A/N: Apologies for not updating this sooner, I have been writing fluff for a few days on another story and wasn't in the right place for my good mood to be tempered by the angsty thoughts that would inevitably enter my head when writing this chapter. I'm not 100% happy with this chapter but would love your thoughts as usual. It's mostly Jane/Alex but Lisbon will be back with a bigger presence in the next chapter.

Chapter 10 - Interrogation

Jane was about to exit the car as Lisbon caught his arm. 'What are you going to say?'

'What do you think, Lisbon' he snapped. 'If that son of a bitch has got her into this-'

'Jane, you don't know that. Hell, you don't even know if your theory about her helping a criminal is correct' she reasoned.

He puffed out a breath and put his head back on the headrest. He remembered Abbott's words to him about allowing Lisbon to help him when his mind was clouded with personal issues. 'What do you advise?' he sighed.

She was a little taken aback that he hadn't shrugged off her concerns and went off at his father instead. She reached for his hand. 'We approach this gently. Even if he does know more than he's told us there's still a teenage girl involved in this whole mess whose mother has disappeared. Whatever else is going on, it's obvious she loves her father and that...he loves her and wouldn't hurt her.'

Jane nodded slowly and Lisbon squeezed his hand tighter. 'Jane, just because he loves her doesn't mean that he doesn't or didn't-'

'Don't' he said softly, squeezing her hand and casting a small smile in her direction. 'Don't pretend this is something it isn't, Teresa. I'm more than aware of where I've always been in his priorities.' He cupped her cheek and exhaled. 'Okay, let's go talk to him. I'll take it easy. To start with anyway.'

Lisbon nodded. 'Okay, I'll keep Aisling busy so you won't be interrupted.'

Jane and his father sat at the kitchen table while Lisbon talked to Aisling in the living room.

'So, dividing us up then, what's this for, to see if our stories match up again or another reason?' Alex said, sipping some coffee.

'So, dementia hasn't set in yet I see. Should bode well for me in the coming years' Jane replied.

Alex stared at his son, calmly waiting for him to get to the point. Jane was impressed as his father used silence to get him to talk. It was an important method in interrogations.

'Since you're treating this like an interrogation I have to believe that you know far more than you've told us' Jane stated.

Alex looked at him, confusion rife on his face. 'I've told you all I know. Why would I hold something back from you? I was the one who came to you for help.'

Jane saw the expression on his father's face change to one that told him his brilliant son was useless so far and regretted involving him in the first place.

'Did you know Hannah stole drugs from the hospital?' Jane asked calmly, his eyes watching his father's reaction over the rim of his cup.

'What?! No, of course not!'

'Liar'

'What the hell?!' Alex shouted, getting up from his chair.

'Sit back down and lower your voice unless you want Aisling to hear any of this' Jane said quietly as his father's tone got louder.

This had the desired effect and Alex stumbled back into his seat, his eyes searching Jane's for a hint that he was bluffing. He could find none.

Jane leaned in to him. 'I told you, old man, no lies. So what exactly did you get your wife involved in? The truth or I'm out of here. Leave you to sort this mess out yourself.'

Alex looked away and ran a hand through his hair. Jane drained his cup and went to get off his chair.

'Wait' Alex said, sighing.

Jane sat back down slowly.

'I...I didn't know what would happen.' He looked at Jane, tears in his eyes. 'Honestly, son. I...I didn't know.'

'Go on' Jane said, his expression emotionless.

Alex exhaled loudly again. 'Hannah treated a patient called Vince Collins about a month ago. Appendectomy I think. Anyway as he was recovering they got talking I guess. He found out her name and linked it to me.'

'You know him?' Jane asked.

'No. I never heard of him.'

'But he'd heard of you obviously.'

Alex sighed, 'Yeah, he had. Before I tell you the rest I had no idea any of this went on until last week, Paddy. No idea.'

Jane waved him off, disinterested in his protestations of innocence. 'Just get on with it.'

'Well, turns out that his boss is a mobster called Eddie Lomez. Lomez...Lomez I do know...from years ago.'

'You conned him' Jane stated.

Alex was surprised at the quick deduction. 'Yeah, how did you know?'

Jane shrugged. 'Not many people you didn't con back then. It was a reasonable assumption.'

Alex nodded. 'True. Actually I conned him by using the money you gave me. You know that time-'

'Yeah, I know. Go on.'

'The con was I pretended to be in charge of a large corporation selling properties abroad. Rented office space and everything.'

Jane nodded. 'Right, showed them brochures, got made up testimonials, hired people to look like people were biting so the mark would bite first, that kind of thing.'

