Chapter 10: Stupid Marks
The CBI
"What?!"
Lisbon glared, and Jane carefully wiped the grin from his face. Fascinated, Jane watched closely as Cho communicated outrage, doubt, scorn, and disbelief, all with zero change in expression. No, not just 'no change' but no expression at all. Mr. Ice Man can teach me a thing or two, Jane thought in admiration, really liking Cho at that moment. He turned back to the conversation.
"... no sense, Boss. He's a con man. I already have my quota," Cho said, staring pointedly at Jane, irritation clear, again without facial expression.
Jane lazily interjected, "But you would single handedly take a criminal off the streets, help a desperate man turn his life around, prevent a one-man crime wave, and get an exceptionally useful tool for detecting fraud and ... con men."
Lisbon almost growled in frustration with Jane, annoyed and incredulous that he was messing with them. "Jane! Are you trying to make this happen? Or keep it from happening? I'm fine with dropping this!"
Jane straightened, demeanor fully serious the first time in the meeting. "I want this to happen but you're blowing any risks out of proportion. Hiring Danny Ruskin for one case will not tear the CBI asunder," the Edgar Allen Poe signature word subtly mocking their overwrought concerns. He's not carrying the plague for heaven's sake.
Lisbon sighed and regrouped. Calmly, "Cho, do you believe Danny Ruskin could be useful to the CBI?"
"Under certain conditions, yes."
"Are you willing to give him a try for one case?"
"Under certain conditions, yes."
"What conditions, Cho?"
"We tie Ruskin's performance to Jane," he answered, ignoring Jane. Pain pierced Jane at "Ruskin" - Angela's maiden name of course. Then Jane bit his cheek to keep his expression neutral of either pain or derision, probably both. He realized his pushing to give his brother-in-law a chance had unintentionally p.o.'d his friend-colleague-boss.
Cho continued, "If Ruskin screws up or tries to con me, Jane's off my team."
Jane blinked in appreciation of Cho's tactical brilliance. Cho just gave himself his best shot at controlling Ruskin by motivating an equally talented con man to make it work.
"Jane?"
Jane smiled, "Touche, Cho. Yeah, I'll take that bet. Deal."
"Jane, after you pick Ruskin up from the hospital, the three of us need that face to face with him. Tell Melinda when you expect to have him here so she makes room on my schedule."
Meeting over, Jane and Cho left for the CBI. Cho went up to the bullpen; Jane, to the Citroen to get Danny Ruskin.
Lisbon
Lisbon straightened already orderly files on her desk. Complicated, aggravating, pain in the ass. Asks for a favor and then rubs it in, she ruminated. Then she mentally stepped back as an explanation for Jane's attitude occurred to her. Hits Jane too close to home. He thinks it could be a win-win. Jane's contributed mightily to our close and conviction rates. Why not Danny? She sighed, reluctantly accepting, once again, that Jane's hunches and gambles paid off far more often than anyone could expect - except that normal rules don't apply to Jane.
"Teresa?" Melinda stuck her head in. "Mrs. Hightower is here."
Lisbon unconsciously squared her shoulders and straightened her back. Madeline Hightower still, still intimidated her just a little bit even though they were friends and had saved each others' lives. Even though Lisbon was now Director of the CBI.
"Madeline," she exclaimed with a welcoming smile. Lisbon walked around her desk to give Hightower a quick hug. With the personal connection reestablished, both relaxed. Lisbon ushered her to the couch in preference to the stiff Director-visitor vibe that would exist had she stayed at her desk. Seated side by side, each stirred the coffee Melinda brought in and took the opportunity to look each other over.
"You look–" they started simultaneously, broke off and laughed.
Lisbon started again. "You look wonderful, Madeline." And Hightower did. She had always been perfectly groomed, perfectly poised. But now Red John was dead and she was out from under the stultifying weight of Bertram's CBI. She looked relaxed and happy, too.
"As do you."
"Sheep dip. I have permanent black circles under my eyes from this job."
"Just the job? No contribution from Jane?"
She grinned. "Mostly the job. Jane is Jane. But he's now on Cho's team. Cho's even got him doing his own apologies these days."
"I'll have to take Agent Cho out to lunch. Learn his secret."
"Seriously, they're working well together."
"And it doesn't hurt that Jane is – happier?" Lisbon nodded. "And – with you?" Lisbon flushed slightly and nodded again. "I'm glad. For both of you."
Lisbon cleared her throat. "Madeline, you've been doing special projects for the governor and other high elected officials, right?"
"Yes. After hiding from Red John, the kids and I finally got our lives back after your team killed him. I didn't want long hours or the responsibilities for a whole division. At least not immediately."
Lisbon looked down, then plunged in. "I have a favor to ask. I'd like you to work for me in your old position as CBI special agent." Hightower sat back and waited for her to continue. "In eight months, I've cleaned up a lot of the CBI's problems with the investigative teams. But I have way too many direct reports. I'll never have time to focus on my other divisions unless I restore that management level between the team leaders and the Director. I need someone competent, honest, and loyal to me, with a reputation beyond question. Such people are in short supply."
After a moment, Hightower responded. "Teresa, I support what you're doing with the CBI. You aren't the only one outraged at Bertram, at the whole Blake Association corruption. I was frankly astonished that the AG and governor had the good sense to give you the job."
"Jane made me see I could engineer that offer."
"I'm glad he did. The CBI was deteriorating for some time. I think you're just what's needed. –How are you doing with all the politics?"
"Challenging at times. I'm doing okay, though I have more to learn."
Hightower nodded. "That's what I've heard about you and the 'new' CBI."
