2 – The Devil Wears Armani

It all started with Jane unwisely asking Maura for advice. Fashion advice. Within earshot of her mother. All Jane needed was a new suit to wear for court and now here she was in a pretentious boutique on Newbury Street being fawned over by an overbearing sycophant of a sales clerk and cooed at by her mother and best friend.

"Oh Jane!" her mother exclaimed as Jane stepped out of the dressing room. Angela's eyes shone brightly as she took in the appearance of her daughter. "You look wonderful."

"Ma, come on," Jane said. "It's just a suit."

"You really do look stunning, Jane," Maura said, smiling widely. "The cut is perfect for your frame and the fitted line accents the form of your figure in a most flattering way."

Jane smirked at her. "Are you trying to say it makes my ass look great?"

"Jane, be nice," Angela admonished.

"To put it bluntly, yes," Maura laughed. She turned to the clerk. "We'll take it."

"Wait a second, Maura," Jane said, raising a hand. "How much is it?"

"Oh, we're having a special deal this week," the woman said smugly. "Only eight."

"Eight?" Jane looked askance. "Eight hundred dollars? No way." She turned to take off the suit.

"That really is a bargain, Jane," Maura said, putting a hand on the detective's arm to stop her.

"She's right, Detective," the clerk said with a smirk. "That suit usually goes for fifteen."

"A grand and a half for a simple suit?" Jane asked. "That's ridiculous."

"You said you wanted to look good in court, Jane," her mother said. "To make a…what was it again? Oh yes, a formidable and intimidating statement against slime ball defense attorneys."

"Yeah, Ma, I do, but a cop wearing a fifteen hundred dollar suit would also give the impression that I'm supplementing my income in other ways," Jane pointed out.

"Not necessarily, Jane," Maura said. "Looking good on a budget is a sign of a savvy and shrewd consumer. One does not need a large income to afford fine things and well-made clothing if one knows how to shop."

"And you do, Doctor Isles?" Jane grinned.

"Of course," Maura said. "With my charitable endowments I too, have to live on a budget."

"Oh, I'm sure you've had to sacrifice many new pairs of Jimmy Choos because of what the city pays you," Jane said with a smirk.

"Jane, be nice," Angela said and Jane thought it was rapidly becoming her mother's favorite refrain. Angela turned to Maura and said, "You're such a saint to put up with her abuse."

"I tell myself that often," Maura said nodding her head.

Jane rolled her eyes and then returned to study her reflection in the mirror. She ran a hand down her abdomen, liking the feel of the soft weave of the blazer and inwardly admitting that Maura was right, the suit did make her look good. The straight cut of the legs even made her look taller.

"Fine, I'll take it," she finally said.

The clerk clapped her hands with delight and left to write up the sales order.

"Good decision, Jane," Maura said approvingly.

"Maybe you could wear it someplace nice on a date, Jane," Angela suggested with a knowing look. "It's about time you got back into the swing of things."

"Ma," Jane admonished. "I bought this for court appearances. I don't go anywhere that would require a suit like this."

"Well, you should, Jane," Angela argued. "You should go out more."

"I agree," Maura said.

Jane turned to her with an incredulous look on her face. "Really, Maura?" she asked. "You're taking sides with my mother? Nice."

Maura rolled her eyes. "I'm not taking sides, I'm taking action. I have to attend a function this weekend. Why don't you come with me? It'll be the perfect event for you to wear your new suit."

"What kind of function?" Jane asked suspiciously.

"A cocktail party Mother is hosting for her charity foundation," Maura answered.

"A cocktail party?" Jane reiterated. "Really?"

"It'll be fun," Maura said. "There will be a lot of artists and people from the fashion industry there."

Jane rolled her eyes. "Keep talking and I'll only want to say no."

"Does that mean you'll go with me?" Maura asked, her eyes shining as brightly as her hair.

"Yeah, I'll go," Jane said with a smile which grew even larger as Maura happily clapped her hands together. She returned to the dressing room to change.

"What about you, Angela?" Maura asked, turning to the other Rizzoli. "I could ask Mother for an invitation for you."

"She mentioned it to me last week, but Vincent and I already have plans," Angela answered.

"Oh, how nice," Maura said.

"Korsak said he wouldn't be available this weekend," Jane said as she tucked her shirt into her pants. "You guys going somewhere?"

