Gabriel frowned at the door that had closed in his face. Jane was taken. Jane was taken and she was taken by Maura. He wasn't surprised, exactly. Of course it was Maura. It was always Maura. Jane never stopped talking about Maura. It was always 'Maura this' and 'Maura that'. Gabriel hadn't minded then. He had just assumed they were best friends. Jane had told him they were best friends. But then Jane had told him about Paddy and everything went to pieces because of Maura. Jane had chosen Maura over him. It was almost grating to know. And here they were and Jane was still choosing Maura.
'What the fuck Dean?' Brown said looking at him venomously, 'we could have used the heads up that we were watching one of our own.'
'Yeah,' Johnson said with an annoying whine in his voice, 'way to give us a heads up.'
'She's not one of us,' Dean said with a frown, 'she's just an instructor.'
In a surprising show of solidarity, Brown growled out a response, 'she's got a badge man. She's one of us.'
Dean's eyebrows shot up and he gestured back to the surveillance van. The agents followed him back to the car. 'Rizzoli is under surveillance. She's had known contact with Doyle. Nothing says she's dirty but dating the daughter of a mob boss doesn't exactly make her look good. So we watch and we report and once Paddy is back in custody, we'll get the brass to cough up an apology, alright?'
'You sure about that Dean? Or are you still nursing a grudge?' Johnson asked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. 'I wouldn't blame you. Rizzoli was hot.'
Dean shoves the older man and not gently, 'this isn't about me. It's about tracking down one of the world's most wanted. Got it?' He held both agent's eyes with his own making it clear there was no room to negotiate. 'Detective Jane Rizzoli is one of the most tenacious detectives I've ever met and Doctor Maura Isles is literally one of the smartest people on the planet. So if we want a snow balls chance in hell to find Paddy Doyle, they're it.' Dean gestured back towards the house just in time to see Jane flipping him off from the doorway. A wry grin crossed his lips. He always did love her spirit.
'I still don't like it,' Brown muttered, his eyes watching Jane as she ducked back inside, 'if she's not dirty why aren't we bringing her in on it? I don't like playing IA Dean.'
Dean sighed leaning his head back against the head rest, 'it's not my call Brown. I don't think she's dirty but that doesn't mean the brass doesn't. So either we surveil her or we let someone else with less favourable opinions do it.'
'Is that what you're telling yourself?' Johnson asked rooting around in a bag for something to snack on, 'I think you're just looking for an excuse to pine over your girl.' Johnson looked up with a wolf like grin, 'pardon, I mean Doctor Isles girl.'
'Shut up and eat your ding dongs Johnson,' Dean retorted but he couldn't add any real anger behind it. Jane chose Maura and that was something he'd just have to live with even if Jane would always be the one who got away from him.
'I know I'm certainly going to enjoy watching,' Johnson said, his eyebrows wiggling and his mouth coated in chocolate crumbs. When both Dean and Brown stared at him in disgust Johnson shrugged, 'lesbians are hot.'
'Shut up and eat your ding dongs, man,' Brown said with disdain. Dean sighed. It was going to be a long week. His one consolation was knowing that Paddy Doyle had come back to the East coast for something and Dean was ready to put all his chips on that something being his only daughter. If Paddy so much as sneezed near Maura, Dean would whisk him straight back to jail where he belonged. Then he'd put this whole thing behind him and work on moving on from Jane Rizzoli.
Paddy tapped his fingers on the table in his motel. His people had done well. They'd chased down a dozen leads, threatening or intimidating any one who so much as looked the wrong way at Maura. They'd systematically worked through name after name, getting promises and assurances to leave Maura alone. Not that Paddy put any particular weight in people's word. People were pathological liars. What Paddy did put stock in was knowing the motivations of other people. Who to threaten, who to blackmail, and who to pay off. Every one had a weakness and it was Paddy's business to know exactly what those weaknesses were. It left Paddy with one name. One man who his people couldn't track down. Vincent Russo. Russo had gone to ground and in Paddy's business, that meant trouble.
