If you recognize the manufacturer of those pool cues, I don't own any part of that company either. However, I do think they do beautiful work.
As always, thanks for the reviews Anna, Nat and Guest. They're always appreciated.
Nat – Thanks for catching the BIG error I missed in having Jane call her "Lisbon" instead of "Amber" which has now been fixed as well! Same to my All-I-Need! Whatever would I do without you? I know – make even more mistakes! ~Calla
#
Gazing out the window at the passing scenery, Lisbon admitted she was a little miffed at not actually getting to attend the fair. She'd not gotten to enjoy a single ride or funnel cake. Jane hadn't won her a gold fish or a stuffed dinosaur. Not that she thought they'd let him play anyway; but, the idea of "Jack" shooting fake rabbits or tossing rings at bottles was still absurdly cute. Instead, they'd been too busy doing unexpected behind the scenes work as Jake had gotten hurt on the second night of the fair. They'd also helped close down the rides and booths every night as planned. Given they were down a man, she was glad to finally be getting a break on their last night in town.
In the morning they'd be heading for the Kansas fairground site and all that entailed. Tonight, however, they were meeting some of the "new" guys joining the crew for the next leg of their journey at a pool hall in town. To hear Jane tell it, they were having a friendly competition Lisbon was sure was going to involve money changing hands before the evening was over. She was mildly excited at taking on the guys. It had been while since she'd had such a challenge. Managing Jane didn't count.
"Charley's going to call you cute and pat your rear in passing. That's just the Charley way. Promise me any beating you do in response will be at a pool table and not over his head with a cue." Jane requested as he pulled the keys from the ignition.
"He's an old friend of yours, right?" Lisbon asked as she flicked imaginary dust off the beaded crimson tank she was wearing that matched her beaded jeans.
She so wasn't a bling kind of girl; but, Amber was enjoying her new look. Both Jane and Jack seemed to like it as well from the way they were acting. So, she wasn't going to complain even if she and her companion had both totally lost their flipping minds in the midst of playing all these twisted little games. None of this really mattered any way as sanity would prevail in the end. It always did. She'd simply enjoy being someone else until she got to shed all of this and go back to being plain old Lisbon again which wasn't happening soon enough for her.
"Yeah, he is, from the old days. Charley's a fairly decent sort, too, even if he is a chauvinist pig." Jane said before walking around to open Lisbon's door offering help she didn't need. "You look pretty hot." He said as he straightened the cross around her neck ignoring the patented eye roll.
It wasn't the cross she usually wore as that piece of jewelry would be a dead giveaway to anyone looking at an APB or BOLO. The necklace presently hanging around her neck was a more expensive, more ornate piece he'd bought her instead. They'd debated the wisdom of her wearing a cross at all. And while Jane thought it was a foolish risk they didn't need to take, Lisbon wasn't comfortable without her talisman. He'd reminded her that the God she worshipped wasn't in the pendant around her neck; but, that argument hadn't worked well at all. While she carried Him in her heart, Lisbon took great comfort in the physical manifestation of her devotion hanging around her neck.
Jane had finally succumbed to the argument it wasn't really a reveal as lots of women wore crosses every day. Capitulating, he'd gone to a jewelry store in Scottsdale and bought a fancy gold diamond and emerald cross Teresa Lisbon wouldn't have picked in a million years. He'd also bought her matching emerald and diamond button earrings that brought out her eyes beautifully that she could wear every day as they had special locking backs so she wouldn't lose them. She'd not started wearing her new pieces until they'd reached Oklahoma and she'd worn them ever since.
"Shush, Jack." Lisbon said as she allowed him to take her hand in his.
"A man should be able to compliment his woman without her shushing him." Jane teased as he opened the door for her.
"I'm nobody's woman." Lisbon snarked back as expected. Girlfriend, significant other, wife, fiance, etc., there were lots of words she could tolerate in general though she'd never been a wife; but, "woman" wasn't one of them. That sounded entirely too possessive for her sensibilities.
