Present
Andy Sachs hated starting Monday mornings off with her radio jammed with 5150s' and a body found.
Dr Isles lifted the cadaver's jaw with gloved fingers. It was Saffron Whitford Franks. Miranda's first assistant.
Andy cursed under her breath. She'd been too late.
Found posed in the middle of The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 1000 Fifth Avenue.
Earlier on Sunday Andy had shown Rizzoli and Isles what Miranda gave her.
Still thought the photo of 'Jane Doe' the owner of the cut off hand, held nothing substantial to the case. Would have to show Miranda the photo soon.
Hated this part having to tell Miranda, Saffron had been murdered. Andy had failed.
Earlier Saturday
Late Saturday afternoon Andy took Miranda dry and dressed in Valentino to her waiting car, had a surprised Roy greet her.
He and Andy got along well from many rides to Miranda's townhouse with the Book and often watched Andy in the backseat sit quietly accompanying Ms Priestly. Never thought he'd see Andy Sachs again near Ms Priestly.
Tried a few years back to find out what happened to the smiling assistant, probably promoted Roy assumed, who used to always thoughtfully bring him a cup of coffee with cream and once in a while, a small yummy treat.
Miranda's second assistant was like nothing Runway had ever encountered before. Andy Sachs wasn't preening or pretentious like some of the other assistants before her, Andy was nice, kind, decent.
Once or twice just before Paris, Andy just being Andy softened the barbed Dragon, Roy observed little things like how Andy left for Miranda an Evian spray to refresh and Clarins moisturizer for one long weekend drive to Newport to see the twins and even on her own initiative, chose gifts of dvds and board games because the weekend weather was rainy, programming Miranda's IPhone to be synched with her diary by month to correspond with Cass and Car's school events, a few times Andy thoughtfully ordered Miranda's favourite dishes for dinner at work without being asked. Just because.
Roy remembered one time he saw Andy react as Miranda's hand brushed hers. One finger had raked Andy's knuckles. Andy had looked electrocuted, rubbing it.
Ms Priestly had seemed unaffected by it. Dropping her hand icily. Staring after Andy.
If Roy didn't know any better with longing.
Then Andy must have proven herself no doubt working in a higher position at Runway that must be why Roy hadn't seen her in a while.
Roy asked Emily, Little Miss Ginger Snippy had warned Roy don't mention Andy to Miranda ever. Roy wondered what in the world had Andy Sachs done to Miranda Priestly.
Stuck in midtown traffic one snowy afternoon in December, Miranda had been rearranging attending previews with Narciso Rodrigues and also Zac Posen, the twins had orthodontist appointments for braces off and it was almost Christmas, having to attend Elias Clarke annual party, Runway's staff party, Stephen's Law Firm Partners' dinner party as Stephen was a partner and a slew of gifts needing to be selected for Miranda's many important associates.
Personal gifts for Cassidy and Caroline, Miranda selected herself.
Doing paperwork in the car's backseat on her lap, concluded just have to have Emily double her duties.
Pinching her nose bridge tiredly, Roy could tell Ms Priestly was working herself to the bone since Paris. Almost as if punishing herself, late nights at Runway till midnight for the last month.
The twins even asking Roy if he could keep an eye on their Mom. Seemed since Paris lost. Sad. Would he, ask her for them if something was wrong.
Him. Tell The Dragon Lady the baby dragons were worried about her welfare. Whether she was okay? He'd rather be held in the Hanoi Hilton again.
Roy had simply said. ''Andy could do all of that for you Ms Priestly.'' The icy look he received told him everything. Andy Sachs was a name never to be uttered in her presence, a pariah to Runway's Editor.
Her silkily waspish glacial tone warning. ''If you value your job as my chauffeur, do not mention her again.'' Her chilly pained blue eyes spoke to Roy. Do not broach further, face The Ice Queen's wrath.
Roy complied, obeying never said Andy's name again.
Roy at the time felt sorry for Ms Priestly if only she wasn't so blind with pride and fury or whatever else kept them apart because Andy Sachs wore the exact same expression on her face that he still did over his wife of 39 years. In love.
Roy was once determined to mention Andy's name again to Ms Priestly, he'd read in the NY Post, three years later. 'NYPD Cop lucky to be alive.' Ms Priestly was abroad in Paris. Roy gave it to Reception to leave on Ms Priestly's desk. Had to see it when she got back.
Returning from her trip. Miranda Priestly obviously didn't care about Andy Sachs anymore. Gave no reaction to the news as Roy waited to be asked to drive her to where Andy was in Hospital.
