A/N: I have really been struggling with this series lately. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, but then I got completely stuck on the next episode and haven't been able to get past that one. I still plan to continue the series through season 1, but it will probably take me a while. In the meantime, I'm continuing to chip away at Beyond Measure and a couple other smaller projects. Thanks for sticking with me through my infrequent updates.
P.S. I shamelessly stole a line from Idan in this chapter and adapted it for my own nefarious purposes. I hope she won't mind. :)
xxx
Jane flipped a loose poker chip into the air with his thumb and caught it again as he strolled through the casino. He'd cashed in the rest of his chips, but he thought he'd hang on to this one for the moment. For luck. Or as his initial stake in his next game. Whatever.
This was his kind of case. Dark family secrets, professional cheaters, the glitz and glamour of a high end casino… what's not to like?
He'd thoroughly enjoyed himself that afternoon. It had been ages since he'd had a good score. He'd almost forgotten the heady euphoria of parting rich marks from their money.
He wandered aimlessly for a while, reluctant to leave. He'd had vague hopes that he might extract some additional information from some of the other casino employees, so he thought he might stick around a little longer. Plus, he hadn't hit the slots yet.
A glint of green caught his eye as he meandered past the huge glass storefront of the casino gift shop. He stopped, arrested.
Emeralds. Diamonds and jewels of richest green. Earrings and a necklace. A beautiful set. Jewelry fit for a queen.
An image of clear green eyes flashed before his mind's eye. Lisbon would look lovely in those emeralds.
Before he was even conscious of forming the thought, he found himself inside. He went to the display and picked up the box to examine the pieces more closely.
"Excuse me," a scandalized voice came from behind him. "You can't touch that!"
He turned, the box still in hand. A pretty young woman about Van Pelt's age hurried towards him, a horrified look on her face.
"Really, sir, those are meant for—" She got a look at his face and faltered. "Oh!" She turned pink. "Um… what I meant to say is, that's a display case. You're really not supposed to…" She trailed off, staring into his eyes.
This would require delicate handling.
He flashed his most charming smile at her. "Forgive me. I saw the display from outside and I couldn't resist coming in to take a closer look. I hope that's all right."
"Oh," she said, flustered. "Um. In that case… I suppose it can't hurt, can it?"
Old Nicki would have a field day with this girl, Jane thought, thinking of his light-fingered friend from his carnie days. "What's your name?" he asked her.
She blushed. "Jessica."
Of course it was.
He held the box out towards her. "Jessica, perhaps you could tell me a little bit more about the set."
"Of course," she said automatically. She took the box and set it down on the counter between them. She rattled off the history of the diamonds, assuring him that they'd been mined in through "socially responsible" methods and giving him several other tidbits of information apparently designed to appeal to his romantic side.
Jane leaned down to look closer. "Tell me about the emeralds."
The emeralds had been mined in Brazil, according to Jessica, and had been custom cut for this set by one of their best jewelers. They were stunning.
He gestured to the necklace. "May I?"
"Certainly," she said, flushing.
He picked up the necklace to examine it more closely. The light glinted off the diamonds, making the rich color of the emeralds stand out all the more. He'd never seen jewels of such brilliant green. They would set off Lisbon's coloring perfectly.
He couldn't get them for her, of course. She'd be horrified. She'd probably start spouting some nonsense about regulations and how as his "boss," she couldn't accept such things from her consultant. She'd fret over the expense and insist she couldn't accept it.
Pity. Lisbon deserved to be spoiled a little. He had the feeling there hadn't been a lot of extravagant gifts in her past. Not from her drunkard father, too absorbed in his grief and the bottle to take any special notice of what a singularly impressive individual his only daughter was turning out to be. Probably not from past boyfriends, either. Lisbon struck him as the type who would be impatient with efforts to woo her with expensive trinkets.
Besides, she might get the wrong idea. Most women, if presented with a set of obscenely expensive jewelry by a man of their acquaintance, might interpret that as a romantic overture.