"Martha's Vineyard," Angela said with a nod. "We have reservations at a wonderful bed and breakfast there. Oh, maybe I'll get some new lingerie. Hurry up and pay for your suit, Jane and you girls come meet me at Victoria's Secret." With that, the older woman hurried from the store.

"Oh vomit," Jane groaned. "I can't believe my mother wants me to help her shop for underwear she can wear for my ex-partner."

"They're engaged so it's allowed and I think it's sweet," Maura said with a laugh.

"You're not the one who's gonna have Korsak for a step-father, Maura," Jane pointed out.

"They're in no hurry to get married so it might be quite a while before he is that, Jane."

"I know," Jane said. She pulled out her wallet and handed her credit card to the sales clerk. "I'm happy for them. I just don't want to imagine them having sex, okay?"

Maura laughed and merely shook her head while Jane signed the credit card receipt. "Thank you," Maura said to the sales clerk after she handed Jane her package. "You were very helpful."

"Thank you," Jane said using the tone of voice she reserved for when she wanted her sarcasm clearly known.

Maura just shook her head. "I'll pick you up at six."

"Fine," Jane said. "Come on, let's go find Ma before she ends up buying a thong."

"Do you think she will?" Maura asked, alarmed.

Jane simply eyed her friend. "What do you think, Maura?"

"Oh dear."

R&I

Jane opened the door to her apartment to reveal a smiling Maura Isles.

"Wow!" Jane exclaimed. "You look stunning."

"Thank you," Maura said. The good doctor was wearing a black and white sheath that came to her knees. On her feet were a pair of black Louboutins, the red of the sole the only show of color. "So do you, Jane. You're going to turn quite a few heads at the party," she said.

"We'll be the best looking couple there," Jane said.

"That we shall," Maura agreed. "Ready to go?"

Jane grabbed her keys from the table next to the door and after locking it, slipped them in her pocket. Maura drove the short distance to her mother's high rise condo in the city and after leaving the car with the valet, she and Jane took the elevator to the penthouse.

Inside the large apartment were more beautiful people than Jane had ever seen gathered in one place. "Holy crap!" she exclaimed.

Maura smiled as she looked around the room. "There's Mother," she said pointing a finger. "Let's go make our greetings."

Jane placed her hand on the small of Maura's back as she led the doctor through the crowd.

Maura's mother's eye lit up as the couple approached her. "Maura, darling!" Constance said as she leaned in to kiss the Medical Examiner's cheek.

"Hello, Mother," Maura said.

"That Chanel looks divine on you, darling," Constance said as she appraised her daughter's appearance. Then she turned to regard Jane. "And you look lovely, Jane. Armani?"

Jane nodded as she accepted Constance's kiss on her cheek. "Your daughter insisted I buy it."

"Of course she did," the older Isles said. "Maura has always had excellent taste. How's your mother, dear?"

"Good," Jane answered. "She and Korsak are spending the weekend on the Vineyard."

"Oh, I hope they're staying at that lovely bed and breakfast I recommended," Constance said.

"She did mention that they're staying at one, so I'm sure that's it," Jane agreed.

"Oh good," Constance said and then spotted someone over her daughter's shoulder. "Oh, there's Gisele. She and Tom have promised a large donation to the foundation and I need to set up a time to meet with them next week. You girls enjoy yourselves."

Jane looked around. "I can't believe you brought me to a party with Tom Brady," she said.

"I knew you'd have a good time," Maura said. "Can you get us some drinks?"

"Sure," Jane said. "Chardonnay?"

"Please," Maura said and watched as Jane headed for the bar.

"Let me guess," a voice from behind her said. "Professor at BCU?"

Maura turned to find a tall, blond-haired man holding a cocktail glass. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"Your profession," the man said and plastered what he obviously thought was a charming smile on his face. "Professor at BCU? Or maybe Harvard?"

"Well, I went to BCU, but no, I'm the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Maura answered.

The man let out a low whistle. "I never would have gotten that," he said and stuck out his hand. "Christian Thompson."

"Dr. Maura Isles," she said shaking his hand. "And what is it you do, Mr. Thompson?"

"No guesses, Dr. Isles?" he prompted.

"I don't guess," she said. "I only deal in facts."

"Fair enough," he said, bobbing his head. "I'm a freelance writer. Mostly The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. Although I have been in other publications."

"I see," Maura said. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with your work."

"That's quite all right," he said. "I imagine you don't have much time to read."