Saffron had binned the old newspaper, before Miranda saw it.
Roy had earned pursed lips when he asked for time off for an hour or two. Miranda demanded why time off. Prepared for anything but Roy blurting out he was visiting with Andy Sachs. Tinted sunglasses hid Miranda's eyes. Andréa. Gone rigidly still.
Icily told. ''No you may not Roy, your request is denied.''
Roy interrupted. ''Ms Priestly please, perhaps you'd like to see Andy also, I'm sure she'd…''
Miranda hissed cutting her driver off silkily. ''Roy who you associate with on your off time is your business not mine. Now please perform your duties as my silent chauffeur.''
Roy drove Mrs Priestly to her appointments and to collect the twins at an outing with their father. In an artic mood to her ex David, warmed as the twins entered the limo, Cassidy and Caroline were thrilled she was home.
That night, Roy's wife Libby thought Ms Priestly was devoid of compassion, in need of a heart donation. Libby had visited Andy. In bad shape.
During a drive to Cassidy and Caroline's piano lessons, Roy was surprised it turned out there was a Priestly who cared about Andy Sachs. Two Priestly's.
Had the clipping, Roy couldn't believe the twins were going to attempt the subway for the first time, if he'd drop them off. Drove them to the Hospital.
Watched the twins enter Room 88b, greeted by a surprised Andy.
''Hi.'' Roy waved at her. Cassy and Car took in the tubes and monitors, concerned. ''Hey you should see the other guy.'' Replica pairs of blue eyes sparkled at Andy. Even fragile, Andy lessened their fears, thinking of the twins.
Cass and Car stayed for two hours filling Andy in on everything. Began doing their homework, Andy knew a lot about everything especially world geography, but a question made Andy cough on her Gingerale. ''What was a concubine? '' Both asked.
Looked at Roy desperately. Who shrugged and retorted. ''Beats me.''
Andy sputtered. ''It's like a wife.'' Yikes what were they teaching kids in Dalton?
''Oh so this Emperor had 10,000 wives.''
''Poor Ruler, can you imagine having Mom multiplied by 10,000.'' Caroline declared. Cassidy and Andy sniggered.
When the nurse came administering medication and a new IV to Andy, Roy suggested maybe they should leave Andy to rest. Reluctant to go.
Seen the chart. Roy knew the severity of the stabbing wounds, Andy did look tired, kissed goodbye by both like glass. Promised they'd try to see Andy again somehow.
Cassidy and Caroline were never discovered by their Mom, they visited Andy Sachs in hospital twice.
Roy tried not to eavesdrop driving The Priestly's one afternoon on the last day of school just before holidays. The twins asked out of the blue to their Mom. ''What happened to Andy? Why did she leave?''
Miranda looked taken aback. Wavering shook her voice then bit out. ''Andréa left.'' Almost said more. Left Me. Runway.
Caroline stated. ''But Mom, Andy was so great and maybe if you talked to her again…'' Cassidy interrupted. ''Maybe go and see her Mom, please Mom see Andy...''
Miranda scoffed. ''Why on earth would I want to see Andréa again? Please let's forget about that person.''
Puzzled her daughters even remembered her assistant. Particularly that one from three years ago. ''Please girls lets concentrate on what we're to do on this auspicious day of freedom for you both.'' Miranda prompted a few ideas. ''Shopping, movie, ears pierced.'' Something the twins had been hinting to her for months on end.
Roy had hoped the twins could convince Ms Priestly to visit Andy even for a few minutes at the Hospital.
Roy brought in all their shopping bags. of Barney's, Saks, Bergdorf's, called after Cassidy and Caroline were given something compliments of DreDawg 8878. Andy's nickname and badge.
Roy's wife Libby had visited Andy who gave her apt keys to pick up two things she had in a box near her bed.
Libby had of course snooped around Andy's place. Cleaned the apt and went grocery shopping as Andy was due home in a few days. In Sachs fridge chocolate milk and green apples was not what she needed to get better on.
Didn't need to wrap them for Andy who'd told Libby to put her gifts into two small woven keepsake trinket baskets had on a dresser for the twins. Roy delivered the gifts for her.
Miranda didn't know who gave the twins two delicate glass butterflies to hang on string at their window.
At the Miranda's Staff party at her Townhouse, Nigel studied the weaving. ''Kenyan Maasai or Zulu maybe.''
Curious as to who gave them.
