Tag to Red Hot: story starting following Lisbon and Mashburn's night together.
This is going to be a multi- chapter story to keep me amused over the summer. I'd also like to say thank you all for your kind feedback on my last story! It's lovely to know that there is still a strong Mentalist community. If you fancied leaving a review that would be fab!
Jane pulled up behind the team van, his Citroen DS looking tiny in comparison to the huge people carrier. Monday morning had brought with it a new case, and as he decided; fresh misery. He stepped out of the car and stretched, breathing in the fresh September air. They were in a carpark that once served the now deserted diner.
The previous week pursuing Yuri Bajoran had been good fun. When most of your days involved tearing apart families and relationships; driving fast cars, attending fancy parties and spending ludicrous amounts of money, worked to provide some light relief.
For all his arrogance, Mashburn amused Jane. He was like a child. A very wealthy child who was bored of experiences his money could buy. He wanted thrills. With that, Jane could both sympathise and facilitate. He laughed at the memory of driving his car blindfolded.
He spotted Cho with local police, Rigsby and Grace talking to the witnesses at the scene. Lisbon however, did not appear to be around yet.
He marched up to Cho. "Morning. What's the deal here?" he asked. His eyes were still scanning the area for Lisbon.
Cho glanced up from his notebook nonchalantly; "double homicide. Two men. Early- twenties. Both shot in close range. One in the chest, the other in the head. Local PD think it's a gang hit. Both have a tattoo on their left arm of a bird". He looked up at Jane and questioned "any thoughts?"
Jane shrugged and walked around the car where the bodies of both men were still in the two front seats. They were both fit and powerful, the sort of people you wouldn't think could be taken down by a small piece of metal. But behind their strength, he could see how young they were.
"Which gang?" Jane asked, pointing at the tattoo. Cho almost smiled; "Swifts. They're rich university kids. Started off as a fraternity but expanded into recreational drugs. They don't cause much beef, they just have money and time".
"Huh" remarked Jane. He paused and leaned his head inside the window of the car. Cho heard him sniff.
Jane stepped back and smiled, turning on his heels towards Cho. It was at this point that he heard the slamming of Lisbon's car door. He looked towards her but she darted straight towards Rigsby and Van Pelt. Her body language was nervous and tense, but she smiled broadly as she reached Grace.
"Jane" Cho prompted "any thoughts on these two before I sign the bodies over to forensics?".
Jane nodded "It's not a gang hit. That would've been done somewhere more visible to make a statement. They don't pose a serious threat to anyone. No… I think they were lovers. This one…" he gestured to the smaller man behind the wheel "had just been dumped. You can see the tears dried on his cheeks. I think his friend here ended their relationship. So furious and feeling abandoned, the driver shoots him, realises what he's done, then turns the gun to himself"
"There's a lot of supposition there, Jane" Cho responded, signing off the form to hand the bodies over to forensics. He knew however, that a Jane hunch was rarely wrong.
Jane meanwhile had wondered over to Lisbon. As he got closer, he could tell she was wearing the same clothes as the night before. As if she could read into his glance, she adjusted the straps of her camisole ashamedly, pulling it further up her chest. His heart dropped slightly. He realised why she hadn't changed.
The trio of CBI agents were interviewing a man and a woman in their late thirties.
"Jane, this is Alec and Lisa Owen. They live in the apartment above the diner. They called the police after hearing gunshots in the early hours of this morning" Van Pelt summarised.
Jane looked at them. They looked tired, run down by the world. He guessed they used to own the diner, but couldn't afford to keep it open.
Jane smiled warmly at them, then asked "do you normally get many visitors here?"
Lisa shrugged "the odd one or too. It's a make- out spot for a lot of the local kids. The diner has been closed a couple of years and I figure no one thinks we live here"
Cho came over and joined them. "Lisa here, says the car park is a space for lovers" Jane informed him. He shot Lisbon a glance at this point and watched her squirm, shifting her weight from her right foot to her left and folding her arms across her body as he mentioned the word "lovers".
"That's not enough evidence Jane- even you know that. Even if they were lovers, it doesn't mean somebody else didn't kill them" Cho responded cooly.
"Hmm… Well I'm done here" Jane concluded "you can stay and find some more of your 'evidence'" he smirked and turned to back to his car.
He was waiting for Lisbon to reprimand him, but she hadn't. No snappy comment to pull him back into line, or force him to stay at the crime scene. She'd just let him go.
He had joked about her sleeping with Mashburn. Encouraged her to have some fun even. But he hadn't considered that she might actually do it. His own response annoyed him. He should be pleased for her. Glad that she had allowed her guard down, let herself be vulnerable and allowed herself some pleasure. But he felt jealous. Frustrated. Angry that another man could make her happy in a way he couldn't.
He cared about her deeply. He knew that when he shot Hardy to save her. But it wasn't like he was sleeping with her or should have any say in who she was sleeping with at all. He had always been the jealous type, overwhelming any man who would so much as look at Angela. He wanted to protect her, make sure she had only the best… He swallowed the lump in his throat… He wanted to make sure she had someone who wouldn't let her come to any harm.
Did he feel that way about Lisbon?
He started his car, speeding away from the diner to return to the CBI.
"what was that about?" asked Rigbsy
"it's Jane" responded Cho flatly "could be anything"
Lisbon thanked that Owens for their help and turned to the rest of the team. "Rigsby, Cho, head to the university and talk to other members of the gang. Van Pelt and I will head back to the office. Jane is probably right but we're going to need more than just his best guess to close this one formally"
They went their separate ways and Van Pelt joined Lisbon in her car. Lisbon turned the radio on quickly - the news broadcast stopping any conversation between the two.
She stared at the road. She knew Jane would've worked out she had slept with Mashburn. What she didn't account for was that he would care. Or that him knowing that she had done, would make her feel uncomfortable in this way.
The way that his eyes had moved over her body made her wince. She tried to reason with herself as she joined the highway. She was an adult. She was single. Mashburn was… fun. Jane shouldn't make her feel bad for enjoying herself… dammit he had basically encouraged her into doing it.
"Boss?" Van Pelt questioned, turning down the volume control on the radio "are you okay?" she looked at Lisbon, more concerned than curious.
"Uh… I'm fine" Lisbon replied, her voice cracking. She realised how long she had been driving for not speaking. "have you got anything come through from forensics confirming identity?". Back to business she thought- keep her mind off Jane.
"yup, the driver was Richard Sanderson. Age 21. The passenger was Jacob Lawrence, also 21. Home addresses are about 20 miles North of the office" Van Pelt informed her. "I'm just sending some stuff over to Cho and Rigs about their university life. Lawrence lifted weights, Sanderson was on the football team. Did okay at school but nothing special".
"thanks" replied Lisbon, relaxing her grip on the steering wheel.
As she pulled into the CBI car park, a new flush of nervousness swept through her. She cursed her body's response.
She knew rationally that she had done nothing wrong. But on some level she felt she had let Jane down. Jane meant a lot to her. Despite being a pain in the ass, she felt safe in his presence and enjoyed his company. In her times of need, he was there for her- like no one else had been.
Sure, she cared about him. It was more than just closing cases, but was it more than just friendly affection?