AN: Hi. I've been busy lately due to being an associate teacher at school. I apologize for my absence. So, here is your chapter. The new character is here in this chapter. Please welcome Dr. Kent Drake! Note: I will be posting the chapters every night until the 20th of this month; I will not be able to post the chapter that day because I am going to start my program for M.A.T. Thank you for understanding. You just enjoy it. Don't forget to follow this story, the author, and like it.
It's impossible to get an accurate report on any cases. Now, I am working on this specific case that Dr. Isles assigned me a few days ago. To be honest with this case, I don't think that I am not going anywhere. This place gives me happiness. Just because of the happiness I have ever worked in my whole life. It's right there with Dr. Maura Isles.
In the lab room, everything went up as the lab techs were covering their hands on every test that Dr. Isles requested for her two victims from the other night. There was a short-brown haired man in the flannel shirt, and khaki pants worked through the tests that gathered the white blood cells to analyze. It was Dr. Kent Drake. He was getting hired by the Chief Medical Examiner, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Maura finally got in touch with the governor of Massachusetts about her staff member, Dr. Pike. So, Dr. Pike was demoted to the small branch in western Massachusetts, and he won't get in at the Boston Police Department from now on. Since the incidents, Maura put a stop to Dr. Pike's job and wanted to let the Governor take care of his events. Luckily for everyone at the Boston Police Department, they restored everything and re-do it and from a few cases that were mistaken for their suspects.
Kent was impressed with Maura's dignity in the cases that she worked closely with the Homicide team. It included Detective Jane Rizzoli, a famous investigator in the whole Boston city. He observed the chemistry between the ladies and suspected that they were the lovers at first, but no, it ended in the friendship they cherished. Kent understood Maura's social gathering that went awkward, but Jane helped her to get bloomed in their depths of growth.
The tests got some results due to the cases that Maura demanded in the first thing in the morning. It put up everything as requested. Maura walked in with her pride and looked at her techs for questions about her requests. There was Susie Chang, running toward her from the next lab room and handed the file to her.
"It absorbed the cells into repairing the injuries. As we predicted it, that was pacing very quickly overnight since you got swabbed on those bodies. This result is positive that it is the same M.O."
"Wa ait a minute, the same M.O.?" Kent voiced up in the room. The lab techs stared at him. He blushed when looking around in the place. Maura smiled at him with a nod.
"Yes, Dr. Drake. The first case was Nicholas Reed. I found this result that was fantastic but is related to these two cases I collected. What's else, Dr. Chang?"
"See on the next page. It contained the rape kit that you requested. She was happening to rape before all happened. I analyzed the timing."
"There is a test of a sperm?" Kent questioned in awe. Susie gave him a look before nodding. Maura read thoroughly on the female victim and issued quickly before hearing Jane's voice reaching her ear.
"Fracture on the wrists?"
"It completely broke her wrists. I suspected that she was struggling to get off from someone, but broke her wrists by someone's hands. You can see the photos before and after. The fracture was barely there but still proven to be true."
"Maur, did you find anything yet?"
"Yes, Jay. See for yourself. Oh, Dr. Kent. I am not sure if you know Jane?"
"We've met in Division Cafe. It was a short meeting. Hello, Detective." Kent nodded gratefully. Jane hummed while reading on the file that Dr. Chang tested everything on the female victim.
"Chang, did you find anything on the male victim?"
"Yes, the male victim had a broken rib and internal bleeding. But both victims had no red blood cells after you brought them here."
"So, same M.O." Jane tilted her head. Dr. Chang nodded. Kent was in awe of Jane's mind but waited for something to drop a shoe on the floor. Maura patted her best friend's arm and continued to demand another test on the male victim.
"A test for the dirt that I collected from the male victim. Is it the match for the female victim?"
"Yes, Dr. Isles. I have the results. It is from the gardening soil. It was a kind of organic that you can plant your vegetables and fruits in the backyard." Kent chimed up with a smile.
