Title: Into the Dark
Author: Divinia Serit
Rating: T (violence and language)
Summary: What if the McTeer case wasn't the one where Lisbon made a name for herself? A/U Lisbon and Jane's first meeting.
Notes: Written for aprilvolition in the Paint it Red Gift Exchange. A fun little action piece that took root from a scenario that's been stuck in my mind for months. I hope you enjoy it! I had a lot of fun writing it! It's more dialogue than I usually write, so it was a bit of a challenge! This one is already complete and will be posted in three parts. And now that the Gift Exchange is finished, I promise I'll go back to writing Evergreen ;)
Teresa Lisbon let out a muffled curse as she quickly buttoned up her shirt. Hoping on one foot, she pulled her pants on and tucked in the tail of her dress shirt, thankful she had taken the time to press them last night. The leather gun belt hung in her locker and she quickly pulled it over her hips and hooked it into place. Her badge was already pinned to her shirt and she quickly slipped her wallet in her back pocket. In a matter of moments, her shoes were tied and wiped off before she fumbled through her locker for the pack of rubber bands she had tossed in there last week. Sprinting down the hall, rubber band in her mouth, she pulled her long dark locks into a quick braid and released the rubber band with a snap. Her footsteps slapped loudly on the linoleum tiles as she practically crashed into the flimsy wooden door at the end of the hall. She pushed through the door, and jogged to her place in line beside the other cops standing at attention.
"Cutting it close, rookie," Detective Sam Bosco whispered quietly as the Police Commissioner took the podium.
She leveled a glare at her mentor and fought to calm her breathing. She didn't really hear anything the commissioner was saying. Instead her thoughts were on her brothers. She had received a phone call early this morning that Tommy had cut his hand at the repair shop and needed stitches. She had just enough time to get to the bank when it opened to transfer some extra cash into his account. She hoped she had done the right thing by moving to San Francisco. Chicago was just too stifling now. She needed to start over. Her father had always said she was too much of a girl to ever make a decent cop. Even though he was one year in the ground, she still couldn't help but want to disprove his biting remarks.
"At least look like you're paying attention," Bosco whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
She stifled a heavy sigh and schooled her features into an alert expression. She knew by the brief shake Bosco gave that he was laughing at her, and she toned down her expression into casual interest. The commissioner continued to hold them at attention while he rambled on- praising the new rookies on their graduation and imparting what a noble path they had chosen. He spent the next fifteen minutes discussing the problems on the streets, and the current protocols if any drug cartel activity was stumbled upon and suspected. Eventually, he gave his closing remarks and dismissed them with a nod.
"These inspections are such a waste of time," she muttered as they headed out of the room in mass exodus of navy blue.
"Probably," Bosco started. "But they keep the brass happy. And that keeps our paychecks happy. So make sure you're not late again."
"But I wasn't late," she exclaimed.
"Five minutes early is on time," he said seriously.
She bowed her head and accepted his reprimand. Tugging her hair around, she tightened the rubber band while side stepping around some other officers trying to avoid bumping into any of them. One of the more traditional veterans turned to scowl at her as she walked past and she leveled a glare in his direction. Eventually, she pushed her way through the crowd with Bosco close behind her. They made it halfway down the hall, before a voice called out to them.
"Bosco. A moment?"
They turned to face the tall man behind him. Lisbon nodded at her partner and shifted to the side of the hall, while Bosco walked back towards the Commissioner. Words were muttered and glances exchanged. Lisbon kept her head lowered and continued to wait patiently despite her curiosity. She tried to quell her restlessness as the other officers jovially streamed past. After several minutes, Bosco and the Commissioner shook hands and relayed the appropriate goodbyes.
"They need me for a drugs bust," he relayed, but before she could get her hopes up, he quickly elaborated. "I know you're ready for more, kid, but you know you're going to have to step twice as far to prove yourself to the brass. It isn't fair, but it's what you're going to face so learn to handle it now."
