Chapter 12:

Jane hailed a taxi to take them back to the airport, and while they were in the car, Lisbon called to change their flight reservations. As it turned out, they arrived at the terminal just in time to board the flight back to Texas. Since it was a last minute change, they couldn't arrange seats together, so they spent the flight in different parts of the plane.

It was both helpful and not to be away from Jane for a little while. Helpful because she was away from the intense scrutiny, which gave her time to reflect on her own feelings and thoughts, and also decidedly not helpful because his familiar presence was comforting.

They walked together out through the exit doors to the street, and were surprised to find Agent Cho waiting for them. Lisbon gave him a questioning look and he spoke. "Abbott wants you both back at the office. There's been a development in the case. We'll talk about it when we get back to the office. Come on."

With that, he led them to where he had parked his government-issue SUV and they headed back to the Austin field office of the FBI.

(0o0)

Abbott was seated behind his desk, waiting for them when they got to his office. Cho ushered them inside and closed the door behind them, then took his place against the wall next to the door.

"Agent Lisbon, Jane, please have a seat."

Lisbon sat in one of the chairs in front of Abbot's desk, while Jane stood behind her.

"How was the trip to California?"

"We couldn't get the records for the cases surrounding Shettrick, Volker and Olds. There was a fire in the records room and no one could go in." Lisbon didn't know why she didn't want to tell him the rest—that the lawyers in the DAs office there seemed to be on a witch hunt rather than a neutral review of cases. Jane was watching her closely, but he said nothing.

"I see. I think it's about time you told us what you remember about your little trip into the woods behind your house night before last."

"All right. We left the hotel, and I went back home. I saw the uniforms in a car parked on the street, a couple of spaces down from my house. I went inside, soaked in the bath for a while, and then went to bed. I was almost asleep when my phone beeped. I thought it might be someone from work, telling me we had a case, so I looked at it. It was a text that made me think someone was watching me, from somewhere near my house. I went out to let the uniforms know, but by the time I got outside, I felt a little silly. The more I thought about the text message, the more I thought it was someone playing a trick on me or just trying to make me think they were watching when they really weren't. So, I decided to make a lap around the house, make sure everything looked okay, and then go back inside and get some sleep. I went out the back door, walked all the way around, and was about to go back inside when I saw a light in the woods. I went out to check it out, followed it until it went off, and then decided it was probably just a kid who had snuck out and didn't want to be caught, so I headed back to the house. That's all I remember before I woke up on my front porch with Jane."

"You don't remember firing your shotgun?"

"No."

"We got the report back from the FBI crime lab. Your gun was definitely fired. The only fingerprints on it were yours."

"I don't know what to say. I don't remember firing a gun, or anything else, besides what I told you."

"Well, it gets worse. The crime lab tested the blood that was found on the gun and in the woods also." He paused.

Jane said, "And?"

"It belongs to Millie Potts."

Lisbon was at a loss for words. Not knowing what to say, she didn't say anything. The silence spread through the room like something with a life of its own. Jane sat studying Lisbon for a moment, and then he spoke up.

"Can you show me this text you received?"

Without a word, she unlocked her phone, pulled up the text, and handed it to him. He read silently for a moment and then said, "I think it's pretty obvious that someone sent this message because they wanted Agent Lisbon to leave her house. She's being set up."

"That makes sense, in light of the text message. I'm afraid Internal Affairs is still going to want you to answer some questions, and we'll still need to offer another plausible explanation of how your gun came to be fired that night, and how it came to have Millie Potts' blood on it."

"Come on, IA doesn't really think she knocked herself out, do they?"

"Of course not, but there are unanswered questions, and that makes them nervous. We're going to have to be sure all of our T's are crossed and our I's are dotted on this one."

He looked at Lisbon, and his voice was softer when he spoke again.

"I'm sorry I don't have better news for you. I don't want you to worry about this interview with Internal Affairs. Just tell them the truth—that's all you can do. That can wait for tomorrow, though. I want you to go home and get some rest—let yourself recover from the trip to California and everything else that has happened over the past couple of days. The uniforms are still in front of your house, but in light of the text message, I don't want you to stay there alone. We can put you up in a hotel for the night, if you like."

"Thank you, but I'd rather be at home. I'll be fine. I won't go outside."

"Then I'll ask an agent to stay there with you."

"Sir, that's really not necessary."

"That's non-negotiable, Agent Lisbo-"

Jane interrupted. "I'll stay with her."

"I was thinking more of somebody with a badge AND a gun." Abbott turned to Lisbon and said, "Cho is waiting to accompany you downstairs. Doctor Stone wanted to see you one more time, to make sure you are all right, and that the trip to California didn't cause you any problems. When you finish there, someone will drive you home."

Lisbon didn't want to leave, but she allowed Cho to accompany her out of Abbott's office and down the stairs. When they were gone, Abbott turned to Jane and said, "She needs to remember what happened before she talks to IA."

Jane looked thoughtful, but he didn't answer. Instead he said, "I don't think she needs to go back home right now. I'm going to take her somewhere where she doesn't have to feel like she's being watched."

"Where?"

"I'll let you know. If you want someone with a gun there, have Cho meet us there later."

