Maura Doyle

"You work for Ferguson, right?"

Jane sauntered into the interview room where Connor waited nervously. Her sweet smile didn't disguise the predatory glint in her eye. She knew she didn't have a lot of time; things were moving slowly in booking and processing but it wouldn't take long for Helena MacAuley to grow impatient and start threatening the stalling officer at the front desk. Jane was already zeroing in for the kill; sussing out this guy, his weaknesses, what buttons to press. Two questions burned in her mind; what does this kid know about Ferguson, and where is Maura?

She pulled out the chair opposite Connor, still smiling congenially as she continued, "You drive his car, take him to meetings, that kind of thing?"

She could see he was already plenty unsettled by this beautiful detective with her too-sweet mannerisms, and he hunched in on himself protectively.

"Or is it Paddy Doyle you work for? You're a MacAuley, right? Related to Steve MacAuley? So, how does that work?" Jane asked as if in genuine interest. "Must be tough, to choose between your family and the guy who's taken control of the business. I guess either way, you've betrayed someone, right? I can see why you would've been buying a gun. A man in your position can't be too careful; you probably have people on all sides coming for you. You've gotta protect yourself."

He eyed her uncomfortably.

"But you screwed up, didn't you Connor? Because now you're stuck in here with me. And you violated your parole by purchasing an illegal firearm, so really you're just two minutes away from being sent back down. And there's a lot of Paddy Doyle's people in prison. Which side did you decide to be loyal to? I hope you made the right choice…"

"What do you want from me?"

She could tell from the way his voice caught that was scared. He was just a kid in his early twenties. Probably just starting his criminal career, trying to be noticed, waiting for his big shot. And now here he was, scared and helpless and not knowing where to turn. Luckily, she had some options for him.

"Well, see today's your lucky day, Connor. Because all I want from you is some information. A man in your position, working with Ferguson everyday, driving him around, running his errands? Well you must get to see a lot of what he gets up to; where he goes, who he sees."

"Not really," Connor replied defensively. "I just drive is all."

"Ah, I see," Jane feigned disappointment. "Well that's a real shame. See, was hoping that we could cut a deal; you help me out, tell me what you know, and I'll overlook this little misunderstanding about the gun you were trying to buy. You give us enough, maybe I can even get Ferguson off the streets and out of your way. But if you don't know anything, I guess I'll just have you charged with possession and you can see how you fair in jail with Paddy's people. Or maybe I'll keep you here a while longer, before I put you back on the streets; see what Ferguson's people think about the fact that you spent the afternoon hanging out at the BPD…"

"I guess I might know something," Connor interjected hastily. "What dyou wanna know?"

"A cop was murdered down by the docks. His body was left outside of Steve MacAuley's warehouse. He's your uncle, right?"

The boy's face had turned pale and he looked like he might be sick. Jane forged onward, knowing she was on the right track.

"We think that was Ferguson, trying to send a message to anyone loyal to the Doyles, and to Maura Isles. A message saying that the cops can't protect her because we're not safe either. You understand that we can't let that kind of message go. The guys who work here, they want blood; they need Ferguson to answer for what he's done. You don't kill cops and get away with it."

Connor was still wound as tight as a drum but his face relaxed a little, and he looked less like he was about to puke. Almost like he was relieved… Jane frowned at him but was quickly distracted when Connor spoke.

"I don't know anything about all that. Sure I drove him that day, but then he took his car and went off on his own. I guess maybe he killed that cop? I don't know- I wasn't there."

Jane's face darkened. "Well that's a shame. It sounds like you don't have anything useful for me, then."

"Sure I do!" he hastily responded. "Just not about that. But I know things that would be useful about Ferguson. About Maura Doyle, too!"

He must have caught the way Jane tensed at Maura's name, like she was going to spring across the table and shake the information out of him, because he flinched away instinctively. She forced herself to keep her voice level as she growled, "You'd better start talking."

"I need some assurances first." His voice shook and the pitch was too high to make his demands convincing. "Immunity."

"From what?" Jane growled again, losing patience.

"Everything," he said vaguely. "Anything I say, you can't use it against me. Otherwise, how can I help you out without incriminating myself?"

"Maura Isles is the only thing I care about here," Jane responded coaxingly, tamping down her frustration. "I don't care about whatever petty crimes you might have committed, or who's loyal to who, or what your involvement has been with Ferguson or Doyle. I just wanna know about Maura."

She let him sit a minute, mulling over her words.

"If you help me, I can make things much easier for you. But if you don't, I can make your life very, very difficult."

He looked up in alarm at the threatening edge to her tonne. The way her eyes darkened left him in no doubt of her meaning. She smiled sweetly again, but it didn't reach her eyes and he squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze.

"So, what do you think, Connor? Can we help each other out?"

He nodded emphatically. "I wanna help. Like I said, I just need some assurances."

"Well I need to know that you have something worth my while."

