Chapter 3 ( Sweet Distraction)
Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.
~Peter T. Mcintyre
Teresa Lisbon arrived at the CBI and decided to go directly towards her office, close the door and chase away the thought of Patrick Jane beeing held in a closed cell. She had already experienced the feeling when her consultant was sent to jail after killing one of Red John's stopgag but this time was different ; it was a frame-up a means to an end. Patrick Jane's message was still running though her mind when someone knocked at her office door. The sound made her startle. Their new boss wanted to see her.
"agent Ross I didn't expect you here" Lisbon lied
"agent Lisbon" the tall blonde women said with a pinched smile "I think you and I both know why I'm here" she said in a calm tone
Lisbon gave her a dry smile. There was no point denying she knew fully that the new CBI chief would like to know why one of the consultant had been put in jail. Of course she had heard whispers and rumors about Jane's reputation but as a superior she would like some explanation.
"you wanna talk about Patrick Jane" Lisbon said in a submissive tone
"I sure do" the CBI chief said rising eyebrows "I heard from Bertram that Mr. Jane was held in custody by the FBI this morning is that right ?" the agent asked a little edgy loosing her control
"I'm afraid so ma'am" Lisbon said "but don't worry I will take care of this and I'm sure we will have Patrick Jane rehabilitated fully as soon as possible" Lisbon said sharply
"you mean the FBI will take care of it" the blonde women said arms crossed
"yes ma'am" Lisbon said dropping her eyes to the floor
When agent Ross saw the other agent's look she decided to reply
"I'm sorry agent I didn't meant to be rude, you see I'm new here and as much as I appreciate your leadership and sense of responsibility I think it is best for the FBI to take care of the situation" the women said softly "Mr. Jane is a very particular case that needs to be handled precautionously besides I hope you will see it as an opportunity for you and your team to prove your competance in the absence of your consultant" the women says before heading to the steps in the CBI hallway
Lisbon didn't say anything but the blood flooded inside of her and she wanted to explose like a boiling container. Of course Jane was a valuable asset to her team but they catched criminals before without his help. She didn't like her new boss's arrogance but she was not the the kind to loose temper especially in front of a superior so she simply smiled and closed herself in her office. Just as Lisbon was sitting at her desk to fill paperworks someone knocked at her door.
"not now" Lisbon yelled
"I think you should see this" Cho said as he quickly opened her office door "it's about agent Darcy" he said to piq her curiosity
Lisbon's eyes widened before she chased her agent all the way to his desk. Everybody was gathered around the computer screen et something caught their attention. When she approached to see what it was she was astonished to see agent Darcy standing in front of Lorelai's cell. The FBI agent seemed to have friendly chat with the women but it was impossible to ear their conversation. Unfortunately, they would need more evidence to prove agent Darcy's guilt than a little visit at the prison center.
"we will need to ear what their saying" said Lisbon to Rigsby
"yeah I know I'm trying to get the audio track" Rigsby replied
"aren't we suppose to have access to every surveillance camera in the building ?" Lisbon asked impatiently
"yeah but looks like the audio has been locked through security system" Rigsby said
"it doesn't mean well" Lisbon said "what about Darcy's office ?" Lisbon asked
"we already checked out but she didn't contact anyone she didn't even used her cellphone" Cho said arms crossed standing behind Lisbon
"yeah she's very prudent" Rigsby mumbled
"or she's not the mole" Lisbon said
Her affirmation caused her whole team to remain silent for a while before Van Pelt decided to speak.
"maybe we should warn Jane" she said in a worried look
"Grace's right" said Rigsby without hesitation "if Darcy's not the mole Jane could be in serious danger" he said
The three agents looked at each other in despair
"I know you're all concerned about Jane and I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't too but he has a plan and I'm willing to follow it every step of the way" Lisbon said in defeat "now if one of you want to back down on it I would understand but now is the time because after that there's no coming back" Lisbon said determined
"you sound like Jane but I'm in" Cho said in a platonic tone but a soft smile across his lips
The others responded almost in unisson after they exchanged looks of complicity.
"I'm it" Van Pelt said
"me too" said Rigsby
Lisbon didn't respond but smiled genuinely. She was glad her team had gained almost the same trust she had found in her consultant over the years. Deep down she knew that most of them were faithful to Jane's madness and determination mainly because of her but she also knew they grew found of him over the years. Aside from Jane's pain-in-the-ass attitude, he also could be a charm. They were like a big familly and their hapiness now depended on their team work's efficiency.
As her agents were still working on finding the mole, she immediately returned to her desk and closed the door behind her. She then shut the lids and collapsed in her large armchair. As she was massaging slowly her temples her cellphone rang.