"No, I don't suppose you are." Jane said as he closed the door behind them. "You still look hot." Rolling her eyes, Lisbon didn't bother shushing him again as it was pointless. She couldn't do anything with the man.
"This is a nice place." She said looking around her. Less roach infested dive and more upscale restaurant and sports bar. Her mouth was already watering at the thought of greasy bar food.
"Yes, it is. Charley likes nice places and there's a waitress he likes to flirt with here when he's passing through town." Jane said as he released her hand to meander over towards the locked cases containing a vast array of pool cues and accessories. Allowing his eyes to roam over the offerings, Jane stopped in front of one case and motioned the attendant over.
Watching him, Lisbon suspected "flirt" was a polite word for what Charlie liked to do with that waitress but she wasn't pursuing the remark any further. She didn't really want to know. Getting as close to Smokey Joe's noisy antics as she had while pursuing Daisy was TMI. She still had nightmares over that one. She did not want those sound effects in her head.
"Amber, take a look at this." Jane called Lisbon over to the case he was standing in front of.
"That's a good brand." Lisbon said as she admired the famous maker pool cues through the glass.
That wasn't just a good brand. It was her brand of choice and those cues didn't come cheap. She had a black and red striped maple cue by the same company back home along with a matching red leather case she'd bought years ago. She'd splurged on both purchases soon after joining the CBI to reward herself for a job well done. Not that she'd gotten a chance to use that cue all that often since. She'd been much too busy. She had used it some; but, not nearly as much as when she used to take on her brothers' friends to show them how it was done. Nope, she'd not gotten to indulge in one of her favorite passions nearly enough since becoming the fearless leader of her very own team.
"My friend would like to see the Antique Birdseye maple cue with the white and pink stone look inlays and I'd like to see the Birdseye Maple with the floating blue marble inlay points over there." Jane motioned to two of the higher priced cues in the case.
"Jack, what are you doing?" Lisbon looked at him like he'd lost his mind.
"What does it look I'm doing? Do you want to play with those?" Jane tipped his head in the direction of the cues filling the walls around the tables. "I rest my case. Give that one a heft. If you don't like it, find one that you do. We've got some serious playing to do and I don't seem to have my cue on me at the moment do you?" Doing as she was told, Lisbon liked the weight and the feel between her fingers.
"I like it fine. Pink's not really my color, but I think this cue is one of the most beautiful designs I've ever seen." Lisbon admitted as she studied the work of art in her hands.
"Then it's yours. I like this one as well." Jane said as he mimicked going through the motions of using the cue. "I'll take the black leather case with the pink and white hand tooling for her and the black leather case with the shades of blue for me."
Lisbon watched Jane peel off eighteen one hundred dollar bills from the wad in his pocket and wondered what in the world he was doing flashing that much cash in public. Doing so was a pretty dangerous action and he knew it. Then again, when had Jane really acted with the much common sense? Not that he wasn't brilliant, he was. However, that didn't mean he wasn't totally lacking in practicality at times. From the attractive sales associate's reaction watching someone plop a couple of grand down for a couple of pool cues and cases was a fairly common occurrence. Maybe she was being foolish to worry about it.
Looking at some of the other cues in the case, Lisbon wouldn't be all that surprised if this was an every day happening. The place was fairly ritzy and located in a nicer part of town that obviously did a healthy business or they wouldn't be carrying the stock they were. Nor would they have both billiard and pool tables in the back. No wonder she'd been told to wear her bling jeans and a really nice shirt. Lisbon watched Jane thank the clerk as he put his change in his pocket before turning to face her.
"What do you say to giving our new purchases a trial run? We're still a little early. The guys won't be here for another quarter hour or so." Jane asked as he stopped by the bar to grab a couple of bottles of beer.
"I'm game if you promise not to cheat." Lisbon said accepting one of the beers and taking a slug.
"I take offense at that, Amber." Jane said quirking a brow.
