A/N: Firstly, I apologise for the delay in updating this. It's partially because I really wanted to get Pretty Lies finished and partially because whenever I update this, I want to update Outside at the same time. Mainly because I want to reveal certain plot points at the same time and it might read oddly unless they're both published at the same time. Anyway, now PL is finished, I'm hoping I'll be able to get these moving a little quicker now. But no promises though, because we all know how well they can go down.

Anyway thanks go to: boutondor, phoenixmagic1, yaba, lisbon69, Sarcasm-the Lowest Form of Wit, Frogster, Divinia Serit, Koezh, Ebony10, WildDaisies10 and Viktorija for reviewing part one.

And also to Div for betaing. I would write something witty here for you, but you already know how tired I am. So there.

x tromana

Part Two

"It's too easy."

"Sometimes, things are just that black and white, Jane, " Lisbon retorted irritably. She hated having this argument time and time again - usually whenever the blond was feeling particularly bored. "You're just annoyed you didn't get to use your voodoo crap to lure out the killer."

"Hey, I found the murder weapon, didn't I? And besides, it's not crap and you know it."

"Well, yes, but there's still no need for you to overcomplicate the case," she snapped back before glancing over at Bosco as they walked past him. "Hey, Bosco."

"Teresa."

"Jane, I'll be two minutes. I need a word with Van Pelt."

After instructing Van Pelt to follow up the fingerprinting of the firearm, knowing full well it was going to take ages, she headed back to the interrogation room and pushed the door open. There had been an odd look in Bosco's eyes, a sort of cross between sympathy and irritation. She quickly shook her head to clear her mind, she shouldn't have been thinking about Bosco anyway. As always, the A.G. was expecting an iron clad case and that meant she had to work Edward Creston until she got a confession.

When she saw Jane had already made himself comfortable, sitting beside Creston and chatting away as if they were lifelong friends, she immediately regretted her decision to leave him alone with the suspect for even that brief moment of time. She sighed. Already, Lisbon could tell that Jane was in one of those moods where he was going to defy her every instruction and was out to cause her as much trouble as feasibly possible. Though Jane claimed that he and Bosco were amiable now, she had a feeling his irritable mood was something to do with having been forced to work so closely with that specific senior agent. It had amused her no end seeing the pair try and work sensibly together. It also caused her several problems as both saw it fit to take their frustrations out on her. And though they had somehow molded to each other's style of crime-solving in the end, both now seemed surlier than even and she was caught in the middle. Jane's attitude didn't surprise her, however as he wasn't used to being unable to manipulate others. He was used to being given an inch and taking a mile. She really needed to get him back under some sort of control, otherwise it was going to blow up in her face and soon.

"He didn't do it. You should let him go."

"Hey, thanks," Creston replied, surprised at Jane's outburst but appreciative nevertheless.

"I haven't even asked any questions yet," Lisbon retorted, narrowing her eyes at Jane. "Besides, even you can't have come to that conclusion so quickly."

"Look at his body language, he's not concealing anything," Jane answered back before glancing at Creston. "You're not hiding anything are you?"

The father of the deceased shook his head and Jane glanced back at Lisbon with a triumphant expression on his face.

"Fine, fine. Just let me go through my boring formalities and see if I come to the same decision, okay?"

Jane's smug expression didn't change and Lisbon found herself growing even more annoyed. Yet again, he was convinced that he was right and was therefore annoyed and a little confused as to why she wasn't taking his advice immediately. Regardless of Jane's hunches, Edward Creston was still their number one and currently, only suspect and she couldn't let him go based on the simple fact that his body language suggested he was innocent.

Besides, as the interview progressed, Creston did nothing to convince her either way. He had no alibi, simply stating he had had an early night because of a bad headache. However, he also had no real motive and he genuinely seemed devastated at the loss of his only daughter and justifiably so. The only friction between him and his 'Shelly' had apparently been due to the boyfriend he didn't approve of. The boyfriend who was, according to him, lowlife scum and a dirty criminal. It was plausible that the weapon could have been planted by somebody. And if this boy was as much of a troublemaker as Creston seemed convinced he was, it could easily have been him who killed his girlfriend after an argument escalated.

For some reason, Lisbon didn't feel like that was the case though.

What had originally felt like a terribly easy case was quickly becoming more and more complicated. Eventually, she decided that she would have to cut him loose. Despite the fact they had found the murder weapon on his property, she felt she didn't have enough to hold him on just yet. Besides, the man was growing hysterical and if he was responsible for the death of his daughter, that meant he could quite easily make a foolish mistake. And at least in the mean time, they had another lead to follow but that didn't mean Lisbon was happy with Jane and his know-it-all grin as she left the room.

***

At least Creston's accusations were somewhat accurate, she surmised as she headed towards Bosco's office. Van Pelt had quickly uncovered information showing that Jared Grimshaw had a rap sheet that was a mile long and had most recently been involved in a spate of attacks on homes in the local area. And that was why Lisbon needed to talk to Bosco. He was the one who had dealt with Grimshaw's case and she needed to get as much information on him before they went to proposition him. She knew that Bosco would be relatively unimpressed at having to deal with them so soon after the kidnapping incident. And despite the fact he now had a grudging respect for Jane and he had given him an abridged copy of the Red John file, something which the blond seemed to permanently have his nose buried in, she knew Bosco well enough to know that he still resented her consultant. She tapped on Bosco's office door and smiled gently when he called, granting her access. It was a relief that he was still willing to help her, even though he could possibly land up getting more embroiled in their current case than he'd probably like.

"Thanks for this, Sam," she murmured as she closed the door behind her. "I appreciate it."

"Any time."

She took notes and listened attentively as Bosco informed her about everything he knew about Grimshaw. It sounded like mostly petty stuff - and that the only reason Bosco's unit was involved at all was because one of the families he attacked was close friends with a deputy A.G. But still, what he had told her was useful and it felt reassuring knowing they weren't going to be walking into a situation without knowing the bigger picture. Grimshaw's other accusations made things slightly more complex but the background of violence also meant a conviction would be more likely provided he was guilty.

"Is that all you have?" Lisbon murmured and Sam nodded in response. It had been useful, but for some reason, she had expected more.

"I'm afraid so."

"Well, thanks again," she replied and stood to leave.

"Teresa?

"Yes?"

"I have to ask - how can you stand him?"

"Jane?"

"Of course."

"What sort of a question is that?"

While Lisbon had entered Bosco's office in a reasonably good mood, she left fuming. She knew that he didn't really approve of Patrick Jane and particularly his unorthodox methods, but that didn't mean that he had the right to question her about her working relationship with him. As she stomped off back to her office, she quickly decided that the only thing that would cheer her up, except maybe a night off with a tub of ice cream and a good book, would be that this lead didn't turn out to be trivial nonsense.

"Boss?"

She had barely rounded the corner when Rigsby approached her, looking panicked. Her gentle giant always wore his heart on his sleeve so it was obvious that something had gone wrong. Mentally, she braced herself for whatever bad news he had to impart.

"Creston's in hospital. He's been attacked."

TBC…