Her twins were enigmatic to answer.
''Told just a friend, Mom.'' Ignored Miranda asking. ''I'd like to meet this friend.''
Promptly opening his formidable boss's town car door. Andy told Roy to be extra vigilante, Roy startled Andy Sachs. ''I know what Ms Priestly means to you Andy.''
Geez was she that transparent. Roy promised. ''Well I drive Miranda, she's safe with me.''
Roy was delighted Andy Sachs was back in Ms Priestly's life. Offered Andy should come over for his wife's amazing cooking or Labor Day weekend. Too scrawny Sachs.
Andy's expressive eyes reminded him of some of the POWs he saw kept in tiger cages. He knew what he'd seen in war once, what had Andy Sachs?
Roy stalled pulling away from the curb watching as Miranda saw through tinted window Andy walk away, briskly queried. ''Was he waiting for further instructions other than to. Drive.'' Pressing the divider up.
Roy shook his head. Andy Sachs you have one hell of a dragon on your hands. Hope you're fireproof.
Sunday
Andy had been bogged down with doing 5's at her desk, eating Pollo Pibil, sipping a Cuban coffee compliments of Domingo Luiz Cardoni her ex-partner in Narc's mother, Andy had developed a taste of both working undercover hunting Los Locos 123 Maras and the Sinaloa in East Harlem.
Domingo had taught her a lot, a proud Nuyorican who was also of Cuban and Mexican descent. Domi or Dingo as she called him had immersed Andy into his family he was younger than her. Dom listened to her latest case, he respected Andy Sachs, would take a bullet for her and he knew how dogged she was on cases that mattered to her. This one she must really care about.
''Miranda Priestly, Runway, my sister Aitana will be envious Andy and expecting you to be fully invested in protecting her idol. ..Hey maybe you could get a signed issue or maybe give Ms Priestly, Aitana resume even if an internship came up, you know Aitana would work free.''
Aitana had just graduated and looking for work. Her big brother Dom protected her and wanted what's best for her. Andy had attended countless family events at Dom's home.
Andy grinned, Dom's sister loved fashion. ''Forget it, I use to be Miranda Priestly's assistant. Trust me Aitana's too sweet for Miranda, besides we have a long involved history.''
Dom blinked at Andy. ''Wait a minute, Miranda's not…is she the one who you… She is….'' Dom's almond eyes twinkled, high smooth cheekbones dimpled wryly smiling.
She was, Dom could tell by how Andy blustered and denied. ''So you assisted Miranda? Spill Sachs.'' ''
''No. Dingo…for the last time, I didn't say anyone's name.'' Andy stammered out. Denied it still.
Dingo didn't drop it. ''You didn't say her name you moaned it Sachs.'' Dom had heard Andy cry it out once. Often wondered who she was? Sachs kept to herself. Stolid about her love life.
When he asked countlessly before hoping to wear Andy down, that tactic had worked great, Sachs clamped his big mouth shut. ''Nonya.''
Smug he'd won, looking at Andy triumphantly. ''So Nonya.''
Andy bluntly stated. ''Nonya business Dingo.''
Never once, even though he'd wanted to ask about her scar. Didn't have the guts to say he'd seen. Where did she get them from? Seen another set of raised marks on Andy both were old silvery, when she'd been in critical condition fighting for her life after a stab wound from a blown cover that went wrong.
Gone in alone. Unwired. Simple buy bust that got out of control.
The Sinaloa's beheaded people, burnt their victims alive and the enforcer had just discovered Andy Sachs was an undercover Narc. They'd just taken her.
Domi had been ordered to fall back as he frantically said he was going in. That was his partner. Sachs always had his back, ordered by suck up Cutter who usually sat on his pampered ever expanding kiester behind a safe desk and disliked Sachs and Cardoni's methods that were unorthodox or by the book. Simply said unfeelingly that Sachs was on her own. Knew the risk.
Dom was ready to break Cutter's nose or teeth.
Be lucky if The Sinaloa's just shot her. They would violate and butcher her.
Dom expected Andy Sachs head to be delivered to the Precinct. The Cartel's grisly calling card. Dom had frantically been hitting the bushes to where she'd been taken for two days. Every one of his C.I.s were too frightened something about not wanting their heads chopped off.
How Andy Sachs brought down the head enforcer called El Mochaorejas and El Cortador Labios and marched him handcuffed in just his Y front Calvin's with duct tape over his eyes and mouth to the Precinct with Sachs stoically collapsing with blood loss was legend. Andy Sachs was one hardassed cop.
