"Bethany Walker"
Chapter 1. Revelations
8.00 am
Quarters of the FBI, Austin, Texas.
'Jane'
'Jane'
'Come on, I know you're awake', repeated the brunette agent, hitting him softly with her foot, as she used to do in the CBI. Some things never change after all.
Patrick Jane rose slowly, awarding her with one of his rare and truthful smiles, the ones he kept just for her to see. The man stirred his wild hair, his golden curls shining with the early light of the sun coming through the glass windows of the office.
'Hello, agent Lisbon, what can I do for you?', he asked her teasingly making her cheeks redden a little bit.
Patrick Jane has come back one month ago from his exile in that far away island, and he was a changed man. One could even say he was the happiest he's been in a long time. Of course, that would mean he was teasing, flirting, messing with his favourite agent all the time.
Teresa Lisbon looked at the consultant with a frown in her face, she hasn't even drunk her morning coffee, so she wasn't ready to face another human being.
As if he was reading her thoughts, he got up from the couch, signalling her to follow him to the restroom. He started to prepare a cup of tea for himself and a cup of coffee, strong black coffee for her. She sat up on one of the chairs and he tried not to laugh at her effort to not fall from it. It still surprised him the fact that she was so small, so petite after having seen her tackle down the biggest, tallest suspects during the 12 years they have worked together.
'Do you need any help, agent?', he asked her hiding after the vapour of his tea, smiling as the frown on her forehead widened.
'Go to hell', she responded with her usual morning charm.
He let out a chuckle and she threw a cookie at him, which he caught with his mouth gracefully making her look at him agape. He smiled widely while winking at her.
He's always appreciated these small moments of quiet and peace with her, before everyone came around and a new case would catch their attention. They have missed each other deeply, almost 2 years without seeing each other had made them act weird lately.
"Weird" meaning that they were too clingy, constantly touching each other, constantly calling each other. Not that he minded it at all, he was pleased with their current situation but he has noticed Lisbon becoming more anxious each day it passed. The woman wasn't used to be so needy about someone, but she would get accustomed to it soon.
In fact, he's been thinking for weeks about asking her out.
He has found a nice and elegant Italian restaurant she'd love, he knew she wasn't too.. fond of exquisite food, not at all. She preferred Italian food, burgers and all type of unhealthy food.
'Guys', said Cho from the door of the restroom breaking the intimate atmosphere between them.
'Hi, Cho', he said as Lisbon tried to smile at the Asiatic agent.
'We got a case. And you're not gonna like it', said the man looking regretfully at his former boss.
…
'Thomas Volker was released two months ago from the High Security Jail of Los Angeles, California', stated Abbot to the conference room.
Twenty five of the best agents of the quarters in Austin have been summoned to the statement, which included both of them, Wylie and Cho. He looked around noticing the nervousness in the air, the tension.
Most of it coming from his favourite agent who has decided to stand during the meeting, she looked straight at the screen showing Volker's face. Her ivory face expressing all her feelings towards the psychopath: hate and fear.
'Thomas Volker is a well-recognised murderer, a psychopath guilty of numerous dead in the state of California until the CBI, leaded by our prestigious agent Teresa Lisbon, managed to bring him down', said Abbot bowing slightly at her, ' We don't know how he managed to get a permission to leave that jail, but we know he's a persuasive and terrifying man capable of anything, scared of nothing… We knew he's moved to the state of Texas just a week ago'
Jane shallowed hard.
That's why Abbot had looked strained the last couple of days.
'It has come to light that there has been a series of disappearances the last weeks… some of them in the frontier between the state of California and Texas, all of them point at Volker as the main suspect, but once more… he has done it with the help of someone else. Thomas Volker is known to never have touched his victims, so, we need to take that into account.. We will not find DNA proofs, we need to be careful, extra careful… and what's worse, right now, he's a free man'
Their boss pointed out towards the screen which was showing a list of names, ten names.
Jane looked at it closing his eyes.
A storm was coming, and they were going towards it at full speed.
….
'How long has she been standing there?', asked Wylie
'One hour', said Cho stoic as ever, typing down in his computer.
Jane was sitting on his couch, drinking his third cup of tea, thinking so hard he was sure smoke could come out from his ears at any moment. His stare was fixed on the woman protagonist of their conversation, she was standing in front of the glass window, looking at the streets below them. She has been there for one hour, holding a cup of coffee, but not drinking it. She hasn't moved a bit.
'Should we talk to her?', asked Wylie.
'No', ordered Cho still typing.
'But, what is she doing?, asked the young man again.
Cho stopped typing, looking now at his former boss, a slight frown appearing in his face. Jane looked at him, both of their eyes meeting, conveying a message silently. Then, the agent looked at Wylie.
'She's getting ready'
'For what?', asked the blonde agent confused.
'For war', stated Cho.
The three men contemplated at their partner, who has turned to look at them, a determined expression on her face.
…
'I'm here for you', he said as he opened the door of her house.
He's convinced her to let him accompany her home, and even, let him make dinner for both of them. His plans about asking her out have went to hell the moment Abbot showed them that picture of Volker, he knew better than to ask her for a date in the state of mind she was right now. He cursed their bad luck once more.
