Rizzoli & Isles & Chang
rizzoli & isles & chang


SKIN IN THE
                    GAME


by Van ©2014

Chapter 7



Dramatis Personæ





OUR STORY CONCLUDES



Mistress and her assistant did not abandon their bound and gagged students for the entire two hours between the time they finished composing the final demonstration and lunch.  That would have been a safety violation.  They did, however, sit on the grass between the Meditation Lodge and the forest and keep watch on what was happening inside the Lodge through the window-wall and open soji screens.  Mistress was alone the first several minutes, then Kate arrived with a tea service.  Teacher and assistant enjoyed a cup of tea together, Kate carried away the tea service, and then they took turns enjoying the sun, the forest, and the tableau before them.  Sometimes they were together, and sometimes only one kept vigil, but the students were under observation for 99% of the two hours.

Finally, Jane, Maura, Susie, and Ainsley were released and the class broke for lunch.

After her initial shivering adjustment to being bound and vibrated with Jane, Maura had meditated the entire two hours.  She strolled to the dining room with a serene smile and twinkling eyes, none the worse for wear.

Jane, on the other hand, walked with a slightly bowlegged gait.  She hadn't managed to reach anything remotely approaching a meditative state.  On the other hand, she hadn't quivered in a crashing orgasm and made a pathetic, wet spectacle of herself, either.  She was somewhat sore, beyond embarrassed, and walking side by side with her BFF.  As far as she was concerned, the less said the better... for now.

Susie and Ainsley walked behind them.  Both were smiling and had been smiling since being released.  After making sure the "couple" that had been the focus of the demonstration were okay, they said little or nothing to either Maura or Jane. 

Maura was content with the lack of conversation.  In fact, she appeared to be very content in general.

Jane, on the other hand, was convinced the others were not talking about what had happened in a very loud manner.  That is, they were teasing her by not teasing her, and it was embarrassing, and infuriating, and... she didn't know what it was.  She just wanted to find a nice big rock and crawl under it... or not.

Susie noted that Maura and Jane were holding hands.  Susie suspected Jane wasn't even aware of the continuous contact, she was so preoccupied with being preoccupied, but Maura was aware.  Of that, Susie was sure.  She was happy that her mentor was happy, and knew that eventually Jane would also be happy.

"We need to eat quickly," Maura said as they entered the dining room.  "I have something planned."

"What?" Jane demanded.

"You'll see," Maura purred, but would say no more.

Jane found this hardly satisfying, but was still too embarrassed to press the issue.  Physically, she was more or less recovered from the bondage ordeal she'd shared with her BFF, but was still a little sore.  Maura, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected by the two-plus hours of stringent bondage they'd suffered. and Jane found it infuriating.  Okay, it was impressive the way Maura could meditate and escape the aftereffects of being bound, gagged, and buzzed—not to mention being intimately lashed to her quivering and not meditating BFF—with apparent impunity.  Maura's demeanor was a little more languid than usual, but it was impressive.

No, Jane decided to go with infuriating.  It gave her more of an excuse to plan her revenge.  Of course, it was illogical to blame Maura for the demonstration, and Jane knew that, but logic was Maura's thing.  Jane was more... physical.

The group ate in companionable silence.

Ainsley reflected that it was amazing how a little thing like shared bondage and erotic "torture" could bring friends together.

SKIN IN THE GAME
Chapter 7

Maura led her slightly baffled fellow students to the Moon Colony's concierge desk.  Penny was waiting, rather impatiently, on the guest side of the desk, and apparently was in the midst of an argument with a middle-aged Mohawk woman.  They could tell the tall, brown-skinned woman behind the desk was Penny's fellow staff member and probably her superior by her air of competent authority and the crossed-keys charm hanging from her staff necklace.

"At least tell me who booked me for the entire afternoon," Penny was saying.  Her back was to Maura and the others.

"That would be me," Maura answered.

Penny spun around and looked up at Maura.  Being 5' 1", Penny looked up at almost everyone, even 5' 5" Maura Isles.  Penny's expression was two parts surprise and one part welcome.  "Oh, hi Maura."  She turned her head to include the others.  "Hi, guys."

"Come with me," Maura ordered as she took Penny by the hand and led her away.

"My stuff!" Penny objected, pointing back at the towels, rolled mat, and bottle of oil waiting atop a sideboard near the desk.

