Title: In the Cards

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The Mentalist.

Author's Note: My muse is apparently in a leisurely mood, so this rambled on a bit. Things should speed up from here though!

Chapter 7

Cho listened impassively, arms crossed, as Lisbon outlined the situation, then asked, "Do you want me to hold him down while you beat him up, or would you rather just watch while I do it?"

"Neither, right now," Lisbon sighed, leaning back against her desk and glancing at Jane, who had settled on the couch. "But thank you. I'll take a rain check."

"I think you're overlooking the opportunity here," Jane interjected, ignoring both their glares.

Lisbon rubbed at the spot on her forehead where she could feel the headache forming. "No, Jane, we're not. We're simply having a normal reaction to you putting a colleague in danger without consulting any of us. You've created a problem we now have to solve."

Cho nodded. "Given Red John's connections, we won't want to go through official channels. So a safe house is out."

Lisbon shook her head. "I'm not going to run and hide. This might all come to nothing. The only person who knows about the note is Mancini. If he's not the mole, nothing will happen."

"If he keeps his mouth shut," Cho said. "Think that's likely? The FBI are really interested in Red John. If he's ambitious, he'll tell his boss at least. Then we'll have no way to know who the mole is."

"We need to tap Mancini's phone," Jane said.

"Right," Lisbon said sarcastically. "You'll need to sell it to the judge, because I know I can't."

"What do we need a warrant for?" Jane asked. "This isn't going to end up in court. We just need to know if he's the mole."

"We can't just tap an FBI agent's phone," Lisbon said, with exaggerated patience.

"Ask him for help," Cho suggested. "Three of us won't be enough for around-the-clock coverage anyway."

"Four," Jane said. "Just give me a gun. If Red John comes after Lisbon, I'll deal with him."

"That's why we're not giving you a gun," Cho said. "You shoot first and ask questions later. You'll land us all in trouble. Or dead. My point was, if we rope Mancini in, we can keep an eye on him. Maybe limit the number of people he talks to."

Lisbon shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to encourage more encounters between Jane and Mancini. "I don't think he'll do anything off the books."

Cho looked pointedly at the flowers. "Really?"

"Really," Lisbon said in her most dire we-are-done-discussing-this voice.

Without much change of expression, Cho managed to convey his disapproval of anyone who could send a woman flowers and yet not be willing to trash his career to protect her. Lisbon began to realize that perhaps the men she spent the most time with were skewing her expectations of dates.

"Lisbon, you can't just carry on like nothing's wrong," Jane said.

"Why not? That's exactly what I'd do if this note was real," she retorted. "I'm a cop. I don't hide from bad guys."

Her cell phone rang, and she answered it, glad for the distraction. "Hi, Gabe."

"Teresa, I was thinking. This is serious. You need to go somewhere safe," he said.

"I'll be fine, Gabe," she replied, trying to keep her exasperation out of her voice. "Red John is just messing with Jane. He does that."

"It's not good when a serial killer targets you, Teresa. It doesn't really matter why he's doing it," Mancini said. "Now I know you probably don't want to trust the FBI, but I have another solution. I have this buddy who has a cabin up in the mountains. He's not using it this time of year. I can ask him for the keys, and I could take you up there. It's isolated, so there'd be no one around to give you away."

Well, she thought, that was either a really good or really bad idea. Her eyes went automatically to Jane, who had leaned in close to hear both sides of the conversation. He met her gaze and nodded.

"I appreciate that," she said, and she meant it. "But I'm afraid I'd have to ask that you not tell anyone, even your coworkers. Are you willing to do that?"

"Yes. It won't be for long, right? I mean, Red John will either make his move, or he won't."

"He can be hard to predict. But my people are willing to take on the protective detail," she replied. "Assuming your friend won't need the cabin anytime soon."

"No, he uses it in the summer mostly. I'll give him a call then and pick you up in the morning."

"Thanks. I really appreciate the help," she said.

"No problem. After all, I'm hoping one day we'll get to have an uninterrupted date," he replied. "You'll be all right tonight?"

"I'm covered, thanks. See you tomorrow." Lisbon put her phone back in her pocket. "Well, I guess I underestimated him."

