Hot Springs and Toxic Rubies

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the general idea of "the Mentalist". I wrote this story only for fun and do not want to make money with it. I am not a native English speaker/writer, but I tried my best, so that everyone who reads these lines will enjoy it too.

Chapter 1: On vacation without me?

It was beautiful, and there were almost no words to describe it properly. Slowly the sun sank to the horizon, it´s color being first orange, then light red, and finally, when it touched the sea´s surface, as red as a ruby. The air was still and there was no wind; the soft splash of the waves mixed up with the cry of some lonely sea bird. The palm trees swayed in a light sea breeze, it was pure harmony.

Caren de Palmer was a daughter out of a good house. She had never been in any situation that she did not like, and she did not know how it does feel, if you haven´t got enough money. But that had not made her conceited; despite of the fact that she could afford everything she wished to, she was as friendly and moderate as one could be.

She loved it to go jogging in the dusk, and not even now, in her honeymoon, she wanted to quit with it. And it was wonderful. The bit hotel area where she and her new husband lived lay at the western side of the island, which left a free look into the western sky. Nearly all day it was sunny at the beach, and at sunset time most of the couples that spent their holidays here went up at the little cliff at the northern side of the bay – this was called the "Sundown rock". Here you could stand a little bit above it all and see the sun until the last rim vanished behind the horizon. The whole bay area was in private property of the hotel, and this place was as quiet and as relaxing as it could be.

All cars were left outside at the big parking lot, inside the hotel area only electric vehicles were allowed, such as the e-buggies that were used at the small golfing area at the eastern side of the hotel complex. Whoever wished to do so could rent a bike or a segway vehicle, or just walk between the flowers and the palms, the little bushes, the othe small arrangements of garden-art, and the different hotel buildings.

Caren had been running up to the "Sundown rock" and watched the sunset, but whilst a lot of the other couples now slowly went to the hotel restaurant, she took the small trail downwards at the other, the northern side of the cliff, where a small depression lay between this and another cliff which was a little bit wilder and rockier than the "Sundown rock" where the hotel owners had made a flat plateau out of the stone. This area also belonged to the hotel, and the path that she followed now would turn about a hundred and fifty yards up the cliff at the outer fence of the private property in a smooth curve and lead back through the hotel´s garden to the tennis court. It was the longest run one could take in this area, but she knew that she was fast and would finish her round before the dinner time started. She would have enough time to take a shower and dress up, and then go to the big restaurant with her loving husband.

But suddenly she stopped, because she heard a whispered conversation. It was not yelling or screaming, but still hissing and unfriendly, maybe some kind of upset. Sure those voices belonged to hectic persons, one male, one female, and they were drifting to her from an area a little bit below of her… from a place was in the bay between the rocks.

She smiled – a little bit of curiosity must be allowed, even if she was in her honeymoon. So she did not run on straight ahead, but turned left to the seashore. There was a flight of stairs carved directly into the black, volcanic stone, which led to a very special attraction in this hotel. One could say that this holiday resort was famous for this spot.

It was a hot-spring-sea-bath, fed by a submarine hot spring. Along the rocky coastline of this small bay the hotel owners had built five little bath pools directly out of the black, volcanic stone; each one constructed in a way that you could not see the ongoing in the other four – and if the persons there talked at low voice, one could not even hear them, the sound of the waves and the wind was loud enough. You could feel really alone and relaxed there, and the water in the small, stony coves was round about body heat, if one wished it the pipe valve could be opened a little bit more, if – to get it a little bit hotter. The best time to go here was in the early evening like now, and if you want to use them you would need a reservation.

Caren went down and smelled the slightly sulfuric odor – the smell did not disturb, it was only a little bit more intense than usual.

Who could it be? Who was arguing there? She hoped so much that it would be that "always-nose-up" Betty and her "oh so loved" husband. She knew her from the fitness room, and disliked her since the first time they had talked. Oh, she and her husband were the perfect couple, never fighting, never arguing, all in harmony, blah, blah, blah. That would be a story, seeing them in the middle of a fight.

But it was not what Caren expected. The people down there were not guests, it seemed to her, that they both wore the uniforms of the hotel staff, but it was getting dark very fast now, no chance to see their faces or anything else. But one thing she noticed for sure: They were carrying a third person, unconscious or worse, between them, and a second person was still face down in the middle of one of the small pools.

And in the next second a heavy hit smashed against the side of her head, she toppled over, but before she could fall down by herself, the unknown person behind her grabbed hold of her hair and took care, that her head hit the rocky ground in full speed.

Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon had enough from being yelled at. She had been listening to the shrill voice of the woman on the telephone for half an hour now and sighed – in the whole conversation she had had only two or three words until now; and these were »Agent Lisbon speaking.«

Desperately she looked out of her bureau window for some help, but it was impossible to try to reach director Bertram. Also, she did not like Bertram that much, after what he´d said and done after the Red John affair, but nevertheless, he was the Director of the CBI. It had been him who had first explained her that the client wanted only the best team. Despite all complains that the unit got on record because of Jane´s unorthodox behavior; they still were the team with the best case-solved-rate in the CBI.

So blame Bertram, for goodness sake; she thought, and tried to listen to the phone caller again. The woman was no one less than Bettina Wilder, being the wife of the prosecuting attorney of Los Angeles County, Terrence Wilder. She had all rights to call for the CBI if she wanted to, but Teresa had to explain her that her wish was nearly impossible. But Lisbon had no chance to cut in, the other woman just kept on pleading, accusing, yelling and commanding; then she started to repeat some details, and cried even louder.

Finally it was enough. Lisbon had listened to the story for about two and a half times now: »Ma´am.« she said with a deep, calm voice. »Let us meet, and you explain us all your sorrows from eye to eye. Would this be ok with you? If we start right now, we could be with you at any time tomorrow morning. We´ll catch the soonest flight, and will be there for you as fast as possible. Yes?«

For a second the woman on the other end of the line thought about this proposal, then she accepted: »Yes. Please come here. At least I can get a look at your whole team. My driver will be waiting at Hilo airport at any time, to welcome you, even if he has to wait until tomorrow morning. I wish to see you as soon as possible.«

Lisbon replied: »But Ma´am, you must know one thing. We are the California Bureau of Investigation and have no rights to investigate in another State. If you want us to take over the case, there must be some official permission form. Even if the victim is a citizen of California, there is much interfering bureaucracy.«

The woman seemed to understand: »I will look after that. You will get the permission. Come soon.« She hang up and left no room for any reasonable protest.

Teresa shook her head. The last few minutes had been so easy and full of clear understanding, that she could hardly believe that she´d talked to the same person who had been nearly crying off her ear before. But now she had another problem now; they had to prepare to leave the office as fast as possible.

She rushed outside her own buero to her team and ordered: »Bring everything you need for report and the starter pack for a crime investigation. Take everything you need with you for at least three days and nights out; maybe longer. We´re heading off to Hilo.« She stopped, because her team and also the other agents that were present looked at her in awe. Teresa smiled a little bit, and then she continued: »Van Pelt, ere you ask, yes, I want you to get us the tickets for the earliest possible plane. After we know our departure time you may all go home and get your private suitcases ready. We meet one and a half hour before departure at Sac Airport.«

Grace Van Pelt was already working and said: »There´s a plane from AA on five fifteen pm with an intermediate at L.A., but then directly to Hilo. Another line would be out of Frisco at eight thirty to Honolulu; from there we could surely get another connection to Hilo with the first plane on the morning. They all got seats. Will we get five fifteen over L.A.? I think we would be there earlier.«

Lisbon looked round, in the faces of Cho and Rigsby, then she nodded: »Its two now, of course we get five fifteen. Reserve the tickets; we pay them directly at the counter, when we get them. Speed up - and meet at the airport check in at a quarter to four pm. That´s all.«

»And would you tell us what this is all about?« Rigsby asked. »Why are we going to Hawaii? That's out of our bounds. Or is this a short-circuit-vacation-thing?«

Lisbon told him: »Why are you still on your place? Go and pack the equipment! We´ll talk as soon as we´ve checked in, then we´ve got plenty of time. Summarize: We have to be at Hilo by tomorrow morning, better tonight. There is Bettina Wilder, wife of the prosecuting attorney Terrence Wilder waiting for us. The director wants us to do everything that is possible to help the woman; or at least talk to her. Her daughter Caren had an accident four days ago, but she does not believe that it really was an accident.«

That was all she told them. They started to work, and only half an hour later they could leave the CBI to get their personal belongings. No one was late at the airport and for luck the check-line was not very long. They had a domestic flight and no intention to buy anything in duty free shops, so they had enough time to sit down in a coffee shop to discuss the case again; this time to get more details.