She bit her tongue to keep her anger in check. She knew Bosco was right. The San Francisco PD was still a 'Good Old Boys Club' and she had fought tooth and nail to get where she was now. She was more than aware that she was lucky in her partner assignment. Sam Bosco had seen her worth and gave her opportunities to grow. He'd do his best to make sure she got some recognition, but with his wife and a baby on the way, she couldn't ask him to put his job on the line for her. She'd have to do what she always did and step it up a notch to prove to the others she was a good cop.
"Tag along with Harrison today. It's a quiet beat, but you need that after the morning you've had," he said with a knowing look. "Harrison's a good man. He'll treat you right, and will more than likely regal you with tales from twenty years ago. Listen to them. You can learn a lot from what he tells you. He deserves more respect around here."
"Thanks, Bosco," she said.
"Don't get into any trouble, rookie," He called after her with a teasing lilt as she turned to walk away.
"Watch your six," she yelled over her shoulder. "I won't be invited to anymore of Mandy's home cooked dinners if I have to drag your ass back with buckshot stuck in it!"
Bosco chuckled and headed down a separate hallway while she jogged to Harrison's waiting cruiser. She greeted the old man with a fond smile, and slid in beside him. Frank Harrison had been on the force for forty years. He had no aspirations of climbing the ladder, and was content to handle the more suburban routes dealing with the occasional burglary and act of teen vandalism after ten years undercover for vice. He was still in good shape, but his stomach had started to bulge and his once black hair was now sparse and grey. He had a kind face, and greeted her warmly in return before pulling out of the parking lot.
"Rough morning?" he questioned after a sip of coffee.
She lifted an eyebrow at his deduction.
"You were almost late today," he said with a grin.
"You noticed?" she said with a groan. She had really hoped that Bosco was the only one to catch her sub par arrival.
"Don't worry, chickadee," he replied. "You weren't the only one, and you sneaked in the best. Now, which brother was it this time?"
They traded stories back and forth as they patrolled through several quiet neighborhoods. Her stomach rumbled and soon thereafter they pulled into a small coffee shop where she ran in for two sandwiches and coffees to go. Harrison called in to report their position while they ate an early lunch. Harrison's stories continued and she found herself genuinely enjoying her morning. It was nice break from the stress of the past few weeks, and although she knew a beat this quiet would bore her to tears long term, it was exactly what her frenzied mind needed today. Throwing the wrappers away, Harrison restarted the car and they pulled out into traffic to continue their patrol.
"Have I ever told you about the time-"
She smiled and took a sip of coffee as Harrison began his next story.
JLJLJLJL
Elaine Glenn fretted nervously as she peered in the oven to check the duck. She had already prepared the chutney and sweet potato au gratin, and a freshly frosted German Chocolate cake sat under glass. She had an hour to refresh her makeup and grab her heels before their dinner guests arrived. Her husband Dave was due home from and extended work meeting any minute now, and their twelve year old daughter Grayson was upstairs finishing her bath. The nanny had left for the day, but had laid out an appropriate outfit for Grayson to wear tonight. She glanced at the clock once more and set the timer for twenty minutes. That would give her enough time to take the duck out and assemble the salad. She poured herself a small glass of wine to calm her nerves and placed the bottle back in the ice bucket. The clomping of feet on the stairs alerted her to the arrival of her daughter and she turned to greet her with a smile.
"Oh you look absolutely lovely, Grace!" she said with a delighted smile.
"I hate dresses," the slender girl responded with a scowl.
"I know, sweetie. But it's important we look our best for your father's guests tonight. Several potential investors will be coming to meet him tonight, and we must remember our manners."
Grace's scowl deepened as she stared at the sparkling white dress shoes and tights covering her legs. She'd much rather be upstairs under her duvet reading her latest library book find. The navy shift dress wasn't horrible, but it was still a dress and not nearly as comfortable as the jeans and boots she normally wore. She glanced to the window, and sighed wistfully. It was going to be a beautiful evening- perfect for riding, but she was stuck inside so her father could show off his perfect little family. She'd given Bubbles an extra scratch behind his ears during his evening feeding before she was dragged back to the house.
