Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will
Author's Note: Glad to know people still like this story! Anyway thanks so much to Miau, jisbon-sessed, Mia66. LittleMender and Jisbon4ever for reviewing :)
"What do you want from me?" Lisbon demanded to which the caller laughed, "why are you killing these people?"
"I'm not killing them, you are," he snapped firmly, "it's all your fault Agent Lisbon. You made me like this, now you can't stop me and you don't even remember me! But I remember you, I remember what you said and what you did. This is all you're fault."
"I'm sorry?" she offered worriedly trying to figure out how in the world this could possibly be her fault.
"You will be.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe
Catch the victim by the toe
If she screams, won't let her go
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, and she's it," chanted the caller in a way that put her nerves on edge, "can you save her in time? No."
"Damn it," Lisbon cursed as the caller hung up on her.
"Don't worry we'll get him," Van Pelt offered kindly.
"What's the victim's name?" Rigsby asked of the Landlord.
"Who?" the man questioned creasing his wrinkled brow into a frown.
"The man who lives in this apartment," Rigsby explained.
"Owen Evanson," answered the Landlord, "don't know much about him, quiet, keeps to himself… Who are you again?"
"Van Pelt, go back to CBI look up anything about the victim," Lisbon commanded asserting control, "try find a connection between him and our first vic. Cho, Rigsby, canvas the neighbors to see if they saw or heard anything."
Her agents jumped into action while she glanced at the body, he was a middle-aged man with balding hair. The same kind of arrow protruded from his neck with 2 more feathers tied to the end which she was certain were magpie feathers, nothing unusual about him… aside from his right ear, which looked like an earring had been pulled off recently.
"Smells like chloroform too," Jane commented stepping up beside her," he chloroforms them to subdue them, takes their cell phone and a piece of jewelry, then stabs them through the neck with an arrow. Fascinating."
"It's not fascinating, it's sick," Lisbon complained, "and apparently its my fault."
"What?"
"He says I made him into a killer," Lisbon informed him guiltily, "but I have no idea who he is, yet he seems to know me."
"Look at me Lisbon," Jane whispered and she glanced into his reassuring eyes, "this is not your fault. You are not making him murder these people; he is clearly deranged and is lashing out. It is not your fault. Say it."
"Say what?"
"Say 'it is not my fault.'"
"It is not my fault," she stated half-heartedly.
"Make you feel better?" Jane wondered offering her a smile.
"A bit," she shrugged, "but catching this creep would make me feel even better."
"Nothing with the neighbors boss," Rigsby announced as he and Cho returned, "most were either asleep or not home, the few around didn't see or hear anything."
"And forensics called back," Cho added, "the arrow could've come from a million places, dead end there, the feather was a magpie feather but they're not hard to get a hold of either and Myra had chloroform in her system, but anyone can make that at home or get it from schools or colleges, stuff like that."
"So we have basically nothing?"
"We have basically nothing," Cho agreed, "killer's smart."
"Okay… Cho and Rigsby go ask around see if there's any traffic cams or anything nearby and expand the search of neighbors to see if they saw anything, come back to CBI when forensics arrives. The rest of us will go back go back to CBI and look into the recent activities of our victims and see if anything comes up."
They all nodded in agreement and broke off to obey their leader, Lisbon was very distracted as she drove stopping briefly at a coffee cart before reaching CBI. Jane immediately flopped onto his couch while she strode over to Van Pelt.
"Found anything?"
"Yeah, killer did us a favor killing Evanson," Van Pelt replied, "guy was a convicted pedophile. Bastard preyed on foster kids, a 9-year-old girl Teresa Mathis testified against him and he was sentenced to a decade in prison, only got out last month. She'll probably be jumping for joy when she hears he's dead."
"A-ha!" Jane exclaimed sitting up grinning, "that's the connection. Myra was popular and loved, people will be sorrowful that she's dead while Owen was a pedophile, people will be filled with joy at his death."
"Going by that logic his next victim will be a girl," Lisbon mused.
"That doesn't really narrow down our victim list," Van Pelt commented sadly, "half the population of California could be next… By the way boss, Hightower wants to see you."
