Chapter 10
This is the conclusion of the investigation but not the conclusion of the story. I plan to have a couple more chapters. I know my plan to catch the killer is crazy but hey, Jane has crazy plans. I could see him having Lisbon do a sing and dance routine with him. Thank you again for follows, favorites, and reviews.
Disclaimer:Don't own anything. The hiatus is driving me crazy. At least I can write and read FanFiction to get by and rewatch the DVD sets.
"I look like a wedding cake in this dress!"Lisbon said as she observed the white frilly Mary Poppins dress with an orange sash and a white hat she was wearing. Her hair was done by Alexander in a bun. had just came back from the restrooms getting dressed in their Mary Poppins costumes. They were preparing for their song and dance and act that would catch the killer of Steve Ashmore. Lisbon had looked over the words. She hope this worked since she had to wear this crazy dress and sing a crazy song. One thing she knew now life would never be dull or boring with Jane. There was always surprises with him and ways he solved cases. So far good surprises.
"You look like a lovely English lady, Teresa." Jane grinning admiring Lisbon. Jane was in the orange striped white suit coat and white pants. "How do I look?"
"You look like a lollipop in that suit. Seriously." Lisbon giggled. "Though you do look handsome as always."
"We're the wedding cake and the lollipop."
Soon a large platform came through to the room carried by four men. One of the men yelled out. "Who asked for the stage?"
"I did." Jane called out raising his hand.
"Where do you want it?" The stage carrier asked.
"In the front of the room."
"Thank you."
"Do you think we should call Abbott?" Lisbon asked.
"If you think so." Jane replied
Lisbon took out her phone and dialed Abbott.
"Hello, Teresa. How is the case going?"
"Well, we think we know who the killer is."
"Oh, really? What does Jane have planned?" Abbott asked knowingly.
"We're singing and dancing, Abbott." Lisbon admitted perplexed.
"Okay? Explain this, Lisbon." Abbott answered confused.
"Jane found the murder weapon and it was the Mary Poppins parrot umbrella. We are singing the song from the movie and Jane's idea is the killer will try to escape. He's having the D.C. Agents look out for the person."
"Whatever will work Keep me posted."
"Goodbye."
After talking to Abbott, Lisbon noticed Jane practicing his dance steps to the song and playing with the cane. She smiled at the sight. One of the things she loved about him was he was a kid at heart. During the years at CBI, Jane had taught her to enjoy life more even when she knew he had been hurting inside.
"You two look fabulous! I can't believe you're going to solve a murder by singing and dancing." Alexander exclaimed coming up to them and looking them over in the costumes. "Who had that brilliant plan?"
"He did." Lisbon confessed pointing to Jane.
"It makes it far more entertaining than just arresting the person." Jane grinned.
"He has plans like this all the time." Lisbon admitted.
Soon Jones came up to them and looking at them strangely. "You really think this will catch the killer? You two singing? This is really a strange way to solve a murder case."
"Of course. My plans work all the time. You watch out for a person trying to leave. Have the other agents watch as well while we are singing."Jane explained.
"I am used to his plans." Lisbon admitted.
"The reason I came is that I brought the transmitters for your ears." Jones admitted holding them. "What are you singing?" Jones asked
"Supercal song."
"Who is this?"Jones asked looking at Alexander still in costume.
"I'm Alexander Smith. I provided their costumes. I better change into something else so I don't upstage Agent Lisbon." He went towards the back of the room to where his luggage was located.
"Wasn't he a suspect?" Jones asked Jane.
"Not anymore. I asked him and he didn't do it. Also we heard from our colleagues about another possibility." Jane explained.
"What possibility?" Jones asked.
"Steve was having an affair. We think the lady is on this train."
A few minutes later it was decided that Alexander would be the one to introduce them on the stage as well as him playing the song since he knew it by heart. The piano was ready on stage. Jones had gathered the people and made sure they would not leave. Jane and Lisbon were behind the stage getting ready.
Lisbon was getting nervous about singing on stage. The last time she did anything on stage with Jane was at the men's club in the forest. She played Jane's assistant to his magic show and of course that was to solve a murder as well. He mostly did the talking then. She was not really a singer, she mostly sang in the shower or to the radio in the car. The only time she remembered singing with Jane was the case with the soldier where he asked her what song was on the tattoo on the woman's leg at the crime scene. Then she started singing "Kansas City" and Jane joined her. She knew Jane was ready for his song and dance act he wanted to do with her to catch the killer. He was a showman at heart.
