*As all ways I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I am just blessed to use the characters for awhile.
v
(Chapter Seventeen)
They decided to ride to the funeral in Maura's car instead of the cruiser, because Jane felt people could be observe better if they thought they were just friends of the family and not there on official business.
"Maur... I'm not so sure you should've volunteered us for that poem reading thingy." Jane said waving her hands in a dismissive wave.
"Jane..." Maura said looking over at her disgruntled passenger, "...you said you needed to see the faces of those in attendance. What better way than standing before them reading a poem Alley wrote." she said proudly of her idea.
"Yeahhh... but," Jane started to disagree.
"No buts Jane... this poem, I believe will cause someone to react. It's powerful and their facial features will betray them, I'm sure of it."
"That's your line of expertise Maur, I do not know a twitch from a twinkle about that stuff," she said in a small whine.
"Pastor Catherine said Alley wrote this poem so that the girls could read it together in front of their church. Luckily they practiced it in front of her so she knew what parts were which so we can read as it was intended. Besides, it's a lovely poem and should be voiced plus it might help you in your investigation."
"Giving the dead a voice again there are we Maur?" Jane asked while smiling at the woman who she felt stealing her heart moment by each passing moment.
"In this case..." she paused and looked Jane straight in the eyes, "...yes. Now put those flash cards in your pocket and let's go in there and see if we can figure this out."
"Yes ma'am." Jane said as she put the notes up and got out of the car and walked around and opened Maura's door while she gathered her purse and did a final mirror check of lipstick, makeup, and hair before going in. "Come on... you look beautiful as always." Jane said smiling and stamping her foot in an impatience manor.
They walked in the door of the chapel and saw that the room was almost full with people. "Wow... the Carter's must be well liked." Jane said as they both looked around the room for a familiar face.
"Jane... Maura..." They both turned to the right and saw Pastor Catherine.
"Hello..." Maura started to say but her statement was voiced in the shoulder of the woman as she hugged her. Jane smiled on the outside but still had that brief moment of "...you are hugging her to tightly..." run through her head. That was until Pastor Catherine hugged Jane the same way. She then new it was too tight but just in a "...you are in my space too much kind of way..." not a "I'm wanting to date you way." She kind of chuckled at herself, "Get it together Rizzoli..." She said in her head, "...she loves you... remember?"
"This place is going to be packed." Jane said as she pulled away from Pastor Catherine.
"That's why I have you two seats on the stage with me."
"Why?" Jane asked in a panic.
"I asked Pastor Catherine to do that Jane, this way we can watch the crowd."
Jane didn't have any time to argue the effectiveness of this plan because the music started playing and everyone was being asked to have a seat. The girls basically sat in the choir loft with other speakers at the funeral. Pastor Catherine was to be the host and to finish out the ceremony.
They did have a great view of the crowd Jane had to admit but she still felt out of place on the stage as family member after family member stood up to tell a story about Alley. She noticed that Maura was right... Judy McDermott was in the crowd third row back on the left side of the stage. She brushed Maura's leg to gently get the woman's attention but had to regroup when a surge of desire ran through her like lightening. "What are you sixteen Rizzoli? Get it together!" She chided herself and got control of her expressions before Maura looked at her full on. Slowly nodding her head to the left she was pointing out Judy McDermott and hoping Maura wasn't reading her thoughts or facial expressions at the moment. It had to be a sin to want to passionately kiss someone at another's funeral... if just in a common curtsy manor of speaking terms... she thought to herself.
Maura slowly followed the slight nod of Jane's head and looked back at the woman. Maura looked at Jane's eyes and nodded slightly but stopped and began to stare at her. "Yut Oh..." Jane thought, "She knows..." About the time Jane was going to consider getting up and finding a priest somewhere to confess too, Maura turned and started nonchalantly looking out over the crowd, giving Jane a moment of reprieve.
They both watched to their left while people we speaking. Jane couldn't see any sign of discomfort on Judy McDermott's face. She was hoping Maura would be able to read something that she couldn't. The rest of the crowd seemed somber and truly grieved of Alley's passing. As she scanned the crowd another time a thought passed through her head, "look for bruises and scrapes." She thought of the cafe owner Paul Gregorio's hands, how they showed a struggle with his killer and knew there should be some bruising or swelling given the damage on the man's knuckles.
She was so intensely looking for a sign of the killer that she almost forgot that she was going to stand up in front of these people and recite Alley's poem. That was until she heard her and Maura's names as an introduction to stand and come forward. She stood and took a deep breath. Maura sensed the anxiety in Jane and brushed her arm with a slight pat of "...it will be okay." Jane looked into green eyes and melted. She would have climbed Mt. Everest for those eyes and in way she felt she was reciting the poem.
*Okay... I know this is a cliff hanger but... I will not be able to post for at least two more days. The good news is I have started the next post but do not have time to finish my thought for post time and I will not rush.
(If you are really upset with me... :) try writing a poem that fits this story line and see how long it takes. I will not post messy poems.)