This chapter is very short. I may add more about Amanita's backstory, but that could be an entire story by itself.

Chapter 7

The woman known to Jane as Amanita perused his list of suspects as she drank her coffee in a small cafe early the next morning. She hoped to eliminate more names from the list based on her knowledge of Red John.

Amanita had last seen Red John over a year ago. After her escape, she was able to determine that the compound where she was held captive was located somewhere in Idaho, but it was in a remote area accessible only by a dirt road. She knew that he had hideouts in California and other western states. He could be anywhere at any given time, which made it essential to find some of his operatives who could lead her to him.

She was connected to a worldwide network of women who were victims of domestic abuse, rape, and stalking. These women gave her contracts to kill men whom the police ignored and who would be likely to murder their victims. Most of her clients were poor or middle class, but a few very wealthy clients made large cash donations to the organization, which allowed her to be paid well. Amanita had a cover job as a tech support person at a library. She had been able to keep a low profile for years, but Red John was still able to find her.

It turned out that one of her hits was a friend of his. Through his network of spies and minions, he had her kidnapped and brought to him. He taunted her and jeered at her for some time before ordering one of his men to torture her with a taser and a lit cigarette. He himself cut her in such a way that she bled profusely but not enough to kill her. Every day he sent one of his goons to rough her up. He seemed to derive so much enjoyment from this that he'd decided not to kill her. She made several attempts to kill him with improvised weapons and once with poison (she found some baited rat traps and tried to slip some poison into his food when he insisted on dining with her. But the right moment never presented itself.) She finally crafted an elaborate escape plan, enlisting the help of Lorelei, who by then was seeking vengeance on Red John for murdering her sister. Once she was safe from him (as far as she could tell, no one had come after her) she vowed to kill him if she possibly could.

Amanita had served in the Israeli military and was well trained in the use of assault weapons, explosives, hand to hand fighting and martial arts. The result of this was that she was supremely confident of her abilities and a fearless and formidable adversary. She remained calm under pressure, was quick-witted and resourceful. Her height and demeanor put her on a par with the average man. She was ready to take on her next job.

Patrick Jane was the first man to order a hit from her.