Chapter 18

Jackson Allister walked into the lab with several reports in his hand. For the last three days when he went looking for Dr. Isles he had not been able to find her. He had not yet been able to get her alone like he had been instructed to and he was starting to get worried. He was well aware of the time crunch that he was facing to be able to carry out the last of the details Charles had asked him to do. And the most important one was the one still incomplete.

He had been sure he would get time with Dr. Isles much sooner than this. Of all the things Charles had asked of him he had been confident that this one was going to be the easiest. She had agreed that if the timing was right he could observe an autopsy from the beginning. That was supposed to be his opening. That was when all of his plans were supposed to be executed. But that day, that autopsy, had not yet come.

He was getting worried.

He looked around the morgue and did not see Dr. Isles. He took his reports and walked towards Dr. Isles' office but all he found was the lights off and the door locked. He hadn't even seen the doctor in almost a week. Time was running out.

He headed back to the lab and stopped when he saw Susie Chang. He hated to call any attention to himself but at this point he didn't think he had an option. "Excuse me," he said walking up to Susie. "Have you seen Dr. Isles? I have several reports for her." He tried to sound as casual as he could when he asked.

Susie paused and looked up. She recognized the guy in front of her as one of the new interns but she didn't know his name. "Dr. Isles isn't here at the moment," she answered not really needing to explain anything further to an intern.

Jackson tried to hide his frustration and irritation. Again, he didn't want anyone suspicious as to why he was looking for the doctor. "These reports were a rush request and I wanted to make sure she received them. Will she be returning later today?"

Susie looked again at the intern. Now she was a little annoyed that he was still asking her questions. "Dr. Isles has taken the week off. You can leave the reports with me and I will make sure they get to the assigned detectives," she finished dismissing him.

Jackson froze.

She took the week off?

He turned and walked away without giving the reports to Susie. He was too stunned to even realize they were still in his hand. He had just been told the absolute worst thing he could have been told. And he had no idea what he was going to do.

Susie watched him walk away with the reports still in his hand. "Interns," she muttered shaking her head as she returned to what she had been doing before the kid had interrupted her.

R&I

Both Jane and Frankie spoke at Tommy's funeral. Both sharing personal stories about the youngest Rizzoli. Each story brought about both laughter and tears. A celebration of a life tragically too short in its existence. Angela was still too emotional to speak in front of a crowd of people and Frank declined as well.

Frank was by Angela's side as often as she allowed. They were together during the visitation. Neither wanting to draw attention to the issues between them. It was easier on them both greeting and speaking with all of the family members, friends and visitors. He stayed by her side during the funeral proceedings and rode with her in the limousine to the cemetery.

He even came over to the house after the funeral. A small collection of close relatives and friends all managed to end up at the Rizzoli house after the services were completed. Frank and Angela worked the rooms of people together accepting people's condolences and support.

Both Jane and Frankie were quietly glad that Frank was around for Angela. He wasn't back in the house. They weren't even sure he was back in her life outside of the handling everything for Tommy's funeral. But she seemed to find some comfort in his presence and that, for the moment, was what mattered to them both. All three seemed willing to table any ill feelings about the personal issues between Frank and Angela.

They were both still angry with him for what he had done to her but in the end they both knew it wasn't their place to decide anything about their parent's marriage. Both Frankie and Jane were at least back on speaking terms with Frank and each, at different times, had spent significant time with Frank remembering Tommy and sharing stories.

It was at the house after the funeral where Frank ended up being cornered by Tommy's boss for a conversation.

"Frank," Ted Anderson said as he approached Frank in the Rizzoli living room. "I'm so sorry for your loss." Ted extended his hand to Frank.

Frank nodded. He had heard that too many times over the last week. He understood that there was never a 'right thing' for people to say during times like these but he was starting to really hate that particular expression.

He shook Ted's hand. "Thank you." Frank was quiet for a minute and then spoke. "Tommy really liked working for you Ted. He told me that you were the first man in over a year that didn't hold his previous issues against him. He was very grateful you took a chance on him when you gave him a job."

