Chapter 3 – Set Up For Failure
Maura hadn't heard from Doctor Ian Faulkner for years. The last time she had heard from him she had helped him procure thousands of dollars-worth of medical equipment and supplies. She had been furious at Jane for performing a background check on him and finding out that he was wanted by Interpol.
She didn't stay mad at Jane for long as she was in love with Jane. She had once told Jane that Ian was the love of her life but in reality, Jane was the love of her life and Maura didn't know how to tell her so she didn't. Maura felt that it was safer if Jane didn't know that she was in love with her. They could remain best friends and remain in each other's lives.
But Ian had contacted her again. He was in a bind and needed help. She was his last resort. He didn't know who else to turn to so he contacted her on an old email address that they had used. "Maura, hey I know you no longer want to hear from me after all the trouble I caused you the last time we saw each other, however, I need your help. I don't know if you are willing and able to help but I would love it if you could help me. I am working in a little village in South Africa and the Red Cross is no longer able to get medication and supplies to us. They have cut us off and the people here need those supplies. If you could help, I would greatly appreciate it. I am attaching a list of the medications and supplies needed. Thank you, you are the best, Love Ian."
Maura opened the attachment and carefully reviewed the list of medications and supplies needed. She felt that the amounts of the items were high but figured Ian was trying to get as much as he could knowing that he probably could only ask her once for the items on this list. She looked up the country where he was working and looked at the Red Cross's efforts in that area. The Red Cross was being held up by both government's red tape. A private donation from an individual would not fall under all of that red tape according to the notes that Ian had listed on the attachment. She thought long and hard before she replied to him stating that she would help him. He was surprised when Maura replied back.
Jane was furious when she saw the boxes of medical supplies in Maura's dinning room. "Maur, what is this? What is going on? Last time I saw this you were helping out that creep, Dr. Faulkner. You aren't helping him again, are you?"
Maura just stared at Jane and didn't reply. Jane knew by her silence that the answer was yes. "Maura you are setting yourself up for failure. Have you heard of Murphy's Law? You know anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Do you want to end up in jail?"
"Jane, the village he is working in really needs these medications and supplies. The Red Cross cannot help him. Their efforts are tied up in red tape. A private donation is acceptable. I am going to take these supplies to him tomorrow. I had my vaccinations for that part of the world and I will be back in a week."
"Maur, it doesn't feel right to me. I am sticking with my original thought that you are setting yourself up for failure. I do not trust the man. It is one thing for you to send him these items but for you to personally take the items to him, I am just not comfortable with that. I can't let you put yourself in danger like this, especially after we just went through this with me putting myself in danger all the time. I don't like it. If you are going than I am going with you."
"Jane, I cannot ask you to come with me."
"You are not asking, I am telling you, so you better tell me what vaccination I need so I can go right now and get it. I am not leaving your side, so let's go doctor." Maura took Jane to the hospital's immunization clinic and made sure that Jane received the proper vaccination. The next day they loaded up all of the medications and supplies and headed to South Africa. Maura had hired a private aircraft as she didn't feel comfortable using the Isles Foundation's resources for this mission.
Ian had told her in a subsequent email that he had made all of the arrangements for the safe arrival of Maura and the shipment. As Jane had predicted things did not go right and law enforcement officials met the aircraft and confiscated all of the medications and supplies. Ian had lied the medications and medical supplies were banned from the country and Maura and Jane were arrested for bringing the items into the country.
Maura and Jane had to spend the night in a jail cell at the police headquarters building before Maura's lawyer could work his magic and arrange for their release and transportation back to the United States. Ian was arrested and transported to Interpol to stand trial for his accumulated crimes. Jane didn't want to tell Maura, 'I warned you' or 'I told you so,' but she was sure tempted. She was just happy that the law enforcement officers treated them kindly and did not subject them to their local jail.
Once they arrived back to Boston, they went to Maura's house and sat down on the couch, Maura with a glass of wine and Jane with a beer. It had been a long two days and neither one of them wanted to have an adventure like that again. Maura realized that she needed to put some trust in Jane's warnings, she knew that Jane's gut was often right and this was another case of Jane's gut being right.