A/N: Thank you for your patience. I promise we're almost there. And thanks to everyone who read and commented on the last chapter of this one and on the first chapter of my new multichapter Deception II. So pleased so many of you are happy to see that little universe resurrected as I am.

Chapter 38 - Preparation

Jane and Lisbon strolled into the television studio and he took a second to view the set. Seating for the studio audience was stacked high and close together to give the illusion of a large and excited gathering from various camera angles. Now it lay empty and dormant and looked more like a cinema when the movie had ended, missing only the aroma of stale popcorn. A cream couch and soothing pastel backdrop opposite were draped in bright lights and Karen Cross' name depicted in large serious black letters in what Jane considered a rather weak attempt to add some gravitas to proceedings.

It appeared they were just in time to catch a rehearsal. He was reminded of his last appearance on a show much like this one and he sighed heavily. Guilt settled on him that Melissa had paid the price for his hubris that night. And that he had met Teresa Lisbon again because of it. One horrendous event had led him back to the only woman he'd ever loved. It was more than uncomfortable dwelling on that particular course of events so he was relieved when he saw the lithe figure of Cross make her way across to the couch armed with a stack of papers and allowed him a distraction to his musings.

"Karen!" he called as he stepped towards her quickly. He shot her a grin. "We meet at last!"

She eyed him with suspicion and showed no sign she was either charmed or disarmed by his most effective weapon. "I'm sorry? Who are you and what are you doing in my studio?"

He recovered quickly from his mild surprise of having no visible effect on her and held out his hand. "Patrick Jane, CBI."

A frown was soon replaced by recognition of the name and she studied him slowly. "Oh, I know you!" she said with a short nod. "You're the psychic they hired, aren't you?" She glanced at Lisbon, "And you're Teresa Lisbon. I've been attempting to talk to you, Agent Lisbon. Left you message upon message for days now."

"Well, I'm here now!" Lisbon supplied with slight nervousness and an awkward smile.

"And just to be clear, there are no such things as psychics, Karen," Jane answered.

"That's not what you were saying just a few months ago. You were exposing your unique skill set to anyone who would listen." She smirked as she regarded the front of his pants, "And exposing everything else too if the rumours I've heard about you and production assistants are correct."

Jane shifted uncomfortably on his toes. This woman was formidable. "Well, that was a long time ago. I'm a changed man now, Karen, I assure you."

"Hm. Because your wife was brutally murdered, you mean?"

He went to speak and she interrupted him as she tapped a finger to her lips, "You know you're quite the photogenic one. I could work on a piece around you. The repentant cheating husband seeking redemption for his past indiscretions by working in Law Enforcement now – could be profitable for both of us."

He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Karen, we came here to give you a much bigger story than discussing my own rather sad past existence." He sighed and turned, "But if all you're interested in is gutter journalism then maybe we came to the wrong person. Agent Lisbon, shall we-"

"Wait! What have you got?" She stared at both of them again then focused on Lisbon. "I've been stonewalled by your organisation on the Red John case. And I'm not interested in a publicity stunt for the CBI where you people tell us all what a grand job you're doing over there when I know that's not true. You screwed up with Ryan Hastings for one-"

Jane faced her again and tilted his head to the side with a smile. "You don't think you're capable of steering any interview in any direction you want? Not up to the job?"

"Well...yes, of course, I am...but-"

"So then what does it matter what the CBI's agenda is? You have your own."

"And why would you want to encourage that, Mr Jane, if you work for them may I ask?"

Lisbon shot Jane a well-practiced glare. "He wouldn't."

"And why are you here, Agent Lisbon? You, of all people, considering your relationship with Hastings-"

Now it was Lisbon's turn to look to her toes before she straightened up again to address Cross. "That's exactly why I am here, Karen. I want the truth about Ryan to be told." She swiped a nonexistent tear from her cheek. Sadly, "He deserved better." She spoke softly to the other woman. "No more stonewalling, I promise. You'll get the truth. And an exclusive."

Cross hummed in consideration. "You will be interviewed, Agent Lisbon?"

Lisbon blushed and swallowed thickly. She whispered, "Ah, yes, I-I volunteered. But the interview needs to be aired live this evening. Time is of the utmost importance."

"Well, that's a big ask. I already have a show taped and ready to air tonight."

"This will provide you with better ratings, I promise."

"Hm. I'm interested, of course." She paused as she gave Lisbon a once over. "But you might come across as a little...weak...you know, quiet. And that would be fine if this was going to be pre-recorded. We could do a few takes to get it right. Work around it. But I can't risk dead air. Nerves might get the better of you. I need some dynamism for my show, you understand. Someone who can pop on screen."

