Jane's POV

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Lisbon's in a trance, staring out of the passenger window, and I can almost hear the pulleys and switches whir and click as she contemplates. She needs caffeine, before the grumpy guts takes over, and makes today even harder. Whatever she may think, she has no real concept of deception. If she finds herself face to face with one of those seven men today, I don't know what she'll do. I'm not even sure what I'll do. She's not being left alone with any of them, that's for sure. Even if I have to accompany her to the restroom. At least Bertram's office is at the DoJ. That only leaves Haffner, and maybe Kirkland, at the CBI. If Haffner hasn't left yet on his Visualise venture. Somehow that sounds too easy.

And as for the team. My man Cho could hold it together, but Rigsby and van Pelt have even less guile than Lisbon! They mustn't know. Not yet. Not until it becomes impossible to hide it any longer. I don't want Red John lifting the truth out of their minds. Van Pelt's still convinced in the existence of psychics. She doesn't need any "proof" to turn her head even more or it'll be pirouetting on her neck like a spinning top. Considering all she's been through, she's still naïve. And, for an intelligent man, Rigsby's one of the easiest marks I've ever met. They're both fiercely loyal but just not discerning enough. Not when it's Red John we're chasing. Or who is chasing us. Ignorance may not keep them safe but it's the best protection I can offer them. I wish I could do the same for Lisbon, but I know it's too late for that. Red John knows my weakness. And hers, for that matter.

Marie's. I pull up by the kerb, pleased to see that the bakery doors have just opened. We should have our pick of the pastries, straight from the oven, and a chance to get a decent cup of tea and two large cups of rich roast coffee, before it gets busy. We can grab our breakfasts and eat in the SUV. That way, my NRA poster girl will have 3 weapons in reach and locked doors at her back. And we don't want to freak out the customers. She's already donning her trusty Glock and holster.

Jumping down from the vehicle, I inhale the warm scent of baking and stretch, lifting my arms and face to the morning sun. It's already warm, despite the early hour, and it looks like we're in for another scorcher of a day. I've travelled across the country from coast to coast but nothing beats early morning in California.

We procure our food without incident - a Bear Claw for Lisbon and two cinnamon rolls for me – and return to the SUV. I'm a little surprised that Lisbon goes straight to the passenger's seat, without trying to get the car keys off me first. As soon as she's demolished that pastry, I can sense a serious talk coming on. She's not even finished the first of her coffees.

"Jane," she opens.

"Mmm."

Oh yeah. She's right on cue.

"About last night. The DVD…"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Do you? Do you think it's real? That one of those men is Red John? It was one heck of a blinder."

I savour my tea for a few moments, thinking about how best to reply.

"Do I think it was genuine? Yeah, I do. I'm sorry."

"But… I know those guys. Some of them well."

I turn to face her, hoping she can see how serious I am.

"I know, Lisbon."

We both sit for a few minutes, letting the silence steep. Eventually, I decide it's brewed enough.

"Look, I know it's going to be hard on you. Hard on both of us. But we've got to carry on as normal. One of them is Red John but the others could all be innocent. Or each associated with him in some nefarious way. We don't know yet. And the closer he thinks we are…

Are you going to be able to go through with this?"

"I have to."

"That's true."

I pause for a few moments and then decide to strike, "You will cope because you have to. I know it. And I know it's a terrible burden. That's one of the reasons I think we should keep this to ourselves for now."

"You mean, not tell the team? No. Wait…"

"That's exactly what I mean. Let's not make it as difficult for them. At least not until we have to."

"No, Jane. I'm not going along with that. The team deserve to know. They've been hunting this monster as long as you and I have and I'm not excluding them. They're brave and dedicated professionals and we need them. There's no-one else I trust."

She's getting agitated. If I don't take control now, she'll be in full rant before she knows it.

"You can't shut them out. They're in this just as deep, and as much at risk, and they deserve my loyalty. Our loyalty. And…"

"Lisbon," I cut in, turning and grasping her shoulders so she has to face me, "I'm not saying that they aren't. It's not that I don't trust the guys. But this is delicate. We need to keep it on the down-low."

"Jane!" The indignation is coming out now, "You can't hope to take on Red John alone. Didn't Lorelei's death show you that? We need the team. Van Pelt's computer and research skills and Cho and Rigsby's investigative techniques. We're taking on a monster. Who has allies and minions. Maybe a lot more than we know about. You can't, we can't, do that alone. We must make use of the people we have. Give them the option to help us or the right to walk away. You know what each of them will decide."

"I'm trying to keep them safe, Lisbon, minimise their visibility as targets."

"Sheep dip! I'm a cop, they're all cops. It's our jobs and our choices to be in harm's way. To give everything we have, even our lives if necessary. We serve and protect the people of this state. All of us. We know the score.

And besides, did it keep Eileen Turner safe? What did she know of Red John? What did she do to him? Nothing, from what I can see. He wanted to mess with your head and she was just a pawn."

I try to interrupt but she's on a roll.

"And besides, Jane, we need to think about the investigation. Let's say Red John does come for me, or for you…"

I cut across her. "Don't say that. Don't."

"Why not? We're both targets. And we're the only ones who know the shortlist. If the team has to find one or both of us dead one day, don't you think they should have all the facts. Or would you rather they had to go back to the beginning. To suspecting every man in the State of California? Or do you plan to find a way to tell them, from inside your coffin?"

"Lisbon! No need to get snarky."

I stop, take a deep breath and try to calm myself a little. Continuing to escalate the situation is not going to help. I need to be in control. Careful. Mama bear Lisbon will not stand for any slights about those she claims under her command, real or imagined.

"I know that Cho, Rigsby and van Pelt are all loyal, dedicated and seasoned professionals and I have no doubts about how courageous each one of them is. You make a number of interesting points and I'm not saying we never tell them. Just not yet."

I have one last card to deal, and it's a clincher.

"I'm concerned, Teresa. We have an active case in the Eileen Turner murder. We know Red John targeted her himself and killed her personally. It was "important to him" as a way of messing with me and taking me back to my roots. At some point, he had to have help from carney folk. Most likely Sean Barlow. But he had to have made contact, built bridges, and that's not easy with my kind, as you know. Unless he's carney himself. I'm not aware of anything in the background of our suspects, and I don't remember any of them from my childhood, but there must have been a way in. And carneys are observant, a bit more suspicious than most people and have long memories. It goes with the territory.

So I'd like to work the case and work it properly, without other distractions. If a link does come up to one of our seven scumbags, I'm going to notice it. But I don't want the team missing anything because they're too busy trying to identify the Red John link. We've got to believe that, for once, the son-of-a-bitch may have made a mistake. And, if he has, we're going to find it.

I'd like to get up to speed with Sean and what happened in the intervening years. See how he could have met Red John. His price appeared to be the baby but, sadly for him, he didn't get paid. I can feel another trip to Venice coming on."

Lisbon listened, considering carefully.

"OK, Jane. For today, we'll keep it quiet and work the Turner case. But we are going to revisit this and soon."

That was the best I could hope for. I flash her my best showbiz smile and slurp the tea from the bottom of my cup.

"So, my dear, your apartment or the office?"

I've started the engine and turned in the direction of the CBI before she even responds. She doesn't need to. Anything else just wouldn't be my Lisbon!