AN: Chapter five, here we go! Enjoy. :)
Maura was just finishing up Marianne's autopsy when she noticed some tell-tale markings at the base of the cadaver's thumb. Upon closer inspection, Maura realized that it was eczema, and judging from its appearance, it was quite a serious case. Puzzled, she pulled out the report on the evidence found in Marianne's backpack.
Maura scanned the list until she found what she was looking for – the name of the two medicinal cream. She noted the ingredients: Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% in ISC Emollient and Tacrolimus Ointment 0.1% with Emollient Base. Then she went back and collected a skin sample from the eczema affected area, ran it through some simple test, and mulled over the results. The results were not adding up.
Just as she was about to head up to the bull pen, her phone rang, informing her that her presence was needed at Claire's death scene.
Claire looked as if she had died in her sleep. She was lying face up on her bed. There were a few bruises on her cheek, but her face was peaceful, still looking as if she were still dreaming. However, her chest did not move up and down, and there was no pulse to be felt.
Maura looked up when she heard Jane, Frost, and Korsak approaching the crime scene. For a moment, Maura was unsure how to act. Do I pretend that nothing happened after last night? Do we act like we always do?
Luckily, Jane answered that question for her when she greeted Maura with a grin. "Hey, Maur, you got anything yet?"
"Not really, just got here a few minutes ago. But, from the petechiae in her eyelids and neck, cause of death would probably be from suffocation. Liver temp indicates that death happened at about two this morning. And this is really interesting, there are no strangulation marks on her neck."
"Wow, yeah. She actually doesn't look like she was murdered by someone. In fact, it looks like she just up and died." said Jane as Maura went over and pulled the corpse's shirt up, exposing the chest. "Whoa, Maura! What are you doing?"
"Hmmm…there's an impression on her chest, as if there were a heavy weight that crushed her torso." Maura was lost in thought for a while before she muttered, "Oh."
"'Oh' what Maura?"
"This looks like a case of burking. I don't see this kind of murders that often."
"Wait, isn't one of the burking methods to sit on the chest, using a hand to cover the mouth and nose, and also pushing the jaw upward."
"Yes, that would be one of the method. You can see that there is a compression on Claire's abdomen. I recently read about the duo that committed a series of murders called the Westport Murders. They were the ones whom the 'burking' is named for. Apparently, in 1828, William Hare and William Burke murdered about eleven people over a period of ten months. They used burking as a means to kill their victims so as to sell the corpses at a higher price to the medical schools."
"Mm-hm…that's real interesting, Maura." teased Jane. Maura merely rolled her eyes. "There were no signs of forced entry anywhere in the house."
Korsak interjected. "Which, would mean that the Claire probably let the killer in.
And Frost finally finished it off with. "Which, would then also mean that she wasn't killed in her bed."
"Who called in her murder?" Jane asked Frost.
"She was due for a breakfast with one of her clients. Didn't show up, client called the boss. Boss tried to contact Claire, who usually is very responsible, but couldn't get in touch with her. He was worried, so he called the police. First officer found her like this."
Korsak suddenly noticed a flap a paper tucked between the pillow and bed. Snapping on his latex gloves, he picked it up and help it against the light. "Well, look here. It says, 'This is all your fault.'"
"What?" Jane and Frost asked simultaneously.
Korsak handed the slip of paper to them. "Here."
Jane, Maura, and Frost crowded around and studied the paper. "Well, at least it is hand written." Maura said.
Frost looked at Jane. "Jane, I was checking the cameras around where Max is staying and it shows him arriving home at ten last night, and left the house at five the next morning and returned again two hours later. You know that if this was a 'personal agenda', that would probably mean that Max Chaitin is innocent, right?"
"Ugh!" Jane moaned. "Now this changes the game. This could be a hate crime."
"Looks like we have to look at this case from another angle now. Let's check the rest of the house." Korsak said as he left the room. Frost and Jane followed.
"Jane, wait." called Maura.
Jane stopped mid-stride and turned around. "Yeah, Maura?"
"Do you want to come over tonight? I am trying a new quiche recipe."
Jane was about to agree. But, her eyes fell on the corpse of Claire, and remembered all the things that Claire. Remembered how the words had opened the Pandora's Box that Jane had hidden away in her heart. Remembered the little pep talk Jane had given herself about not spending so much time with Maura. "I would love to Maura, but I have something on tonight with, uh, Tommy and TJ. Maybe, another time?"
Disappointment flashed Maura's hazel eyes. "Okay. Another time. Have fun with your nephew!"
Jane smiled in reply as she exited the room. Each step she took on the way out made her heart ache even harder and harder…
The only way Jane knew how to escape from dwelling too much on her personal issues was to dive headfirst into the deepest depth of work. And that was what she was doing now. She was lounging on her red couch, with her files spread out across the coffee table and her favorite brand of beer in her hand. Jane rubbed her temples and went over the notes one more time.
There was absolutely nothing, nothing. It couldn't be her girlfriend – as most murders sometimes resulted from a complications in a relationship – as Claire was dead. It might have been Max Chaitin, but there was no evidence that could put him at both crime scenes. Marianne had no known enemies and her social and phone records showed no anomalies. Her family was a close-knit one. That left nobody, freaking nobody and no motive.
Jane started looking through known anti-LGBT organizations and any individual that had been arrested for hate crimes against any gays.
One name that she kept coming back to was John J. Murray. He had started an organization trying to prevent as much gay rights movement as possible. He had also been served harassment charges. It was a long stretch, but when an investigation has almost no suspects, anything or anyone was worth suspecting.
He is worth looking into was Jane's last thought as she keeled sideways from sheer exhaustion and landed nicely on the couch.
Maura was reading one of her medical journals when she suddenly remembered the clue that she had wanted to tell Jane. She glanced at the clock and noticing that it was only 11 P.M., she snatched up her phone and pressed her speed dial. She got the voicemail. That's weird, her phone is usually always with her, and she usually only sleeps at around midnight or later. She waited another ten minutes before trying again, but she got directed to voicemail once more.
She did say that she would be with Tommy and TJ tonight. I'll try Tommy. Tommy picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hey, Tommy." Maura greeted.
"Hey, Maura! What's up?"
"I was wondering, is Jane still with you?"
"Jane? Uh, I wouldn't know. She wasn't and isn't with me."
"Oh." Maura was surprised. "I thought she was going to spend some time with you and TJ."
"Nah, I am with Lydia right now, and TJ is sleeping soundly in his crib."
"Okay. Thanks, Tommy. Goodnight." Maura replied as she hung up. She sat staring at the screen of her phone. Jane had never out rightly lied to her like this. Maura was hurt. Why would Jane lie to her? Since the night Jane had ran out of her house, Jane had not been acting normally. Throughout the entire day, she had expected Jane to drop by any minute to check on the autopsy. But, no. Jane had been at the BRIC working away with all the paper work and suspect lists. It almost seemed as if Jane was avoiding her.