"Grace, honey, can you mix the greens for me?" her mother asked.
"Yes, mother," she replied sullenly and reached for the ceramic bowl under the counter.
Elaine turned to the sink to wash her hands and started when a shadow flashed across the backyard. Lost in her own head, her daughter ignored her sharp intake of breathe, and Elaine peered out the kitchen window once more. The motion sensor security light at the corner of the estate had turned on, but the neighbor's cats were forever setting it off. Still, she was unable to rid herself of the nerves that threatened to overtake her. She was sure she saw something. Her hand hovered over the cordless phone on the counter as she thought about her options. Her husband would be furious thinking she'd caused a disturbance in his carefully constructed evening, but she'd rather be absolutely sure. Making up her mind, she picked up the phone and excused herself from the kitchen where Grace continued to add cranberries and walnuts to the salad mix.
"Yes, I'm sure it's nothing, but I'd like to report a possible disturbance," she started quietly.
The responder spoke for a moment before asking her a question.
"Please, a patrol would be fine. I just want to be absolutely sure there's nothing out there."
Her voice had an edge to it. The girl at the other end confirmed that it was most likely a raccoon, but she'd send the closest unit out to double check and not to worry. Elaine thanked her and was just pressing the end button when the doorbell rang. Setting the phone on the hall table, she gave herself one more once over in the mirror and went to greet their first guest.
"Good evening," she cheerfully said to the tall, blond man who was waiting with a grin. His blue eyes sparkled and she felt herself swoon slightly.
"I'm Elaine Glenn, and my husband should be home any minute. His last business meeting ran over, but please come in and have a drink."
"Patrick Jane," the man introduced. "You have a lovely home."
"Thank you," she said with a slight blush.
Before she could shut the door, she saw their final two guests coming up the walk. She held the door as Mr. and Mrs. Dailey arrived. She greeted them both warmly, and called for Grace to come serve drinks while she finished setting the table. Grace flitted around from person to person with a smile plastered on her face. When she got to Patrick Jane, he chuckled and bent down to her level. The girl was on the edge of being a teenager, but still so much a child. Her face was cherubically rounded, and her long brown hair was tied back in a French braid. She had a tiny bit of pink lipstick on, but nothing else covered her face. She was a pretty thing-petite, and he was sure she'd grow up to be a beautiful young woman.
"I'd bet you'd rather be riding your pony," he said with a grin.
Grace's eyes grew wide.
"How did you know?" she gasped in awe.
"Magic!" he answered, his eyes twinkling. "Now who might you be?"
"My name is Grayson Glenn," she politely gave the stiff introduction.
"And I'm Patrick Jane," he started. With a conspiratorial look , he lowered his voice. "But you can call me Patrick."
"Gracie," the girl answered with a grin.
She took his drink order and dashed off with a real smile on her face. Jane smiled to himself. He knew the world he was in would always require Gracie to be Miss Grayson Glenn, even though the child was dying to go by her nickname. He'd see what he could do to make the evening more pleasant for the girl. Checking his watch, he wondered when Mr. Glenn would arrive. He'd received a call earlier in the week from an old friend asking him to attend the dinner as a favor. He wanted Jane's opinion on the man before considering investing in the start-up business.
"Elaine!" a harsh voice cried out.
Jane watched as Mrs. Glenn's face fell as she dashed to the kitchen to greet her husband. His opinion of the man was already sinking. The loud voice become muffled as words were exchanged, but after a few minutes Dave came out with a pleasant smile on his face as he reached for the bourbon on the sideboard. He started to make the rounds greeting the couple first before coming to him. Dave's laugh was fake and tense and Jane found himself slightly repulsed by the man in front of him. He tried to smile through an over-enthusiastic handshake, and was relieved when Mrs. Glenn announced that dinner was served.