Ted nodded, "He was a good kid. I just always thought he needed something to keep him focused. But, I have to admit, I can't help but think all of this is my fault." He dropped his eyes and looked away from Frank as he said it.

"Your fault?" Frank asked confused.

"Yeah, I mean if I hadn't relieved him from his shift early that night then maybe he wouldn't have..." but Ted couldn't finish that sentence. He had been feeling guilty all week. He didn't understand why Tommy was drinking. He had been so proud of being sober for almost two months. But Ted believed that had he not made Tommy go home then maybe he wouldn't have started drinking and driving. Ted thought maybe Tommy was drinking to celebrate his promotion.

"You let him go home early that night?" Frank asked. It was the first anyone was hearing about that. To date, no one was able to figure out why Tommy was driving Frank's car, where he was going and no one understood why he had started drinking again.

"Yeah, he'd been working so many double shifts I decided to give him some time off. I'd finished my family obligation early so I told my wife I was going to close the store to give Tommy a break. Now I guess I shouldn't have done that."

"Ted, none of this was your fault. You didn't make Tommy," he paused, "drink. Don't blame yourself. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything," Ted answered.

"How did he seem when he left?" Frank wondered if anything specific was bothering him.

"He was as happy as I have ever seen him. I'd just told him he was officially getting promoted on Monday and he was so happy," he recalled.

Frank pondered that. He knew Tommy was in line for a promotion. So he had been told about it that night. Maybe that's why Tommy took his car. To go out and celebrate. But why hadn't he told him and they could have celebrated, without alcohol, together. Something wasn't adding up still.

"Ted," he asked. "What time did you send Tommy home?"

Ted thought for a minute. "It was around 6 when he finally headed out. I thought he was going home."

Frank let the information sink in. Up until that moment he was certain that Tommy had come home when he was out. He hadn't even noticed the car keys or the car missing until around 9 pm. He had left the apartment only once that night and that was just to walk Karen home.

And then it hit him. Hard.

Oh my God!

"What time?" Frank asked again now suddenly fighting a nauseating feeling in his stomach.

"Around 6," Ted said again. He looked at Frank and was suddenly worried. The man in front of him had grown significantly pale. "Frank? Are you ok?"

Frank tried to nod his head to not draw attention to himself but he found it hard to get his head to do anything. He slowly sat down in a chair that he had been standing by. 6 pm. If Tommy can home that early then he had to have walked in on what Frank had been doing. In that moment Frank understood why Tommy took his car. It was the reason he took his first drink in seven weeks too.

Ted, worried about Frank, stepped away to find Jane or Frankie. As he walked away from Frank he swore he heard the man mumble something but he couldn't make out what he said.

Frank had mumbled. "It's all my fault," was what he said barely louder than a whisper.

Ted, finding Frankie first approached him. "Excuse me, Frankie?"

"Hi Mr. Anderson," Frankie greet the man.

"Frankie, you may want to check on your dad. I was just talking to him and he didn't look like he was doing too good," Ted said not hiding the concern he had for Frank.

Frankie nodded, "Alright. Thanks. Where is he?"

"I just left him in the living room. He was sitting in a chair," Ted answered.

Frankie turned and headed to the living room to find his father now worried about the man. He had been holding it together pretty well over the last few days but maybe he was breaking down again. Frankie entered the living room and looked around but he didn't see his father anywhere.

"Pop?" he called out but didn't get an answer.

He walked around the first level of the house and checked each room. Frank was nowhere to be found. He headed upstairs to see if Frank was just trying to get away from everyone but he couldn't find him there either. Heading back downstairs he went into the kitchen where he knew Jane and Maura were talking with Korsak and Frost.

"Hey Janie? Have you seen Pop in the last few minutes?" he asked now utterly confused.

"No," Jane answered. She hadn't seen him in about thirty minutes. "Why?"

"Someone said he wasn't doing too good but now I can't find him," he said looking out the kitchen window into the backyard.