"Kent? Gardening soil? I have to ask Ma. She is the garden freak." Jane sighed before handing the files to the honey-blonde woman who was chuckling at her facial expression.
"Yes, Detective. You can buy the gardening soil from any stores such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Lowe's. It is rich soil."
"Thank you for the results. I appreciate your help. Go work on other cases. I will let you know if I find anything to confirm it." Maura sent them a smile before walking out with Jane for their usual meeting in the office.
Jane sat down on the couch while gathering her thinkings on her cases. The men returned to the first crime scene where Nicholas Reed was dead at the time. It linked everything that she affirmed in her head. Maura typed up the additional information on the report as she glanced over at the brunette detective.
"What's wrong, Jay?"
"Gardening soil. It keeps gnawing on me. I can't figure it out what is linked to our first case, Nicholas?"
"Both of the victims were to be murdered at the roof of the restaurant, is it correct?"
"Yes, Maur. It was. So, Nicholas was in the dark alley on the way home from BU. And, did you find their names?"
"No, I can't identify by using their teeth or fingerprints. It blurred everything I reported, Jay."
"I am sure that someone was smarter to cover every traces."
"You are correct. I cannot find anything on Nicholas and two victims' bodies. The clothes were still in processing for a test as I requested from the other night."
"Frost told me that he didn't find a security camera on the roof. It is the same M.O. from Nicholas Reed's case."
"Oh, Jay."
"Maur, I tell ya. It's hard to find evidence that linked to three cases. So, how is going on with Kent?"
The honey blonde woman grinned with her satisfaction on the hiring of the lab tech. Jane knew that Maura was happy to have him on her team, and it confirmed her suspicions.
"Dr. Drake is a great addition to this team. It's way better than Dr. Pike."
"Did you tell him that he had to move to another place, Maur?" Jane smirked at her question toward her best friend. Maura laughed after closing the report and shook her head.
"No, Jay. I sorted out with the Governor, and he took care of it." The brunette detective chuckled at her mention and nodded. They heard the knock on the door, and it was Kent.
"Hi. Sorry to interrupt you. The results came back as it is. You found the two holes that penetrated on their neck. I examined it on my own, and there are no tools that compared to our victims' holes. I apologize."
"No tools, such as a sharp object?" Maura questioned with a frown. Jane went unsettled on the case as she got up from the couch.
"It's a disappointment with the findings. Thanks, Kent." The brunette detective sent him a sad smile. Maura exhaled while rubbing her forehead. It was a long day for her. Kent smiled before leaving for more tests. Jane returned to the bullpen and met the guys.
Korsak and Frost walked in the bullpen. Jane sat down behind her desk and clicked on the mouse to wake up the computer. She looked up at her partner and hoped they found it than the lab techs did in the lab.
"Hey, Jane. We've been searching for more evidence around in the crime scene. There are none. I guess that we gathered everything as we did on that night." It defeated Jane's hope.
"Korsak?"
"Frost is right. We have nothing. What will we do, then?"
Jane exhaled in the air while thinking in her head. She tilted her head at a whiteboard. They worked for a few nights. The timeline was in a mess. Korsak waited for her answer as he looked at Frost. The African-American shrugged at the sergeant.
"We have to start it over again, I guess. Maura had the results as you guys left. Both victims that we found from the other night was zero. The result of the dirt that stuck with the victims was the gardening soil. It was an expensive one. To be honest, this killer is very smart to cover the traces."
"What brand?" Korsak questioned. Others looked at him with their shocked face. The veteran cop waved his hand as he chuckled.
"What brand, Korsak?" Jane teased him with a smirk. Frost laughed. Korsak rolled his eyes and twirled his hand to go on.