"Not needed," Maura said as she tugged Penny back into motion.

Penny gave Jane a questioning look and Jane smiled and shrugged.  It was the first non-mortified smile to curl the Boston Detective's lips since before the morning class.  "Don't look at me," she purred.  "It's Maura's plan."

"Plan?" Penny asked.

Jane's only response was her smile and another shrug.

Maura led the way to cabin #17, the cabin she shared with Jane.  All four students and the "captured" pixie-masseuse entered.  Maura dropped Penny's hand, then picked up a bundled coil of their conditioned hemp "homework rope."

Penny watched with wide eyes as Maura released the coil, doubled the rope to find the center, and formed a loop.  She took a nervous step back... and bumped into Jane.

"Don't let her escape," Maura said with a grin.

"This was the 'something' you had planned?" Jane drawled, "kidnapping the masseuse?"

Ainsley smiled.  "You'll never get her across the border."

"Surely there's an appropriate customs form we can fill out," Susie giggled.

"Anything to declare?" Jane laughed, taking the role of a customs agent, "other than the naked, bound, and gagged woman in your suitcase?"

Penny looked from face to smiling face as the four towering guests giggled and laughed.  Her heart was beating a mile a minute but she wasn't scared and she didn't try to wiggle her way between her "kidnappers" and escape.  In the first place, it was obvious that this was not an actual kidnapping.  Second, she doubted very much she'd make it two feet before being grabbed.  And third, while being kidnapped and tied up by four of the most attractive and interesting guests to grace the Colony in a long time wasn't one of her actual formal fantasies, it looked like the rest of the afternoon was going to be anything but boring.

With Jane's unnecessary assistance, Maura proceeded to bind Penny in the same box-tie all four students had endured that morning—rope bands above and below her breasts, pinning her upper arms to her sides, cinching ropes yoking her shoulders, wrists crossed, raised, and lashed against her spine—the works.

"Would someone fetch two scarves for me, please," Maura asked as she completed wrapping the free ends and tying the key knot.

"Yes, Doctor," Susie responded, then scurried to the bathroom.

Penny focused on her fellow Canadian.  "You're gonna let them get away with this?"  Her lopsided grin suggested she wasn't too distressed.

"I'm just watching," Ainsley answered with a dimpled smile, "taking mental notes in case I have to file an arrest report."

Susie bounded back with the two scarves.  Ever the helpful protégé to her beloved mentor, she'd already wadded one into loose ball and was folding the second into a narrow bandage.

Penny opened her mouth, but whatever she was about to say was preempted by Maura stuffing the saffron-orange wad into said mouth.  Susie slapped the now neatly folded second scarf into Maura's palm and with Jane holding Penny's long, brown hair atop her head, Maura proceeded to give the helpless pixie a tight, cheek-bulging cleave-gag.

Jane released Penny's hair and combed it into a reasonable degree of order with her fingers, then smiled at her BFF.  "What now?"

Maura had picked up a second coil of rope, released it, and looped one end around Penny's neck.  "Now, we hurry to afternoon class," she explained as she tied a non-compacting knot.  Then, she beamed her brightest smile at her BFF.  "We don't want to make Mistress angry by being late, do we?"

"Of course not," Jane said dryly.  "Who knows what she might do?"  She lifted Penny's chin and straightened the brown locks that had fallen across the little prisoner's face while Maura tied the leash.  "I take it we're bringing an apple to the teacher?"

"Something like that," Maura giggled, gave Penny's leash a gentle tug, and off they went.

The four students—plus the bound and gagged "apple"—passed a few guests and staff on their way from cabin #17 to the Meditation Lodge, but the only reactions were smiles and friendly greetings.  No one came to Penny's rescue.

SKIN IN THE GAME
Chapter 7

Giselle's and Kate's expressions were slightly puzzled as Maura, her kidnap victim, Jane, Susie, and Ainsley trooped into the Meditation Lodge.

"I generally don't allow visitors to audit my class," Mistress intoned.

"I have a proposition," Maura said with her usual dimpled smile.

Penny looked from Maura to Giselle.  Her eyes were slightly wide above her gag, but without fear.

Mistress smiled.  "Proposition?"

"I believe you've allowed Penny to observe a few of your demonstrations," Maura said.

"Actually," Kate purred, "It's more like pipsqueak hid in the woods and watched through the windows, until I closed the screens."