"Yeah, well, I take offense at you cheating." Lisbon rejoined as she watched Jane rack the balls.
"I make no promises, My Dear." Jane said as he watched Lisbon breaking the rack.
Her experience showed in her form. She was breaking from the head-string with a closed bridge exactly as she should. She was also going for a full hit in the middle of the cue ball and Jane was sure she would make it as she always did. He loved watching Lisbon hunkered over a pool table and there was more to it than the unimpeded view he, and most of the other men in the bar, got of her shapely rear. It was the grace, strength, and knowledge she displayed in every move. Lisbon was a powerful player with a smooth, controlled back swing packing just the right amount of punch that was a joy to watch. More times than not, that cue ball came to rest smack in the middle of the table giving a good repertoire of options for her second shot.
Jane had to give it to her. When Lisbon was on her game she was hard to beat even when he cheated. That was what Jane was counting on tonight. Charley was going to say or do the wrong thing and "Amber" was going to be out for blood. It wouldn't take that long to clean house. Life was good when your partner in crime didn't even realize what she was.
"You wouldn't." Lisbon said as she studied her second shot.
"Hey, Charley, we're over here." Jane suddenly called over her shoulder to an auburn haired man striding purposefully across the room with his three companions in tow.
Looking up, Lisbon decided from the determined look on the other men's faces and the custom cue cases in their hands that they were in for a long night. Charley and friends obviously knew Jane well and had come prepared for battle. Sighing to herself, Lisbon wondered if they all cheated. Somehow, she thought they did. They were all carnies and she was clearly the mark. Well, what they didn't know could hurt them as they were soon going to find out.
Plastering a shy smile on her face, Lisbon shook the hands extended her way as she exchanged pleasantries with Charley, Liam, Johnnie and Buck before motioning for Jane to rack the balls again. The sooner they got down to business, the sooner she could whip some seriously smirking man butt.
#
"We kicked butt." Lisbon giggled as she sat at their table watching Charlie and crew walk out the door looking significantly less smug than they had coming in.
It had taken them three good hours of back breaking work, but they'd cleaned house before their opponents had finally given up for the night. It was no mean feat beating those four guys. They'd been around the pool halls a long time and their experience showed. Lisbon and Jane had had to agree to another game as soon as possible to give the guys an opportunity to recoup their losses. Lisbon had no fears they would win. The boys were good; but, Amber and Jack were better.
For once Lisbon was glad she'd had three rowdy brothers who'd almost driven her insane growing up. While she'd missed them dreadfully, she'd been glad to escape to college. However, it seemed they'd had their uses. For one, they'd taught her to play a mean game of poker as she'd proven time and again. For another she shot a wicked game of pool. Lisbon had learned the latter just to stomp James into the ground in front of his friends. He'd mouthed off to his big sis once too often and she'd had to put him in his place which she'd done quite skillfully. Track and academics weren't the only things she'd done well.
Now Lisbon used the various skills she'd learned in the neighborhood pool hall to keep her guys in place. She even had her own red and black striped maple cue with a crimson leather case back home. She never left home without it and her guys knew they were in for it when she showed up cue in tow. The only member of her team she couldn't consistently whip was Jane and everyone knew he cheated so he didn't really count.
"Yeah, we did. I knew Charley was in trouble when I saw the fire in your eyes." Jane observed.
"He shouldn't have called me a cute little thing in that condescending tone." Lisbon snarked yet again. He also shouldn't have stroked her rear so suggestively; but, they so weren't going there. What he'd done was hardly a pat. It would have gotten him arrested if she still had her badge. That Jane had forewarned her hadn't made the actual fondling any better. It had taken all her resolve not to go out to the truck, reach under that seat, and return to knee cap Charley anywat. That wouldn't have gone over well with anyone.
"You are a cute little thing." Jane rubbed salt in the wound.
"That wasn't the problem. The rest of his attitude was. The way I saw it, I had two choices. I could either shoot him in the knee cap or whip tail and take no prisoners. I chose the lesser of the two evils." Lisbon said.