But at least, he has managed to buy some groceries and staff, so he could take care of her a bit.
'I know', she said looking at him gratefully and softly, 'I'm going to take a shower, okay?'
'I will start dinner then, no, don't look at me like that. I told you I was going to prepare the best putanesca spaguetti of Texas, and I'm gonna do it. So, go to take that shower', he muttered pushing her towards her bathroom.
He heard her talking under her breath, probably insulting him.
He started to boil the water for the pasta, still listening to her muttering in the distance. Then, he heard the water running. He listened to the sound, smiling slightly, it felt like home. Everything about Lisbon felt like he has finally found his home, she was his place, she was his refuge, his sanctuary. She has managed to cure his heart with her kindness, her compassion, her infinite love and forgiveness.
His mind wandered to that shower, and once more, he couldn't stop himself from imagining her naked there. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to concentrate when she was around, he's always been distracted because of her presence, her scent but now, it was harder than ever. The last barrier between them had disappeared when he killed Red John with his bare hands.
He breathed slowly, he couldn't rush it.
He returned to the task in hand, making sure the pasta was ready, he got everything ready for their dinner, he has even found some candles to enlighten their time together. Then, he smiled noticing her standing at the doorstep. He didn't need to look to know it, he has smelt her fragrance, noticed her presence before she had to say a word.
Then, she surprised him.
She moved slowly to him, stopping just next to him, touching his left arm. He shivered at her gentle touch, closing his eyes, savouring the intimacy between them.
'You didn't have to', she whispered.
He opened his eyes and stared at her. Her damp hair curling already, her greenish eyes shining with the light of the candles he has put on the table, her skin glowing. Then, he gasped. She has put a dress on, a beautiful simple purple dress which showed up her ivory cleavage, making him shallow hard.
She smiled shyly at him, looking away.
He caressed her jaw, still surprised to see the effect his eyes have on her, even after so many years working together, side by side, fighting against the evilness in the world.
'I wanted to', he whispered back as he walked her to her chair, bowing at her, making her laugh hard.
'You idiot', she said blushing hard.
Well, if she continued blushing like that he didn't know how long he would manage to contain himself, she was utterly adorable and he was going crazy with it.
They ate dinner, flirting with each other endlessly, teasing each other, she managed to even hit him a few times… in fact, she even made him fall from his chair. His astonished expression after getting up from the floor had made her laugh so hard, she was still red because of it, her eyes shining with happiness.
He has never seen such a joy in her honest eyes, and he has never felt more comfortable with anyone else in his life. Not even with his dear late wife, Angela. He thought about Charlotte and her, knowing both of them would be happy that he had found love and a home after so much misery.
'You're so silly, Jane', said Lisbon as they cleaned the table.
'You love it, Lisbon', he said shrugging his shoulders, her frown increasing as he did so.
'No, I don't'
'Yes, you do'
She rose her hand, to hit him once more in the arm, never hurting him at all. But this time, he caught her hand, making her stumble at the sudden movement. They both fell hard on the carpet of her floor, him on the top. He caressed her hair, looking over at her, making sure she wasn't hurt. Then, he smiled relieved at the sight of her. She looked at him with nervousness on her face, with so much vulnerability.
'You okay?, he asked her.
She smiled at him to reassure him she was okay, then, he had an idea, something he had wanted to do for so long.
He tickled her, she burst into laughter immediately. Her laughter and her trying to make her stop made him laugh hard with her, both of them fighting each other until they couldn't even breathe.
Then, he stopped to take a hold of her face in his hands, wiping away some happy tears that have fallen from her eyes. She stopped smiling, looking serious at him now, breathing hard, blushing under his stare.
'I adore you', he confessed and she looked dumbstruck at him, not too surprised, but highly pleased with his statement. He leaned to her…
And then her phone rung, breaking their moment.
They both growled at the same time.
…..
22.00 p.m.
Quarters of the FBI
'Here's the list of all missing women in the state of Texas, California and the border', said Abbot, 'I'm sorry I called you so late after such a long day, but we have found already two bodies… '
He looked back at Lisbon who had her eyes closed, breathing anxiously.
Then, Cho started to say the name out loud.
'Miriam Velázquez'
'Andrea Hopkins'
'Bethany Walker'
'What?', asked Lisbon as she moved to retrieve forcefully the list from Cho's hands, making everyone in the room look at her as if she has gone crazy.
'No, it can't be. It can't be', she repeated as she struggled to breath.
'Lisbon', he said worriedly as he moved rapidly to her.
They looked agape as the woman fainted, falling to the floor, right into his open arms.
He caressed her face, shaking her soflty.
'Lisbon, please', he repeated as Abbot knelt next to them.
'Call a medic now, for fuck's sake', shouted the man to the security man.
He looked around, nervous, with his precious treasure still unconscious in his arms. He held her strongly, as if he was terrified of her vanishing from his loving hands.
'Guys.. '
All of them looked away from Lisbon
'We got a serious problem… Here it says, Bettany Walker is 16 years ago, adopted child… her mother gave her away after she was born… ', muttered the Asiatic man who for the first time in ages has being left speechless.
'What's the serious problem in that?', he asked the man.
'Lisbon is her mother', stated the man.
To be continued