No. Not Lisbon. He dismissed the thought. She'd be more likely to assume it was part of some trick or scheme. She might gape like a goldfish, but she was used to his eccentric ways. She wouldn't attribute any secret motive of attraction to the gift. She knew how he was. She knew he wasn't… free to pursue such interests. He could just imagine her glaring at him and demanding what the con was. Suspicious woman.
It was settled then. He couldn't get them for her. He would put the necklace down and walk out of the store.
His feet remained rooted to the spot.
It was silly, really. Why shouldn't she accept the necklace and earrings? It wasn't like he had anything better to spend the money on.
Perhaps he could explain to her that he would literally rather throw the money into a fire than risk putting himself under the power of its mastery once again. His enslavement to the promise of wealth had cost him everything of true value he'd ever had in this world. Never again would he allow the allure of money to blind or misguide him.
No. He didn't want her to know any more about that side of him than she already did. He absolutely should not risk exposing that part of himself by buying her thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry. He would not hand over his winnings for the admittedly remote chance of being treated to the sight of Teresa Lisbon in diamonds and emeralds.
The only thing was… he really, really wanted to.
He wavered. He hadn't wanted anything besides revenge in so long. He didn't want to let go of the feeling.
Besides, those emeralds would look lovely with Lisbon's eyes.
"What do you think?" Jessica asked, interrupting his musings.
"I'll take them," he heard himself say.
Jessica beamed. "Excellent. Shall I ring you up?"
She must work on commission, Jane reflected. "Certainly."
He handed the emeralds back to her for her to wrap. She carefully arranged them back in their box and carried the box over to the register.
"Your wife is a very lucky woman," she told Jane as she rang up the purchase, blushing a little.
Jane paused, his heart giving a funny little jolt. "Excuse me?"
She gestured to his wedding band. "Your wife. She's a very lucky woman. I'm sure she'll love the set you picked out for her."
"Oh, she's not my—" He stopped. If he told poor Jessica he was buying jewelry for a woman who wasn't his wife, she'd think he was buying them for a mistress or something. His insides squirmed. It didn't matter what Jessica thought, of course. Still, the idea of honorable Lisbon as the other woman, even in the thoughts of a stranger, made him deeply uncomfortable. Both for Lisbon's sake and for Angela's.
He stood there, flummoxed. Jessica was right. This was a gift most men would buy for a wife. Or at the very least, a long-term girlfriend. Not as a friendly gift between co-workers. Even if she knew he didn't mean anything romantic by it, Lisbon would be uncomfortable with the perception among her friends and colleagues that the gesture might be symbolic of some sort of romantic tie between the two of them. It would give her one more excuse to refuse him the opportunity of spoiling her, ever so slightly.
He puzzled over this latest potential obstacle for only a moment before he found the solution. He snapped his wallet closed. "Actually, you know what? I think I'd like to do a little more shopping before we finish up here."
"Oh," Jessica said, surprised. "Something else for your wife?"
"No," he said firmly. "Just a few things for some friends."
"Sure," Jessica said. "Do you have anything in particular in mind?"
He'd seen another necklace like the one he'd chosen for Lisbon, except it was inlaid with rubies instead of emeralds. It would suit Van Pelt nicely. Now, what to choose for Cho and Rigsby? He didn't think they'd appreciate receiving emeralds or rubies from him.
He spied a glass case full of the most hideous watches he'd ever seen. He pointed to the display. "Can I take a look at the watches you have there?"
"Of course. Which ones do you want me to take out for you?"
"Show me the most expensive ones you have."
Ten minutes later, he walked of the gift shop with his wallet considerably lighter and a small smile gracing his lips. There was no way she could refuse him now. He hadn't singled her out, given her any special treatment. Hers was just one gift among many.
He couldn't wait to see her face when she opened it.
xxx
Lisbon reacted pretty much as he'd predicted. Suspicious at first, then insistent she couldn't accept the gift. Still, she couldn't quite conceal a trace of surprised delight that made him glad he'd indulged his whim.
The rest of the team seemed pleased with their gifts, too. He was glad he'd decided to include them in his scheme.