Nodding vaguely Lisbon headed to Hightower's office, politely rapping on the door until she was given permission to enter. Hightower was sitting at her desk flipping through paperwork but promptly dropped it and indicated Lisbon sit down and fill her in which she obliged.
"Well…" Hightower began after stewing over Lisbon's words for a few minutes, "I'm taking you off this case."
"What? Why?" demanded Lisbon instantly indignant.
"You're too personally linked with this case," Hightower explained, "the rest of your team can carry on working on it but you are off this case."
"That's not fair boss," Lisbon objected, "besides, he keeps calling me. I don't think he'll want to speak to anyone else."
"Well he's going to have too, we don't let killers pick their investigators and I need this guy stopped fast so the AG will get off my back. We don't indulge murderers at the CBI, my decision is final."
Lisbon opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to think of a good protest but Hightower's mind seemed made up, maybe she was right anyway, Lisbon wondered, Jane had trouble keeping in check when Red John was involved so maybe it was best for her to step back. It didn't stop her from having the feeling that Hightower was making a terrible mistake.
"Come in," Hightower called and Lisbon realized someone had knocked on the door, Cho entered a second later, "Cho, you now have the lead on this case. Due to the killer's… attachment to Agent Lisbon I think its best. Any complaints?"
"No," Cho stated but gave Lisbon an apologetic look while speaking.
"Find anything useful at Evanson's place?"
"Nothing, guy's a ghost. No surveillance and no one saw anything."
Before Hightower could compose a reply Lisbon's cell phone rang out, instantly she grabbed it.
"We really must think of a better way for you to find the next victim," the caller greeted her brightly, "I gave you longer this time and you didn't do anything."
"Try just giving us the address and give me a break, most murders wait more than five seconds before killing again," Lisbon snapped in reply darting into the bullpen with Cho and Hightower at her heels before motioning for Van Pelt to trace the call.
"I already told you, its your fault," the caller stated without remorse, "I do so enjoy talking with you though, its sad you still believe you're innocent and its sad you're so incompetent"
"Put it on speaker," hissed Hightower and Lisbon reluctantly did so.
"Well I don't enjoy talking to you and besides I have some bad news for you," Lisbon told him nervously, "I'm off the case."
"What? NO! I will not allow it!"
"Well tough its happening," Hightower informed him coldly.
"Madeline Hightower I presume?" the caller snapped angrily, rage seething with every syllable, "you will put Agent Teresa Lisbon back on the case… Or face the consequences of your actions."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Hightower conversed blandly, "but I am not risking my agents for your amusement, Lisbon is off the case."
"You want to fight dirty? So be it."
With that the line went dead, Lisbon still had a horrible feeling he would make good on his threat but Hightower seemed totally unfazed as Van Pelt reeled off the address. She failed not to feel rejected as Hightower and her team left without her, saddling up with only sympathetic glances for her.
Sighing as she fought her brain for anyone in her past who might be the killer but failed miserably to come up with any suspects and instead took the time to nibble on some breakfast in the kitchenette while mulling over the case, it was really getting under her skin and the guy really seemed to blame her but when had she ever wronged someone that badly they'd start killing people?
She shook her head and wandered back into the bullpen, hoping she was wrong about Hightower incurring the killer's wrath. She stopped in her tracks when she heard her phone on her desk ringing, suddenly apprehensive she put the receiver up to her ear.
"Three for a girl," the caller told her calmly.
"I'm not on the case anymore," Lisbon forced herself to say trying not to wonder who the victim was.
"Oh yes, I'll change that soon and tell Hightower:
Bye, baby Bunting
Mommy's gone a-hunting
Gone to get a rabbit skin
To wrap the baby Bunting in," the killer sang.
"What are you talking about?" wondered Lisbon.
"Can you sing another one?" came the happy voice of a little girl.
"Sing Old McDonald had a farm!" begged another child's voice, a young boy.
"Oh god no," Lisbon gasped, "please tell me those aren't Hightower's children?"
"If wishes were horses then beggars would ride," the caller stated smugly, "kids, say goodbye to your Mommy's friend now."
"Goodbye Agent Lisbon!" the kids chorused in unison, " and tell Mommy she's the bestest for letting us go to Disney World," added the boy cheerfully.
With that the killer hung up on her.