As Maria leaves the library at BCU the campus is dark and quiet. She loves doing the late shift it means she can spend her mornings completing her training to become a yoga instructor. It's a mild evening as she strolls to the bus stop. She's completely oblivious as a masked man in dark clothing comes up behind her. As a gloved hand reaches across her face and covers her nose and mouth Maria's heart explodes with fear. She struggles to get free but her attacker is big and strong. She feels herself being dragged as she fights. The last thing she see's is the boot of a car as she's bundled in and locked into darkness.
When Jane walks into the squad room Frost greets her. "Jane we got two sexual offenders registered as living within a mile of where we found our Vic." He hands Jane the details.
"Good work Frost. Hey I want you to run a check on all Lillian's co-workers and get a warrant to run their patient records as well."
"On it Jane"
"Where's Korsack" Jane asks.
"Here was here a minute ago" Frost replies.
"Huh; I'll be right back." Jane heads to the café. On her way she bumps into Frankie. "Hey Bro, where ya been" Jane prods.
"Hey Jane, you know responding 911's" He says in a down tone.
"Man you've got to snap out of this, hey here." Jane hands Frankie the details of the two sex offenders. "Can you find these low lives and bring them in for questioning please?"
"Yeah; sure, Janey I'll see ya." Frankie heads off.
When Jane turns into the café she can't help but smile. Cavanaugh and Korsack are engaged in some sort of entertaining discussion with her mother and Stanley is standing off to the side fuming. Ma has friends in high places and Stanley hates it. Jane walks over to where the three of them are standing. "Mind if I interrupt" Jane asks.
"Oh hey Rizzoli, the DA wants to make a public statement on our rape murder can we give him anything yet" Cavanaugh inquires.
"Not really sir; we're working a couple of leads though."
Cavanaugh looks at Angela who is listening intently "sorry Angela I have to go, I'm looking forward to trying that new recipe. I'll call back at lunchtime." He turns to Jane "keep pushing Jane, rape murders make communities nervous." He acknowledges Vince and then leaves.
Korsack turns to Jane "a couple of leads; that's stretching things, isn't it?"
"Frankie is bringing in two sex offenders who live within a mile of where our victim was found."
"This case is so sad" Angela chimes in just as Stanley admonishes her in front of everyone.
"Hey Rizzoli, we got customers waiting!"
The way he speaks to her mother makes Jane angry "you know what Stanley; you could try serving one or two of them!"
Angela looks at Jane "thanks sweetie, it's OK. Coming Mr. Stanley" Angela returns to her work.
Jane grabs a coffee and she and Korsack leave. When they get to the lifts Jane decides to go and check on Maura. "I'll be up shortly Vince, call me when Frankie gets here with our leads."
"Will do Jane" Korsack hops in the lift going up and Jane waits for one going down.
When Jane walks into the morgue she can see Maura over a microscope. "Hey Maura what are you looking at" Jane asks.
Maura looks up. "Oh hello Jane; it's probably a waste of time but I'm looking at the makeup of the Ibuprofen we found in Lilly's system."
"You can do that" Jane's surprised.
"It's not easy Jane, but yes we can see if there are any abnormalities in the substances in people systems."
"And" Jane asks.
"I can't see anything here but I've asked Suzie to run a more detailed analysis."
"We've found two registered sex offenders living within a mile of where she was found" Jane explains. "Frankie's bringing them in for a chat."
"I hate that I can't give you more yet Jane." Maura looks at Jane and Jane can see the frustration written all over Maura's face. She hates it when the science isn't giving them the answers they need.
"It's OK Maura; we know you're doing everything you can. Whoever is doing this, he's clever" Jane adds in a supportive tone.
"Oh Jane, how's your rash?" Maura's face lights up with a cheeky grin.
"You are never going to let me live that down are you" Jane smiles.
"Not until you tell me what's really going on?" Maura is a little more serious.
Just then Jane's phone rings, as she goes to grab it from its holder on her belt she gets a shooting pain that starts in the center of her left hand and moves up her arm. The phone falls from her hand; Jane stands frozen as it lies on the floor and continues to ring.
