Jane moved her lips along Maura's neck, drawing out a low moan from the other woman. Her hands were tangled in Maura's hair. All around her was the smell of Maura. Jane was in bliss. She nibbled softly at Maura's pulse point eliciting what was quickly becoming Jane's new favourite sound, it was a cross between a growl and a moan that came out all raspy and desperate. Jane's right hand wandered lower, teasing at the gap between the hem of Maura's shirt and the hem of her pants, Jane's finger tips brushing against soft warm skin. Jane senses Maura tensing beneath her feather light touch. Jane smiles in to the kisses on Maura's neck. Jane teasingly unhooks the bottom button on Maura's blouse, Maura tilts her head back, stretching her neck to give Jane more access. One of Maura's hands finds its way to the back of Jane's head, fingers tugging softly at Jane's hair in an increasingly desperate manner. Jane undoes another button and then someone knocks on the door. Jane blinked. Her daydream faded leaving Jane, alone, in her office and uncomfortably turned on.
A second more persistent knock sounded at her door. Jane crossed her legs, 'uh, come in?'
A dark head peaked its way in, 'Agent Rizzoli? Do you have a minute?'
Jane was frustrated at being interrupted with what was starting out to be a very promising daydream but she couldn't take that out on Dhar. 'Sure, recruit, come on in.' Dhar entered, looking surprisingly uncomfortable, and for once, she wasn't followed by Baccay. 'Everything okay there Dhar? Where's Baccay?' Jane asked.
'She doesn't know I'm here,' Dhar said, shifting from foot to foot. 'I didn't want to get her in trouble too.'
Dhar had Jane's attention now. 'Alright recruit, you here to confess?'
Dhar nodded, 'I did something that you probably won't like.'
'Something I won't like?' Jane asked narrowing her eyes, looking suspicious.
'I am fully prepared to accept the consequences of my actions but I need you to promise to hear me out completely before you dismiss me,' Dhar said meeting Jane's look defiantly.
Jane sighed, 'recruit why am I getting the sense that you aren't all that sorry for what you did?'
'Because I'm not ma'am,' Dhar replied her voice steady. 'I regret disappointing you ma'am but I don't regret what I did.'
'Disappoint is a pretty strong word there Dhar,' Jane said.
'Yes it is ma'am.'
'Well how about you take a seat and tell me about it before we decide you've disappointed me,' Jane said gesturing to the chair across her desk. Jane felt out of her depths. She'd never had to do this part of teaching before.
Dhar sat carefully, looking resolute but not contrite. 'Ma'am, do you remember telling us that you were concerned for Doctor Isles?'
'Yes,' Jane said shifting uncomfortably. It hadn't exactly been something she could forget and if Dhar had done something in connection to that then this was on her.
'I thought maybe I'd asked the wrong people. Maybe I'd made her a target. So I went back to do more interviews. See if I could run it down,' Dhar said dark eyes meeting Jane's.
'Recruit,' Jane said her tone warning, 'tell me you did not jeopardise your position at the FBI to create a fake investigation?'
Dhar flinched. 'I did what I thought was right Agent Rizzoli.'
Jane buried her face in her hands, 'Dhar do you have any idea how much trouble you could be in?'
'Yes,' Dhar replied quietly, 'but before you punish me I need to tell you what I found out.'
'You found something?' Jane asked looking up incredulously at Dhar. 'You actually found something?'
Dhar nodded, 'a lead at least.'
Jane was torn. Under no circumstances should she be hearing this information. Aside from the moral question of how the information was obtained, it also felt a bit too much like investigating her girlfriend. On the other hand, if Dhar really had a lead and Jane had the opportunity to protect her? It wasn't really a question of what she was going to do. Jane had done far worse to keep Maura safe. She just hated that Dhar, and probably Baccay, had gotten caught up in it. 'Tell me,' Jane whispered at last.
Dhar nodded, her own eyes sparking with the scent of the chase, 'We-I interviewed your neighbours who knew nothing additional. Then I went back to the clinic. An anonymous source tipped me off that Doctor Isles worked a child abuse case before she left. She also gave me the name of a social worker. Nia Williams. She couldn't give me much without a warrant but she did confirm that she had worked a case with Maura, that she hadn't worked many cases with her, and then she as good as said she had a suspect in mind if we brought her a warrant. She confirmed that she worked with local PD but couldn't say who. I tried to figure out who but no one wants to work with a recruit. I stalled out.'
'Williams said she had a suspect?' Jane asked clarifying.
'No. She said hypothetically she had a name that caused her concern,' Dhar said. 'She was speaking cryptically. Saying enough to point me in a direction but not enough for her to be breaking the law.'
Jane rubbed her temples. This was going to be complicated for a variety of reasons. 'Did you say you were an FBI agent?'
