Chapter 4

Fishing for secrets

Kim Fischer's face was flushed as she returned to her desk. Her reaction to Kimball Cho's unexpected compliment surprised her, and she needed a moment to process it. She was hoping that her colleagues would not pay much attention to such a minor lapse in her professional demeanor. With the big Art Con underway, there was plenty of distraction.

Teresa in particular was clearly preoccupied. Kim didn't understand why, exactly, but she tried to respect Teresa's personal boundaries. They were friends as well as colleagues, but even close friends were bound to keep some private parts of themselves secret.

She reached for her weapon, which had served as her excuse for stepping back, and found under it a folded piece of paper with her name written on it. She guessed Dennis Abbott must have placed it there. Everyone at the FBI knew not to handle another agent's fire-arm without permission, but the boss might take advantage of that for his own purposes.

Like making sure that something was only seen by its intended recipient.

Looking around, she saw that most people had left the bullpen, with the exception of Lisbon and Cho, who were still huddled by his desk, and Wiley, who was setting up for this evening's operation with Abbott looking over his shoulder. She opened the paper, and found Abbott's handwriting as expected. No signature, though.

Keep an eye on our lovebirds tonight. And see if you can find out what's bothering her.

Kim narrowed her eyes, shaking her head minutely. This was Abbott's way of discreetly asking her to keep tabs on Jane and Lisbon. She knew that Abbott had long suspected a sexual or at least romantic relationship between the pair. Abbott usually had good instincts, and she knew he had his reasons for believing this, but as far as she could see Teresa Lisbon was at best tolerant of Jane's antics. And if Jane had designs on Teresa other than maintaining the professional connection, he was playing it incredibly cool. As for Abbott's concern that Teresa was unhappy (and that her unhappiness might affect the morale of the team in general and Jane in particular) Kim thought that he was going overboard, almost to the point of paranoia.

Except… Teresa had been uncharacteristically self-conscious, this evening. Well, actually, since this morning. Kim suspected that the briefing had upset her. Teresa did not, typically, wear dresses. But her response to the one Jane selected for her was a bit over the top. Kim figured that Teresa would be used to Jane's unpredictable whims, expected her to roll with it. After all, Abbott had done so, when basically demoted to flunky for the purposes of Jane's charade. Kim herself knew that her role for this con was sex object. It was a bit distasteful, but she could be flexible, in the line of duty.

Kim wondered if Teresa felt pressured, somehow. Was Jane's assignment in some way crossing boundaries for Lisbon?

She looked over at Teresa, standing by Cho's desk (although Cho had apparently left.) She was looking into space, looking actually much happier at the moment. Her back was straighter. Her face was almost glowing. Was all that the result of Cho's reassurance? Maybe he had shown her a mirror. If that didn't convince her that she looked anything but cheap, then she had some serious self-esteem issues.

Kim tore up the note, put it in the trash, and headed towards Lisbon. "So, are you ready to go?"

Agent Lisbon's eyes refocused quickly, as if she had just wakened from a dream. "Uh, yes, right, let me get my keys." Teresa strode cautiously towards her desk, her usual grace and poise somewhat hampered by the heels. As her eyes followed her friend, Kim was distracted by Abbott's meaningful stare as he walked by the bullpen towards the elevator. His energetic step suggested that he was happy about taking part in this operation, she noted with some surprise. But his intensity of gaze showed that he was still very serious about finding out everything possible about Jane and Lisbon. She inclined her head a fraction to signal that she understood.

This was the part of her job that Kim hated most. Getting information from criminals was in many ways satisfying. Even the little sketch she planned for Pulaski tonight would be to some degree fun. But trying to get into Teresa's head? Or even Jane's. Kim valued her personal space, and violating another person's privacy bothered her conscience. When she had seen the shock on Patrick Jane's face after he returned to the states and found her out as an FBI agent, she had carefully hidden her regret. The man that she had met on the Island had been sweet, charming, and even humble. When their second meeting caused him shut her out, she felt sorry. While it did help her maintain a comfortable professional distance, she wondered if it was worth it. She had thought then that he could have been a good friend, if their first meeting had not involved deceit.

