A/N: Apologies, a shortish chapter but some RL stuff going on that doesn't lend a lot of time for writing longer chapters currently.
Chapter 4 - Revelations
"Thanks for coming by to talk to us," Rigsby said as he addressed Cindy Couples across the desk in the interrogation room as Cho sat by his side. She was in her mid twenties with shoulder length perfectly straight blonde hair and wore a red sleeveless fitted dress that accentuated her slim figure. Highly polished scarlet nails and a pair of killer heels completed the look.
"No problem, Agent, I'm sure this is a big case for you," she smiled through perfectly white teeth.
Rigsby smiled back nervously as she attempted to flirt with him. Coughing slightly, "You were seen talking to Patrick Jane on the night of his wife's murder after his appearance on the show you work on."
"Yes," sexy Barbie supplied with another smile.
"How long did that conversation last?" He checked his notes. "According to your producer you were seen talking to him in the parking lot at almost eleven pm."
She shrugged. "Not long. We talked for a little while." She grinned, "I was trying to persuade him to come on the show again. Or consider a one on one interview about his rising profile in the media. He's very...photogenic after all."
"No doubt," Cho commented without enthusiasm. "What time did he leave the studios?'
"Ah," Couples said, placing a manicured fingertip to her lip, "eleven. Something like that. I don't really know. I went back into the studio after talking to him, worked there until well after my shift finished at 12.30."
Rigsby and Cho exchanged glances. Then Rigsby pulled out a photograph from a file in front of him, passing it to Couples.
She frowned and then cleared her throat as her index finger began to shake. "What...what is this?" she asked, her confident tone now one of nervousness as she stared at the black and white photograph in front of her.
Cho told her, "It's a photo of you leaving the studio at eleven. Straight after Patrick Jane drives out of the security gate." He arched an eyebrow. "Piece of advice, Cindy. If you're going to lie then make sure there are no security cameras around that can catch you at it." He leaned across the desk. "Now, tell us why you lied and tell us what happened between you and Patrick Jane."
The young woman glanced from side to side, her composure gone.
Cho relaxed his tone. "We can forget about a perjury charge if you tell us the truth now."
"Perjury!"
Rigsby chipped in as he looked at Cho, "We could probably get her on obstruction of justice, too."
Cho glanced at him and nodded. Amicably, "Yeah, you're probably right."
"What!" Couples screeched. "But I...I haven't done anything!'
"Then tell us the truth," Cho said, his tone stern once again.
"I was supposed to be at work until twelve thirty. If my boss finds out-"
"Did you not just hear us? You'll have more to worry about than losing your job if you don't start being honest."
"Okay," Couples said, taking a breath. She licked her lips nervously. "I left straight after Patrick did. We made...arrangements to meet back at my place."
"And did you?"
She shrugged, "Yes, we did. He spent an hour with me then he went home, was about 12.15 when he left I think." She added, "Look I want you to know I'm not normally the type to sleep with married men...really I'm not."
"But he talked you into it," Cho said without expression.
"Yes," she said, attempting to find the high road. "It was all his idea," she stated as she raised her chin. "If anyone is a victim here it's me."
"I think Melissa Jane might disagree with you if she were alive to do so," Cho replied stony faced.
Lisbon watched the exchange from behind the two way mirror and nibbled on her bottom lip. She wished she could say she was surprised at Couples' revelation but she had been a cop long enough to smell a blatantly unhappy marriage and what people did when they were in one on too many occasions as part of her work. She didn't get the feeling that this was a long term affair as it appeared his wife had been involved in, just an opportunity that Patrick Jane had not turned down when offered on a plate. And as much as Couples said he was to blame even in Lisbon's less than unbiased view she knew the opposite was more than likely true. All the same, it didn't make his adultery any better than his wife's.
She looked at her bare left hand ring finger and rolled her eyes. No wonder she was terrified of marriage when she witnessed the deception it could entail when two people fell out of love in her job almost every day. Assuming they were ever in love in the first place. She'd experienced first hand the look of wonderment when Patrick Jane looked at her.
Had he ever looked at his wife like that she began to wonder.
Lisbon checked her watch and took a breath as she came to terms with the testimony she'd just observed. Patrick Jane was due in for a follow up interview in ten minutes where she'd have to bring up his cheating on his wife. And push him on his wife's suspected cheating.
She drank a large glug of coffee to prepare herself for the task in hand.