Maura reacts with concern. "Jane, are you OK?" Maura comes around the bench and picks up Jane's phone. She looks at the missed call; it's from Korsack. "Jane it was only Korsack, by the look on your face you'd have thought it was Hoyt calling from the gates of hell." Maura touches Jane's arm as she stands there still frozen to the spot. "Jane, what's wrong?"
As the pain eases Jane tries to pull herself together. She puts her hands behind her back when she realises she can't stop them from shaking. Jane doesn't say anything. Maura guides her into her office and sits Jane down. Maura sits beside her and goes to take Jane's hands; she realises they are shaking. "Jane what's wrong" she asks again.
Finally Jane shakes her hands and clenches her fists a couple of times. At last she looks Maura in the eyes. Maura is patiently waiting for answers. "Whoops, sorry about that" are the only words Jane can find and looks away again.
"Jane are you having problems with your hands," Maura stares at Jane waiting for an answer. Jane doesn't look at her or respond. "Oh my God; you're seeing Hughes about your hands. Jane, talk to me!"
It takes her a moment but Jane finally speaks "Maura my hands are fine, I just got a cramp that's all."
"Jane" Maura questions as much with her eyes as her words.
"Hughes is a derma…whatever; I'm not seeing him about my hands or anything else that's any of your business; alright Maura." Jane almost bites Maura's head off.
"He started out as a hand specialist Jane."
"Maura" Jane says through clenched teeth.
Maura softens, "OK; I'm sorry." she wraps both her hands around Jane's forearm that is now resting on Jane's thigh. "I'm here for you; you know that don't you?"
Jane relaxes "sorry Maura I shouldn't have snapped. I really am fine; I promise and I know you're here for me if I need you but I don't I promise." Maura can sense Jane is trying too hard but decides to let it go for now. She makes a note to herself however to keep a close eye on Jane and any nuances in how she's using her hands.
"Sweet Maria I need you to eat." Her captor has Maria in a cell of some description with padded walls. He doesn't have her tied up; she's free to bounce off the walls if she wants to. That terrifies her even more. He has placed a plate of what looks like healthy food inside the door. He has also provided a glass of water. It catches Maria off guard, but it also gives her hope. Maybe he's not going to kill her.
When her hunger gets the better of her Maria eats. As he watches her from above he's pleased. "Just two more meals my dear Maria and then your destiny will be fulfilled."
Jane has settled down by the time she gets upstairs. Korsack looks at her; "Good, you got my message."
"Yeah sorry Korsack I was in the bathroom" she smiles at him. As they head to interview room two Jane asks "which one do we have?"
"Martin Mendoza; did time for raping a sixteen year old girl ten years ago. He appears to have been clean ever since. He didn't resist Frankie" Korsack explains.
"Huh what about the other one" Jane asks.
Korsack frowns "a different story, neighbours say he was there until the murder but that they haven't seen him since."
"A runner, that's interesting" it gives Jane some hope.
"Yeah I assigned Cooper to help Frankie track him down" Korsack chuckles.
"Good thinking Korsack" Jane gives him an affectionate and gentle punch to the arm as they enter the interview room.
"Hello Mr. Mendoza I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli and this is Sergeant Detective Vince Korsack. Thank you for coming in." they both sit.
Mendoza looks at them "I figured it was only a matter of time. I didn't do it."
"Where were you on Tuesday night this week between Midnight and 8:00am" Korsack asks.
"I was at home where your Officer's picked me up today, asleep."
"Can anyone verify that" Jane adds.
"No, most women don't take too kindly to finding they're sleeping with a convicted rapist Detective, so you know; I live alone."
"Yeah I'm feeling really sorry for you right now; you did rape a sixteen year old girl" Jane ups the ante with this guy.
"When I was seventeen!" he's getting agitated. "She was my girlfriend and then we had a fight and she reported me for rape when it was consensual."
"Why'd you do time then Mendoza" Korsack chimes in.
"She came from money and I couldn't afford a proper lawyer" He laughs "the things is I'd love to see her pay for what's she's done to my life, but the last thing I would ever do is rape someone."