"Thanks, man," Rigsby said with a grin, fixing the hideous watch onto his wrist.
Lisbon stood there gazing at the necklace with a look on her face that indicated she had no earthly idea what to do with it.
Good thing Jane already had an idea about that. "All right, let's go. I booked us a table at the most expensive restaurant in town. Apparently they tell you the name of the cow your steak came from."
Van Pelt looked appalled. "That's horrible."
"Forget the steaks," Lisbon said. "We're on a case. We can't be seen living it up in fancy restaurants."
He changed tactics at the speed of light. "Good point. Okay. Little place, on the way back to Calida. Come on, let's go."
He practically jogged to the elevators. The others followed, with the exception of Lisbon, who headed into her office first.
Uh-oh. He sensed a threat to his brilliant plan in the offing.
"Go on," he told the other three. "We'll catch up."
He backtracked and followed her into her office. She still held the box. Her soft smile as she admired the emeralds was gratifying to witness. He was very pleased she hadn't noticed him turn back from the elevators. If she'd known he was there, she never would have let him see her admiring his gift.
"Aren't you going to try them on?" Jane prompted her.
She jumped and snapped the lid closed. "No."
This wouldn't do. "Why not?"
She rolled her eyes. "What did you expect, that I'd just run around in the field all day wearing hundreds of dollars' worth of jewelry? I'm sure that would look real professional."
It was thousands, not hundreds, but who was counting? Still, if that was her only objection, he could overcome it easily. "Yes, I see your point. Better save it for tonight."
She raised her eyebrows. "Tonight?"
"Yes. That little place on the way to Calida I mentioned. We're all going out. Dinner for the team is on me. But I have a condition."
"Of course you do," she said dryly.
"You have to wear the necklace to dinner."
Lisbon made a face. "Really?"
"Yes. It will be the perfect occasion to try on your new jewelry."
She still looked skeptical. "You want me to wear this fancy jewelry out to a diner out in the middle of nowhere?"
"Yes, and don't think you're going to get out of it. I'm afraid this condition is non-negotiable. Now, come on, Lisbon. It'll be fun. Think of it as a team bonding exercise."
She sighed. "Fine."
He grinned. "Excellent."
Xxx
Dinner was a grand success. Jane was giddy at the prospect of seeing Lisbon in the emeralds—er, the team, in all their finery—and downright gleeful at having manufactured an excuse to see them this very night. When he saw her—them—he wasn't disappointed. Striking, that was the word. Emerald green offset by ivory skin and raven hair. They were perfect.
He grew expansive under the influence of two beers and his delight with how this latest scheme had turned out. He gambled shamelessly with Rigsby and Cho, teased Grace, and flirted lightly with Lisbon. He even relaxed enough with the team to tell them about his memory palace. Lisbon was quiet most of the evening, but she smiled as the team joked around and appeared to enjoy herself. All the while, he maintained a pleasant awareness of her proximity in the back of his mind. He hadn't had such a good night in a very, very long time.
It was over all too soon.
Lisbon came back to the table after having stepped away for a moment and he could tell she was preparing to leave. "All right, guys," she said. "It's been fun playing dress up, but play time's over."
Cho leaned back in his chair. "Sorry, boss, what do you mean?"
"This," she said, gesturing to the emeralds and diamonds adorning her neck. "It's kind of a waste, don't you think?"
Jane couldn't have disagreed more. "I would have bought world peace if I could. They didn't have it at the casino gift store. Very limited range of items for sale."
She made a funny little face at him. "You know what I mean."
Then, because it would be unpardonable if she was somehow unaware of this, he abandoned his jokes and told her the truth. "I know those emeralds look lovely with your eyes."
"Thank you," she said, smiling. She took the necklace off. "It's beautiful, but I can't keep it."
"I understand." He should have known this was coming, really. He understood. That didn't mean he had to like it.