He paused to consider this, the seconds ticking by in the silence, Jane sure that her time must be almost up, and that Helena would arrive at any moment and cut this interview short before she had got anything useful from the man.

Finally he spoke. "Maura Doyle-" he corrected himself quickly when he caught Jane's look. "Maura Isles- she's looking for people."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What people?"

"I'm not sure. She's got a list- I think she got it from Paddy? She thinks it will help bring Ferguson down. She's had people out looking for the names on the list. I think she's found some of them."

Jane frowned. If this kid was to be believed, Maura was working on a way to send Ferguson down; she had a lead on something he'd done, or maybe several things, and she was looking for evidence. Or witnesses? She ignored the disquieting thought of Maura mobilizing Paddy Doyle's people; of her father's men following her command. She needed to find out what Maura was up to- she was a medical examiner, not a detective. Surely Jane was better positioned to investigate whatever Maura had on Ferguson, if she could just figure out what that was.

"That's good, Connor. That's helpful. It sounds like we might be able to cut a deal. What else can you tell me?"

She didn't break her gaze while he took a long minute to consider his options. Then, just as he opened his mouth to speak, the door banged open.

Helena MacAuley stalked into the interview room with barely contained fury.

"This interview is over, detective. My client has nothing more to say to the police. And after the laundry list of violations of due process I saw while I was in the waiting room, I sincerely doubt that any of the charges you're bringing against my client will stick. Never mind the fact that you've been interrogating him without access to counsel."

"I'm sorry," Jane smiled sweetly at her, pushing back languidly in her chair. "I didn't realize you were his lawyer. We're moving a little more slowly than usual getting people processed; you might have noticed it's pretty busy out there. But I have to say I'm surprised; the great Helena MacAuley acting as counsel for a lowly footsoldier? And one of Ferguson's men, too! I thought you were on Team Doyle. Tell me, what's so important about this guy that warrants you coming all the way down here to bail out the opposing team on a pewny possession charge?"

Helena gave Jane an icy smile while Connor visibly tensed, eyes darting nervously from one woman to the other.

"I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice, detective, that we share a name. Connor is my cousin," Helena replied in a slightly bored tone. "He may be a 'lowly footsolider' as you put it, and he might be an idiot," she shot Connor a glare at this last part. "But he's still family. I'm sure you know something about that- Rizzoli's Italian, am I right? And Italians know something about family loyalty. I'm sure you have foolhardy brothers and cousins and uncles you've had to bail out from time to time. And so here I am. And now I'll be taking him home."

"Is that right?" Jane smiled, her eyes glinting at the challenge before turning back to the man sitting hunched at the table. "So you'll be heading back to the Doyles', will you Connor?"

His eyes darted over to Helena, who shot him a look that told him he'd just better fall in line right now. He looked away quickly, turning back to Jane, who just kept smiling like she was in on a great secret. Her lazy confidence was appealing, and clearly infuriating to Helena. He could see he was going to be in big trouble when he got back to Maura Doyle. But maybe if he made a deal with Detective Rizzoli, he could stay out of the clutches of Helena, and avoid Ferguson's men. Maybe he could figure his own way out of this mess. He didn't have to choose between the lesser of two evils; he could pick a third way. He made his decision quickly.

"She's not my lawyer."

"What?" The pitch of Helena's voice betrayed her failing composure. She quickly rearranged her face into a mask and tried again. "Connor, let's not be rash…"

"You're saying this woman doesn't represent you?" Jane pounced on the opportunity.

The boy swallowed nervously. "That's right. She's not my lawyer. I don't want her here."

Jane turned back to Helena triumphantly, cutting her off before she could loudly object. "You heard the man. He doesn't want you here."

"Connor, I cannot advise against this strongly enough-" Helena tried again.

"I said go!" Connor shouted, surprising even himself with the volume of his voice.

"Well, thank you very much for your concern, Ms. MacAuley, but your services will not be required from here on. I'll have to ask you to leave the interview room so that I can resume my investigation."

For a minute Helena's face turned so red that Jane was sure she was having some kind of aneurysm or something- Maura would know the proper term. But then she regained control and squared her shoulders.

"Let the record show that my client has not waived his right to counsel. He has simply stated his preference that I not represent him at this time. If at any point he requests access to counsel, you are legally obligated to provide him with a lawyer."

She turned her focus back to Connor and fixed him with a meaningful glare.

"And should you decide that you require my services again at any point during this interview, I will be waiting in the lobby."

Jane smiled sweetly at her. "Duly noted! I'm sure we'll be fine, though. Connor and I have come to an understanding, isn't that right?"

She beamed at him, before turning back to Helena, giving her a look that questioned her continued presence.

Helena narrowed her eyes. "We're not done, detective," she spat out as she opened to door to leave.

"Yeah, I think we are!" Jane called after her, before turning her attention back to Connor and giving him a big smile. "So, tell me more about this list?"