"Do you know how many times we hear this line from rapists" Korsack isn't feeling much sympathy.
Jane puts a photo of Lilly on the table "Do you know her?"
Mendoza looks at the picture for some time eventually he replies "I don't think so."
"When's the last time you went to a dentist" Jane prods.
"Huh" He looks at Jane surprised at the question.
"The dentist; when's the last time you saw one?"
"It'd be over a year ago; why?"
"Who's your dentist" Jane continues.
"I couldn't tell you a name but for the last few years I've gone to Beacon Hill Dental Services."
"That's a little up market for a man who couldn't afford a lawyer to defend rape allegations" Korsack pushes.
"My parents couldn't afford a lawyer. I work in computing now and I do OK" he responds.
"Alright Mr. Mendoza we're done for now" Jane starts to wrap the interview up. "Don't leave town on us will you?"
Mendoza stands "I'm not going anywhere Detective."
As Korsack and Jane walk back to the squad room he notices Jane rubbing her hands. Whenever he sees her do that, he feels a stab of guilt "are we in for rain" he asks.
"What" Jane's not conscious of what she's doing?
"Your hands" Korsack says.
"Oh" Jane replies "we must be. I don't think he's our man Korsack in fact he almost had me believing he was innocent of his first rape."
"He has a connection through the Dental Center" Korsack cautions.
"Yeah, you're right we should at least keep an eye on him. Hey Korsack I'm still feeling a little off, do you mind if I head home?"
"Sure Jane" Korsack says sounding concerned.
"Thanks, call me if anything comes up." Jane turns and leaves.
It's early afternoon when Jane gets home. The first thing she does is take a long shower. As she dries herself she takes extra time over her hands. As she looks at them she feels a pang of fear. She brushes it aside and goes and gets dressed. Once comfortable in her favourite sweats Jane lies down and tries to rest. Without realising it, she's tucked both hands up under her arm pits. Before long she's sound asleep.
When Jane wakes her room is dark. She unfolds herself from the fetal position she's pulled herself into while asleep. As she does so she realises she's not feeling well. Jane races to her bathroom before being sick. When the contents of her stomach are flushed away she starts to feel a little better. She rinses her mouth and washes her face. She takes herself back to bed and lies back down. Before she gets settled she hears a knock on her door. She tries to ignore it, but it continues and seems to get more urgent.
Jane doesn't even look through the peep-hole as she goes to open the door. She knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's either Maura or her mother at her door. She's pretty sure it's Maura because her mother has a key. As Jane places her hand on the lock it spasms. For a moment she can't get her hand to close on the clasp. She stops, shakes her hand and tries again, this time it works.
"Jane" Maura walks in "why'd you take so long to answer the door?"
"I was in bed Maura; that's where most people go when they're not feeling well."
"Korsack said you'd left early, was it because of that episode you had in the morgue today" Maura asks.
Jane is indignant "episode! What episode; I didn't have an episode Maura." Jane turns and walks back to her bedroom. Maura follows.
When Jane sits back on her bed Maura notices that her sweats are wet. She notices Jane is pale and sweating. "Jane you have a fever" Maura informs her.
"I know Maura; I told you I don't feel very well."
Maura sits on the edge of Jane's bed, "Jane I'd feel a lot better if you came and stayed at my place. I'm really worried about you."
Jane laughs "Maura you're over reacting. It's just a fever." Jane lets her arms point to her being in bed. "Look I'm in bed, where I should be. I really just want to sleep this off in the comfort of my own home, OK. I'll be fine; I'll see you at work tomorrow."
Maura stands "are you sure?"
"Yes, yes I'm sure but would you mind seeing yourself out Maura I don't feel like getting up again." Jane snuggles down into her bed and pulls the blankets up. Maura can't help herself and helps Jane pull the blankets over her. She pats Jane's arm.
"Good night Jane; call me if you need me tonight OK?"
"Yeah; yeah, night Maura" Jane almost sighs.
Maura turns off Jane's lights as she leaves.