"I applaud you for that. Charley is an old friend I'd rather keep as he may prove useful down the road." Jane said.
"What about the rest of them?" Lisbon asked as she lifted her beer.
"I've known Johnny and Buck a long time, too. I haven't known Liam quite as long. They're all good guys as far as I know." Jane said honestly as he twirled his beer. While their second of the evening, by the time these were gone they'd both have done well to have finished one beer each. They'd been much too interested in shooting pool.
"Jack." Jane looked up at the sound of Lisbon's best "Boss" voice. She hadn't sounded like the CBI's finest SAC in weeks. Something was definitely up for her to be using that tone again.
"What's wrong?" Jane rose to his feet about the time he realized Lisbon was white knuckling her beer.
"This." Lisbon motioned to the square bit of white beneath her hand.
Jane silently tucked the napkin in his pocket as he pulled Lisbon gently to her feet motioning for their waitress to bring their tab. Gazing around the room he didn't see any familiar faces. Nor did he see anyone visibly suspect. No one was avoiding his gaze and no one was deliberately courting his gaze in a defiant manner. Seeing no revealing tells, Jane decided to give up the game. He wasn't going to learn anything here as it appeared that moment had long since passed.
"We're leaving as soon as I pay the bill." Lisbon's expression clearly conveyed Jane wasn't getting any argument from her.
Taking the bill, Jane handed the waitress a couple of twenties before grabbing the takeout box of leftovers Lisbon had collected over the course of the evening. Who knew the woman could eat so much? She was such a tiny little thing. Then again, he'd always known her predilection for Southwestern eggrolls and cheddar stuffed jalapeno's and chicken wings with all the accompanying sauces. He wasn't even mentioning the onion rings and nachos.
Slinging both of the cue cases over his shoulder, Jane wrapped his arm around Lisbon's waist and swept his date out the building. He really didn't like the fact she was already beginning to shake. That wasn't like his Lisbon. Stopping by the truck, Jane opened the door and gave her a hand up before walking around to the driver's side door. Pulling up on his seat and closing the door, Jane pressed the automatic lock.
"How do you think it got there?" Lisbon asked as she clicked her seat belt in place.
"It's obvious someone placed it there even if we didn't see him. That table wasn't three feet from where we were playing pool all evening. While I didn't see anyone milling about who shouldn't be, that doesn't mean they weren't. The wait staff was certainly passing through at will. There were also long periods when I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been since we were pretty much the only people at that end of the room." Jane answered honestly knowing he'd been making his shots instead of watching out for their best interests a lot of the time. He'd grown much too lax being among familiar faces and that wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all as such errors could cost them everything.
"There was obviously someone we didn't see or…." Lisbon didn't want to complete the rest of her sentence as it wasn't anything she wanted to contemplate.
"Or Red John's turned one of the guys." Jane finished for her.
"Do you think that's possible?" Lisbon asked.
"I don't want to think so; but, anything's possible where Red John is concerned." Jane admitted.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Lisbon didn't want to think about that. "Why don't we hit the road? It can't be all that safe just sitting here."
"Whoever left this is long gone, Lisbon; but, I think you're right. It is time to go." Jane agreed as he turned the key in the ignition and exited the parking lot. That they had a half hour drive on a lonely, deserted stretch of highway wasn't making him feel any better.
#
Watching Lisbon tinkering with her twisted seat belt, Jane decided the vehicle in his rear view mirror was coming up on them much too fast judging by the headlights. Catching a shift he didn't like, he steered the wheel hard to the right causing the truck to fishtail before righting it as the black vehicle narrowly missed hitting them. Somehow, Jane suspected that had never been the driver's intent. Rather, he'd wanted to run them off the road exactly as he'd done.
Righting the truck and pulling back on the deserted lane, Jane turned to look at Lisbon adjusting her seat belt into a more comfortable position. She'd been in the midst of untwisting and refastening the wide strip when he'd slammed on brakes to avoid the car suddenly cutting them off. He'd caught her bouncing off of things she should never have hit like the windshield and dashboard out of the corner of his eye. The arm he'd thrown out to protect her had come a little too late.
