Crime Scene Kitchen
Chapter 1, The Find
Maura observed it was a hot July morning when the morgue bay doors opened for a representative from a funeral home to retrieve a body for an impending funeral. She strolled into her office and glanced at the thermometer that she had placed at the window so she would know the outside temperature, and it read 85 degrees.
It was only nine in the morning. It wasn't even the hottest part of the day yet. She thought to herself, 'it's going to be a scorcher as Jane would say. Oh my God, Jane she is going to be miserable. It doesn't help that the air conditioning is not working properly in the building. I better check in on her.' When the ac is out the building gets hot fast. She picked up her phone and sent a text to her wife.
M: How are you coping with this heat and no ac, love?
J: How do ya think? I'm miserable. Can I come work on my paperwork down in your office? It's only going to keep getting hotter in here.
M: Sure love, you know you can do that anytime.
J: K, I will be down in a few minutes, thanks babe.
M: Okay, I will see you soon.
Jane thought to herself, 'this is one time it's great to have a close working relationship with the Medical Examiner, she has backup generators and it is always cool down in the morgue.'
Maura had just completed her report for the autopsy she had finalized earlier that morning. She was shopping for some new lightweight summer dresses. She was also considering something fun to do outside of work with Jane, so she was searching for fun events also.
Several employees had wanted to observe her conducting the autopsy so she allowed them to observe. She asked questions and interacted with them as she conducted the autopsy. She was impressed that some of the officers actually answered her questions correctly.
She had assigned a lab tech at the door to make sure too many people didn't come in. She figured anytime someone wanted to learn what she did she would let them. She didn't realize they just wanted to cool down and figured by feigning interest in an autopsy they could visit the air-conditioned morgue and cool their bodies down. Some employees wanted to stick around even after she finished the autopsy. She instructed her lab tech that no one was allowed to go into the cooler where they kept the bodies. She had tried ushering everybody out and gave up after a few minutes and said she had to go to her office and write up her report.
While waiting for Jane, she discovered several dresses but didn't have any luck finding a fun activity and that is when a new email arrived. Attached was a colorful flyer announcing a new team competition at BPD. After reading the flyer she decided that she really wanted to compete in BPD's version of 'Crime Scene Kitchen.' The competition had just been announced and she knew this was something that she and Jane could do together. It wasn't outside of work but it would be fun and she could do this with Jane so that was a plus.
They had so much fun competing in BPD's Pumpkin Carving competition a few years ago right after they had gotten married. She read over the flyer very carefully. She noted that each team had to have at least one detective and relatives of BPD employees were eligible to compete. Well, she wasn't a detective but she was a BPD employee as well as a relative of a BPD employee so she was eligible. The teams would consist of three team members. Her first thought for a third teammate was Frost. She worked closely with Jane and Frost and often Sgt. Korsak.
Jane had been cooking with Maura for a while now and Jane was a good cook. Frost loved to cook and with him being Jane's partner it made since that the three of them could represent the Homicide division. Maura was forever asking Jane if she could detect what the different flavors were in what she cooked. Jane was getting quite good at accurately identifying the ingredients. Some nights Frost and Korsak would come over and cook with them.
Maura had actually watched the television show and liked it. So, when she heard that BPD was holding this competition based on the television show she thought it would be perfect for her, Jane and Frost. Maura had to take some test results up to the bullpen and Jane hadn't made it downstairs yet, so she printed the flyer and took it with her. When she arrived in the bullpen, she saw her wife sitting at her desk still working on her paperwork. She walked over and handed the flyer to Jane and said, "I thought you were coming downstairs?"
"I am, I just was finishing up this report so I didn't have to carry these files downstairs with me." Jane had pointed to the large pile of files and Maura understood.
"Please read this flyer, I would like for us and Frost to compete in this activity." Maura said as Jane raised her eyebrows at first thinking 'oh boy, what is it this time.' She read the flyer:
BPD's First Crime Scene Kitchen Competition
BPD is pleased to announce that we are holding a new competition. Each department can form a team of up to three participants to compete in this competition. Participants will have a total of three minutes to search the kitchen for elusive clues that are provided in the 'crime scene kitchen.' They cannot take any notes, everything must be memorized. They will then use these clues to decode what type of dessert was created in the crime scene kitchen. They will be given an allocated amount of time to recreate the dessert. Each round one team will be eliminated. The number of rounds will depend on the number of teams entered. The deadline for submitting applications is in two weeks. Some BPD unique qualifications: Each team must have one detective on the team and each team member must be a BPD employee or a relative of a BPD employee.
An entry form was placed in front of Jane and she just looked at Maura. Maura told Jane, "We can watch an episode if you like before you decide. I rather liked the show and thought you might enjoy it also. BPD is pretty quick to set this up. The show is fairly new, someone in Public Relations must like the show and thought it was perfect for the department. I talked with someone in Public Relations and they are talking with the Mayor's office and they said it might be a city-wide event where the winner from BPD will compete against other city departments, like the Fire Department. They will not know if that will happen but it is a possibility."
"You really want to do this don't you?" Jane asked Maura. Maura was all smiles, she wanted Jane to agree to participate in this competition. She knows how much Jane likes to participate in competitions so she was hoping with all her heart that Jane would agree to participate in this.
"Yes, I do and I would love for you and Barry to participate in it with me. We can be a team representing the Homicide division."
Jane looked over at Frost who had been listening to this conversation and Jane said, "Well, Frost what do you think?" Jane asked as she handed the flyer to Frost to review. Frost read the flyer and looked at Jane and then Maura and said, "I would like to see this show but ya I'm in. I will participate in the competition. I know how much Jane loves competing."