Maura's smile faltered.  "Oh, uh, I thought, uh, you and she, that is—"

"Proposition?" Mistress interrupted, still smiling.

Kate was also smiling, as were Maura's fellow students, as was Penny, gag not withstanding.

"Yes, proposition," Maura continued.  "I'd like to sponsor Penny as a student in your next class."

"Sponsor?"

"I'll pay all her fees," Maura nodded, "including compensation to the Colony for depriving them of Penny's services as a masseuse for the week."

"That's most generous of you," Mistress chuckled, then locked eyes with the possible student in question and her smile faded.  "But no."

"No?" Maura gasped.  "I was sure you'd—"

Mistress held up a preemptive hand.  "I waive her fee, and I'm sure the Colony management will survive her absence."  She turned to Kate.  "We've discussed your taking on an apprentice."

Now, Kate was the one surprised.  "Mistress?"

Giselle's gaze returned to Penny.  "I've had my eye on this one for some time.  I believe her interest in our class is focused on the Kinbaku-bi aspects—like a certain other apprentice I remember, Kate—but I believe she has promise."

Kate gazed at Penny.  "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a teacher, Mistress," Kate sighed.

"We never stop learning and growing, Kate," Mistress purred.  "You're ready."

Kate blushed, her eyes locked with Penny's.  "Thank you, Mistress.  I'll try, Mistress."

"Shouldn't somebody ask the prospective apprentice what she wants?" Jane drawled.

"Don't be silly," Maura giggled.  "She's gagged."

Jane rolled her eyes as the others laughed, including Penny, as best she could.  Jane hadn't been serious about getting Penny's approval.  Even bound and gagged it was clear that the little scamp was thrilled.

Kate took Penny's leash from Maura's hand and led her new apprentice to one of the support columns.  "Watch the afternoon demonstrations and don't fall asleep," she ordered as she repeatedly looped the leash rope around Penny's waist and the column, pulled out the slack, and tied a knot.  She then went to one of the cabinets, returned to Penny with two more coils of rope, and proceeded to bind Penny's legs together from waist to ankles, using a Kikkou (diamond hitch) pattern.  She then lashed her to the column from shoulders to ankles.  When Kate was satisfied, the diminutive pixie was bound in a standing position against the post, and if she did decide to disobey her new Mistress and take a nap, the only evidence would be the drooping of her chin and/or the lolling of her head.

Kate took Penny's gagged head in her hands, leaned close, and planted a kiss on her forehead.  "We'll talk, later," she promised.

Penny nodded and Kate rejoined her Mistress.

"That was nice," Jane whispered in Maura's ear.

Maura blushed, delicately.  "It went serendipitously beyond my intentions and expectations, but thanks."

"Just remember," Jane drawled, "no good deed goes unpunished."

Maura continued blushing.  And smiling.

Mistress cleared her throat.  "Now, I promised to answer your questions and conduct demonstrations, but before we begin..."  She focused first on Jane, and then on Ainsley.  "Unless I'm mistaken, Detective Rizzoli and Detective Constable Elwood would probably prefer to spend the afternoon in exercise, or taking advantage of the Colony's many amenities.  Am I right?"

"I recommend the sauna," Kate suggested.

Jane looked at Maura.  "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Maura purred.

"It would be nice to get in a good run," Ainsley said, "and then a sauna."  She smiled at Susie.

"I'm good right here," Susie said quietly, "but go ahead."

"A run sounds great, " Jane said to Ainsley, then turned to Mistress and extended her hand.  "Thank you for a wonderful class."

"Jane," Maura sighed and shook her head, then smiled at Giselle.  "Jane can be a little flippant, but I think in this case she's sincere."

"Hey!" Jane objected.  "I'm not being flippant.  I really did enjoy the class... most of the time.  Ooof!"

Rather than shaking Jane's hand, Mistress had pulled her into a warm embrace.  Mistress released the suddenly blushing Jane and turned to Ainsley.

"Uh, thanks," Ainsley said.  She extended her right hand, and met the same fate as Jane.

"You've very welcome," Mistress purred as she squeezed Ainsley tight.

Kate contented herself with a casual wave, which suited Jane and Ainsley just fine.  Mistress' assistant seemed preoccupied with her new apprentice, who was still dutifully manning her post, so to speak.

Jane and Maura shared a smile as the Detective and Detective Constable made their exit.