Poor Van Pelt looked reluctant to give her treasures up, but was undone by the same case of hero worship that had plagued her since she joined the unit. She wanted to impress Lisbon, so she decided give hers up, too. "Yeah, you're right." She reluctantly removed the necklace and earrings and slid them over to Jane.
Well, honestly. What was he supposed to do with thousands of dollars of rubies and emeralds? Stubborn women. They had no idea how to let themselves be properly spoiled.
He received some small recompense for his disappointment by Lisbon placing a delicate hand on his shoulder for balance as she leaned over to retrieve her jacket. It was a small touch, and perfectly innocent, but it warmed his heart nonetheless. Lisbon rarely initiated touch – that she had done so now, even in this small instance, was a symbol of comfort and trust.
So… all in all, a pretty good night.
xxx
When the case was over, Jane was exhausted. Despite his pleasant evening with the team, insomnia had plagued him the night he'd given Lisbon the emeralds, and he'd stayed up all night the next night so he could trap the murderer. He wanted nothing more than to head back to his couch in Sacramento and take a well-deserved nap.
Before he could do that, however, he had a stop to make. This particular stop happened to require a rather lengthy detour. Accordingly, he drove twenty miles past the Nevada border and stopped at the hospital where Alexandra Yee's mother was being treated. He dropped the money off at the front desk, not wanting to face any emotional scenes characterized by gratitude he didn't deserve. After all, he reasoned, it was his fault Alexandra had gotten in trouble for trying to help her mother in the first place, so it was only fair that he be the one to restore to her the means of getting the medical care she needed.
That errand done, he headed back to the CBI. When he got back, he joined Lisbon for the interrogation of Daniel the wife-wagering scumbag and took great pleasure in seeing Lisbon haul the guy off in cuffs. Afterwards, he stopped to return the lucky chip to Mrs. Meier and make sure Jessica knew that her father had acted to protect her, as a father should. This interaction exposed him to the same kind of emotional expressions of gratitude he'd successfully escaped earlier in the day, but unfortunately, these couldn't be avoided.
It was early afternoon before he was reunited with his couch at long last. He settled into a reclining position and closed his eyes. Cho and Rigsby went back to their desks after it became clear they weren't going to get any details about the fate of the three hundred thousand dollars he'd won, and he finally drifted off to sleep among the familiar sounds of Van Pelt's typing, Rigsby snacking, and the rustle of paper as Cho turned pages in his book.
xxx
He woke when someone kicked his couch. Two guesses as to who.
He suppressed a groan. What had he done now? While being yelled at by Lisbon could at times be invigorating, all he really wanted to now was catch up on his sleep.
When he looked up, however, she didn't look annoyed. In fact, she looked just the opposite. Lisbon was standing over his couch, smiling at him.
He blinked up at her in confusion. Was it possible he was dreaming?
No, he decided. His dreams were never this nice.
"Hey," he croaked.
Her grin widened. "Hey."
He sat up and scrubbed his hand over his jaw. He needed a shave. He looked around. Save for him and Lisbon, the bullpen was empty. It was still light out, though, so it couldn't be very late. "Where is everybody?"
"I sent them home early. Everybody had a pretty late night last night."
Yet she, somehow, looked fresh as a daisy. "Did you sleep?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. I'm going to head home in a few minutes to get some rest."
Looking up at her like this was giving him a crick in his already stiff neck. He patted the couch seat next to him in silent invitation.
To his slight surprise, she took the offered seat without any wheedling or cajoling from him. Once she'd taken her seat, she turned and positively beamed at him. "Guess what."
He searched her face, but he didn't have a clue what had put her in such a good mood. "What?"
"I got a phone call today," she said airily.
"Oh?" he said. "From who?"
She smirked at him. "Alexandra Yee."
Uh-oh. He feigned ignorance. "Is that so?"
"It is so."
"What did she have to say for herself?" Calling to rat him out, was his guess. "Was she calling to confess more gaming violations?"
"No. She called to tell me someone dropped off three hundred thousand dollars at the hospital where her mother was being treated this morning."
