I own nothing Rizzoli and Isles
Location names are real places and the content is real but my insinuation that this content happened at this particular location is, as far as I am aware, purely fiction. I hope no-one is upset by this.
LET SLEEPING BLOOD LIE
Chapter 10 - The chase
It is early the next morning when Maura arrives looking her usual stunning self in three-inch heels. She is carrying three hot coffee's that both Jane and Korsak smell as she descends the elevator and wanders into the bullpen. It's been a long night and they are both a little sore from napping in uncomfortable positions."OMG Maura I love you" Jane blurts out diving for the coffee and taking a loud enjoyable slurp, "Sooo good"
Maura smiles delicately at Jane and passes the other cup to Korsak
"You're the best Maura, Thank you" He smiles at her taking his coffee.
"Korsak is the worst barista in the precinct", Jane stares at him accusatory, "His coffees were undrinkable. He might have been trying to kill me" She whines
"It's filter coffee" Korsak mocks being upset spreading his arms widely, "I was drinking the same stuff"
"Sure you were" Jane takes another sip, pure delight all over her face.
Maura laughs at them both enjoying the banter.
"Thanks Maura" Jane gently smiles at Maura trying to pass on with her warm look that she is grateful. She tries to rub the kink out of her neck as she relaxes at her desk. Then she feels two warm hands start to massage, starting at the base of her neck, working their way up to her jaw and back down across her shoulders, it is heavenly.
She lets out a contented sigh. Maura leans down to her ear whispering "I missed you last night", causing Jane to gulp and her face starts to feel warm. She opens her eyes to find Korsak staring at her, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face.
Jane sits forward suddenly "What?" she growls at him. He turns away smiling "Nothin".
Jane leans back into Maura hands and smiles up at her, a little twinkle appearing, "It wasn't payback I promise, I wanted to stay, with you."
Maura's heart jumps a little, she wants to kiss Jane tenderly, but officers are milling about and in a male-orientated workplace it would give them something to tease Jane about. She brushes her hands along Jane's jaw and steps away, missing the touch immediately. There will be a more appropriate time later.
Cavanagh walks into the bullpen and looks at his watch "You're all here early",
"Sir" Jane gets up to follow him into his office, "We may have found something".
Jane walks out of Cavanaghs office frowning, stopping just outside the door.
Both Korsak and Maura look up, Korsak had just laid out the case to Maura hoping her knowledge would help in determining the odd physical clues
"What happened" Asks Korsak staring at her
"He just said to keep him updated and be careful."
"Really?" Korsak looks surprised, he looks past Jane to Cavanagh, he was on the phone now and he didn't look happy, the two went way back and Vince could read the body language of his old friend, Sean was visibly stressed.
Behind him Maura walks to the crime board pointing at the photo of the symbol carved into the tree. "That's a 13" She states.
Both Korsak and Jane turn their heads sideways so the M becomes a 3.
"The number 13 is very significant in witchcraft and the occult...and is used extensively within freemasonry and that might tie into what Korsak just told me"
Jane mumbles something too quiet for Korsak to hear
"The what?" he asks.
"Occult" Jane blurts out.
"I will re-examine the body see if there is anything along those lines" Maura smiles sweetly at Jane and leaves, Jane smiles after her.
The school decided to co-operate, or at least it appears that way.
Four students were found to be in possession of a class-A drugs and questioning revealed they 'got the drugs from Hamish', no-one buys their tale.
"They are all lying" Jane crosses her arms leaning against the two-way mirror, "Do we think Jared got them to say that?"
Korsak nods, "It's possible. Their stories are too similar to not be planned. But we haven't seen or heard from this Jared."
Jane rubs her hands together forcibly, frustrated.
"The principle released the records of the fraternity 'Phi Kappa Beta'. They claim it shut down a few months ago. Most of the students merged into other ones. I can't tell if they are covering something or lying. We've got almost nothing to go on." She puts her head in her hands. "Maybe I should talk to the principle, give him a piece of my mind", she snarls.
"Great idea, let me call his lawyers and set something up, I'm really looking forward to staying up all night doing paperwork." Korsak deadpans.
"What have we got. The victim. Cocaine. Secret Initiation rites involving what? drinking goats blood maybe, a number 13 on a tree. Falling off or being pushed off a building he was never meant to be on and was supposedly locked, A student who may know something we can't find, and a school covering something we can't prove."
"That about sums it up Jane"
"We do have something..."