"Or it's a trap," Cho pointed out.

"If it's a trap," Jane said, "we'll just lay our own trap."

Cho frowned at him. "This stupid game you're playing could get her killed. Then what are you going to do?"

"That, my friend, will be your problem, because I will certainly be dead too," Jane said with a shrug.

"That's a real comfort," Cho shot back. "Boss, you're not really going to turn him loose on a Red John case, are you? You're taking him with you?"

Lisbon sighed. Much as she didn't want to mix Jane and Mancini, much less go off to a secluded spot with the two of them, she knew that leaving Jane to his own devices would probably end up being worse. Even though Jane didn't think Red John would come after him, it was still a distinct possibility in her own mind. And much as she trusted Cho, they both knew Jane wouldn't listen to him if Red John was involved. Hell, he wouldn't even listen to her most of the time. She looked at him, wondering if it was even possible to make him stay behind. He liked to be there when his traps were sprung.

"Of course she is," Jane said. "I'll just need to pack some books so I'll have something to do while the lovebirds are cooing at each other."

Lisbon hoped she didn't look as horrified as she felt. If Gabe thought she was distracted last night, he'd be really frustrated by how distracting Jane sitting in the next room could be.

Cho looked from Jane to Lisbon and back again. "Nice knowing you," he said to Jane.

mmm

The next morning, Lisbon got into Mancini's car with the worst case ever of morning-after regret. She should have known better than to set herself up like that. She'd gotten complacent, thinking she knew what Jane would do. And now she had this mess on her hands. Of course Jane had taken the opportunity to orchestrate a situation where Mancini would have to reveal himself if he were the mole. That his actions put her in an untenable situation might even be a plus if he wanted to get back at her for leaving the diner that night. But really, he had only himself to blame. That nonsense about her needing to trust his motives was just a smokescreen. It wasn't like she could trust his motives if she made the first move, after all. He'd slept with Lorelei to get to Red John; it would make just as much sense in his twisted mind to sleep with her to keep her on his side.

And what was all that "ask me" stuff about anyway? For what? For sex? How would that even happen? "Pass the maple syrup, and by the way, I'd like to drizzle some of it on your naked body so I can lick it off"? She wondered if it would have worked if she could have said it with a straight face. Maybe. Or maybe he would have laughed his head off. If he'd been serious, though…. God. She should NOT be thinking about this while sitting beside the man she was dating. Sort of. Drinks and two interrupted dinners and one night of sex constituted dating, right?

"Don't worry," Mancini said, mistaking the reason for her silence.

She summoned a smile for him. This was a lot to take for someone who was in no way committed to her, and he was handling it pretty well, all things considered. Of course, she hadn't dropped the bombshell on him yet.

"I'm not," she assured him. "If Red John was serious about killing me, he wouldn't warn us first. He'd follow his pattern, and nobody would know anything was wrong until I didn't show up for work." She pushed the image of a smiley face on her wall out of her head. It was too painful to imagine the looks on her team's faces when they found her. And Jane...he would lose his mind. She could only hope the others would keep their heads enough to help him through that first terrible shock.

Damn it, she was thinking about Jane again. How long had that been? A minute?

"Your man Cho seemed to take it pretty seriously," Mancini remarked.

"Cho doesn't take chances when it comes to Red John. None of us do. Which is why I've agreed to this."

"Well, we can hope for the best, right? Maybe this will just turn out to be a vacation. You can catch up on your sleep, relax a little. Maybe even enjoy yourself."

Oh, she needed to burst his bubble before he got too invested in this idea. "I'm really never off the clock. Keeping Jane in line is a round-the-clock job. Which reminds me." She hesitated, not sure how to break it to him.

Mancini was on to her, though. "Don't tell me," he groaned. "Is he the other guy in Cho's car? Why? He's not a cop, so what help can he be?"

"He did once shoot a man to save my life," she said, giving in to her instinctive urge to defend him. "But that's not why he's coming. He can get a little out of control when Red John is involved. I need to keep an eye on him."

"You can't get a babysitter?" Mancini sounded disgruntled, but at least he wasn't angry.

