Chapter 3: Red John From Jane's Past?

A week later Lisbon was surprised to find Jane sitting on her couch when she stepped into her office on Monday morning. She was about to greet him then paused, realizing he was sound asleep. She quietly set down her briefcase and some files, turned and considered Jane. He looked drawn, as though he hadn't slept. He was sitting with legs crossed at the knee and arms loosely crossed and resting on his lap. She frowned. In nine years of working with Jane, she noticed that position most often when he felt vulnerable, threatened. Something is going on. She glanced at her watch and knew she would be late for her standing meeting with Bertram if she didn't leave immediately. She decided to talk with Jane after the meeting.

Returning a half-hour later, Lisbon gently squeezed his shoulder. Quietly, "Jane, wake up."

He started and blinked, "Oh, hi, Lisbon. Good morning."

"What's up?"

"If you have time, I'd like to grab you for a long lunch. I want to run something by you about what we discussed after Minelli's dinner."

"Sure, let's go at 11. –Jane, did you sleep last night?"

He sighed. "Some. See you later." He got up and left her office.

~.~.~.~

It was nice weather. They got food and drinks from a taco truck and walked to the nearby park. Jane chose an isolated picnic table.

"What's on your mind?" Lisbon opened the conversation, then took a bite of her food.

Jane didn't answer immediately. A variety of emotions flickered across his face. He finally began. "Teresa, I've thought about our conversation after the Minelli dinner. I'm forced to consider ideas I've never seriously entertained before."

"Nothing wrong with that."

He looked away and swallowed uncomfortably. "There could be. Some put me at the center of the Red John case. They would explain a lot, but I'm flirting with paranoia. Others make the case more complicated–not exactly an improvement."

"Jane, walk me through your thinking. Forget about the labels and focus on how well the ideas fit the evidence."

She was surprised and alarmed by the naked relief that crossed his face. "The first thing that occurred to me was whether the time line should be flipped. I assumed my Red John connection began with my stupid, arrogant–"

"–Jane, stop it," she said quietly but firmly, refusing to let him feed his guilt about the murders.

He rephrased as a concession to her. "–began with my TV comments. What if Red John didn't learn of my LeeLee Barlow memory from my records when Sophie treated me? I've been tying myself in knots trying to connect Red John with Leelee Barlow from my past, 30 years ago. What if it started 30 years ago, somehow connected to the carnival?"

"That's a different take. How would that work?"

"Pete's comments during the Eileen Turner murder case made me think. Pete doesn't have much formal education, but he's smart, shrewd and a good judge of character."

"Jane, I'm not an education snob. If I ever needed convincing, I just need to compare you and Wainwright."

"Okay. You asked whether I could have been drugged or hypnotized into revealing the Leelee Barlow memory. Sean Barlow was a close friend of my father for years, until I was 12 or so. Sean had access to me. He knows hypnosis. And he raised LeeLee there at the carnival. According to Pete, Sean cultivates grudges, 'swore vengeance' against Roddy. Well, Sean also swore vengeance against my father when they became enemies. A vendetta against my father and his family–me-could explain knowing about my Leelee Barlow memory, about the Carson Springs carnival layover, and about Red John."

"How so Red John?"

"There are two obvious possibilities. Sean Barlow could have foreseen I would comment on a notorious killer, who happened to be Red John. Or, Sean could have a connection to Red John."

"Spell it out for me?"

"By 12, I was on the path to becoming a psychic like my father. Psychics volunteer to help police with famous murderers for credibility and free publicity. Sean could easily predict I'd comment on whatever murderer was in the news when I was an adult. Maybe the killer would go after me and my family. If not, Sean could hire out the murder in the same style, certain it would be blamed on the infamous killer. The alternative is that Sean actually knows Red John and pursued his vengeance through him."

Lisbon grimaced. "Wow. I see what you mean. But isn't it far-fetched to believe Sean would pursue vengeance for decades?"

Jane cleared his throat. "Hello, it's ten years and counting that I've been seeking revenge. If Pete is right about Sean, it would be in character. There's more. Sean had it in for Roddy. Pete thinks Sean was capable of killing Eileen. What if Sean did kill Eileen–personally or through Red John? Sean could have a connection to Carson Springs Child Protective Services, to Miriam Gottleib. Get Child Services to separate Roddy and Eileen. Kill Eileen through Red John or in the Red John style. Then frame Roddy for the murder. Who gets custody of Kaitlin, then?"

