Title: Red Window
Author: Shannon – shannyfish
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Mentalist" or its characters, Warner Brothers and Bruno Heller do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: R (to be safe)
Summary: Sequel to "Suffering is the Best Punishment". With Lisbon gone, Jane leaves CBI to set out to find her and to kill Red John. He won't let Red John kill his family again.
Warning: adult themes
Chapter 9 – "Really? You're going with Protocol?"
Author's Note: Okay, just an FYI to anyone who actually reads my notes. The next several chapters are going to be a lot slower. There were a lot of "a week has passed" in previous chapters, but the next chapters are going to probably be painfully slow as far as action goes, but that doesn't mean that they'll be boring ;) Just the best way to do them I think!
Suffering is the Best Punsihment Trailer - http: / www. mega video. com/ ?v = Q581AW2H
(take out the spaces for )
...
"Protocol is etiquette with a government expense account." – Judith S. Marin
CBI Headquarters
Protocol.
It was a single word and it was the new word that Jane hated. Not disliked, hated. It was all he'd heard since they'd at least figured out that yes, Lisbon was in Idaho. But what city? Yeah, so no one really knew for sure. Jane didn't think that that was a big hurdle but everyone else seemed to.
Hightower had already contacted the FBI, who had been graceful enough to let them work on the case even though it was in Idaho. They'd also been happy enough to let them tag along and assist in getting Lisbon once they knew where to look for her. So far, none of the locals knew anything. So, that was a bust too. Dead ends everywhere.
"Need something to cheer you up?" Van Pelt asked.
"Afraid tea isn't going to cheer me up," he said as he looked up at Van Pelt. He noticed though that she wasn't bearing a teacup. Sad, though, because he really could go for some. It just wasn't going to improve his mood. Instead, she had a folder. That was curious and he instantly found himself wondering what could be inside of it.
She sat down next to him and handed over the folder without a word of explanation.
Jane eagerly took the gift and opened it. Inside was a clear picture of Simon Evans and when he turned to the next page, he found a copy of his Idaho Driver's License. His name was Simon, but it was Simon Callahan. They had an address and it was in Ketchum. He just hoped that that meant that they wouldn't have to wait for much longer.
Christmas was closing in.
CBI Headquarters had already been festively decorated.
It was just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
"You're sure this is him?" Jane asked, looking back at Van Pelt.
"Pretty sure," she said. "I haven't shown Hightower yet. Evans was his wife's maiden name. Not sure how he got it on a credit card."
"Hopefully this will be enough for Hightower and the FBI," Jane said.
"Hopefully," she echoed. "I have to go show Hightower this now," Van Pelt said as she got to her feet.
"Thank you for sharing that with me, Grace," he said honestly as he got to his feet as well. "You did cheer me up."
"Good," she said with a smile before turning and heading for Hightower's office.
"Time for tea," Jane said as he headed for the kitchen-like area.
Hope started to fill his soul as he filled his teacup meticulously. Jane started to think about how Hightower would liaise with the FBI and soon enough they'd all be on a plane to Idaho. Wasn't exactly the most exciting place, but he figured that they'd at least have snow for a few hours. That would be somewhat festive. But bringing Lisbon home for Christmas would be far more festive as far as he was concerned.
The thought of Lisbon home brought a smile to his face.
Soon enough, she'd be back.
She'd be busting him for holding back information from her and she'd sometimes be an unwilling accomplice. They'd be back to solving cases and making Hightower happy in no time. Maybe he'd even participate in Van Pelt's silly Secret Santa idea. Of course, he'd be able to figure out who his Secret Santa was and who had everyone else as well… But it was supposed to be the fun of it, and he supposed that at that point he could probably participate in it. It would make everyone else happy.
He needed to think about gifts now. Though he'd rather just buy gifts for the whole team. The thought of bringing Lisbon home was really getting him into the Christmas spirit. He allowed the smile to remain on his face as he took his tea to his couch.
…
"We can't go on just that," Hightower said. "The locals and the FBI are going to check it out first. They're going to figure out if Simon Callahan still even lives at that address. If he still lives there, then we'll fly out. It'll only take a couple hours and the FBI has already promised to wait for us."