"What do we have"
"Absolutely nothing. But they don't know that" Her eyes sparkle and her dimples deepen as her smile breaks out
"You're right...I love a good bluff before lunch" Korask grabs his coat and keys and they head for the car.
The principle taps his pen on the desk staring at the two detectives
"Someone had to let Hamish up on the roof. And only you and the groundskeeper have keys. So one of you needs to explain."
"Neither the groundskeeper or I have unlocked that door in months, neither of us has had keys removed, stolen or any other incidents."
"Could It have been left unlocked?"
"No, we are very diligent."
"Well it was unlocked," Jane growls at him, "So how could someone have got a copy of the key?"
"I have no idea, detective." He practically spits, His face a picture of hate.
"We have a lot of evidence that might not go in the schools favour if it were to be made public before it is authenticated." Jane bluffs
Principle Adams eyes flicker as he thinks about this, his lips curl up and he eye's Jane up through slanted eyes.
Jane and Korsak stare back
Adams eventually falters slightly, his demeanour calming considerably,
"If I knew something that would be helpful I would tell you. What are you looking for?"
"What about Jared Stevens?"
"He has not been at school since the day Hamish was found dead." Principle Adams glares at them.
Korsak looks at Jane, this is going nowhere. It isn't working.
"Sir, we would really appreciate if we could talk to some of Hamish and Jared's friends, and dorm-mates?" Jane tries again.
Principle Adams stops tapping his pen and stands up turning away from them to look at the awards and plaques on the wall behind him,
"These students have very important social status with high class, well-known, aristocratic families. Being questioned by the Boston Police Department could have serious consequences for them on a social as well as political level." He turns back to face them, placing his hands on the desk and leaning over them, "I think it unwise to cause problems, unless of course you have a warrant"
Jane's expression matches Adams, it is like a western stand-off, both waiting for the other to move.
Korsak stands up, his chair sliding back noisily on the ground startling them both.
"I think it would be wise, Mr. Adams, that your fine college be cleared of any foul-play, as well as any intentions of your school to block an investigation which might appear to some to have a suspicious agenda. To discretely speak with a few students instead of having to publicly arrest one or two on school grounds would help to keep your fine reputation."
Adams taken slightly aback stares at Korsak for a moment, "I will allow you to talk to a few students, discretely mind you. I will talk to teachers and see whom could be of help." He sits down slightly defeated.
Korsak nods his approval and walks out with Jane trailing behind him.
"That was cool. Didn't know you had it in you, old man." She taps him on the shoulder with her fist.
"Yeah well, I doubt anything will actually happen. I think we might need to sweet talk a Judge, or pray Maura finds something that isn't circumstantial."
They are walking out the front doors of the main building when they see him.
They spotted him before he spotted them and Jane was already in a full sprint towards Jared before he caught her movement. Korsak had his gun out but had to lower it as Jane ran straight through his line of fire. "Freeze" she screamed as she barrelled down the corridor. He turned on his tail and ran taking a right at the next corridor and trying to pick up speed.
Jane grabbed the corner of the wall to complete the 90degree turn without slowing down, her boots sliding on the linoleum but she regained her balance quickly, she grabs her injured side as the stinging causes her to loose her breath. She was probably 4 meters behind him. Out the corner of her eye as the windows whipped past she could see Korsak keeping pace parallel to her on the outside of the building heading towards the right wing exit.
If Jared bolted out the next exit doors he was going to run straight into her partner. He didn't exit, he carried on down the hall and ahead of him she could see a fire exit, she had to reach him before he got to it. Korsak kept going straight, she figured there must be another exit up ahead just before the fire doors.
Two students walked out of a room on Jared's left just in front of him causing him to swerve and stumble to avoid hitting them head on, Jane took the opportunity to launch herself through the air throwing her arms around his waist, the force of her body knocking him forward, he threw his arms out to protect his face. Jane shimmied up his legs to sit on his back pulling out her cuffs.
"Don't move" she growls, panting. He doesn't move.
Korsak walks into the corridor and puts his weight on his thighs panting, "Jeepers Jane," he says between panting, "You flew".
Jane stands up pulling Jared to his feet and angrily shoving him in Korsak's direction, then leans against the wall to catch her breath holding her side, "I think I pulled a stitch" she chuckles panting.
"You're under arrest buddy" Korsak smiles tugging Jared towards the carpark, "Does your rich ass have a lawyer you want to call?"