Lisbon started: »Early this afternoon Director Bertram called me. Mrs. Wilder wants a CBI team to investigate the mishap of her daughter; Caren. As I told you before she is somewhat convinced that it was not a mere accident.«

Van Pelt asked: »An accident? Has Mrs. Wilder got specific suspicions that it was some kind of "forced" accident? Or did the local police find something strange? What happened?«

»Yeah, usually we don´t take over accidents, but…« Lisbon continued. »But she insists on it, even if there is no proof that it wasn´t one. Caren de Palmer was in her honeymoon, and the officials at their vacation site said, that she fell down while she was jogging, and hit the ground with her head so badly, that she is in a deep coma state since. She is not dead – but as good as, they have her in ICU at the Hilo General Hospital. The doctors say she´s got only a ten percent chance that she´ll ever wake up again. She was found by her own husband Evan, who knew that she liked it to go jogging at sunset time. The local police and the husband informed the family, the Wilders. They all said, that it must have been an accident. Caren lay on a rocky path and the light there was really bad – one false step and you stumble. Unfortunately for the police report, Evan moved her from the place that she actually fell down to a rather plain part of the path. He is a doctor – cosmetic surgeon, to be correct, that Mister de Palmer. He tried to help her with first aid. I fully understand his attempt to help his wife, but he destroyed all reliable traces while he tried to save her. There was not much to see either, the rocks there are as black as night.«

»Seems to be not that kind of case that we usually work on.« Cho said.

Lisbon was his opinion: »Yes, of course not. But Mrs. Wilder insists; she says that maybe someone attacked her daughter, whether to rob her, or worse, and that she fell because of the attacker. She wants to speak to us personally, and then we have to do something. But remember, we cannot investigate outside of California without a special permission. That´s difficult.«

»What will we do then?« Rigsby asked.

»Mrs. Wilder and her husband try to get a permission form for us, but this is their business. It´s like waiting for a search warrant. We can only get active if we get this special permission. Otherwise we can only be like consultants for the local law enforcement, but not really investigating.« Lisbon answered. She looked round. »By the word of consultant, where´s Jane? He is not here. That's strange, don't you think?«

Van Pelt sighed: »Oh no, we forgot him at the HQ…«

Cho shook his head: »He wasn´t there when we left.«

Lisbon asked: »Did anyone try to call him? I must say, I didn´t try.«

Rigsby said: »I tried, but his phone was still switched off, to my surprise. He left hours ago, before lunch … told something about a Doc, where he needs to go…«

»Jane at a Doc´s house?« Grace asked in wonder. »He never goes to a doctor. He hates them.« She looked at Rigsby: »Did he tell you why?«

Wayne thought about it for a while, then he answered: »I think I remember that he said something like that he must visit that Doc as soon as possible.«

»But he did not look ill or something, did he?« Lisbon replied. »He was never sick since I know him. He´s all-right, I think. As soon as we have our stopover in L.A., I´ll call him. It's too late now, we have boarding time. He´ll be fine a few hours without us.«

She was right, the plane to L.A. was ready to board now, and no half hour later they departed. It was not a long flight; they touched down in Los Angeles not a long time later.

As soon as they had left the plane to change to that one that was going to Hilo, Lisbon took out her cell-phone and called Jane. When he answered, his voice sounded like the whimper of a left-behind puppy. She perfectly knew that he was only playing, but nevertheless she smiled. He was a very good player if he wanted to.

»Lisbon?« he asked. »Where are you all? I came back and everyone was gone, without any sign or word? It was Agent Barnett, who told me that you all left for the airport. Do you know how it feels like to be left behind like an empty chocolate-candy-box? Any excuses?«

»Yes, we had to catch the first flight to Hilo.«

Jane sighed: »I see, I see. You took the first chance to go on a vacation without me.«

»No, I never would. It's maybe about a new case. A big "maybe", because we still do not know whether we can get to work in Hawaii State or not.«

Patrick was still low at voice: »Ah, I see. If you want, tell me what it is all about, when you arrive. Have a good time there.«

This really made Lisbon wonder; she´d never expected him to stay behind without any complain. »Yes, of course I will tell you. But… Jane, there is another plane to Hawaii today. There´s an eight thirty plane from Frisco to Honolulu; you can surely change there to get a Hawaiian Line to Hilo. I would be happy to see you there.« She sighed. »You are our consultant, and part of the team… please come, okay?«

»I´ll think about it.« Jane said, still not sounding as usual. »I could need a few days off now but there is still that thing about the place I must go to…« he stopped. »Um, whatever. Hawaii would be nice, for a while. See you there.«