"That is not necessarily true," she said. "I make time every evening before I go to sleep to read."

"Any favorites?"

"Dennis Lehane, for instance," she answered. "But I think his first three are his best."

"Not bad," he said. "Say, after the party, how would you like to join me for a late dinner?"

She tilted her head at him. "That's an interesting offer, but I'm here with someone," she said.

"Oh, lucky guy," he said. "Who is it?"

Maura pointed at Jane. "That tall woman chatting with the bartender," she said. As if feeling the attention, Jane turned to look at Maura and narrowed her eyes at Thompson's proximity. She motioned to the bartender for the drinks and began to make her way through the crowd, back to Maura.

Thompson eyed Jane. "She looks familiar," he said. "I think I've seen her in the papers. She's a cop, isn't she?"

"Detective," Maura answered.

Thompson laughed. "Good thing I haven't broken any laws lately," he joked, but Maura was not amused.

"God help you if Jane Rizzoli decides you're guilty of something, Mr. Thompson," Maura said.

Jane arrived and handed Maura her glass of wine. "Here you go," she said and turned to look at Thompson.

"Christian Thompson, Detective," he said holding out his hand, which Jane ignored. "I'm a writer," he continued smoothly. "I was wondering if we could get together for an interview," he asked hopefully.

"Sorry, I don't give interviews," Jane answered.

"Oh, well, if you change your mind," he said and pulled a card out of his pocket. He handed it to her and then turned to Maura and handed her a second card. "And if you change your mind about that dinner, just give me a call." Before either woman could answer he tipped his imaginary hat at them and went off.

"That jerk asked you out?" Jane asked.

"He invited me for a late dinner after the party," Maura explained sipping her wine. "Mmm, Mother's wines are always so wonderful."

"Did you want to go out with him?" Jane asked, not understanding the sinking feeling she was having in the pit of her stomach.

"Of course not, Jane," Maura said. "I'm here with you."

"Because you know, it's okay if…"

"Jane," Maura said, placing a hand on the detective's arm. "I don't want to be with anyone else tonight and I certainly have no intention of dating that man."

"Good," Jane said with a smile. She looked into her friend's eyes and plucked the card out of Maura's hand. "Then you won't need this." She tossed both cards on a passing waiter's tray.

"Oh, there are Tom and Gisele," Maura said. "Let's go introduce ourselves. I know you want to."

"Oh hell yeah!" Jane agreed.

R&I

"So Rat is coming for a visit next week," Maura said as she opened the door to her house. With Regina spending the weekend with her uncle Frankie, Jane had agreed to spend the night.

"Yeah, that's cool," Jane said as she headed for the refrigerator, carefully walking around the huge tortoise. "Is he bringing Bear?" she asked.

"I'm sure he is," Maura said. "I can't imagine Rat going anywhere without his dog."

"That'll make Regina happy," Jane said and handed Maura a bottle. "At least he understands the concept of giddy-up a whole lot better than that guy over there."

"It's good that you trust your daughter with him, Jane," Maura said. "I saw that dog tear out the throat of a trained bloodhound."

"It saved your life, Maura," Jane said. "That's what counts. I'm sure by now he would do the same thing for Regina."

"He is very protective," Maura said with a nod. "So would Rat. I think Regina reminds him of his little sister. We should do something together while they're here."

"Sure," Jane instantly agreed. She liked the young boy who had saved her friend's life. He was a little odd, but so was Maura and that's why the two of them were perfect for each other. "Come on," she said standing up. "I'm sleepy."

"All right," Maura said.

"Man, Tom Brady!" Jane enthused much to Maura's amusement.

"I think he was a little star struck to meet you, Jane," Maura pointed out.

"Nah," Jane said shrugging it off. "I'm just a cop."

"Oh no," Maura said with a warm smile. "You are so much more than that, my friend."

To Jane's chagrin, she felt herself blushing. "You've got a biased opinion, Dr. Isles."

"Maybe," Maura said and batted her eyes.

Jane rolled hers in response and opened the door to Maura's room. she stepped aside and held up an arm. "Ladies first," she said.

"Thank you, Detective," Maura said and stepped into the room.

R&I

Author's Note: I confess. I did it. I totally and with clear intent did willfully steal a line from the great Tess herself. I'm guilty. Now, can I end up in Jane's interrogation room and have that wonderful bedroom voice directed at me? Please?