A/N: Many thanks to FiascoWay, Thorntons, and the wonderful LouiseKurylo for their reviews. And as FiascoWay pointed out, I edited the first chapter a bit to clear the ambiguity. If the readers have any pointers on how I can improve the story, do share them in your reviews. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist or any of its characters.


Something Cho

Chapter 2

Jane was certain he had the best spot in the bullpen. Not only was the couch comfortable, it provided an all-encompassing view of the Serious Crimes Unit. He could have watched Lisbon working in her office, if she wasn't running a bit late that morning. Van Pelt had just graced her desk after giving him a cheerful smile. He liked the girl's optimism. Much of it had been crushed due to the nightmare with O'Laughlin. She still retained enough of it for her presence to brighten the dull environment of CBI.
"Is Cho here yet?"
The brightest of all the rays in Patrick Jane's bleak existence had come in. She seemed tense. She always did, but she was not making any efforts to conceal it that morning.
"No. You want me to call him?", Van Pelt asked.
The cell phone was still in Lisbon's hand. She probably hadn't stopped trying to call Cho since she had gotten in.
"I've been trying since last night. Can't reach him"
"Everything okay?"
Lisbon said,
"His vic was shot at last night. Rigsby was with her"
At the mention of her dearest 'colleague', Grace almost got off her seat. Her knuckles strained against the armrest as she tried to remain still. Lisbon eased the worry on her features.
"He is fine. They both are"
Once her boss had retreated into the office, Van Pelt's chest heaved with a muted sigh. She immediately started clicking away at her computer screen.
She won't be at peace until she sees him with her own eyes, Jane surmised.
"Morning", Cho came in and made for his desk.
It wasn't like him to greet them first. And had his brow always looked so calm?
Peculiar.
Van Pelt wasted no time.
"Boss wants to see you"
The voices brought Lisbon out of her office. She came to them as Cho finished signing in.
"Get to Berenice Washington's house ASAP. There was shooting at her place last night. Rigsby is waiting there for you"
The startling speed with which Cho jumped into action took Jane by surprise. Perhaps because his best friend was involved.
"Take him with you", Lisbon looked at Jane, "Try to see if you can find the perp"
"Okay"
The last few days had been so dull, they made him welcome the seemingly easy problem of finding Waldo. Cho was standing, impatiently glancing at his wristwatch, by the elevator before Jane could reach him.
"Whoa. What's the rush?"
The usually inscrutable face of his colleague was dense with worry… fright?
Goodness, is Cho frightened?
He knew Rigsby could handle himself. Maybe…
"What's this…", he enunciated her name, "Berenice Washington like?"
At once, Cho assumed his guard.
"She's 35, divorced, works at the Public Library. She's okay"
"Okay" - what a lie.
Jane smiled to himself. This promised to be fun.

Cho could not get out of the car fast enough. He was pissed at the shooter and at himself. It felt like a schoolyard crush. He had only known her for half a day and yet he was overcome with anxiety at the thought of her being hurt.
"Hey, Kimball"
Tara let them in. He did not have the time to introduce her to Jane. Rigsby was sitting on the couch, drinking what looked like a chocolate milkshake.
No signs of injuries.
"You okay?"
"Yeah", Rigsby said, "Hey Jane"
"Hey"
From the living room, Cho could see the kitchen was extra bright that morning. He could also see that the window had been shot through and through.
"Who is it, Tara?"
Miss Washington came out of the kitchen, her hair falling half over her face. She tucked it behind her ear on seeing him.
"Berenice"
Great. That tremble at the end there was quite masculine.
Cho came to the smiling woman in two strides. She seemed so happy to see him.
"What happened?"
Rigsby answered that from the couch,
"Someone shot at the windows. Probably warning shots. But it was a heavy caliber shotgun. I stepped out but there was no one in sight"
"Did you get ballistics on it?"
"Not yet. CSU is on it right now"
Jane and Cho peeked inside the kitchen. The tech-team was helping itself to breakfast at Berenice's table.
"I made a spread", she explained.
He saw her trying to cover the small gashes on her forearms.
"It's just glass. It's nothing"
Watching her facial expressions lift into a sad smile made his heart heavier. There was something there, between them. Something they wrote about in books. She did not shy away from showing it. What was stopping him?
"Thank God, you're okay"
With much strength, he had allowed himself that moment of weakness. He feigned nonchalance at the looks his colleagues gave him.
"God?", Berenice snorted, "Yeah, right"
Ouch.
Jane whispered from behind in his ear,
"I like her"
"Thank Agent Rigsby if you have to"
She walked to Wayne and laid her shapely hands on his shoulders.
"You saved my life"
Rigsby was stunned at the quick kiss she planted on his lips. Her face was upturned with a grateful grin. Rigsby smiled at her, embarrassed. Jane gave a low whistle. Cho wanted to murder someone.
"You gonna make him faint", Tara cackled before saying, "And who might you be?"
Jane shook her hand,
"Patrick Jane, consultant"
"Tara Jenkins. And that's Berenice"
"Hello, Mr. Jane", Berenice shook his hand as well, "Wayne told me about you"
Jane flashed her the smile he reserved for attractive women. The bastard.
"The bad stuff, I'm sure"
"Not at all", she was the hostess again, "Why don't you guys have some breakfast?"
Cho wanted to sound dismissive,
"No, tha…"
Jane intervened,
"Oh, I'd love some. Texan women always make the heartiest breakfast, I have heard"
Berenice exclaimed in delight,
"How did you know I was from Texas?"
So it begins.