"Lisbon" Jane said "are you alone ?" he asked whispering
"yeah sure I'm in my office why ?" she asked in confusion
"I can't talk to you very long but I think agent Darcy is the mole" Jane said kickly waiting for her to respond "Lisbon are you there ?" he asked in reinsurance
"yes I am" she started "it's just I think you might be wrong this time" she said
"so you don't agree with me than?" he asked
"I'm afraid so" Lisbon said
"so what is it ?" Jane asked
"what do you mean ?" she asked teasing him
"well yesterday you seemed very much convinced that Suzane could be the mole and now you just disagree something which you never do at least not right away so obviously something made you change your mind" he said insightfully
"well since you ask it's been almost two days since we'd observe her but nothing, not a clue not a single phone call that doesn't fit plus she went to talk to Lorelai this morning but the audio had been disabled" Lisbon said
"there you go Lisbon she went to see her to get information that is clear as water to me" he said victoriously "I told you Lorelai couldn't help but tell Darcy about my dismissal from the CBI but her hands are tied so she contact her and send her back to Red John that's how it works, very risky but effective" Jane said
"first I don't see how agent Darcy would be able to contact Red John and hack into security system without beeing caught and second when I told her you were ruled out of CBI she seemed pretty surprised to me" Lisbon said
"Darcy knew we would be listening so she made sure we didn't ear her conversation that's the only plausible reason" Jane said
"or it was a set up" Lisbon said in a convinced way
"maybe" Jane trailed off as if he tried to consider her affirmation
"so what do we do ?" Lisbon asked softly
After a moment of reflection Jane finally spoke
"you need to talk to Lorelai" Jane said "that's the only way" he sighed
Jane's answer was unexpected there was no way she would talk to the very same women who had teased her sayin she was Jane's lover. She knew a single conversation with this women would break her into pieces make her loose her sanity.
"you know I can't do that Jane" Lisbon said trying to stay calm
"why not it's not like it's your first interrogation I don't see why you're making such a big fuss out of it" he said offended
"Jane the women is insane and you know I can't make her talk, reading people and manipulate their feelings is you A-game not mine" she argued
"have a little faith Lisbon, you have in it you and besides it's not like I'm not gonna help you along the way" he said trying to convince her
Lisbon closed her eyes and bit her lips for a while to clear her thoughts.
"fine she said what do you have in mind ?" she said in agreement
"so much Lisbon so much" he said and she could hear his grin "I will tell you exactly what to do but in order for it to work you will have to do exactly as I say understood"
"fine" she said
Jane elaborated his plan to Lisbon and told precisely what to say to Lorelai. Even thought he helped her out she didn't know if she was able to do this. After all, self-control towards a sociopath and putting on a poker face was not her piece of bread. But she had to, needed to if she wanted to help Jane catch Red John. She had to be strong, she only hoped she would suceed and woudn't be the one to drop the anchor that would carry them away from Red John.
xxxxxxxx The Mentalist xxxxxxxx
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
~ Hanoch McCarty
Jane couldn't sleep like most nights. All he could think about was the petite agent with green-emerald eyes. Even though he would never say it aloud, he was scared as hell but not for him, but for her. He was thinking of what she would go through to make Lorelai talk. Red John's accomplice was already tainted and lost but Lisbon on the other hand held a darkness far less deep, nonetheless present. He knew she had grown up with it but had learn to control it, that was the secret of beeing a cop. She fulfiled her darker side but used it to bring peace of mind to families, putting in action the most noble of vertues ; alstruism. If only Lorelai would keep her spiteful tongue in her mouth for once maybe Lisbon would get out of this intact.
After only three miserable hours of sleep Jane was awaken by the dim light rays of the sun coming from his window cell. He slowly sat on the edge of his bed when a guard approached him folding a letter between the prison's bar
"this is for you" the tall men said dropping the letter on the ground
"who's sending in ?" Jane asked still sleepy
"I don't know it was in the prison's mail box this morning" the men said before getting away
"thank you" Jane said
The first thing Jane had noticed was the crimson-square stamp on the right corner of the envelope. He then gently lift the flap of the letter in anticipation. When Jane saw the picture of what seem a young Lisbon stamped on a white-folded paper with a painted red smiley face his heart dropped a beat. The paper fell on the floor like feather from Jane's shaky hands. If anything had happened to Teresa Lisbon and if Red John had anything to do with it he didn't know what he would do. Kill himself. No. But he would be in some serious state and woudn't guarantee the safity of his nemesis's most recent accomplice, madness was close. He neened to call someone at the CBI to be sure it wasn't just a prank.