"There's not enough money in our budget for the hazard pay," she joked. "I can't promise you he won't be a total pain in the ass, because that's kind of his default mode. But nothing matters to him as much as catching Red John. He won't do anything to jeopardize that."

"I'm more worried he'll do something to endanger you," Mancini said.

Lisbon shook her head. "He knows nobody else will work with him if he gets me killed."

"Selfish bastard," Mancini grumbled.

Lisbon shrugged. "Self-interest is more reliable than emotion. I don't worry about him changing his mind, anyway."

"Does that mean you think I'll change my mind?" he asked sharply.

"No," she said, surprised. She added warmth to her tone as she continued, "I can't thank you enough for this, Gabe. I know it's an imposition, and adding Jane only makes it more of one. I only hope I can repay the favor someday."

He grinned at her. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

mmm

The cabin was bigger than Lisbon expected, more a vacation house than the little rustic structure she'd envisioned. Good. At least they wouldn't all be stuck in the same room. She hoped Jane hadn't been joking about catching up on his reading. Maybe this wouldn't be the nightmare she feared. Maybe he'd hole up in his room the way he did in his attic.

Oh, who was she kidding? Jane would gleefully torture Mancini for a week if she let him. He knew all too well how to push his buttons. Mancini wasn't a complicated or subtle guy, which is partly why she'd been drawn to him in the first place. She already had a tortured, complex man in her life; she certainly didn't need another.

Mancini and Cho went out to scout the perimeter, giving Lisbon her chance to plead her case. "Jane, we are guests here. And we may need Mancini's help if Red John does show up. We can't afford to have him distracted because you have to see how many times you can make him lose his temper in one day."

He grinned. "Or chase me through the house?"

"It's not that big a place. He'd catch you, and you shouldn't assume I'd save you."

"I don't have to assume something so blatantly obvious," he pointed out.

"Don't be so sure. You got me into this. Make it unpleasant enough, and I might help him figure out where to bury your body." She narrowed her eyes at him.

He smiled and shook his head. "All right, Lisbon. In the interest of your emotional well being, I will try to contain any mischievous impulses I may have. I have no desire to make Mancini look like the better man, after all."

"That doesn't take any effort," she retorted, but he knew it for a lie immediately, his smile widening. Damn it, she thought, Mancini should look like the better man. So how come he didn't? Was she really sensing something about him, or was she just sabotaging what could be a good thing because her subconscious was obsessed with Jane?

"Don't worry," Jane said. "He'll be gone tomorrow morning."

"How do you know?" They hadn't even spoken to each other today, she knew.

"Because after you tell him you're not in the mood tonight, he won't see any reason to hang around," Jane said, as if it should be obvious.

"And who says I'm going to tell him any such thing?" she demanded, folding her arms.

Jane shook his head. "Although you might reasonably decide I deserve to be kept awake by a night of passion on the other side of my bedroom wall, you would never be able to face Cho the next morning if you thought he'd heard anything."

She felt herself blushing as she tried to picture what THAT morning after would be like. No, Jane was right. Again.

Damn it.

mmm

Jane managed to behave until that evening, deriving amusement from the way Lisbon kept glancing at him, expecting him to insult Mancini or pull some kind of trick on him. He made quite a bit of progress on his reading, keeping one ear on their dreadfully dull conversations about sports and their jobs, and caught a nap during the afternoon. Cho was napping too, preparing to take the night shift, and Jane figured he could keep him company. Cho wasn't much of a conversationalist, but what he did say was always worth listening to.

At last Mancini left to pick up some groceries, even gracefully accepting Jane's additions to his list once he offered to cook dinner. After he was gone, Jane let out a put-upon sigh and said mournfully, "This is why I can never behave for long. It makes you too nervous. And I do so hate making you uncomfortable, Lisbon."

She rolled her eyes. "You are so full of shit, Jane. You're enjoying every minute of it, and laughing up your sleeve at what you have planned for later. I'm wise to your tricks."

"The anticipation is half the fun. And you never know; I might be misdirecting and planning nothing more harmful than a quiet night." He actually hadn't made up his mind yet.