Lisbon played her part of a timid mouse and looked to the ground again, all the while controlling her urge to land a punch on the reporter opposite and show her what pop she was capable of providing - whatever the hell that meant.

Jane sighed audibly. He sympathised, "She's right you know, Teresa. Not everyone is made to face the cameras. Especially not live."

"You are, though, aren't you, Mr Jane?" Cross said to him.

He smiled and mock blushed. "Aw, you flatter me, Karen. And call me Patrick, please."

"He's not authorised to speak on behalf of the CBI," Lisbon said. "He's just here because we're on our way back from a crime scene," she lied.

"I probably won't have to," Jane told Lisbon as softly as they'd rehearsed it, "I'll just be there at your side should you get tongue-tied, my dear."

Cross studied them both closely, noticing how affectionately he stared at her. "Hang on, are you two-?"

"Just colleagues," Lisbon answered immediately whereas Jane responded with an enigmatic smile.

This was like catching fish in a barrel. Karen Cross would go to any lengths to ensure they both appeared live on television that evening.

"Mr Jane, is it?" J.J. LaRoche ambled to the occupant of the brown leather couch sitting in the bullpen that held Haffner's team. "You've been avoiding me."

Jane made a show of yawning loudly and opened his eyes blearily. "Hm?" He looked the other man up and down lazily and held back a retort that he'd actually been waiting for the Professional Standard's agent for over a half hour already. "You'll have to tell me who you are first so I can confirm or deny that, I'm afraid."

LaRoche raised an eyebrow slowly. "Agent LaRoche-"

"Interesting surname. French derivation, isn't it?"

The large agent frowned, "I believe so-"

"Are you Canadian?"

"No."

"Oh. Just wondered. More likely with that name, though, wouldn't you agree?"

LaRoche sighed wearily. "I need to talk to you about the murder of Ryan Hastings, Mr Jane. You were one of the last people to see him alive and you've been avoiding me."

Jane tutted and sighed. "Hm." Then he jumped off the couch quickly. "Let's do it over some tea then, shall we?"

"I don't drink tea. And I don't have time-"

Jane beamed at him. "Really? Well, that's a shame. Perhaps you've never had a properly prepared cup of it before. Come on, let me change your life, Agent LaRoche."

As Jane sprinted towards the break room LaRoche looked to the heavens as he followed behind.

Jane passed a cup of tea to LaRoche and looked at him expectantly as they sat at a table in Haffner's empty office.

Solemnly, "Mr Jane, I need to ask you-"

Jane glanced at the cup facing LaRoche like an exuberantly expectant golden retriever. "Tea first."

LaRoche breathed loudly in irritation and took a sip. "Thank you. Very nice," he said without interest.

"See? It all comes down to the quality of the leaves-"

"Mr Jane, this is a serious matter. I do not have time for your...flimflam act today."

Amused, "Flimflam?"

"Your reputation precedes you, I assure you."

Jane leant back in his chair and drank from his cup as he contemplated the man opposite. He had to trust LaRoche was not one of Red John's people and had been assigned by Minelli to discover that truth. Trusted agents would be needed in the coming days when Lisbon and Jane's plan was brought to fruition. Also, it was important that Jane was not stymied in the next few hours by the famously dogged agent and was allowed to roam freely both within the CBI and outside its walls.

Luckily, Jane was immediately rather drawn to him, he was pleased to report, and saw only a rapacious appetite for the truth in his lumbering demeanour.

LaRoche opened a notepad before him. "Now, shall we begin?"

Jane placed his cup back on the saucer. The mocking smile vanished from his lips. "I think this might take a while. So yes," he replied gravely.

"Brenda?"

Lisbon popped her head in Shettrick's office.

The redhead looked over her glasses and rose from her desk. "Teresa? I didn't think we had an appointment today. In fact, I didn't even know you were back at work. Weren't you just in some kind of an accident?"

"Yeah, sorry," Lisbon said, strolling in with a shrug. "I'm fine. Minelli asked me to give you the heads up as he's had to go into an urgent meeting with the AG. There's been a break in the Red John case. An actual one, this time."

Shettrick drew her head back. "Oh? How so?"

Lisbon smiled inwardly. She had to give it to her, Shettrick was playing a blinder at obfuscation. Although it may also have been the case that Shettrick was in the dark to Partridge's motivation and intent. However, what was apparent was that the woman opposite would make an attempt to feed back to Partridge whatever was told to her if she could. It may not be required if he took the bait waiting to be served to him later but backup confirmation from his favourite informer would hold weight and might just be the clincher to catch him.

Lisbon leant in conspiratorially. "Sheriff Thomas McAllister from Napa. He's Red John."

"Oh my god! Really?! I can't believe it."