"Why would she call you about that?" he asked irritably. If he'd known Alexandra would turn out to be such a snitch, he might not have bothered with the whole suitcase full of money in the first place. Well, okay, he might have. But he would have made damn sure she had no way to trace it back to him.
"She was worried someone might think she'd stolen it," Lisbon said. "Wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up."
He supposed that wasn't entirely unreasonable, since she had found herself on the wrong side of the law earlier that week. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her she didn't need to worry, that no one was going to come after her for that money."
"That's good. I bet she was relieved to hear that."
"She was," Lisbon confirmed.
"Well," Jane said in a falsely hearty voice. "All's well that ends well, isn't it?"
"Yes." She smirked at him again. "It's interesting, though, isn't it? How Alexandra's mom just happened to get the three hundred thousand dollars she needed for her treatment the day after you happened to win three hundred thousand dollars in a poker game with a murderer. That's a hell of a coincidence, wouldn't you say?"
"It is," Jane agreed. "She must have been born under a lucky star."
"Yes," Lisbon drawled. "Except you don't believe in coincidences."
"Everybody has to be wrong sometimes. The laws of statistics indicate even I have to get one wrong one of these days."
She poked him in the arm, her emerald green eyes shining at him. "You took that money to the hospital."
The woman was a ruthless interrogator. He sighed, bowing to the inevitable. "Yes. Maybe."
"The money you won in the poker game last night."
"It certainly didn't come out of the meager paycheck you guys give me, that's for sure."
"You gave all of it to Alexandra Yee," she persisted. "So she could help her mom."
He shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it was the least I could do, considering."
She raised an eyebrow. "Considering what?"
"I did break up a pretty good racket she had going on at the casino. An egregious violation of the first rule of the cheater's creed."
She looked amused. "The cheater's creed?"
"'Thou shalt not fink on a fellow cheater.' Really, Lisbon, how can you have been a cop so long without learning that basic principle of criminal behavior?"
"Probably because in my experience, a cheater is usually willing to fink on his fellow man in the blink of an eye if there's a chance it will save his own skin," she said dryly.
He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, it's a real thing. The point is, I had to do something to redress the balance if I wanted to be able to hold my head high at the next Cheater's Clubhouse meeting."
Her mouth quirked, exposing her dimple. "Cheating a murderer out of three hundred thousand dollars isn't enough on its own to keep you a member in good standing?"
"That's another element of the cheater's creed, Lisbon. When the mark is crooked himself… take him for all he's worth."
"I'll be sure to remember that," she said indulgently.
He glanced at her. "Not sure what good it will do you. I doubt you could cheat your way out of a paper bag."
She swatted him lightly on the arm. "You mock, but you know, I'm on to you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. You talk a good game, but you're really not as much of a cold, heartless bastard as you make yourself out to be," she informed him.
He chuckled. "If that isn't a case of being damned by faint praise, I don't know what is."
She touched him lightly on the arm. "That was a nice thing you did," she said softly.
"Meh," he said, endeavoring to hide how pleased he was at her words of approval. The truth was, though, he was rather touched. "All in a day's work."
She stood up. "Come on. I'll buy you an ice cream."
"Really?" he said, pleased. "To what do I owe this unexpected treat?"
"Well, I am two hundred dollars up after all your shenanigans at the casino," she said archly.
He raised an eyebrow. "You mean laying a clever trap and catching the killer? Those shenanigans?"
"Among others," she agreed. "Now, are you coming or not?"
He got to his feet. "How can I refuse an offer like that?"
He followed her to the elevator. She punched the down button and shook her head, smiling. "Sometimes I don't know why I put up with you."
This was a mystery he'd yet to solve himself.
"Days like today help me remember, though," she continued, addressing the elevator button.
He couldn't hide how pleased he was by these words. "Yeah?"
She looked over at him. A mischievous smile broke out over her face. "Sure. Closed case…and no lawsuits."
"Ha, ha." He watched her eyes sparkle as she smiled. Suddenly, he decided he didn't mind so much that she'd decided not to keep the necklace.
On second thought, those emeralds really hadn't done justice to her eyes.