Simple Diversions
A/N: I am SOOOOOOO SORRY for the late update! I think the holiday seasons are making me lazy. Plus, my other fandom ideas are stealing my time. I swear I'll try and update with less of a gap between chapters :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Mentalist or any of the characters or ideas. I only own Mia Black, she is mine.
Chapter 20
After some breakfast at a nearby diner, which allowed Jane and Mia some time to find out where the victim's girlfriend lived, the familiar blue Citroen pulled up in front of a small house.
"Are you feeling better?" Jane asked as he and Mia walked up to the front door hand in hand.
"Much," Mia replied simply as she dropped Jane's hand and rang the doorbell.
The door opened to reveal a blonde woman in her early twenties.
"Hi, can I help you?" The woman asked.
"Yes, we're here about a man named Michael Solinsky." Jane said as the woman opened the door a little wider.
"My boyfriend?" The woman asked with confusion. "What about him?"
"We found his body in a nearby forest this morning." Mia said and immediately noticed the change in the other woman's body language. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"When did he die?" The woman asked as tears sprung to her eyes.
"He died a couple of days ago." Jane replied. "May we come in?"
"Um, of course," The woman replied with slight embarrassment. "Come right this way."
Jane and Mia followed as the woman led them through the small hallway and into the living room.
"Um, I'm Sarah Marks." Sarah shook both of their hands.
"I'm Patrick Jane and this is Mia Black." Jane said as he and Mia took their seats on the couch. "I work for CBI and Mia works for Sac PD."
"Wow, I didn't know you two were agents." Sarah replied.
"Oh, we're not agents." Mia said with a small smile. "We're consultants."
"That makes more sense." Sarah said with a nod of her head. "You two don't really look like cops."
"That's our goal." Jane said with his megawatt grin.
"Can I get you two anything to drink?" Sarah asked.
"No thank you," Jane replied. "When was the last time you saw your boyfriend, Michael?"
"Um, I saw him on Wednesday, which is about two days ago." Sarah replied. "I just can't believe he's gone."
"How often did you two see each other?" Mia asked.
"Usually every couple of days or so," Sarah replied. "Depends on whether he was working or not."
"Where did Michael work?" Jane asked with intrigue.
"He worked at a convenience store that his brother owns." Sarah replied as she handed Jane a business card.
"Family business?" Jane asked as he handed the business card to Mia.
"No, Jackson just felt sorry for his brother," Sarah replied sadly. "They didn't have a very good relationship."
"Thank you very much, Sarah," Jane said as he and Mia stood to leave.
"If there's anything you can think of that might help with the case, don't hesitate to call." Mia said as she handed Sarah a business card that Jane had never seen before.
"I will," Sarah replied with a small smile.
After Sarah had closed the door, Jane took Mia's hand in his with a smirk.
"Whose business card was that anyway?" Jane asked as he opened the car door for Mia.
"Mine." Mia replied simply as she got into the car.
Jane had a confused expression on his face as he sat in the driver's seat and turned his body to Mia.
"Your business card?"
"Yes, I have my own business cards," Mia replied as if it were the simplest thing on the planet. "Don't you?"
"No," Jane replied slowly. "I'm just a consultant, so I don't get business cards."
"Huh, I thought all consultants had business cards." Mia said thoughtfully. "Daniel gave them to me after my first year at Sac PD."
Jane gave a small chuckle that surprised Mia.
"What?" Mia asked with all seriousness. "What's so funny?"
"What's funny is what you don't realize my dear." Jane replied.
"What don't I realize?" Mia asked with some worry.
"That your friend Daniel has a small crush on you." Jane replied simply.
"He does not." Mia protested loudly with a small smile of embarrassment.
"Of course he does," Jane replied. "That's why he's so protective of you."
"No, that's just a brotherly concern." Mia replied.
"Uh huh," Jane replied. "I am a man as well my dear and I have noticed the way Detective Reese's pupils dilate at the sight of you in your simple dress shirt."
Mia slapped Jane on the arm and her cheeks turned bright red as she thought about what Jane had said.
"You are just gross." Mia replied.
"It's true," Jane replied. "Just look at my eyes."