"Hey Maur'" She grins waltzing into Maura's office, "Miss me?"
Maura chuckles, "Of course I missed you, I've had so little to do all morning."
"Ohhhh sarcasm" Jane laughs unsuccessfully pulling a hurt face
"I don't have anything much for you yet, Jane."
"It's ok I didn't come down for news." she says walking around behind Maura, "Whats that?"
Maura points at the O with a vertical line through the centre on her laptop, "That is the greek symbol for Phi. It somewhat resembles the faded symbols on Hamish's legs and arms. Which is the fraternity John named, 'Phi Kappa Betta'. It is possible the other marks on him are K's and B's but they are too faded to be sure. It appears the marks were superficial cuts made 4-8weeks ago."
"That might be helpful Maur', thanks."
Maura is about to turn her chair when Jane wraps her arms around Maura chest from behind, and pecks the side of Maura's cheek.
"Hey" she breathes softly
"Hey" Maura swallows trying to keep her heart rate in check
"Do we need to talk about us, Maur?"
Maura places her hands on Jane's arms, "You ask me like this, Jane? I never feel so alive as when you hold me or touch me. I don't want to ruin anything we have but I do want this, to see where this goes. I am happy. Are you?
Jane kisses Maura's jaw, "I am happy when you are happy, I've got nothing I wanna talk about either. I want to see where we go naturally. I want you to tell me if you aren't comfortable. I don't want anyone to know yet, especially Ma, but other than that I am great."
"Likewise, Jane. But you have to stop teasing me."
"Fine, no teasing. I actually came down here so you could check my stitches" Jane releases Maura and lifts her top up for Maura to see.
"What did you do?" Maura's tone already scolding her.
"Korsak says I flew. But like the Wright Brother, I also crash landed...on someone and it stung a little, and that was after I chased him around the school."
Maura chuckles sitting Jane down and checking under the bandage, "When I said for you to take it easy I didn't realise I needed to specify that flying and crashing were activities you should not participate in."
Jane winces as the bandage pulls her skin and the cut. "Sorry" whispers Maura gently kissing the red flesh. "S-okay Maur, How's it look?"
"You didn't open the wound and the stitches are fine, but you have certainly irritated it a lot. Just take it easy and it will be ok." Maura gives it another quick peck before re-affixing the bandage, "No more flying, Jane" Jane grins at this.
"Speaking of fraternities, I have been looking into a few. Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one of the largest US fraternities, and the deadliest, during pledging recruits have been subject to forced drinking, paddling, and other abuse. At least 10 deaths since 2006 have been linked to hazing, alcohol, or drugs at SAE events, more than at any other fraternity."
"That is a lot"
"In 2011, a sophomore pre-medical student at Cornell University died from alcohol poisoning after being blindfolded and kidnapped by SAE members in an induction ritual. Another student was naked, except for his underwear, and standing in a trash can filled waist-deep with ice. Fraternity members sprayed him with a hose and poured buckets of water over his head. Some of the events were so horrific that they could be likened to Guantanamo bay."
"So it might be a hazing death?"
"I am not guessing Jane, I am just letting you know some interesting facts as it might be helpful. It may or may have something to do with the events around Hamish's death."
Jane sighs, "Maura we have clues that don't fit, if you are going to allude to something can it please be something I can use."
Maura just smiles and carries on, "The 18-year-old freshman at California Polytechnic State University died in 2008 after downing beer, rum and 151-proof liquor at an initiation ritual. The Family sued the fraternity and members for negligence and settled for at least $2.45 million."
"Wow. So why are there still things going on like this?"
"Well in most cases, Fraternities have blocked efforts by legislators and academic leaders to curb hazing, drinking and other misbehavior. One political action committee, known as FratPAC, helped convince Frederica Wilson, a U.S. Representative from Florida, not to introduce an anti-hazing bill in Congress."
Jane pondered this, "So hazing is allowed even if dangerous?"
"Most schools have an anti-hazing policy under state laws, a misdemeanor, punishable by as much as six months in prison and a $500 fine. Consent of a student is not a defense. But the fraternities have insurance usually paid for in the base fee of entry or by members themselves to cover any incidents. Several Schools have introduced an alchohol ban and some students are reprimanded and even fraternities are shut down"
"And of course it's all done in secret", Jane adds. "Ok, I'm gonna go do an interrogation and come back to nap on your couch" Jane winks heading towards the door, "Thanks Heaps, Maur"...
...to be continued...