Thicker than Red Water

Chapter 12--Promises

Dusk fell gently, the light gradually turning softer as it faded away. Lisbon signed the last form with relief, and wondered if she would have chosen to be a cop again if she had really understood just how much paperwork it generated. Massaging her hand, she admitted ruefully she probably would. Paperwork be damned, she lived to put the bad guys away.

She pulled out her cell phone, and called her missing consultant. Rigsby and Cho had no luck finding out where Lehman had gotten into a fight, and Sally Renton was still missing in action. Most frustrating, the warrant to search the Renton properties still hadn't come through. So they were going to have to impose on Gemma Patrick's hospitality at least one more night.

"Lisbon," Patrick Jane's warm voice answered the phone, "how nice of you to call."

Lisbon felt her lips twitch in an involuntary smile. "Jane, listen, can you ask Gemma if we could impose for one more night?"

"Don't worry about it, Lisbon," Jane replied easily. "I asked about that hours ago when you didn't call at lunch. She said it was fine. I think she just wants to see more of Cho."

Lisbon let herself laugh after she hung up, and got into the deputy's squad car. Risgby and Cho still had the SUV, so Hollins had volunteered one of his deputies to drop her off at Gemma Patrick's home. Luckily, everything in the little town of Mina was in relatively close distance, and she was stepping out of the car at the blue house before she knew it.

The light was still fading, and she could smell rain pregnant in the air. Evening was turning everything dim and mysterious, and Lisbon kind of liked it, but still missed the city. Jane was sitting on the front porch stairs, sipping his ever present tea. He had taken off his suit coat at some point, and unbuttoned the vest. His sleeves were rolled up and he rested his elbows on his knees as he watched Lisbon approach him.

Jane liked to watch Lisbon walk. It was not a typical woman's walk, but more of a confident stroll that was almost, but not quite, male. Her small frame belied the strength and power she could summon, and he knew professional football players with a weaker tackle. She was a rising star in a very male profession, and she had done it without losing her essential femininity. Her easy assurance still impressed Jane, and he liked that she really didn't feel the need to out macho the men around her, and still remained very much a woman. She just let the fact that she was the best fill the air around her, as subtle as her favorite cinnamon-laced perfume. Grace Van Pelt was lucky to have such a mentor, and already Jane could see Lisbon's influence on the younger woman. All in all, he was glad he was on Lisbon's team.

"So, what's wrong?" Jane asked, letting his blue eyes fill with the sight of her over his cup.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" Lisbon asked, half playfully. She put one leg up on the bottom step, and looked at the blond man. His eyes held that ever present amusement and the rising breeze ruffled his blond locks a little.

"Because if you were satisfied, we'd be in Sacramento right now," Jane replied. "So something has roused the mighty Agent Lisbon's suspicions."

Lisbon smiled, and brushed her light black hair from her face. Her green eyes clouded for a moment, and Jane saw the small furrow over the bridge of her nose she got when she was intent. "I don't know, but we are missing something."

Unlike her agents, Jane just nodded in acceptance. He trusted her instincts almost as much as he trusted his own. If Teresa Lisbon thought something wasn't right, then something wasn't right.

"We will figure it out," Jane said confidently. "Where are Cho and Rigsby?"

"They should be along soon. Looks like Lehman got into a fight several hours before he went up on that mountain and got killed," Lisbon explained as the two made for the door. "I sent them to try to track it down."

"Ah," Jane replied. As they entered, Jane turned and put his finger to his lips to caution her to silence, then pointed at the couch. Gemma Patrick lay sleeping on one side of the blue couch, her long, jean clad legs thrown over one arm of the couch and her bare feet hovering in the air. Her breathing was long and slow, obviously deep in slumber. Her long, dark hair flowed out from her loose pony tail, and one arm was curled under her head. Lisbon saw her shift a little on the couch, and noted that her toes appeared to be painted an iridescent purple. Lisbon smiled at the unique color choice, and quietly followed Jane into the kitchen.

Jane had apparently been busy cooking again, as a large pot was on the stove, and the sink half full of dishes he started to put into the dishwasher. Lisbon helped herself to a cup of coffee from the coffeemaker, savoring the rich flavor before settling at the table. The two settled into a companionable silence.

When the former fake psychic had started on the team, Lisbon had found his probing looks and uncanny comments disturbing. Cho had taken it all in stride, and before too long was willing to go along with Jane's more outlandish schemes, and Rigsby was just too genial to not like the blond man. Lisbon, however, had found herself tensing. She knew his history and tragic past from reading his file, but sympathy was only willing to go so far. His blue eyes saw too much, more than Lisbon wanted them too. She wondered when exactly she had quit trying to hide, and just relaxed in his presence.

"Penny for your thoughts," Jane asked after a while. He had finished with the dishes, and turned the dishwasher on. He had refilled his tea, and his lightening quick mind had settled on the only thing interesting in the room.

"You're the all seeing one, you tell me," Lisbon replied. Jane lips twitched in amusement, and he contemplated the woman. He sipped at his tea again, and tilted his head as he studied her.

"You are wondering when you finally gave up and relaxed around him," a voice said from the doorway. Lisbon whirled to see Gemma standing there, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her dark black hair was lightly tangled in its pony tail, and she padded barefoot to the fridge and took out a bottle of soda. Gemma caught Lisbon's look of uneasy surprise, and laughed softly. "Don't worry, Agent Lisbon, everyone wonders it at some point. It's like he has pheromones or something. It just kind of happens for no apparent reason. It's a trick I never mastered."

Lisbon felt herself start to blush, and both Gemma and Jane gave identical delighted grins, which only made her blush harder. The worst part of it was that Lisbon wasn't really sure why she was so embarrassed.