"Do you need more practice?" Jane asked interrupting Lisbon's thoughts. "You're nervous about singing and being on stage. I can tell."
"Yes, I am. Let's just do it." Lisbon admitted looking at him with a nervous smile. "I'll get more nervous if I practice more."
"You'll do fantastic, Teresa. I know." Jane gave her a reassuring smile. He then looked ahead along the side of the stage. He looked at the crowd and saw the agents in different corners of the room-five to be exact including Pike. Everyone was surprisingly agreeable with his plan and did not question it at all. He was pleased at the notion. He knew this would work plus he would get to sing with Lisbon which will be very entertaining. He also loved seeing her in the dress. She really did look lovely in the in as he told her. He had practiced the dance routine. His foot still hurt a bit but was improving. The ice helped a couple days ago and his limping was not as prevalent as when he came on the plane and out of the airport.
It was only right to provide some entertainment to these people who have basically been in the room since 7 in the morning with the exception of restroom breaks. The D.C. FBI managed to provide lunches for them. He did not blame those people for being frustrated but knew they had to be kept there in case the killer was in the room.
"Are you ready for me to announce you two?" Alexander asked. He was dressed in black pants and a bright orange button up shirt. His black hair combed back.
"Of, course." Jane declared behind the stage. Lisbon looked at him. Jane heard in the transmitter. "Ready." Jones said. "Ready." Jane answered back. Soon Alexander walked up the small stairs to the stage and up to the standup microphone the station manager had provided for them.
"Ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls. We apologize for the wait in this room. For your entertainment we are delighted to introduce Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon as Mary Poppins and Bert singing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Alexander introduced and said the song title quickly. He then moved quickly to sit at the piano along the side of the stage. As the piano keys rolled out the intro measures, Jane and Lisbon glided on the stage singing and dancing in perfect sync and smiled throughout. Alexander sang quietly along while playing the piano. The dancing consisted of high kicks and dancing with a cane and umbrella.
Lisbon was surprised at how well she was doing. They had only gone over the moves once and maybe partly because Jane put her in a light trance to calm her nerves. Her mind came to Charlotte and how she would be delighted her father was singing the song. Lisbon thought she was watching.
Jane watched Lisbon as she danced and sang. She was doing beautifully and she was doing well on her singing. He thought of Charlotte and Angela as well. If there was a heaven like Teresa believed they probably would be looking down now. He remembered his dream with Charlotte saying how happy she and Angela were about him moving on. He was ready now. Teresa was the perfect person to move on with. He looked out in the crowd during the time as well and noticed Jones talking to the woman from earlier.
Meanwhile Jones continued looking out for suspicious characters that would try to escape the room. Soon a young boy around eight years old turned to his mother, a petite thin blonde woman with shoulder length hair.
"Mom, daddy Steve would like this, should I get him? Where is he?" The blonde boy looked at the stage and then to his mother.
"Honey, he's..." The woman hesitated then finally said "he's not here, he left." The boy soon took off in the crowd and towards the entrance. The woman followed through the crowd of people. Jones took off running after her and finally placed his hand on her shoulder. The boy was still running off, however another agent noticed the boy and caught him.
"Excuse me, ma'am. You cannot leave." Jones said.
"You know keeping us here is torture. We have trains to catch." The woman complained. It was the same woman that complained to Jane and Lisbon earlier Jones noticed.
"Nobody is to leave this room. Why are you in such a hurry? Nobody else has tried to leave." Jones questioned and looked at the woman suspiciously. "Who is your son talking about? Steve who?"
The boy was with the other agent who had the boy by his arm. "Where is daddy Steve?"
The door to the room opened and one of the forensics people came back to the room. The person immediately saw Jones and came up to him. "Johnson, please watch these two." Jones said to the other agent, a man around 40.
"We matched the DNA on the weapon and discovered the person. The fingerprints on the umbrella are those of a woman named Betsy Carmichael"
"Oh, really?" Jones said looking at the blonde woman. He wondered if she was Betsy Carmichael. He was sure this woman was the one. She wanted desperately to leave. As soon as Jane and Lisbon were done he would have them observe her.
Jane and Lisbon finished the song and the crowd applauded. Jane bowed and Lisbon did a curtsy. Alexander bowed as well after getting up from the piano bench. He went and stood by them. They bowed once more and soon went off the stage.
