From problematick -- “Don’t you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!”
“Jesus, it’s freezing. Will you hurry up?”
“I’m going as quickly as I can without compromising the evidence.”
Jane’s hands were stuffed in her coat pockets, hood up to keep the chill of the winter air out of her ears. She and Frankie had already combed the area for what they needed, not that there was much to see due to the blanket of snow covering the ground. Whatever had happened had occurred after the snowfall, leaving clear footprints and blood spatter to be cataloged and photographed.
The body, however, was still in need of analysis and Maura took her time as she collected all the necessary swabs she needed.
After watching Jane shift on her feet, clearly struggling to stay warm, Maura asked, without looking up, “If you’d worn the leggings I bought for you, perhaps you’d be more comfortable.”
Jane pulled her arms more tightly around herself as she stooped down. “You really gotta announce to the world that you’re buying me long underwear?” Maura shrugged and stood, Jane rising with her. “Please tell me you’re done.”
“Nearly.” Maura stripped off her purple gloves, then carefully maneuvered through the snow toward the perimeter of the crime scene. Jane followed and lifted the tape so they could both step under it.
“What’s left?”
Wordlessly, Maura handed Jane her medical bag, then took a few steps before she leaned back down to scoop up a handful of snow. Jane watched, wondering if this was some kind of density test that would give them new information. She never knew with Maura.
Until she watched the way those delicate and efficient medical examiner hands shaped the white flakes into a perfect sphere.
Jane’s strides were long and put a couple yards of distance between them before she dared look back. “Maura,” Her tone was warning, it was way too cold for this shit. “Don’t you dare throw that snowba-” It made a thwacking sound as it hit the side of the medical bag which Jane was now holding up on front of herself. “Goddammit!”
Maura rubbed her hands together, her fingers now pink from the cold. “Now I’m ready to go.” She casually approached Jane, trying to hide the wry smile that danced on her lips, so they could walk back to the car.
“Carry your own bag,” Jane grumbled, holding it out to her. But she still opened Maura’s door for her when they got to the car and, once they were inside with the heater running, Jane took Maura’s hands in her own and rubbed them until they regained a bit of warmth.
And, okay, yeah. Tomorrow she’d wear the stupid long underwear.