Frankie arrived at Maura's home a few hours after the doctor and his mother. Walking up the drive way he saw a small box on the welcome mat. He looked closer as he reached the door, there was no shipping label. He knocked the door rather than just opening it, he smiled a little when he heard a key in the lock. Jane would be proud, if it hadn't taken her sudden disappearance to get the doctor to lock her home.
"Oh Frankie, I'm sorry. I just felt better with it locked."
"Truthfully, I didn't even try and open it. You have some couriers working late around here, you start your stress shopping already?"
Her face fell when he motioned to the box by his feet.
"I'm sorry Maura, I was trying to be funny. I'm a jack ass."
"Frankie, do you have gloves in your pocket?" He nodded although confused. "Put them on and bring it inside."
He had heard about the delivery to the station that afternoon, realisation dawned on him. Korsak had questioned the teen when his parents arrived, all they succeeded in was reducing the boy to tears. Threats of conspiracy to kidnapping and attempted murder made him crumble in seconds. He maintained that a stranger had paid him, even gave over the money for testing. He had even sat with a sketch artist which proved fruitless.
Frankie slipped on a pair of gloves as Maura headed inside to clear some space in the kitchen. Angela was bustling around various simmering pots.
"Hows Ma holding up?"
"She has been cooking enough food to see us through to next year in frozen dinners. But I'd rather have you both here, so I've been staying out of her way. Has someone informed Tommy?"
"Yeah, I went by to see him at work. He's pretty cut up about it, but he's stronger than he looks. I just don't know how he's going to explain to TJ when he asks."
Making space on the dining table Maura laid out a small piece of plastic sheeting left over from an eventful weekend decorating with Jane. Pulling a pair of gloves from under the sink she retrieved her crime scene kit. Frankie raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Since this morning I decided to keep t a condensed kit with my personal belongings. It seemed rational."
"Maura, I may never understand you – but God do I appreciate the way your mind works. This guy is going to rue the day he decided to wrong a genius with an Italian family."
When Maura didn't reply he looked away from the box, she was quietly crying,
"Oh geez Maura, what dumb thing did I do this time?"
He was thrown aback when she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Her words were quiet, muffled by his shirt.
"Don't let anyone tell you that you are anything less than a wonderful man."
"Do you think you could say that again when Ma is listening?"
Looking up she saw the traditional Rizzoli grin, the contagious smile she was powerless to replicate. She sniffed lightly, brushing her eyes with the back of her hands.
"Come on, lets see what this bastard left you. I don't suppose you have cameras around the house do you?"
"No, I never deemed it necessary. There is an alarm system in case of intruders but that's all."
Peeling back the tape she opened the flaps on the box. Inside was a gun in a standard issue belt holster. Carefully she lifted it out of the box, turning it to confirm that the safety was on. Happy that the weapon couldn't accidentally discharge she handed it to Frankie.
"I feel this falls more into your domain, I barely even know how to hold it properly."
"Maybe we can rectify that one day if you'd like."
He removed the gun from the case while Maura pondered his offer. She had never felt the need to learn how to shoot, Jane was always with her and more than qualified should the need arise.
"I might hold you to that if you're not careful."
"What are you two conspiring about over here? Dio Mio! Maura why is there a gun on the kitchen table?"
"Someone left it on the doorstep, myself and Frankie are trying to identify it. I have a feeling that the serial number will match the one listed for Jane's service weapon. But before we do that we are trying to see if there is anything on it that could lead us to Jane."
Frankie turned the gun over and removed the clip, checking to make sure there wasn't a bullet in the chamber.
"There are no bullets missing, so I doubt its been fired recently. Its all yours Maura, do your magic."
A swab of the barrel for gunshot residue was negative. There were no signs of any liquids covering the weapon, unlike Jane's detectives badge. Carefully she checked the surfaces for signs of finger prints. Of course Jane's prints would be there, but they may get lucky and find a partial from who ever took it from her.
"The serial matches Jane's, its her gun." Frankie held up his cell phone, a copy of his sister's file displayed on the screen. "I need to call Vince and Cavanaugh."
"There will be no one in the lab until tomorrow morning, I don't have the software here to run the prints."
She couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. Angela engulfed her in a fierce hug.
"I know you're doing everything you can. We will never be able to repay you for the things that you do for this family Maura. We will get her back somehow."
"Um Maura, I don't suppose you've got some spare blankets,"
Both women looked over to see his sheepish look, "Vince and Sean are on their way over here. Nothing I could say was stopping them. Especially now that we have this."
"Oh, that isn't really necessary is it?"
"Maura sweetie, this sicko knows where you work, and now they know where you live. What would Jane do in this situation?"
"Point taken. At least all that food won't go to waste."
–
"Wakey wakey Jane!"
A slew of icy water fell from above, the scream was involuntary as she thrashed to get away.
"Its just water Jane, a bit of water never killed anyone."
"Get the hell away from me you sick fuck!"
Scrambling to the wall she used the chain to pull herself up, shaking wet hair from her face she tried to control her shivering. She couldn't look weak, not now. Wrapping a small portion of the chain around her fist she prepared herself, if he came close again she would be ready.
"You give me far too little credit, you think I'm coming over there?"
"And you don't give me enough, I will get you, that's a promise."
–
Frankie had insisted that he drove Maura into work the following morning. There had been a unmarked car stationed outside her home the moment he had hung up the phone from Cavanaugh last night. He nodded to them as he pulled out of the drive way.
"Do they really need to be outside the house when I'm not there?"
"Just in case there's another delivery. Don't forget, Ma lives with you too. If anything she had been asking the Lieutenant for them before I did."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think,"
"Don't worry Maura, everyone's mind is scattered right now."
"There are uniforms outside my lab aren't there."
Frankie winced slightly with a small nod, "They have strict instructions not to get in your way." He was surprised to see a small smile on the blonde's face, "You're not going to tear into me for being over protective?"
"It's what Jane would do. How can I be mad at you for that?"
"Remember, you really are going to have to repeat all these nice things when Janie gets back. She'll never believe me."
"Trust me Frankie, she already knows. You know how she is when it comes to," She gesticulated in the air trying to come up with the right word.
"What when it comes to, being nice? I know, you're right Maura. Its a Rizzoli thing. Ma is very open, Pop wasn't. We both know who Jane takes after."
"We'll find her Frankie. Jane's a fighter."
"We better, she owes me twenty bucks."
Maura couldn't help but giggle slightly. She really couldn't recall what she'd ever done to deserve this family in her life.