Lisbon replied honestly. "Hard to believe, huh? Couldn't agree more."

Lisbon spoke again with more confidence. "Anyway, just in case there's a leak around here I wanted to give you the heads up first so you could be prepared for any press attention you might receive. And, speaking of that subject, I need your help."

"Help with what? And when will the news of McAllister's arrest be released?"

Lisbon huffed in annoyance and prayed she wasn't going overboard in her reaction. Jane had told her to avoid large expressions of any emotion to make her performance more believable but she might just have screwed up. Luckily, she was pretty certain Shettrick was as sharp as a marble so she continued unabated, "Tonight with any luck. But after the screw up with Ryan, we want to make sure that this will stick. We can't risk him getting off or make it look like we don't know what the hell we're doing around here. There's been enough bad publicity already, wouldn't you agree? So we're crossing all T's and dotting all I's-"

Lisbon's cell chirruped and she rolled her eyes right on cue as she looked at Shettrick. "Sorry, excuse me for a second-"

Jane's voice purred over the line, a teasing light lilt to his tone. "Well, how goes it, Meryl?"

She held back a smile and kept her voice even. "Hey, Boss. Yeah, I've just told her - WHAT?!"

Jane's laugh echoed in her ear. "Okay, take it down a notch, my dear. You're not a ham."

She took a second to breathe and made a mental note to extract some punishment later for almost making her crack up under Shettrick's stare.

She responded as they'd discussed. "But what about the DNA? Yes, yes, of course," she replied earnestly into the receiver. She put on a show of looking disappointed and shrugged to the woman who was watching her avidly, "Yes, I'm with her now and will let her know. When will the AG decide?" She hung on the line for a few more seconds.

Jane said, "Okay, that's good. You know what to do now. See you soon."

When the line went dead she said to Shettrick, "Anyway, about what I was saying...although damn it this is going to make it a lot more difficult now. As I said before, I'm hoping you can help me prepare-"

"What is more difficult now? And prepare for what precisely? And...DNA?"

Lisbon appeared distracted and shrugged. The truth was that results of the DNA tests on what, if anything, was found on Pat's palm were still outstanding but there was no requirement for Shettrick or anyone else to know that. A bluff would work in their favour just as well.

"Some new evidence we've found from Pat's murder scene. We're still waiting for it to be processed in its entirety but preliminary results fit McAllister in general terms. That, along with what else we have on him, well, it was assumed we had enough to facilitate a quick prosecution."

She exhaled in irritation. "But the AG isn't happy with the current evidence as it stands. We need to find more and also wait until we have actual confirmation from that sample. We're going to conduct a search of McAllister's property once the warrant comes through. Hopefully, that will be completed by tomorrow and I pray to God we'll find more to implicate him. But Minelli jumped the gun already – I think between us he's been getting some pressure from the higher ups and the press for a result after this whole Ryan debacle – and he asked me to speak to the TV journalist Karen Cross this morning to set something up with her. She's been calling him for days now without let up so he gave in and agreed eventually. I'm going to be interviewed on her show this evening. Live."

"Live?!"

"Yeah, afraid so. She wouldn't settle for a pre-recorded piece and, well...Minelli thought this was all tied up this morning. But now if I tell her I need to postpone she's going to come at us harder and air whatever her perception is currently. And from speaking with her believe me it is not good. Plus she'll only become more suspicious. But in light of the AG's comments, I won't be able to name McAllister now as I thought I could so we'll have to work on what I can say to her now."

"Hang on...what?! Minelli should know all interview requests flow through me. If anyone should be appearing on that show it's me-"

"Hey, I wish you were. Believe me. I'm just following orders. Minelli was adamant he wanted the Red John lead detective on that show tonight, what can I say?" She asked innocently, "You two have a falling out? You say something that might have annoyed him and made him push you out?"

Shettrick bristled, "Even if I had I would have thought he would have been more professional than employing an...amateur like this. No offence, Teresa, but do you really think you should be front of a camera? You haven't had much experience in the spotlight."

Lisbon ignored her patronising tone, "Guess I'll get some tonight. And you can help me with the preparation, can't you? Make sure I don't fall flat on my face."

"Well, yes, of course, I can."

"Great! Okay if I drop back again in a couple of hours and you can walk me through any grenades she might throw at me?"

Shettrick smiled at her sweetly. "Of course, Teresa."

"You're the best," Lisbon replied cheerfully.

When she turned to leave the smile turned into a smirk.

The game was on.

"Sorry," Jane supplied calmly with a smile, putting his cell away. "Had to make an important and somewhat timely phone call. Now, where were we?"