"Now," Mistress addressed her remaining students, "what's your pleasure?"

"I'd like a demonstration of something really challenging," Susie said with an excited smile.

Mistress nodded, then turned to Maura.

Maura shrugged, her smile a little nervous.  "Uh, I guess so."

"Good," Mistress said.  "Two challenging positions, coming up."  She nodded at Kate, who strolled towards the rope racks.  "Sit," Mistress ordered, pointing at the tatami carpet.

Susie beamed at her mentor, who managed a dimpled (nervous) smile in return.  They settled into full-lotus positions as Kate carried a distressingly large armload of rope coils to the middle of the room, dropped them in a pile, and returned to the cabinets for more.

What have you gotten us into? Maura wondered, gazing sideways at her still smiling protégé.

"Now," Mistress asked with a smile.  "Who wants to go first?"

SKIN IN THE GAME
Chapter 7

"She tied you in what position?" Jane demanded, her eyes wide with horror.

Jane and Ainsley had enjoyed long runs and after-exercise saunas, as suggested by Giselle and Kate, then had rejoined their fellow students—now fellow graduates—for dinner.  Afterwards, they'd all enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the river, cut short by dark clouds and the onset of a light rain.  Returning to their respective cabins, Maura had been describing what transpired in the Meditation Lodge after the two police officers had departed.

"I suppose one might characterize it as a suspended or flying version of the Scorpion or Vrschikasana pose," Maura said, "but its better demonstrated than verbally described, especially with respect to the placement and linkage of the ropes between the overhead rings and the various parts of my anatomy."

"Scorpion," Jane muttered.

Maura nodded.  "It was challenging."

"So is being stretched on the rack," Jane sighed.  She was distressed on at least two levels.  One: Maura's naked body had been contorted and bound in some sort of hideous, suspended pose, the details of which Jane only vaguely understood, and she hadn't been there to be horrified in person.  Two: it sort of defused her only poorly defined plans for "revenge" on her irritatingly gorgeous and disgustingly super-smart BFF.  What could Jane do to Maura that could possibly trump what Giselle had already done?

"Now, as to what Mistress did to Susie," Maura started, but was preempted by another exasperated sigh from Jane and her raised hand.  "What?" Maura chuckled.

"We need to talk about Senior Criminalist Susie Chang," Jane said.  "I think we've created a monster."

Maura's smile widened.  "More correctly, Susie's discovery of Kinbaku-bi paired with yogic meditation has caused a personal awakening."

"She's awake all right," Jane muttered.  "When we get back to Boston, don't let her come anywhere near me with rope, okay?"

"Jane," Maura giggled.  "You should be ashamed.  Susie is no more dangerous than—"

"Than you are?" Jane interrupted.

Maura's smile turned coy.  She gazed at Jane for several seconds, then strolled away and returned with a coil of homework rope, although there was no homework.  Class was over.

Jane watched Maura release the coil, find the center, and form a loop.  "What are you gonna—Maura."  Her BFF had gently pulled Jane's wrists together in front, and was now binding them together.  And other than her pathetic, whining objection, Jane didn't resist!

"I'll show you a little of what Mistress did to Susie," Maura explained as she continued binding Jane.

"Do you have to?" Jane muttered.

Maura tied up her BFF using the arms raised, elbows bent, and hands behind-the-head technique they'd been taught early in the week.  Soon, rope bands lashed Jane's wrists together and linked them to her widely separated upper arms behind her head.

And Jane let her!  So much for revenge, the now captive brunette thought.  She'd already realized the evening wasn't going as she'd expected, but this?

The palm of her right hand against the small of Jane's back, Maura nodded towards the bedroom.  "Come with me," she purred, then applied gentle pressure against Jane's spine and led her captive away.

"Maura," Jane whined, "what ya gonna—?"

"Hush," Maura interrupted.

Jane's already wide eyes widened even further when she saw Maura's bed.  Two pillows were stacked in the very center and two coils of rope lay atop the mattress, one at the head, and one at the foot.  "Uh, don't ya think we ought to talk about this?" Jane whined.

"No!" Maura said forcefully and shoved Jane down onto the bed.

"Maura," Jane complained.  "Maura!"

Maura had followed her BFF onto the bed and then bodily lifted her so that Jane was on her back with the small of her back atop the pillows.  This left her in a bowed pose, with her stomach and hips (and other parts of her anatomy) slightly elevated and her head and feet somewhat lower.