Gemma finally took pity on the furiously blushing woman, and slipped on some shoes and headed outside. "I'm sorry, Agent Lisbon. It's an irritating habit we both have. Janey, I have to check the barn. There is supposed to be a big thunderstorm tonight."

Jane nodded absently, still delighted at Lisbon's mortification. Lisbon couldn't stand it anymore, and darted after the other woman to escape a pair of wickedly twinkling blue eyes.

Outside the scent of moisture in the air was heavier. Off to the west, Lisbon spotted dark clouds rolling slowly towards them. Being a city girl, Lisbon wasn't really sure how long it would be, but thought maybe another hour before the storm settled overhead. She trailed after the copper skinned woman and slipped into the barn with her.

"Agent Lisbon," Gemma said in surprise when she entered. The tall, dark woman was opening up a wooden bin, and paused to look at the smaller woman.

"I thought I could help," Lisbon said a little shyly. "And please, call me Teresa. You are putting us up and all, it's the least I could do."

"Alright," Gemma gave in gracefully, choosing not to probe. "There isn't a whole lot to do. Could you refill the cat food here, while I go up and check the shutters."

Lisbon spotted the large plastic bowls and saw a few furry friends peeking at her from various places around the barn. She opened the wooden bin, and used the scoop she found to fill the bowls as Gemma scampered up a ladder. Lisbon heard a thump, then a little rattle and when she turned around, she saw Gemma sitting at the top of the loft, thoughtfully watching her with a little smile. Lisbon gazed back, and decided to steal a page from Patrick's book.

"Penny for your thoughts," Lisbon asked. Gemma blinked, and then started laughing.

"You, my dear Agent Lisbon, have been spending too much time with a certain blue-eyed man," Gemma said as she slid down the ladder.

Once on the ground, Gemma leaned against one of the empty stalls and crossed her arms. "I was just thinking how glad I am that Janey found you. All of you."

"What?" Lisbon asked, confused. She hadn't expected that honest an answer so fast.

"Sorry," Gemma apologized again. "I've startled you. Another bad habit, I suppose."

"No, no. It's okay," Lisbon said quickly. Despite being so similar to Jane, Gemma wasn't quite as predictable to Lisbon yet. If you could call the walking catastrophe looking for a place to happen that was Jane predictable. "I suppose I have been spending too much time with Jane. He does tend to rub off on you. Why are you are happy he found us?"

"Yes, he does rub off on you," Gemma agreed. "I'm happy he found you because he needs people, people he trusts. He keeps himself so closed in now, but Jane needs people. He thrives with an audience, feeds off of interpersonal interaction. Patrick Jane is a classic extrovert in every way."

"He doesn't trust us," Lisbon said with a little frown. "He is always lying to me or misleading the team. He keeps important information to himself, and is more than a little reckless. I'm constantly trying to talk our way out of the trouble he has gotten us into. I'm always getting reprimanded by my boss for Jane's stunts," Lisbon was a little surprised at the venom in her own voice. But it was her only real complaint about the man.

"He trusts you, Teresa," Gemma said softly. "He trusts you completely, and don't think he doesn't. I see it in the way he watches you, the way he plays with you. He trusts Agents Cho and Rigsby too, but with you? I think he lets his guard down with you."

"No, he doesn't," Lisbon muttered and turned a little away. Gemma approached, and placed her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders. Lisbon's emerald eyes met Gemma's deep brown ones, and Lisbon was struck by the tenderness in them. Gemma was far too young a woman to have eyes so wise.

"Oh, Teresa," Gemma said sadly. "I wish I could make you understand better. But the Jane you know now, the one who makes you smile when you don't want to and causes all this trouble for you? He didn't exist five years ago. The surface is the same, but it's a mask. True trust, it's a fragile thing, especially for him. Call it by any name you want, but Patrick Jane was a professional liar and grifter, pure and simple. And con artists know better than anyone just how precious trust is, because they can't give it to just anyone. And yet, here he is, trusting in you."

Lisbon didn't know what to say to that, but wanted to believe it so much. She wasn't sure when she had let her guard down, but she had. And now she cared deeply about him, and it killed her to think maybe he didn't care about her the same way.

"I wish I could believe you," Lisbon whispered, refusing to let her eyes water. Gemma let her hands fall off Lisbon's shoulders.

"You can," Gemma said with a smile and a faraway look. "I don't claim psychic powers, and I don't know what the future holds for the two of you. Right now, you are the closest thing to a best friend he has, and probably the best kind of friend he could possibly have. And if Patrick is going to survive his obsession with Red John, he will need you. He will need you all."

"So you know about that," Lisbon said. "Have you tried to stop him? Jane's obsession could get him killed."

"Of course I do," Gemma replied as she started to leave the barn. "And, no, I haven't tried to stop him. I hate that monster too, but if there is anyone in the world who can kill that bastard, it's Patrick Jane."

Lisbon was left alone in the barn, thoughtful. Gemma's velvet voice had hardened when she talked about the serial killer, and a faint echo of the kind of anger Patrick Jane could summon colored her tone. Lisbon found herself wondering just how much Gemma had been changed by the Jane family tragedy. The serial killer had hurt so many, taken so many lives, Lisbon realized that his web of violence extended far beyond his victims. His dirty fingerprints were on a lot of souls, spreading poison and disease.

Lisbon promised herself right then and there that Red John would not get Patrick Jane. That beast would not kill Jane, and Lisbon wasn't going to let Jane sacrifice his life or freedom to catch him. She didn't know how she was going to prevent it, but Jane would survive Red John if she had anything to do with it. She had always wanted to catch the killer, because it was her job and he needed to be stopped. But now, it was turning personal.

Patrick Jane belonged to her, and Red John couldn't have him, she thought fiercely as the sound of thunder spilled across the sky.