"That would be refreshing," she said in an encouraging tone.

"No, it wouldn't. You would immediately take it as one of the signs of the Apocalypse, or decide I'd had a mini-stroke, or something. Admit it—you enjoy the drama I add to your life." He grinned his best "you know you love me" grin.

"I enjoy the catching criminals part, but the drama, not so much. Especially the paperwork-generating kind."

"Then what are you worried about? Nothing that happens here is going to generate paperwork," he pointed out.

"Ha. I'll believe that when I see it," she muttered. "That reminds me, I brought some with me that I'd like to get done before dinner. Which had better be edible, Jane."

"It will be far better than that, Lisbon." He didn't try to detain her as she went into her room, leaving the door open a crack, presumably so she could hear him yell for help in the unlikely event Red John decided to confront them in broad daylight.

There were some interesting thoughts passing behind her eyes, and he knew it was best to let her work through them. Besides, he wanted Mancini to see them in harmony with each other, to the extent possible. The man needed to be disillusioned; he was obviously foolish enough to believe the absurd things Lisbon had told him. It was certainly true that he could be a complete pain in the ass, he acknowledged, but anyone who thought Lisbon kept him around strictly for professional reasons had to be either an idiot or ridiculously self-absorbed. He was betting Mancini was the latter, and he was looking forward to watching that smug self-absorption turn to mortified realization.

At least the man would get a delicious dinner out of it. Feeding Lisbon was one of the small pleasures Jane allowed himself, and he'd never had the chance to cook for her before. And he had a long way to go to remedy the calorie deficit she'd apparently suffered while he was in Vegas. The chocolate pie in the diner had been meant as more than a mood-altering substance. He just hadn't expected that her enjoyment of it would end up making him ravenous. The memory of her pulling her dress aside to reveal the tender flesh beneath had taken up permanent residence in his memory palace without even asking his permission. And it had an unnerving tendency to barge into his awareness at odd moments, encouraging him to imagine it had been his fingers sliding between the fabric and her skin, smearing the whipped cream as they slid further beneath the silky material….

Down, boy, he thought wryly. That wasn't what this little interlude in the woods was about. He needed to accomplish his original obsession before succumbing to another, even if the new one was so much more pleasant.

He puttered around, exploring the kitchen, until Mancini returned, then helped bring the groceries in, examining the bags anxiously for signs of sabotage. If he'd been sent to buy supplies for a meal another man would be cooking for his girlfriend, he'd be tempted to leave out a few key ingredients to lessen any chance she'd be impressed. But apparently Mancini's mind didn't work that way. He either really was a straight arrow or was very good at pretending to be.

But then, O'Loughlin hadn't set off any alarm bells, either. Red John obviously sent only his most devious disciples into his vicinity on a regular basis. His real doubt about Mancini being a mole was based on the fact that Red John must know that Lisbon would learn from Grace's experience and never take a date at face value again. Which should make him feel guilty, he realized, except that he found he no longer enjoyed being a spectator of Lisbon's love life.

He realized that Mancini had knocked on Lisbon's door and was being allowed entry. He'd better get dinner on, because he was sure Mancini wasn't offering to help with the paperwork or wanting to talk more about sports.

mmm

Jane was just putting the finishing touches on the first course—caprese salads with a basil and olive oil vinaigrette—when Cho wandered out of his room. "Smells good," he noted, heading straight for the coffeemaker, which Lisbon had thoughtfully set up earlier.

"And it will taste even better," Jane assured him, watching in amusement as the agent started the coffeemaker and then glared at it as if trying to intimidate it into working faster. He glanced at Lisbon's door, hoping for an end to its use as a barrier against him.

Sure enough, a minute later it opened and Lisbon emerged, saying, "I smell coffee."

Jane tried to tamp down his chuckle as Cho instinctively placed himself between her and the coffeepot, a territorial move he'd never make in the office. Lisbon noticed it too and smirked briefly before turning her gaze to the salads. "Those look delicious," she said. "Why didn't you call us?"

"I thought it wise to allow Cho to get sufficiently caffeinated before attempting any sudden moves or loud noises," Jane replied, adding in a mock whisper, "I'm a little afraid of him right now."