"Are you okay?" Jane asked as he headed in the direction of the fairgrounds.
"Yeah, I think I bumped my shoulder before I got my belt locked again; but, I'm okay." Lisbon said as she dragged a hand through her hair. "That wasn't some local yokel out on Tuesday night patrol who didn't see us coming."
"No, Lisbon, he wasn't. That was an unmarked police car with an Oklahoma license plate for one thing and he was behind us for another." Jane agreed as he'd noted that much in his rearview mirror.
"So it was another message from Red John." Lisbon stated what they were both thinking.
"Yes, Lisbon, I'd say it was." Jane glanced in his left side view mirror to make sure they weren't being followed.
"He knows where we are." Lisbon commented unnecessarily.
"Leave it alone." Jane said quietly.
"Jane, Red John knows where to find us. Doesn't that concern you at all?" Lisbon asked looking out her own window at the darkness beside them.
"No, not really, and he's probably known all along. I warned you of that possibility." Jane recalled an earlier conversation they'd had. "I'd say we're safe enough at the moment. He's not going to give us up and end the game. Red John is having too much fun believing he holds all the cards."
"I'd say he does, Jane. Hold all the cards." Lisbon turned in her seat to look at him.
"Then you'd say wrong." Jane glanced briefly in Lisbon's direction.
"What about the danger to our friends?" Surely Jane saw the threat to everyone he cared about. "Shouldn't we leave?"
"We're leaving in the morning to go to the next site anyway." They'd be in Kansas by this time tomorrow. "Besides, there's no danger to our friends. None of these people are going to say a word about Red John as they don't even know he's contacted us and we're not going to tell them. Ergo, he has no reason to harm them. Besides, doing so would only get the police involved and us thrown in jail. Again, game over. That's not what he wants."
"You think not?" Jane resisted the urge to ask for silence from the peanut gallery. Lisbon really wouldn't appreciate that.
"It's far more pleasant to have us looking over our shoulder waiting for the next shoe to fall. Red John is getting off knowing I know if he suddenly decides to harm you there's very little I can do to stop him. We've already seen that time and again. I'd say that's a far more potent weapon than actually hurting you could ever be.
Besides, if he actually harmed you, again, it's game over. The alarm he know we're both feeling knowing he's out there watching us just out of sight is far more fulfilling for him. Red John thrives on fear and on the dread he strikes in his victims. Or in this case, the panic he's striking in us.
Don't try to deny it. My heart's racing a mile a minute and I know yours is too."
"Shush, Jane, he's not going to hurt me." Lisbon closed her eyes hoping her words were true.
"Not at the moment he isn't, no. As for the future, he's not going to hurt you then either. I won't let him." Jane promised.
"He's not going to hurt either of us. I won't let him. You know, I really hate him." Lisbon poked at her aching shoulder absently.
"So do I and for similar reasons. Right now I'd say we forget this happened. Nothing's really changed except he's crawled out of the woodwork into plain sight for a few brief moments before crawling back in the shadows again." Jane glanced into his mirrors again.
"Let's go home, Jane." Lisbon said not at all surprised she thought of their trailer as home. It was where Jane was and that seemed to be all it took for her to feel safe at the moment.
"We're almost there. Oh, and that idea you have in your head about us calling Cho on that untraceable phone to see if any cops have transferred from California or Nevada to Oklahoma in the last few years isn't a good one. We both know that's the most likely explanation for what just happened. He's probably been watching us from a distance since we got here. Fairs have cops patrolling the grounds. We've both seen them. As he was probably one of them, it's not that big a leap to think he's been shadowing us on Red John's orders. Whether this latest escapade was his idea of fun or something he was told to do, I can't answer nor do I really care. I'd also say it was plain dumb chance that we happened to cross his path for Red John to use him. Serendipity. The universe conspiring against us. However you want to put it." Jane said as he pulled into the fairgrounds.
