Author's notes: Thank you for the lovely reviews and especially to those who review every chapter, it's so kind of you and I truly appreciated. I hope you like this one.
'Is Mr. Jane not here?"
The young woman who's shaking Teresa's hand in welcome but looking over her shoulder, is in her late thirties with heavy make up to make her look more like thirty, but only works on television. In reality she looks false, almost doll-like but not as innocent. Her musky scented perfume that announced her arrival before she got within ten feet of Teresa, is now giving her the urge to throw up. She curses Patrick once more as she swallows hard and smiles.
"No, he isn't. He's working. "
It doesn't take a Patrick Jane to see the disappointment wash across the women's face."
I guess it's hard for the FBI to be without his tremendous skills for even a day."
"They wonder how they managed without him for so long."
Teresa makes only a feeble attempt to hide her sarcasm, making the woman's smile falter a little.
"Follow me."
Teresa walks into the living room with the reporter following, she looks up to the ceiling, how could she be so stupid as to upset the reporter before they even start. She invites her to sit down.
"Can I get you something? Would you like a drink?"
"That would be nice, thank you. Water will be fine."
"A brownie?..."
The reporter's shaking her head.
"..Patrick made them."
"Oh, I would love one."
"I'll be right back."
Teresa puts the glasses of water and brownies on a tray. Taking it into the living room she places the tray on the coffee table between them and hands the reporter her drink. Taking her own she sits in her chair. The reporter looks around.
"This is a beautiful home."
"Thank you."
She picks up a brownie and takes a bite. Teresa groans inwardly as the woman's face looks like she's in heaven. She catches a crumb, about to fall, with her finger, putting it in to her mouth like she can't bear to miss any taste of it.
"These are delicious. He can bake too?I hope you know what a very lucky woman you are? Please tell him they're lovely and thank him for me.
Lisbon gives her a small tight smile, while fighting the urge to leave her own home.
"I want to thank you for agreeing to do this interview, I understand you are very busy.."
Another bite of brownie has her groaning in such ecstasy it takes Teresa back to a night laid awake in a thinly walled hotel room, where even a pillow over her ears didn't block out the sounds from the next room. Teresa can't be covering her feelings as well as she thinks because the reporter puts down the brownie, looking a little embarrassed as she licks her fingers.
"Sorry about that, there's something about brownies, my boyfriend says it's embarrassing and refuses to let me eat one in public. But when you said you're husband made them, I just couldn't resist, and they're just sooo..."
The reporter's eyes glaze over leaving Teresa fuming that not only has she to do this interview, she has a weirdo reporter. As the silence lengthens she's had enough.
"Can we please get on with the interview, I have an important appointment in an hour."
Teresa refuses to feel guilty about the lie as the reporter splutters and hunts around in her bag while she recovers. She finally brings out a notebook and pen.
"Okay Teresa, do you mind if I call you Teresa?"
She shakes her head.
"To the outside world Patrick Jane seems like the perfect man. He's gorgeous, he's very clever, he's funny, full of charm. His work at the FBI is exceptional and is responsible for an incredible jump in the case closed numbers, and then if that wasn't enough, he showed he's brave and resourceful when he saved a whole room of people from being shot by tackling a gunman single-handedly. What can you tell us that would bring him back down to human proportions?"
Teresa looks at her as she's speaking in awe, she never knew that such dribble could come out of one person's mouth. The whole room of people were five, two of whom were undercover FBI agents who had their guns trained on the perp, and were trying to talk him down, when Patrick, who by sheer coincidence was at the restaurant and emerging from the bathroom, just behind the gunman. He was unaware of what was going on, and distracted as he talked to her on the phone, he tripped on a small step up, and ploughed in to the gunman as he fell.
As she's tempted to tell her what really happened, in words she could not misunderstand, Abbott's words of caution binds her tongue.
" Agent, this reporter is from a less than reputable magazine, not that it lies, but it does like to sensationalize, but it's the Chief's daughter's big break, and she loves her daughter very much. Do you get my drift?"
She leans forward and smiling at the reporter. she whispers conspiratorially:
"There is one thing, have you looked at his shoes."
