*A/N: Sorry for the delay, things are crazy busy at the moment. On to the next chapter, hope you enjoy. :-)*
Chapter 8
Jane gazed into her eyes, their lips were so close, all he had to do was move a couple of millimetres and they would be touching. He so wanted that, he could feel her warmth, his hand brushing the top of her shoulder. He yearned to move, his hands itched to touch her, to feel her skin on his. But he was patient, he had waited this long he could wait a little longer.
Her emerald eyes bored into his, they were so beautiful he could stare at them forever. Looking, he could see her fear, her desire, her uncertainty and every little insecurity. For a woman who is normally adept at hiding her feelings, she was an open book to him now. He wouldn't push her, he wanted her to trust him and pushing her at this moment wouldn't achieve that. He would wait, even if it meant it wouldn't happen today. But, oh he wished it would.
"Jane." Lisbon breathed, he could hear her conflict. Jane sighed, his eyes shut. She wasn't ready, he needed to back off. He needed to pull away, but it was if a magnet was holding him there. The smell of her perfume was intoxicating, it filled his brain and he couldn't think straight. Before he could stop himself, he pulled back. His eyes still closed.
This woman was slowly breaking every bit of self-control that he possessed. He opened his eyes, his hand still leaning on the wall above her shoulder. She was staring up at him, the big beautiful eyes, for the moment, completely unreadable to him. He just wanted to know what she was thinking, now more than ever. He knew she was uncertain, even afraid, but he wanted to know if there was some excitement mixed in there somewhere. It would give him some sort of hope.
"I'm sorry, Teresa." Jane sighed, he took his hand back and stepped back. Punching the button, making the lift start up again. The pair rode the rest of the way in silence, Jane didn't look at Lisbon, he couldn't. Not if he was going to keep his resolve not to push her. If he looked over at her he didn't even think he had the self-control to stop himself pushing her pack against the wall if he did.
As soon as the door was opened, Jane left without a backwards glance. His heart practically beating out of his chest.
Lisbon was left alone in the lift. She didn't quite know how she was feeling. She was glad Jane didn't kiss her.
But if she was, then why was she so disappointed he didn't? She watched his retreating back, wanting nothing more than to run and threw her arms around him. She didn't, it wasn't until the lift doors started to close again did she move.
Stopping the doors with her hand, she exited, making her way to the break area. Before she made it, Fisher waved her over. She was stood at Wylie's desk, Cho stood beside her and Wylie sat on his chair clicking away at the computer. Lisbon changed direction, glancing at Jane, who was sat on his sofa.
"What do we have?" She asked.
"5 suspects that seem the most likely to retaliate." Cho answered.
"John Hutten, Donny Culpepper, Thomas Volker, Richard Haibach and Linus Wagner." Fisher supplied. Wylie turned around then.
"We can narrow it down even further." He said.
"How?" Fisher asked.
"Donny Culpepper's still in prison, as it Linus Wagner."
"That leaves Hutten, Volker and Haibach." Lisbon said, scanning each photo. She didn't think Hutten would hold a big enough grudge against them to do this. "Hutten's out." She said, not elaborating. Wylie and Fisher looked at her, expecting her to continue.
"So that leaves Volker and Haibach. Sounds right." Cho responded. The two other agents just glanced at each other, both clearly deciding not to question either of them.
"I'd say Volker." Jane said from behind Lisbon, making her jump slightly. She didn't even hear him approach.
"Why?" Cho asked, in his usual straight forward way.
"You remember his obsession with Lisbon, I'm just surprised it took him this long to retaliate." He replied, his eyes not leaving Tommy Volker's face. Lisbon could see intense dislike in his features, the look she had only seen with one other suspect.
"The message was meant for you Jane. Haibach's our guy." Jane turned his eyes to her, not saying anything. "That stunt you played with Bob Kirkland, if I know anything about Haibach, he won't let something like that go."