Lisbon breathed a sigh of relief that she was done with the song. She did enjoy it but she was not going to make it a daily thing.
"Didn't you have fun, Teresa?" Jane grinned. "You did marvelous!"
"You two were fantastic!" Alexander announced.
"I don't know, Jane." Lisbon looked at him with concerned look.
"Come on, Lisbon. You had fun. I can tell you did."Jane grinned a Cheshire cat grin.
"Okay, I admit it. I enjoyed our song and dance act. That's why I love you." Lisbon smiled. "You get me do things I normally wouldn't do."
Soon an older man with a mustache came up to them. "You were fantastic!" He looked at Jane and Lisbon. "My name is Harold Sand. I'm a talent agent from Austin. We would love to get you in an act at our club."
"We would love to but we have other obligations." Jane admitted. He grinned.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it but I think I will keep my day job." Lisbon confessed. She definitely wanted to keep her day job. She enjoyed this for one time but not on a daily basis.
"I thought I would ask. Thank you." Mr. Sand said and went away.
"Do you think the other agents caught the killer?" Alexander asked Jane and Lisbon.
"We believe they did. We saw a woman running and Agent Jones going after her." Lisbon admitted.
"We are going to find out about it." Jane said. "Right, Lisbon?"
"Yes, we are." Lisbon admitted.
"Ooh, ooh can I come too?" Alexander excitedly said. "It sounds exciting to see an arrest."
"I'm sorry, Alexander we can't allow guests." Lisbon stated.
"Oh, come on Lisbon. Let him join in on the fun." Jane begged. "He did let us borrow his costumes and he played piano. In a way he has already been involved with catching the killer."
"Fine. You can come." Lisbon relented.
Jane, Lisbon and Alexander soon went through the crowd. Many people were complimenting them on their performance. Gloria and Richard came up to them. "You were great! You two look so wonderful."
"Thank you so much." Lisbon said. She was surprised at the reaction.
"Thank you." Jane said.
"Thank you. We are so delighted you enjoyed it." Alexander bowed.
"Excuse me, you're investigating the murder that happened in the sleeping car?" A red haired lady came up to Lisbon and Jane. They turned their heads.
"Yes, we are."Lisbon replied. Lisbon looked at the woman.
"Well, I saw the man that was killed with another lady. He was in the lounge with a blonde woman and a boy. It was yesterday afternoon." She paused. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner. I just remembered."
"What were they doing?"Lisbon asked.
"The boy was listening to the Mary Poppins person along with other children including my son. " She looked at Alexander. "The woman and man were talking quietly like they didn't want anybody to hear what they said."
"Did you hear what they said at all?" Jane asked.
"No, not really. I wasn't trying to listen to them really. I was watching my son and listening to the Mary Poppins actor. I did, however hear the word married." The woman confessed. Alexander grinned at the reference to him. "That's all I know."
"Thank you so much. We appreciate the information." Lisbon stated.
"Yes, we do." Jane said.
Finally they came up to Jones. They noticed he was keeping the blonde woman and a boy. "This woman tried to leave."
"My son was trying to run off." The woman said.
"What's your name?"Jones asked.
"Why do you care?" The woman talked back.
"Ma'am we need your name." Lisbon said seriously staring at the woman.
"Betsy Carmichael." The woman finally admitted.
"Did you kill Steve Ashmore?" Jane asked.
"What makes you say that?" Betsy protested. "You can't just accuse someone like that." She stared at Jane angrily.
"Yes, I can,when your face says you're guilty." Jane said back observing her face.
"Well, then why was your fingerprints on the murder weapon that forensics just brought back." Jones stated seriously. "You're under arrest, ma'am. You're coming with us." He took handcuffs out of his pocket and hooked her hands behind her back. The boy watched shockingly as his mother was arrested. Agent Johnson tried to keep the boy calm.
"She was the one that stole my umbrella!" Alexander exclaimed. "I recognize her. I took the kids around." He pointed to Betsy.
"Did you see Steve?" Lisbon asked.
"I saw her with a man. Her boy was there too listening to me." Alexander confessed. "Then I took the kids to the next car. I realized I forgot my umbrella. When I came back to that car, it was gone."
After getting dressed in their regular clothes, Jane and Lisbon joined Jones in his SUV to bring in Betsy Carmichael and her son to the FBI headquarters in D.C.
After arriving at the D.C. HQ, they took Betsy into the holding room.
