Alizarin Boomerang

They had been called out to the desert. Lisbon, Rigsby and Van Pelt surveyed the burned wreck in front of them. Meanwhile Patrick was crouching in the brush a few feet away from the edge of the scorched earth. There were some local cops interviewing a guy who looked slightly intoxicated and was probably hung over. His own car was sitting by the roadside almost in a ditch. He had woken up in it and seen the burnt out car and called the cops who called the CBI after a body had been found in it.

"So why we here, again?"

"Local PD arrived on scene two hours ago. We're in between state lines so no man's land. Jurisdiction belongs to the bureau out here."

"Lisbon!" shouted Jane

"What?!" she yelled back with impatience and frustration reserved only for Patrick Jane and walked over as he stood holding a half burnt piece of red and green plastic. "What's that?"

"Calling card." He grinned

"It's a piece of garbage."

"No, it's a calling card. See?" he turned it over.

"What is it?"

"Calling card. Notice that it has been burnt carefully into this shape. Almost sculptured."

"Doesn't look like much to me. It's just a piece of melted plastic."

"It's shaped like a star. Coincidence?"

"Yes, they do happen, Jane. It's not a calling card."

"Hang on. Rigsby!"

"Yeah" the bear-like arson expert jogged over.

"Jane thinks this is a calling card. I keep telling him it's just a lump of-"

"It does look awfully star-shaped, boss. It looks like it's been slow-burned. Like with a lighter instead of a car burning."

"Ok." She sighed resignedly "How many stars does that make now?"

"Seven"

CBI Headquarters, Sacramento

"Ok. So far there are no connections between the vics, let's see. Do we have an id on this one yet?" said Lisbon

"Yeah, vic's name is a Victor Taub, building contractor from Napa, doing some work in Stockton." Rigsby supplied

"Maybe this could provide us with the link we've been looking for all along."

"How do you mean?"

"Connie Salisbury was an interior designer. Two months before she died, she did some work on some developments, Taub's company had developed."

"Ehh, that sounds like a coincidence. Neither of them have a connection to the others." Mused Patrick from the couch

"Oh, and what do you suggest? That this is all a random killing spree."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"No. There's gotta be a connection."

"Boss. Take a look at this." Said Cho suddenly

"Marina Herrera a Hispanic woman was found squatting in one of the apartments last week. Her father is Marcel José Herrera."

"The 3rd vic."

"So you're saying Victor Taub's our connection?"

"Could be."

"What about the others?"

"Still no connections."

"So we're back at square one. Great. Let's find something before we go to Hightower."

"What school did Daniel Stevenson attend again?"

"Cordova"

"Kari Marcela's mother had pictures of her dressed in their cheerleading outfit."

"Our first vic, Lawrence Aver did some maintenance work there a couple years back."

"Amy Walden tutored kids mainly from there."

"Why didn't we notice this before?"

"We dismissed it as neither Herrera nor Salisbury had any connections."

"Neither does Taub. Or maybe we're not digging dee enough."

"Boss there's been another 'star'. This one's alive."

Sacramento Children's Hospital (AN: I don't know any hospitals in Sacramento so I just made it up)

"7 year old Allysha Anderson. She was found 2 days ago by hikers in the forest beside the river."

"How'd it take so long to call us?"

"We picked up the callout for a star left with any dead bodies. We didn't notice this until about an hour ago when one of the nurses was moving her coat off a chair and it fell out of a pocket." He held up a star of David pendant in a sealed bag. It was covered in blood smears.

"What makes you think this is another 'star' case?"

"The victim isn't Jewish. Her parents had never seen it before."

"It's a 'star', Lisbon. Now. Doctor, can we speak with the young girl, please?"

"I'm afraid she was brought in here unconscious and has remained so ever since."

############

AN: just so you know...

Victims

Lawrence Aver

Kari Marcela

M. José Herrera

Amy Walden

Connie Salisbury

Daniel Stevenson

Victor Taub

Allysha Anderson