Mia looked into Jane's crystal eyes and saw that his pupils were dilated as he watched her.
"That's different," Mia said softly as she leaned in a little closer. "You have a reason for diluted pupils, Daniel doesn't."
"And what is my valid reason?" Jane asked with amusement as he realized they were getting closer and talking softer.
"Well," Mia said with a sigh as she put her hands on Jane's chest. "You're the one who's seen me without the shirt."
Mia had an evil grin as Jane's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"I suppose that is a valid reason." Jane said with a slight falter in his voice.
Mia gave a small giggle as she closed the distance between them and connected her lips with Jane's.
The kiss was passionate as Mia reached up and ran her hands through Jane's golden curls.
Just as Jane ventured a hand under Mia's shirt and up her back, she pulled away and ended the kiss.
"Come on," Mia said as she straightened her clothes "Let's go and see what the others have found."
"Yes my dear." Jane said with a sigh as he started the car.
xxxxx
Jane and Mia had arrived at CBI and found themselves explaining their whereabouts to a very angry Lisbon and a very worried Daniel.
"Where the hell did you two go?" Lisbon asked angrily as she sat at her desk. "You're like freakin' Houdini and his disappearing assistant. I literaly turned my back for ten minutes and when I looked again you two were nowhere to be seen."
Jane and Mia were sitting in the two chairs in front of Lisbon's desk like teenagers in the principal's office, while Daniel paced up and down behind them.
"We went for breakfast, Lisbon." Jane replied simply.
"And you didn't bother to tell anyone?" Lisbon fumed.
"We were also following up on a lead." Mia replied.
"What lead?" Daniel asked with curiosity.
"We spoke to the victim's girlfriend," Jane replied. "Otherwise known as the 'Mysterious S'."
"You mean the S that was on the necklace the boys found?" Lisbon asked with confusion.
"The very same one." Mia replied with a smile.
"How did you get the girlfriend's details?" Daniel asked as he leaned against Lisbon's desk.
"I called Van Pelt and asked her look and see if Michael had any next of kin, or any recent girlfriends." Jane replied simply. "She notified us of one recent girlfriend named Sarah Marks."
"How come Van Pelt didn't tell us about the girlfriend?" Lisbon asked somewhat angrily.
"Did you ask her?" Mia asked.
"Well, no, but she should have told me if she knew where you guys were." Lisbon replied a little sheepishly.
"Anyway," Jane began, changing the subject. "We found out that our victim had a brother who employed him out of pity."
"We have a business card that Sarah gave us." Mia said as she handed said business card to Daniel, who was perched on the desk in front of her.
"'Solinsky Convenience'," Daniel read off of the little card in his hands. "I suppose I can have two of my team go and check it out." Daniel said as he handed the card over to Lisbon.
"Sure thing," Lisbon replied as Daniel stood to rally his troops. "Let me know if you get anything."
"Of course, Agent Lisbon." Daniel said as he reached the door.
"Um, Mia?" Daniel added as he stopped in the doorway and turned to Mia. "Could I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure," Mia replied as she stood from her seat and followed Daniel out.
"What's up?" Mia asked when she and Daniel stopped in the hallway.
"Are you OK?" Daniel asked. "How are you feeling?"
"What do you mean?" Mia asked with brief confusion before recognition dawned on her face. "Oh, right, I'm actually feeling a lot better."
"Good," Daniel replied with a smile as he pulled Mia in for a brief hug. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
Mia just gave a smile as Jane's earlier words about Daniel's supposed "crush" came to mind.
"I'll see you later." Daniel said as he started walking towards the elevators.
"Yeah, see you later." Mia replied as she started making her way to the bullpen, where she assumed Jane had migrated to.
Fortunately, Mia was right and she found Jane nursing a cup of tea with another on his knee just for her.
"I think you were right Patrick," Mia said as she sat next to Jane and took the cup of tea from him.
"What about?" Jane asked as he took a sip of his tea.
"I think Daniel does have a crush on me." Mia said as she too took a sip of her hot drink.
"Don't worry," Jane replied as he reached for Mia's hand. "You're already taken."
Please review to at least let me know you guys are still hanging on and haven't abandoned me or Jania :)