The Enforcer said Andy ate death. Quite frightened of Sachs. Sachs was gentle. Didn't like pulling her gun unless necessary.
Grabbed something from a shaking El Mochaorejas neck. ''This belongs to me.'' Yanked off, wiped on her shirt as if he'd sullied and defiled it, fell to her knees. EMTs had been shocked she survived, clearly fuelled by adrenaline and rage but was bleeding out.
Never said one word about her ordeal.
Present
'' Detective Sachs.'' Andy snapped back to present.
''Yeah Dr Isles.''
Maura smiled. ''Please again call me Maura, Ms Priestly assistant's phone.'' Andy took it with gloved hand, it was still on, and the battery was low. Andy's brown eyes widened.
''Rizzoli I think we have something.''
Jane was analysing the crime scene, still boggled belief no one saw anything. Nothing on security cameras, it wasn't the magical body appearing out of thin air.
Shown, Rizzoli's saw Saffron had snapped one blurred grainy image of her killer.
Andy sadly studied Saffron's face, eyes looking at her. Open and lifeless. ''Dr…Maura what's that circle around her eyes.''
Maura looked at the irises. The killer must have put coloured contacts in.
Andy gloves stopped on her neck. Fingering it slowly. ''What the…''
What she wore made Andy's heart in her mouth.
''I have to go.''
Rizzoli blinked in disbelief, they were processing a homicide. What the hell Sachs.
Miranda Priestly's Townhouse
Andy couldn't believe it. Miranda Priestly really was the most difficult confounding woman she'd ever met.
Tried to reach her at Runway. Told Miranda Priestly was out of town. Andy demanded to where.
Briskly informed by Beatrice, Miranda's second assistant on the line. ''Miranda Priestly is with her husband and twins for a week away. That is private information not to be shared.''
Andy hung up.
Dialling Miranda's mobile number. Voice mail.
Didn't bother to tell her, where she was made Andy pissed off. Not just because she was with Stephen. That had nothing to do with it, Andy assured herself.
How in hell was she supposed to protect Miranda from a killer when she goes off somewhere without even telling her?
It was what was around Saffron's lifeless neck that disturbed Andy the most. Miranda surely hadn't kept it? Had she.
If she had. Why? How did the killer find it? Or had Saffron been given it?
Andy had always intended to give it to Miranda during the holidays. More like timidly leave it on her Editor's desk. If she had done so probably without a doubt make an absolute fool of herself.
Probably broken some golden rule never give Miranda Priestly a holiday gift least of all a hand made one. Andy was sure she'd earn a withering remark from The Editor if she'd dared to give it.
Andy had made it. Sculptured it. Never made anything for Nate even a platter.
Hidden it in her desk drawer with a few small trinkets for Nigel and Emily.
Presumed would be trashed since Andy hadn't exactly returned from Paris on good terms to clean her desk out with two weeks' notice and eat cake at a going away party.
A few days after Paris Andy had been tempted to use her card key and sneak into Runway and take it back. A lot had been on her mind, discovering from her parents the truth, her nightmares were memories. Then she got the job at The NY Mirror.
''Ms Priestly I'm sure that we can get a lovely suite for you at The Plaza or The Carlyle…''
Andy stopped, ready to tear into Miranda dying on her lips.
Emily Charlton stood with her. The stranger looked at Andy with bright blue eyes Andy would know anywhere.
''Who are you?'' Andy blurted out.
Looked at in a similar eerie way to a certain Editor. ''I am Miri's mother. Mrs Liat Princhek.''
Andy looked puzzled, mouthing. ''Miri.''
''Officer.''…seeing Andy's badge. '' Yes my daughter Miri, Miriam Princhek perhaps known as Miranda Priestly to you.''
In Andy's Car
Stalled in traffic on Henry Hudson Parkway ramp. '' This post card was sent to you, Ms Princhek in London.'' Nodding at Dt. Sachs.
Andy glanced at it again as they was stuck in traffic. It was generic could be bought anywhere, at any NYC souvenir shop. Andy read what was written. ''Please come to me. I need you Mommy.'' It wasn't Miranda's penmanship, Andy knew that much, she'd seen Miranda's writing many times.
''Your airline ticket was paid in cash. First class on BA.'' Mrs Princhek confirmed to Andy it had been sent to her by a courier, luring Miranda's mother, an old woman here to Miranda for what purpose.
Andy had a bad feeling this killer was playing a game of cat and mouse.