Till Death Do Us Part
Part 13
Deanlu
Rizzoli and Isles are the property of TNT and Tess Gerritson. I do not own them nor would I want that responsibility. I just have fun with them. 13 is a very unlucky number for some people. Even buildings do not have 13th floors there is such superstition about the number. 13 spells danger for our heroes and heroines. WARNING: Some of the content in this chapter may be disturbing. It is no worse than CSI or NYPD Blue, but it may be disturbing to some. It is required for the story and I have limited it where I could.
Please review, your words help me know I am writing well.
"Rebecca! Rebecca?" Edward yelled as he came charging through the front door. Gun fire erupted. Edward fell to the floor as Jacob came in behind him firing at the shadows in the dark.
Korsak took cover inside the doorway of a room near Jane and Maura's bedroom. He would protect Jane and Maura no matter what happened. The darkness and flashing lightening came through the windows creating a surreal scene. A body came running down the hallway.
"Stop!" Jacob yelled out in pursuit and fired. The figure staggered against the wall, rose, turned, and fired at Jacob who dove out of the way. The figure moved again heading toward the bedroom door.
"Freeze! Police!" Korsak yelled out. The figure fired several rounds at Korsak striking the door jam where the detective was hiding. Wood rained down around him as bullets embedded in the doorway. The figure ran past kicking in the door to the bedroom. Four shots resounded in the hallway. Suddenly the hallway erupted in gun fire from two other directions. Then all was silent.
"Jane? Maura?" Vince called out. No sound came from the bed room. Korsak moved slowly down the hallway. Lightening flashed outside illuminating the hallway. Korsak flashed his light locating Jaramillo in a crumpled heap on the floor. Jacob came up behind Korsak causing the detective to turn his gun on him quickly. "Damn it, I almost shot you."
"Is he dead?" Jacob asked as Korsak bent over checking for a pulse. "Yeah, he's gone. Where's Edward?" Jacob took a deep breath and let it out.
"He's been shot, but it's a mild graze. He was lucky. He tripped over the rug coming in the door and fell. Had he been standing his full height Jaramillo would have had him. He's checking Rebecca's office." Both men advanced on the bedroom. Korsak stepped inside first. Neither Jane, Maura, nor Amman were inside.
"Where are they? Maura?" Korsak called out. No answer came back. Jacob entered behind Korsak.
"Amman, it's safe. Come out." No answer came. Quickly the two men checked the closets. It was then they noticed the side window of the room open. Jacob went to it and looked out. No one was there. Just then the lights came on presenting a grizzly sight to the two men. Bullet holes riddled the bed where Jane and Maura had lain earlier. Korsak took a slow deep breath thank God they weren't in the bed. He looked back down the hall hearing movement. Blood and bullet holes covered the hallway and the unmoving body of Jaramillo lay lifeless. Edward appeared blood dripping down his arm.
"Rebecca's gone. There's blood by the fireplace. I think they have her." Korsak swore under his breath. Edward stepped in looking around.
"We need to call the sheriff now. Jane, Maura, and Amman are missing. Do you think they went after whoever took Rebecca?" Edward looked thoughtfully at the floor a few minutes and nodded.
"The sheriff is on his way. Rebecca had called him before the lights went out. He should be here soon. We need to find Rebecca now because there will nothing left of her by morning." Edward grimaced as his heart tightened over the thought of having a chance to love Rebecca snuffed out just when she had decided to try.
"Where are Jane, Maura and Amman?" Korsak asked removing his coat and noticing blood on it. He looked down at his shoulder. "Oh shit!" Then dropped like a rock.
"Jacob, help me." Edward yelled out to the cowboy.
Meanwhile, two miles from the ranch…
"This was a stupid idea Jane. You are in no condition to be taking these risks." Maura said as the horses followed the Doctor Peterson from a distance. Jane had faked fever earlier so she could be ready for what was coming. She hadn't wanted Rebecca to know she was okay. She knew Rebecca would need backup. The woman was too stubborn to listen to reason. So when Peterson had come in with the sedatives Maura had pretended to administer the shots while his back was turned talking with Amman.