"Could it be both of you?" Fisher asked. "The victim was someone you knew, Lisbon, and the face, well that obviously directed at you Jane." When no one said anything she continued. "Maybe they're working together?" Jane snorted, Cho shook his head and Lisbon replied.
"They wouldn't, Volker is sociopath, extremely intelligent and wouldn't work with Haibach. Haibach's too much of a loose cannon for him. Anyway, where would they have met?"
"Well, they're both from Sacramento. They could have met there, but you know them better than me." Fisher said, turning back to the photographs.
"Isn't Volker supposed to be in jail still?" Jane asked.
"He was let out on parole a few months ago for good behaviour. Some high up, billionaire, politician got him out." Wylie supplied, bringing up Volker's prison record.
"How can he? He was a high security prisoner serving a double life sentence." Lisbon looked at the picture of the man who haunted her, almost as much as Red John haunted Jane. Her eyes flicked back to Haibach, both men were capable of doing something like this. "Did we find anything at the crime scene?"
"A bullet casing, it's from a 22, and her personal effects." Fisher handed Lisbon a box, in it were a couple of evince bags. Once contained a bullet casing, the others contents of a handbag. Lisbon picked out the diary, putting a glove on her hand, she took it out of the bag. The diary was pink, purple flowers and white dots covered the case. It was thick, the pages from the last couple of months were creased. Lisbon flicked through until she found the day before.
The diary was a day a page diary, and her days were full.
"What was the time of death?" Lisbon asked.
"1am" Fisher replied. "Did the husband say what she was doing out that early?" Jane and Lisbon looked at each other, they didn't even ask.
"He never mentioned she was out, we didn't think to ask."
"Go back and see him tomorrow." Fisher said. "Cho, what did you find at her job?"
"Not much." Said the agent. "She only had two new customers, Lisbon and another woman. I didn't get her name, Mellissa only wrote initials."
"HH. I've got her here." Lisbon held up the diary. "She had an appointment yesterday afternoon, and another," Lisbon flicked through the diary, "Two months ago. It was her first appointment as far as I can see"
"That's about the same time you went." Fisher stated. Jane took the diary off Lisbon and flicked through it.
"She went a week after you." He said.
"It could be a coincidence." Lisbon suggested.
"No such thing." Lisbon looked over, he was still looking through the diary. Then, without warning, walked away to his couch.
"Jane?" Fisher called, Jane ignored her and sat down. The 4 agents exchanged looks, neither of them knew what had caught his attention. "Right, Lisbon you have a look into Thomas Volker. See what he's been doing since getting out, where he is now, the usual. Cho, you take Haibach." The pair nodded and went to their respective desks. Lisbon sat down, very aware of the fact that Jane was sat right behind her. She wanted to know what had caught his attention but she knew, better than anyone, he wouldn't share until he wanted to, there was no use asking him until then.
At the end of the day, Lisbon shut off her computer. She had spent the last few hours searching for Volker. She had rang his probation officer, his family, old employees. No one knew where he was. Stretching out her back, she switched off her computer. Her eye's tired from looking at a computer screen all afternoon. She checked her watch; 6:14. Her stomach rumbled, emphasising the fact that she hadn't eaten in hours.
She stood, put her jacket on, grabbed her purse, keys and phone; placing them in her pockets and turned to Jane. He was sleeping on his sofa. She wondered how he managed to get his old sofa back, when she went back to the CBI headquarters, everything had been taken. She contemplated waking him up, inviting him out for a bite to eat. After years of not sleeping, she wasn't about to deny him it now.
Plus, that moment in the lift was still branded in her mind. She didn't think she could even look at him yet, forget about sharing a meal.
Deciding to leave him, she walked to the lift. She couldn't get his smell out of her head, and the way his breath tickled her skin. 'Snap out of it, Teresa.' She really needed to get a hold of herself, otherwise she'll be heading back to that sofa and-
"I'm sorry," A male voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up in the face of the handsome stranger she had just walked straight into.
"It's alright. Totally my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going." The man was handsome; dark hair, tall, clean shaven. Kind of a round face, dark eyes and his chin was strong. Sort of.