"Do you think he's the one who left the calling card at our table?" That unknown cop driving an unmarked car she'd love to shoot right between the eyes.
"I can't answer that, Lisbon. It could be one of the guys just as easily. Or it could be someone else entirely…just another unknown face in the room." Jane admitted.
"You're not making me feel any better." Lisbon said quietly.
"I'm not making myself feel any better either. I'm simply speaking the truth as I see it." Jane said as he pulled in beside their travel trailer. Taking a look around at the mostly dark trailers around them, he decided they were safe in going inside. He seriously doubted there would be any more excitement tonight.
#
"I'm going to take a shower." Lisbon said as she sat her purse on the counter thinking what a lousy way to end an otherwise wonderful evening.
"I think that would be a good idea." Jane agreed as he took his cup from the cabinet and turned the fire on under his kettle. He'd already stowed their cue cases safely away.
"Yeah, so do I. You want in there first?" Lisbon asked as she meandered towards the bedroom.
"I'm fine. I'm going to make a cup of tea and sit out here while you're in there." Jane selected a strong black tea from the pantry and proceeded to pour boiling water into his cup.
"I'll be out in a few." Lisbon said as carried her pajamas into the cubicle.
"Take your time." Jane said as he steeped his tea and listened to the sound of the door closing behind her.
Placing her pajamas on the closed toilet lid, Lisbon turned the water on in the shower and listened to the sound of water hitting the shower stall as she stripped out of her jeans and tank. Opening the sliding door, she stepped under the steaming stream and closed the same door behind her. She didn't have to be a cop to realize she'd foolishly allowed the easy camaraderie and peace of the past couple of weeks to lull her into a false sense of security. She shouldn't have. She should have kept her wits about her and she hadn't.
Squirting a little of Jane's citrusy body wash on her puff, Lisbon took a whiff and smirked at the thought this was the only place she could get away with smelling like him without setting the rumor mills buzzing. That would happen here if she didn't smell like Jane. Yep, smelling like anything other than Jane's citrusy, woodsy scent would definitely set tongues wagging around the carney equivalent of the CBI watercolor. She already knew that. Fair folk were entirely too nosey exactly as Jane had said. Lisbon laughed out loud at the thought no matter what universe she inhabited everyone ultimately came to the same conclusion that she and Jane were banging like bunnies when nothing was further from the truth. What were they seeing that she wasn't?
Gazing at sponge gliding over her skin, Lisbon realized her hand was shaking and not just a little bit. When had that happened? Probably about the time the tears she hadn't realized were seeping from her eyes started rolling down her cheeks. It didn't help that her knees were beginning to quiver or that she was feeling cold to the bone standing under a shower that was really much too hot.
Cussing a blue storm, Lisbon felt her legs give and lowered herself towards the floor as she turned the knob in passing. This was so undignified and beneath her. She was a cop and cops did not fall to pieces in their showers. Especially not over a stupid smiley face that she hoped wasn't, but probalby was, drawn in human blood. At least the design was small enough she doubted anyone had died to make it.
That dirty cop, or unknown whoever, had probably cut himself knowing full well that napkin would never find its way into a forensics lab under the circumstances. Doing so would cause too many questions to be asked that none of them wanted answered. Realizing she'd been sitting in a rapidly cooling ball of naked flesh for much too long, Lisbon slid the door open to grab her towel. Wrapping the fabric around her, she struggled to rise to her feet. Finding she lacked the strength to accomplish such a feat, she did the only thing she could.
"Jane." The voice coming through the door didn't sound quite right to his ear.
"Yeah, Lisbon?" Jane hesitated before opening the door.
"You can come in." Lisbon called through the still closed door.
"What's going on?" Jane asked before taking an involuntary step back at seeing Lisbon sitting wrapped haphazardly in her towel in the bottom of the shower stall.