"Argue later or you will die now if they catch us." Amman whispered softly while shaking his head. Maura shut up, though by the look on her face said she was not happy. Jane stopped her horse waiting for Amman and Maura to come up beside her.
"Where is he going?" Jane asked worriedly. Amman looked to the horizon where Peterson's horse disappeared behind some red rock as a flash of lightening lit up the sky.
"Devil's rock, it's hard to sneak up on someone there because of the way it rises out of the plain area. The inside is like a hollowed out bowl. The sides are steep, but it is manageable. There is one way Peterson doesn't know though. Come with me we will circle around. It will take us a little longer, but if we do this right we can save Rebecca's life." Both women nodded and turned to west to come up on the large cap rock from a different direction. Jane touched the gun that was the same as her police gun. There were two rifles on each horse with extra cartridges. Jane had tried to get Maura to stay behind, but the woman was as stubborn as the day she had met her. As they moved around the cap rock the lightening flashed angrily across the sky while the wind howled its disapproval at the humans invading its environment. Amman led them into a sheltered rock area. There they tied the horses to a rock out cropping. It took them forty-five minutes to circle the cap rock
"One last chance Maura, stay here with the horses so I know you will be safe." Maura was tempted for only a moment. This was so out of her depth of knowledge that fear threatened to override her thinking.
"No, where you go I go." Maura said softly. Jane began to argue when Amman placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It would be better if she was with us. At least we can have her watch over us with the rifle from a hidden spot." Jane wasn't happy about this turn of events, but silently agreed.
"You will stay hidden. You will not come into the open no matter what Maura. Promise me." Maura hesitated, but knew Jane would go no farther if she didn't agree.
"Yes, Jane I will stay hidden. I will not risk my life needlessly." Jane eyed her knowing Maura was using her words carefully. She just couldn't figure out why she had worded it like that.
"Alright let's go." Jane handed Maura one of the rifles and a side pouch with ammo. Just then an agonizing scream rent the night air. "We have to hurry," Jane said. Amman and Jane each grabbed a rifle. Amman and Jane climbed up the red rock with Maura following. Jane stopped for a moment placing a hand over her ribs as the climbing pulled at her injuries. She took several deep breaths and swore not to be in any more exploding buildings.
"Jane?" Jane waved her off and continued up. The trio came to an opening and slid in behind a rock. What they saw down inside the cap rock made Jane look away. Amman swore angrily under his breath.
"God, I'm going to have to put the pieces together again Maura." Maura wasn't normally squeamish, but the sight of Rebecca being tortured by Gonzalez caused her to almost throw up. Rebecca was tied to a post in the center of the bowl area. She had already been whipped. Her blouse hung from her waist as blood ran down her back. She stumbled attempting to stay on her feet. Agonizing laughter rang out from Rebecca as she fought with her iron will.
"Is that all you have el diablo? God, what a coward. You can't even whip someone correctly." That earned Rebecca two more strikes with the whip causing the woman to moan loudly. Jane could see Gonzalez was angry. He hadn't broken Rebecca yet. She'd die before she let him. Jane knew it in her heart.
Jane and Amman whispered quietly while Maura watched the brave woman below. There were five cowboys and Gonzalez inside the bowl. Suddenly a new man entered the bowl area. Maura grabbed Jane's arm. Jane turned as Maura pointed. Amman swore softly.
"Well we know he isn't dead. He must have tried to fake his death to give him time to get away." Agent Winez walked over to Rebecca as Gonzalez took a break. He grabbed her face spitting in it.
"Not so high and mighty now are you? Who has the last laugh now Rebecca? You're going to be dead by morning. Your carcass left for the wild animals to feed off of on the plains here. While Gonzalez and I are sipping Mai Tai's with Mexican women on the Yucatan. Though, maybe Gonzalez will let me have some fun with you first." He ran his hands over her breasts twisting them violently. Rebecca head butted him causing him to stagger backwards. He recovered quickly coming back and backhanding her across the face. Rebecca slumped against the post. Just a little more time Wendy. I'll be with you soon. Just wait for me. Please, wait for me. Edward forgive me. I'm not as strong as you all think.