The duck was excellent. It was perfectly cooked and Elaine accepted his compliment with a shy smile. He returned his attention to the conversation happening across from him, but was quickly sidetracked by the sight of Gracie pushing peas around her plate. He leaned over to her with a shifty expression.
"When I was your age, I used to spit them out in my napkin," he softly shared.
Gracie's eyes widened as she tried to contain her grin. She was about to answer when her father interrupted them.
"Do you have any children, Mr. Jane?" he asked loudly.
"Not yet," Jane casually responded. "My fiance Angela is eager though. She wants two girls and two boys."
The others all murmured their approval.
Before they could swap another word, a floorboard creaked in the kitchen. Elaine felt her body go cold. Someone was in the house.
"Elaine?"
"I thought I heard something," she said.
Jane began to rise, but Dave waved him down.
"Don't worry about Elaine. She has an overactive imagination."
"What kind of noise?" Mark Dailey said leaning forward.
Elaine grimaced, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's probably nothing. Please continue eating your dessert."
Jane continued to watch her for a moment, his eyes tracking around the house.
Caroline Dailey let out a piercing shriek when a tall man stepped into the dining room holding a gun. He was wearing a woolen ski mask showing only his eyes and his mouth. The sound of the silverware clattering on the table echoed throughout the room, as three other masked figures surrounded them. Jane leapt out of his chair and was instantly struck with a strike to his face. He collapsed back in his chair, his head ringing.
"Please remain calm and no one will be hurt," the raspy voice of the leader announced.
JLJLJLJLJL
"All units." The dispatcher's voice crackled over the radio.
Harrison shot Lisbon a quick look, and she leaned forward to grab the radio.
"Seven Bravo Three Four. Whatcha got for us?" Lisbon asked.
"Caller reported a possible 10-70. 3740 Zebulon Drive."
The car leaped forward. A 10-70 call was a possible prowler.
"The caller was vague on the details. It might have been an intruder or it might be a raccoon. The alarm system didn't engage, but the caller sounded spooked. You want back up?"
Lisbon looked at Harrison, and he shook his head.
"Negative. We've got it," she responded. "We're en route. Ten-four."
The speedometer inched up to sixty but Harrison left the lights and siren off. He veered down a side street with a frown on his face.
"That's the Glenn Estate," he said to himself.
Lisbon waited for him to elaborate.
"It's towards the coast. Backs up to the state park. There's a nice lake up there with a funny light house. More like a tourist trap, although it's been quiet the last few years. The estate is isolated- the nearest neighbor is three miles away. They used to have horses on the property. Not sure if they still do."
"Why did we turn down back-up?" she asked.
"It's normally not a bad idea on a prowler call to have another unit close by, but the alarm wasn't tripped. It's most likely a stray cat or some tourists lost in the woods." He paused, "Nervous?"
"Sort of," she responded as her heart started to race. She and Bosco hadn't been called out on too many calls yet.
"You should be."
"I thought it was just a stray cat."
"Most times it is. But sometimes it's not, and that's why you always need to be on your toes."
She accepted his advice gratefully, as the ground leveled out and the houses became farther apart. Soon, there was only the blur of trees, and Harrison increased their speed. This was what she wanted- a chance to prove herself. This was why she had left the only home she'd known to come to a new state to work her ass off. She swallowed hard and thought of her brothers.
"You'll get over it."
"Huh?"
"The butterflies in your stomach."
She tried to smile.
"There are two types of fear. Fear of what could happen and fear of how you might screw up. You'll get over the second type."
Running her fingers over her crucifix, Lisbon prayed he was right.
JLJLJLJLJL
Elaine surreptitiously tried to check her watch. How long had the dispatcher said? Ten minutes? She was finding it difficult to concentrate with the guns pointed at them. Why didn't Dave do something? Grayson let out a whimper, and Elaine felt her heart go out to her daughter. Please let nothing happen to her, she prayed. She's only twelve. The leader of the group made his way over to her, and she felt her mouth dry up.
