Innocence

Part 20

Here we are at the end. Thank you readers for being patient. It's amazing to me how life happens. Live well and be kind to yourself first always. Now, I hope you enjoy the end. I know some wanted me to end this with a sexy love scene and I did write it, but it seemed too disingenuous. At this time, I feel that the characters should retain some type of innocence and leaving that out is how I want to represent that. They are both scarred and though the emotional joining was easy, the physical joining, not so much.

Thank you again.

18 months later

Mezzler stood in the sun. His eyes were closed. The smells and sounds filtered through his senses and grounded him to the here and now. The now retired policeman, sought strength to push through the tears that threatened to fall.

It was almost too much. The building, the dedication and the statue… that damned statue was ripping his heart apart literally.

It was his sister.

Judith.

The dedication of the children's center was more than needed, but the fact that it was named in honor of his sister, made him walk the fine line of madness.

On one hand, Maura Isles was gracious in admitting the wrongness of what happened. On the other, he wanted to kill off anyone that had the last name of Isles.

The fact that Maura had gone through her own hell at Constance Isles' hand was the only thing that held him steady. He hated that she had suffered, but he felt denied of the justice that his sister should have had.

When Maura came to his home, with her lawyer and Jane Rizzoli in tow, he didn't know what to make of it. After a brief over view of confidentiality agreement was explained and signed, was when Maura gave him a glimpse of what it was like living in a life where Constance Isles was mistress of all she surveyed, including Maura's own body.

'Fucking Constance Isles, hopefully she was burning in hell!'

Mezzler looked up at the building's name, Judith's Place.

Mezzler placed his hands on the sun warmed bronze shoulder. Even though he knew his sister was long gone to heaven, somehow touching her metal twin brought a little bit of peace to his broken heart.

If he looked hard and squinted with one eye, he could almost see a twinkle in the statue's eyes.

It was time to move on now.

Mezzler turned and walked away thinking about how the fishing was in Florida.

R&IR&I R&IR&I R&IR&I R&IR&I

Jane stood and looked out over the warehouse floor from the 3rd floor office. The office was decked out with floor to ceiling picture windows on three sides. Only the back wall was solid.

Maura had wanted the space to be airy and welcoming, but if she wanted privacy? All she had to do was access her computer or the app on her cell and one or more in any combination of the huge windows would become frosted, giving the occupants of the room their needed privacy while still being able to enjoy the natural light.

Maura was truly impressed by the ingenious design of the developer. After establishing a good rapport with the owner of the innovative design company, Gloria Bynamn , Maura commissioned Gloria to set up the entire facility with needed computer and security protocols to be overseen by Jane.

The esthetic beauty that Gloria combined with state of the tech was truly a wonder to Jane's eye.

After the workers were finished with gutting and renovation, the warehouse did not resemble in any way of its old self.

The new home base of Isles' Industries was a boon for the local economy also. The mayor had literally bent over backwards to accommodate Maura. So much so, that many of the union heads had left his office grinding their teeth in frustration.

In the end however, Maura had accommodated and deflated the hostile egos with her affable demeanor and charm. Even the most blustery of them wasn't immune to her business like charisma.

Privately, things could not be better between Maura and Jane. After talking it over and debating the pro's and con's, Maura convinced Jane to come on board as her personal security administrator. If nothing else, Jane's mom, Angela, was finally off her back about working a dangerous job.

And speaking of jobs, Jane was missing Maura something fierce. Maura was called away to France to iron out some kind of hiccup with moving the base of operations to Boston. Jane opted to stay in Boston to oversee the completion of said base. Today was the day that it was to be finished and would be by her estimation.

Jane watched as Gloria marshaled her troops sending them off again as soon as they completed their task.

Now all that was left was for Maura to come home and finally, maybe they could start building their life privately. Their core relationship was solid, no doubt, but the machinations of Maura's heiress and empire status; it seemed as if their private time was never an option.

The former detective was brought out of her musings by a sudden energy flowing across the now business chic warehouse floor. She swept her eyes across the floor to find the source.

Jane barely contained herself as Maura came into her line of sight walking over to Gloria and speaking briefly with her. With a quick handshake and a practice business smile, Maura bade the designer goodbye.

Maura looked up and met Jane's gaze, her smile was anything but business. With a jerk of her head, the honey blond indicated the door. Jane smiled and left the main office and skirted passed the elevator, opting for the stairs.

Jane hit the main floor in record time, not stopping until she was standing in front of her love.

Nothing was said as Jane quietly held out her arm for Maura to take. When she did, they left.

Now it was their time.

Their time to live, love and heal.

The end.