Lisbon responded, "As Kaitlin's nearest living relative, Sean would have a claim. Pete could have a claim as Roddy's uncle, but Sean might prevail since he raised Eileen. Of course, if Roddy were convicted, that would favor awarding custody to Sean."

"So he achieves two goals–vengeance against Roddy, and, custody of Kaitlin."

"What's Sean Barlow's background? How could he be connected to Red John?"

"My father and Sean stopped talking openly around me when I was about 12. But I recall Sean had connections to the IRA. The IRA disbanded, but the criminal network that helped fund the IRA continues. Sean was involved in the past and maybe still is. That network could help him do a lot of what Red John does–commit murder, arrange favors for friends, create false identities, and run criminal operations for money. A larger 'cause' might explain the absolute loyalty Red John's disciples have, too. Maybe 'Red John' is a label for a terrorist network–bringing us full circle to the organization idea. And why did Red John need Orville Tanner for the murder 12 years ago? Did they have crime in common, too? You know, we've assumed Red John's murders are all psychopathic killings. What if some were done for other reasons and are just disguised by using the same m.o.?"

"That's a nasty thought."

Jane remembered his lunch and took another bite of food. "Isn't it, though? Anyhow, Sean certainly has a hand in crime. An IRA connection would give him the organization for Red John‑type activities. And he would come in contact with people he could co-opt-Rebecca Anderson, Jared Renfrew, and Lorelei Martins, for instance. He'd know people connected to law enforcement who he could turn, such as Dumar, O'Laughlin–Irish, I might note,–and Todd Johnson. It strengthens the likelihood of contact early on with Red John, too."

"Intense. Judging by our meeting, Sean Barlow has the brains and charisma for that sort of criminal role."

Jane nodded. "Yes, he does. If I assume Sean is involved with the IRA and Red John, that explains the Eileen Barlow Turner puzzle and an organization for Red John operations without having to assume a major compromise of the FBI or Homeland Security. It's also a better explanation of why they would suspect me of being a Red John friend."

"Jane, what else? You look like there's more on your mind."

He didn't answer immediately. He rubbed his face with his hands. She could see how tired he was and that it was more than just lack of sleep.

"Teresa, the idea that Red John has a personal connection to me going back decades opens up Pandora's Box. You've chided me for assuming the world revolves around me. If I go down this path, it gets very tangled very fast."

"What are you thinking?"

"What do I really know about my past? Am I sure who my parents were? My father was always an enigma. He was devoted to my mother but had no interest in me after she died. Why? Was I even his son? If not, was there a Red John connection through my mother? Was she–" he swallowed, "-was she seduced or raped by Red John? That would put him around 20 years older than me. If I forget about Sean Barlow, of my list of seven suspects, Stiles is old enough to be my father. And Stiles has made some strangely personal comments. I don't know if that's manipulation or something substantive." He spread his hands, palms up. "I have no idea of where to start or how to rule out anything."

Lisbon was openly concerned. "Jane, the Red John case is more complicated than we ever imagined at the start. But you're torturing yourself with this." She said carefully, "I guess you can't refuse to consider possibilities involving your own personal history. However, you need solid evidence before going down that path. You can't assume that sort of Red John connection without a great deal more to go on. If you think it's really a possibility, we could try to get a DNA sample and see."

"There's something else."

"Yes?"

"It's unsettling if someone used hypnosis or drugs against me." He looked away a moment before continuing. "If I can't count on knowing my own mind and memories, I have no solid ground. I don't know if there are post-hypnotic suggestions. I don't know what to trust anymore."

"Trust me. We'll work through whatever we have to."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid of what I might do. I could be sabotaging myself. I could be dangerous to you or the team."

"Jane, look at me," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "You've said hypnosis can't make a person do something against his nature. I'm confident you can't be a danger to me or the team. And sabotaging your efforts to get Red John isn't consistent with your commitment to your family."

He relaxed a little.

"Jane, is there any way to help you be sure, anyone you could go to?"

"I'm not sure who I could trust. Let me think about it."

"Jane, whatever it is, we'll work through it till we solve the case."

He sagged under the weight of uncertainty. "I guess I need to keep an open mind till evidence clarifies the picture. Thanks for being a sounding board. And for not dismissing this out of hand even though it sounds bizarre."