"You just told me that Ryan Hastings is alive." LaRoche gaped at Jane, unaccustomed to being lost for words and on the back foot with anyone. He squinted at Jane. "And I'm trying to decide whether this is your attempt at humour or this is merely some type of fabrication to stop me from finding the actual truth, Mr Jane. And you should know I am not in the mood for either," he groused.

"No joke and no trick. And call me Patrick, J.J. He's alive and safe. Paradoxically, we had to kill him to keep it that way. To stop Red John or one of his cohorts from doing exactly that. But Red John doesn't know that."

"I am aware that there are rumours circulating around this building that Sheriff McAllister has been brought in for questioning in relation to the Red John case-"

"Ah! Well now you mention him, that's something else I need to discuss with you."

Jane grinned from behind his earl grey. "Like I said, we have quite the bit to talk about, my new friend. Buckle up."

Brett Partridge stood up quickly from an armchair situated in the living area of the apartment complex he was holed up in as a knock came to the door. Two CBI agents sat on the couch opposite him and readied their weapons. Upon seeing Minelli enter they relaxed their posture and nodded to the agent in charge.

"Give us a moment, agents," Minelli muttered authoritatively.

One of them - the smaller of the two named Shaw - regarded Partridge closely. He shot him an infinitesimal nod in response. Just as Minelli suspected (as he had vocalised his interest in joining Partridge's security detail) Shaw was part of his organisation and knew he needed to proceed with caution. "Please, sit," he said to Partridge when they were alone as he sat on the couch.

"Agent Minelli," Partridge said breathlessly, "you-you have news?"

He was still playing his persona to perfection of nervous lab rat in too deep. Still rehearsing for his performance on the stand. Any fluctuation at this stage that could be asserted by Minelli would play against him in court.

Minelli narrowed his eyes at him, the urge to take out his service weapon and end him all too tempting. And he wouldn't get the other names of those in his organisation if he gave in to the temptation. He cleared his throat. "We have McAllister in custody. Of course, he's playing the victim of the piece. Saying that you are the one who is setting him up. Says that you are Red John."

Partridge gasped. "What?! Why?!"

Minelli scoffed, "Oh, who knows why he wouldn't be drawn on the matter. He says he'll only speak with his lawyer about it. I wouldn't worry. He's just trying to save his own pitiful murdering ass. Just thought I'd pop in and let you know." He nodded to the junior agents that were assembled around the front door. "In the meantime, though, I want to ensure that you have the best protection available. He has friends in law enforcement as you no doubt know, and now that he's been captured the stakes are higher than before. I want my best people on the job keeping you safe. I don't need to tell you how crucial your safety is to me."

Partridge looked genuinely flustered. "Oh, I'm fine here, really. And happy with the agents supplied. I'm sure I'm safe here, sir."

"That's as may be but I'm not willing to take the risk. Agents Cho and Rigsby will be taking over the shift from this evening. They're the best I've got and you'll thank me in the end, I assure you."

With that, he rose from the couch and nodded to the other man before he had a chance to respond. "All right, better go. Good talk."

"Agent-"

"No need to thank me!" Minelli said as he made it to the front door. He turned quickly and sighed. "Oh, sorry, forgot to say...tune in to the Karen Cross show tonight, you might find it interesting."

"The TV journalist, why?"

"Hm. Journalist in the loosest sense if you ask me but...well, we need some good press so she'll be covering the developments in the Red John case tonight live on air. Thankfully we can give her some good news, huh?"

"You'll be releasing McAllister's name?"

"Sadly not as the AG isn't yet convinced on the evidence-"

"What?"

Minelli waved him off. "Don't worry about it. A few matters including something about the tapes you gave us not actually showing us that McAllister is Red John...he's just being overly cautious if you ask me. But Patrick Jane is convinced more evidence will be found at his property once we're done searching it. He's usually right in these matters. Anyway, you might want to tune in later."

"You really think this is gonna work?" Lisbon said to Jane, her fingers smoothing down the cloth of her jacket as her eyes wandered around the television studio they stood in later that evening.

"Piece of cake," he replied assuredly, bouncing on his toes, hands in his pockets.

"Easy for you to say. I've never been on television before."

Softly, "Well, my last appearance didn't exactly make me want to make a return either."

"Sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I wasn't thinking-"

"It's fine," he replied with a smile and a deep breath. He stared into her eyes. "Just keep to the script that we practised and you'll do great."

"I think I'm going to throw up," she muttered as Karen Cross entered the studio and gestured for them to take a seat on a couch beside her chair as the lights came on and cameras whirred into place. The studio audience tittered in anticipation.

"Perfectly natural to have pre show jitters. Just breathe and follow my lead."

He took a step forward from behind the camera with a wink back at her, "Here we go. Show time."