DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.
Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.
Chapter 3
"Have you ever seen the agents that came to check on your parents, periodically?" Jane tried. This would be the telltale of Liz' parents being in Witsec, or just hiding under a new identity illegally.
"Sometimes."
"How often would they visit your house?"
"Once every three months, more or less." Liz replied, after thinking for a moment.
"When was the last time they visited you, do you recall?"
"Three weeks ago."
"Was there an emergency number you were supposed to contact, in case something happened?"
"Yes…" Liz leaned back, and fished a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, showing it to Jane. "But the cell phones from my mom and dad had been destroyed – whoever shot them broke their phones. And the phone line of the house was disconnected. Mom showed me where I could find the number if I was alone when something ever happened, it was in the middle of a notebook where she kept her recipes, so I ripped the page off before I ran. But I had no idea how to contact these people without a phone."
"Did you consider reaching out for the police?"
"Mom and dad always told me to never trust the police. I guess the police was somehow involved in whatever they saw all those years ago?" the girl sighed, unsure.
"What were you planning to do, Liz?"
The girl broke down a little. "I honestly don't know… When I ran, I thought everything would be okay. But I realized I had no way to get help. I am just so tired of all of this…" Liz looked around her, towards the bushes. Maura and Jane could see the weariness in her expression and on her stance.
"You are very intelligent and resourceful, Liz, and very brave too… But I think it is time for you to use some help…" Jane tried. "Would you let us help you?"
They observed the girl thinking. She still didn't trust them completely, and Jane was not surprised, if she had grown with parents hiding in WitSec.
"I don't know…" The girl replied, truthfully. "How do I know if I can trust you?" she asked, puffing, frustrated with her own thought process.
"There is no scientific formula for you to know who to trust and who not to trust, Liz. What I can tell you is that Dory and I can try to help you, that we are willing to try to help you, and that because of our jobs in the FBI, we have the ability and means to try to help you. But we cannot force you to trust us or even force you to accept our help. You need to decide that on your own." Jane proposed, guessing that a girl who had survived in that situation would only feel comfortable if she herself made the decision.
Liz continued alternating her eyes between Jane and Maura, as if making up her mind.
"Okay." She sighed, nodding. "Okay, I will let you help me… Will you? Please?"
"Yes." Maura replied, emphatically, exchanging a glance with Jane. "Of course." Jane confirmed.
Maura was glad she and Jane knew each other so well. They could communicate without speaking a lot, each able to anticipate the gist of what the other was thinking.
"Why don't you help Dory to pack up the picnic? I will go pick up the car and bring it closer…" Jane knew that walking with the girl in that state of uncleanness across the park would catch unwanted attention. They had parked closer to the main park entrance, but she would drive by the side of the park so they could leave from the same direction where the bushes were, hopefully without passing by other people.
Maura nodded discreetly to Jane, letting her know she had gotten it.
Jane waited until she saw Liz kneeling off the blanket and helping Maura, before she practically jogged to the car.
She didn't want to leave Liz alone, or Maura alone. Not in a public park at least. And not until she found out more about what had happened to Liz' parents. But she hoped it would be a quick turnaround.
In five minutes, she approached the sidewalk of the park closer to where she and Maura were picnicking, seeing Maura and Liz leaving the shade of the bushes and trees when Maura saw the car.
"I am too dirty to sit in your car." Liz hesitated, self-conscious of her all too dirty clothes.
"Don't worry about that…" Maura offered, gently. "Just buckle up, okay?"
Liz nodded, entered the back seat of the car, and buckled her seat belt up.
Jane began driving.
"Do you know the size of your clothes and shoes, Liz?" Jane asked, looking at the girl in the rearview mirror.
"Yes. I am small for my age, mom used to say, so I wear clothes size ten instead of twelve although I am almost twelve. My shoes are number three."
"Got it. Dory…" Jane looked sideways to Maura. "Why don't you drop Liz and I home? And while Liz takes a long bath to soak up the grim, you stop by the supermarket to grab a few changes of clothes and shoes for her."
"Sounds like the perfect plan, Jane…" Maura confirmed her understanding. "Liz, is there any food you don't like, or that you can't eat because you are allergic to?"
"I eat pretty much everything."
"What are your favorite foods?" Jane tried, knowing they would need a few hints, since Jane and Maura were two adults living in a healthy regimen defined by Maura.
"Peperoni pizza is my favorite food. I love lasagna, and pasta with meatballs. But I eat pretty much everything, I don't remember anything my mom ever prepared that I completely disliked."
"That is good. What do you typically have for breakfast?"
"Eggs and toast, or yogurt and fruits."
Okay, nothing too difficult, no boxed cereals for Maura to figure out on her own.
They arrived at the apartment, and Jane jumped out with the picnic basket. Maura moved from the passenger seat to the driver seat, and Liz left the car.
"I will see you both in a few." Maura waved.
"Take care, Dory." Jane emphasized, kissing Maura lightly in the lips, and Maura nodded.
Jane motioned Liz to come with her, and boarded the elevator. She entered her side of the apartment – she and Maura mostly used Maura's side of the apartment on their day-to-day.
She dropped the picnic basket by the kitchen.
"I will show you the entire house later. But I bet for now you might be really looking forward to a warm bath?"
Liz sighed contentedly. "A bath would be perfect…"
Jane took her to the bathroom of her bedroom. She turned on the water, and picked the things Liz might need – shampoo, conditioner, a new loofah, body wash – and put it all by the border of the tub.
She picked a set of clean towels as well.
When the water was level and at an agreeable temperature, Jane spread some of the bath salts Maura enjoyed and that she anticipated Liz would enjoy.
"I think you have all you need for now. When you finish, Dory should be here with clean clothes for you, okay? Yell if you need anything, I will be just arranging things around the house. Take your time, there is no hurry."
"Thank you, Jane." The girl offered, with the first small smile Jane had seen on her face, before closing the door behind Jane.