"Cho where's Lisbon is she alright ?" Jane asked with a trembling voice
"she's with Lorelai she's in the interrogation room" Cho said calmly "why ?" the agent asked
"I didn't asked you where she was I'm asking you if she's okay" Jane said irritably
"I can call her" Cho said not sure what to think
"no it's about Red John you need to check on her now" Jane stated firmly
The asian men's self-control snapped
"yeah sure" the tall asian men said swallowing
While Cho was gone, Jane didn't know why but his stomach swirled, his head was fuzzy and he had trouble breathing. Cho's short sighing at the other end of the phone didn't helped him either.
"she's not there" Cho said with an almost cracking voice
"oh my…" Jane said rubbing his stingy eyes "do you know where she is ?" he asked trying to regain control
"no the guard said she was there fifteen minuts ago and left but didn't saw where she went" Cho said in disappointment
When the CBI agent didn't hear a response from the consultant he decided to talk again
"you're gonna escape aren't you ?" Cho said
"can't hide anything from you" Jane said with a soft smile
"I didn't hear anything… I'll call you if I find her" Cho said before hanging up on the phone
After minutes of emotions flood Jane finally came into realization that Red John knew about him beeing held into the FBI prison's cell. Why would he send her a messages then ? The tought of it made Jane slightly grin. There was no doubt, agent Darcy was the mole. No other explanations was possible. Besides there was no need for him to stay in prison anymore now that he'd get the information he wanted. So Jane put his master skills in action and within an hour or so he was out. If he was less prudent he would almost have bumped into agent Darcy when he was hiding behind a corner wall but he was saved by her cellphone's ring. For a moment he had tried to listen to her conversation but could only catch up some "uh" and "yes" or "I understand" along the way. The women was not much of a talker he thought. To bad. The thought of her talking to Red John at this same moment made him quiver.
xxxxxxxx The Mentalist xxxxxxxx
Jane was rushing thought the CBI building fists clenching on every door knob. His first reaction was to storm into Lorelai's prison cell.
"where is she ?" Jane asked becoming red
"I don't know what you're talking about lover" Lorelai said innocently with a half-smile
"don't play with me" he said "or…" he started but she interrupted him now standing on her feet and getting close to him
"or what ?" she said teasingly
"or you will regret it" he said pointing an accusing finger at her
She laughed hard
"so now your threatening me" she said sucking thought her theet
"maybe" he said panting heavily now inched from her
She backed off to his anger
"so you liked Red John's little gift to you ?" she asked sitting on the edge of her cell's makshift bed
"just the picture" he said ironically
"he knew you would like it too" she said with a genuine smile "have you looked behind it ? you might find something else you'd like" she said watching his reaction
Jane suddenly felt stupid to not have think about it but was even more surprised that Lorelai had told him.
"why would I do that ?" Jane asked in defense
"so you didn't huh" she said "I think Red John gives you more credit than you deserve" she said with a charming smile
"I woudn't be so sure" Jane said regaining control as he raged out of the place
On his way to the CBI's offices he searched for Lisbon's picture in his jacket pocket, the one he had received from Red John in prinson only hours ago. When his hand grabed the small frame of the corny old picture he instinctly looked at the back. Four lines written in red-italic inc were scribbled in capital letter…
Roses are redViolets are blue
Where is the wolf ?
Lost in the woods ?
A furtive smile came across Jane's lips. It was not like Red John to write meaningless riddles or poems. Last time he saw his nemesis he had whispered one of William Blake's song into his ear refeing to himself as the tiger and Jane the lamb. In this poem, Red John had used the first two lines of an old poem and mixed them with two other of his own invention. But the question is why ? In his first poem, Red John made it clear that he was the predator and Jane was the prey but now what was he trying to say ? A date ? Where he lives ? Suddenly realization hit him. It was a specific location to where Lisbon was it couldn't be anything else. His only problem was where and how could he get help from Lisbon't team when he was still supposed to be in prison ?
When Jane passed the elevator doors of the CBI offices he was surprised to see Van Pelt alone in the lobby.
"I know I'm not supposed to be there but I couldn't stay any longer" he said hands on his hips
"it's okay Cho told us…him and Rigsby are looking for her" she said with a light smile but to stresses to really be comfortable "you think she's gonna be alright ?" she asked Jane with watery eyes
"I'll make sure of it" Jane said looking at her
"yeah but what if it's too late" she said trying to hide her tears
"Grace believe me it's not" he sais looking at her trying to convince himself "can you make a list of all the parks and wood areas in Sacremento for me ?" he said
"why ?" she asked frowning
"I think I have an idea where Lisbon might be" he said fiddling with Lisbon's picture in his hands
He saw the myriad of emotions in her eyes and a tingle came to his heart. Jane hesitated before handing her the picture but when he did she escaped a cry.