Cho said, "You should be a little afraid of me all the time."

"Oh, I am," Jane grinned. "No need to up your game on my account."

It was Cho's turn to smirk. "Good to know. What's for breakfast?"

"You're not overly attached to timebound meal conventions, are you?" Jane asked. "Because you don't want to miss this. But if you insist, I can whip you up an omelette."

"If it's edible, I'm good," Cho replied.

Mancini emerged, running a hand through his hair. Jane took in his appearance with one sweeping glance, then began carrying the salads to the table. Lisbon immediately grabbed the other two and followed suit, enabling him to give her a close look. Yes, indeed, she had indulged Mancini a bit in there. Second base, perhaps, to use a tired metaphor. Which was almost cruel, since she had no intention of allowing him to get any further in this situation. Jane had made sure of that earlier with his reminder that Cho was present, although he was pretty sure she wouldn't have wanted to risk his hearing anything either. Regardless of what she thought he might feel about it, she wouldn't want to give him fodder for future teasing.

The caprese salads, chicken in wine sauce with Portobello mushrooms and wild rice, and strawberries in a red wine sauce with whipped cream were all very well received, Jane was pleased to see. He was pretty far out of practice, after all. Lisbon looked downright sated—ha, Mancini, no need for your services there—and Cho wasn't being bashful about having seconds. He was probably thankful Rigsby wasn't there, Jane thought.

Mancini looked impressed despite himself, finally deigning to address Jane for the first time since they'd sat down. "If you get tired of the CBI," he remarked, "you could always take up cooking."

"I think I'd become bored with terrorizing a kitchen staff pretty quickly," Jane replied. "But thank you for the implied compliment."

"And thank you," Mancini said, keeping his voice pleasant, "for providing a wonderful meal that I have finally gotten to share with Teresa uninterrupted."

Lisbon smiled back at Mancini, though Jane knew she hadn't missed the dig. "Yes, it was lovely," she said, shifting her gaze slightly to indicate she was speaking to them both. "And after a huge meal like that, I feel like I'll sleep well tonight."

All three men froze for a moment, sorting through the possibilities of meaning in that statement. Cho, who had the least at stake, recovered first. "Yeah, I'm gonna need more coffee."

"I'll get it," Jane offered, glad to have an excuse to get up. "I want some tea myself. Anyone else?"

"Coffee, please," Lisbon said. She got up and began clearing the table, gathering a stack of dishes to carry to the kitchen.

"Sit down and stop that," Jane said, blocking her path. "I hereby claim this kitchen as my sole domain. Get out."

"You might want to be nicer to me when I'm holding knives," Lisbon remarked.

"Ooh, you and your scary butter knives." Jane rolled his eyes and took the dishes from her.

"Me and my scary gun," she threatened.

Jane decided audacity was called for. "It's kiss the cook, not shoot the cook."

"If I do one, I'll do the other," she promised.

"Hm." Jane pretended to consider. "Might be worth it. Mancini, an expert opinion, please?"

Mancini stared at them. Lisbon gave Jane a half-hearted kick to the ankle and commanded, "Stop trying to give me indigestion. If you won't let me wash dishes, I'll get some more work done."

"That's a waste of a beautiful night," Jane said. "It's too bad you can't go for a walk. Maybe we could play board games."

Mancini made a face. "I doubt there are any. I bet there's a pack of cards here somewhere, though. How about a few hands of poker?"

"No," Lisbon and Cho chorused. Lisbon continued, "We don't play poker with Jane."

"Not for money, anyway," Cho agreed.

"Oh, come on. How good can he be?" Mancini looked skeptical.

"Very good, at cheating," Lisbon said.

"Hey!" Jane protested. "Having a good memory is not, technically speaking, cheating. You act like I keep cards up my sleeve or something."

"I have no doubt you would if you thought you needed to," she shot back.

"But I don't. Look, it won't hurt my feelings if you guys want to play a few hands while I do dishes," he said.