"Frost, search on the expensive soil at Wal-Mart, Lowe's, and Home Depot. See if it matches the results. One of us can go to collect the samples of soils." It was a perfect time that Frankie showed up in the bullpen. The young Rizzoli sauntered to find his sister and spotted her behind the desk. Frankie reached them before greeting everyone in the circle.
"Hello, Korsak and Frost. And, Janie. I need to talk to you. It's an emergency." He sent her a hostile look. Jane slowly nodded before pointing to the computer for Frost to search up. The African-American man gave her a thumbs up. Frankie and Jane left for the private conversation. Korsak stayed behind and watched the Rizzoli kids before facing Frost for some answers.
The Rizzoli siblings halted their steps by the corner behind the storage. Frankie exhaled in the air. Jane crossed her arms on the chest as she looked at him with her alarmed face. The young brother of hers was shaking his head before rubbing his forehead.
"Janie, you need to help Ma. I've been with her for two days. Tommy left for work and let TJ take care of Ma. But Ma was angry with our Pops. I've been calling Pops for hours, and he didn't answer our calls. I tell ya, it is the worst timing that Pops did to Ma."
"I know, Frankie. Sometimes, I don't understand why Pops left her in the first place without telling her about the chaos he made."
"What are we doing right now, Janie? I can't go back there without you. I need your help."
"How bad is it?"
"Bad Bad Bad!" Frankie went outraged. Jane tried to calm her young brother as she nodded quickly.
"All right, Frankie! I am going to see Ma today. Don't worry; I will take care of it."
"Thank you. Ma needs you more than she needs us."
"Frankie, you know that Ma loves you and Tommy. We are her family. We take care of each other for long as we are alive." Jane embraced her brother into comfort as Frankie slumped. The conversation went faltered as they spilt away. The brunette detective was in her thoughts as she strolled in the bullpen. Frost searched on the engine as he typed on the keyboard. Korsak looked up at Jane before saying anything.
"Got it! It matches the description of the soil that Dr. Drake sent me. It is Miracle-Gro Moisture Control - specifically for vegetables and herbs." Frost explained.
"So, you can bring it up if you can find this soil that matches our scene, Frost?" Korsak issued immediately as Frost nodded. Jane frantically tapped on the button of a pen before looking at a whiteboard.
"Wait a minute? Frost, you went up on the roof. Did you see anything like a greenhouse or gardening boxes on the roof? Sometimes, it does have everything for cooking food. You know what I mean, vegetables?"
"Yes, Jane. I remembered that there was a gardening box inside the small greenhouse. It was tucked away behind the roof access. You barely see it in the dark." Frost exclaimed away. Jane indicated the pen toward him as she continued thinking out in the bullpen.
"So, it might have traces on the soil that find our killer?"
"It can be difficult to have those traces on the soil. I mean, the Miracle-Gro - Moisture Control, it controls the moisture that can be dry or absorbed the water while in the greenhouse." Maura appeared in the bullpen as Jane slowly looked up at her best friend.
"Maur, how did you know?"
"I grew up in Europe, I had a garden in my back yard, and my gardener showed me how to plant those beautiful orchids, Jay." She smiled at the brunette detective before handing the files to her.
"The results came back. Dr. Drake told me that the white blood cells went rapidly in 5 seconds to repair the bones. Oh, our guest is here in the morgue." Maura sent her a look before smiling at the gentlemen and went ahead to the elevators. Jane tossed the files to Frost and went back to follow her best friend as she was surprised that Elizabeth came back. The men were perplexed at her departure but continued to work.
Elizabeth waited in the office as her eyes studied on the African masks hung on the wall. Maura came in before closing the blinds and locked the side door toward the morgue. Jane arrived before locking the office door and squinted her eyes at Elizabeth's appearance.
"Hello, Jane. I am coming to tell you what I found. But I need your ears, and I give you what you want."
"It's not that deal. What did you find?"
"Well, I am waiting for your answer. I can't spill anything. It can give me some thinking about how to trust you or not." Elizabeth slowly sat down on the sofa and scrunched at its maker. Jane stifled laughter before glancing at her best friend, who was glaring at their guest.