Of course, she had wondered far too often since then whether the man she had met on the island was a glimpse behind Patrick's mask, or just another mask. Sometimes it seemed that Jane's ego didn't leave room for the person that she had met on the island to even exist. If a person so decent was really underneath the smooth, smug exterior, why would he want to hide that?

She thought that Teresa might know, but she didn't often talk about him. Except to commiserate when his antics drove Kim up a wall.

The elevator opened again, and Agent Pike from the Art Squad stepped out looking very distracted. She wondered if that ex-wife of his was giving him trouble again. Word around the bureau was that he still catered to her more than was healthy, to the point that it sometimes affected his work. But the distraction seemed to evaporate as he looked up and saw the two women coming towards him. He stopped stock still, his eyes wide. Locked on Teresa Lisbon. Kim smiled to herself. It looked as if Teresa would have all the appreciation she could ask for tonight. On the other hand, maybe she didn't need it any more. Kim watched her pause and gave the other agent a friendly smile. "Ready to catch some bad guys, Agent Pike?"

Kim saw the man swallow and blink before saying, "I certainly hope so, Agent Lisbon."

Lisbon nodded confidently. "Oh, don't worry, we'll get the goods on your art thieves. Jane has never failed to solve a case."

Pike looked at a loss for words for a moment, then said, "He surrounds himself with the best, I'm told. It can't hurt." Then, as though steeling himself to face a firing squad, he stood up a bit taller and said firmly, "You look great, by the way."

"How sweet. Thank you." Teresa positively radiated self-assurance, and Kim could see Pike's fascination stamped across his every feature. Kim cleared her throat.

As if suddenly registering her presence, Pike looked at Fischer and said hastily, "Both of you."

Kim managed not to laugh. The man's interest in Teresa was all too evident. But to Fischer it seemed clear that her friend's appeal was boosted by something else entirely. She would not let on, of course. Instead she, too, acknowledged the compliment politely. She put out a hand to hold the elevator door as it started to shut, and was relieved that she didn't have to prompt Lisbon to follow her in. "Uh, break a leg," Pike said quickly as the doors closed between them.

Teresa was actually bouncing on the balls of her feet as Kim pushed the button to the ground floor. The high heels clicked a giddy dance as the elevator dropped beneath them. "I guess Cho was right," Kim heard her friend musing beside her. She kept her eyes forward, but hummed inquiringly in response. "Jane does know what suits me." A sideways glance showed Teresa looking at her reflection in the glass and metal surfaces of the wall, satisfaction in every line of her posture. Kim sighed. Perhaps there was something to Abbott's theory, after all.

As they stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, Kim said, "Do you mind if we stop off at my car, first? I brought some hors d'oevres."

That snapped Teresa out of her reverie. "You did? Were we supposed to do that?"

"Well, agent Pike's department took care of most of those details, but a few of us that will be at the party wanted to bring things, too. I just felt like contributing. What's a party without classy snacks?"

"You cook?" Teresa looked impressed, and far too surprised.

"Well, it's either that or live on take-out." Kim didn't add that her mother had made sure she had all the survival skills she might need well before she headed out for college. She knew that Teresa had not been so fortunate. Although fortunate was not the term Kim usually applied to her circumstances…

She felt Teresa's eyes on her as they walked to the door together, and looked back at her. Questions filled the other woman's eyes. Teresa was curious about Kim's past, but didn't want to pry because Fischer was technically her superior. Fischer appreciated her restraint. And wanted it to be unnecessary. And felt guilty that she was about to be take advantage of Teresa's mood to pump her for information.

"Cooking isn't hard to learn, you know. I'd be happy to have you over some time. Show you some of the basics." Oh, brilliant opening gambit, Fischer scolded herself. I should have lead with personal stuff about my mother. That just sounds like I think Lisbon can't take care of herself.

