Ice Cold: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

ready to pursue his daughter into the house, which was just what Grace wanted, and no doubt expected.
    “Don’t worry about her,” said Maura. “I promise I’ll look after her. She’ll be perfectly all right.”
    “With you in charge, I know she will.” He took her into his arms for a farewell hug. “I’m sorry, Maura,” he murmured. “Sorry for everything that’s gone wrong.” He pulled away and looked at her. “Back when you knew me at Stanford, I’m sure you thought I was a fuckup. I guess I haven’t done too good a job of changing your mind.”
    “You get us out of here, Doug, and I’ll rethink that opinion.”
    “You can count on it.” He tightened the chest strap of his backpack. “Hold the fort, Dr. Isles. I promise I’ll be back with the cavalry.”
    She watched from the porch as he headed up the road. The day had already warmed into the twenties, and not a cloud was visible in the sky. If he was going to attempt the journey, today was the day to do it.
    The door suddenly opened and Elaine came flying out of the house. She had already said her goodbye to Doug moments earlier, but here she was again, running to catch up with him, running as though her life depended on it. Maura could not hear their conversation, but she saw Elaine pull off the cashmere scarf she always wore and gently drape it around Doug’s neck as a parting gift. Theyembraced, a hug that seemed to last forever. Then Doug was on his way, climbing up the rutted road that led out of the valley. Only when he’d rounded the bend and vanished behind the trees did Elaine finally turn back to the house. She climbed the porch steps to where Maura was standing but didn’t say a word, just brushed past her and walked inside, shutting the door behind her.

E VEN BEFORE D ETECTIVE Q UEENAN INTRODUCED HIMSELF, J ANE would have pegged him as a cop. He stood beside a snow-covered Toyota in the parking lot of the Mountain Lodge, conversing with a man and a woman. As Jane and her party climbed out of their rental car and approached the Toyota, it was Queenan who turned to look at them, watching with the alert gaze that characterized a man whose job was all about observation. In every other way he seemed ordinary—balding, overweight, his mustache streaked with the first hints of gray.
    “Are you Detective Queenan?” said Gabriel.
    The man nodded. “You must be Agent Dean.”
    “And I’m Detective Rizzoli,” said Jane.
    Queenan frowned at her. “Boston PD?”
    “Homicide unit,” she said.
    “Homicide? Aren’t you folks kind of jumping the gun here? We don’t know that any crime’s been committed.”
    “Dr. Isles is a friend of ours,” said Jane. “She’s a reliable professional, and she wouldn’t go missing on a whim. We’re all concerned about her welfare.”
    Queenan turned to look at Brophy. “And are you with Boston PD, too?”
    “No, sir,” said Brophy. “I’m a priest.”
    At that, Queenan gave a startled laugh. “A fibbie, a cop, and a priest. Now, that’s a team I haven’t seen before.”
    “What have you got so far?” Jane asked.
    “Well, we have this,” Queenan said, and he pointed at the parked Toyota where two people stood, watching the conversation. The man was named Finch, and he worked as a security guard for the lodge. The woman was an employee with the Hertz rental car agency.
    “This Toyota’s been parked here since at least Friday night,” said Finch. “Hasn’t been moved.”
    “You confirmed that on surveillance video?” asked Jane.
    “Uh, no, ma’am. Cameras don’t cover this lot.”
    “Then how do you know it’s been here that long?”
    “Look at the snow piled up on it. We had a big storm on Saturday that dumped almost two feet, which is about what I see on this car.”
    “This is Maura’s car?”
    The Hertz lady said, “The rental contract for this vehicle was made out to a Dr. Maura Isles. It was booked online three weeks ago, and she picked it up last Tuesday. Paid for it with an AmEx card. It was supposed to be returned to our airport lot yesterday morning.”
    “She didn’t call to extend the rental?” asked Gabriel.
    “No, sir.” The woman pulled a key ring out of her pocket and looked at Queenan. “Here’s that spare key you wanted, Detective.”
    Queenan pulled on a set of latex gloves and unlocked the front passenger door. Gingerly he leaned inside and opened the glove compartment, where he found the rental contract. “Maura Isles,” heconfirmed,