"Got an ID on your victim," Maura said when Jane called in after the wildlife office. "McFadden. James McFadden."
"Shit, there goes our lead," Jane grumbled. "We think he illegally sold a bunch of his animals, but if he's dead maybe someone stole them."
"Do you need anything else?" Maura asked. Jane looked over at her mounted headset, then at Frost. Shrugging, she spoke confidently.
"Just to say I love you," Jane said. She could hear Maura's chuckle and it made her long, frustrating day much more bearable.
"Love you too. I'll pick up dinner on my way home."
"You're perfect," Jane told her, and heard another chuckle before Maura hung up. With a grin she turned to Frost.
"Let's go ask some questions." She was ready to get somewhere, anywhere with this case.
They went to Doug Blight's property, and stood at the fence, Frost noting the security cameras and the height of the fence.
"Pretty secure," he pointed out. "No fence needs to be this tall unless it's keeping something in."
The gate was locked, and there was no answer on the intercom. Jane was tempted to break in, pick the lock or jump the fence, but from the silence of the surrounding woods she thought that might be a bad idea. It was the eerie kind of silence that sprung up when a predator was around.
"Get in the car, Frost," Jane said out of the side of her mouth, not sure if the cameras had sound or if anyone surveilling them could read lips. "I guess we'll have to call him to see if he knows where McFadden got to," she added out loud for the benefit of the cameras.
"This welfare check is taking forever," Frost said, playing along, even though it was uniforms that usually carried those out. "He hasn't even been reported missing officially. But we need someone licensed to get into that property. No way I'm breaking down McFadden's door with all his pets loose in there. Maybe the Department of Wildlife can lend us someone? If they've mauled him, they'll need to be destroyed anyway."
"Always a shame, but these big game owners always think it won't happen to them right until it does." They were back by the car now, Jane's hand casually next to her gun, eyes darting to take stock of their surroundings. They were being watched - by the cameras at least, but she felt like the eyes of something predatory were watching her every movement as well. "We can try that dealer - he should be able to manage his - what were they, lions?"
"Probably. They're all big cats to me, and I'm allergic."
The show over, they got into the car, Jane driving slowly since she expected to be paced by a dark shadow in the overgrown woods that lined the long driveway. It wasn't until they were back on the local council road that Jane exhaled completely, loosening her jaw.
"Those vibes were bad, man," Frost agreed, tilting his head with a crack. "Felt like there were eyes in every bush, waiting to pounce. Now I know how a mouse must feel."
"Something's off there, for sure. If he was watching he'll be suspicious. But I don't think he'll be stupid enough to let loose a wild animal he isn't supposed to have on two detectives."
"Never underestimate the stupidity of a criminal, Jane, especially when they're stupid enough to hoard dangerous animals."
"True dat," Jane shook her head, chuckling.
Now that McFadden had been identified as the victim, they had cause for a warrant for his property. Tilly hadn't been available for any potential animal wrangling, so they met Boris Pavlov at the house. It was an average property, more land than most in the suburb, with large fences.
"You got tranqs?" Frost asked. "Because we're packing. And I intend to shoot first and ask questions later."
"I can do a sweep, check out the yard. I don't smell any fresh scat."
"We'll follow your lead. I just got out of hospital, my fiance is never going to forgive me if I get mauled today."
"Ah yes. The goose case. Good result, many thanks."
Jane cringed but nodded. At least they didn't have a bunch of local council members on the loose, chewing on civilians. Not that whatever was out there was any better.
"Can you clear the house first? We want to look at any records he might have had. Find out what kind of animal we're dealing with."
"Sure, is easy." With that, Boris kicked the front door open and yelled "HERE KITTY KITTY. IS DINNER TIME."
Frost and Jane drew their weapons, but nothing appeared. Boris shrugged and entered.
"We would smell, if he had any inside. I'll check yard." Boris headed out to the backyard, and Jane holstered her gun, Frost following her a moment later.