Dhar shook her head, 'no. I said I was with the FBI but I never said I was an agent or gave a fake badge number.'
Jane chewed her lip, 'that's good. It means the information wasn't illegally obtained. Did you take notes?' Dhar nodded. 'I want them all. Yours and Baccay's.'
Dhar looked away for the first time, 'Baccay didn't know about it.'
Jane sighed, 'I get it. Just give me her notes. And don't re-write them. I'll pretend not to notice the different hand writings okay?' Dhar said nothing.
'Dhar. This is my fault, okay. I overshared and then didn't keep a close enough eye on you two to make sure you didn't step in it.' Jane spoke softly, 'I won't let either of you take the blame for my mistake but this is an investigation there is chain of custody to consider. You can't tamper with evidence to protect her.'
'You would for Doctor Isles,' Dhar muttered.
Jane was speechless. She would do a lot for Maura but even when Maura had spent an excruciating handful of hours in jail, Jane had not crossed that line. Of course, it had been a near thing. 'Maybe. Or maybe I would trust my team to figure it out.'
Dhar looked at her, eyes sharp, a sad look on her face. Jane couldn't quite read what she was thinking. 'Okay,' she said at last looking away. Jane wasn't sure what had just passed between them but to Jane it felt a little like trust.
'As for consequences, I suppose those depend on how the investigation turns out. It's hard to punish a recruit who saves a life by breaking the rules. For now, just stick to the academy and no more side investigations. Understood?' Jane tried to sound firm but she was pretty sure it sounded like she was letting Dhar off the hook. She kind of was. Jane knew she'd do everything she could to protect Dhar from these consequences.
'Yes Agent Rizzoli,' Dhar said looking down at her feet.
'You're going to make one hell of an agent Dhar. I don't want to see you compromise that,' Jane said softly, 'the world is going to need an agent like you.'
'Thank you ma'am,' Dhar said flashing a small smile as she stood to leave.
'Dismissed,' Jane said with a wave of her hand. 'Oh, and Dhar?' The woman paused at the door looking back at her, 'Baccay isn't going to appreciate you trying to protect her.'
Dhar flinched slightly, 'don't I know it?'
Jane nodded and watched her recruit leave. Jane pulled a fresh notebook and began writing her own case notes. If she was going to make this an official investigation, she'd have to do it by the book. Starting with paperwork. Jane didn't have much to go on. A threat in Boston, a domestic violence case in Virginia, no real information on either. Jane tapped her fingers. The only connecting thread was Maura. She doubted she could get a warrant with the information she had but maybe Nia Williams would be more willing to talk to her than she had been with Dhar. It was worth a shot anyways.
Nia Williams stared at the woman across from her. She could see why Maura Isles had fallen for her. Jane Rizzoli was an untamed beauty, her olive skin, brown eyes, and dark wild hair made her striking. Her dimples and charm made her irresistible. Nia had half fallen for her and they'd only been speaking for a few minutes. 'Agent Rizzoli, as I told your partner, I cannot give you any information without a warrant.'
'I get that Ms. Williams,' Jane said in a warm raspy voice, 'its just… I don't have a lot to go on here. I'm just trying to keep Doctor Isles safe. You know? Surely there's some sort of exception you can make for an active threat?'
Nia nodded along with Jane, feeling reeled in. 'There are, of course there are, but all of them are immediate danger. Do you believe Doctor Isles to be in immediate danger?'
'Immediate, imminent… these things have a judgement call to them don't they?' Jane asked with a grin that made Nia want to smile back or punch her in the arm. Equal parts charming and obnoxious.
'They are,' Nia conceded, 'but there are rules in place Agent Rizzoli, guidelines that have to be met, restrictions that have to be followed.'
A flash of something like frustration showed on Jane's face, 'come on Ms. Williams. There has to be something you can tell me.'
'Plenty,' Nia shot back unsure if she was frustrated or flirting, 'with a warrant.'
Jane sighed, 'look this is my person. I will do anything to protect her.'
Nia narrowed her eyes, 'is that supposed to be a threat?'
'No,' Jane said eyes widening in horror, 'I just meant I will do whatever it takes, even if that means jeopardising this investigation. I'd like the charges to stick but not at the cost of Maura's safety and right now you're my only lead. I don't have enough for a warrant without the information you have. So give me something. Please.'
'I'm sorry Agent Rizzoli, I can't help you.' Nia scribbled a note on a sticky note, putting it obviously on her computer screen. 'Now if you'll excuse me. I need to go use the restroom.' Nia hit the lock screen on her computer and walked away.
When she returned Agent Rizzoli was gone, every thing was in it's place. She took the sticky note down, crumbling it in to a small ball and tucking it in to her pocket. She hoped Agent Rizzoli was as sharp as Maura. Otherwise that case file number would be useless. Nia sighed, wondering not for the first time, why red tape had to make her job that much harder.