"You will break Rebecca. I will make sure of it. No one knows you're here. You are all alone." Gonzalez stated angrily to Rebecca. "You will pay for what you did to my boy." Rebecca smiled closing her eyes as the pain threatened to take her under.
"I am never alone. You have already lost." Rebecca said as a strangled laugh erupted from her mouth. Gonzalez turned from her backhanding her again. The blow sent Rebecca into unconsciousness.
"Heat up the iron poker. She will break. I will make her scream for us to stop." The cowboys at the nearby fire placed a hot poker into it.
"Amman, you get Agent Winez. Gonzalez is mine. We eliminate the cowboys as quickly as possible." Amman nodded grabbing Jane's arm.
"Jane, be careful. Rebecca will never forgive me if you are hurt again." Amman low voice said. Maura spoke softly looking directly at Amman.
"It's not Rebecca you have to worry about." Amman nodded and smiled. Jane pulled her gun and turned to Maura.
"I love you. I'll be back in a minute. You take that rifle and shoot anyone who gets near Rebecca. You understand?" Maura nodded hugging Jane quickly and kissing her. "Maur, you shoot anyone who gets near you too. I need you." Maura nodded again. Amman and Jane moved slowly around the inside of the bowl just in the shadows. Both used the sparse vegetation and rocks for hiding. They were finally in position as one of the cowboys brought the hot poker which glowed white to Gonzalez.
"Now Rebecca, we will see if you break for el diablo." Two shots went off at once and the Gonzalez's cowboys nearest him dropped. Men were suddenly running trying to find cover. Amman and Jane took out two more men. That only left one cowboy which fled out of the bowl area, Agent Winez, and Gonzalez.
"Throw the poker down. Put your hands up." Jane yelled out listening as her voice echoed inside the bowl area.
"Why Detective Rizzoli so good of you to join our party. Now we can kill two birds with one stone." Agent Winez replied even as his hands were raised above his head. Jane and Amman slowly moved out of their hiding place approaching the two men with caution.
"I believe you're confused. I seem to have the advantage this time." Jane moved toward Gonzalez the hot poker still in his hands. "Put it down now." Both Amman and Jane were now in the light and near Rebecca and the two men.
"You are either stupid or overly brave detective. I knew someone would come for Rebecca. I expected Amman, but you are icing on the cake Detective." Suddenly, the bowl was flooded with men. Jane shot toward Gonzalez missing him. Amman shot toward Agent Winez wounding him. The man fell to the ground screaming. Jane shot two more cowboys diving behind a rock just in time. Two rifle rounds took out two more of Gonzalez men. Maura's hands were full just trying to keep the men off Jane and Amman. Maura counted four men plus Gonzalez. It was then she heard the sound of falling rock behind her. She turned with the rifle in her hand firing before even sighting it. Peterson dropped like a rock to the ground his dead body rolling down the steep sides to come to rest at the bowls bottom just within the light of the fire. The syringe he had been planning on injecting Maura with rolled to rest at the ME's feet. Jane looked up toward where Maura was hiding.
"Detective, you may want to end this now or Rebecca may die in the next second." Jane looked to where Rebecca had been tied. Gonzalez was now holding a large hunting knife at her throat. "I think this is much more personal, don't you Rebecca?" Gonzalez whispered to her. "Your stupid detective is going to put that gun down. Then I am going to cut your throat and kill her. I win Rebecca, you lose. Call her out Rebecca or I will make your death slow."
Jane was torn. If she stayed in the shadows her friend would die. If she stepped out into the light she would die and so would her friend. The detective was sure of that. The first thing they teach you in police academy is never put your weapon down or hand it to the suspect. Never.
"Jane, kill him." Rebecca's voice called. Two shots rang out suddenly in the bowl then all was still.