"Thanks," Jane said to Boris' back, bemused. Frost found McFadden's study and donned gloves, waking his PC. A spreadsheet, with species and prices.
"Looks like he was dealing. And breeding. He was making a mint. Yeah, we need this computer." Frost went through the open programs, found his email and started skimming it.
"Why would someone abduct him and have him killed but leave this kind of paper trail."
"Let me check the editing history om his spreadsheet. Oh. Maura said he'd been dead a few days?" Frost asked Jane to clarify.
"At least."
"Got an edit from two days ago. McFadden sold to Dog Blight, but his name has been changed."
"Now we're getting somewhere. That enough for a warrant for Dougie and this... Karl?"
"Yeah, but it's getting late. Won't get a judge to sign off unless it's an emergency."
"Wildlife eating the public isn't an emergency?" Jane asked, and Frost grinned at her.
"Well, it's just this one guy, and they were his at some point."
"I find," Boris called from the hall. Frost turned off the PC - BRIC would pull all the data they needed for their warrant overnight and they could lodge for one in the morning. They both went into the hall. Boris was carrying a jaguar more than half his size like it was a baby and somehow not being mauled despite the fact that it was obviously not sedated at all. "Is starving. Is baby. I have to seize. Is cruel to leave."
Jane opened the industrial fridge in the kitchen, tossing out a steak. Even with both hands full, Boris caught it and managed to feed it to the jaguar. Jane tossed three more, and the giant cat licked Boris' face in gratitude.
Boris giggled. Frost and Jane exchanged a wide-eyed look of discomfort.
"Is the rest of the yard clear? Can we get the crime scene unit in?"
"Oh yes, all the other cages were empty. Poor baby," Boris crooned to the now purring jaguar. It did not look like a baby to Jane. "All alone."
"Technically that's evidence, but yeah. Take it back to your office or wherever you keep your seized animals. But one thing," Jane said as he walked past.
Boris stopped halfway to the door, Frost following him to open his van since he had his hands full.
"Anything that comes out of that 'baby', we want."
"Good call. I save for you," Boris said, and Jane and Frost exchanged another confused look as Frost followed Boris out from the house.
"How was your day?" Maura asked, setting up plates with the takeaway she'd picked up. Jane washed her hands and joined her, pulling out Maura's chair for her when she brought the plates over to the table.
"All the better for being home with you," Jane said, picking up her knife and fork.
"Does it feel like home?" Maura asked. She was worried; she knew Jane was comfortable in Maura's house, but she worried that felt like it was Maura's and Jane was just a guest that could be asked to leave at any time.
"Feels a lot more like home now it's just the two of us," Jane said. Maura didn't want to say it felt a little lonelier without Angela, especially since Jane had been home relatively early. "Now that I have you all to myself. No one walking in without knocking." She shot Maura a wicked grin that made Maura blush. "I could take you on the table, and no one would know." Maura felt herself blush deeper, her mind playing through a series of images - Maura pushing Jane face down on the table and taking her from behind, or Jane pushing Maura up onto the edge of the table, tugging up her skirt urgently. She swallowed thickly and Jane's grin grew more wicked. "Pity I'm starving or I'd eat you right now."
Maura hadn't thought her face could turn any redder but she could feel the skin of her chest and ears burning now too. Jane smirked, popping her fork into her mouth, and Maura wanted to clear the table with one broad sweep of her arm and take Jane on it.
But Jane was hungry, and so was Maura, so she simply squirmed a little as she wolfed down her dinner in the least ladylike way possible, grabbing Jane's hand once she was finished and dragging her back to the kitchen, pushing her up against the counter.
"I said table," Jane pointed out, and Maura wanted to explain how she didn't want to wait any longer and that cleaning up dinner would take time and that they couldn't have sex on top of their half-empty plates and cutlery but instead she just kissed that smirk right off Jane's face.
Notes:
I used to work with this Russian guy and he'd be completely normal then do something very similar to the HERE KITTY KITTY bit. So Boris is based on him because he 100% would carry a jaguar like a baby.