Cavanaugh had called in every available detective into the conference room.
"Alright, its been twenty four hours. What have we got?"
Nina stood, clicking through stills on the projection screen.
"Detective Rizzoli is seen here leaving her apartment. We managed to get some footage from the store across the street. A small black van is seen half way down the block, in the next frame the van is obscuring Jane's car. Then it's gone and so is Detective Rizzoli. Problem being the van isn't showing any plates, and there are approximately five thousand of these models in the city of Boston alone."
She sat, Korsak took over.
"Yesterday afternoon a teenager, 'Teddy Grant' hand delivered an envelope containing Detective Rizzoli's badge. Her blood was positively identified on it, as were her prints. No others were found. Under questioning Teddy maintained that he was paid to hand deliver the package. He sat with a sketch artist, but the results have been less than positive."
He looked over to Frankie, he stood with a stockiness no one had actually expected.
"Last night an unmarked package was delivered to Dr Isles home in the Beacon Hill area. Inside we found a loaded police issue gun. The serial number matches Jane's. There was no gun shot residue found on the barrel and the clip was full, indicating that it hadn't been fired recently. The only prints were Jane's."
Sitting down Cavanaugh addressed the room again. "Right so what does this give us?"
Vince spoke up, "Our perp knows where both Jane and Doctor Isles live. We have units stationed at both addresses keeping eyes on their homes. We know that Jane's mother lives on Doctor Isles' property, so we have units making sure she's safe."
Nina took over.
"Looking through the footage, they know that there are cameras all over. Making sure to obscure any identifying marks on the vehicle. Unless they are experts at cleaning crime scenes, when we find the van I expect we will find Detective Rizzoli's DNA in the back. We found her blood on her car indicating an open wound at the time of her abduction."
Pointing to a white board at the front of the room Vince went through it quickly.
"They know where Jane lives. This was premeditated, taking the time to obscure the vehicle delaying identification. They also know that Dr Isles and Jane are close, sending her Jane's effects is a taunt. Proving that they either have Detective Rizzoli or know where she is. Knowing Dr Isles' address is also rather worrying, she could either be a target or this bastard get some sick kick out of this. She is also under protective detail.
We are trying to cross reference anyone who would have had continued exposure to both Dr Isles and Detective Rizzoli. We need to find out how they know both their addresses. So far though, we don't know what our suspect stands to gain by taking Jane. Motive is unclear."
Sean ran a hand over his face.
"Ok people, we have just a little bit more than nothing. I want that van found, I don't care how many there are in this block. It's our only real lead right now. Frankie? I want you working on shrinking our suspect pool, was Jane working on cold cases? Did she piss off the paper boy? Work on it with Dr Isles, she'll be able to tell you if she had contact with these people. Move it people, Rizzoli is a fighter, but she's not invincible and she needs us right now."
Everyone shuffled out of the room with their assignments.
–
Maura was in her office, forlornly looking through pictures of her and Jane. One of the officers stationed outside her door knocked lightly. The redness around her eyes was hard to ignore, but he had the tact to not mention it.
"Doctor Isles, you have a visitor. Should I let them through?"
"I'm not expecting anyone,"
"He says he's your boyfriend?"
Checking her make up in a small compact she dabbed at her eyes before closing her laptop.
"Jack, you can't be here right now. I can't, I'm sorry. It's just-"
He held onto her flying hands, "Maura, when did you last eat?"
"I don't see - "
"Honey you need to eat. Especially now, if you don't you'll get tired, or worse sick. You won't be able to focus, if you don't look after yourself you'll be no help to Jane."
She was already tired, he had a point.
"Let's go back to mine, Angela spent the night cooking. There's plenty of food in my freezer."
"That sounds perfect. I came on the bus, we take your car, then I can get a cab later when you want to come back."
She nodded with a weak, tired smile. Quickly fetching her purse she left with her arms wrapped around his.
The drive to her home was mercifully quiet, Maura didn't really want to talk right now. Truthfully she didn't want the company much either, but Jack hadn't done anything to deserve being shut out. Maybe he could help distract her just for a little while, even she could see that she was no use to anyone tired and strung out.
Walking through the front door Maura really smiled for the first time that day at Jo Friday scampering across the floor to greet her. The dog took a few seconds to enjoy the fuss before inspecting the new person. Sniffing around his pant legs she barked loudly jumping up at his legs. Jack leaned down to pet the excitable dog.
"Hey Maura I think she likes me, hey, ahhh!"
Jo Friday had clamped her tiny jaw into the webbing of his hand, she was shaking her head refusing to let go.
"Oh my god, Jo! Let go!"
Grabbing the small dog in one arm she pried Jack's hand from her teeth.
"Bad dog Jo! Jack, go wash your hand in the sink. I need to see how bad the bite is. Her shots are all up to date she,"
"That thing bit me Maura! I thought you said she was friendly!"
Putting the dog down Jo Friday continued to growl and snarl at him.
"She is, she's never bitten anyone before. How bad is it?"
Lifting his hand out from the water Maura had grabbed a first aid kit from under the sink, pressing a gauze pad to his hand to staunch the bleeding.
"I'm sorry Jack, I couldn't just leave her at Jane's apartment all alone. Let me see,"
The bleeding had stopped, taking bandages from the kit she cleaned and dressed the bite in silence.
"I just don't see why you couldn't take her to a kennels, or even a family member."
"Jo is family, I'm having a hard time trying to understand how you couldn't see that. She's a part of Jane, I could never leave her with a stranger. Especially if, oh-"
She caught herself mid sentence, a stabbing pain deep in her heart. For a moment, for a split second she had allowed the permeating thought that Jane was really gone. It hit her harder than she could have ever expected. No one had alluded that Jane was anything more than a missing person. Not one person had dared to suggest the worst case scenario, until now.
Her eyes welled in an instant as she stifled a sob behind her hand. Screwing her eyes shut the tears fell thick and fast. Jack wrapped his arms around her slowing her fall as shaky knees gave way. His face was impassive as he rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe her.
"Perhaps you shouldn't be alone right now, let me make you some food at my place. We can have a little wine, some comfort food, try and take your mind off things. Its obviously affecting you more than you think."
In the haze of her grief she processed what he had said, her tears stilled as a wave of anger passed through her. Pushing on his chest she tried to put some distance between them.
"Excuse me? Just how did you think this would affect me? My best friend is missing, only God knows where. She's hurt, she's alone and I can't help her. I feel like a huge part of me is gone. So forgive me if I'm hurting, I'm sorry I can't be here for you right now. But I thought maybe, just maybe you would be here for me."
He had the decency to look humbled and even a little humiliated. He nodded his head slightly as his eyes practically bored a hole into the floor.
–
What tiny amount of light could reach the basement was fading as the Sun set. Two days she had been chained down, the ice water wake up call that morning had yet to properly dry. Her body just couldn't generate enough heat to stave off the cold, and with the night rolling in, her chances of a warm night had dwindled fast.
Lethargic from the cold Jane had continued her efforts to free herself from her chains with no success. Instead now she had started rapping the metal in what was hopefully a familiar rhythm to anyone in ear shot. Three fast, short clangs; three slower. Someone, somewhere had to be able to hear her making a racket. For the first time in a long time, Jane prayed to God that someone would hear her.
Unfortunately someone had.
Whilst she was making a considerable amount of noise, she was unable to hear him approach, nor in the growing darkness see him. She did however feel the considerable force applied to her jaw as a hay-maker of a punch connected. The fall into unconsciousness was instant. Her distress call silenced.
Standing to look down at her he shook the pain from his hand.
"Look what you did Jane, I'm bleeding again."