Chapter 2.
"Victim's name is Phillip Harding, 48," Cho relays the information from phone to Lisbon and Jane, "ME has yet to identify the poison used in the attack, but from the looks of it, the poison is from a species of snake."
"And the single puncture means that it was administered by syringe," Jane mulls it over, "Lisbon, any theories so far?"
"No, but the name sounds familiar, doesn't it," she replies, "I'm convinced that I've heard it before."
"It'll come to you. Cho, do you have his address?"
"Yeah," he pulls a Post-It note off the pad and hands it to his colleague.
"Thanks, c'mon Lisbon, maybe his family can shed some light on why he was killed," Jane suggests.
"Yeah," she replies absently, still thinking as to where she has heard the name before.
The pair are just walking out of the bullpen, when they are joined by Rigsby and Van Pelt.
"Hey," they both greet unintentionally in unison, in awkwardness, they look confusedly at each other.
"Find anything during canvassing?" Lisbon asks, noticing that something is off about the pair.
"A few things," Van Pelt begins, breaking the weird tension, "first off, one of the shop owners was up last night, luckily at the time of the murder, he says that he saw a man about 6ft tall enter the alley, he was wearing a hooded jacket and didn't get a look at his face, he was shortly followed by the victim."
"Yeah," Rigsby chimes in, "he said that the victim was coaxed into the alley."
"Great," Teresa smiles at them.
"We're gonna start collecting CCTV tapes in close proximity to see if we can get a better look at his face," Grace adds, "so, any news your end?"
"Got an ID and address, that's where Jane and I are heading now," Lisbon replies.
"Great, well, we'll see you soon then," Rigsby and Van Pelt say in almost harmony.
Like an obedient puppy, Jane follows Lisbon past them and to the lift.
"Did you notice something odd between them?" Lisbon whispers to Jane.
"No," Jane tries to dodge a bullet, having overheard that Rigsby wanted to get back together with Van Pelt at the memorial for Walter Mashburn.
"Jane, I can tell when you're lying, so give it up now before I beat it out of you," Lisbon counters, just as the lift doors open; luckily, there is no one in.
They get in and Jane presses the button to go down.
"With one hand?" he raises an eyebrow, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.
Teresa looks down at the thick cast covering her broken wrist and then looks Jane in the eye, "don't test me."
Jane subtly puts his arm behind his back and crosses his fingers, "if I knew, then I would tell you," he responds.
"Fine, but whatever is going on, I will find out about it," she vows.
He runs his hand through his hair, "okay," he replies.
Phillip Harding's house sits in a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city; the whole cul-de-sac is spotless, there is no litter dumped on the side of the street, each house has a front garden that looks meticulous, enclosed by the same white picket fencing, children play on the street without fear; it is a haven.
"Wow, posh neighbourhood," Jane says as he gawks at the houses.
"Eyes on the road, please Jane," Lisbon interrupts him, regretting that she even got in the car with him driving and with one arm too.
"Sorry, I've been reading Of Mice and Men again recently and it just reminds of the American Dream and whatnot," Jane replies, still in awe of the architecture.
"Can't you do that later?"
"Sure, gosh we sound like an old…"
"Don't!" Lisbon interjects before he can finish.
"Just saying," he turns to her with the same cheeky grin.
"Road," she mouths to him.
"Gosh, you really are a backseat driver aren't you?"
"It's the one at the end," she sighs.
Jane is the first to the front door and knocks before Lisbon has a chance to join him. The door is answered by a teenage boy, his brown hair covers half his face and his eyes are glued to his phone.
"Yeah?" he mumbles.
"Hi, we're with the CBI, we need to speak to your mother," Teresa tells him, "is she in?"
He grumbles before disappearing back into the house. Jane doesn't say anything but gives his partner a look as if to say kids, eh?
"Hello?" a very petite woman appears in the doorway wearing a dressing gown.
"Mrs Harding?"
"Yes," she answers.
"May we come in, it's about your husband," Lisbon tells her softly.
"Of course, why, what has happened to Phil?"
"It's better if we talk inside," Jane replies, using the same tone of voice as Lisbon.
"Of course, please, follow me," she leads them through a grand hallway to a large lounge, she offers them a seat on the mint coloured sofa, whilst she sits opposite in the matching armchair.
Whilst Teresa introduces them and tells her what has happened overnight, Jane has a chance to study the woman, who reminds him of a whippet; slight of frame, she sits with her legs crossed and hands perched on her knees. There was something that seemed a little unusual about the victim's wife, nothing that screamed killer to him, but told him that there is more than meets the eye with the wife. She looks like she has been under a lot of stress recently, and she has tried to cover it up with a dense plastering of make up on her face, and on her legs.
When it has all sunk in, Meredith Harding stands and offers them a drink; to have time alone, Jane asks for a bottle of water, she obliges and leaves the room.
"So, what do you think?" Jane whispers.
"She didn't seem upset when she found out," Lisbon replies in the same hushed tone, "there is something that we're missing."
"One moment," Jane pulls out his phone and begins to text Grace, he types quickly and manages to send it before Meredith returns.
"Here you go Mr Jane," she hands him the cold bottle and sits back down on the chair.
"Thank you, oh, I'm sorry for your loss Mrs Harding," he hopes to prompt her into giving him more information.
"Thank you Mr Jane, it's just awful, how did you say it happened again?" she enquires.
"He was poisoned, Mrs Harding," Lisbon replies, "do you have any idea who may have done this to your husband?"
"I'm sorry but I don't," she tells them, "Phil was so well liked in the community."
That's when Jane sees it, the look of relief on her face. His phone rings and he excuses himself to answer it out in the hallway.
"Grace, thank you for getting back to me so quickly, what have you found?"
Jane is out there a few moments before returning to Lisbon's side on the sofa.
"So, Mrs Harding, you have no idea who may have wanted to harm your husband?" the tone of voice sounds like he already has an idea.
"No, Mr Jane, I've already told you this," she retaliates.
"A colleague has just informed me that there have been complaints filed about your husband, by you, claiming that he has abused you," Jane tells her.
"Is this true?" Lisbon is taken aback.
"Look, I can explain…"