All his Christmas spirit, all his hope, all his happiness…it just pooled to his ankles and down into the floor like it'd never existed. How could they do this? He knew that Hightower didn't know Lisbon, she didn't know any of them, but he thought that cops were really firm on protecting their own even if they didn't know them. Hightower was more political than like Minelli. Minelli would have sent them there in a blink of an eye. He'd have made sure that they had Lisbon home after everything that they had.
"You're kidding, right?" Jane asked.
He had been surprised that Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt had remained so quiet. He didn't care if Hightower got mad at him. Someone had to say it. He noticed that Cho seemed irritated, as much as Cho's expression ever changed. Rigsby looked concerned and Van Pelt looked worried and upset. Jane felt all of that and more. He was angry.
"We have to follow protocol, Mr. Jane," Hightower said coolly.
"Really? You're going with protocol?" Jane asked angrily. "No one gives a damn about protocol right now. Van Pelt found the information. She found who this Simon is and where he lives. It brings us back to Ketchum, which was where the first postcard was mailed. Lisbon's been missing for how many weeks now? Do you even know? Do you even care?"
"Mr. Jane, you're out of line-"
"No! You're out of line!" Jane yelled at her and got up from his seat. "You don't know Lisbon. You just walked in and know none of us. How can you run this unit without even caring about your own?" Jane asked but before she could even respond, he stormed out and towards the elevators.
He was done.
He was done playing it Hightower's way.
He was done sitting on the sidelines.
He was done waiting.
…
Anger consumed him and Jane found himself not getting far. He'd gotten to the parking lot and had gotten into his car, but he hadn't put the key in or started the car before the tears had overcome him. His body was racked with sobs and his face found his hands. He shook as he cried. It was so hard. Today was the day of extreme emotions. He'd been so happy before and now…now he wondered if they'd ever get Lisbon back.
He knew what he could do. He knew he could get the money and fly there himself; hell he could probably drive there in no time. But what would happen when he got there? He knew the address. The police would most likely be watching the house. They wouldn't let him go on and get Lisbon on his own. He had no pull there.
A light tap came at his window.
Jane didn't want to lift his head. He had immediately thought that it was Lisbon. But he knew that once he lifted his head and looked over that reality would take over and the truth that meant that Lisbon wasn't there. He wanted it to be Lisbon. So badly. But when he looked up and over, he found a concerned team instead.
He hadn't wanted them to see him like this. Broken. Distraught. Weak. He wiped his eyes with his hands and rolled down his window. "I thought you were all busy," he said trying to sound as normal as possible.
"No, Hightower's busy on the phone with the FBI," Rigsby said. "She said that she'd let us know as soon as she knows something."
"We're going to find her, Jane," Van Pelt said quietly.
The concern on their faces was so apparent that anyone could have picked up on it. Jane didn't know whether to be embarrassed or accept the pity that they probably felt for him. He still didn't want anyone to see him like this.
"If Hightower doesn't tell us in the next two days, then we're going to go to Ketchum on our own," Cho said evenly. "We'll explain it to the FBI and they'll probably not care whether or not Hightower gave them the heads up that we were coming."
"You'd be risking your careers…" Jane pointed out.
"For Lisbon," Rigsby said. "I think it's worth it."
"And Kaydance Millary," Van Pelt added.
"We're agreed then?" Cho asked. "We'll give them a couple more days?"
"Christmas is this Saturday," Jane pointed out. He really wanted to have her home for Christmas. "I say that we give them until Thursday at the very, very latest."
"Agreed," Van Pelt said.
It was the closest compromise he could make. Jane felt guilty even saying to wait that long. That was still a few days off. He sighed and looked down. He wished that they knew if Lisbon was okay. If she was going to be okay when they finally got to her.
"Agreed," Rigsby said.
Cho just nodded.
"We need to do something," Jane said.
"What?" Rigsby asked.
"Her Christmas should be happy…merry…joyful… All that," Jane said.
"I'm not going home," Van Pelt said. "I'd be happy to help set up something."
"Team Christmas?" Rigsby asked.
"I'm in," Cho said.
"Good," Jane said and smiled just a bit. He just hoped that all their effort would be for good. He put the key into the ignition and turned it until the motor started up. "I should go," he said.
"Are you going to be okay?" Van Pelt asked.
Jane nodded. "We're leaving no later than Thursday, right? That's the plan?"
"That's the plan," Cho confirmed.
"Then I'm okay," Jane said.
…
TBC…