"Who did you call?" he questioned calmly. "Who did you call twenty minutes ago, Mrs. Glenn?"
He knew her name. She shuddered upon realization that this wasn't random.
"The police," she answered softly.
At her answer, a flash of headlights swept through the windows as a car came up the drive. The stopped, fixed on the wall and the intercom alert buzzed on the phone. One of the masked men nodded towards Dave.
"Yes?" he answered after being handed the phone.
"Police."
"Oh. One moment please," he responded, slightly flustered.
The others sat in silence as the sound of the gate creaking open echoed through the phone. Dave hung up, and handed the phone back to the intruder. The car continued up the drive.
JLJLJLJL
"Funny," she said as the approached the house. "The porch light is off."
Harrison nodded to her observation. "You'd think if they thought they saw something, they'd light up the yard."
The house was beautiful. Two stories of grey stone mixed with stucco. Crawling ivy vines climbed up the side of the house. The lawn was perfectly manicured with a cobblestone circular entry lined with black four board wooden fencing. Dotted shadows in the distance could only be horses grazing. One particular shadow was racing across his paddock as if upset about something. Lisbon frowned. They pulled up behind a Rolls Royce parked beside the detached garage. She wondered if they had guests.
"Let's go," Harrison said with a sigh as he opened the driver door. "And Lisbon, watch your back."
He was out before she could judge his level of seriousness. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror as she stepped out of the car. Her eyes were wider than normal, and she shivered at the strange sense of foreboding that washed over her. She glanced around once more at the estate as they headed to the front door. She swiped at her bangs, breathing deep to release the tension coiled in her stomach. The door opened as they approached it, and a balding man in his fifties stepped out to greet them.
"Evening, officers," he said with a trace of annoyance. "As you can see this has all been a misunderstanding."
His tone was instantly dismissive, and Lisbon felt herself bristle. She exchanged a glance with Harrison.
"Mr. Glenn, did your wife call 911?" she asked, willing her tone to be soothing.
"Yes, but it was nothing."
"Can we speak with her?" Harrison added.
"She's quite embarrassed about the whole situation. Considering we have guests over, it just wouldn't be kind to bring up the matter in front of them," he said snidely.
"Mr. Glenn, we'd like to speak with your wife," Harrison said sternly. "Surely she must have believed she saw something."
"Unless she's the type to make prank calls," Lisbon chimed in.
Mr. Glenn turned to glare at her, before releasing a heavy sigh.
"Oh all right," he said, and motioned for them to step inside the house.
Lisbon took a deep breath, and followed Harrison through the door.
JLJLJLJL
Patrick Jane watched from the dining room as two officers stepped through the entry behind Dave. The young woman's eyes trailed around the hall in obvious awe of the wealth and splendor exhibited. He could tell she was intelligent- her eyes quickly snapping back to analyze everything she could see while her partner continued to fix a hard gaze on Dave. The brunette cop met his gaze, and he forced a small smile. The cops were already suspicious, and they needed to leave as soon as possible. Or this could get very bad very quick.
"Yes, everything's just fine officers. I was mistaken," Elaine said softly to the older cop. "I had watched a tense movie last night, and was obviously still on edge."
"As long as you're certain, Mrs. Glenn," the man responded.
The female cop continued to study her surroundings, her eyes narrowed. Jane swallowed. Someone needed to pull this back together or they were all dead. The intruders had baked into the kitchen, pulling Gracie with them. He could almost feel the girl's tearful eyes begging him to get her out of this situation.
"Elaine, I'd love another helping of dessert," he jovially called out.
His comment broke the tension as Dave led the officers back to the front door. Jane hoped they would let it go, and chalk up the strangeness to the weirdness of the wealthy. Elaine was walking back towards him, when the lead intruder stepped into the hallway behind Dave. Before anyone could shout a warning, the man leveled his weapon and fired.
