She’d left the hospital in a daze, driving back to the police department headquarters and sitting heavily at her desk. She’d opened a document and typed up her resignation on autopilot. She hadn’t even bothered to proof read the letter.
With a box of her most precious belongings under her arm, Maura Isles closed the door on her life, on everything she could have had and been. She walked from Boston police headquarters, not as a pathologist, nor as the Chief Medical Examiner but as Maura; a broken and lonely woman. It suited her; after all, it was what she knew best.

Pushing open her front door, she was almost run down by Jane. Angela stood in the middle of her living room, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her pleading eyes settled on Maura.

”No Ma!” Jane snapped at her mother. ”She’s water!” She’d jabbed a finger in Maura’s direction. ”I’m blood!” Maura pushed silently past her, wondering how her home had turned into a warzone. Why couldn’t they leave her alone?

Whatever they had been arguing about had come to its conclusion with that one statement. Angela moved slowly, gathering her belongings as Jane stormed from the house. Had Maura turned to watch her leave, as she so often had done before, she’d have seen the tears of longing and sorrow in Jane’s eyes as she paused to look back at Maura.

When Angela had left almost two hours late, Maura pulled her laptop open and clicked quickly to a real estate site. It took her about an hour before she’d settled on four properties she’s liked and called the agents to organise viewings. A few phone calls later and Bass was loaded into a car and heading off to his usual care-giver for an impromptu vacation.

Maura had poured herself a glass of wine before she’d packed a suitcase showered and crawled into bed. The flight to San Francisco took off at lunchtime the following day.

Maura had chosen a Spanish style house in a charming and quiet neighbourhood. The current owners had already moved out into a new home and they had done something drastic and probably illegal. Maura hadn’t cared at all.
After the viewing, she retired to the bar in her hotel and settled into a booth when Mr Lloyd had appeared, shifting nervously on his feet. She couldn’t hide her surprise at his presence.