"I do love a great competition, this one actually sounds interesting and it won't kill me like the pumpkin carving competition almost did a few years ago." Jane said as she filled out the form and handed it back to Maura. Jane and Frost agreed to participate in the competition with her, she was happy. After dropping off the lab results to one of the other homicide detectives she took the completed application form to the Public Relations department and turned it in. In two weeks, they would find out who else would be participating and how many teams total will be competing in the competition. Each department was encouraged to participate but they knew some wouldn't participate.
Two weeks later Jane and Maura were having lunch in Maura's office when her email dinged. Normally she wouldn't check it when she was having lunch with Jane, but they knew that the list of participants was coming out today and that it would be announced via department wide email. Maura opened up the email as Jane moved to stand behind her so she could read it over her shoulder. There were six teams total from BPD participating: Homicide, Drug Unit, Vice, Major Crimes, Patrol, and Headquarters. Jane rolled her eyes when she saw the participation list, Riley Cooper's name was on the list for the Drug Unit.
"Man, I really hate how competitive Riley is with me. Why must she participate in everything that I participate in?" Jane said to Maura in frustration. "Not only that she has my mother on her team and Chang. I guess she burned her bridges with Greg Acosta after their last failed attempt at beating me."
She has always beaten Riley but it was still frustrating, she didn't like competing with Riley. She remembered when Riley was dating both her brother and her partner.
Dirty Robber A Few Years Ago
Jane and Maura walked in into the Dirty Robber. Maura told Jane, "I'm going to make you eat something green tonight."
Jane replied, "I'll get extra pickles on my burger." Maura just glanced at her and shook her head. Jane received a text. "It's Korsak. Still no sign of Lea. Wonder if Vicky scared her out of town."
Maura heard laughing and turned around and stated, "Is that your neighbor, Riley sitting with Frankie?"
Jane turned and confirmed Maura's observation and walked over to them and said, "Hey." Frankie replied, 'hey' back.
Jane asked "What's with the suit, your interview with Cavanaugh ain't 'till Monday?"
Frankie responded, "Thought I'd break it in."
Riley said, "I told him to wear it. Men in suits turn me on." Riley turned to Frankie and said, "It's so cool that your about to become a homicide detective."
"It's not a done deal." Jane informed them.
"Hey, thanks again for the Bundt pan." Riley said as she glanced up at Jane.
"Ah Janie, she made the best chocolate cake." Frankie added as he looked at his sister.
"I'll bring you some." Riley offered.
Maura was standing right next to Jane and replied, "That's nice of you."
Jane was about ready to puke. She was not a fan of Riley and the thought of her brother being with her was making her gut react in a not-so-nice fashion. "Okay, well nice bumping into you." Jane said as she gently pushed Maura away from the booth.
Frankie got up and said, "Sorry, Riley. I gotta call it a night."
Jane grabbed Maura's arm and stopped her from walking away. They turned around and Jane said, "Oh, it must be so disappointing for you. Sorry my brother's so crushingly boring." Frankie just shook his head at his sister.
Riley said, "I think he's great. I'll see you soon, Frankie." Frankie leaned over and deliberately kissed Riley. Jane fought with herself not to make a face.
Frankie pulled Jane away from the booth and once they were out of Riley's earshot told her, "Don't interfere."
"I'm not." Jane replied.
Frankie said, "Yeah, you are. I really like her."
Jane simply replied, "She feels sneaky to me, I think she's hiding something."
Frankie being a smartass gave his sister a look and said, "So don't go out with her."
Frankie started to step away and said, "Goodnight, Maura." He exited the Dirty Robber as Jane and Maura found a table near the door and sat down.
Jane glanced over towards Riley and said, "He leaves and she stays? Doesn't that seem kind of …"
Maura said, "Kind of what? You're judging her because she's sitting by herself in a bar?
Jane replied, "no" she glanced over at Riley and then raised her voice and said, "yes." Maura laughed.
Frost walked in and approached Jane and Maura. He said, "Hey." Jane said 'hey' back.
He continued, "I got some more info on Anja and Lea. Vicky was right: neither of them was going to college."
Jane replied, "Alright. Hey, you wanna sit and have a beer with us?"
"Nah, thanks though. I'm meeting someone." Frost stated. Frost saw Riley, he waved and smiled. Then as he started to walk away, he said, "See you tomorrow."
"Ya, see ya." Jane replied as they both watched Frost walk over to Riley. Riley stood and gave him a big hug.
Jane stated, "She's hugging him, Maura."
Maura gasped as Riley kissed him. Maura said, "Look at that, she's kissing him."
"I can see that." Jane said as they turned to face each other again. "She's not sitting by herself anymore, or keeping her hands to herself, either. Is it okay to judge now?" Jane asked Maura in a rather irate voice.
Maura replied, "If she were a man would you judge?"
"Hell yes!" Jane retorted with a rather irritated look on her face. Maura just folded her hands in front of her, she didn't know how to reply to Jane.
The memory was fresh in her mind because it had pissed her off when she saw Riley kiss both her brother and her partner within ten minutes of each other at the Dirty Robber that night. Jane didn't know that Riley was a cop at that time. A few days later she was transferred to Homicide when Jane was hoping that her brother Frankie would get the position, so she had no love for this woman.
Jane was professional at work when she had to deal with her. During her fun event times she didn't want to have to deal with her. Jane was so happy when another department wanted to borrow Riley and she left within weeks of coming to homicide. When she had been transferred back to the Drug Unit, Frankie had been assigned to Homicide and that made Jane happy. She thought at that time, 'Good riddance Riley.'
The next few weeks would hold some joy and frustration for Jane as she competed in this competition with Maura and Frost, representing the Homicide Division.