"Elizabeth, why are you here?"
"I am here as you are both here on the same page, Maura Doyle."
"Stop calling me that. I loathe my biological father. I am not happy that he made the mistakes as he gave me his last name. I didn't know him until I found out from my case. I am not a Doyle, you understand?"
"Yes, Isles."
"Good, tell us everything. Jay, take hers." The brunette detective rolled her eyes and nodded. Elizabeth smiled at them before tilting her head toward the morgue door. The ladies gestured her to walk along toward the morgue. Elizabeth pointed to the lab and looked at Maura.
"I need you to clear the lab rooms. It's only you, Jane and I in this room. No one listens or comes in at my request."
"Ok, let me do it," Jane explained before heading to the lab and gave the lab tech a long break. She lied that Maura 'did' request it. The brunette detective returned to the morgue and gestured ahead.
"I read the files as you handed to Jane. You didn't find anything on the two holes?"
"No." Maura was frustrated at the examination of the victims. Elizabeth nodded before standing behind the female victim and displayed herself to smell the odor from the victim. She closed her eyes, and the pictures flashed in her head until she opened hers.
"It is the same odor. FIshy. It is a man. Is this female victim raped?"
"Yes, how did you know, Elizabeth?" Jane replied quickly as Elizabeth scanned the victim with her tilting head. She pointed on the bruises on the hips and caressed on the wrists.
"The bruises on her hips were indicating as she was struggling with her wrists bounded. She was screaming as the male victim lying on the ground. You saw him on the streets, right?"
"Yes." The ladies nodded.
"He was pushed by someone up on the roof. I can smell the odor on the male victim, and it is the same one that you found on Nicholas Reed." Elizabeth explained as she waited.
"How did you know if the male victim was pushed by someone? Frost told me that there are no security cameras." Jane examined her thoughts.
"It was ripped off before it happened. Jane, you need to see very closely on the scene. I found a lot of things in the crime scene. I heard you explaining about the soil. There was the soil that hadn't been using for a few months. It was throwing away on the ground as the victims were fighting against someone. I would be appreciated if you let me take you back there and see what I saw."
"Fine, Elizabeth. I will go with you. But, can I bring Frost and Korsak in this case? They've been helpful and involved in this case too." The brunette detective was anxious. Elizabeth sighed as she gave the nod. Jane told them that she would meet them there. Maura smiled at her best friend, and they waited until Jane left the room.
"Maura, I have something to tell you. It's for your ears only. "
"Yes?"
"You are like me. Smell this odor; it will let you know that you have one like me." Elizabeth whispered before leaving toward the morgue doors. Maura was rattled at her saying before looking at her. It gave her a pause before she almost forgot that she was coming to meet Jane and Elizabeth there. The honey-blonde woman came back in the office to gather her things and headed there to drive toward the crime scene where the victims were found.
But Maura gathered her thoughts as she complemented the phrase in her head. It was like a mantra on a repeat.
'You are like me. Smell this odor; it will let you know that you have one like me.'
The guys showed up on the roof access. Frost showed Jane on his findings from the other night. Jane observed on the greenhouse. Elizabeth was quiet in her place as Korsak gave her a stink eye. Maura stepped outside from the door, and the odor hit her under her nose. It became an ability that Maura had for the years, and she was shocked when she smelled it. Her hazel eyes immediately spotted on Elizabeth's red eyes.
Maura realized that the Doyle was the part of it, as she suspected it would be. Jane alarmed her best friend by tugging them to the greenhouse. Korsak followed them. Frost stayed there in the greenhouse and waited for others to join him. Elizabeth just stood outside and watched Maura while smirking at herself. She quietly used her telepathy to reach her friend by letting her boss know about it.
'Maura did it, my friend. Please pass a message to our boss.'
'Yes, Élisabeth.'