"How did you know Steve Ashmore?" Lisbon asked sitting in the chair across from Betsy. Jones was in the chair next to Lisbon. Jane was standing up in the corner.
"He was my optometrist. I met him eight years ago in Austin. I just moved there then. I liked him very well." Betsy explained.
"Did you have an affair?" Jane blurted standing in front of Betsy.
"Well, I flirted. He was pretty nice to me."
"You didn't answer the question!" Lisbon exclaimed.
"Yes, we had a fling a for few months eight years ago. We weren't really involved recently."
"Why did your son call him daddy Steve?" Jones asked. She flinched at that.
"He's Steve's son of course. " Jane observed Betsy's face. "Our colleagues in Austin noticed a lot of payments in the refund book. Steve was sending money to you." Jane stated.
"How did you know that? You couldn't have known that." Betsy said to Jane.
"Your face said it all. You reacted." Jane admitted.
"So you killed Steve. Why?" Lisbon asked.
"You don't understand! He was supposed to be with me. He never loved his wife. He loved me instead." Betsy yelled.
"That still doesn't explain why you killed him." Jones said seriously.
"Fine. He had told me a couple weeks ago that he and his wife were going to Miami for a conference. He told me to stop calling him. We had talked throughout the years. He was done with me. After I told him I was pregnant he started sending money for Brandon, my son. He felt like he needed to support him. After the call a couple of weeks ago, I decided to book the train to Miami as well. I needed to get away and it's so gorgeous out there. I wanted Brandon to see the beach. It was really a vacation for us."
"So, you basically followed him?" Lisbon asked. "And planned to kill him."
"I didn't really follow him in Miami at all. I mean, killing him was never a plan. Last night I talked to him telling him he should divorce Lucy. He wouldn't do it because he loved her. We argued quite a bit and Brandon was with the Mary Poppins actor during that time. I saw the umbrella was left and just took it. I don't really know why."
"So you killed him on impulse?" Lisbon asked.
"Yes, we met at midnight in the lounge car just to talk. I had the umbrella. I got really mad and while he was turned I just hit him with that umbrella. He wasn't going to listen me. We were supposed to be together. He was supposed to divorce his wife."
"You killed him in the lounge. Lucy found him right outside their room."
"I dragged the body back to sleeping car and hid the umbrella in the kitchen. I thought that way if someone found it, they would accuse the Mary Poppins actor. It would've been the obvious guess."
"Unfortunately you weren't clever enough. Your fingerprints were all over it." Jane smiled cunningly. "You didn't think to wear gloves, did you? He was wearing gloves for his part."
"Now your son will be without a mother too." Lisbon stated.
"Oh, God, what will happen to Brandon?" Betsy asked concerned.
"We are going to figure that out. You should've thought of that before you committed murder." Jane said getting up and leaving the room.
After Betsy's confession, Brandon was brought in to the FBI building. Agent Johnson was watching over the boy during that time. He was asking Brandon questions and was figuring out who some of the close relatives he had that would possibly take the boy. Johnson and Brandon were waiting in the FBI bullpen outside the room. Jane went up to talk to him.
"Hey, how are are you doing?"
"I'm sad. My mom got arrested."
"I know. She did something really bad."Jane admitted. It would be hard to tell the boy what his mother did to his father.
"You're the one on the stage singing."
"Yes."
"I enjoyed it."
Jane took a coin out and started showing his coin tricks which the boy thoroughly enjoyed while waiting for Lisbon and Jones to finish with talking to Betsy. Soon they came out and then they went up to Lucy Ashmore who was also brought in at the HQ . She was there to talk to Jane and Lisbon again.
"Did you find out who Steve's killer was?" Lucy asked Lisbon. She did not really look at Jane since she had been angry with him before.
"Yes. We did. Lucy, your husband had an affair." Lisbon confessed.
"Oh, my goodness." Lucy replied shockingly at the news. I just don't understand why Steve would do something like that. So, he was right." Lucy then turned to Jane.
"I just am good at my guesses." Jane admitted.
"I suppose I should apologize to you then."Lucy again looked at Jane. "I'm sorry about yelling at you."
"It's alright. I understood your anger."
"Lucy, we want to tell you also. I know you don't want want to hear this, but Steve was sending payments for a child he had with the woman."
"So, he had a child with that tramp." Lucy said angrily. "She killed him, didn't she?"
