Chapter 35
The next two days passed uneventfully. Jane made it home one evening for dinner but the other days found her to be nothing more than a ghost fleeing in and out. Maura, for her part, was enjoying the extra time with the children. Angela came by with food for them. Maura began to think Angela was afraid her grandchildren might starve if she didn't personally feed them. Frankie came by once or twice to check in. For the most part Maura went to work and picked the kids up from school.
Since Boston was experiencing a break from winter with a preview to the coming spring months Maura decided to take Angelo and Caitlyn to the park the next afternoon.
"It's a beautiful afternoon. I have some reading to do so you guys can enjoy yourselves," Maura said brightly. Caitlyn ran for the swings, begging Maura to push her while Angelo hung back and scowled.
"Really, Mama? The park? This is for little kids."
"I thought you might like it, Angelo. We won't have this lovely weather much longer."
"But this is for babies."
"I like it," Caitlyn said.
"Yeah, it's for babies and you're a baby Caitlyn."
"I am not! I am five years old. I'll be six years old next Monday," Caitlyn proudly informed her older brother. "I'm catching up to you."
"You can't, unless I'm dead. I'll always be three years older than you," Angelo shouted back at his sister. He folded his arms across his body as he pouted. Looking around Maura wondered what might entice Angelo to enjoy the park. She noticed some boys playing baseball.
"You play baseball, don't you Angelo?"
"He's not good at it, Mama. Ma said she'd work with him this year," Caitlyn interjected. Maura got a quick glance at Angelo's lower lip starting to quiver.
"Let's check out the baseball game, Angelo. Maybe they'll let you play." Angelo scampered off.
The baseball game turned out to be a pick up game and the boys were anxious for more players. After throwing the ball around the infield Angelo was assigned right field. None of them had gloves. A bat and ball was the only equipment. Maura caught a smile on Angelo's face as he ran to the outfield. She pulled her cell phone out to snap a few pictures. Jane would love this, her son the baseball player.
As Maura snapped the camera she kept an eye on Caitlyn who was flying ever higher on the swing set.
"Not so high Cait," she admonished. Caitlyn slowed her swing down somewhat. For several minutes she watched both children. When it was Angelo's turn to bat she kept a close eye on the boy. He choked up on the bat and remembered to follow through. Unfortunately it was a fast grounder and Angelo was out. The game was breaking up; one of the boys mentioned needing to get home and he owned the bat and ball. Angelo came running over.
"Mama! Did you see, did you see?" Angelo was so excited he could hardly speak. Caitlyn jumped out of her swing to join her brother.
"Yeah you're out," Caitlyn said. Angelo turned to protest but was cut short by Maura.
"Angelo you were good, we enjoyed watching you. I took a few photos to show your Ma. Let's get ready to go, it's late and you need to do your homework," Maura said. She picked up the blanket and Angelo and Caitlyn walked alongside her. They were almost to the car when Caitlyn asked a question that stopped Maura cold in her tracks.
"Mama who was that man watching Angelo play baseball?"
"Who, Caitlyn?" Maura felt her breath squeezing off in her throat. No, no, she thought. It can't be.
"You're nuts Caitlyn there wasn't anybody there. I was in the outfield and I didn't see anyone."
"Let's get home and we'll worry about it later," Maura said. She wondered briefly if she should call Jane or leave her a message but decided not to worry about it. She'd look through the pictures on her cell and make a decision.
Maura kept the children busy. They tackled their homework right after returning home from the park and Maura made a salad to go with Angela's pasta leftovers. The kids loaded the dishwasher while Maura straightened up. Then, after reading them stories from their favorite books, put the kids to bed. At nine p.m. she fell into her own bed, exhausted.
Only then did she remember the camera. Grabbing her cell she went through all of the photos taken that afternoon. On the next to last frame she caught a figure on the outskirts of the ball park and her blood froze. She recognized the white fishing hat and knew the height of the man matched her father's figure. Paddy Doyle was back in town. Maura turned out the light and stretched out on the bed. Her hand went automatically to the empty bed next to her. She wished Jane was here, more now than before. Feeling vulnerable she got up and checked the locks and windows. All doors or methods of entry were secure. Maura padded back to bed. She knew she'd be up all night protecting her family.
True to her thoughts Maura didn't sleep that night. Around three a.m. she got up and moved to the sofa. Turning on the one light she made a cup of coffee and retrieved the newspaper. She sat there, thinking things over while she perused the newspaper and drank the coffee pot dry. I'll need it if I'm going to get through today, she thought.
The children got up at seven, ate breakfast and Maura ushered them into their schoolrooms. Angelo protested that he was a big boy and could get to his classroom by himself but Maura wasn't listening today. She wanted to look around and reassure herself that all was okay.
Caitlyn looked at her mother curiously, picking up on Maura's nervousness. She didn't ask any questions though. Maura delivered Caitlyn to her classroom, kissed her daughter goodbye and returned to her car.
Pulling out into traffic Maura turned on the radio. She began singing to one of the songs on the radio, intent on relieving her nervousness before arriving at the precinct.
"I really don't like your taste in music," Paddy Doyle said from the backseat. Maura screamed.
"Thank God I'm sitting at a traffic light."
"That's why I waited to sit up and speak."
"You sound like a dog, sit up and speak."
"That was me at the park last night, was that why you decided to leave?"
"I know," Maura replied. "No, Angelo's baseball game broke up and the kids have homework. I wanted them to enjoy their evening at home and have a chance to read before lights out."
"You're a good mother, Maura. I knew you would be." Despite her sudden fright and distrust of the man Jane referred to as her 'sperm donor' Maura's heart melted just a little at the compliment.
"Thank you. I'm glad to have a chance at motherhood."
"I hope you're successful with your own biological children, Maura. I always wanted to be a grandfather."
"Why are you here?"
"I need to speak with Detective Rizzoli and I can't get in touch with her. I was hoping you could relay a message to her."
"You mean the great Paddy Doyle can't get in touch with law enforcement whenever he wants?" Maura mocked him. Jane must be rubbing off on me. I have her sarcastic bent.
"Your significant other is undercover am I right?" Maura nodded.
"This undercover operation she's part of is not what it seems. Someone needs to get that to her before-" Paddy hesitated before continuing. He wanted to spare his daughter any heartbreak he could but needed her to understand the urgency of his warning. "She needs to know before she makes you a widow." With that he opened the car door and left. Maura sat, stunned. The light turned green, the car behind her honked and she proceeded down the block, turning into the precinct parking lot. Every fiber of her being wanted to run into the bullpen screaming. Instead she made a more professional appearance, asking Frost if she could speak with him privately.
"What's up Doc?" Frost smiled at her. "I always wanted to say that."
"As long as I don't look like a six foot tall rabbit to you, Frost, it's okay by me." Maura hesitated unsure of how much information to give him. "Have you spoken to Jane in the last few hours?" she asked. Frost's expression flashed a level of fear before his calm demeanor surfaced again.
"She called me for some information last night. The op got a little hairy."
"I have some information she needs, Frost. Can you contact her?"
"Is something wrong with the children?"
"No, I had a sudden appearance by a parental unit who needs Jane to know that this operation is not what it seems. His words, not mine." Frost whistled. "I'll call her right now." Maura nodded her thanks and went downstairs. She had a lot of old files on her desk, needing to be cleaned up and she intended to do just that, keep herself occupied until Frost made contact or Jane showed up at the precinct.
Two hours later Maura's cell rang. She didn't recognize the number but answered anyway.
"You must call Jane now!" Doyle's voice thundered in her ear. Maura dropped the phone and ran upstairs, screaming for Frost.
TBC