With that, Jane walked out of Abbott's office and disappeared down the hallway. He found Cho seated in the waiting room of Dr. Stone's office, and took the chair next to him. Leaning over toward the other man, he spoke quietly.

"I need your help." He spent the next five minutes laying out his plan. When he was finished, Cho sat back and thought for a minute, and then said, "Okay. Let me know when you are ready for me to put my part into play."

Jane nodded, but didn't answer. His attention was immediately diverted to Lisbon as the door opened and she walked out of Dr. Stone's office. Cho excused himself and left the waiting room, closing the door behind him.

Jane held the door for her, motioning her ahead of him, and then, as he caught up to walk side by side with her, he shot her a sideways glance and saw the worry and the lingering fear that had overtaken her features. She saw that he was looking at her, and started to speak, when he said, "Shhh. Not here. We'll talk when we know we won't be overheard. Are you hungry?"

She nodded her head and he smiled. "Lunch, then."

He accompanied her out to the parking lot before he realized that her car was where he had parked it the day before, when he drove her to work from her house. He had hailed a taxi to take them to the airport the day before, and he hadn't thought about giving her her keys back.

Reaching into his pocket, he drew out her keys, and pressed the button on the key fob to unlock the doors remotely. He got her settled into the passenger side and then settled himself behind the wheel on the driver's side.

"Fasten your seatbelt," he said, while he fastened his own. He turned out of the parking lot and was soon on the highway, headed out of town.

It was, perhaps, a mark of Lisbon's emotional state that she didn't say a single word, but instead settled for looking out the window. Ten minutes later, Jane pulled into an unfamiliar parking lot.

He turned and studied her for a moment. She wouldn't look at him. He said nothing, just continued studying her. Finally, she looked up and locked eyes with him.

"The building is lovely, and this is very sweet, but I can't do this right now." She spoke so softly that Jane could barely hear her. He nodded, and took out his phone.

"Stay here. I'm just stepping outside for a moment."

He stepped out of the car, and she couldn't make out the words, but she heard him speaking to someone. A moment later, he put his phone away and sat back down behind the wheel of her car. Moments later, a young woman came out carrying a woven picnic basket. He smiled at her, thanked her, and rolling up the window, turned back to Lisbon. "I thought we might have a picnic when we get to where we are going."

"Where is that, exactly?"

"That's a surprise."

"Jane, what are you doing? I'm not in the mood for games."

"Well, you don't need to stay at your place if someone is watching it. So, I'm taking you somewhere else for a while. Relax and enjoy it."

"I can't relax. I'm being set up for a murder charge. And I can't leave. I need to stay and figure out how I'm going to prove to IA that I didn't shoot Agent Potts."

"Patience, Teresa. I have some ideas about that, too."

"Oh? Do tell."

"First things first. You need to rest for a while." Realizing she wasn't going to get any answers from Jane until he decided to give them to her, she turned toward the window and looked out. Somewhere along the way, her eyes slipped closed, and she slept.

She opened them again some time later, when the car stopped. They both climbed out, and Lisbon followed Jane into the lobby of a beautiful bed and breakfast. He got them both checked in to the suite they would be sharing.

Turning to Lisbon he asked, "When you're ready, we'll go find a place for lunch."

Lisbon couldn't explain why, but she was suddenly overcome with anger and the urge to hit him. How dare he stand there like nothing was wrong?

"What if I don't want to?" She asked, eyes flashing. Her voice had reached the tone that told him to tread carefully. He moved closer to her, stopping short of being within her reach.

He had the urge to reach out and touch her—to stroke her hair and speak softly to reassure her, but he knew, under present circumstances that that wouldn't end well for him. A flippant reply wasn't right either. She wouldn't respond well to their usual banter when she was like this.

His voice was nearly a whisper when he spoke again. "I know you're worried and afraid, and you don't feel much like doing anything right now, but when things like this happen, it's important that you take care of yourself. You're my friend, Teresa. That's why I brought you here—I wanted to get you away from the office and out of Austin for a time. No ulterior motive.

I wanted to take you to lunch and show you one of my favorite places and give you space to think about something besides work for a while. Go with me and let's have our picnic, and let me show you what I wanted to show you, and when we finish, if you want to go back to the room, we will. I won't ask you to go anywhere else."

"Okay."

She followed him down a trail she hadn't seen before and let his comments about the local flora and fauna wash over her. She was sure it was interesting. It always was with Jane, but she simply didn't have the energy to do more than be physically present, though, lost as she was in her own thoughts.

A few moments later, the trail opened into a clearing and Lisbon almost bumped into Jane when he stopped. She gasped when she saw what he was looking at. There were two beautiful waterfalls cascading down the side of the mountain that stretched above them. Seeing Jane's smile, and how excited he was to show this to her, she couldn't help but smile back.

"Shall we eat?"

She nodded, but didn't say a word. A blanket appeared from somewhere and Jane spread it on the ground and set the woven basket down on top of it. Jane sat down and Lisbon moved over and sat down across from him. He unpacked the basket and set out containers of chicken salad and a box of crackers. Then he set out some mixed fruit and a small jar of iced coffee for Lisbon and some tea for himself. Finally, he took out the forks and paper goods. He handed a plate, a fork and a napkin to Lisbon and kept one for himself. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

Finally, Lisbon spoke. "This was very sweet, Jane. Thank you."