Alex nodded. 'Yeah, you know the score. Anyway, Eddie Lomez dropped into my lap one night at a bar. He wasn't a boss then, just worked for one. But he was trying to be a big shot, wanted to impress his buddies so-'

'I get it, you talked him into parting with probably the only cash he'd made his whole life. Get back to the present. So, somehow this Vince Collins told Lomez about meeting your wife.'

'Yeah.' Alex drained his coffee and sighed. 'Turns out Lomez is on the run at the minute, wanted by your guys for taking down a casino boss six months or so ago. I don't know what evidence they have but it must be pretty conclusive for him to have gone underground with his operation.'

'So, Lomez or Collins or whoever threatened to expose you over your past...indiscretions...unless Hannah helped him by stealing pain meds. What's the matter with him, do you know?'

Alex said, 'Severe gunshot wound apparently. Patrick, I only found out about all this last week. Hannah said she was going to her friend Laurie-'

'Yeah I know. She was covering for her so she could slip Lomez the meds I'm guessing now and make him comfortable. Laurie didn't know what she was involved in.'

Alex raised his eyebrows. 'And there was me thinking you weren't doing a damn thing.'

Jane shrugged.

Alex continued, 'After the second time I knew something was wrong with Hannah.' He smiled a little and looked into the distance. 'She had been quiet over that past week and well...quietness is not normally one of her virtues.'

Jane nodded and found himself unexpectedly smiling at him.

Alex's face lit up. 'You look so much like your mother when you smile.'

Jane stopped smiling and shifted in his chair. 'So she told you about the whole thing. About blackmailing her to get the drugs to him.'

'Yeah...Hannah's always known about my...shady past shall I say. But...she loves me anyway. Bit like you and that FBI agent I would guess. Who would have thought we two conmen would have met two wonderful women after losing our first loves, eh? What are the chances?'

Jane pursed his lips, neither denying or agreeing to anything but inwardly couldn't argue with his father's words as far as he was concerned at least.

'Anyway' Alex continued, 'When she told me I was shaken to the core. She said she just had one more meeting with Lomez and after that he was going to get proper medical attention apparently. He told her that they had a doctor flying in to operate. The day she and Aisling got the dress was supposed to be the last meeting.'

'You allowed her to go, to meet with criminals and risk herself further?' Jane asked, not bothering to hide his contempt.

Alex shrugged. 'They hadn't hurt her the other times. I...I didn't think I'd any reason to believe they would hurt her that time.'

Jane snorted. 'And it kept you in the clear.'

Alex pounded his fist on the table, surprising Jane. 'You think I don't blame myself for that decision every moment of the day, Patrick. I don't need you to heap on any more guilt. I know I screwed up and she wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me.'

Jane looked away, seeing a reflection of his own guilt at his lack of poor judgement mirrored in his father's eyes.

'Why the hell didn't you tell me all this when you asked for my help? It could have saved time if I'd known where to start?'

Alex shrugged. 'I...We haven't seen each other in a long time. I intended on telling you when you came here but...you brought a goddamned fed with you. I don't know her and I find out you're involved with her. The way you treated me I thought you'd just let her arrest me if I told you the whole story. I wanted to get a lie of the land first. And...to begin with I wasn't sure one thing had to be with the other.'

'You knew very well they were connected.'

Alex held his hands up. 'Okay, yeah, I knew. I...didn't want you to be more disappointed in me than you already were.'

'That ship sailed a long time ago' Jane snapped back at him.

Alex looked to the ground, his head in his hands. 'I was going to tell you everything today anyway. You surprised me by telling me about the drugs first. I automatically reacted by denying I knew anything. Thought that...'

'Thought that it would keep you out of things if I found out on my own and I'd accept that you knew nothing about any of this. You must think me an idiot if you thought I wouldn't realise your handprints were all over this.'

'Not just that. Ash doesn't know any of this. I was...trying to protect her too.'

'By protecting yourself. Convenient, wouldn't you say?'

Alex looked up at him. 'I was a disaster of a father to you. I'm a good one to her. I...if she finds any of this out it'll crush her.'

Jane shook his head. 'You should have told me sooner. You've wasted valuable time and have possibly already got Hannah killed because of it. You think Aisling is going to forgive you for that? It's a little worse than her realising you're not father of the year, don't you think?'

Tears began to fall from Alex's eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen his father cry and Jane was at a loss at what to do. He stood up and looked away from him. 'It's not over yet. They may have needed her to help with the operation. There's a chance she's still alive.'

Alex looked up at him and sniffed as Jane continued to gaze in the opposite direction. 'I'll never forgive myself if I've got her killed.'

Jane shook his head. He knew what that feeling was like all too well. 'Tell me where she told you she met his people. And any names you remember her mentioning. We'll start from there.'