Half Past Midnight
Chapter 2
Maura moved to slice into the rich dessert before them when Jane's phone rang almost angrily. The pair suddenly and visibly deflated. That ringtone meant only one thing; they had a body.
Jane, still chewing a bit of pasta, picked up the offending phone. "Rizzoli." She looked toward Maura with sad eyes. Jane had wanted nothing more than to spend a quiet evening with her best friend, and now those plans were dashed.
Maura tilted her head in a gesture that could only be described as sympathetic. The M.E. then grasped her phone waiting for the call that would alert her of the situation. When the call didn't come through, she examined the phone to make sure it was working properly. It seemed fine, and she returned it to the tabletop.
"Yep, where did you say he was found?" Jane asked raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I was in the area a few hours ago."
The dispatch officer on the other end of the line then asked with a smile in his voice, "Is Dr. Isles with you?"
Jane squirmed in her chair and blushed a bit. Most of the dispatch officers figured out that whenever they called the pair to notify them of a body, the two women were always together. It provided plenty of gossip for those with too little to do and too much time on their hands.
Jane, with a bit of caution in her voice responded, "Uh yeah."
The man laughed, "OK, bring her along. I'll tell Collins she doesn't have to call her. She's really backed up."
Jane hung up, and said to Maura, "No rest for the weary."
Maura grabbed her keys and they were on their way.
When they arrived on the scene and stepped out of the blue Prius, Maura could see a few of the other responders whispering and nudging one another. She knew they were either speculating about the nature of the relationship, or making "Queen of the Dead" comments. Jane noticed them too, and shot a glance that rendered them all silent. She placed her hand on the small of the doctor's back, guiding her to the apartment that doubled as a murder scene.
Jane nodded to the uniformed officer who stood on the entryway. He looked under the brim of his hat, and answered the silent question, "In the basement Detective Rizzoli, Cavanaugh is on his way as well. "
Jane thought that was odd, and gave the detective a questioning look.
The young uniformed officer picked up on her quizzical expression. "Something about the dead guy attracting the press because of his media profile."
The comment confused Jane more than it helped, but she decided to continue on her way.
With her hand still on Maura's back, Jane helped her friend navigate the creaky stairs. Half way down, Maura's foot landed on an especially weak step. She turned quickly, "Jane this, it's swaying."
"Give me your hand Maura."
Maura placed her hand in Jane's and they descended the remaining stairs with their fingers locked together. Maura smiled and enjoyed the firm grip that reassured her. Jane was her protector in so many ways, and that thrilled her as well as made her feel safe.
The basement was dark and musty smelling. The investigative team brought in additional lighting that gave the subterranean cellar an eerie glow.
Jane stared down at the dead man's face before pulling a flashlight out to see him more clearly. "Holy shit! This is Rick the prick Patterson. This jerk is, I mean was my dad's divorce attorney. He runs all of those stupid, gimmicky commercials."
Jane was now fuming, "You know the ones that go, 'Is your soon to be ex-wife trying to take you for everything you have? Then hire me and we'll right the scales of justice.' I was arguing with this asshole earlier today."
Cavanaugh entered the room as Jane finished her tirade, "Precisely why you detective Rizzoli are off of this case. And you Dr. Isles will not be performing the autopsy."
"What why? I wasn't arguing with him; Jane was."
"And you Dr. are too close to Jane. Your mother works in the department and lives in Maura's guesthouse for Christ's sake. You're both off of the case. I will not have a whiff of impropriety surrounding this investigation. Vines, Korsak, Robbins and Dr. Cooper are on their way here now. Let them take over."
Jane gave him a challenging look. "No disrespect sir….."
The man interrupted, "If you don't want to disrespect me, you'll stop talking. Leave now."
Jane threw him a fiery look over her shoulder, and Maura followed, calling to her friend.
"Jane, Jane simmer down. You're letting your emotions get the better of you."
"Damn right I am." She thrusted her hands into her pockets and turned her back toward Maura.
Maura grabbed Jane's elbow and gently spun the woman around.
"Jane, you need to calm down; in reaction vs. response theory, response always proves far more effective."
The detective tried to maintain her composure, but her temper won out, "Don't you get with this means? They, our so called friends and colleagues, are going to be looking at me, you, my mother, and my father as suspects. I was just told that I can't talk to anyone with the same last name as me until the investigation is over!" Jane voice teetered on cracking.
"Jane, they are going to question us. They're going to do their jobs. We're innocent; we have nothing to worry about."
"Yeah, but ma doesn't need this; she's under so much stress, and my father—he's being a jerk. It's like he's out to hurt her Maur."
Maura, instead of trying to reason with Jane, walked up to the taller woman, and in view of every officer on the scene, hugged Jane pressing their bodies so close together, a streak of light couldn't be seen between them.
Jane, suddenly feeling limp, slipped into the embrace and allowed the comfort it provided to wash over her like a calming wave. The smell of Maura, her body heat, and her embrace always made her feel like every situation, no matter how daunting, would turn out OK.
Maura released a sigh, and absorbed the hug, subconsciously knowing each one from Jane could be her last.