But Lisbon was apparently in too hyped up to take offense. "That would be nice. I mostly cook out of boxes and cans. Convenience food was mostly all we could afford at our house growing up, and Mom hadn't taught me much else before she died, except cookies." She smiled at a bittersweet memory. Kim marveled as she opened the door and held it for her friend. Teresa had just volunteered very personal information without a qualm, without a direct question, and with almost no effort on Fischer's part. What would change her mood from anxious and fretful to open and unguarded so quickly? Teresa was usually amiable, and honest to a fault, but in all the time that they had worked together, Kim had never known her to act so carefree. Was this what Teresa was like when she was truly happy?

If so, all Kim needed to do was avoid spoiling her mood and Teresa would be telling her whatever she wanted to know even before they got to the party house. This would be far too easy. And it made Kim feel like a terrible person.

Leading the way to her car, Kim tried not to grit her teeth as she smiled into the next question. "So I'm a bit nervous, this isn't my usual kind of operation. Did you and Jane do this sort of thing often at the CBI?"

"Nothing quite like this. Jane doesn't repeat himself. He likes to think outside the box, try new things all the time." Again Teresa laughed softly.

"That must have been a bit unnerving…" Fischer found comfort in routines, predictable procedures. She wondered, not for the first time, how Lisbon had managed to survive in such a chaotic partnership.

"Sometimes, but it kept me on my toes. Actually it was really fun most of the time. Except for the paper work. And so satisfying. Well, you know. Not every team is as successful as one that has Patrick Jane…"

And Teresa continued on like that as they went to Kim's car, picked up the food that Fischer had stashed in a cooler in the trunk, and moved on to Lisbon's vehicle. Fondly reminiscing about the CBI, her old team, and Golden Boy Patrick Jane who closed every case he ever worked on.

Kim was more and more certain that Abbott was right, at least as far as Teresa was concerned. With each word that she spoke, Teresa confirmed her infatuation with her former partner. It began to grate on Kim's nerves. She remembered asking Lisbon early on how she had managed to control Jane. Now she wondered if in fact Jane had been in control all along. Taking advantage of her obvious attraction to him, manipulating her to keep himself in the loop at the CBI.

No, Kim told herself. I've been working with Teresa for months now, and she's good at what she does. Professional. Dedicated and hardworking. She toes the line. She's too smart to let herself get conned by a little charm and good looks.

But Kim remembered that after the very first case, when Jane had temporarily gone missing, Abbott had advised her not to put the two alone together too often. The main reason he had given was to make sure that Jane bonded with the other members of the team, but Fischer had known that Abbott been seriously worried that Jane would not be found. He had let slip afterwards that he suspected that Jane had only returned because of Teresa Lisbon. And while he never said so, Fischer realized that Abbott had wondered if Jane would even need the FBI if he was sure of Lisbon. Perhaps he thought that, given the chance, the two might disappear together.

Kim wondered how Abbott knew about the nature of Teresa's feelings for Jane. Surely while he was interrogating her in Sacramento, she would not have been as relaxed and willing to share details of her private life with the man who had closed down her beloved CBI and all the things she cared most about. Had the matter come up when she was offered the position on their team?

Finally, as she slid into the driver's seat of her car, Lisbon stopped her litany of nostalgia and got down to business. "Can you call up the address?" she asked, fastening her seat belt.

"It's on my GPS," Fischer responded, pulling out her smart phone. "So why do you figure Jane decided to go into law enforcement in the first place? Wasn't he rich and famous before he started consulting on the Red John Case?"

"I didn't meet him until after his family was killed." Teresa eyes were intent on the road as she pulled out of the parking lot, but her frown altered her whole face. "I did get a glimpse, though, of what he was like before he even had a family. He had an episode of amnesia during one case…"

"For real?" Fischer couldn't help interrupting. "I thought that only happened on soap operas."

"Oh, it was real, alright," Teresa's smile was grim. "He acted like a completely different person, it was creepy. If that was any indication of Patrick's personality from before… well, let's just say that man would have been useless for helping anyone but himself. Certainly not law enforcement. I'm not sure what changed. But I think Angela and Charlotte probably had a lot to do with it. Having people you love, being loved yourself, flaws and all, it changes a person." Teresa turned a corner, prompted by the GPS.

"So you're saying he was even a worse pain in the neck before he got married?"

