Chapter 3: Battle of the Will

Lisbon sat across the weeping widow, feeling awkward and sympathy towards the woman. From personal experience, Lisbon knew exactly how it felt when a stranger with a police badge comes into your home, telling you that a loved one has past away and Lisbon despised nothing more then being the barer of that news.

Mr. Jane, however, seems to be at eased with the whole thing. Lisbon thought, giving him a quick aggravated glace. He seemed almost bored with the whole scene, bouncing lightly on his feet and looking around the room as if he was a person looking at a house for sale.

As the sound of the widow's crying subsided a bit, Lisbon took a little steadying breath and asked, "Mrs. Henderson, would you be alright if we asked you some questions? If not, we can come back later…"

"No" The woman whimpered, wiping her tears away with her sleeves, "The sooner I get this over with the better. Plus, if I don't tell you now, the murder might have a larger chance of getting away."

Nodding her head from lack of words to say, Lisbon quickly pulled out her black notebook and asked, "Was your husband having any trouble at work?"

"No. No, everything was fine. Money was good, he was happy going to work, no trouble was going on as far as I knew." She said, swallowing a sob.

"But you didn't know much, did you?" Jane suddenly cut in, causing both the grieving widow and Lisbon to look up at him with surprise.

"Well, uh, no, not really." She admitted, "Carl wasn't one to talk about his troubles much. If he did, or maybe if I asked him more, I could have helped him more and then he… he" And she broke off again and started to sob.

Lisbon whipped her head back at Jane and gave him an incredulous look; he, however, gave her an innocent shrug and went back to looking around the room curiously.

"Um, I'm sorry to ask this Mrs. Henderson, "Lisbon said again, trying to reset the interrogation," but were you and Mr. Henderson having any trouble at home?"

"No. God no, everything was good. Fine. He was excited to be a father, always paying attention to Michael. Treated me well, as always, even better actually, ever since he found out I was pregnant with Michael. Everything was great."

"But you wouldn't sleep with him?" Jane cut in once again.

"What?" Lisbon snapped and Mrs. Henderson sniffled.

"Sleep with him?" Jane repeated again, "As in, have sex, make love to him, do it with him, etc. ect."

"No, not since I got pregnant with Michael." Mrs. Henderson said stiffly, "Why does that matter?"

"So you were alright with that?"

"Well, yes."

"And your husband was too?"

"I think so."

"So you were fine with him cheating on you?"

"What? No! Carl would never do that!" Mrs. Henderson said, her voice getting slightly hysterical, "never! He would never!"

"Well he was," Jane said, cutting her off, "do you have any idea…"

"Mr. Jane!" Lisbon snapped, shutting him up and turning back to Mrs. Henderson said, "I'm so sorry for that, and for your lost. We'll be going now and if we have any questions, we'll contact you again. And I promise, he won't be there next time."

The widow nodded her head mutely and started to weep again and Lisbon quickly got up and signaled Jane to go as well, which he did with a shrug. As soon as the front door of the Henderson residence was shut behind them, Lisbon growled at him.

"Mr. Jane, you cannot do that!" She hissed, walking after him, trying her best to contain her anger.

"Why? I was simply asking questions." He scoffed.

"She just found out her husband is dead! And here you are sprouting out things like her husband was cheating on her!"

"Well, he was."

"You have no proof!"

"I had no idea how clueless CBI agents were." Jane smirked as he suddenly halted and she along with him, "Well, Agent Lisbon, if I must spell it out to you, I will. The house looked like a man doesn't spend much time there, he treated her extra well during and after the pregnancy, which was during the time he stopped sleeping with her, so the treatment was out of guilt. Plus a man his age and of his personality simply can't keep it in his pants for that much time. And you could tell that his wife was having doubts of his faithfulness. She had an idea that he was cheating on her; most wives do after all.

"How do you know?" Lisbon snapped.

"Well, Agent Lisbon," Jane mocked, "do I really have to point out everything? Just watch her face next time; it was all there. "

Lisbon stood there for a moment trying to figure out how on earth he got that information and, looking at his arrogant smile, snapped and said, "You're totally bullshitting me, aren't you?

"Why on Earth would I do that?" Jane laughed, but yet there was no amusement in his eyes.

"I don't believe you." Lisbon retorted with anger, "you're just making all this stuff up so we could go back to the CBI and you can get your hands on the Red John files."

"Now, why would I lie to do that? I get them either way." Jane told her, beginning to walk away from her.

"Mr. Jane." Lisbon called out to him coldly, her temper had reached its breaking point, "Whether you were right or not, your behavior in there was not acceptable. And, until I'm certain that you won't do it again, don't you even think that you'll be able to get your hands on the Red John file."

He frozen for a moment, considering what she had said, but then started on his way again without a single glance back.

Damn, Lisbon cursed, what have I gotten myself into? I should have never agreed with this. And if there is one thing I'm was most certain of, it's this; this is not the worst side of Mr. Patrick Jane. It's going to be the battle of wills, Lisbon thought grumpily. Damn him!