Chapter Three
When Lisbon woke up in a bed that was anything but familiar with it took her a moment to remember what she'd done the night before, a smile crept onto her lips as she rolled over. Ian was still asleep beside her, thankfully. She slipped out from under the comforter and into her clothes. With the briefest of kisses and a scribbled message, Lisbon left him sleeping and made her way home to change before work. She made a note not to go back to the bar for a while.
Arriving at the office, Lisbon was unimpressed to find Jane lying on his sofa with his hands tucked behind his head. She cursed under her breath and took solitude in her office where she watched him through the gap in her blinds. Cho informed her that the Kieran Palms case was still in a rudimentary state, something which frustrated Lisbon to no end. She didn't expect much to have been done in a day, but usually they gained at least a couple of leads more than they currently had.
'Take Rigsby back to Yuba City,' said Lisbon. 'Speak to Miss Briggs' family; see what you can find out about her. She had to have a reason for being at the clinic, she might not have disclosed anything to a family member so find out if she had a close girlfriend she might have confided in.'
'Yes, Boss,' said Cho, standing up.
'And take Jane with you, if he's going to hang around he can at least make himself useful.'
x
When they'd returned from Yuba City a few hours later, Cho knocked at her office door with a sullen look on his face. Lisbon took a deep breath before motioning for him to enter.
'Any leads?' she said.
'Best friend seems to think that Helena might be pregnant, Van Pelt's looking into Doctor Stone's financial background. She's trying to get into her email account but with the nature of the job it's all encrypted.'
'Good work, now tell me what's wrong?'
'It's Jane,' he said, to which alarm bells started ringing.
'What's he done now?' Lisbon asked and prepared for a battle with Bertram over her consultant's position.
'Nothing,' said Cho, his stoicism giving nothing away.
'Nothing?'
'No, he sat in the SUV in silence and when we questioned Helena Briggs' family and friends he said nothing. He didn't even smile when Rigsby tripped over and fell headfirst into a bush.'
Lisbon frowned, her eyebrows raised as she listened carefully to Cho's account of the day. If she'd been given a dollar for the amount of times she'd had to deal with Jane's insubordination she'd have been able to retire comfortable. Dealing with Jane's lack of disobedience was an alien concept that she couldn't quite grasp.
'Jane,' she said, walking across the bullpen with a stern expression on her face. She wanted Jane to know that she meant business, whether he saw through it or not.
He opened his eyes and waited for her to continue, but the lack of expression in his eyes only sought to worry her further.
'My office,' she informed him and he followed her without protest, something else which worried her.
Jane sat down on the couch in her office in silence. For a moment she didn't quite know what to do with him, or where to begin. He usually guided her into the reproach in some way or another, his silence stumped her.
'You must take time off work, Jane,' she informed him. 'I can't have you at work if you're not going to do anything. It's hard enough when you're causing trouble, but when you're silent and unresponsive, that's even worse. That's not you and something is wrong.'
'I'm fine,' he said, but his words failed to convince her. She knew as well as he did that he wasn't okay. The situation with Lorelei Martins was only causing him heartache which worried Lisbon further.
'No, you're not. I don't want to see you back here for two days. That includes sleeping on the couch and hiding out in the attic. Understand?'
Jane shrugged but that wasn't a response she was willing to accept and she stared at him until he spoke. 'I understand, Lisbon.'
x
After the previous night out, Lisbon opted for another quiet night in in front of the television. She curled up on the couch with little more than a romantic comedy to keep her occupied. She relished in the relative peace after an afternoon of worrying about Jane.
Unfortunately her worry was no further quelled when he turned up at her townhouse in the middle of the evening with a bottle of wine and a bag of Hershey's kisses. He looked like he was finally ready to talk and yet, despite having offered him a hand of friendship, Lisbon wasn't sure she could give him what he wanted. Their friendship had always had such a fine line that they overstepped and broke on a regular basis. Lisbon tried to deny it, but the truth was too hard to escape. She liked to believe that she always behaved with professionalism but where Jane was concerned; things often didn't work out as perfectly as she would have liked.
Why else would she have punched someone for him? Vouched for him? Risked her career time and time again, simply to save his neck?
'I hear there's an Audrey Hepburn marathon on.' Jane smiled and handed her the chocolate.
He knew her so well, her vices were small but when dealt with effectively, they could render her helpless. The bottle of wine gave him entrance, the chocolate kept him there longer to share the sweet kisses that she swore she wouldn't eat too many of and the movies, well, they were an excuse to spend time together.
'You can stay for one movie,' she said, stepping aside as he walked into her home.
He stayed for three. Maybe more, but Lisbon fell asleep on his shoulder, something which she didn't even realise until she'd woken up the next morning with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She didn't mind, really, except that she didn't want him to take things the wrong way. They were friends, colleagues and that was all they could ever be.
Lisbon left for work before Jane had even stirred. She had work to do, a case to attend to and she'd already lost precious hours of sleep by watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady. She supped on a flask of coffee, black, twice as strong in the hope it would keep her awake. She had to meet Rigsby in Marysville at nine and despite waking up with very little time to spare, she was adamant she wouldn't be late.
'Morning, Boss,' said Rigsby as he greeted her with a fresh cup of coffee and a bear claw. Lisbon accepted them graciously, eating the pastry as Rigsby explained recent developments. 'Doctor Stone is still missing, as is Helena Briggs. But when I spoke to Helena's father last night, he was very worried. Helena and our victim were in a relationship, they've only been together for a couple of months.'
'Let's see if we can subpoena her medical files, they'll confirm if she was pregnant. In the meantime, let's go back to Kieran Palms' mother's house to see what she knows about the relationship.'
x
'Welcome back,' said Rigsby on his way out of the door. Jane entered the bullpen, Lisbon watched from her office doorway as he smiled faintly and took up his usual residence on the couch. The solitude of the office appeared to appeal to him. Only Van Pelt sat at her computer busy researching the case.
The phone startled Lisbon as it rang shrilly across her office; Jane stirred a little then settled quickly. She picked up the receiver and listened to the caller. The colour slipped from her face very quickly and when she'd hung up the phone, Lisbon felt a little unwell.
'Jane, Van Pelt,' she announced, walking into the bullpen. 'We have another case.'
'Shouldn't I stay here and man the phones?' asked Van Pelt, unsure of Lisbon's direction. Jane hadn't even moved.
'No, I need you out in the field. It's Red John.'
That brief name shocked the life into Jane as he sprang from the couch, his eyes wide and his hair tussled up at the back. Lisbon was concerned, naturally, he'd been there for less than ten minutes and he already looked dishevelled.
'Be in the car in two,' she announced, dialling Cho's number on her cell phone and heading towards the elevator.
x
They pulled up to a small apartment block in the East of the city. Lisbon moved directly to the officer first at the scene, she hoped it was some sort of hoax or at the very least a misunderstanding. The very thought sent a chill through her bones, even more so when she realised where they were.
'My apartment is one floor up,' said Van Pelt, an unsettled shake in her voice.
Lisbon walked through the open apartment door, the stench of blood hitting her senses very quickly. Her knees attempted to buckle but she maintained her posture and continued on to the living quarters. Directly in front of them, on the furthest wall was a large red smiley face, perfectly drawn in the victim's blood.
'Lorelei,' said Jane. Lisbon turned to him, confused, until she followed his line of sight and her eyes landed on the mutilated body of Lorelei Martins.