Chapter 2 – The Meeting

"I talked to the psychic," Van Pelt said as she entered Lisbon's office later that day. "He was at his house in Malibu last night."

Lisbon nodded, her head dipped as she completed a form in front of her. "Guess being a fraud pays off. Does he have anyone to corroborate his story?"

"Yeah, Selina Jansen."

Lisbon looked up. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"She's a model, she advertises perfume too, I think. Can't remember the name of it. Anyway, I talked to her and she backs him up. She spent the night with him."

Lisbon nodded, raising her eyebrows and looking down to a report she was filling out again. "Seems like Patrick Jane is as shallow as every other man, huh? Okay, guess that rules him out."

Van Pelt waited another moment, fidgeting with her hands and looking around her.

Lisbon looked up again. "Something else?"

"I've been thinking about what Mrs Warren said in her statement. What if he can really talk to the dead?"

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Van Pelt. If Mrs Warren wants to believe the claptrap coming out of him it's up to her but it's none of our business and nothing to do with this case."

"But what if he can really help, boss? I've seen him on television and he's helped Sac PD a few times too, I hear. I think he really is psychic. What harm can it do?"

Lisbon shot her an icy glare. "There are no such things as psychics, Grace. He's a con man, plain and simple. Sounds like he's conned you too if you believe otherwise."

Van Pelt left her office and Lisbon felt a shiver go up her spine. She had seen Patrick Jane when she had been flipping channels one night too, a shiny suit and an angelic face, blond curls held neatly in place. He had the audience eating out of his hand. She sighed. She wasn't about to become one of those suckers.

Not again.


When Evelyn Warren had called him and told him about Malcolm he had smiled to himself. He was running out of stories to feed her about her daughter and this event opened up a whole new book of lies and half truths he could get her to pay for the privilege of hearing. A niggle of pity for the woman hit him as she had lost a daughter and now a husband too but he pushed it to the back of his mind. He told himself he was helping her instead, allowing her to feel in touch with them still, giving her hope of one day joining them in some make believe Neverland. It was what she wanted to hear so where was the harm in him making some money at the same time? When she had told him the CBI was investigating he had seen it as an opportunity to get himself some extra press attention into the bargain. They were the premier Law Enforcement organisation in California and a step up from Sacramento PD. If it worked out maybe the FBI would soon beckon.

After exiting the elevator he walked into the CBI bullpen and his attention was immediately drawn to the redhead in the middle of the room. He was sure this was who he had spoken to earlier. Perhaps he may get a few fringe benefits from this arrangement too, he mused, a wicked smile playing on his lips. She looked up from her computer to find him looking at her and she got up immediately.

"Mr Jane, you're here. We weren't expecting you. It's...it's a real honour to meet you." She outstretched her hand and he took hers, his finger moving to the pulse point in her wrist. He felt nervousness in her but no indication of attraction for him, at least not just yet, anyway. He was assured it was only a matter of time.

He let go of her hand. Smoothly, "Grace, is it? Believe me, it's my pleasure. If I'd known you were waiting for me I'd have run every light to get here sooner."

She swallowed and blushed. "Oh, o-kay. What can I do for you? Have you...have you had a vision or something?"

He shook his head. "Alas no, not yet. I'm calling on dear Evelyn later to pass on my regrets but wanted to get an understanding of how the investigation is going first, see if it helps me pick up on Malcolm's spirit when I visit his house. I know it's early days but-"

"We don't discuss details of an ongoing investigation," he heard a female voice say behind him. He looked at Grace who looked down and bit her lip.

He turned round to come face to face with a small dark haired woman with piercing green eyes and her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression was serious and hostile. This was evidently Grace's boss. He looked her up and down, his mouth forming a smile. She was cute - perhaps some would call her beautiful even and he immediately thought of being in bed with her. Angry women undoubtedly made the best lovers albeit with a few risks involved. He had once come home to find his clothes ripped to shreds after a brief dalliance with one a few years back. Grace would have been a nice distraction but this woman would make him work harder for it and the payoff of sleeping with her would be all the more sweet.

Lisbon watched as he made no attempt to hide the fact he was mentally undressing her with his eyes as they lingered on her breasts and her legs. Seemed like it wasn't just models he was into, she had seen the way he looked at Van Pelt and now he was giving her the same treatment. She walked towards him and, as his smile grew wider, her expression grew angrier.

"Mr Jane, is it? I'm Teresa Lisbon. I'm in charge of this investigation. Why are you really here?"

Suddenly Minelli appeared beside her. "He's been brought in to help, Lisbon. I was just on my way to tell you."

He turned to Jane. "Mr Jane, I'm Virgil Minelli, we talked earlier. Welcome on board."


Minelli sat at the desk in his office, Lisbon standing in front of him and Jane lounging on the couch behind. It allowed him a nice look at her ass and he imagined biting on its cheeks as she spoke to Minelli.

"Boss, you can't be serious. I...we don't need any help with this case. We've only just begun investigating."

His voice came from behind her, speaking in smooth buttery tones. "Tell the truth, Agent Lisbon. What you mean to say is that you don't want my help."

She turned to face him, her rage about to explode. He raised his eyebrows and grinned, wanting to antagonise her some more, delighting in pushing her buttons.

"You're right. I don't want your help, Mr Jane. Haven't you already taken advantage of Mrs Warren enough without squeezing a few extra bucks out of her? She's just lost her husband, for god's sake. You're deplorable."

"Deplorable?" He shook his head, getting off the couch to look her in the eye. "I'm not the one who is cutting off her nose to spite her face. I can be quite an asset to you and to your team on this investigation. You've no doubt heard about my work with Sac PD. Just because you're sceptical about my gift shouldn't stop you using me."

He paused for a moment. "In fact, I quite like the thought of you using me - in any capacity you'd like." He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling and looked at her lips as he spoke.

Lisbon stood with her mouth gaping open. He was seriously coming on to her in the middle of her boss's office?! He really was an egomaniac. She blushed and turned away from him and back to Minelli.

"Boss, please," she pleaded.

Minelli looked from one to the other. "Mr Jane, can you wait outside please for a moment so I can speak to Agent Lisbon alone."

Jane nodded. "Of course, Virgil." He moved forward a little so she could feel his breath in her ear and he whispered, "I look forward to working with you Teresa, I think we'll make a wonderful team in so many ways."

Lisbon simply stared at Minelli when he left.

"Sit down, Teresa."

She sat in the chair opposite. "Are you trying to tell me something, boss? You think I can't even run a simple homicide anymore?"

He detected the hurt in her tone. "You know I think you're a fine agent, Teresa. That's not what this is about-"

"You took Red John off me and now you want this...this idiot involved in a different case. What am I supposed to think?"

"You got too close to the Red John case, Teresa. I only brought Bosco in for a fresh set of eyes. Besides, he keeps you up to date on any progress, correct? You haven't been frozen out entirely. You just need some time away from it after what happened the last time he reared his ugly head."

He straightened himself up. "But, back to this case. If it were just up to me I wouldn't want this fraud involved either but Mrs Warren knows a lot of people in high up places. I don't have a choice. Just nod along and play the game, Teresa, pretend he's helping but run your own investigation as you usually do. You know this job, if you ever want to sit in this seat then you have to get used to the politics involved in it too. It's a sad state of affairs but that's the way it goes."

She nodded with a deep sigh. "Okay, I understand." She got up from the chair. "But I'm telling you, boss, if he even tries to make a move on me I'm going to punch him on the nose."