Chapter 9:

Not as Straight

Esposito was waiting for them, a big smile on his face. Maura was seated on the desk behind him and was smiling too.

"Ok, out with it, why such big smiles?" Kate asked.

"Your girl found something," Esposito said to Jane. The Boston Detective froze in her steps. Kate looked at her and she couldn't help but to giggle.

"You mean, Doctor Isles?" Kate clarified to Esposito.

"Yeah, sure," Esposito pointed to the board and then looked to Maura. Both, detective and M.E. shared knowing looks.

"Detective Beckett, you sure remember that I told you that I had found another gun shot wound on the victim's body. However this wound did not match the other one that caused dead to the victim," Maura began, looking between Kate and Jane and the other two men that were behind them. "Turns out, that this wound was at least, 18 months old."

It was Esposito's turn to explain his facts. "Turns out this little buddy here had a charge over drugs 19 months ago. And 18 months ago he entered a emergency room for a gun shot wound."

By the time Esposito finished, he was smiling widely and so was Maura.

"So, this guy was into something more than acting." Ryan said from behind. Everyone exchanged looks. Kate and Jane stared at each other for a couple of minutes.

"Someone lied to us." Kate said.

Jane was about to answer Kate's statement when Maura interrupted.

"Sorry detective, Javier found out more."

"Javier? Since when you call him that way?" Jane asked, visibly upset.

"Well, Jane, that's his name. It would be inappropriate..."

"Please, Esposito, enlighten us with your findings," Kate said before Maura could continue with her speech.

The M.E. looked rather annoyed that the New York detective had interrupted her, but she nodded and listened to Esposito.

"This guy was broken, like completely. Also James Reid is not his real name. His name is Harold Lorren."

"He's an actor, James Reid could be his artistic name." Castle stated.

"Yeah, but this is where the thing gets better: he never went to any acting school, neither took some kind of course or instruction before going to the play," Esposito said, the smile never leaving his face.

"An amateur is on Broadway?" Castle asked, a little confused. "How on Earth did that happen?"

"Why don't we go and ask the director? He will probably have an answer," Jane said, more to Kate than to the others.

"Damn right. Ryan, give to Esposito the names of the actors you and Castle talked to and check their background. See if they have an alibi." Kate ordered. The guys nodded. "Castle, you help them. See if you can find a potential suspect or a theory of who might've killed him and why."

Castle nodded, taking his coat off and grabbing a chair near a desk. "What are you going to do?"

"Me? I'm going back to the theater with Jane to talk more seriously to the director." Kate answered looking over Jane, who nodded and turned around, ready to leave again.

"I want to go."

Both detectives turned on their heels to see who had said that. In fact, Jane already knew who had said that, she wanted to know if she had heard right.

"Doctor, you made a good job by finding the other wound and helping detective Esposito to clear our sight on this case, but I don't think it's really necessary..."

"Jane," Maura punctuated firmly, completely ignoring Kate. "I want to go."

Jane looked to Kate and then to Maura, only to look back to Kate, who was glaring at her, obviously daring her to say otherwise.

"I don't think it will harm, Kate," Jane said, carefully choosing her words for not to startle Kate.

"Fine," Kate said with a sigh.

Maura smiled and walked over the detectives to the elevators.

Before stepping in, Kate grabbed Jane's arm and turned to her with a serious expression in her face. "She is your responsibility, got that?"

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Yes, I got that," she answered trying to make her tone sound like Kate's.

The New York detective shot her a glare but stepped inside the elevator.

When they arrived to the theater, Kate didn't bother to make introductions again. They walked straight to Reid's dressing room. Kate opened the door with a little more force that was necessary.

The room was in darkness. Jane reached blindly for the switch, when she bumped into something, or maybe someone. Yeap, it was definitely a someone. The body below her began moving. Jane freaked out. If this was Maura, it would be very awkward. But if this was Kate, Maura would probably think wrong of her. Although it would be less awkward, Jane thought.

Then there was light. Jane's eyes were closed, afraid to know who was below her.

"Are you comfy?" Jane heard Kate's voice. The Boston detective snapped her eyes open, looking to her old partner. "You know, I always had the feeling that you liked to be on top," Kate joked. Jane poked the other detective on her shoulder but then both began laughing soundly.

Both detectives were enjoying their moment while Maura only stood there, completely frozen. Part of her wanted to run from the scene, but the other part wanted to stay to see what could happen. So she stood there. Her hand still over the light switch. Her eyes lost on both detectives. Her ears filled with Jane's laughter. Laughter she should be the source of, not detective Beckett.

"Are you two enjoying each other?" Maura asked, her voice full of hurt. "Yes, I'm still here," the M.E. continued due to both detective's faces.

Shit, Jane thought, I knew it. Jane tried to get off Kate but she found two hands in her waist preventing her to do so.

She looked down to Kate and she found a smirk and a rather strange look on her eyes. Jane looked where Kate's eyes were fixed and she found a flushed and angry Maura looking back at them.

"Fuck, let me get up," Jane said, trying to use her hands for leverage, but Kate wouldn't let her.

"Come on Kate! I'm not kidding," she continued with a hint of annoyance in her voice. When Kate didn't seem to make a move, Jane slapped her shoulder.

"Ok, ok. I get it," Kate said, finally releasing Jane. She observed how the Boston detective got up and walked towards Maura. Kate couldn't say if they were talking or if they were only staring into each other's eyes. Man, I think this doctor is not as straight as Jane thinks she is.

Maura lowered her gaze, but she could feel Jane's eyes on her. Maura didn't want to look at her, because she knew that she would get lost on the deep chocolate eyes and would forget everything. She felt Jane's hand on her arm and quickly dismissed the touch, without really thinking about it. She had been holding all of Jane's loving interactions with detective Beckett without saying or doing nothing. But this last one, this one was going to cost more than little touches and deep and meaningful looks from Jane.

"So, shall we do our job?" Beckett said. At the sound of her voice, Maura stared at her. Kate held her gaze, with a little smirk on her lips. I'm going to bring this two together, that's it, Kate thought, holding the smirk at the Boston couple.