His contacts at the police station were on the BOLO, ready to feed him any information they found but Paddy was willing to put good money that his people would find Russo first. The police didn't have the man power for this, nor the motivation he did. Be it in a month or a year, eventually, they'd move the BOLO to a cold case status and it would be forgotten about. Just another file in some box in some storage space waiting until Russo made his move. Paddy wouldn't. Maura was at risk and Paddy's time was running out. Which meant it was time to flush out his prey. He'd find Russo and Paddy would eliminate the threat, one way or another.
A knock at Paddy's door drew him from his thoughts. He checked his firearm peering through the peep hole on the door. It was his second in command, Connor O'Malley. Paddy let the younger man in, gesturing for him to sit. Paddy hoped Connor had more information for him but nothing would stop Paddy from finding Russo, even if he had to send his people to search Boston block by block.
'Paddy,' Connor said, 'we've got a lead.'
'Tell me,' Paddy said.
'Thomas found a barista who recognised the photo. Said Russo comes in most mornings and has for the last few months,' Connor points to a location on a map.
'Thomas?' Paddy asks, surprised.
Connor nodded, 'do you want to interview the barista yourself?'
Paddy shook his head, 'give Thomas a bonus and make him promise to stay on it. I'll hold him personally accountable if anything happens to her. He can have whatever he needs, extra cash, extra supplies, anything. Understand?'
Connor nodded, 'sure Paddy. She's family. We'll take care of her.'
A wry smile crossed Paddy's face. Family. He supposed, complications and all, that was still true. Maybe they weren't biologically related but they were still family, united by the people they both loved. Its why he had set Thomas to watching out for her in the first place. Besides, Paddy thought, she did Maura good and that alone was something worth protecting.
'Any word on the FBI?' Paddy asked.
'They've set up surveillance on everyone you expected,' Connor said with a nod.
'Good,' Paddy nodded, 'and Agent Dean?'
'He's watching Maura himself,' Connor confirmed.
Paddy grinned, 'good. Very good. You've done well Connor.'
'Paddy,' Connor starts tentatively, 'why do we want the FBI watching your daughter? Wouldn't you rather be staying there then in some motel?'
Paddy tapped his fingers again, considering the young man. 'The FBI adds another layer of protection. Besides, you're too young to know this O'Malley but this life isn't conducive to raising a family. I've done everything I can to keep this away from them. I wouldn't mess that up now by going to Maura now. Besides she's a good girl, she'd turn me in on the spot.' Paddy smiled affectionately at the thought of it.
'But you're her father, doesn't loyalty mean anything to her?' Connor asked his mouth dropping.
Paddy couldn't help his crooked grin, 'oh it means everything to her. She just swore her allegiances to a different family.'
'What do ya mean Paddy?'
'Were you aware my daughter was the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?' Paddy asked, eyes twinkling with fatherly pride.
'Yeah,' Connor said, confusion on his face.
'Do you know what that means?' Paddy asked, amused by the youngsters confusion.
'She looked at dead bodies,' Connor said with a shrug, feeling chastised and frustrated but unwilling to challenge the old man.
'That,' Paddy acknowledged, 'and she worked closely with the police. One detective in particular.'
'So she fell in love with a cop?' Connor asked confused.
Paddy shrugs, 'something like that.'
Connor shook his head, 'I don't think I'd ever let my daughter betray me that way.'
Maybe Paddy was tired, or maybe he simply accepted the ignorant youth inherent in the other man's comment, either way Paddy was surprised to find himself indulging the question rather than squashing it. 'Its not a betrayal O'Malley. Its putting my daughter's needs first. I'd do a thousand years more in lock up if it meant her happiness. Maybe you'll understand one day if you're fortunate enough to have a daughter.'
Connor deciding he had pushed the old man far enough, changed the subject, finishing up the last of his report. He let himself out, shaking his head at the foolish notions of the old man. Paddy hoped, somewhere, deep down, they had taken root so that Connor could be a better father than Paddy had been. Paddy knew he wouldn't see the fruits of his efforts but he was okay with that.
Paddy locked his door, checked his windows and then climbed in to bed. His mind ran through the information again and again until exhaustion swept him in to a fitful sleep.