"Maybe he stepped out for a minute. He might have just needed some air. These walls can feel like they are closing in you if too many people try to come at you all at once," she offered.

Frankie nodded, "Maybe. But you would think he would have said something if he was leaving. At least to Ma."

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure he'll be back."

Frankie nodded again and headed back into the dining room to check on his mother.

R&I

Jackson paced back and forth in his apartment. He was scared. He had failed Charles. No matter how he tried to look at the situation he could not find a way in which he could carry out his plan and Charles' desires. He was looking at total failure and he now needed to let him know. However, he wasn't sure how he was going to get the warning to the man in prison.

He didn't want to write to him as he knew his written correspondence would be screened by the jail and he couldn't risk that. He thought about trying to get a note to Charles' lawyer. Their correspondence was privileged so it was safe from the screeners but he had been giving specific instructions not to interact with the lawyer in any way.

The lawyer was never supposed to know that someone with Jackson's connections and social standing had any contact with his client. It had been one of the few things Charles had insisted. The last thing Jackson wanted to do was blatantly disobey Charles. Things were already falling apart. He couldn't risk further wrath from Charles by breaking his communication rule. So the lawyer was out.

That left an in person visit. But this option offered up problems too. There were risks to an in person visit. He'd already seen Charles in jail once. A second visit might seem suspicious. No one during the first visit recognized him. While he had used a false name and ID he was worried about risking having someone figure out who he really was. He had a very active profile in the community and someone was bound to recognize him at some point.

Besides recognition concerns, Jackson was afraid to face Hoyt. He was terrified to admit to Charles that he had failed to execute the most crucial part of the plan. He was deeply loyal to Charles but he also feared the man. Jackson understood exactly what Charles was capable so he knew his fears were not irrational. Charles would not take the news of his failure well. Jackson knew his very life was on the line.

None of the options available to him were pleasing. But he had to do something. He couldn't let Charles think he had managed to handle his assigned task. So as he paced he continued to run through the options available to him again. Risk screeners reading a delivered note. Risk having the lawyer realize there was a connection between he and Charles. Or risk recognition at the jail during an in-person visit. All three options were poor but Jackson knew he needed to decide.

He dismissed mailing a letter almost immediately. That left the lawyer or a personal visit. With trepidation he chose the in person visit. The more he thought about it the more he hoped that maybe Charles had a solution he just couldn't see. If that was the case then Charles wouldn't want to use the lawyer as an intermediary. Instead, he felt reasonably certain that it would be better to hear direction from Charles himself.

He was marginally worried about how he was going to try to explain everything to the man. They didn't have a language worked out for this kind of situation. His only visit to Charles had gone well because he was aware of the questions and code he was supposed to answer in. He had received the package from Charles with his specific instructions but there was nothing in that package for how to handle a situation like this. But, he was smart and Charles was a genius so he would have to just pray that they would be able to work through a coded language on the fly that would get him message across.

Having reached his decision, he felt a little better. It bothered him still that he was going to have to admit that he failed. But there wasn't anything he could do about that. He knew he needed to man up and tell Charles where they stood. Maybe, just maybe, Charles would know a way around his failure or a second alternative.

Jail visiting hours weren't being held again for another two days. He had two days to fret about this confrontation. But, again, there wasn't anything that he could do to change it. Dr. Isles had requested the entire week off. It wasn't even like he still had a chance with the doctor during those two days. He had lost his access to her and he would have to explain that to Charles and hope for the best.

R&I

"Angela please sit down. Jane and I will handle all of this," Maura said trying to get Angela to stop trying to clean up after everyone had gone home.

"I can't just sit around and do nothing Maura. I can't," she answered in almost an apologetic tone. "I know you and Jane can handle all of this but I really need something to do right now."

"Alright," Jane said leaning her head into the dining room area. "Why don't we tackle the dishes together. I wash. Maura dries. And Ma, you can put away."

"Why am I drying?" Maura asked.