He concealed his delight as they agreed on that plan, located a deck of cards, and sat down to play. Jane took his time with the dishes, enjoying their conversation. It was obvious Cho hadn't taken a liking to Mancini, and it was always fun to listen to him mock someone so subtly they weren't even aware he was doing it. Lisbon would know, though. Jane realized that she might actually welcome a distraction at this rate.

He finished loading the dishwasher, turned it on, and wandered over to the table, circling to look at everyone's hands. Then he settled behind Lisbon, watching her play.

"Stop that," she said over her shoulder.

"What? I'm not interfering."

"Yes, you are. Cho's looking at you to see if I'm bluffing."

Jane grinned. "Maybe I'm messing with him."

"You're afraid of him, remember?"

"Ah, but I'm more afraid of you," Jane said.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Nice to know you're developing a sense of self-preservation in your old age."

"My old age? Ouch." Jane wandered out to the living room and took up residence on the couch, closing his eyes. It was almost as good as his couch in Lisbon's office, because he could listen to her voice and know they were both safe for the moment. A post-dinner nap would be an appropriate reward for a job well done, he decided.

mmm

It was full dark when he woke, and someone had turned out most of the lights in the house. He could still hear Lisbon, though she was speaking too softly for him to make out words. Ah. From the tone, he deduced that she was telling Mancini he wouldn't be getting any tonight. Cho must be out making sure no one was sneaking up on them.

A door closed, and silence fell. Jane considered getting up and sleeping in the room he'd been assigned, but he was comfortable enough where he was. It seemed like a lot of effort for not much gain.

Then he realized someone was in the room with him. He could tell it was Lisbon from her breathing, though she'd taken off her shoes so her approach was quiet. When she spoke, it was so soft that he realized she wasn't sure if he was asleep. "Jane?"

"Mm?" He opened his eyes, straining to see her in the dim light from the single lamp left on across the room.

She shook her head at him, a slight smile forming without apparent intent. "Go sleep in a real bed for a change," she said, still in that soft voice, the one she'd used in the hospital when he'd regained consciousness after drinking the belladonna.

The moment felt unexpectedly intimate to him. He'd enjoyed the domesticity of the evening, and now here she was all but tucking him in. It made his heart ache with remembered tenderness and a fierce homesickness for a home he had lost through his own arrogance. He'd never really thought he could have one again and didn't think he deserved it. This might be as close as he ever came.

He wondered if she ever realized that her quiet gestures of caring were the only emotional link to his happier memories, the only times he truly remembered what it felt like to be loved. But of course she did, he thought. It was his pain that kept Lisbon tied to him, that impulse to lift part of his burden and ease his aching shoulders. He didn't always let her, but just the knowledge that if he turned to her she would give him whatever help she had to give made his life bearable, even on his least bearable days. He never thanked her for that, but he was grateful.

"Jane? Don't go back to sleep. You can't even stretch out on this thing. Go to bed," she urged, laying a hand on his shoulder and shaking it a little.

He reached up and laid his hand over hers. "In a minute," he said drowsily. "You want eggs for breakfast?"

She leaned down closer to whisper, "I'd rather have pancakes."

He felt a lazy smile take over his face. Lisbon smiled back, then said, "I got my brothers up for school every single morning, Jane. I have ways of making you get up off this couch, and trust me, you don't want to find out what they are."

"If you hurt me, I'll yell, and Mancini will get entirely the wrong idea of what you're doing out here," he said, amused.

"Fine." She straightened back up, looking more like her usual badass self instead of the gentle angel he'd been enjoying so much. "But if you wake up all bent and sore, you still have to cook breakfast."

"Nice fluffy pancakes swimming in syrup," he promised, yawning.

"You don't even have a blanket out here." He could hear the worry in her voice and groaned a little, resigning himself to movement.

The something warm and soft and Lisbon-scented was draped over him, and he realized she'd taken off her robe and spread it over him. "Take off your shoes, at least," she told him.

He kicked off one shoe, then the other. "Night, Lisbon," he said, hoping she could hear the affection in his voice.

"Good night, Jane," she replied, and he could definitely hear the affection in hers. Her hand rested on his head just for an instant, and then she was gone.

Jane smiled, burying his nose in the collar of the robe, still warm from her skin. Maybe he would dream good dreams tonight.