The night before she'd slept little, her thoughts turning to distant memories of his gleaming smile, soft lips and artful fingers more than a full-grown woman with a long term boyfriend rightfully should. She shuffled some papers on her desk and expelled another breath. She glanced at her desk drawer then gnawed on her bottom lip. Pulling it open she searched around the back of it until her fingers brushed against cold metal. Smiling softly she pried out the silver pen he'd given her over a decade ago. She stared at it in her hands, blowing off the pencil shavings that covered it. She hadn't used it in years but she had carried it around with her all through College and when she joined the Police Force. The last time she'd used it was when she signed her transfer papers to the CBI three years before. She swallowed a lump in her throat and shook her head. "What the hell happened to you, Patrick?" she said to herself quietly.
A knock on the door and the sound of it opening made her drop the pen. "Boss, Patrick Jane's here looking for you," Rigsby said.
"Okay," she nodded, clearing her throat. "Where is he?" she added, getting to her feet.
"Bullpen. You want me to take him into an interrogation room?"
She peered through the blinds and saw him standing talking quietly to Van Pelt with his back turned. He wore a grey suit, his curls tamed and his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Um...no that's okay, I'll do it."
When she opened her door Van Pelt nodded in her direction and he turned towards her. His eyes raked over her form immediately and a soft smile fell on his lips. Unlike the day before where he was distracted today he seemed much more in control of his emotions and she felt him scrutinise every inch of her. "Agent Lisbon," he stated, strolling up and outstretching his hand in a reserved manner. "How is the case progressing?"
She felt a little unbalanced by his formality but supposed he was doing it for her benefit. He'd correctly assumed that her team weren't aware of their personal history and nor did she want them to be. "Mr Jane," she replied, shaking his hand and doing her best to ignore the butterflies in her stomach that fluttered with the gesture.
He stilled his hand for a second as their fingers touched and narrowed his eyes at her, curious all of a sudden. He quickly withdrew his hand as she did with hers and he lowered his eyes, seemingly a tad wobbly himself.
She stammered, "Uh...we're looking at a number of leads currently. We'd appreciate your help with some follow up questions we have."
"Of course," he stated, his expression composed again. "Lead the way."
She nodded towards her office, "Uh...maybe we could talk a little in my office first."
As she opened the door she gestured to the red couch and shut the door behind her. As he sat down his eyes darted at everything in the small cubicle as he took in the surroundings. She stood with her back to the desk, her hands clenching the front of it from behind her.
"So...this is your little piece of heaven," he said with a small smile.
"Suppose you could say that," she smiled. Then, concerned, "How are you doing?"
He shrugged and looked ahead of him as his face contorted into a grimace. "I'm not sure to be honest. It's...well it's been a rough couple of nights."
"You're not alone, are you? I mean...I should have asked you the other day, you have friends...people you can talk to about all this?"
His lips pursed into a thin line and he let go of a humourless chuckle. "Friends...hmmm." He glanced up at her, straightening his expression into a painted smile. "I'm fine, Teresa. You have questions for me obviously."
"Well...yeah. I just thought before we get to them that I should check you want me to be the one to question you...officially. It's just...due to our...history...it might be better for you to talk to other people on my team instead. May allow you to feel more comfortable in giving your responses to any questions we have to ask you."
He frowned as he thought for a moment. "But wouldn't you hear the responses anyway? Either afterwards or through a two way mirror?"
She flushed, "Well...yes-"
"Teresa I don't expect any special treatment from you just because we know each other. Sorry. Knew each other. A lot of time has passed. But it appears you are the one uncomfortable in questioning me."
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well you have to admit this is a weird situation."
He smiled, "Admittedly it is. Certainly not the circumstances I ever envisaged in bumping into you again."
"Me neither," she agreed.
He raised himself from the couch and frowned slightly. "Do you ever sit on that thing? It's very uncomfortable, you know."
She rolled her eyes. "Sorry it's not to your liking. We don't exactly have a big budget for office furnishings, Patrick."
He smiled at her before looking through the windows into the bullpen, solemn again. A beat passed. "I've thought of you often," he said quietly. "Over the years."
She took a breath in as goose pumps involuntarily erupted on her skin. "Yeah. Me too," she said in a whisper.
He turned his face back to her intensifying his gaze as he stared at her. "You have?"
She stuttered, "Of...of course I have, Patrick."
He nodded a sad but satisfied smile as he looked away again and released a breath.