"Yes. She wanted him to divorce you, however he wouldn't do it because he loved you. She killed him out of anger." Lisbon confessed.
"Really? He had told her that. So, what's going to happen to the child?" Lucy asked.
"Well, another agent is looking into some of his relatives. We don't know the details yet." Lisbon admitted.
Agent Johnson soon came back from the D.C. bullpen and went up to Jane, Lisbon and Jones. "Oh, I found Betsy's sister Diana Carmichael and called her. I explained the situation with Brandon and Betsy. She will be flying into D.C. soon from Illinois. She said she would take care of him. She has been close to him."
"That's great!" Lisbon said. She smiled at that. Jane did as well.
"I have a question, Agent Lisbon. Did anybody find the painting?" Lucy asked wondering. "If you did, I would sell it. You know, to help the aunt and boy out with expenses. I know it's not the boy's fault what happened."
"Well, I'm not sure about the painting. I will have to check on that. Yes, that's a great idea." Lisbon mentioned. "I'll have to check on that. Agent Pike and his team are dealing with that."
Pike soon walked into the door carrying the painting in his arms. He saw Lisbon and went up to her. "I found the painting wrapped in a blanket under one of the seats in the regular cars." Jane noticed him as well.
"I'm going back in to talk to Betsy." Jane said as he went towards the holding room.
"You were quite good on the stage and you looked great. I didn't realize you could sing like that." Pike smiled awkwardly. "That's a hidden talent you didn't share with me."
"I don't normally sing. Jane just is very persuasive and I just have to go along with his plans, but I enjoyed it." Lisbon admitted feeling very awkward. "I'm still sorry about everything. I shouldn't have lied to you all that time. I really did enjoy our time together."
"I know. Well, I suppose you are with who you're supposed to be love. I just wished it could've been me." Pike admitted.
"I know. You will find somebody, I know. You're a great guy and I'm sure there's someone in D.C. that will love to be with you and will give you her whole heart." Lisbon smiled. She was happy she could leave Pike amicably
Meanwhile in the holding room, Jane sat down across from Betsy. "The painting you stole was found by Agent Pike under the seats."
"I didn't actually steal it. Steve gave it to me to sell for money to take care of Brandon." Betsy admitted annoyed.
"Okay, Lucy thought it was stolen. She must share ownership with Steve."
Jane left the room and came out and saw Lisbon and Pike still talking. "She said she did not steal the painting. It was given to her by Steve on the train to sell for money to take care of her son." Jane admitted.
"I assessed the value of the painting to be $300,000."Pike explained. "Where's Lucy? I'll give it to her."
Jane, Lisbon and Pike found Lucy still waiting in the bullpen and wanting to know answers.
Pike came up to her. "Lucy, I found your painting for you." He then handed her the painting.
"Betsy said that Steve gave it to her to sell for money for the boy anyway like you said you would do." Jane admitted.
"That was my painting. So, really Steve stole it and gave it to her. Why?" Lucy asked.
"I assume it was so he wouldn't have to send any more money for the child." Lisbon admitted.
"Okay. He must have cared for the boy to send money for his care." Lucy said sadly. "We never had any children. Could I meet the boy?"
Brandon was brought back by Agent Johnson. "Here he is."
"Hello, what's your name? My name is Lucy."
"Brandon." The boy said quietly. He was shy around her.
"I'm sorry about your dad and mom." Lucy said.
"I know. I'm going to miss them. My aunt is coming soon."
"I knew your dad."
"You did?" Brandon asked.
"He was a very nice man." Lucy smiled.
I don't know exactly what Pike does with finding paintings. I apologize if I have it wrong, but I just wanted to include him to give him better closure with Lisbon and Jane as well.
Feedback is always appreciated. I try my best.
Here is the lyrics to the song
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious written by the Sherman Brothers from "Mary Poppins"
Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad
My father gave my nose a tweak and told me I was bad
Then one day learned a word that saved my achin' nose
The longest word you every heard and this is how it goes
Chorus
Oh, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is something
quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay
Um diddle diddle diddle um ddiddle ay
I've traveled all around the world and everywhere I went
I'd use my word and all would say, "there goes a clever gent"
But when Dukes and maharajahs pass the time of day with me
I say my special word and they they ask me out to tea
chorus
So when the cat has got your tongue
there's no need for dismay
Just summon up this word and then you've
got a lot to say
But better use it carefully or it can change your life
One night I said it to my girl and now my girl's my wife
Chorus