It had been Cho's resolve to be grumpy for as long as was possible. Sure he was being petty but did she have to be so… who was he kidding? He had no claim on her attention. And yet Berenice glanced every now and then at him, perhaps hoping that he would speak to her again. That was sweet of her.
"Tell me, Berenice", Jane opened his trap, "Teddy Melvyn never raped you, right?"
"No"
"But still it was your testimony that put him away"
She shrugged,
"Everybody thinks so. He thinks so"
"Why is that?"
"Because I saw him trying to rape that Doherty girl in my library. My library!"
"And none of the victims testified because he is intimidating"
"Two of them did, but the Doherty girl is just 17. She wouldn't. And many of the others wouldn't either. He", she used air quotes, "represented himself at the trial, saying it was his constitutional right. How could a victim testify against him when he was going to be the one asking the questions?"
Rigsby added,
"It was a tough trial. Melvyn had a perfect record in the military before he got discharged for a combat injury in Pakistan. His MO included blackmail. He worked at the Income Tax office, so that info came in handy, I think. Victims reported he wouldn't use a condom, but he wouldn't leave any other signs"
"No violence?", Jane frowned.
"Nope"
"So he is a fox, not a brute"
Tara had been sitting by her friend's side, quiet for the last few minutes. She almost spat in contempt.
"That asshole has just got it against Berry 'cause she's black. He called her a 'nigger bitch' when she called the cops on him!"
"His racist ego may have been hurt, that's a possibility", Jane asked, "How did you stop him exactly?"
Berenice fiddled with her fingers before admitting,
"I hit him in the head with the step ladder"
Jane raised his brows.
"From behind", she mumbled.
She had gumption all right. Cho admired women who were not easily scared.
"When he fell, I grabbed Ginny Doherty and we hid inside my office. It was closing time and dark and I didn't want him to know where we were. So I kept the lights off. I called 911 and waited. Thankfully, they got there before he gained consciousness", she said, "Most dreadful seven minutes of my life"
Jane shamelessly leaned forward and tapped her on the knee.
"You did a brave thing"
Cho rose abruptly,
"You guys better get back to the office. Lisbon will want a report"
"Yeah", Rigsby seemed ready to go.
Courteous as she was, Berenice was generous in expressing her gratitude towards Rigsby, much to Cho's chagrin. Jane was getting too friendly with her.
"And thanks for the tea, Berenice. It was the best I have had in months"
"My pleasure, Patrick", she smiled.
Maybe I should get her to call me Kimball.

The minute Rigsby was at his desk in the CBI Headquarters, Van Pelt came to him. She must have been scared blind to not pay any heed to Jane's presence right behind them.
"Wayne? Are you okay?"
He gave her a tired little simper,
"Yeah. It was nothing"
"I assure you, Grace", Jane walked past them towards Lisbon's office, "Sir Lancelot here is more than okay"
Devil that he was, Jane blew Rigsby a kiss before turning on his feet again, grinning. He could hear the poor guy trying to explain the matter.
"Berenice, uh, the vic kissed me. It-it was a thank you kiss!"
Grace was already at her desk,
"Okay. Whatever"
Rigsby tried to salvage the situation by changing the topic,
"Is there something to eat in the fridge?"
"Go see for yourself"

In Lisbon's office, she had just put away a file when he took the chair across from her. Putting aside all possible distractions, she gave Jane her full attention. Lisbon never took it easy when her people were being shot at.
"So?"
Jane nodded,
"She is lovely, and makes a perfect cup of tea"
Those green eyes rolled, making his pulse quicken.
"Figures"
"What?"
Lisbon gave a slow shake of the head,
"I don't want to sound weird but you are easily attracted to African American women"
"That's not true"
"Don't think I didn't notice how you flirted with Hightower"
That was new. He had never figured the mighty Lisbon to be the envious type. But well, he hadn't thought so about Cho either until that morning. He asked, innocent enough to throw her off,
"Were you jealous?"
A lovely pause in which her cheeks reddened. Lisbon spluttered,
"In your dreams!"
"Well, I can't engage into meaningless flirtation with you. You mean a lot to me"
Her eyes locked with his, like that of a child approaching a stranger for the first time. He saw her shoulders drop a little in relief.
"Do you want me to flirt with you?"
"No!"
Too quick. He Cheshire-Cat-grinned,
"Okay, Lisbon. You got your wish"
Slamming the already reviewed file upon the desk, she opened it to avoid looking at him.
"Did you find out anything useful about the case at all?"
"Yeah. I'll need to talk to some of Teddy Melvyn's army buddies. The sooner he is found the better. Berenice's death would be a huge waste. Especially since this is a great time for her"
"You mean when a serial rapist is out to kill her?"
"When she is forming an attachment to someone"
"Who?", she frowned.
"Someone worthy", he smiled, "It is all so innocent. A rare thing among adults"
Lisbon raised a hand, not even bothering to make any sense of his babble. She picked up the receiver.
"I'll let Detective Waheed know we are taking over the investigation"
"You do that"