"Stop squirming," Maura chuckled, "and stay where I put you."

"Aren't we bossy?" Jane huffed.

"Tonight, I'm in charge," Maura confirmed.

"In charge of what?  Oh!" Jane gasped.  Maura had just placed her left hand on Jane's now rather prominent pussy.

"In charge of you," Maura purred, then gave Jane's labia a gentle caress.  "And especially... this."  Her hand continued to glide, and Jane bit her lower lip, shivered from head to wiggling toes, and tried to think dry thoughts.

"Don't you dare move," Maura warned her captive, then climbed off the bed and picked up one of the coils of rope.  Over the next few minutes, Maura lashed Jane to the bed with her legs widely splayed and her ankles tied to the lower bedposts, and the second coil pulled through her bent elbows and tied to the upper bedposts.

Jane supposed it was a form of spread-eagle.  The ropes linking her to the bedposts were taut and she had very little wiggle room.  "Mistress did this to Susie?" she huffed, tugging on her bonds as best she could.  "Where'd they get the bed?"

Maura smiled and sat on the bed.  "Now that you mention it, what Mistress did to Susie was nothing like this."  She rested her hand on Jane's firm, taut, well-sculpted abdomen.

"So," Jane sighed, ignoring the sensation shivering through her pussy, "you lied."

"I lied," Maura agreed.  Her hand began to move.  "Otherwise, you might not have let me capture you."

Why did I let you capture me? Jane thought, her eyes locked with Maura's.

"When we get back to Boston," Maura said quietly, "we'll figure out a way to do this more equitably."

"What do ya mean?" Jane demanded, ignoring the growing thrill engendered by Maura's warm, soft hand.  "Cut cards to decide who gets to tie who to who's bed?"

Maura smiled.  "Remind me to explain the correct usage of  'who' verses 'whom' at some point in the near future," she purred.  "But in answer to your question..."  Her hand began to glide, again.  "Cards, dice, chess, backgammon, an app that generates pseudorandom numbers; there are many possibilities."

Jane bit her lip, again, and tugged on her bonds.  "Wonderful" she sighed.

Maura's smile became somewhat sinister.  "I tied you in this manner because of the way it exposes your armpits," she purred.  "If you get too rambunctious and vociferous, I can easily tickle your armpits, ribs, and boobies."

Jane was at once amused and aghast.  "Did you just say 'boobies?'  Dr. Smartypants Q. Know-it-all just said 'boobies?'"

"Boobies!" Maura giggled, then reached out and cupped Jane's breasts.  "Now..."  Her hands gently squeezed.  "If you don't want to be tickled, you'll limit your noise making to the occasional strangled whine or quiet moan of rapturous pleasure."  She began toying with Jane's now very erect nipples.  "I haven't experimented with cunnilingus since college," she added.  "I hope I haven't lost my touch.  Anyway. I'll do my best not to disappoint."

Jane's eyes popped wide.  "W-what?"  She tugged on her bonds in earnest and tried twisting her body.  "Maura!"

"I told you I was a bit of a 'wild child' in college," Maura giggled, "a merry trickster."

"You did," Jane huffed, "but—Mrrrpfh!"

Maura's right hand was now pressing against Jane's mouth, and her left index finger and thumb had a firm grip on Jane's right nipple.    "Quiet, Jane.  This is your final warning.  Tonight, you'll do as I say or I will tickle you.  I'll also gag you.  I have a rolled washcloth and folded scarf all set to go.  And if you persist in your disobedience, I'll gag you and tickle you, from armpits to toes.  Understand?"  She took her hand from Jane's lips but maintained her firm but painless grip on the nipple.

"Yes, Mistress," Jane whispered.

Then, Maura leaned close... and they kissed.  It was a deep, wet, kiss, with tongue, and it lasted a very long time.

Finally, still gently teasing Jane's nipple, Maura leaned back.  "I'll gag you, if you wish," she offered, "if you don't think you can follow Mistress' orders and remain quiet."

Jane smiled up at her grinning BFF... and lover.  "Maybe later," she purred.

Maura released Jane's nipple, then climbed down her stretched and pinioned body until she was kneeling between Jane's splayed legs.  Eyes locked with her prisoner, she gave her lips a kittenish lick, then lowered her mouth to Jane's pussy.