"Most have been something good." He said, smiling.
"I'm sorry?"
"Your thoughts. Must have been good thoughts."
"Oh." She blushed a little. "Um, yes. I guess."
"Pike. Marcus," He said, holding out his hand. "Art division."
"Teresa Lisbon." She shook his hand.
"Lisbon? Ah, yeah. You're the one who came from CBI? With the psychic guy?"
"There's no such thing as psychic's, but yeah."
"Oh course not." He grinned at her again. She couldn't help but feel a little flattered at the attention. Every guy she had met since working with Jane, with the exception of Walter, had been put off by him. He always managed to find a way to keep them away, subtly deterring them from any kind of attachment with her. Not that she really took much notice, she was too busy trying, unsuccessfully, to do the same for him. But no matter how hard she tried, women still flocked around him. Not that she could blame them, he was charming, funny, good looking - extremely good looking – and-
"Agent Lisbon?" Pike interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm sorry." Lisbon apologised, why was she thinking of Patrick Jane when there was an attractive man – granted, not Jane attractive – right in front of her? "Mind ran away with me, it's been a long day."
"I understand. It's late, you're probably heading home."
"Yeah, gonna grab some Thai on the way back." Why was she telling him this?
"Where?"
"That place on South Congress? I love that place."
"It's a good place." Pike agreed. Lisbon glanced behind him, the lift. The attention was nice, but now she was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. He seemed nice, but she was never used to guys hitting on her. "Would you like some company?"
"Umm, I-" Lisbon started. She could say yes, here was an attractive, steady man. Probably never conned a person in his life. It would be a nice change, to be around someone who doesn't lie all the time. No games, less stress, less fun. "Agent Pike."
"Marcus, please." He grinned again.
"Marcus. Thank you, for the offer, but I-"
"Lisbon?" Jane came up behind her, she jumped a little. Damn that mans like a ninja. Pike's eyes flicked between the two of them, he crossed his arms, his guard going up. Jane was standing very close. "Making friends?"
"Marcus Pike, Patrick-"
"Jane? Right?" Pike interrupted. He didn't hold at his hand.
"That's right." Jane replied, his hands going in his trouser pockets. "Where you guys off too?"
"Nowhere." Lisbon said, a little too quickly.
"Actually, I was just asking Agent Lisbon if she'd like to get some Thai." Pike said, smiling at Lisbon again.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, so-"
"Well, I could do with some Thai." Jane said, clapping his hands together. Lisbon looked between him and Pike, her embarrassment growing.
"Actually-"
"I just want to head home." Lisbon put in, before either of them could say any more. Both men looked at her, Pike looked disappointed. Jane looked strangely satisfied. At least, he had that annoying smirk on his face. She nodded to the men, ducked around Pike and punched the button for the lift. She walked in, before the doors had fully opened and pressed the button for the car park.
As the doors closed, she saw Jane and Pike in the same position she'd left them in. The doors were closing, she leant her head against the wall, her mind going back to the last time she was in this lift.
"Penny for them?" Lisbon jumped, violently.
"Damn it Jane!" She looked over, Jane was smirking at her, leaning casually against the wall of the lift. He was very close. Lisbon's eye's flicked down to his lips.
They were very close.
"How did you get in here?" She asked him, looking away.
"Don't get grumpy with me. I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm not grumpy." She defended herself.
"High voice." Jane teased.
"You didn't answer my question." She said.
"I slipped in when you had your eyes closed, thinking about…" He let the sentence hang, Lisbon blushed. How does he always know? She could see him, out of the corner of her eye, trying to get her to look at him.
They stayed like that: Lisbon staring at the door, Jane studying her, until they reached the car park. Before Lisbon could exit, Jane touched her arm. Whispered, in a low seductive tone: "I'm thinking about it too."
He kissed her lightly on the cheek and left her alone in the lift, again. This time, however, he turned back, winked, and then carried on walking.