"You have no idea. The Jane that you know is a Saint by comparison."

"That's hard to believe." Kim glanced outside at the street lights coming on in the dusk around them. "Even if he did change after he was married, he was pretending to be a psychic, right up to the night that his family was killed, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Did he really consult on the Red John case then, or was he just blowing smoke in that interview?"

"I spoke to members of the team that had the case before me. When Jane first joined our team. Jane had approached them on many occasions, giving his theories based on the news reports he had observed. They didn't really give him direct access to the case. They didn't trust him. They did humor him on occasion, and when his hunches turned out to be right on target, it freaked them out. But, yeah, he overstated his involvement in that interview. Maybe seeking a bit more notoriety for his TV psychic persona. Or maybe he thought he could force them to take him more seriously."

"Well, that con blew up in his face. You'd think he'd learn, after a thing like that."

"He did learn." Teresa glared at Kim, her knuckles so tight around the steering wheel that they glowed white in the twilight. "He learned that right and wrong matter, and that people suffering is not a joke, and that we all have an obligation to give more than we take. He got angry about the evil in the world, and even in himself, and he did something about it. He spent 10 years and more doing something about it."

Her quiet intensity scared Kim almost as much as the fact that Teresa's eyes had left the road for the duration of the speech. She dug her fingers into the seat, eyes wide. "I'm sorry. Please, just watch the road. I didn't mean anything by it."

Lisbon turned her face back to the windshield, blinking back tears. Tears. Fischer had never seen Teresa cry before. "And when he finally did what he set out to do—when he got rid of that sick monster who ripped his life apart, along with so many others—he had to leave the country to avoid prison. Or more likely death from members of the Blake Association. I thought I'd never see him again. And your friend Dennis Abbott hounded me for two years for information on where he might have gone. So don't talk to me about what he should have learned. He should have learned not to trust law enforcement, just like his family always told him. Sometimes I wonder why he bothered to come back."

Fischer remained silent while Lisbon regained her composure. The GPS was the only voice for at least 5 minutes. And then Lisbon sniffed and said, in a broken voice, "Could you get me some tissues from the glove box?" Fischer hastened to comply. She felt petty, and wretched, and utterly ashamed. If Teresa Lisbon, with her discipline and diligence and passion for justice, felt this strongly about Patrick Jane's character, he must be way more than just some selfish con man. More even than a brilliant consultant. Maybe Patrick on the island was who Jane became when he was free from watching his back, free from the need to fix the mess his life had become and force a justice that was too long in coming.

Why had he come back? Kim wondered.

"I really am sorry, Teresa. We try so hard to do our job well. We think our rules and our plans can make justice work the way it should. But at the end of the day, sometimes we can't even make sense of what right and wrong are. Jane… I know his heart is in the right place. Sometimes the way he goes about solving things makes me crazy. But he does make a difference. I can't argue the results."

Teresa blew her nose with one hand on the wheel. "Thanks. I'm sorry I blew up like that." She stuffed the tissue in a plastic bag. Then huffed. "I'm going to need to redo my make-up."

Kim pointed ahead to the right. "Pull in here at this gas station. You can use their bathroom to freshen up, and I'll pick you up some food and coffee."

After the pit stop, Teresa seemed more herself. "Do I look okay?" she asked sheepishly, gesturing at her face. Kim, after just a moment's hesitation, pulled her into a hug. She whispered fiercely in her friends ear, "You look beautiful. And strong. And loyal. And I am so proud to have you on my team."

Teresa let out a mild curse. "Don't make me cry again. Boss or no, I will take you down." Then, with a breathless laugh, she pulled back and handed Kim her keys. "Here. Maybe you should drive."

By the time the GPS announced their arrival at the intended location, the Fischer and Lisbon had talked through the case a bit, getting back into professional mode. And Kim had privately decided not to breathe a word of Teresa's confidences to Abbott. She also decided to admit to her supervising agent that Lisbon did in fact appear to be somewhat smitten with the consultant, and to advise him to give her time to get comfortable at the FBI. Probably letting them work together more often would help morale all around.