"Well, you don't really know where anything goes so that removes the put away option. And I just figured it was best for you not to mess up your nails with the washing part. So, that leaves drying," Jane answered as she threw a kitchen towel towards Maura summoning her to work.

It was a simple answer but it put smiles on all three of the women's faces. Both Angela and Maura caught Jane's thoughtful gesture about Maura's manicured fingernails. Protecting Maura seemed to be an instinct with Jane. Even something as simple as dish duty assignments brought out her protective side.

Angela had been so happy when Jane had told her that she was officially dating Maura. Happy that Jane felt comfortable enough to tell her. And even happier that it was true. She had seen the impact Maura was having on Jane's happiness and so glad to find out that they were exploring their feelings for each other.

There was something in the way that the two looked at each other. But what struck Angela most wasn't the looks they exchanged between themselves. Although those were filled with love. It was the look each had when the other wasn't looking. Angela hadn't ever seen anything like it. Stolen glances. Looks from across a room. Almost like just the sight of the other was all that was needed in any given moment.

The change in Jane was how Angela was first clued into the possibility that Jane had feelings for Maura. When Jane first heard there was going to be a new ME and it was going to be a female she had been excited simply to just not be the only female at the station. But after Jane met Maura for the first time Angela began to wonder if there was something more. The first time Angela had asked Jane about the new ME Jane's whole face lit up and she smiled a smile Angela hadn't seen before.

Then, the speed to which the two became friends was also something Angela hadn't seen before. Jane had friends. And was friendly with a lot of people. But it usually took Jane a long time to get to know a new person to really let that person in. Angela always chalked it up to some sort of cop instinct because Frankie was the same way with new people. But Maura pushed right through all of that. They were regular coffee buddies in a matter of days and lunch dates within a week. It appeared to be a relationship that was just meant to be.

Jane had told her they were now basically living together. She was very happy for them. She knew Tommy's death had pushed both of them to take that step and she didn't blame them. Life was too short to waste time. Neither Jane nor Maura seemed to want to be without the other one. Who could blame them?

Watching the two interact made Angela reflect on her marriage with Frank. She had no idea what she was going to do. She had no idea about what she wanted. And she knew until she figured at least that part out she wasn't going to figure any of it out.

A part of her was too hurt by his betrayal to even really dwell on it. She knew she would at some point. There would be a moment when all she felt about what he had done would hit her but it hadn't happened yet. And with Tommy, she knew there was only so much grief a person could process and handle at any given moment and she was already at her limit. So the marriage question was just going to have to wait its turn.

She had felt better when Frank was by her side that week. She was glad he was involved in everything that had gone on. She honestly didn't know if she would have gotten through the funeral service without Frank's support. But that was a need isolated to a specific, tragic and heartbreaking circumstance. Angela was not foolish enough to believe that all of their problems were now magically fixed. If anything, the issues seemed to be muddled and confused.

She was surprised when Frank had left today without saying goodbye. She wondered if the week had finally caught up to him. He had been strong for everyone throughout the week. She just figured that he needed time alone to mourn the loss of his youngest child. She felt that too. As much as she appreciated Frankie and Jane both spending their time with her she needed some space. She had already sent Frankie home. She would be sending Jane and Maura away soon too. Some of her grief was private. Frank must have needed the same thing.

She would call him in the morning. Maybe they could meet somewhere for coffee and try to have a civil conversation. She would be the first admit that she hadn't talked with him since this whole mess started. She had yelled at him and then dismissed him. That was not a conversation. They at least owed it to each other to try to have a conversation. It may not resolve anything but it would worth a shot. After all, Jane and Maura weren't the only ones reminded at how precious time really was.

Angela was pulled out of her thoughts when Maura handled her a silver platter to be put away. She took it and found its home. When she turned around she let herself watch Jane and Maura interacting with each other. Their relationship was a source of light in her otherwise dark days. Watching Jane open herself up to love and seeing that love reflected back from Maura gave hope to Angela.

She would call Frank in the morning. Maybe lunch was a better idea than coffee.