"This is stupid, Jane. I'm…I'm a cop. This shouldn't be happening." Lisbon said as Jane hauled her out of the shower and carried her into the bedroom. Once seated on the bed, it became readily apparent how badly she was shaking. It was no surprise she was weak as well.
"It's the cumulative effect of everything that's happened probably triggered by that." Jane gestured to the rapidly darkening bruise on her shoulder. "I'm surprised you've last this long without hitting the wall."
"I'm a cop. I deal with trauma every day. This shouldn't be happening." Lisbon repeated.
"This is personal, Lisbon." Jane said. "And personal changes everything."
"Maybe it does." Lisbon nodded slightly as she decided his words made sense. She'd been attacked in so many ways from being framed for murder to losing her physical identity to finding herself all but shacking up with Patrick Jane in less than a month. Talk about having her world turned on its ear. There was no denying that was exactly what was happening to her. Jane was the only truly familiar thing left in her life at the moment. "I think you're right. All of this is more of the cumulative effect of the past three weeks than anything. That smiley face just set it off." Lisbon said through chattering teeth. "The worst part is I'm freezing. I can't seem to get warm no matter what."
"Then we need to get you under the covers." Jane said as he turned the duvet back.
"We need to get me dressed first." Lisbon corrected him.
"We?" Jane's tone clearly conveyed he did not believe what he'd just heard.
"Yeah, we, you don't think I can do it on my own?" Lisbon held out her shaking hands. "I'm not even sure I can stand up."
"I think I can handle this, Lisbon, without sacrificing either of our sensibilities." Jane said as he pulled her tank and shorts from the drawer by the bed.
Honestly, he'd like to see what was under that towel and he didn't think Lisbon would really mind. But, for the sake of the game they were still playing, he'd keep his eyes slightly averted as he did what had to be done. That meant kneeling down to put her shorts over each foot and sliding them up her legs exactly as he was doing. Helping her stand, Jane finished sliding her shorts in place before turning Lisbon around, removing the towel, and sliding the tank over her head without actually seeing a thing. He honestly wasn't sure whether to applaud himself for being a gentleman or beat his forehead against the nearest wall for missing the perfect opportunity to sneak a peek. Perhaps he should do both.
"Why don't you get your jammies on and join me." Lisbon said as she slipped beneath the covers. "I could use a little snuggling after what we've been through."
Jane wanted to find that cop who'd cut them off and bam his head into the sidewalk as well for putting Lisbon through all of this. However, he liked her plan better. Pulling his pajamas out of the drawer, Jane walked into the bathroom and put them on. Putting his folded shirt and jeans away in the drawer, he joined her in their comfy bed.
#
"So you're using getting almost getting killed and spooked by a smiley face calling card as an excuse to seduce me?" Jane said a few minutes later as he restrained the hands suddenly wandering dangerously close to forbidden territory.
While a few naughty cuddles and tonsil licking kisses were perfectly fine as they did that every night, Lisbon putting the full blown make on him wasn't. A part of him wondered what had suddenly gotten into her while the other part of him knew. They were undeniably attracted to each other. More than attracted and acting on that attraction to forget the past few hours held strong appeal for him as well. However, that wasn't the smartest move for either of them. In fact, it was just plain wrong. There was too much potential for regrets he didn't want either of them feeling in the harsh morning light.
"If you want to put it that way, then yes, I think I am. That and losing it. I'm clearly not in my right mind." Lisbon nuzzled against his neck dismissing the losing it part as she was clearly over that. "Though I'd say from what I'm feeling I don't need an excuse."
"Lisbon, you aren't in your right mind and I don't think this is a good idea." Jane stated in no uncertain terms.
"I know exactly what I'm doing, Jane. You've done a wonderful job of warming me up and calming me down. I'm not even shaking anymore." Lisbon held up a perfectly straight hand to illustrate her point.
"What about your shoulder? That's a pretty nasty bruise." It's a wonder her shoulder hadn't dislocated.
"I'm sure it'll hurt like hell tomorrow; but, at the moment it looks far worse than it feels." Lisbon said.