Lisbon answered: »See you.« She switched off her telephone again and put it back in her pocket. »He´ll be with us.« she informed the others, then she asked: »Which Gate?«

»D Thirty. Flight AA two-nine-seven.« Grace said. »We can go there right now. For goodness sake, it doesn´t seem to have a delay.« Soon they were surrounded by many people who seemed to go on holidays; happy families, some couples, older folk, surfers and a photographer-safari group, two dozen or more business-people, and a few handful of persons who lived in Hawaii and just flew home. The most of the bureaus and office buildings of Hawaii State was in Honolulu and its surrounding area on the island of Oahu; but Hilo was the capital of the biggest island, Hawaii. About five hours of flight lay before them. Still no one knew if there was a case waiting for them in Hilo, or if they only were there to tell the client that there was nothing to do.

Five hours of flight across the endless blue of the Pacific Ocean – the sky was clear and the sunset seemed to be as slow as never before, but that was easy to understand; they were flying in western direction and had two hours of time difference between L.A. and Hawaii. Nevertheless it was dark as they arrived. Lisbon tried to get a look at the screen in the arrival area, but there were only ten more planes expected to touch down this evening, after that the airport was closed for the night. The earliest plane from Honolulu was expected at seven a.m., that meant Jane would come the next day.

They did not have to pick up big luggage, so they could leave the luggage claim behind and stepped out in the loud and busy arrival hall. Many people were waiting there for their relatives, some tourist agents expected their guests to guide them to the busses, and many cab drivers were there to pick up the passengers.

To the team´s surprise, there was one man who held a cardboard in his hands with the big letters CBI on it. This must be the driver of Mrs. Wilder, so they changed direction towards him. »California Bureau of Investigation.« Teresa said, as they were next to him. »The Agents Van Pelt, Cho, and Rigsby. I am Senior Agent Lisbon.«

»Good evening.« the tall, muscular built man said. He was Hawaiian-American, and smiled. »May I take the ladies bags?«

Lisbon thanked him: »You don´t have to.«

»Oh, I insist, it is my job. Don´t wonder when we go outside, it has been a hot day and we had a little thunderstorm one hour before your plane arrived.«

Although they tried to be prepared, the heavy tropical air mixed up with some distinct sea smell and the noises of the airport left them stunned as soon they had left the climate controlled airport hall. The driver took Lisbon´s and Van Pelt´s trolleys and carried them to a black limousine-like car that was waiting for them. It was not as big as a VIP limousine, but they had enough seating place in the passenger cabin; one bench was built in driving direction, the other one against it. They sat down fast and the driver took his place after had put the luggage in the trunk. He lowered the sheet of glass that separated the driver´s room from the passenger cabin and said: »Mrs. Wilder has reserved you rooms in the Heart of Hilo Hotel. You are invited to live the first night on her expense.«

»No.« Lisbon cut in. »We cannot accept this offer. I know she meant it well, but we must not give the impression that we can be… let´s say, venal. It's a hard word, I know, but we´ll explain it to Mrs. Wilder tomorrow.«

The driver nodded, and shut the glass. About fifteen minutes later they were at the Heart of Hilo Hotel, and their luggage was put on the hotel boy´s trolley by the driver. He said at the good-bye. »Mrs. Wilder bade me to pick you up at nine a.m. tomorrow morning. You will meet her at the Hilo General Hospital.«

Lisbon nodded, she had no further comments to this plan; it was inevitable to meet her and why not at the terms that she had set. »How much for the transport?« she asked the driver. »And don´t tell me that it is going on the expense of Mrs. Wilder. I pay it.«

In the end they all paid a quarter of the transport fee, then the driver went back to his car and turned round.

The rooms were nice; not big, but more than ok, and each one had a balcony with a good sea view. Teresa looked once again at the few file pages that she had already written on that case. It was all that she knew from the telephone call and two pages of data that Van Pelt had found on Caren de Palmer, former Wilkins, on the network. They had all read the papers while they were still flying, and now there was nothing more to do right now. Maybe that this was only an excuse, but Lisbon wished to go for a long walk. She called the others on the hotel phone: »It is ok if you want to use the rest of the evening for your own.« she told them. »We meet tomorrow morning at the breakfast.«

She left the room and was soon walking on the beach with bare feet. The scent in the air was wonderful and for one moment she really felt like holidays. Around midnight she was in her room again and looked at her phone. Jane had left a message, he was on the plane from San Francisco to Honolulu, but at this time he was not there for sure. But at least he was on his way. Teresa turned the light off and tried to sleep.