and hit him with a withering stare, "Get out of here, and stay out of my life. Jane is off limits, you understand that?"
Doyle stood and nodded his acceptance of her terms, "She was always off limits Maura. Even now, I would never have her killed. I wouldn't do that to you." Knowing that he wasn't going to get any thanks or acknowledgement he turned and walked away, thankful that he lived to breathe another day.
Maura watched for a minute to make sure he was gone before turning to Jane who had collapsed onto the ground and curled up into herself. Her heart broke to see her beloved so broken; she kneeled down beside Jane and pulled her into her arms. "We're going to get through this, I promise." She placed several kisses into raven black curls and whispered, "I love you too much to lose you to this."
A/N: Two updates in two days, on a roll hey! I fancy we probably only have a few chapters to go now that we reached the final revelations of Doyle's actions and intentions. Anyone even remember the phone call Korsak thought about Jane answering in Payback? Now we know who it was that called her away... full circle. Still some healing to come... as usual thank you all for your reads, reviews, faves and follows.