"I still don't think this is a good idea." Jane said.
"We both agreed to let things happen and I'd say they're happening. I can tell you want to, and I know I want to, so just go with it. I don't want noble Jane in my bed at the moment. I'd much prefer sneaky Jane who always gets what he wants." Lisbon whispered in his ear. "And I think he wants me as much as I want him."
"Yeah, Lisbon, I'd say he does. Probably more since he's known he's wanted you a lot longer than you've accepted you wanted him. However, that being said, I'm afraid noble Jane is ruling the moment. Our first time won't be in an adrenaline fueled haze when neither of us is thinking straight. There won't be any regrets on either side when we decide to let things happen." Jane rested his hands against her lower back enjoying having a Lisbon coiled about him. Though his late wife had been the epitome of femininity, he'd formed quite the affinity for dress hating tomboys over the past few years.
"Spoil sport." Lisbon mumbled against his neck sleepily giving a certain amount of truth to his words. If he wasn't going to make it worth her while, there was not reason to fight the crash.
"You'll thank me in the morning." Jane rubbed Lisbon's back urging her to fall asleep. It was the best thing for her and it would lay a very real temptation to rest.
Once he heard the first of those light girly snores he was slipping out of bed and making sure they were truly safe.
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Quietly unlocking the door, Jane stepped inside the living room and locked the door behind him. He'd left Lisbon in the midst of a deep, healing sleep when he'd eased out of bed, gotten dressed, and slipped out the door. He'd spent the past hour checking the parameters and watching for any signs of activity that shouldn't be. The most action he'd run into was Charley escorting his little waitress friend back to her car.
Shaking his head, Jane decided he didn't really see any way any of his old friends were Red John's man. On the other hand, he couldn't see how one of them couldn't be. It was the only answer that made sense. All four of those guys were in contact with their table throughout the evening. And all four were recent additions to the convoy moving on to Kansas City. They were also men he'd called friends of long standing. The idea of Red John turning one of them was hard for him to fathom.
Turning at a faint sound, Jane was surprised to see Lisbon lurking on the couch in the darkness. Switching on the light closest to him, he walked over to sit behind her.
"Lisbon, what are you doing awake? I thought I was the insomniac." More to the point, what was she doing wearing his pajama top she'd rooted out of the closet over her sleep shorts and tank. Maybe she was still cold. Or maybe she was seeking comfort since she'd awoken to find he wasn't here.
"He's out there, Jane. He's out there somewhere watching us." Lisbon said as she kneeled on the couch with her face pressed against the window staring into the darkness and seeing nothing.
"Yeah, he is, out there; but, in California somewhere. I seriously doubt Red John himself is within twelve hundred miles of us at the moment." Jane reminded her reassuringly.
"I suppose you're right." Lisbon turned to face him.
"I am. We'll be watched for a while until he's ready to make his next move; but, I think that's about it." Jane said as he brushed her hair out of her face. "We could leave as you're thinking. I'm just not sure that would do much good. Now that he's made himself known, I'm pretty sure we would just be followed the same way he's following us now. Besides, there's a certain truth to there being safety in numbers."
"We should tell them, Jane." Lisbon said.
"Why? What they don't know won't hurt them and knowing just might. They aren't going to do or say anything foolish if they don't know any of this. And he's not going to harm anyone if they keep their mouths closed. No, Lisbon, in this instance, ignorance is bliss. If I get the feeling it's otherwise, I'll certainly take the appropriate steps to protect everyone including leaving if we must. You can trust me on that." He wouldn't knowingly put his friends in any real danger.
"I do." Lisbon said as she felt Jane draw her back in his arms and rest his chin on top of her head.
"Then let's just sit here and enjoy the dark. I don't think either of us is going to get much sleep tonight." No vocal answer was really necessary as Lisbon snuggled trustingly into his chest.
There was something about sitting in their home holding Lisbon in his arms that made all the unpleasantness fade away.