"Where did you get this ?" she asked horrified
"Red John send it to me this morning while I was in prison" he said
Jane knew Van Pelt wanted to say something or scream. She was furious at him and she had all the reasons too. But it was not like her to loose control or put the blame of what was happening on someone. Deep down, she knew it wasn't Jane's fault. That Red John had already planed on doing this for a long time.
"there's at least fifty national parks and woods in Sacramento" she said in dispair
"no, no it has to be more precise" Jane said to himself "can you narrow it down to all the rose gardens in Sacramento ?" he asked while scrubbing his chin
"yeah sure" she said "the're at least half a dozen" she said
"anyone with a particular spot like a wood nearby or a cemetery" he said
Grace looked at him in furry at the last comment. Jane knew precisely what was going on through her mind right now. Lisbon's body trown out in a deep graveyard hole. Dead and gone.
"I'll check into it" she says sniffing
"I'm sorry" he said looking away
Grace tried to chase the awful and dark thought in her mind then she frowned.
"Historic Rose Garden of Sacramento on Broadway St. there's a cemetery" she said
When Jane was about to leave Grace cought his arm
"I'm going with you" she said
"no you stay here in case she comes back intact. I'll take Cho and Rigsby" he says protective
"no way" the red-hair women said "she's my friend too" she said in defense
"It, It's my fault I had a very stupid plan but I promise I'll bring her back but you need to stay here" he said looking at her straight in the eyes
Jane didn't want to put in danger another team member and already felt guilty for Lisbon. Of course he knew she has become one of Red John's target for a while now but none of this would have happen if he hadn't come up with the worst plan of the century. What had he been thinking to leave her alone merciless into Lorelai's claw ? Of course she would deliver her to Red John without hesitation like the perfect little minx she was.
It the meantime Cho and Rigsby came back short of breath.
"what's going on ?" she asked when she saw they seemed edgy
Rigsby stared at Cho waiting for an approbative look than spoke
"agent Darcy, she's not the mole" Rigsby said
"so you finally tracked down her cellphone" she said
"we didn't have too" Rigsby said beating around the bush
"she's dead" Cho said looking at Rigsby
"what ? I mean when this happened ?" she asked
"a couple hours ago…she was found stabbed in the chest next to her vehicule" Cho said arms crossed
"oh my god that's terrible" Van Pelt said "but how do you know she was not the mole ?" Grace asked in shick
"we found this next to her" Rigsby said as he gave her a sloppy white paper
Quiproquo : she's not my muse you're lucky I let live you're little friend at the FBI ;)
RJ
"so he knows about us using Gordon as a fake mole" she said shaking
"sounds like it" Cho said
"oh my god" Grace said shaking even more in realization
"are you alright what is it ?" Rigsby asked holding her arm and back before she fell on the ground
The agent was scared by her reaction
"Jane is in danger" she said tears running freely from her eyes "it's my fault I shouldn't have let him go alone" she said crying
"where is Jane ?" Cho asked autoritarily trying to understand why Grace was having a sudden breakdown
"At the Historic Rose Garden on Broadway, he thinks Lisbon is there that Red John has her but it's trap I can feel it…" she says extatic now even more tears flowing down her cheecks
"shut, it's not your fault Grace" he said gently patting her back "you know how stuborn he is" he said trying to reassure her
"yeah but I should have insisted when he didn't want me to go with him at least he woudn't be alone" she said in despair
Rigsby didn't say anything and looked at Cho in defeat not knowing what to say anymore
"I'm gonna call for backup we're gonna go okay you're gonna be alright ?" Rigsby asked with a reasurring smile
"yeah" she said looking at him forcing a smile
But before he could go she grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug
"thanks" she said still slightly crying
They stayed like that for a while but Rigsby finally let go of her not because he wanted to but he had to focus on his main task which was to get Jane out of trouble.
When the two men left the bullpen to the elevator door, the office was empty except for a sobbing Grace left in silence. Minuts passed by, an hour and she was still crying. After a while she was exhausted by all of the crying and was about to fall asleep when she felt the ligth sound of someone coming behind her. When she saw who it was, she almost fell out of her chair unconscious. She saw Lisbon standing right in front of her. Alive and in the flesh with the bigest confused expression written on her face. Jane was definitely the one in danger she thought while all of them thought Lisbon was the one that needed to be saved. What a sweet distraction she thought to herself…
Author's note : I know it's been so long since I posted the last chapter but I was away from home and couldn't wrap my head around it right after I came back but I hope it was worth the wait. Really hope you like it :P I also know we didn't get much of Lisbon and Jane in this chapter but next time I promise it'll be Jisbon all the way hehe :D Don't' forget to comment a let me know what you think but be respectful thanks for reading xDD