Jane's entire body went rigid and she pulled on her bonds with all her strength, but Maura had done her work well.  The ropes held.  Jane closed her eyes, lifted her chin, and bit back a scream.

Maura's tongue and lips were busy licking and sucking.  Apparently, licking pussy was like riding the proverbial bicycle.  She hadn't lost her touch.

SKIN IN THE GAME
Chapter 7

All good things come to an end.

It had been a hell of a vacation, and while the investigation might not have gone exactly the way any of them had planned, justice had triumphed in the end.

Jane, Maura, and Susie returned to Boston and Ainsley to Toronto.

Giselle and Kate remained at the Moon River Colony, relaxing in the interval before their next Shibari Meditation class.  Penny also remained at the Colony.  In fact, as she was undergoing a rigorous evaluation of her flexibility, tolerance of rope-enforced immobility, resistance to erotic stimulation, and ability to meditate, one might say Penny had little choice in the matter.  Truth be told, there were many occasions when the petite pixie could have easily "escaped" from her new apprenticeship, but that was the last thing on her mind.

The Boston Bondage Burglar pleaded out and began serving a long sentence for multiple offenses.  With due diligence, Jane, Maura, and Susie followed the case closely, even though they still technically weren't involved, and satisfied themselves one hundred percent that Giselle and Kate had been in no way involved in the kidnappings and burglaries.  Their preferred rope supplier was in Boston, so they took their used rope with them whenever they visited the city and came back with new rope.  Their link to the crimes was, indeed, a coincidence.  Susie calculated that Giselle and Kate had saved an average of $37.53 in shipping costs ($42.41 Canadian) per trip.
Wow!
And speaking of Susie, the Senior Criminalist had a peculiar habit of constructing elaborate dioramas to help organize her thoughts and feelings.  Usually her remarkably accurate and detailed scale models were of crime scenes, and at the very least they helped Maura, Jane, and any other investigators involved visualize spatial relationships.  And on more than one occasion, one of Susie's tiny props had stood out, in a way the actual object did not in the crime scene photos, and had triggered questions that led to a break in the case.

Jane was always impressed with Susie's handiwork, but thus far had failed to convince Maura—Susie's boss and a licensed medical doctor—to have the bubbly little crime tech involuntarily committed for evaluation of her obvious OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and advanced GGS (General Geekiness Syndrome).  It was a joke of course, and remained a joke, even after Susie gifted the BFFs with her latest creation.

The diorama was of the scene inside Moon River's Meditation Lodge the morning of the last day of class, just after Giselle and Kate had finished crafting their final demonstration and had left the Lodge.  Tiny, naked scale models of Maura, Jane, Susie, and Ainsley were bound and gagged, exactly as they had been that morning.  The details of their elaborate rope bonds and various gags were perfect, as were the physiques, skin tones, and hair of each of the tiny captives, all the way down to their glowing skins and the way the rope (thread) dimpled their helpless forms.

Tiny Susie and Tiny Ainsley were on the floor, of course, and Tiny Maura and Tiny Jane were tied together and suspended.  It was... magnificent.  Neither Jane nor Maura knew exactly what to make of the gift, but it was magnificent.

Maura decided to place the diorama in the Yoga Studio of her expansive home.  Upon returning from Canada she'd hired a contractor and made a few renovations.  A series of discrete lashing points, all designed to blend into the decor, were added to the Studio.  Now, Kinbaku-bi meditative suspensions were possible.  Maura was having a second "Studio" built in the basement, but installation of the soundproofing and the cunningly hidden secret entrance weren't yet complete.

Maura also went on one of her periodic internet buying sprees and purchased a plethora of high-end leather bondage gear: cuffs, harnesses, binders, gags, hoods, blindfolds, etc.  Jane was appalled, of course.  Okay, she was intrigued, and relieved to find that everything was sized to fit both herself and Maura.

After a few weeks, Susie visited Toronto as Ainsley's guest, and a few weeks after that, Ainsley visited Boston with Susie as her host.  The Senior Criminalist and Detective Constable had become good friends, very good friends.

Eventually, life in Boston settled into a new normal.  Murders were investigated and murderers apprehended—lather, rinse, repeat.

Jane was still having difficulty meditating, but both Jane and Maura got very good at tying complicated and aesthetically pleasing knots.


SKIN IN THE GAME
Chapter 7




& the story
entire




The End




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