"Will you do it? I realize this is at most a lateral move for you, but–"
"Teresa, I don't care about that. Any position I want won't come from climbing the steps in the government bureaucracy. It will be a political appointment. But I can set that aside for awhile. How long would you need me?"
"Two years, tops. Less if I don't uncover major problems in my other divisions. Also, I need time to groom a few team leaders to be promoted to special agent."
Hightower smiled brilliantly, "Well then, it's an offer I can't refuse." Madeline Hightower would start in a week. Just like that, Lisbon's world was looking up.
Cho and Rigsby
Cho rode the elevator to five and entered the bullpen. Rigsby looked up from reading a file.
"Hey, Cho. What happened with Lisbon?"
"Trouble."
Rigsby leaned back, took a bite of his donut and sip of coffee. "What's he up to now?"
"Danny Ruskin will work one case with us. He'll help figure out if there's anything to that defense contractor doing illegal exports."
Rigsby sputtered on a mouthful of coffee. He followed Cho to the break room.
"I thought he was Jane's brother-in-law con man."
"Yep. He wants to go straight."
That elicited a low whistle from Rigsby. "So Lisbon strong-armed you to go along with Jane? Doesn't sound like the Boss." Cho sipped his coffee. His shrug was almost imperceptible. And only because they'd been partners for a dozen years could Rigsby detect Cho's amusement. "Wait! You're on board with this?"
"I could have bowed out if I wanted. Jane seems to think it'll work. If Ruskin screws up Jane's ass is on the line."
"Why?" Cho knew it wasn't 'why Jane's ass would be on the line,' but 'why go along with the insanity at all.'
Cho drew a breath and let it out gradually. "It's a Jane hunch. Jane respects him and believes he wants to go straight. If Ruskin is half as good as Jane, he'll close cases."
"Yeah, but another con man? And he isn't coming off his family's murder like Jane was. Why take the chance?"
"Lisbon took a chance on us. You. Me. Jane. Worth a try. –How are you doing on those files? Anything new stand out?"
Jane and Ruskin
Danny Ruskin tossed a plastic bag with some personal effects in the back of the Citroen. He gingerly got into the front seat and buckled his seat belt.
"Feeling okay?"
"Better. Just need to take it easy a few days."
Jane paused while merging with the moderately heavy traffic. "You asked my help in getting out of the life. Still the plan?"
"Talked with Jinda. Being a con man is a deal breaker. So, yeah, I still want out."
"Have any idea of what you'll do?"
"Dunno. Maybe I could help manage the carnival, or something. Maybe I could just enjoy life with Jinda."
"Ever see a cat play? Chase a string, stalk another cat? Why do they do that?"
Ruskin blinked at the change in topic. "Uh, they have to eat."
"They do, but that's not why. They chase and stalk and pounce because they love it. That's what makes them good at it."
"So?"
"You're a cat, Danny. You do the con because you love it – not because you don't have enough money. You asked how to get out? You need to replace the thrill of the con with something equally exciting."
"Like what?"
"I'm able to stay out of the life because trapping killers is fun. It holds my interest. You need to do the same."
"You think I should work for the cops? That's nuts!"
"That's exactly what I think, at least for now. Maybe eventually you could consult for insurance companies. Look, Danny. You can't just sit around. You'd be back in the business in a month. For a great con man like you," Jane said in a deliberately mocking tone, "outsmarting the bad guys is one of the few things challenging enough."
"Work for a bunch of marks? Hell, no."
"They're only marks if you think of them that way. I'm not carny anymore. My CBI team is family now. Even Sam accepts that."
Ruskin thought a moment. Samantha Turner's willingness to accept Jane's little cop friend Lisbon had astonished him ever since he'd reconnected with Jane a couple of years back. "How? They're stupid marks. How can you not con them?"
"They're the other side of the con. You use the same skills to trap con men. And it works out pretty well with the cops. I'm not saying you start going to the policemen's ball. Just don't be afraid to let in the people you work with."
"What's to stop me from conning them?"
"Me, for one thing. And they aren't as gullible as you think. You'd be working with Cho – the guy I consult for. Just one case, see if you like it."
Ruskin blew out a raspberry in contempt. "Cops. They're stupid straight-arrows with no imagination. I could run circles around them."
"Some of them." Jane's eyes glinted with amusement. "Don't underestimate them. They have pasts, too."
"Meaning?"
"Cho's ex-gang banger. He'll kneecap you if you try to con him. Rigsby's dad was a biker. They've been around the block a few times. –Oh. And if you want them to keep you from getting killed? Good idea to play it straight with them."
"No kidding? Gang banger and a biker's kid?"
"Uh-huh." Jane peered into the rear view mirror. "Interested? Willing to give it a try?"
"What the hell. I could try it."
"Try one case. Maybe you can help solve it." Ruskin snorted, confident he could figure out any con. Jane continued, "But if you work the case, you do not try to con Cho. If you do, he'll come after you. And I'll help him. And you work with the team. No flying solo." Jane pulled into a rental car business.
"Why're you pulling in here?"
"We've been followed since the hospital. I lost them but they'll be back. We'll switch to a rental car to get rid of them."
Jane parked the Citroen out of sight. Renting a car took a few minutes and they were on their way again.
Five minutes later Jane nodded in satisfaction. "Lost them. Danny, tell me what you were involved with because this looks like trouble. And maybe you can explain why Homeland Security and the CIA are interested. They dropped by to visit Cho just after I went to see you in the hospital."
"Coincidence."
"There is no such thing."
Lisbon, Cho, Jane and Ruskin met. Ruskin convinced them he would give working with them an honest try. Despite reservations all around, all four bought in enough to try one case.